16 Best Mobile Shopping Apps For Your Phone

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This article shares tips from the newest episode of Dealista, our podcast that'll help you get more for less.

Bargain hunting is easier than ever with these great shopping apps for your smart phone. You no longer have to run from store to store comparing prices, or wonder if the hot deal you're looking at might not be as hot as the one offered across the street. Use these popular shopping apps to make sure you're walking out the store with the very best deal.

ShopSavvy: Scan barcodes with your phone and compare prices across 20,000 retailers. It also provides reviews. Available free for iPhone and Android.

Shop Nearby: Shop every store with every product on the web from your iPhone. Find out which stores near you carry the products you're looking for and compare prices. Available free for iPhone or mobile browserK.

RedLaser: Similar to ShopSavvy, you can scan bar coded items and compare prices from GoogleProducts and TheFind database. Available for iPhone at $1.99.

Amazon: Search and compare prices from local retailers for over a million products sold on Amazon.com. Available free for iPhone, Blackberry, and Android.

Save Benjis: Search online vendors for virtually any product to compare prices. This app also provides product descriptions and reviews. Available free for iPhone.

Compare Me: If you've got two items of varying volume and need to figure out which is the better deal, CompareMe will tell you. Available for iPhone for $1.99.

Coupon Sherpa: Use this app to find coupons while on the go. Just show the coupon on your phone and it'll scan at the register! Available free for iPhone.

MobiQpons: This cool app will show you coupons available for stores, restaurants, and services near you. Available free for iPhone, Android, and Blackberry.

SnapTell: Take a photo of the cover of a CD, DVD, book, or video game and the app will identify the product and find ratings and pricing. Available free for iPhone and Android.

Compare Everywhere: Scan barcodes to get product prices and reviews. It can even use Android's GPS to tell you the location and directions to the nearest store that stocks the item. Available free for Android.

Buzzillions: Get product reviews on the go. Make sure the plasma TV you're eyeing at the store has user approval. Get all the reviews and ratings you need at your fingertips. Available free for iPhone.

GoodGuide: Scan a barcode to see if a product is safe, healthy, and green. See detailed ratings for health, environmental and social responsibility. Available free for iPhone.

Point Inside: Ever get lost while in a shopping mall, and can't even find the directory for a map? Take out your trusty phone and pull up the mall directory directly. Available free for iPhone.

Slifter: Get local product search, prices, images, maps, and a personalized shopping list with this neat app. Available free for iPhone and Blackberry.

Holiday Gift Guide: Browse through over a thousand items that are listed on popular holiday gift lists, and find them locally at nearby or online stores. Available free for iPhone.

Be Nice to Bunnies: Developed by PETA, you can use this app to check if a product was made cruelty-free. Available for iPhone for $1.99.

Quick and Dirty Tips for Using Shopping Apps to Get the Best Deal

You're armed with these apps and you're ready to hunt down the best bargains. Don't forget these tips while you're at the store.

  • Resist the temptation to buy something you know isn't the best price simply because you want it now. Sometimes it makes sense to pay more for convenience, but not when you're just impatient.
  • If one of your nifty apps do tell you a store nearby has the item for less, show it to the store manager. You might be able to get a price match then and there, rather than having to make a trip to another place.
  • Check out reviews and user ratings. Learn from the mistakes of those who bought before you.

Dealista is a collaboration between Wise Bread and Quick and Dirty Tips, the producer of popular podcasts such as Grammar Girl, Money Girl, Winning Investor, and Mighty Mommy.

If you enjoyed these tips you can find more in our show's archive.

Disclaimer: The links and mentions on this site may be affiliate links. But they do not affect the actual opinions and recommendations of the authors.

Wise Bread is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to amazon.com.


Guest's picture
Guest

Pricecheckah is better than all of these. It uses the same great redlaser barcode scanner, but gives you results from Amazon, eBay, walmart, overstock, buy.com as well as Google. It even let's you put in your own stores.

And at only 99c.

http://itunes.apple.com/WebObjects/MZStore.woa/wa/viewSoftware?id=300264...

Guest's picture

Not true... I probably wouldn't even spend in-game money for the stuff. There are a few exclusive weapons, but they're almost no better than the free ones, and if you're a good player you can take out anyone with the first gun you get in the game anyway, so they're almost entirely useless. You can add a few more decals and tattoos, and get more? character slots, that's about it. It's true free-to-play in that you can do everything in the game without paying, and not be disadvantaged.

Guest's picture

I use iTrackmine.com because even though its not all flashy with the (useless and frustrating) barcode scanner, it tells me what i've already got and what all my friends have. With all the other info I need too. And it's free...why would I pay for these apps when they make tons of money off me from all their affiliate links and ads (oh, and weird thing about iTrackmine is that I haven't found any ads yet...maybe they'll add some in the future).

Guest's picture
Guest

I use the Armadealo Mobile Application whenever I go shopping and want to save money. They have mall maps and store discounts. So not only does the app help you navigate the mall, but it also saves you money when you shop.

http://itunes.apple.com/app/armadealo-shopping/id335045255?mt=8

Guest's picture
Sam

I use ShopZooky on my iphone. Lets you compare prices and shop in a social way with friends and neighbors nearby.

Guest's picture
raj

Thanks for the resources! I’m a man on a mission…hoping these help :-)

Guest's picture

There are some great suggestions on here. I've especially enjoyed using the Compare Me app since my mind doesn't always think like that. Keep up the good work!

Guest's picture
Tim

Have you ever tried shoponphone.org? Its a list of mobile retail sites.