- Aldi and Lidl are both Germany-based grocery chains that focus on affordability and private label products.
- We compared every detail of these two chains, including pricing, rewards, and product selection, to help customers choose which one they should shop at.
- If you’re searching for rewards or lower prices, Lidl is the best bet for you, but Aldi’s rotating weekly finds provide excitement for many home cooks.
Unfortunately, grocery prices are still on the rise, and as a result, many households have had to make smarter choices to stretch their food budget and find better value. A 2025 study found that 88% of Americans have changed their shopping habits in response to inflation, using tactics such as avoiding impulse purchases and choosing more affordable private-label supermarket brands.
Two of the best players on the field for affordable shopping, especially private-label offerings, are two distinct yet strikingly similar chains: Aldi and Lidl. They’re both originally based in Germany, have inventories that focus almost entirely on private-label products, and boast shockingly low prices. Because of these similarities, the two stores are fierce competitors, prompting the inevitable question: “Is one of them better?”
Between keeping my own kitchen as well-stocked as possible and reporting on grocery trends for Food & Wine, I’ve observed a few differences and strengths between the two chains. To start, Lidl is fairly new to the American supermarket scene, having landed stateside in 2017, while Aldi has had a presence in the United States since 1976. Ultimately, the best choice for you might depend on what you’re willing to sacrifice to score a great deal.
Which one is less expensive?
Both chains focus on affordability, and their prices come very close to each other, but Lidl’s products tend to cost a little less. For example, you’ll pay $1.39 for white bread at Aldi, while a comparable loaf is $1.29 at Lidl. You can score a dozen Grade A eggs for $2.19 at Aldi, but they’re sold for an even lower price of $1.96 at Lidl.
On the other hand, Aldi lists 80% lean ground beef forat $5.29 per pound, while Lidl sells it for $5.50 per pound, so Lidl isn’t less expensive across the board. If you tend to buy the same groceries every week, it’s worth scoping out which store has better prices for the more expensive items on your list.
Discounts don’t work the same way at each chain
To get you in the store, Lidl offers a promotion that’s tough to beat: download the myLidl app and you’ll receive $5 off your next purchase of $30 or more. The grocery chain touts an excellent rewards program available through its app, featuring member-exclusive savings and points-based discounts based on how much you spend.
Aldi takes a different approach and doesn’t offer a rewards program. Instead, all customers receive the same pricing, so there’s no need to download an app or create an account to access deals. However, if you want to take advantage of limited-time deals, Aldi lists current discounts in its Weekly Ad, available online or in-store.
If you like tracking everything through an app and appreciate a points-based rewards system, then Lidl is definitely the store for you. But customers who lean toward the analog side or want to access the same deals as everyone else, regardless of how much they purchase, will probably prefer Aldi’s deals.
Lidl has a more extensive selection of German products
Both of these chains were founded in Germany, so you can find culinary delights from their home country at each supermarket. Aldi hosts a special German week twice a year, during which a wide array of German products — ranging from schnitzel to strudel — are temporarily available in its aisles.
However, if you’re looking for German delights year-round, Lidl is probably the better option. Although its selection isn’t as broad as what you’ll find during German week at Aldi, Lidl offers more perennial German items than its competitor, including pumpernickel bread, soup noodles, Bavarian cheese, and soft pretzels baked fresh daily.
Aldi offers some of these products for limited periods, but they’re not available year-round, and the chain doesn’t bake pretzels in-store.
Aldi has a treasure-hunt shopping system
Aldi’s greatest advantage is undoubtedly its constantly rotating selection of Aldi Finds, released weekly on Wednesdays. These limited-time products surprise and delight shoppers, and they’re not restricted to groceries — Aldi even features household products ranging from kitchen tools to toys in its finds.
Aldi announces new finds every Wednesday, and the products are available while supplies last. Drinks, snacks, baked goods, and meat are regularly included in these weekly drops, but frozen meals may be the most exciting finds for many customers. Some Aldi Finds will resurface periodically throughout the year, but once they sell out, it’s impossible to predict when they’ll return.
Because Aldi is a much larger chain than Lidl in the U.S. — it has more than 2,600 stores here, compared to Lidl’s roughly 197 — many home cooks will end up shopping there simply because it’s more accessible. But if you have the option of going to either one or are serious about scoping out budget grocery options, Lidl is giving its major competitor a run for its money.
