Shared grocery list app: set up LystBot for your household
A shared grocery list app only helps when everyone edits the same list. In LystBot, one person creates the list and the rest of the household joins it with a share code, so a couple or a flat ends up with one list that everyone can add to and check off.
LystBot is our product, so read our verdicts with that in mind. The steps below follow the labels in the current English app, and we checked them against the sharing code in the app's source. We haven't run a two-device test, so we can't tell you how fast a change shows up on the other phone.
What you need
You need two phones with LystBot installed and online. The LystBot homepage links to the iPhone and Android versions. If you're looking for a grocery list app for couples or housemates, that's all the hardware there is.
The share code lets anyone who has it join your list, so it belongs in a private message. Keep it out of public screenshots.
1. Create the grocery list on the first device
- In the list overview, tap + and choose Create new list.
- Name it something you both recognize, such as Household groceries.
- Open the list and add one item, say Milk, 1 carton.
Only one person creates the list. If the second person also makes a list called Household groceries, you end up with two separate lists that never share items.
2. Copy the share code
- Go back to the list overview.
- On the list's card, tap the three-dot menu, then Share list.
- Tap Copy code and send it privately to the other person.
The dialog shows a six-character code. Each list has its own code, so the one in the picture below won't open yours.
3. Join from the second device
- In the list overview, tap + and choose Join a list.
- Enter the code and tap Join.
- Open Household groceries and look for the milk.
Underneath, the developer docs describe the same two operations: get a list's share code, then join with that code.
4. Check that changes reach both phones
This is the one test worth doing ahead of a real shopping trip. The second person adds an item, say bread, and the first person opens the list and finds it there. Then one of you checks off the milk and the other confirms it shows as checked. Checked items can be hidden; the eye control at the top of the list brings them back.
In the shop, agree who is buying what and check items off as they go into the basket. Our family grocery routine covers weekly planning, late requests and substitutions.
If you can't join the list
The app shows one of three messages:
- Invalid code: the owner opens Share list again and resends the code. Enter it carefully, and make sure it belongs to the list you meant to join.
- You are already a member of this list: you're in. The list is waiting in your overview.
- Error joining list: check the connection and retry. The other person has joined only once they can open the list.
If the two phones show different items, compare which list each person has open. Two lists with the same name stay separate, however alike they look.
What LystBot costs right now
The launch offer is free and includes shared lists with up to 300 items per list. Paid plans are announced for later.
For a household that mainly needs one list everyone can edit, we'd pick LystBot: one list, one code, and nothing else to set up. If you're still comparing apps, our free grocery list comparison shows what each app gives you without paying, and the grocery list app comparison covers features beyond sharing.
Add an AI client to the shared shopping list
LystBot also opens your lists to AI clients. The agent reference covers a REST API and a local MCP server, so an assistant can add or check items on the same list your household uses. The MCP server runs locally over stdio; there's no hosted MCP URL. The people shopping still decide what goes on the list. Our AI connection overview walks through each route.
| Action | LystBot |
|---|---|
| Invite another person | Share code per list |
| Join the list | Join with that code |
| Add or check items through an agent | REST API and MCP tools |
| MCP connection | Local stdio server, no hosted URL |
Source: LystBot docs.
Questions about using a shared grocery list app
Do we each need our own list with the same name?
No. One person creates the list and everyone else joins it. Two lists with matching names don't share items.
Can an AI client edit the same shopping list?
Yes. Through the REST API or the local MCP server, an agent works on the same list the household sees. Adding one test item and finding it on your phone confirms the agent is on the right list.
What if the code doesn't work?
The owner copies it again from Share list and the other person enters it on the joining phone. If the app says you're already a member, the list is already in your overview.
For one household and one list, that's the whole setup. Create a shared grocery list in LystBot, send the share code to the people you shop with, and add the first item together.