Food AlertvsPaddl
Food Alert is a UK food safety consultancy with 35+ years of experience, serving enterprise clients like Nando's, Burger King, and Deliveroo. Bundles professional consultancy with compliance software.
44 features compared · 27 Paddl only · prices verified 11 September 2026
Paddl is food safety, compliance and operations software for UK hospitality: digital SFBB, HACCP plans, allergens and Natasha's Law labels, temperature, cleaning and training records, and an EHO-ready audit pack. £69 per location per month with every feature included, a 30-day free trial and no contract. Food Alert: Quote-led consultancy packages; the Alert65 software is bundled, not sold separately.
Used Daily & Trusted By:
Used Daily & Trusted By: Edgie Eats, Frothed, Good Chemistry Brewing, Paper Tiger Food Services, Restore, Royal Marine Hotel, The Staff of Life, The Tower Inn, World Famous Dive Bars.
Food Alert pricing
Food Alert does not publish its prices. What is known, checked 11 September 2026, comes from foodalert.com.
For the software on its own see the Alert65 comparison. Packages include site audits, an advice line and training; the software is a component, not the product.
Every feature. 5 owner and manager users per location, £2.99 a month for each extra; staff do not take a seat. 30-day free trial, card required, no contract.
- One site, 12 staff: £89.93 a month
- One site, 40 staff: £173.65 a month
- Five sites, 100 staff: £569.25 a month
Food Alert reviews: what customers say
4.7 out of 5 from 126 reviews on Trustpilot, read 11 September 2026.
Food Alert vs Paddl: what matters most
Last reviewed: 11 September 2026
A consultancy with software, or software with support
Food Alert is a food safety consultancy first: audits by environmental health practitioners, an advice line, training, and the Alert65 platform to hold the records. Paddl is software first: the platform builds the HACCP plan, SFBB pack and risk assessments itself, and support is there when you ask. Which suits you depends on whether you want a person to visit or a system to run.
Who does the work
With Food Alert a consultant sets the system up and audits it; the business keeps records between visits. With Paddl the AI drafts the documents from your menu, chemicals and equipment, staff complete the checks on the app, and the audit pack is a button. Groups that want an external audit trail for the board tend to prefer the former; independents and small groups usually want the latter.
What it costs and how it is bought
Food Alert quotes per estate and the price reflects the audit days and advice included. Paddl is £69 a location a month, published, with a 30-day trial and no contract. If you want both, some operators run Paddl for the records and buy an annual audit separately.
Where Food Alert and Paddl differ
From the 44-row grid below, checked against Food Alert's published feature list on 11 September 2026.
Food Safety & Compliance
Paddl has, Food Alert does not: Digital SFBB Packs, AI HACCP Generation, One-Click Audit Packs.
Food Alert covers in part: EHO Report Generation, COSHH Management.
Operations & Equipment
Paddl has, Food Alert does not: Equipment Tracking, AI Equipment Anomaly Detection, Maintenance Swimlanes, Delivery Checks.
Food Alert covers in part: Temperature Monitoring.
Team & Training
Paddl has, Food Alert does not: Rota Building & Publishing, Shift Swaps & Open Shifts, Holiday & Leave, Timesheets & Payroll Export, Staff Inductions, GPS Check-in, Shift Handovers / EOD Reports, Team Chat & Direct Messages.
Food Alert covers in part: Team Management, Staff Notifications.
Documents & Knowledge
Paddl has, Food Alert does not: Knowledge Hub, Digital Signatures, Licence Management, Insurance Gap Detection, Lease & Property Management.
Reporting & Incidents
Paddl has, Food Alert does not: EHO Visit Dashboard, AI Legal Guidance & Evidence Packs.
Platform & AI
Paddl has, Food Alert does not: Mobile Manager View, Offline Mode, AI Assistant, AI That Carries Out Tasks, AI Document Extraction.
Food Alert covers in part: Mobile App, Compliance Dashboard.
Where Food Alert is stronger
- 35+ years in the UK food safety industry
- Enterprise client logos including Nando's, Burger King, Deliveroo
- Professional consultancy bundled with software
- Covers both food safety and H&S compliance
Side-by-side feature comparison
Food Safety & Compliance
| Feature | Paddl | Food Alert |
|---|---|---|
| Digital SFBB PacksPaddl only | ||
| HACCP Plans | ||
| AI HACCP GenerationPaddl only | ||
| Allergen Management | ||
| Risk Assessments | ||
| EHO Report Generation | ||
| One-Click Audit PacksPaddl only | ||
| Fire Safety - Drills, Certificates & Expiry Alerts | ||
| COSHH Management |
Operations & Equipment
| Feature | Paddl | Food Alert |
|---|---|---|
| Equipment TrackingPaddl only | ||
| AI Equipment Anomaly DetectionPaddl only | ||
| Temperature Monitoring | ||
| Maintenance SwimlanesPaddl only | ||
| Supplier Management | ||
| Delivery ChecksPaddl only |
Team & Training
| Feature | Paddl | Food Alert |
|---|---|---|
| Team Management | ||
| Rota Building & PublishingPaddl only | ||
| Shift Swaps & Open ShiftsPaddl only | ||
| Holiday & LeavePaddl only | ||
| Timesheets & Payroll ExportPaddl only | ||
| Training Tracking | ||
| Staff InductionsPaddl only | ||
| GPS Check-inPaddl only | ||
| Shift Handovers / EOD ReportsPaddl only | ||
| Staff Notifications | ||
| Team Chat & Direct MessagesPaddl only |
Documents & Knowledge
| Feature | Paddl | Food Alert |
|---|---|---|
| Document Management | ||
| Knowledge HubPaddl only | ||
| Digital SignaturesPaddl only | ||
| Licence ManagementPaddl only | ||
| Insurance Gap DetectionPaddl only | ||
| Lease & Property ManagementPaddl only |
Reporting & Incidents
| Feature | Paddl | Food Alert |
|---|---|---|
| Complaint Monitoring | ||
| Incident & Accident Reporting | ||
| EHO Visit DashboardPaddl only | ||
| AI Legal Guidance & Evidence PacksPaddl only |
Platform & AI
| Feature | Paddl | Food Alert |
|---|---|---|
| Mobile App | ||
| Mobile Manager ViewPaddl only | ||
| Offline ModePaddl only | ||
| AI AssistantPaddl only | ||
| AI That Carries Out TasksPaddl only | ||
| AI Document ExtractionPaddl only | ||
| Compliance Dashboard | ||
| Multi-Location |
What Food Alert does not do, shown in Paddl
Screenshots of the Paddl features the grid marks as missing or partial in Food Alert.
Shift handovers and end-of-day reports
Paddl AdvantageStaff submit an end-of-day report with urgent actions, stock shortages and equipment problems. The incoming shift acknowledges the handover before starting.
Push notifications to staff on shift
Paddl AdvantageTemperature alerts, handover submissions and maintenance updates go to the people checked in that day, not the whole team.
EHO visit view
Paddl AdvantageOne screen with everything an inspector asks for: SFBB pack, delivery records, temperature logs and training certificates.
Equipment records with AI health checks
Paddl AdvantageEvery fridge, oven and extractor with its service history and temperature logs. The AI flags a unit whose readings are drifting before it fails.
Report a fault from the app
Paddl AdvantageStaff log a breakdown or a safety concern with a photo and a priority, and the manager sees it the moment it is raised.
AI HACCP plan generation
Paddl AdvantageThe AI reads your business, routines, equipment and menu, then drafts a complete HACCP plan with process steps and critical control points for you to review.
Ask Paddy: AI that does the admin
Paddl AdvantageAsk Paddy books the contractor visit, builds the routine, drafts the risk assessment and gathers the inspection pack. You confirm every action, and it never fills in or signs a compliance record.
Manager view in the mobile app
Paddl AdvantageManagers switch to an admin view on their phone: team progress, compliance status, recent activity and SFBB state across every site.
AI insurance gap detection
Paddl AdvantageUpload the policy documents and the AI reads the cover, lists the gaps and says what to ask the broker.
Who should choose Food Alert, and who should choose Paddl
Choose Food Alert if
- You need a consultancy-led compliance partner
- Enterprise-grade support with dedicated account managers is essential
- You want a consultancy-backed package that combines software and expert support
Choose Paddl if
- You want affordable compliance at £69/month
- Self-service setup and configuration are important
- AI-powered HACCP generation replaces expensive consultants
- You need SFBB pack management and EHO preparation tools
- Monthly contracts with no lock-in period are preferred
- Mobile-first experience with offline support is essential
Switching from Food Alert to Paddl
- Published pricing at £69 per month per location instead of a custom quote built around consultancy days
- Self-service setup in an afternoon, with no onboarding fee and no site visit required to go live
- AI-generated HACCP plans, SFBB packs, COSHH assessments and equipment diagnostics, which Food Alert does not offer
- Month-to-month rather than an annual contract, built for independents as well as groups
- Rota, leave, timesheets, licences, insurance and documents in the same product as the compliance records
Paddl is designed for self-service. Set up your business, generate the HACCP plan with AI, and have the team operational the same day. If you still want an independent audit, book one separately rather than paying for it inside a software contract.
How the switch works
- Collect your Food Alert audit reports and records before the contract ends and file them in Paddl documents
- Set up locations, staff and daily routines from the templates
- Let the AI draft the HACCP plan, SFBB pack and COSHH assessments
- Book an independent audit visit if your landlord or insurer requires one; it is no longer bundled
- Switch the tablets over once the first week of records is in
What you keep
- Daily checks and temperature records
- Audit-ready reports
- Training records
- Multi-site oversight
What you give up
- Consultant site visits and audits as part of the package
- A named account manager
Alternatives to Food Alert for UK hospitality
| Product | Category | Pricing |
|---|---|---|
| Paddl | Food safety, compliance and operations | £69 per location per month, every feature included, 30-day free trial. No tiers and no volume discount. |
| Alert65 (Food Alert) | Food safety and compliance | Quote-led; Capterra lists from £20,000 a year, a three-site basic package was quoted at about £2,250 a year |
| Shield Safety | Health and safety consultancy | Quote-led consultancy packages with the RiskProof platform; no published price |
| Citation | Health and safety consultancy | Quote-led per employee per month on a three to seven year term |
Food Alert comparison questions
What does Food Alert do?
Food Alert is a UK food safety and health and safety consultancy: EHP-led audits, an advice line, training courses and the Alert65 software for records. It has worked with large brands for over 35 years and sells packages that combine the software with visits.
How much does a Food Alert audit cost?
Food Alert does not publish audit or package prices; everything is quoted per estate. Capterra lists the Alert65 package from £20,000 a year and Culinary Key reports a similar figure for a multi-site group; a three-site basic package was quoted to the Paddl founding team at about £2,250 a year. Ask for the audit days and the software scope separately when you get a quote.
Is Food Alert good for a single restaurant or pub?
It can be, but the model is built for estates that want an external audit programme. A single site usually pays for more consultancy than it uses. Self-serve software with an audit pack on demand covers the same records for a fraction of the cost; buy an audit when you want one.
What is the best alternative to Food Alert?
For the software side, Paddl or Trail; for consultancy-led models, Shield Safety and Citation. Paddl covers SFBB, HACCP, allergens, COSHH and risk assessments itself at £69 a location a month, and produces the EHO-ready pack without a consultant.
Can I move from Food Alert to Paddl?
Yes. Export your audit reports and records from Alert65 for the two years of due diligence you must keep, upload them to Paddl documents, and let the AI build the HACCP plan and SFBB pack from your menu. Most sites are live within a day; keep any audit contract running to its end date.
Try Paddl alongside Food Alert for 30 days
£69 per location per month, every feature included, 30-day free trial. No tiers and no volume discount. Card required to start, nothing charged until the trial ends.
Every feature during the trial · Setup from your own paperwork · Cancel any time