Best Free and Discounted Food Apps in the UK: Olio vs Too Good To Go
Olio and Too Good To Go are the two apps UK users mention most for cutting food waste and food costs, but they solve the problem in different ways.
Olio is built around neighbours giving away spare items for free. Too Good To Go is built around shops selling unsold food at a lower price.
Here’s what each one actually offers, how the pricing really differs, so you can decide which fits how you shop, or simply install both.
Olio: free food and household items near you
Olio works like a local noticeboard for things people no longer need, food included. You photograph an item, someone nearby requests it, and you arrange a free pick-up.
Olio - Share More, Waste Less
- Installs
- 5m+
- Size
- 369MB
- Price
- Free
- Platform
- Android/iOS
Too Good To Go: rescue surplus food at a lower price
Too Good To Go connects you with cafés, bakeries, restaurants and supermarkets that have unsold food at the end of the day. You reserve a Surprise Bag and collect it within a set window.
Too Good To Go: End Food Waste
- Installs
- 50m+
- Size
- 102MB
- Price
- Free
- Platform
- Android/iOS
How to choose between them
If your priority is spending nothing at all, start with Olio’s free listings. If you’re fine paying a small amount for a surprise selection of good food, Too Good To Go usually has more daily availability, since it depends on paying shops rather than other users’ spare items.
Many UK users simply run both apps at once, since they rarely overlap on the same items.
Other ways to find free food nearby
Beyond the two apps above, a few community options are worth knowing about:
- Community fridges: public fridges stocked with shop surplus, found in a growing number of UK towns and cities.
- Local sharing groups: Facebook and Nextdoor groups where neighbours post spare food directly, without an app in between.
- Food banks: for genuine hardship rather than surplus sharing, UK food banks such as those run through the Trussell Trust network provide emergency food parcels.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Olio completely free to use?
Yes. Giving and requesting food or household items on Olio doesn’t cost anything. The app also shows paid, discounted surplus from some local shops as an optional extra.
How much does a Too Good To Go Surprise Bag usually cost?
Prices are set by each shop or café and shown in the app before you pay, but a Surprise Bag is typically sold for a fraction of the combined value of the food inside.
Can I choose exactly what’s in a Surprise Bag?
No. Part of the model is that you don’t know the exact contents in advance, only the type of shop and a rough value, which is how stores clear unpredictable surplus.
Do these apps work outside big cities?
Both apps depend on how many users and local businesses are active nearby, so coverage is strongest in towns and cities and can be patchier in rural areas.
Can I volunteer to redistribute surplus food instead of just collecting it?
Yes. Olio’s Food Waste Hero programme lets volunteers collect surplus from shops and share it with people nearby, on top of the regular give-and-get listings.
Are there non-app options if I need emergency food support?
Yes. UK food banks, usually run through networks like the Trussell Trust, provide emergency food parcels for people in genuine hardship, which is a different service from the surplus-sharing apps covered here.
Which one will you try first?
Both apps are free to download, and checking what’s listed near you takes a couple of minutes.
This page is independent, informational content. It is not affiliated with Olio, Too Good To Go or any other app mentioned. Listings, deals and availability depend on other users and local businesses in your area, and are never guaranteed.
