Buyer's guide · Updated April 2026
The best free calorie counter apps in 2026
"Free" in calorie tracking ranges from "genuinely useful free tier" to "three taps before a paywall". Here's the honest breakdown of which free tiers are actually worth using.
#1 · Best free tier with no ads
CalorieScan AI
Free, $9.99/mo Premium · iOS only
Strengths
- 5 photo logs per day on the free tier
- Full nutrition database access
- No ads at any tier
- All macro tracking included
Weaknesses
- Premium ($9.99/mo) needed for unlimited photos and Apple Health sync
#2 · Best free tier for micronutrient depth
Cronometer
Free + $9.99/mo Gold · iOS + Android + web
Strengths
- Genuinely useful free tier
- Best-in-class data quality
Weaknesses
- No photo recognition on free tier
#3 · Best free tier if you're OK with ads
MyFitnessPal
Free + $19.99/mo Premium · iOS + Android + web
Strengths
- Largest barcode database
- Cross-platform
Weaknesses
- Ads on free tier
- Most useful features moved behind Premium in 2024
#4 · Best free tier with a recipe importer
Lose It!
Free + $39.99/yr Premium · iOS + Android
Strengths
- Solid free tier
- Recipe importer
Weaknesses
- Ads on free tier
Frequently asked
Is there a truly free calorie counter app with no ads?
CalorieScan AI's free tier has no ads. The trade-off is a daily limit on photo logs (5/day). Cronometer's free tier also has no ads but no photo recognition.
What's the catch with free calorie trackers?
Free tiers typically restrict one of: photo recognition, Apple Health sync, advanced analytics, or remove ads only on the paid tier. Read what's behind the paywall before installing.