# Best Digital SFBB Software (2026) Canonical: https://paddl-ai.co/best/best-digital-sfbb-software Last reviewed: 2026-09-11 by the Paddl team Digital Safer Food Better Business solutions compared for UK food businesses. ## In one sentence SFBB+ is the cheapest digital diary at £4.99 a month per premises, SFBB Pro is £25.95, and Paddl at £69 per location per month generates the pack and adds HACCP, allergens, training and the audit pack. Safer Food Better Business (SFBB) is the FSA's recommended food safety management system for smaller food businesses. While the paper SFBB pack is free to download, many businesses are moving to digital SFBB solutions that automate diary entries, prompt safe method reviews, and produce cleaner documentation for EHO inspections. We compared the available options. ## The picks | Product | Best for | Pricing | Checked | | --- | --- | --- | --- | | Paddl | The SFBB pack plus everything the EHO asks next | £69 per location per month, every feature included, 30-day free trial. No tiers and no volume discount. | | | SFBB+ | Cheapest digital SFBB diary | £4.99 a month per premises; 90-day free trial | 2026-09-11 | | SFBB Pro | SFBB records with multi-user access | £25.95 a month per premises after a 14-day trial | 2026-09-11 | | Trail (by Access) | SFBB checks inside a task app | From £38 per site per month on a 12-month term (Team); £75 Standard, £82.50 Trail Evo; unlimited users | 2026-09-11 | | Alert65 (Food Alert) | SFBB with a consultant behind it | Quote-led; Capterra lists from £20,000 a year, a three-site basic package was quoted at about £2,250 a year | 2026-09-11 | | The FSA SFBB pack (paper) | Zero budget | Free | 2026-09-11 | ### Paddl The AI drafts the SFBB pack from your menu and kit, the diary and checks run on the app, and the same subscription covers the HACCP plan, allergens, training records and the audit pack. Strengths: SFBB, HACCP, allergens, temperature and cleaning records in one subscription; AI drafts the HACCP plan from your menu, equipment and chemicals; EHO audit pack exports every record as one PDF; One published price with every feature and a 30-day free trial Weaknesses: No sensor hardware: staff log temperatures on the app; No volume discount for larger groups; Four tills connect today: Square, Zettle, Epos Now and SumUp POS Pricing: £69 per location per month, every feature included, 30-day free trial. No tiers and no volume discount. ### SFBB+ A digital version of the FSA SFBB pack for iOS and Android: the daily diary, temperature checks and the safe-method pages, with multi-premises support. It covers the pack and no more. Strengths: £4.99 a month per premises, the cheapest option here; Built around the FSA pack; Long free trial Weaknesses: Diary only: no HACCP plan, allergen matrix or training records; No team management or audit pack; Thin reporting Pricing: £4.99 a month per premises; 90-day free trial (checked 2026-09-11 against https://www.sfbbplus.co.uk/) ### SFBB Pro A UK app built around the SFBB requirements: daily checks, temperature logs and cleaning schedules, with shared records for several users and a stated EHO approval. Strengths: Aligned to the FSA SFBB pack; Multi-user access with shared records; iOS and Android Weaknesses: Five times the price of SFBB+ for a similar SFBB scope; No allergen matrix, HACCP plan or equipment records; No published multi-site management Pricing: £25.95 a month per premises after a 14-day trial (checked 2026-09-11 against https://sfbbpro.co.uk/) ### Trail (by Access) Trail carries SFBB-style daily checks as tasks; the pack itself is not generated. Strengths: Established platform with proven scale; Strong daily checklist and task management workflows; Strong sensor integration for temperature monitoring; Good document storage capabilities Weaknesses: No AI-powered HACCP generation; Checklist-led workflows are not the same as a full food safety management system; No dedicated EHO visit preparation dashboard; Limited structured SFBB, COSHH, risk assessment, and allergen workflows compared with Paddl Pricing: From £38 per site per month on a 12-month term (Team); £75 Standard, £82.50 Trail Evo; unlimited users (checked 2026-09-11 against https://trailapp.com/pricing) Reviews: 4.9/5 from 7 on Capterra (https://www.capterra.co.uk/software/176765/trail) Full comparison: https://paddl-ai.co/compare/trail ### Alert65 (Food Alert) Food Alert's software with daily checks and documents, backed by its consultancy and audits. Strengths: Established UK food safety consultancy behind the software; Consultants can help set up HACCP, risk assessments, and safety policies; Covers everyday compliance workflows including checklists, audits, and training; 24/7 Food Alert advice line for expert support Weaknesses: No public AI HACCP generation or AI document extraction claims; Basic package pricing is competitive, but package scope and included modules should be checked carefully; Consultancy-backed setup may be heavier than self-serve software; No clear public focus on shift handovers, EOD reports, or GPS check-in Pricing: Quote-led; Capterra lists from £20,000 a year, a three-site basic package was quoted at about £2,250 a year (checked 2026-09-11 against https://www.capterra.co.uk/software/172050/fact) Reviews: 4.7/5 from 126 on Trustpilot (https://uk.trustpilot.com/review/www.foodalert.com) Full comparison: https://paddl-ai.co/compare/alert65 ### The FSA SFBB pack (paper) The Food Standards Agency's own Safer Food Better Business pack, free to download and print. It is the baseline every EHO knows; the cost is the time spent filling it in and the risk of gaps when a page goes missing. Strengths: Free; Accepted everywhere; No login or device needed Weaknesses: Handwritten, so no timestamps or reminders; Diary only: no HACCP plan, allergen matrix or training records; Easy to lose and hard to search during an inspection Pricing: Free (checked 2026-09-11 against https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/safer-food-better-business-sfbb) ## Buying guide ### Is paper SFBB still acceptable? Yes, paper SFBB is still fully legal and accepted by EHOs. However, digital SFBB systems produce more consistent records, are harder to lose, and typically impress inspectors more. If your paper SFBB diary has gaps or inconsistencies, a digital system can help you maintain better records. ### SFBB vs HACCP - which do I need? SFBB is itself a simplified HACCP-based system designed for smaller food businesses. If you run a restaurant, cafe, or takeaway, SFBB is usually sufficient. Larger or more complex operations (hotels, catering companies, businesses with high-risk processes) may benefit from or require a full HACCP plan in addition to or instead of SFBB. ## Questions **Do I have to use SFBB?** You don't have to use SFBB specifically, but you must have a documented food safety management system based on HACCP principles. SFBB is the most widely used option for smaller UK food businesses because it's free, straightforward, and universally understood by EHOs. **Which SFBB pack should I use?** The Caterers pack is the default for most food businesses. Retailers (shops selling food), Indian Cuisines, and Chinese Cuisines packs are available for businesses where the standard caterers pack doesn't fit. Your local authority can advise which pack is most appropriate.