Too Good To Go vs NYT Cooking
Which is better in 2026? Five scores, side by side.
It's close: Too Good To Go edges it 8.3 to 8.2, so the right pick depends on what you need. Too Good To Go wins on 2 of the 5 scores, NYT Cooking on 3.
Bargain hunters in towns and cities who like a food surprise
Cooks who want reliable recipes and don't mind paying for them
Score by score
The details
| Feature | Too Good To Go | NYT Cooking |
|---|---|---|
| Category | Food & Cooking | Food & Cooking |
| Category rank | #5 of 7 | #7 of 7 |
| Developer | Too Good To Go ApS | The New York Times Company |
| Pricing | Free | Free + paid plans |
| Usable for free | Yes | Yes |
| iPhone & iPad | ✓ | ✓ |
| Android | ✓ | ✓ |
| Web | — | ✓ |
Common questions
Is Too Good To Go better than NYT Cooking?
It's close: Too Good To Go edges it 8.3 to 8.2, so the right pick depends on what you need. Too Good To Go wins on 2 of the 5 scores, NYT Cooking on 3.
Which is cheaper, Too Good To Go or NYT Cooking?
Too Good To Go: Free app; you pay per Surprise Bag, from about $3 at participating stores. NYT Cooking: Free to browse; unlimited recipes need a Cooking or All Access subscription. On value for money, Too Good To Go scores higher.
Do Too Good To Go and NYT Cooking work on the same devices?
Only NYT Cooking runs on Web.
Which is more private, Too Good To Go or NYT Cooking?
Too Good To Go scores higher on privacy (7.0/10). App Store label: purchases and identifiers may be used to track you; location, contact info and usage may be linked to you. Google Play lists some data shared for advertising.
Strengths and weaknesses
Too Good To Go
- Real savings on food that would be thrown out
- Easy map of what's available nearby
- Free to use; you only pay for bags
- You rarely know what's in the bag
- Pickup windows are fixed by each store
- Shares some data for advertising
Too Good To Go turns food waste into a cheap dinner. Cafes, shops, grocers and restaurants list Surprise Bags of unsold food, you reserve one in the app, and you collect it during a set pickup window. You won't know exactly what's inside, which is half the fun and half the gamble. The map makes it easy to find what's nearby, though pickup times are set by the store and the app tracks more than we'd like.
Full Too Good To Go review
NYT Cooking
- Every recipe is tested before it's published
- Reader notes add real-world tips
- Clean, appetizing design
- Full access needs a subscription
- Heavy tracking for an app you pay for
NYT Cooking is the recipe source you trust when dinner matters. More than 20,000 recipes, each tested by the Times, come with ratings and reader notes full of practical tips, plus short videos from cooks like Samin Nosrat and Ina Garten. The Recipe Box and grocery list keep plans together. You need a subscription for full access, and the app tracks you more than any other pick here.
Full NYT Cooking review
