The expiry date tracker app that reads the date for you.
Point your iPhone at the date printed on the package, confirm what FreshScan read, and get a reminder at 9 AM before it passes. Or decode a label right here, free, with nothing to install.
- No account
- Works offline
- Free for 10 items
Screenshot: the FreshScan home screen listing blueberry yogurt and salmon fillets under Use today, then baby spinach, strawberries and salsa under Next 3 days, with a confirmation card reading October 4, 2026, Best-by date, Greek Yogurt.
What does the date on your food mean?
Type what's printed on the package, lot numbers and all. The decoder picks out the date to track, tells you what kind of date it is and how many days you have. It uses the same rules as the app, tested against the app's own code.
Also free in your browser: the Julian date converter for egg and can codes, the food expiration calculator for food with no printed date, and the food waste calculator. Prefer paper? Print the free expiration date tracker.
One line per line on the label. Lot numbers, weights and packed-on dates are fine to include; the decoder sorts them out.
Five things printed on one lid. One date to track.
Packages mix the expiry date with packing dates, lot codes and plant numbers. Here's how to tell them apart, and what FreshScan does with each.
- 1
GREEK YOGURTProduct name. FreshScan suggests it as the item name.
- 2
PACKED ON 09/20/26When it was packed, not when to use it. Scored down. Packed-on dates
- 3
BEST BY OCT 20 2026The date to track: a quality date. You'd get a reminder Oct 18 and Oct 20. Best by
- 4
LOT 26249 14:32Lot code and packing time. Ignored.
- 5
P1234 263Plant number and a Julian pack date (day 263 = Sep 20). Julian date converter
Four words, four meanings
Outside of infant formula, federal rules don't require dates on food, so the wording is up to the maker. Sell by vs use by vs best by, compared.
- BEST BY
Best by
Peak quality. Food stored properly is often fine after it.
Read more → - USE BY
Use by
The last day the maker recommends. Plan to use it by then.
Read more → - SELL BY
Sell by
For the store's shelves. Your clock starts when you buy it.
Read more → - FREEZE BY
Freeze by
Freeze it by this day to keep the best quality.
Read more →
Point the camera, confirm the date, get a reminder.
That's the whole app. FreshScan tracks the date the maker printed and tells you before it arrives. It doesn't guess how long food keeps or judge whether it's safe.
- 01
Point at the date
The camera reads the date on your iPhone, with no upload, and picks the best-by, use-by, sell-by or EXP date out from lot codes and packed-on dates. The camera stays open for the next item.
- 02
Confirm what it read
A card shows the full date, the kind of date and a suggested name. If a label has two dates, or a date that reads two ways, it asks instead of guessing. One tap saves it with a photo.
- 03
Get a reminder at 9 AM
Two days before the date and on the morning of it. Your list sorts everything into Use today, Next 3 days and Later, so what needs eating is at the top.
Use Greek yogurt soon9:00 AMGreek yogurt's best-by date is in 2 days.
Download on theApp StoreFree for up to 10 items. No account; your items stay on your iPhone. Requires iOS 18 or later.
What FreshScan does with the dates on a label
Expiry date detection is the hard part of any tracker app. Here is what FreshScan does with common label lines, checked against its own date rules.
| Printed on the package | What FreshScan does |
|---|---|
BEST BY OCT 20 2026 | Saved as October 20, 2026, a best-by date. |
EXP 10/2026 | A month and year only: saved as October 31, 2026 and flagged as end of month. |
SELL BY 09/30/26USE BY 10/02/26 | Two dates: it lists both and asks which one to track. |
PACKED ON 09/20/26USE BY 10/02/26 | The packed-on date is set aside; it offers the use-by date. |
BEST BY 03/04/27 | Could be March 4 or April 3: it shows both and you pick. |
USE BY 10/26 | Can mean October 26 or October 2026. While October 26 is near, it offers both and you pick. |
BEST BEFORE 26 OC 04 | A Canadian month code: October 4, 2026. |
P1234 263 | A plant number and Julian pack date: not read. The Julian date converter decodes it. |
What it doesn't do
It doesn't scan barcodes, estimate shelf life, judge whether food is safe, or read Julian and lot codes. It's iPhone only, with no account and no sync between phones.
Labels with two numbers are the tricky ones: see month or day first and two dates on one label.
Not sure an app is right for you? Compare expiry date tracker apps, including ones for Android, or see other ways to keep track of expiration dates.
Straight answers about food dates
Sourced from USDA and FDA, with the sources listed on every page.
Reading dates and codes
How long food keeps
About the app
More in support.
Is FreshScan free?
Yes. The free version keeps up to 10 items at a time, with scanning and reminders included. FreshScan Pro, an optional subscription, adds unlimited items, custom reminder timing and the Impact screen.
Does FreshScan tell me if food is safe to eat?
No. It reads the date the manufacturer printed, shows what kind of date it is, and reminds you before it. Whether food is still good also depends on storage and on how it looks and smells. The guides on this site explain what each date means.
What dates can it read?
Best by, best before, use by, sell by, display until and EXP dates, written with month names (OCT 04 2026), numbers (10/04/26), year first (2026-10-04) or month and year only. It recognizes packed-on and manufacturing dates and doesn't mistake them for the expiry. If a label shows two dates, it asks which one to track.
Do I need an account? Where is my data?
There's no account and no sign-in. Items, photos and reminders stay on your iPhone, and the app works offline.
Is FreshScan available for Android?
No. FreshScan is iPhone only and needs iOS 18 or later. The date decoder and the other tools on this site work in any browser, and our comparison of expiry date tracker apps notes which ones have Android versions.
Can I track food that has no printed date?
Yes, by typing a date yourself, for example for leftovers or loose produce. FreshScan doesn't estimate how long food keeps. The shelf life chart and food expiration calculator on this site, based on USDA FoodKeeper data, can help you choose a date.
Point your iPhone at the date. Get reminded before it passes.
FreshScan reads the printed date on the package, tells you which kind of date it is, and reminds you two days ahead and on the morning of the date. No account, and your items stay on your phone.
- Reads best by, use by, sell by and EXP dates, and skips packed-on dates
- Reminders at 9:00 AM, 2 days before and on the day
- Free for up to 10 items at a time