Toxly: Ingredient Scanner

Mindful Code Studio

Contains adsIn-app purchases

About this app

Toxly is an ingredient scanner for food, cosmetics and household cleaning products. Point your camera at an ingredient list or scan a barcode, and Toxly tells you what each ingredient is, why it's there, and whether there's any reason to be concerned about it.

Ingredient labels are hard to read. Names like "sodium laureth sulfate", "E250" or "hydroxyacetophenone" mean little to most of us, and looking each one up in the middle of a shop isn't realistic. Toxly does that work for you in a few seconds.

HOW IT WORKS
1. Scan the ingredient list with your camera, or scan the product's barcode.
2. Toxly reads the label and checks every ingredient against scientific and regulatory sources.
3. You get an A to F safety grade, with each ingredient rated low, moderate or high risk.

WHAT YOU GET
• A clear safety grade. Every product is graded from A to F, and "Why this grade?" shows exactly which ingredients affected the score.
• A full ingredient breakdown. Each ingredient is explained in plain language: what it is, what it does in the product, and what the evidence says about it.
• Sources you can check. Ratings draw on public data such as PubChem hazard classifications, FDA and EU regulatory status, and the NOVA classification for processed foods.
• The amount matters. Where the label shows how much of an ingredient is used, the grade takes it into account, so a small amount of a preservative isn't treated the same as a main ingredient.
• AI deep dive. Tap any ingredient for a detailed analysis covering health concerns, regulatory status and a short summary.
• Right for the product type. A body lotion is assessed for skin contact, a snack for eating, and a cleaner for household use.
• Labels in many languages. Toxly reads multilingual labels and shows results in your language. The app is available in 17 languages.
• Your scan history. Every product you check is saved, with filters for food, personal care and cleaning.

USEFUL FOR
• Checking skincare, makeup and personal care products for ingredients you'd rather avoid, such as certain preservatives, sulfates or fragrance allergens.
• Comparing packaged foods for additives, E-numbers, sweeteners, colourings and how heavily processed they are.
• Parents choosing lotions, wipes, shampoos and snacks for their children.
• Understanding what's in the cleaning products you use at home.

PRIVACY
No account or sign-up needed. Your scan history is stored on your device.

TOXLY PREMIUM
Toxly is free to use, with a daily number of scans. Keeping up a scanning streak earns you extra ad-free scans. Toxly Premium removes ads and the daily limit, and adds nutrition information (calories, protein, carbs, sugars and fat) and a breakdown of hazards by type, such as hormone disruptors, irritants and carcinogens. Monthly, quarterly, yearly and lifetime plans are available.

Toxly is made by Mindful Code Studio, an independent developer.

Disclaimer: Toxly provides general information for educational purposes only. It is not a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis or treatment. If you have allergies or specific health concerns, speak to a healthcare professional.

Ratings and reviews

So far, so good. Been testing with it and two things that are noticeable are: 1) Scan barcode is very FAST! 2) If the app ask to scan ingredients, usually I had to manually input list in other apps or scan ingredients that took a while or error. Not in this app which impressed me. And fast too! I primary use this for foods to gain knowledge of which one suits my needs, etc.

As someone who tests out new skincare and body care products once in a while, this app helps me to check whether a new product is generally safe to use. This provides a detailed breakdown of both good and bad ingredients, and their possible effects to me. A comparison with similar products is also a good addition. So far, I haven't encountered any issues on the app. I wish though to add a x2 zoom option in the camera as sometimes my phone took time to focus on closer shots.

Tried this for a week and impressed so far. Would give 5* rating if you could sort scanned items into alphabetical order or put food items into their categories ie ready meals, fish, cheese products etc. Also unable to move a product from one tab (ie hygiene) into food if accidentally put in wrong tab - you have to delete and then scan again in the right tab. Other than that, an impressive app and I will continue to use daily to check what's healthy to eat and what's not recommended.

What’s new

• Shared label scans are now checked for garbled or guessed ingredients before other Toxly users see them.
• Ingredient lists no longer include the scanner's own notes, such as "likely misread".
• Personal care products that were filed as food are now recognised correctly.