What to consider when choosing sustainability apps
When it comes to sustainability apps, the details matter:
- Pricing models. Some apps are free, while others come with a subscription or a one-time fee.
- Compatibility. Not all apps are available on both Android and iOS.
With a smart selection, just a handful of apps can help you make eco-friendly choices across many areas — from mobility and shopping to food.
And if you’re less interested in everyday lifestyle tips and more eager to drive change in municipal climate protection, we’ve put together a separate article just for you.
7 sustainability apps that make everyday life easier — and more eco-friendly
Klima-Taler app: turning CO₂ savings into a digital currency for sustainability
With the Klima-Taler app, every step toward sustainable mobility counts. The app records your routes and calculates your CO₂ balance. Walking, cycling, or taking public transport lowers noise and air pollution — and for every 5 kilograms of CO₂ saved, you earn one Klima-Taler. These can be redeemed for free museum visits, discounts at local retailers, benefits in municipal services, or even in online shops. In addition, the app provides practical tips for a more climate-friendly lifestyle. A “climate treasure map” shows where to redeem Klima-Taler and highlights local climate initiatives. It’s a versatile sustainability app that motivates you across many aspects of everyday life. Collecting Klima-Taler is fun and rewarding — especially if your municipality is part of the Klima-Taler network and offers local rewards.
- Operating system: iOS & Android
- Cost: Free and anonymous for citizens. Municipalities join the Klima-Taler network on a yearly basis and receive materials and access to tailor the app with their own measures, rewards, and campaigns.
- Website: klima-taler.com
CodeCheck helps evaluate products for sustainability while shopping
CodeCheck is a sustainability app designed to make shopping more transparent. By scanning a product’s barcode, users can immediately see which ingredients are contained in food or cosmetics. The app highlights potentially problematic substances and provides information on sustainability labels to support conscious purchasing decisions. For food items, additional nutritional information is also displayed. In this way, the app not only promotes sustainable consumption but also makes healthy eating easier. In summary, it offers a straightforward solution to bring more transparency to everyday shopping. However, users should note that only five scans per week are free.
- Operating system: iOS & Android
- Cost: Free for up to five scans per week. The paid subscription “CodeCheck Plus” unlocks unlimited scans, removes ads, and adds further features.
- Website: codecheck.info
Too Good To Go: saving food instead of throwing it away
With the Too Good To Go app, you can help prevent food waste. This sustainability app connects users with local bakeries, supermarkets, cafés, and restaurants that prefer not to discard surplus but still edible food. Participating stores prepare so-called “Magic Bags,” offered through the app at heavily reduced prices. By rescuing this food, users not only help reduce waste but also save money on meals. It’s a clever idea that meets two needs at once: food outlets no longer have to throw away good products, and consumers enjoy affordable shopping.
- Operating system: iOS & Android
- Cost: The app itself is free. Surprise bags with food usually cost between €2 and €5.
- Website: toogoodtogo.com
Changers Fit app combines health prevention with climate protection
Changers Fit is a sustainability app designed for companies. It offers challenges for walking, running, cycling, or CO₂ reduction with automatic route tracking (via GPS, wearables, or AI-based tracking), as well as integration with Apple Health, Google Fit, and Strava. Employees are motivated to exercise, improve health, and protect the climate through these gamified competitions. To further increase motivation for healthy and climate-friendly behavior, the app also includes features such as tree planting and collective support for donation projects. The main focus is on sustainable mobility through CO₂ savings. Combined with health prevention, this ensures that users not only do something good for the environment but also for themselves — which motivates participation and consistency. Users can rely on GDPR-compliant data processing, German cloud infrastructure, and flexible administration for secure, long-term use.
- Operating system: iOS & Android
- Cost: Free for users. Companies can start with a 14-day free trial and then choose between Basic and Premium models, both priced according to the number of participants. The lowest monthly license is €99 for 100 employees.
- Website: changers.com
Seasonal Calendar: shop seasonal and regional produce
This app, provided by the Federal Center for Nutrition, is a shopping aid for seasonal fruits and vegetables. As a sustainability app, it makes buying seasonal and regional produce easier. Its name recalls the time when it was natural to follow the calendar when shopping. Today, almost every fruit and vegetable is available year-round thanks to fast transport, greenhouse cultivation, and modern storage techniques. The downside is high CO₂ emissions. Seasonal food, especially from local sources, is often cheaper and more climate-friendly. It is also usually fresher and offers better taste. The Seasonal Calendar provides a clear overview of which fruits and vegetables are currently in season. It also includes useful tips on proper storage so that food waste can be avoided.
- Operating system: iOS & Android
- Cost: Free
- Website: Saisonkalender
Good On You: your guide to ethical and sustainable brands
Good On You makes it easy to see how sustainable and ethical your favorite fashion and cosmetics brands really are. The app rates over 3,000 brands against more than 100 criteria, covering the environment, labor conditions, and animal welfare. With this transparency, you can spot genuine sustainability and avoid greenwashing. And if a brand falls short, the app suggests better alternatives. Trusted worldwide and available in English only, Good On You is a powerful tool for making more sustainable choices in fashion and beauty.
- Operating system: iOS & Android
- Cost: Free
- Website: goodonyou.eco
ReplacePlastic motivates companies to act more sustainably
This app promotes sustainability in packaging by creating a platform that channels consumer voices. It gathers consumer requests for less plastic packaging and forwards them directly to the respective companies. The goal is to spread climate protection more widely. ReplacePlastic is not about changing personal behavior, but about expanding your ecological handprint. The app has already achieved measurable results, with companies responding to feedback and switching from plastic to paper. Users can scan packaging that contains too much plastic. Once a product is reported more than 20 times, the company automatically receives a notification. In this way, collective pressure is created for more eco-friendly packaging. ReplacePlastic is an effective tool for anyone who wants to make a real impact through small, everyday actions by joining forces with others in real-time consumer feedback.
- Operating system: iOS & Android
- Cost: Free
- Website: replaceplastic.de
Why sustainability apps make everyday life simple and rewarding
The beauty of sustainability apps is how seamlessly they fit into daily life — your smartphone is always with you. Many apps automatically detect climate-friendly actions like cycling, walking, or using public transport, and translate them into CO₂ savings without you lifting a finger. They inspire action with real-time feedback, goals, and playful reward systems that turn sustainable choices into something visible, measurable, and fun.
Key things to look for when choosing
The best sustainability apps balance features, compatibility, and pricing. Look for apps that offer real support in your daily life — from smarter shopping to greener mobility and resource-saving habits. The most effective tools are those that not only make sustainable behavior easier but also highlight your impact, often with CO₂ tracking, tips, or incentives. The apps featured here span a wide range of topics — nutrition, consumption, health, and packaging — and can be combined to suit your lifestyle. The right choice depends on what matters most to you: health, ethics, animal welfare, or pure climate impact. Whether you start with one app or a mix doesn’t matter. What matters is to start — and most of these apps are free, making it easy to bring more sustainability into everyday life.
Want to try the Klima-Taler app?
Download it here. If you’d like your municipality to become part of the Klima-Taler network, you can also download a template letter to share with your local climate protection manager.
