AnyList Complete alternatives: 5 open-source picks
AnyList Complete costs $0.83/mo — $9.96 a year. These 5 alternatives replace it for $0, led by Mealie, Grocy and Home Assistant. All 5 are open source. License, stars and last commit checked by hand on 2026-08-29. No trials, no crippled tiers.
A household recipe server with meal plans and grocery lists; you supply the server and patience.
licenseAGPL-3.0
runsyour server
installDocker Compose
dataRecipes, users, groups, meal plans, and shopping-list records live in SQLite by default or PostgreSQL when configured; recipe images and application assets live in the mounted data directory, and Mealie's backup/export archives keep portable copies of the database and media.
the catch vs AnyList CompleteMealie shares recipes and shopping lists, but its web-first recipe-server workflow is slower for aisle-side list entry, notifications, Siri/Alexa capture, and offline mobile use than AnyList.
setupA non-expert needs Docker, persistent volumes, an update/backup routine, and usually a domain plus HTTPS; importing recipe sites also produces parsing failures that must be cleaned up manually.
facts verified 2026-08-10
Meal plans and groceries run through a tiny home ERP, because apparently the fridge needed one.
licenseMIT
runsyour server
installDocker container/Compose, or install the PHP application on a web server
dataProducts, stock, chores, recipes, meal plans, shopping lists, and history live in Grocy's SQLite database inside its data directory; configuration, uploaded pictures, and generated files are stored alongside it on the host volume.
the catch vs AnyList CompleteGrocy is vastly more complex than a grocery list and lacks AnyList's fast native capture, voice-assistant integration, location-aware reminders, and polished household mobile sync.
setupThe first obstacle is deploying and exposing a PHP/Docker web app; the larger practical hurdle is configuring locations, units, products, barcodes, and household routines before its ERP-like screens become useful.
facts verified 2026-08-10
The de-facto open-source home automation hub — thousands of integrations, fully local control.
licenseApache-2.0
runsyour server
setupnot verified by us yet — check the repo README
facts verified 2026-08-29
Local NVR with real-time AI object detection for security cameras — no cloud subscription.
licenseMIT
runsyour server
setupnot verified by us yet — check the repo README
facts verified 2026-08-29
Powerful recipe manager with meal planning, shopping lists, and multi-user support.
licenseAGPL-3.0
runsyour server
setupnot verified by us yet — check the repo README
facts verified 2026-08-29
What each one is, in full: Mealie · Home Assistant · Frigate · Tandoor Recipes
last updated 2026-08-29 · no votes, no pay-to-list · just what's real
the usual suspects · recommended everywhere, rejected here
AnyList FreeShared grocery lists are free; recipes and meal planning are exactly what Complete sells.
KitchenOwlPolished enough to tempt you; the project still labels itself Public Alpha.
how to choose a AnyList Complete alternative
Easiest to get running
Tandoor Recipes — a one-click install, no server to maintain.
Most proven
Home Assistant, with 78,000 GitHub stars — the largest community of the 5, which usually means more answers when something breaks.
Needs real ops to self-host
Frigate is capable but expects someone to run a server, updates and backups. Budget for that before choosing it.
what you give up by leaving AnyList Complete
- excellent mobile capture, retailer integrations, voice assistants, and polished sharing
- frictionless family sync
- retailer and smart-home integrations
- large recipe or product database
- mobile polish
None of the picks above covers all of it. The full verdict says which gaps matter.
AnyList Complete alternatives at a glance
| tool | license | running it | platforms | stars | active |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mealie | AGPL-3.0 | docker to self-host | web, self-hosted | 12,900 | 2026-08 |
| Grocy | MIT | docker to self-host | web, windows, self-hosted | 9,358 | 2026-07 |
| Home Assistant | Apache-2.0 | docker to self-host | self-hosted, web | 78,000 | 2026-08 |
| Frigate | MIT | self-host, real ops | self-hosted, web | 22,000 | 2026-08 |
| Tandoor Recipes | AGPL-3.0 | one-click install | self-hosted, web | 6,000 | 2026-08 |
why people still pay for AnyList Complete
People still pay for AnyList Complete because household apps survive when every family member actually uses them and the data stays current across devices. The recurring cost buys multi-user conflicts, reminders, notifications, imports, barcode data, smart-home APIs, backups, and long-term maintenance, not just the visible interface. If none of that applies to you, any pick above saves $9.96 a year.
questions about switching from AnyList Complete
Is there an open-source alternative to AnyList Complete?
Yes: Mealie, Grocy, Home Assistant and 2 more. Every tool on this page is open source: no trials, no crippled tiers.
Can open source really replace AnyList Complete?
Our verdict is YES. Home Assistant (78k stars), Frigate (22k stars), Mealie (13k stars) are mature open-source replacements for AnyList Complete — self-host with docker and stop paying $0.83/mo. The full verdict, and what you give up by switching, is at caniopensourceit.online/anylist-complete.
What is the easiest open-source AnyList Complete alternative to set up?
Tandoor Recipes — a one-click install, no server to maintain.
What is the most popular open-source AnyList Complete alternative?
By GitHub stars, Home Assistant (78,000). Frigate is next with 22,000.
