How to choose a food safety app: a ten-point checklist
By the Daybook teamPublished 20 October 2026Last checked 20 October 2026
Covers: All four UK nations, with differences noted
The short answer
Choose an app that your staff will actually use, that records who signed each check and when, that works with a poor signal, that never quietly changes records, and that lets you get all your data out. Be wary of big claims about compliance.
The ten questions
- Does each person sign as themselves, or is there one shared login?
- Is every entry dated, timed and named automatically?
- Can signed records be edited afterwards? How are mistakes corrected?
- Does it work without signal, in a walk-in or a cellar?
- Are kitchen and front-of-house checks kept apart?
- Can you set it up with your own checklists and equipment?
- Can a manager see missed checks at a glance?
- Can you make an inspection record for any dates?
- Can you download all your records, any time, in a usable format?
- Does it make claims it can’t back up, such as “HACCP certified” or “guarantees a 5 rating”?
Also check
- Which devices it runs on, and whether your staff have them
- What it costs per site and per user, and what’s included
- Who sets it up, and how long that takes
- What data it collects and whether it’s used for advertising
- How you get support, and from whom
How Daybook answers them
Daybook is an iPhone app (iOS 26 or later). Staff sign with their own PIN; every entry is named and timed; signed records are never edited; checks save on the phone first; managers see the week and make inspection records for any dates; owners can download records as a PDF report or a CSV file. It doesn’t claim to make you compliant; it helps you keep records.
Sources
Rules can change and differ between England, Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland. Check with your local authority food safety team if you’re unsure. Daybook helps you keep records. It does not give legal advice or certify training.
Keep this record on your phone
Opening and closing checklists, signed and dated.
Daybook is the food safety diary for UK kitchens. Staff sign each check on their own iPhone; the office reads the week and makes an inspection record for any dates.