SafeMeal vs Fig: different jobs, and when you need each
Fig is a US app that scans barcodes and searches store catalogs to tell you whether a packaged product fits your diet. SafeMeal does a different job: it shows a restaurant kitchen what you cannot eat, in the local language. SafeMeal is not a scanner and does not check packaged food. If your problem is the grocery aisle in the United States, stay with Fig.
The short answer
Fig is for the grocery aisle, SafeMeal for the restaurant table. Fig scans barcodes, searches product lists at more than 100 grocery stores and restaurants, and has ingredient ratings from a team of dietitians. SafeMeal does none of that.
Fig’s own app page says the app is available only in the US. SafeMeal’s restaurant card covers 143 languages across 237 countries and territories and works offline.
They do not replace each other. In the US, Fig helps you shop and SafeMeal helps you order. Abroad, a card in the local language becomes the main tool.
What Fig is
Fig, short for Food Is Good, is a US app for people with dietary restrictions, on iOS and Android. You set up your “Fig” from more than 2,800 dietary options, then scan a barcode or search a store’s catalog to see whether a product fits. Its store listing mentions product lists at more than 100 grocery stores and restaurants, a team of more than 11 dietitians, and more than a million members. The free version includes 5 scans a month and unlimited searches. The paid tier, Fig+, adds unlimited scans, restaurants and several profiles. Fig’s site states that the app is available only in the United States.
What SafeMeal is
SafeMeal is an app for iPhone and Android. You build a food profile from 238 foods and 33 presets, say how serious it is, and the app shows restaurant staff a card in the local language with English under each line: 143 languages across 237 countries and territories. It lists the local dishes that often hide each food and works offline. It does not scan menus or barcodes and does not sell physical cards.
SafeMeal and Fig at a glance
| Criteria | SafeMeal | Fig |
|---|---|---|
| Main job | Tell a restaurant kitchen what you cannot eat | Check packaged food against your diet |
| Where it is useful | Restaurants, 237 countries and territories | US grocery stores and restaurants |
| Platforms | iOS, Android | iOS, Android (US only, per Fig’s app page) |
| Barcode scanning | No | Yes |
| Restaurant directory | No | Yes, restaurants interviewed by Fig (Fig+) |
| Card in the local language | Yes, 143 languages | Not listed; app in English |
| “Often hidden in” local dishes | Yes, 68 countries | Not listed |
| Diets and foods | 238 foods, 33 presets | More than 2,800 dietary options |
| Ingredient ratings by dietitians | No | Yes, a team of more than 11 dietitians |
| Several profiles | Yes | Yes (Fig+) |
| Works offline | Yes | Not listed |
| Price model | Free trial, then yearly or lifetime; every language included | Free tier; Fig+ subscription after a 7-day trial |
What SafeMeal does, and what it does not do
SafeMeal is not a food scanner. It does not read barcodes, does not check packaged food and does not scan menus, and it has no restaurant directory. If you came here looking for a scanner like Fig, SafeMeal is not a substitute, and Fig remains the tool for that job.
What it does is one thing: you build a food profile from a catalog of 238 foods and 33 presets, set a level for each food (severe allergy, strict, preference), and the app turns it into a restaurant card in 143 languages, every line followed by English. For severe allergies the card adds kitchen precautions. It works offline. Fig’s list of dietary options is much longer: more than 2,800, including low FODMAP, low histamine and alpha-gal.
Does Fig work outside the United States?
Fig’s app page states that the app is available only in the US. A support article, last updated on 21 October 2022, says the same for iOS and Android and offers a waitlist for other countries. Fig’s product data is tied to US grocery chains, and Fig says it does not yet have every store, smaller regional ones in particular. If you live outside the US, check Fig’s availability page before counting on it.
The restaurant part of Fig goes further than a list. Fig reviews restaurant websites, then interviews each restaurant for about 30 minutes, with a focus on the top 9 allergens and gluten. That is a level of checking SafeMeal does not offer: SafeMeal has no restaurant directory and no reviews. A translated card to show a kitchen is not listed among Fig’s features, and the app is in English.
Travelling abroad with a Fig habit: what to pack
If you rely on Fig at home, plan the trip in two parts. For packaged food, Fig says its app is available only in the US, so expect to read labels yourself abroad. For restaurants, a card in the local language does the talking: SafeMeal’s card works offline and lists your foods with an icon, a level and English under each line, so you and the staff can point at the same word.
Before you leave, set up one profile per traveller, look at the card in the language of each country on your route, and read “Often hidden in” for your destination: it lists local dishes that commonly contain each food, from 4,537 lines checked dish by dish across 68 countries. A card does not guarantee a safe meal, and SafeMeal is not a medical device. Always confirm with the restaurant staff.
Pricing models (verified on 4 October 2026)
Fig is free to start: the free version includes unlimited searches and 5 scans per month. Fig+ unlocks unlimited scans, restaurants and several profiles, with a 7-day free trial followed by an annual renewal. Fig’s site names no price and compares the annual plan to a cup of coffee a month. Its App Store listing shows several in-app purchases (seen on 4 October 2026), including monthly Fig+ access at $5.99 and $7.49 and annual Fig+ from $39.99 to $60.00, so check the price shown to you in the app.
SafeMeal is sold differently: a free trial, then a low yearly price or a one-time lifetime purchase; every language included. Fig’s free tier is a real advantage if you only scan a few products a month. Because the two apps do different jobs, compare them by the moments you need covered: shopping, eating out, or both.
Choose Fig if…
- You live in the United States and your problem is the grocery aisle.
- You follow a complex diet (low FODMAP, low histamine, alpha-gal) and want products checked for you.
- You want US restaurants that the Fig team has interviewed.
Choose SafeMeal if…
- You are eating out, especially abroad, and need the kitchen to understand you.
- You are travelling outside the US, where Fig says its app is not available.
- You want a card that works offline in the local language.
Different jobs. In the US, using both makes sense: Fig for shopping, SafeMeal for restaurants.
See your own card in a minute.
Pick your foods, pick a country, and look at what the kitchen would read. Try the live demo or get the app.
Questions about Fig and SafeMeal
Does the Fig app work in Europe, the UK or Canada?
Fig’s website says the app is available only in the US, and its product data covers US stores. A support article offers a waitlist for other countries.
Is the Fig app free?
Fig is free to start: the free version includes unlimited searches and 5 scans per month. Fig+ unlocks unlimited scans, restaurants and several profiles, with a 7-day free trial before an annual renewal.
Is SafeMeal a Fig alternative?
Only partly. SafeMeal does not scan barcodes or check packaged food, so it does not replace Fig in a supermarket. It covers a different moment: telling a restaurant, in its own language, which foods you must avoid.
Does Fig give me a card to show restaurants abroad?
A translated restaurant card is not among the features Fig lists, and the app is in English. SafeMeal’s card is available in 143 languages and works offline. Whichever card you show, confirm with the restaurant staff.
Can I use Fig and SafeMeal together?
Yes. A typical setup is Fig for groceries at home in the US and SafeMeal for restaurants and trips abroad.
More comparisons
- SafeMeal vsSpokinSpokin helps you choose where to eat through reviews from people with food allergies; SafeMeal tells the kitchen what you cannot eat.
- Buyer’s guideAllergy translation cards comparedApps, printable PDFs and plastic cards for food allergies abroad, in one dated and sourced table, free options included.
- HubAll comparisonsEvery page comparing SafeMeal with another app, card or translator.
Sources and method
Every fact about Fig on this page comes from its own website or store listing, checked on 4 October 2026. “Not listed” means we did not find the feature there on that date, not that it does not exist. Prices are the ones shown on that date, in US dollars, and may have changed. SafeMeal publishes this page and is not affiliated with the other brands named. Spotted a mistake? Write to [email protected] and we will correct it.
- Fig on the App Store
- Fig on Google Play
- Fig: app page
- Fig support: where the app is available
- Fig support: is the app free to use
- Fig support: how much Fig+ costs
- Fig support: how restaurant information is collected
SafeMeal is not a medical device. No card or app can guarantee a safe meal: always confirm with the restaurant staff, and keep your emergency medication with you.