Shared shopping list for roommates

The toilet paper is gone, so is the dish soap, and the coffee never lasts until the weekend. A list for a shared apartment differs from one for a camp or a barbecue in one way: it is never finished. There is no point at which you throw it away – only the question of who does the next run to the store.

Everyone opens the same link – no app to install, no account for each roommate or flatmate. For a one-off event with a date there are separate rules of thumb for groups and parties. This page is for everyday life.

A list that stays instead of expiring

A list nobody uses is deleted automatically after 30 days – with a shared household's list that practically never happens, because every real change resets the period in full. And after the shop there is no need for a new list: “Reset ticks” in the menu sets every item back to open, so nobody has to type in again what the household needs every week anyway.

  • No PIN, or one for everyone

    Not just one person runs the list. For roommates a list without a PIN is often enough – then everyone with the link can add and change things. If you do want one, the whole apartment knows it; ticking things off works without it anyway.

  • Add it now, not later

    Put “almost out” on the list while you are standing in front of the empty shelf. The note in your head is the one that gets lost.

  • A note instead of a debate

    Who usually buys the toilet paper, or which brand it has to be, goes in the item's note – that is where it is when it matters, not in last week's group chat.

Categories that work for a shared household

Unlike a big shop for one event, this is rarely about food for one person – it is about what belongs to the whole household. A split that has proved itself in practice:

Household

Toilet paper, bin bags, paper towels, dish soap

Cleaning

All-purpose cleaner, sponges, bathroom and toilet cleaner

Shared kitchen

Oil, spices, coffee, tea, sugar, salt

Everything else

Batteries, light bulbs, compost bags

Categories can be renamed, reordered or deleted at any time – the split above is a starting point, not a rule.

Free, no sign-up.

Frequently asked questions

Does the list expire if we use it all the time?
No. Every real change – a tick, a new item – resets the 30-day period in full. A shared list that gets used regularly practically never expires.
Do we have to make a new list after every shop?
No – that is the difference from a list for a one-off event. “Reset ticks” in the ⋯ menu sets every item back to open: same list, same link, no new PIN.
Does a shared-apartment list need a PIN at all?
That is up to you. Without a PIN, everyone with the link can do everything – usually the simplest choice for roommates who trust each other. With a PIN, everyone can still tick things off; changing, deleting or resetting needs it, while everyone can still add missing items unless you switch that off. You can also set a PIN later, under “Manage list” in the ⋯ menu.
Can we split the costs, too?
No, Listora is not built for that. It organizes the shopping, not the bill – there are separate apps for splitting costs.
What happens when someone moves out?
Honest answer: nothing, automatically. There are no individual accounts to revoke – whoever knows the link keeps it. What you can do: set a PIN under “Manage list” in the ⋯ menu, or change the one you have. Then they can still read along, tick things off and add items, but no longer change or delete anything – and if you switch adding off there, they cannot add anything either. If they should not see the list at all, start a new one and share only that.