Help Guide
How to use CartWatch
Everything you need to know to get the most out of your dashboard and start saving on groceries.
On this page
Section 1Your dashboard
1
Account header
At the top of your dashboard you'll see your name, email address, and your plan, either Free or ★ Premium.
2
Quick action cards
Below your profile are shortcut cards. Tap any card to jump straight to that section, Compare Prices, My Lists, Recipes (Premium), Family Cart (Premium), and Sign out.
3
The compare app
Below the action cards is the CartWatch compare tool where you search for products, build your basket, and compare prices across Sobeys, Atlantic Superstore, and Walmart.
4
My Lists
Scroll further down to find all your saved shopping lists. Free accounts can save up to 3 lists. Premium accounts get unlimited lists.
Section 2Comparing prices
1
Search for items
Type any product into the search bar, for example milk, chicken breast, or eggs. Results appear instantly as you type.
2
Browse by category
Tap any of the category pills, Dairy, Produce, Meat, Bakery, and more, to browse all items in that category without typing.
3
Add items to your basket
Tap any result row to add it to your basket. The row turns green and shows a checkmark. Tap again to remove it. Each item shows the lowest price available across all three stores.
4
Your basket
As you add items, a basket summary card appears showing all your selected products. Tap the card to expand it, from there you can adjust quantities with the + and − buttons, or remove individual items.
5
Compare Stores
Once you've added at least one item, the Compare Stores button at the bottom becomes active. Tap it to see a full price breakdown across all three stores.
AI meal search (Premium): Toggle on AI meal search and type a meal name like "spaghetti bolognese" or "taco night", CartWatch will automatically find the ingredients you need.
Share your location for more accurate results. CartWatch will identify your nearest store location for each chain and include their address and hours in your results.
Section 3Reading your results
1
The verdict
CartWatch instantly tells you the best option, either a one-stop shop at the cheapest store, or a split shop if buying items at different stores would save you a meaningful amount (at least $0.50).
2
Store totals
The full basket total at each store is shown side by side, including any applicable HST. The cheapest store is highlighted with a ★ Best one-stop badge.
3
Per-store item breakdown
Below the totals, each store column shows which items are cheapest there and by how much. Items that aren't cheapest at a given store are greyed out.
4
Choose where to shop
At the bottom of the results you'll see trip options. You can choose to shop at Sobeys, Atlantic Superstore, Walmart, or a Split trip if one is recommended. Tap any option to generate your shopping list.
About HST: Basic groceries like meat, produce, dairy, and bread are zero-rated (no tax). Snacks, household items, and health products have 15% HST applied automatically.
Section 4Saving and reusing lists
1
Lists save automatically
When you choose a store or split trip and generate a shopping list, CartWatch automatically saves it to your My Lists section with today's date.
2
Save manually
You can also tap the Save List button on the results screen to save your basket before choosing a store.
3
Edit and re-compare
From the My Lists section, tap Edit & re-compare to reload a saved list into your basket. You can add or remove items and run a fresh comparison, useful for your regular weekly shop.
4
Go straight to shopping
Tap Go shopping on any saved list to jump directly to the in-store checklist, skipping the comparison step, handy for repeat shops when you already know where you're going.
Free accounts can save up to 3 lists. Upgrade to Premium for unlimited saved lists.
Section 5Using the shopping list
1
Your in-store checklist
The shopping list shows all your items organized by store, with each item's price. Use it while you shop, tap any item to check it off. Checked items are struck through so you can easily see what's left.
2
Progress bar
A progress bar at the top tracks how many items you've checked off. When every item is ticked, it shows ✓ All done! Great shopping!
3
Split shopping list
If you chose a split trip, your items are grouped by store, each section shows which store to visit and exactly what to buy there. Each store section fades out once all its items are checked off.
4
Open in Maps
If you shared your location, each store header includes an Open in Maps link that takes you directly to that store's location in Google Maps.
Section 6AI recipe ideas Premium
1
Generate recipes from your list
In the Recipes tab, select one of your saved lists from the dropdown. Tap Generate recipes and CartWatch's AI will suggest 3 meals you can make using your grocery items.
2
View ingredients and steps
Tap any recipe card to expand it. You'll see the full ingredient list, estimated cook time, difficulty level, and step-by-step cooking instructions.
3
AI meal search
In the Compare tab, toggle on AI meal search and type a meal name. CartWatch will find matching ingredients from the catalogue so you can add them to your basket and compare prices in one step.
You need at least one saved list to generate recipes. Build a basket, compare stores, and save your list first, then come back to Recipes.
Section 7Family Cart Premium
1
What is Family Cart?
Family Cart lets one Premium account share their saved lists and price comparisons with one other person. The invited person doesn't need a Premium account, a free CartWatch account is all they need.
2
Sending an invite
Go to the Family Cart section on your dashboard. Enter the email address of the person you want to share with and tap Send invite. They'll receive an email with a link to accept.
3
Accepting an invite
The invited person will receive an email with a link. If they don't have a CartWatch account yet, they'll be prompted to create one first. Once they accept, both accounts can see each other's saved lists.
4
Leaving or removing
The Premium account owner can remove a family member at any time. The invited member can also leave the Family Cart themselves. Both options are available in the Family Cart section of the dashboard.
Family Cart access is tied to the Premium subscription. If the Premium account lapses, Family Cart sharing is automatically suspended.
Section 8Where prices come from
1
Updated nightly
Prices are refreshed nightly and are typically current to within 24 hours.
2
Sale prices
Items marked SALE are currently on special at that store. Sale prices reflect the current promotion period and are updated weekly.
3
Estimated prices
Some prices are shown with a ~ prefix (e.g. ~$4.99). This means the price is estimated from recent data, it should be close but may vary slightly in store.
4
Coverage area
CartWatch currently covers Nova Scotia, New Brunswick, PEI, and Newfoundland, comparing prices at Sobeys, Atlantic Superstore, and Walmart.
Prices shown are for reference and may differ slightly from what you see in store. Always check your receipt, and if you spot a major discrepancy, let us know.
Still have questions?
We're happy to help. Reach out through our contact page and we'll get back to you.
