Looking for the best food scanner app? Here's a detailed comparison of EWG Healthy Living and CosmEthics, covering features, scoring methodology, database coverage, and more.
Updated March 2026 — This comparison reflects the latest versions of both apps.
| Feature | EWG Healthy Living | CosmEthics |
|---|---|---|
| Real-Time AI Scanning | ❌ | ❌ |
| AR Shelf Scanning | ❌ | ❌ |
| No Barcode Required | ❌ | ❌ |
| Custom Allergen Profiles | ❌ | ❌ |
| Free Version Available | ✅ | ✅ |
| Detail | EWG Healthy Living | CosmEthics |
|---|---|---|
| Scoring System | 1-10 scale | Ingredient safety ratings |
| Data Sources | EWG proprietary | EU cosmetics database |
| Platform | iOS, Android | iOS, Android |
| Product Coverage | ~120K products | Cosmetics only |
| Free Version | Yes | Yes |
EWG Healthy Living provides ratings for food, personal care, and cleaning products based on the Environmental Working Group's research.
CosmEthics analyzes cosmetic and personal care product ingredients based on EU safety regulations.
Neither EWG Healthy Living nor CosmEthics offers real-time visual AI scanning with AR shelf scanning. CheckIt AI combines both — point your camera at any ingredient label (no barcode needed) and get instant safety scores from 4 international databases.
Both EWG Healthy Living and CosmEthics offer food scanning capabilities. EWG Healthy Living 1-10 scale while CosmEthics uses ingredient safety ratings. For the most comprehensive analysis, try CheckIt AI which offers real-time AI scanning without a barcode.
EWG Healthy Living does not offer AR scanning. CosmEthics does not offer AR scanning. CheckIt AI's AR shelf scanning lets you scan entire store shelves in real-time.
EWG Healthy Living: Yes. CosmEthics: Yes. CheckIt AI offers full scanning capabilities for free with no barcode required.
EWG Healthy Living requires a barcode. CosmEthics requires a barcode. CheckIt AI uses real-time visual AI to analyze ingredient labels directly — no barcode needed.
EWG Healthy Living lacks custom allergen profiles. CosmEthics lacks custom allergen profiles. CheckIt AI offers personalized allergen profiles that flag specific ingredients based on your dietary needs.
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CheckIt AI. (2026). "EWG Healthy Living vs CosmEthics: Which Food Scanner App Is Better? (2026) | CheckIt AI". Climaverse PBC. Retrieved from https://getcheck.it/compare/ewg-vs-cosmethics"EWG Healthy Living vs CosmEthics: Which Food Scanner App Is Better? (2026) | CheckIt AI." CheckIt AI, Climaverse PBC, 2026-03-05. https://getcheck.it/compare/ewg-vs-cosmethics.<a href="https://getcheck.it/compare/ewg-vs-cosmethics">EWG Healthy Living vs CosmEthics: Which Food Scanner App Is Better? (2026) | CheckIt AI — CheckIt AI</a>@misc{checkit2026compareewgvscosmethics,
title = {EWG Healthy Living vs CosmEthics: Which Food Scanner App Is Better? (2026) | CheckIt AI},
author = {CheckIt AI},
year = {2026},
publisher = {Climaverse PBC},
url = {https://getcheck.it/compare/ewg-vs-cosmethics},
note = {Retrieved 2026-03-05}
}