10 Best Calorie Counting Apps of 2026

This list is for people who track what they eat and want to know how much of each calorie counter works for free before paying for premium. We compared documented features and published prices for 10 apps using their US App Store listings and vendor pages, and ranked them by value first (40%), then features (35%), then ease of use (25%). Value weighs what the free plan covers, especially barcode and photo logging, against the price of the cheapest paid tier. Prices are in USD as listed on the US App Store or the vendor site on November 12, 2026.

1. 01Top value

   

   Cronometer

   9.1/10

   A calorie counter and food diary that tracks calories, macros and 95+ vitamins and minerals from a curated food database.

   Price

   $5per month billed annually ($59.99 per year)

   Free plan with barcode scanning; Cronometer Gold costs $59.99 per year or $10.99 per month on the US App Store

   “Gold Monthly $10.99 Gold Annual $59.99” Quoted from the pricing page, November 12, 2026.

   Free plan

   Yes

   Value (40%)

   9.3

   Features (35%)

   9.3

   Ease of use (25%)

   8.3

   Best forpeople who want detailed nutrient tracking without paying

   Cronometer ranks first because its free tier covers more of what a calorie counter needs than any other app here. The US App Store listing says it tracks calories, macros, fasting and 95+ vitamins and minerals, and that barcode scanning is free, a feature MyFitnessPal and Lose It list under Premium. The food database is curated rather than open, with more than 1.1 million verified foods including lab-analyzed entries, which matters if you log whole foods and care about micronutrients. Device syncing covers Apple Health, Apple Watch, Fitbit, Garmin, Oura and Whoop. Cronometer Gold adds photo and voice logging, the fasting tracker, a recipe importer, Repeat Items, an ad-free experience and the Crono Coach, and the US App Store lists it at $59.99 a year or $10.99 a month. The trade-off is that the interface is built around data tables, so people who only want a calorie total may find Lose It or Yazio quicker. We compared documented features and published prices; we did not run hands-on tests.

   • ✓Free barcode scanning, which MyFitnessPal and Lose It put behind Premium
   • ✓Micronutrient tracking of 95+ vitamins and minerals in a free calorie counter
   • ✓Gold costs $59.99 a year on the US App Store, $20 less than MyFitnessPal's $79.99 yearly Premium

   • ✕The fasting tracker, recipe importer and Repeat Items need Gold
   • ✕The free app shows ads; ad-free use is a Gold feature
   • ✕Photo and voice logging are listed among Gold tools

   Free plan:

   Yes, with free barcode scanning

   Paid tier:

   Gold, $59.99 per year or $10.99 per month

   Food database:

   1.1 million+ verified foods

   Nutrients tracked:

   95+ vitamins and minerals plus macros

   Bottom line: Cronometer is the best calorie counting app for most people because its free plan includes barcode scanning and tracking of 95+ micronutrients. Gold at $59.99 a year is optional.

   Visit cronometer.com ↗

2. 02

   

   fatsecret

   8.7/10

   A free calorie counter with a food diary, barcode scanner, photo food recognition and an exercise diary.

   Price

   $3.25per month billed annually ($38.99 per year)

   Free app; Premium annual subscriptions listed at $38.99 and $59.99 on the US App Store

   “Annual Subscription $59.99 Annual Subscription $38.99” Quoted from the pricing page, November 12, 2026.

   Free plan

   Yes

   Value (40%)

   9.4

   Features (35%)

   8.0

   Ease of use (25%)

   8.6

   Best forbudget-minded dieters who want photo and barcode logging free

   fatsecret is the cheapest full-featured option on this list. Its US App Store listing describes the app as free and puts the food diary, barcode scanner, image recognition of foods and meals, exercise diary, diet calendar, weight tracker, reminders and macro reporting in the free feature set. That makes it one of only two apps here, with Cronometer, that give away barcode scanning, and it also gives away photo logging, which Lose It and MyFitnessPal reserve for paid plans. Premium adds dietitian meal plans for Keto Style, Balanced, Mediterranean, Intermittent Fasting and High Protein Low Carb diets, advanced meal planning, six extra meal headings and water tracking. The US App Store lists annual subscriptions at $38.99 and $59.99 plus monthly and quarterly options, so the exact offer depends on what the app shows you. The free app syncs with fatsecret Professional, which lets a dietitian follow your diary. It has fewer micronutrients and coaching tools than Cronometer or MacroFactor. We compared documented features and published prices; we did not run hands-on tests.

   • ✓Photo recognition and barcode scanning are listed as free features
   • ✓The App Store listing calls the app free and says it is customized for US foods and brands
   • ✓Premium annual plans start at $38.99 on the US App Store

   • ✕Water tracking is a Premium feature
   • ✕Dietitian meal plans and advanced meal planning need Premium
   • ✕Several different prices are listed for the same plan length, so check the in-app offer

   Free plan:

   Yes, includes barcode scanner and photo recognition

   Paid tier:

   Premium, monthly, quarterly or annual

   Lowest annual price listed:

   $38.99

   Platforms:

   iPhone, iPad, Apple Watch

   Bottom line: fatsecret is the best free calorie counter for people who log by photo or barcode because both are in the free app. Premium is optional and starts at $38.99 a year on the US App Store.

   Visit fatsecret.com ↗

3. 03

   

   Carb Manager

   8.5/10

   A keto and low-carb macro tracker and calorie counter with free net carb tracking and barcode scanning.

   Price

   $3.33per month billed annually

   Free Basic account; Premium costs $3.33 per month billed annually

   “Premium Account $3.33 /mo (billed annually)” Quoted from the pricing page, November 12, 2026.

   Free plan

   Yes

   Value (40%)

   8.8

   Features (35%)

   8.5

   Ease of use (25%)

   8.2

   Best forketo and low-carb dieters counting net carbs

   Carb Manager is the pick for anyone counting net carbs as well as calories. Its US App Store listing promises unlimited free barcode scanning and net carb tracking that is always free, plus a calorie counter, a macro calculator, water and exercise logging and weight charts. The searchable database covers 1M+ foods with net carbs and sugar alcohols. The Basic account is listed at $0.00 on carbmanager.com, and the Premium account costs $3.33 a month billed annually, the lowest verified paid price on this list. Premium adds 5,000+ keto recipes, blood glucose, ketone and insulin tracking, fasting tools, carb cycling, micronutrient tracking, advanced reports, device syncing and a weight loss prediction engine. The limit is focus: the app is designed for keto, paleo, carnivore and other low-carb diets, so someone eating a balanced diet gets more general features from Cronometer or fatsecret. We compared documented features and published prices; we did not run hands-on tests.

   • ✓Net carb tracking and barcode scans are free, per the App Store listing
   • ✓Basic account costs $0.00 on carbmanager.com
   • ✓Premium is $3.33 a month billed annually, the lowest verified paid price here

   • ✕Micronutrient tracking is a Premium feature
   • ✕Device syncing for steps and activity needs Premium
   • ✕Built around keto and low-carb, so a general calorie counter may suit balanced diets better

   Free plan:

   Yes, Basic account at $0.00

   Paid tier:

   Premium, $3.33 per month billed annually

   Food database:

   1M+ foods

   Recipes:

   5,000+ keto recipes in Premium

   Bottom line: Carb Manager is the best calorie counting app for keto dieters because net carb tracking and barcode scanning are free. Premium costs $3.33 a month billed annually.

   Visit carbmanager.com ↗

4. 04

   

   Lose It

   8.5/10

   A calorie counter and weight loss planner that sets a daily calorie budget from your goal.

   Price

   Free plan

   See vendor pricing (USD check pending)

   US price check pending. Vendor pricing page

   Free plan

   Yes

   Value (40%)

   8.2

   Features (35%)

   8.4

   Ease of use (25%)

   9.0

   Best forbeginners who want a simple daily calorie budget

   Lose It is the simplest way to start counting calories. After you set a goal, the app calculates a personalized daily calorie budget and weight loss schedule, and the free plan covers calorie tracking, the weight loss plan and community support groups, according to its US App Store listing. The database lists 56+ million items and recipes. Lose It Premium is where most logging shortcuts sit: photo meal logging, AI voice logging, the barcode scanner, macro and nutrient tracking, intermittent fasting, meal targets and syncing with Fitbit, Garmin, Withings and other devices. That split is the main drawback against Cronometer and fatsecret, which include barcode scanning free. The US App Store lists several Premium prices, including Lifetime options, and the vendor's own pricing page did not show a USD price from our location, so the Premium price is marked as pending. We compared documented features and published prices; we did not run hands-on tests.

   • ✓Free plan covers calorie tracking, a weight loss plan and support groups
   • ✓Food database of 56+ million items and recipes, per the App Store listing
   • ✓Premium adds GLP-1 medication logging, fasting and meal targets in one app

   • ✕Barcode scanning is listed as a Premium feature
   • ✕Macro tracking beyond calories needs Premium
   • ✕The US App Store lists many Premium prices, so we could not confirm a single standard plan price

   Free plan:

   Yes, calorie tracking and weight loss plan

   Paid tier:

   Lose It Premium

   Food database:

   56+ million items and recipes

   Users:

   57 million+, per the App Store listing

   Bottom line: Lose It is the best calorie counter for beginners who want a ready-made daily calorie budget. Expect to pay for Premium if you want barcode scanning and macro tracking.

   Visit loseit.com ↗

5. 05

   

   MacroFactor

   8.4/10

   A paid macro tracker and nutrition coach that adjusts calorie targets from your logs and weight trend.

   Price

   $5.99per month billed annually ($71.99 per year)

   No free tier; $71.99 per year, $47.99 per half year or $11.99 per month in the US, with a free trial

   “$71.99 / year (equal to $5.99 a month)” Quoted from the pricing page, November 12, 2026.

   Free plan

   No

   Value (40%)

   7.8

   Features (35%)

   9.2

   Ease of use (25%)

   8.4

   Best forlifters and dieters who want adaptive calorie targets

   MacroFactor is the strongest coaching tool on this list but not a free one. Its US App Store listing says it has a free trial but does not offer a free subscription tier, and lists three plans: $11.99 a month, $47.99 a half year and $71.99 a year, which it says equals $5.99 a month. What you pay for is the algorithm. Each week it compares your calorie and macro intake with your weight trend, estimates your actual energy expenditure and adjusts your targets for the next week, and the listing says it is adherence neutral, so skipped logs do not break it. Logging works by AI photo, typed meal description, speech, barcode or nutrition label scan, against a verified database of more than 1.36 million entries. You can pick Coached, Collaborative or Manual modes with balanced, low-carb, keto or carb-focused diets. Ranked by value, it sits behind the apps with free plans. We compared documented features and published prices; we did not run hands-on tests.

   • ✓Targets update each week from your weight trend instead of a fixed formula
   • ✓Adherence-neutral algorithm: missed logs do not break the check-in
   • ✓$71.99 a year works out to $5.99 a month in the US

   • ✕No free subscription tier, only a free trial
   • ✕Costs more per year than Cronometer Gold or Carb Manager Premium
   • ✕More settings than a simple calorie counter needs

   Free plan:

   No, free trial only

   Paid plans:

   $11.99 per month, $47.99 per half year, $71.99 per year

   Food database:

   1.36 million+ verified entries

   Developer:

   Stronger By Science Technologies LLC

   Bottom line: MacroFactor is the best paid option for people who want calorie targets that adapt to their weight trend each week. It has no free tier and costs $71.99 a year in the US.

   Visit macrofactorapp.com ↗

6. 06

   

   MyFitnessPal

   8.4/10

   A calorie counter and nutrition tracker with a large food database, an AI Coach and workout logging.

   Price

   $6.67per month billed annually ($79.99 per year)

   Free plan; Premium listed at $79.99 per year or $19.99 per month on the US App Store

   “MyFitnessPal Monthly Premium $19.99 MyFitnessPal Yearly Premium $79.99” Quoted from the pricing page, November 12, 2026.

   Free plan

   Yes

   Value (40%)

   7.6

   Features (35%)

   9.2

   Ease of use (25%)

   8.6

   Best forpeople who want the largest food database and device syncing

   MyFitnessPal has the biggest database and the most connections of any app here, but you pay more for its convenience features. The US App Store listing says you can log meals from 20.5M+ foods including restaurant dishes and connect 40+ fitness trackers, smartwatches and health apps, and it adds an AI Coach, a water tracker, workout logging, an intermittent fasting tracker and GLP-1 dose logging. The free plan tracks calories, macros and water. Premium adds barcode scan, meal scan and voice logging, custom macro goals, ad-free logging and Net Carbs Mode, and Premium Plus adds meal plans, grocery delivery and 1500+ recipes. The US App Store lists Premium at $19.99 a month and $79.99 a year, and also shows some lower Premium offers. Because barcode scanning is free in Cronometer and fatsecret, MyFitnessPal ranks lower on value even though its feature score is near the top. We compared documented features and published prices; we did not run hands-on tests.

   • ✓Largest food database on this list at 20.5M+ foods, per the App Store listing
   • ✓Integrations with 40+ trackers and apps
   • ✓Premium Plus adds meal plans and 1500+ recipes for people who want planning

   • ✕Barcode scanning is listed as a Premium feature
   • ✕Premium at $79.99 a year is the highest verified annual price among the calorie counters here
   • ✕The free app is not ad-free

   Free plan:

   Yes, calorie, macro and water tracking

   Paid tiers:

   Premium and Premium Plus

   Premium price:

   $79.99 per year or $19.99 per month (US App Store)

   Food database:

   20.5M+ foods

   Bottom line: MyFitnessPal is the best calorie counter for people who eat out often and use many devices because it lists 20.5M+ foods and 40+ integrations. Budget $79.99 a year if you want barcode scanning.

   Visit myfitnesspal.com ↗

7. 07

   

   Yazio

   8.4/10

   A calorie counter, food tracker and intermittent fasting app with recipes and meal planning.

   Price

   Free plan

   See vendor pricing (USD check pending)

   US price check pending. Vendor pricing page

   Free plan

   Yes

   Value (40%)

   8.4

   Features (35%)

   8.2

   Ease of use (25%)

   8.6

   Best forintermittent fasters who also count calories

   Yazio combines a calorie counter with an intermittent fasting tracker, which suits people who time their meals as well as count them. Its US App Store listing describes a free calorie tracker with a customizable food diary, macro analysis, a barcode scanner, a database of 4 million+ items, food ratings, step and workout tracking and a water tracker with reminders. The fasting tracker supports 16:8 and 5:2 plans, and the recipe section has 2,900+ recipes with low-carb, vegetarian and vegan filters plus a grocery list. Yazio Pro adds custom meal plans, in-depth food analysis, Fitbit and Garmin sync, mood and body metric tracking, long-term trend insights and an ad-free app. The US App Store lists several Pro prices for 12-month and other terms, and we could not confirm a single standard USD price, so the Pro price is marked as pending. We compared documented features and published prices; we did not run hands-on tests.

   • ✓Barcode scanner is listed in the free calorie counter
   • ✓Fasting tracker and calorie diary in one app
   • ✓Instant access with no signup required, per the App Store listing

   • ✕Device sync with Fitbit and Garmin needs Pro
   • ✕Custom meal plans and in-depth food analysis are Pro features
   • ✕The US App Store lists several Pro prices, so we could not confirm one standard price

   Free plan:

   Yes, calorie counter with barcode scanner

   Paid tier:

   Yazio Pro

   Food database:

   4 million+ items

   Recipes:

   2,900+

   Bottom line: Yazio is the best calorie counter for intermittent fasters because its fasting tracker and food diary share one free app. Check the in-app Pro price before upgrading.

   Visit yazio.com ↗

8. 08

   

   Lifesum

   7.9/10

   A calorie counter and meal planner with AI photo, voice and text logging and a weekly Life Score.

   Price

   $8.33per month billed annually ($99.99 per year)

   Free with limited features; Premium 1 year listed at $99.99 on the US App Store

   “Lifesum Premium 1 year $99.99” Quoted from the pricing page, November 12, 2026.

   Free plan

   Yes

   Value (40%)

   7.2

   Features (35%)

   8.3

   Ease of use (25%)

   8.5

   Best forpeople who want meal plans and grocery lists with tracking

   Lifesum is built around meal planning as much as calorie counting. Its US App Store listing offers logging by photo, voice, text or barcode, a calorie counter with an adjustable daily goal, macro tracking, a water tracker, a fruit, vegetable and fish tracker, body measurement tracking and meal plans with grocery lists. Nutrition plans cover keto, paleo and high protein diets, and a weekly Life Score rates your eating, hydration and activity. Apple Health sync imports exercise, weight and steps and exports food calories and nutrition. The catch is cost: the listing says Lifesum is free to download and use with limited features, and the US App Store lists Lifesum Premium 1 year at $99.99, with some listings up to $119.99. That is more than Cronometer Gold or MyFitnessPal Premium, which is why Lifesum ranks below them on value. We compared documented features and published prices; we did not run hands-on tests.

   • ✓Four ways to log food, including photo and voice
   • ✓Meal plans come with grocery lists
   • ✓Apple Health sync for exercise, weight and steps in both directions

   • ✕The free app has limited features, per the App Store listing
   • ✕Premium 1 year at $99.99 is the most expensive annual plan among the verified calorie counters
   • ✕Some App Store listings for the same term go up to $119.99

   Free plan:

   Yes, with limited features

   Paid tier:

   Premium, 1-month, 3-month and annual

   Annual price:

   $99.99 (US App Store)

   Users:

   65 million, per the App Store listing

   Bottom line: Lifesum is the best calorie counter for people who want meal plans with grocery lists. It costs more than most rivals at $99.99 a year on the US App Store.

   Visit lifesum.com ↗

9. 09

   

   Cal AI

   7.5/10

   A photo-first calorie tracker that estimates calories and macros from a picture of your meal.

   Price

   Check price

   See vendor pricing (USD check pending)

   US price check pending. Vendor pricing page

   Free plan

   No

   Value (40%)

   6.8

   Features (35%)

   7.2

   Ease of use (25%)

   9.0

   Best forpeople who want to log meals by photo only

   Cal AI is built for people who want to photograph a meal and skip manual logging. Its US App Store listing describes three steps: answer lifestyle questions to build a plan, snap a photo of your meal, and get a nutritional breakdown. The same listing states in capitals that food scanning analysis results require a subscription, so the main feature is paid and there is no useful free plan. The in-app purchase list shows several Unlimited options at different prices without plan lengths, and the vendor site did not show a price, so the price is marked as pending. Compared with Cronometer, Lose It, MyFitnessPal and Lifesum, which all include photo logging in a paid tier alongside a full food diary, Cal AI documents fewer nutrition features: no published micronutrient tracking, meal plans or fasting tools. It ranks low on value for that reason. We compared documented features and published prices; we did not run hands-on tests.

   • ✓Three-step flow: answer questions, snap a photo, get a breakdown
   • ✓Available on iPhone and Apple Watch
   • ✓Lets you adjust macros by hand when a scan is wrong

   • ✕Food scanning results require a subscription, per the App Store listing
   • ✕No free plan for its main feature
   • ✕The US App Store lists Unlimited plans at many prices without terms, so we could not confirm a standard price

   Free plan:

   No, food scan results need a subscription

   Paid tier:

   Unlimited

   Developer:

   Viral Development LLC

   Platforms:

   iPhone, Apple Watch

   Bottom line: Cal AI is the best choice only for people who will pay to log every meal by photo. Its App Store listing says food scanning results require a subscription.

   Visit calai.app ↗

10. 10

    

    Noom

    7.1/10

    A weight loss program with AI food logging, daily habit lessons and optional GLP-1 medication access.

    Price

    $17per month billed annually ($209 per year on the web)

    Noom Weight plans from $17 a month based on a $209 annual web plan; Noom Med from $39 a month before medication

    “Plans as low as $17 a month” Quoted from the pricing page, November 12, 2026.

    Free plan

    No

    Value (40%)

    6.0

    Features (35%)

    7.8

    Ease of use (25%)

    8.0

    Best forpeople who want a behavior-change program, not just a counter

    Noom is a weight loss program that includes calorie tracking rather than a calorie counter with extras. Its US App Store listing covers AI food logging with 1M+ food items and protein and calorie tracking, body scans, meal plans, 1,000+ fitness, stretching and meditation classes, daily lessons on habits, communities and optional 1:1 coaching. Noom Weight plans are listed as low as $17 a month, based on a $209 annual web plan, and Noom Med, which adds access to GLP-1 medication for eligible members, starts at $39 a month before medication costs. That pricing puts Noom far above every other app here, and there is no free plan for the program, so it ranks last on value. Pick it if you want structured lessons and coaching on why you eat, not only a log of what you eat. We compared documented features and published prices; we did not run hands-on tests.

    • ✓Combines food logging with daily behavior-change lessons
    • ✓Optional 1:1 coaching and supportive communities
    • ✓Syncs with Apple Health, Fitbit and Garmin

    • ✕Most expensive option here at $17 a month on a $209 annual plan
    • ✕No free plan for the program
    • ✕Food database of 1M+ items is smaller than MyFitnessPal's or Lose It's

    Free plan:

    No

    Noom Weight:

    From $17 a month ($209 annual web plan)

    Noom Med:

    From $39 a month, medication extra

    Platforms:

    iPhone

    Bottom line: Noom is the best fit for people who want a coached behavior-change program built around food logging. At $209 a year it is the most expensive option on this list.

    Visit noom.com ↗

Questions or corrections: editorial@rankozo.comSee our disclosure. Prices change; confirm on the vendor page before buying.