The Best Cruelty Free Apps To Try.

Apps are a really handy and accessible way for anyone with a smartphone to get information quickly when out and about. I've compiled some info on four majorly convenient apps to go to for impromtu cruelty-free information. These are all available on the App Store and are all 100% free of charge (duh! I've never paid for an app in my life and I ain't about to start now). They all have a pretty similar lay out, but vary enough that you may need to download more than one so that they can compliment each other and give you a more rounded view of cruelty-free options when you're in the shopping aisles. Without further ado...


CRUELTY FREE INTERNATIONAL (LEAPING BUNNY).
This app basically just rattles off all of the Cruelty-Free International certified brands. You can search by brand name or by the product you're after, and it gives you a little bit of information on the brand and what they offer, as well as directing you to their website. You can make your own shopping list on the app to make cruelty-free shopping that much easier, as well as finding promotions and deals that are going on within member brands. Another nifty handy aspect of this app is the ability to scan the barcode of products and it will tell you whether the brand is cruelty-free.

VERDICT... The niftiness of the scanning feature is slightly limited as it only tells you whether the brand is on the Leaping Bunny list of approved brands. It doesn't tell you which brands are specifically NOT cruelty-free. Also, the fact is that there are many brands who aren't on the Leaping Bunny Programme who are cruelty-free, that just haven't been approved by Cruelty-Free International. In addition to this, the scanning thing is a little gimmicky as every Leaping Bunny approved product has the bunny symbol on it anyway. But for anybody who really trusts the Leaping Bunny as a stamp of true cruelty-free products, this app is made for you! (Take a shot everytime you see the word 'bunny').


CCF.
Choose Cruelty Free is an independent Australian organisation that produces their own cruelty-free list and information. Think of them as Leaping Bunny but not internationally recognised, only in Aus. Perfect for anyone who uses Australian products or wants to know more about Australian brands. I'm a big fan of a lot of Australian brands because many seem to produce really high quality, natural and cruelty-free products.

VERDICT... Something I really like about the CCF app is that they also have a vegan list, as well as labelling brands accordingly who have some vegan options, vegetarian options, and those which do not test on animals but do use animal byproducts. I really like how they break it down like this and find it very useful, and I think beginners to cruelty-free shopping would find this handy too.


CRUELTY CUTTER.
This app's main feature is it's scanning system. Once an item is scanned, it will either say the brand is cruelty-free, not cruelty-free, or status unknown. If it comes up as cruelty-free, it gives you the option to share this information on social media, or to shop the brand's website.


If it comes up as not cruelty-free, it gives the options to: BITE BACK (share that this brand isn't cruelty-free to friends and family via email or message); BOYCOTT (avoid shopping from them); or find a 'Cruelty-Free Alternative' from listed cruelty-free brands. It keeps track of which products you've scanned and their cruelty-free status in a list on the home page.


VERDICT... I like this app because it seems to show more brands that the other apps, and it also sorts brands into two lists of those which do and do not test on animals. The only problem with this app is that I'm not sure where they get their information from. For instance, they list Soap and Glory as CF, but I've had mixed messages and no straight answer from them on their CF status. For me, this makes the app a little shady and I'm not sure if I fully trust it.


BUNNY FREE.
This app gets data from PETA (People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals), who do their own brand investigations and have their own website on activism and veganism, as well as general information about animal welfare. This app is a similar layout to the rest, with the ability to scan product barcodes and search by brand.


VERDICT... What I like about Bunny-Free and where I feel it differs from the Leaping Bunny app is it specifically outlines brands that AREN'T cruelty-free, which I feel gives it an edge. It features a cool search engine where you can search for brands that are specifically vegan or which brands are working for regulatory change. Nice.




Now, I won't lie to you, not one of these apps are overly comprehensive on their own. Each one has information missing or features lacking. One of the main areas that they all fall short in is mentioning anything about parent companies, for example. I know that developing precise cruelty-free information takes time and a lot of work, so I'm not surprised that none of these apps are sufficient within themselves to not need any other resources.

My advice is to check across multiple apps and online resources to get an idea of which brands you do and don't support. Just because one brand isn't feaured on an app, doesn't mean it's automatically not cruelty-free. But these additions to your phone are a good place to start to make CF shopping out and about more straight-forward.


Do you use a cruelty-free app that you would recommend? Let me know!