# Ocado vs British Essentials

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.

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.

## The numbers

| Metric | Ocado | British Essentials |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [4.8 (278 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/ocado-online-grocery/id1552379398/reviews) | **[4.9 (260 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/british-essentials/id6477825501/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | **278** | 260 |
| Positive reviews | 38.6% of reviews | **100.0% of reviews** |
| In-app purchases | No | No |
| Ads | Yes | Yes |
| Update frequency | **Weekly** | Every 3 months |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | Free with in-app purchases |
| Size | 155 MB | 60 MB |
| Requires iOS | 16.0 | **14.0** |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad | iPhone, iPod |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Ocado Retail Ltd](https://appshunter.io/developer/319691484) | [B.E. ESSENTIALS LTD](https://appshunter.io/developer/1730722064) |

## What reviewers say

### Ocado

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/ocado-online-grocery/id1552379398)

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.

**Highlights:** 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

**In-app purchases:** none

**What reviewers like**

- 🚀 Efficient delivery service
- 👍 Friendly and helpful drivers
- 🛒 Wide selection of products
- 💳 Convenient payment options
- 🕰️ Accurate delivery time estimates

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Buggy and glitchy app
- 🔍 Poor search functionality
- 📜 Missing product information
- 💳 Confusing checkout process
- 🔄 Inconsistent offers and pricing

**Reported bugs**

- 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**

- 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

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/british-essentials/id6477825501)

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.

**Highlights:** 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

**Features:** macOS Compatibility

**In-app purchases:** none


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Ocado free?

Ocado is free to download, with no in-app purchases.

### Is British Essentials free?

British Essentials is free to download, with no in-app purchases.

### Which has better reviews, Ocado or British Essentials?

British Essentials is rated higher. Ocado averages 4.8 out of 5 from 278 ratings, while British Essentials averages 4.9 from 260 ratings.

### Do Ocado or British Essentials have ads?

Both Ocado and British Essentials show ads.

### Which is updated more often, Ocado or British Essentials?

Ocado ships an update weekly, and British Essentials every 3 months. Most recently, Ocado was updated on November 3, 2026 and British Essentials on November 4, 2026.

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*Compared by [AppsHunter](https://appshunter.io/) from daily US App Store data. Review summaries are generated from verbatim App Store reviews.*