Ocado vs British Essentials
Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.
Ocado
Access the UK's largest online grocery selection, including M&S food, with this app. Discover deals, recipe ideas, and enjoy convenient delivery with options to edit your order. Save time and money on your weekly shop.
- Largest online grocery range
- Full M&S food selection
- Great offers and value
- Recipe ideas
- Flexible delivery times
- Order editing up to delivery night
- Quick Add for last-minute items
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Want to save time and money on your weekly shop? Download the pocket-perfect Ocado app for the UK's largest online grocery range, including a full M&S food delivery. You’ll find everything from great offers on your weekly staples, to new recipe ideas for those midweek meals. All sorted in a tap or two (or three). Why you’ll love shopping with Ocado: • Top-notch service. We deliver from 5.30am to midnight, guarantee freshness and keep substitutions to a minimum. • The biggest range. Find your favourite big-name brands, alongside the full Marks & Spencer food range delivered to your door. • Great value. Shop everyday essentials from Ocado Own Range, 100s of products at low prices, and amazing offers. Plus, with the Ocado Price Promise for over 10,000 products, we match the price of your like-for-like shop to tesco.com, including promotions and Clubcard prices. • Total control. You can edit your order right up till the night before your scheduled delivery. • Add on the go. Quickly add any last-minute bits to your order with Quick Add. Download Ocado today and shop the simple way.
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
Ocado 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 39% of Ocado's. British Essentials also leads on iOS requirement (14.0 vs 16.0). Ocado's advantage is update cadence (weekly vs every 3 months). On price, rating, ratings volume and ads 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 Ocado against 4.9 for British Essentials. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 278 and 260 respectively. Written reviews are what separate them: 39% of Ocado's written reviews are positive against 100% of British Essentials's.
Ocado ships an update weekly, British Essentials every 3 months. The most recent releases landed on November 3, 2026 and November 4, 2026 respectively.
| Parameter | Ocado | British Essentials |
|---|---|---|
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | 4.8 (278 ratings) | 4.9 (260 ratings) — better |
| Positive reviews | 38.6% of reviews | 100.0% of reviews — better |
| Number of ratings | 278 — better | 260 |
| Update frequency | Weekly — 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 | iPhone, iPod |
| Requires iOS | 16.0 | 14.0 — better |
| Further details — not scored | ||
| Size | 155 MB | 60 MB |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | Ocado Retail Ltd | B.E. ESSENTIALS LTD |
Customer experience
Ocado
British Essentials
Bugs and requests
Ocado
Reported bugs
5 issues- App crashes during order editing
- Unable to log in or update account details
- Delivery slot booking issues
- Incorrect order totals and substitutions
- Unreliable push notifications
Requested features
5 requests- Bring back barcode scanner
- Restore previous app layout and features
- Add dark mode option
- Improve product sorting and filtering
- Sync order history and favorites across devices
British Essentials
Not enough reviews yet to summarise bugs or requests.
In-app purchases
Ocado
No in-app purchases
British Essentials
No in-app purchases
Questions
Is Ocado free?
Is British Essentials free?
Which has better reviews, Ocado or British Essentials?
Do Ocado or British Essentials have ads?
Which is updated more often, Ocado or British Essentials?
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