Aldi vs Lidl: which is actually cheaper?
Both are German discounters famous for low prices, and on a like-for-like basket they run neck-and-neck — the lead trades back and forth week to week. There's no permanent winner; it comes down to the specific products you buy. Here's how they differ and how to price your own list across both.
Compare live prices now →How Aldi and Lidl are similar
Aldi and Lidl are built on the same model, which is why they end up so close on price. Both run a deliberately limited, curated range rather than the tens of thousands of lines a big-four superstore carries, and both are own-brand-led — most of what you buy is their own label rather than big-name brands. Neither needs a loyalty card to get the base price, and both compete hardest on everyday basics: fresh produce, dairy, store-cupboard staples. If your shop is mostly basics, either one will usually be cheaper than a traditional supermarket.
Where they differ
The differences are mostly around the edges rather than the core shop. Aldi is known for its rotating Specialbuys — the middle-aisle deals on non-food items that change twice a week. Lidl leans on its in-store bakery, the equivalent "Middle of Lidl" aisle, and offers through the Lidl Plus app, which unlocks coupons and member prices you won't see without it. Their own-brand lines differ too — the same category can be a few pence apart in either direction — so no single store wins across the board.
So which is cheaper?
Product by product, not overall. Independent basket surveys repeatedly put Aldi and Lidl within pennies of each other and swap the lead regularly — one wins this month's basket, the other wins next month's. There's no reliable "Aldi is always cheaper" or "Lidl is always cheaper" answer, because it depends entirely on which items you put in the trolley. The only dependable way to know is to compare live prices for your actual shop, today, across both at once.
How to compare Aldi and Lidl prices
Clerkenwell Supermarkets pulls live prices from both discounters — alongside the other eight big UK supermarkets — and updates them daily. To settle Aldi vs Lidl for your shop, you can:
- Search any product and see the Aldi and Lidl price side by side.
- Build a basket of your usual shop and see which discounter totals cheapest.
- Scan a receipt and we'll re-price the exact same items at both.
Updated daily, free, and no account needed. Just the live numbers for your basket.
Compare Aldi and Lidl for your basket →Common questions
Is Aldi or Lidl cheaper?
Neither is consistently cheaper — they run neck-and-neck and the lead swaps back and forth. It comes down to the specific products you buy, so the only reliable answer is to compare the live price of your own basket across both.
Do Aldi and Lidl price match other supermarkets?
Not in the way the big four do. Aldi and Lidl position themselves as permanently low-priced rather than running price-match schemes — in fact the discounters are the benchmark that other supermarkets match with their own "Aldi Price Match" ranges.
Which has the better range?
Both deliberately run a small, curated range compared with a big-four superstore, so on staples they're much of a muchness. They differ more on specials than on the core shop — Aldi on its rotating Specialbuys, Lidl on its bakery and Lidl Plus offers.
How do I compare Aldi and Lidl prices?
Search a product or build a basket in the tool to see both side by side, updated daily. It's free and there's no account to set up.