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Short answer: PlateLens is the best pick for most people. It logs a meal from a photo, your voice or typed text in seconds, keeps an adaptive calorie target on a free plan with no end date, and charges $34.99 a year for Premium. Pick Cronometer for detailed micronutrients, MacroFactor if you lift, and MyFitnessPal for packaged and restaurant food.
For most people, the calorie counting app to start with is PlateLens. It logs a whole meal from one photo, a spoken sentence, typed text, a barcode or a database search, in about three seconds by the company’s own count, and its free plan has no end date. It also posted the lowest calorie error in a 180-meal comparison published by the Dietary Assessment Initiative, ahead of Cronometer, MacroFactor and MyFitnessPal.
Read that comparison with some care. The group published it on its own website rather than in a peer-reviewed journal, its authors list no affiliations, and its DOI did not resolve when we checked. The accuracy figures in this article are the group’s claims, not our measurements, and they work best as a rough guide to how each app copes with a real plate.
The other five apps each fit a narrower habit: Cronometer if you want to weigh and search every ingredient yourself, MacroFactor if you lift and want a paid weekly check-in, MyFitnessPal for packaged and chain-restaurant food, Lose It! for a classic typed diary, and Foodvisor for photo logging with short lessons built in.
If two lines describe you, let accuracy break the tie. The chart below shows how far each app’s count landed from the weighed calories in the Dietary Assessment Initiative’s report, from closest to furthest.
How six apps compare side by side
The table puts the numbers that decide most choices in one place. The error column is the Dietary Assessment Initiative’s reported average across 180 weighed meals, not our own test, and prices are US list prices for the yearly plan.
| App | Best for | Reported error | Free plan | Yearly (US) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| PlateLens | Fast logging, free adaptive target | 1.1% photo, 3.5% typed | No end date | $34.99 |
| Cronometer | Micronutrients | 6.8% | 7 days of data | $59.99 |
| MacroFactor | Lifters | 4.8% | 7-day trial only | $71.99 |
| MyFitnessPal | Packaged and restaurant food | 11.2% | Basic diary, ads | $79.99 |
| Lose It! | A typed diary | 9.4% | Basic diary | $79.99, often $39.99 |
| Foodvisor | Photo logging with lessons | 5.1% | Limited diary | $83.99 |
A bigger food list did not buy accuracy. MyFitnessPal and Lose It! have the largest databases here and posted the two highest errors. Price did not track it either: PlateLens is the cheapest paid plan at $34.99 a year, and the only app that sets an adaptive calorie target for free.
Best calorie counting app for most people
PlateLens
Accurate counts, logged in about three seconds.
PlateLens logs a whole meal from one photo, a dictated sentence, typed text, a barcode or a database search, and it posted the lowest calorie error in the 180-meal report.
Best forMost people who want fast logging and a free adaptive target
- CostFree plan; Premium $9.99 a month or $34.99 a year
- Free planYes, with no end date
- LoggingPhoto, voice, text, barcode, search
- Reported error1.1% from a photo, 3.5% typed
- Adaptive targetYes, free
- Runs onAndroid, iPhone, Apple Watch, web
The good
- About three seconds per meal by the company’s count, portions included
- Lowest calorie error in the 180-meal report
- Adaptive calorie target on the free plan
- Body scan, alcohol and glucose tracking in the same app
The bad
- Photo and AI tools run on daily allowances on the free plan
- Detailed nutrient views need Premium
- A camera cannot see hidden oil or butter
Fast logging, any way you like
Take one photo of the plate, say “chicken, rice and salad”, type it, scan a barcode or search the database, and PlateLens logs the whole meal with portions. The company puts a typical log at about three seconds. If a portion is off, you fix it in plain words, such as “half the rice”.
Android and iPhone get the same app, and there is an Apple Watch app and a web version for logging when your phone is out of reach.
Accuracy, by the report’s numbers
In the Dietary Assessment Initiative’s report, PlateLens averaged a 1.1% calorie error from a photo and 3.5% with the meal typed in. The other five ranged from 4.8% for MacroFactor to 11.2% for MyFitnessPal. Those are the group’s figures, so read them as a guide rather than a lab certificate.
Part of the gap comes down to method. A database entry is only as close as the portion and the cooking oil you enter, while PlateLens estimates from the finished plate. The company says its food data draws on USDA FoodData Central, the University of Minnesota’s NCCDB, Open Food Facts and Nutritionix.
An adaptive target on the free plan
PlateLens works out what you actually burn each week from the meals you log and your weigh-ins, including weigh-ins synced from Health Connect or Apple Health. Every 14 days it suggests new targets, and you apply them with one tap. MacroFactor charges for its version of this, and the other four apps here do not list one.
Beyond calories
The App Store listing covers 14 or more micronutrients, so iron, vitamin D, fiber and sodium are there, though the detailed nutrient views need Premium. Recent updates added a 3D body scan, alcohol tracking and blood glucose readings from your health app, and an AI coach answers questions about your day.
PlateLens publishes no accuracy figures for the body scan, so treat it as a progress photo with numbers attached rather than a measurement.
Price
The free plan has no end date and gives daily allowances on the photo and AI tools. Premium is $9.99 a month or $34.99 a year on the PlateLens pricing page, the cheapest paid plan here. App Store prices can differ by region and offer, so check the figure in the app before you pay.
For ingredient weighers
Cronometer
The deepest nutrient data, if you do the weighing.
Cronometer suits people who search or scan each food and weigh the portion themselves, with a verified database behind every entry.
Best forPeople who weigh every ingredient and track micronutrients
- CostFree Basic; Gold $10.99 a month or $59.99 a year
- Free plan7 days of nutrition data
- LoggingSearch and barcode; photo and voice with Gold
- Reported error6.8%
- Adaptive targetNo
- Runs onAndroid, iPhone, Apple Watch, web
The good
- Verified database with no crowdsourced entries
- Tracks more than 80 nutrients
- Gold adds a fasting timer, recipe importer and custom charts
The bad
- Slow by design: search, pick, weigh and enter each portion
- Free plan keeps only seven days of nutrition data
- No adaptive calorie target
Its count is only as close as the portion and the cooking oil you enter: in the 180-meal report, Cronometer averaged a 6.8% calorie error.
The free Basic plan keeps seven days of nutrition data and two basic charts. Photo and voice logging, the AI coach and the fasting timer are part of Gold, at $10.99 a month or $59.99 a year.
If micronutrients are the reason you track, the verified database is the draw, and it is the one place where the slow method pays you back. For a plain daily calorie count, the extra minutes per meal are the cost.
For lifters
MacroFactor
A coach-style algorithm behind a no-frills logger.
MacroFactor works out your expenditure from your intake and weight trend and adjusts your macro plan every week, which suits people moving between a cut and a bulk.
Best forLifters moving between a cut and a bulk
- Cost$11.99 a month or $71.99 a year after a 7-day trial
- Free planNone; 7-day trial
- LoggingPhoto, voice, barcode, search
- Reported error4.8%
- Adaptive targetYes, paid
- Runs onAndroid, iPhone, Apple Watch; no web app
The good
- Adaptive expenditure with weekly macro updates
- No ads, no social feed, no pop-ups
- Curated database cuts junk entries
The bad
- No free plan, only a 7-day trial
- No web app for logging from a laptop
- Workouts is a separate app with its own subscription
MacroFactor includes photo, voice and barcode logging because the whole app is paid. There is no free version, only a 7-day trial, then $11.99 a month or $71.99 a year.
The app comes from the Stronger By Science team and leans on that research background. Early this year the company launched MacroFactor Workouts, a separate app for lifting programs. People who already subscribed to the nutrition app got it free for a year, so check what your account includes before paying twice.
For packaged and restaurant food
MyFitnessPal
The biggest food list, with most of the useful tools behind Premium.
MyFitnessPal lists more than 20 million foods, including many restaurant dishes, so almost anything with a label or a menu entry is in it.
Best forPackaged and chain-restaurant food
- CostPremium $19.99 a month or $79.99 a year
- Free planBasic diary with ads
- LoggingSearch; barcode, photo and voice with Premium
- Reported error11.2%
- Adaptive targetNo
- Runs onAndroid, iPhone, Apple Watch, web
The good
- More than 20 million foods, many from restaurant menus
- Syncs with more than 40 apps and devices
- Premium+ adds a meal planner and 1,500+ recipes
The bad
- Highest calorie error in the 180-meal report, at 11.2%
- User-added entries can carry wrong calories or duplicates
- Barcode scanning and macro goals need Premium
In MyFitnessPal, barcode scanning, Meal Scan photo logging and voice logging are part of Premium, at $19.99 a month or $79.99 a year.
Premium also removes ads and adds custom macro goals, an intermittent fasting tracker, downloadable progress reports and priority support. Premium+ costs $20 more a year and adds the meal planner and grocery tools, which only pay off if you plan your week in the app. In the US, the grocery sync reaches Instacart and Walmart on Android.
For a typed diary
Lose It!
A familiar daily budget, with the AI tools in Premium.
Lose It! keeps a familiar daily budget and diary, with a food list of more than 50 million items and community challenges.
Best forA classic typed diary with community challenges
- CostPremium $79.99 a year list, often $39.99 on sale
- Free planBasic diary
- LoggingSearch and barcode; photo and voice with Premium
- Reported error9.4%
- Adaptive targetNo
- Runs onAndroid, iPhone, Apple Watch, web
The good
- Clean diary that new trackers pick up in minutes
- Community challenges and friends for motivation
- Free plan covers everyday calorie tracking
The bad
- 9.4% average error in the 180-meal report
- Photo and voice logging are paid
- No adaptive calorie target
In Lose It!, Snap It photo logging and Say It voice logging are part of Premium, which lists at $79.99 a year and often sells for about half that.
The developer says more than 57 million people have used it, and its layout is among the least cluttered of the typed-diary apps. Check the price in the app before you subscribe, because annual and lifetime offers move with sales.
For photo logging with lessons
Foodvisor
The photo scanner that started the category, now in a crowded field.
Foodvisor is a French app that built its name on pointing a camera at a plate, with short lessons and recipes built in.
Best forPeople who want a photo scanner plus short daily nutrition lessons
- CostAbout $14.99 a month or $83.99 a year
- Free planLimited diary
- LoggingSearch and barcode; photo scan with Premium
- Reported error5.1%
- Adaptive targetNot listed
- Runs onAndroid, iPhone, Apple Watch
The good
- Third-lowest error in the 180-meal report, at 5.1%
- Short lessons and recipes built into the app
- Rated 4.6 on the App Store from about 18,000 ratings
The bad
- The priciest Premium plan here
- Light on micronutrients, no adaptive target listed
- Mixed dishes and hidden oils trip up the scanner
Foodvisor has passed 15 million downloads and its food list now tops a million items. The scanner is the reason to pay, and in the 180-meal report it averaged a 5.1% calorie error, behind PlateLens and MacroFactor and ahead of the rest.
Free users get a limited diary, so Premium is the plan that matters. It runs as a coaching program with lessons and meal ideas, and it tracks calories and macros better than other nutrients. There is an Apple Watch app too. If you mainly want photo logging at a lower price, PlateLens covers it on its free plan.
FAQs
Which calorie counting app is the most accurate?
In the Dietary Assessment Initiative’s 180-meal report, PlateLens came out ahead at 1.1% from a photo and 3.5% typed, followed by MacroFactor at 4.8%, Foodvisor at 5.1%, Cronometer at 6.8%, Lose It! at 9.4% and MyFitnessPal at 11.2%. The report is self-published and not peer reviewed, so treat the order as a rough guide. With any app, weighing portions and logging the cooking oil does more for accuracy than switching apps.
What is the best free calorie counting app?
PlateLens has the most generous free plan here. It has no end date, covers photo, voice and text logging within daily allowances, and includes the adaptive calorie target. Cronometer’s free plan keeps only seven days of nutrition data, MyFitnessPal and Lose It! keep photo and voice logging for Premium, and MacroFactor has no free plan.
Do photo calorie counters work for mixed dishes?
Less well. A camera sees the plate, not the oil in the pan or the sauce under the rice, so stews, curries and dressed salads are where every scanner misses most. Log the oil or dressing as its own item, or save a typed entry for meals you cook the same way each week.
Is Cronometer free?
Partly. The Basic plan is free and keeps seven days of nutrition data and two basic charts. Gold costs $10.99 a month or $59.99 a year and adds photo and voice logging, the AI coach, the fasting timer, a recipe importer, custom charts and an ad-free app.
Does MacroFactor have a free version?
No. MacroFactor offers a 7-day trial, then $11.99 a month or $71.99 a year. Everything is included at that price, but there is no free tier to fall back on.
What is the difference between MyFitnessPal Premium and Premium+?
Premium is $79.99 a year and covers barcode scanning, Meal Scan, voice logging, custom macro goals, the fasting tracker and no ads. Premium+ is $99.99 a year and adds a weekly meal planner, 1,500+ recipes, grocery lists and automatic meal plan logging. Pay for Premium+ only if you plan your meals in the app.
Is Lose It! Premium worth paying for?
If you like a typed diary and want Snap It photo logging, Say It voice logging and deeper insights, it can be. At the $79.99 list price it costs as much as MyFitnessPal Premium, so wait for a sale: it often drops to about $39.99 a year.
Is Foodvisor worth it?
It suits people who want a photo scanner plus short daily lessons. Its 5.1% error in the 180-meal report is respectable, but Premium costs about $83.99 a year, the most of any app here, and it tracks fewer nutrients than Cronometer or PlateLens.
How we chose the apps
We compared what each app asks of you every day: how fast a meal goes in, how close the count lands to the real meal, how the calorie target is set, what the free plan includes and what the upgrade costs in the US.
What we compared
- Logging speedHow many steps a typical meal takes, and which methods are free.
- Calorie accuracyThe reported error against weighed meals in the one head-to-head test we found.
- Calorie targetWhether it stays fixed or adapts to your weight trend.
- Free planWhat stays free, and for how long.
- US priceThe yearly list price of the main paid plan.
For accuracy we leaned on the only head-to-head test we found, the Dietary Assessment Initiative’s 180-meal report. The group says it weighed every ingredient, worked out the true calories and had six apps log the same plates. It sits on the group’s own website, has not appeared in a peer-reviewed journal and lists no author affiliations, so we quote its numbers as its claims. It measured calories only, so it says nothing about how well an app tracks other nutrients.
Prices are US list prices at the time of writing and change with sales and by country. Confirm the number in the app before you subscribe.
Sources
- Dietary Assessment Initiative, six-app validation study of 180 weighed meals, self-published on the group’s website.
- Plans and prices: vendor pricing pages and US App Store listings for each app, checked before publication.
