Yuka

Name: Yuka
Brand: Yuka

Scan barcodes to instantly see the health impact of food and cosmetic products.

softwareNutrition & Dietfood-scannernutrition-trackercosmetic-safety

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Our Verdict

Best for

Shoppers who want quick, independent health ratings for food and cosmetics while browsing in-store.

Skip if

You need a full calorie/macro nutrition tracker rather than a product-rating scanner.

What is Yuka?

Yuka is a mobile app that lets users scan the barcode of a food or cosmetic product to get an instant, independent health rating. For food, it evaluates nutritional quality (additives, sugar, salt, fat) and flags concerning ingredients; for cosmetics, it checks for endocrine disruptors, irritants, and allergens, then suggests healthier alternative products with a better score. Yuka positions itself as 100% independent, with no advertising and no funding from the brands it rates, funded instead through its optional premium membership. The app reports over 8 million users, a 4.8/5 average rating across 500,000+ reviews, and is a certified B Corporation.

SpecificationsAI-estimated

deploymentMobile App

open source❌ No

api available❌ No

support optionsHelp center and in-app support

key integrationsBarcode/camera scanning on iOS and Android devices

Key Features of Yuka

Scans a product barcode to instantly display a health score for food or cosmetic items.

Evaluates food products on nutritional quality, including additives, sugar, salt, and fat content.

Checks cosmetic ingredients for endocrine disruptors, irritants, and known allergens.

Suggests healthier alternative products with a better score when a scanned item rates poorly.

Operates with no advertising or brand funding, relying on premium subscriptions for independence.

Premium membership adds offline scanning, text-based product search, and unlimited scan history.

Includes a green-score rating reflecting a product's environmental impact.

Use Cases for Yuka

Grocery shopping decisions

Shoppers scan packaged food items in-store to quickly compare nutritional quality before buying.

Avoiding harmful cosmetic ingredients

Users scan skincare and cosmetic products to check for endocrine disruptors, irritants, or allergens before purchase.

Finding healthier alternatives

When a scanned product scores poorly, users browse Yuka's suggested alternative products with better ratings.

Managing dietary restrictions

Premium users set custom alerts for ingredients like palm oil or gluten to flag products that don't fit their diet.

Pros & Cons of Yuka

Pros

Free tier includes full scanning and scoring functionality for both food and cosmetics
Claims strict independence from brand advertising or sponsorship
Large user base (8M+) with a strong average rating
Suggests concrete healthier alternatives, not just a score

Cons

Requires an internet connection to scan unless on the paid Premium plan
Scoring methodology and database coverage can vary by region/product
Premium pricing shown in EUR may differ by region/store

Frequently Asked Questions

Is Yuka free to use?

Yes, the core barcode scanning and scoring features for food and cosmetics are free.

What does Yuka Premium add?

Premium adds offline scanning, product search without a barcode, customizable ingredient alerts, and unlimited scan history for about 15 EUR per year.