FAQ

Short answers to the questions people ask most often about Cartsy. Each one links to a fuller page if you want the details.

Plans & pricing

Is Cartsy free?

Yes. Cartsy is free to use, and the free plan covers up to 10 products, 10 shopping list items, and 10 cart items — plenty for a quick shop. If you want those caps lifted, Cartsy Pro makes all three unlimited.

What does Cartsy Pro unlock?

Pro removes the three free-plan limits: unlimited products, unlimited shopping list items, and unlimited cart items. Nothing else is locked away — every other feature is free for everyone. See Cartsy Pro for the full rundown.

Is there a free trial?

Every new install comes with a 14-day free trial of Cartsy Pro, with all the limits off so you can try the unlimited experience. The My Plan screen counts down the days you have left. When the trial ends, Cartsy settles back to the free plan — nothing you’ve added is ever deleted, you’d just see the limits again next time you go to add beyond them.

How do I cancel my subscription?

Billing is handled by the App Store, so cancelling happens in your App Store account settings, not inside Cartsy. Open Settings → My Plan and tap Manage Subscription to jump straight there. Cancelling stops the next renewal but doesn’t cut you off early — you keep Pro until the end of the period you’ve already paid for. More in Cartsy Pro.

I got a new phone — how do I get Pro back?

Tap Restore on the Cartsy Pro screen. Cartsy checks your Apple Account and brings your subscription back — handy on a new phone or after a reinstall.

Privacy & how it works

Does Cartsy need an internet connection?

For everyday shopping, no. Your products, lists, cart, and history all live on your iPhone, and the Price Scanner reads prices entirely on-device. A connection is only needed for two optional things: looking up a barcode’s name and photo (Auto-fill Product Info), and anything to do with your Cartsy Pro subscription.

Does the price scanner send my camera or photos anywhere?

No. The scanner uses Apple’s built-in text recognition right on your iPhone — the camera image never leaves the device, and it doesn’t need an internet connection to read a price.

Does scanning a barcode send my data anywhere?

Only if you choose to. Scanning a barcode to save a product’s code stays on your device. If you turn on Auto-fill Product Info in Settings, Cartsy sends just that barcode to OpenFoodFacts (a free, community-run food database) to fetch the matching name and photo. It’s off by default — with it off, nothing is sent.

Scanning prices

The scanner grabbed the wrong number — what do I do?

A price tag often has several numbers on it. Cartsy shows its best guess up top and lists any others under Other prices on the tag — just tap the right one. If it’s pointed at the wrong tag entirely, tap anywhere on the result (or the Tap to rescan badge) to start looking again. Full details in the Price Scanner section.

My shop prints prices without a decimal point (e.g. 2599 for £25.99).

Turn on Auto-decimal Above under Settings → Advanced → Price Scanner. Any number at or above the value you set is treated as cents and divided by 100, so 2599 reads back as 25.99. It’s off by default — switch it on only for shops that print prices this way.

The scanner keeps latching onto stray numbers.

Use the Minimum Price and Maximum Price dials under Settings → Advanced → Price Scanner. Numbers below the minimum (like a “0.5 kg” weight) or above the maximum (like a product code) are ignored, keeping the scanner focused on real prices.

Can the scanner read barcodes instead of prices?

The Price Scanner reads the printed price off a tag, not a barcode. Barcodes are a separate thing: you can scan one to save a product’s code, or scan it at the cart to add a saved product. So both are covered — just by different tools.

Everyday use

Do I have to make a shopping list to use Cartsy?

Not at all. The Shopping Cart works on its own — just scan or type prices as you go and watch the running total. The list and cart work together if you do plan ahead, but neither needs the other.

Can I bring in a list I already keep elsewhere?

If you keep your list in Apple Reminders, tap the import button on the Products screen, pick a list, and Cartsy brings those items in as products — skipping anything blank or already on your shelf.

How do I sort my list by where I’ll buy each thing?

Assign a shop to your products (when adding or editing one), then choose Group by Shop from the menu on the Shopping List screen. Everything from one place sits together, with anything unassigned under Other Items. See Shops for more.

I’m left-handed — can I move the add button?

Yes. Turn on Move Action Button to Left in Settings and the round add button moves from the bottom-right to the bottom-left corner.

Where do my finished shops go?

When you check out, Cartsy archives the trip to your History and starts a fresh cart. Open History from the clock button in the top-left of the Cart to look back at what you bought, where, and what it came to.

How do I empty my cart without checking out?

Tap the menu button — the three dots in the top-right of the Cart, next to the checkout button — and choose Clear Cart. Cartsy confirms first, then removes every item and puts the total back to zero. Nothing is archived to your History, so use it when a trip was a false start rather than a shop you actually finished. See the Shopping Cart section for more.

I deleted a product or shop by mistake — what happens?

Deleting a product removes it from your shelf and quietly takes it off any shopping items that used it. Deleting a shop unlinks it from any products and past trips — those simply go back to having no shop. Deletions can’t be undone, so Cartsy checks with you first.

Currency & totals

Can I change the currency?

Yes. Tap Currency in Settings and search for yours by name or code. Cartsy starts on US Dollar, so set this first if you shop in another currency — it changes how every price is shown.

My cart total doesn’t match what I pay at the till.

If prices where you shop are listed before tax, set your local Tax Rate in Settings. Cartsy then shows an incl. tax total beneath the cart total, closer to what you’ll actually pay. It’s off until you set it.