Sainsbury's vs British Essentials
Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.
Sainsbury's
Shop for over 30,000 grocery products from your phone. Browse, search, create orders, and collect rewards. Choose home delivery or in-store collection across the UK.
- Browse and search 30,000+ products
- Create and edit grocery orders
- Link Nectar card for rewards
- Access offers and deals
- UK-wide home delivery
- Click & Collect from stores
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Save time. Save money. Shop your way. The Sainsbury’s app brings together everything you need to shop with Sainsbury’s, whether you’re planning your weekly shop, shopping in-store, collecting Nectar rewards or getting groceries delivered fast. With the Sainsbury’s app you can: • Shop groceries online and book delivery or Click & Collect slots • Unlock personalised offers, Nectar Prices and rewards • Use SmartShop to scan as you shop and stay in control of your spend • Create shopping lists and save favourites for quicker repeat shops • Get groceries delivered in as little as 60 minutes with Chop Chop • Find products and locate them in selected stores with Search Your Store One app. Multiple ways to shop.
British Essentials
Discover and purchase a wide array of authentic British food and drink items from around the world. This app offers global accessibility to classic British groceries, exclusive deals, and a user-friendly shopping experience, all while supporting UK producers.
- Extensive selection of British groceries
- Worldwide shipping
- User-friendly interface
- Authentic UK products
- Exclusive app offers and discounts
- Personalized product recommendations
- Fast and reliable shipping
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British Essentials stands as a premier destination for lovers of British food and drink, offering a vast selection of quintessentially British groceries to customers worldwide. Specializing in delivering the comforts of home to expatriates and the exquisite tastes of the UK to global enthusiasts, British Essentials curates the finest British fare—from classic teas and biscuits to British Chocolate, confectionary and premium beverages. By bridging the gap between traditional British producers and the international market, British Essentials not only supports the UK's food and beverage industry but also provides a platform for exploring the rich culinary heritage of Britain. Advantages for Customers Shopping on the App: 1. Unparalleled Selection: The app offers an extensive range of British food and drink, including hard-to-find items and regional specialties, ensuring that customers can satisfy any craving for British cuisine. 2. Global Accessibility: British Essentials makes British culinary delights accessible worldwide, breaking down geographical barriers and bringing the taste of the UK to your doorstep, wherever you are. 3. User-Friendly Shopping Experience: The app's intuitive design and streamlined navigation make it easy for customers to browse categories, discover new products, and complete purchases with ease. 4. Authentic Products Guaranteed: Customers can shop with confidence knowing that all products on British Essentials are sourced directly from the UK, ensuring authenticity and quality. 5. Exclusive Offers: App users gain access to exclusive deals, seasonal promotions, and discounts, making premium British food and drink more affordable. 6. Personalized Recommendations: Through personalized shopping experiences, the app suggests products based on your preferences and past purchases, helping you discover new favourites. 7. Direct Support of UK Businesses: By choosing British Essentials, customers directly support British producers and suppliers, contributing to the sustainability of the UK's food and drink industry. 8. Eco-Friendly Packaging Options: Committed to sustainability, the app offers eco-friendly packaging options for shipments, reducing the environmental impact of your purchases. 9. Fast and Reliable Shipping: With a commitment to prompt delivery, British Essentials ensures that your British food and drink favourites are delivered quickly and in perfect condition, preserving their freshness. 10. Secure Payment System: The app provides a safe and secure payment environment, with multiple payment options available for a hassle-free checkout experience. 11. 24/7 Customer Service: Dedicated customer support is available around the clock to assist with any inquiries, order tracking, and after-sales service, ensuring a satisfactory shopping experience. 12. Community Features: Join a community of British food and drink lovers within the app, where you can share reviews, recipes, and tips, enhancing your culinary journey. British Essentials is more than a shopping app; it offers a convenient, enjoyable, and authentic way to explore and enjoy British food and drink, irrespective of where you are in the world. For anyone looking to indulge in the flavours of the UK or seeking the comfort of British culinary classics, British Essentials provides an accessible, diverse, and quality-assured shopping experience.
Screenshots
Verdict
Sainsbury's and British Essentials both sit at 4.8 stars, but that hides the real split: 100% of British Essentials's written reviews are positive against 30% of Sainsbury's's. Sainsbury's's advantage is update cadence (every 2 weeks vs every 3 months) and ratings volume (765 vs 229). On price, rating, ads and in-app purchases there is nothing between them.
Scored on Price · Rating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings · Update frequency · Ads · In-app purchases · Monetization · Best chart rank · Devices · Requires iOS
Both are free to download. Neither carries in-app purchases, so what you see is what you pay.
On the App Store both sit at effectively the same score — 4.8 for Sainsbury's against 4.9 for British Essentials. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 765 and 229 respectively. Written reviews are what separate them: 30% of Sainsbury's's written reviews are positive against 100% of British Essentials's.
Sainsbury's ships an update every 2 weeks, British Essentials every 3 months. Both last shipped on October 19, 2026.
| Parameter | Sainsbury's | British Essentials |
|---|---|---|
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | 4.8 (765 ratings) | 4.9 (229 ratings) — better |
| Positive reviews | 29.5% of reviews | 100.0% of reviews — better |
| Number of ratings | 765 — better | 229 |
| Update frequency | Every 2 weeks — better | Every 3 months |
| Ads | Yes | Yes |
| In-app purchases | No | No |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | Free with in-app purchases |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod — better | iPhone, iPod |
| Requires iOS | 15.6 | 14.0 — better |
| Further details — not scored | ||
| Size | 110 MB | 60 MB |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | Sainsbury's | B.E. ESSENTIALS LTD |
Customer experience
Sainsbury's
British Essentials
Bugs and requests
Sainsbury's
Reported bugs
6 issues- App crashes during checkout
- Unable to add payment methods
- Nectar card integration issues
- Delivery address changes unexpectedly
- Items disappearing from basket
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- Incorrect pricing and unavailable offers
Requested features
6 requests- Add notes for item substitutions
- Improve search and browsing experience
- Integrate Nectar card and points management
- Provide delivery tracking and status updates
- Allow saving and reordering of previous orders
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- Improve app stability and reduce crashes
British Essentials
Not enough reviews yet to summarise bugs or requests.
In-app purchases
Sainsbury's
No in-app purchases
British Essentials
No in-app purchases
Questions
Is Sainsbury's free?
Is British Essentials free?
Which has better reviews, Sainsbury's or British Essentials?
Do Sainsbury's or British Essentials have ads?
Which is updated more often, Sainsbury's or British Essentials?
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