How we make this list: we compare pricing pages, product documentation and public user reviews. Ratings come from G2, Capterra or Trustpilot, with the date we checked them.
Key takeaways
- MyFitnessPal still has the largest food database, but barcode scanning now sits behind Premium.
- Cronometer and MyNetDiary offer the strongest free plans for people who want detailed nutrient data without paying.
- Lose It! keeps the daily routine simple with a personal calorie budget, photo logging, and voice logging.
- YAZIO and Lifesum add fasting timers and meal plans for people who want structure beyond a diary.
- FatSecret remains a solid no-cost starting point, with a free barcode scanner and a large community food database.
Quick comparison
| Tool | Best for | Starting price | Free plan |
|---|
 MyFitnessPal | Largest food database | $79.99 per year | Yes |
 Cronometer | Detailed micronutrient data | $59.99 per year | Yes |
 Lose It! | Simple daily calorie budgets | See website | Yes |
 MyNetDiary | Verified foods and a generous free plan | $59.99 per year | Yes |
 YAZIO | Fasting plans and meal plans | $47.90 per year | Yes |
 FatSecret | Free tracking with community support | See website | Yes |
 Lifesum | Guided meal plans and habit tracking | See website | Yes |
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The best nutrition tracking apps
Starting price$79.99 per year
Free planYes
MyFitnessPal is the default choice for many people because its food database covers restaurant dishes, packaged foods, and home recipes that smaller apps miss. Search usually returns a match in seconds, and saved meals and recipes cut repeat entry down to a few taps. The diary, weight log, and exercise log sit in one place, so a full day of tracking stays in a single view.
The catch is the free plan. Barcode scanning, Meal Scan, voice logging, and custom macro goals now require Premium, which changes the value of the free tier. Premium costs $79.99 per year, and a higher Premium+ tier adds a meal planner. MyFitnessPal fits best when database coverage matters more than a free barcode scanner, or when a coach, partner, or existing routine already lives in the app.
What we like- Very large food database
- Meal Scan photo logging on Premium
- Voice Log on Premium
- Wide device and app integrations
Watch out for- Barcode scanning requires Premium
- Free plan includes ads
- Some database entries are user submitted and can be inaccurate
Starting price$59.99 per year
Free planYes
Cronometer takes a different approach from most food diaries. It treats vitamins, minerals, and other compounds as first class data, not an afterthought, and it documents the sources behind its food records. The free Basic plan covers food, exercise, and biometric logging, up to 84 nutrients, barcode scanning, and device sync. That combination makes it one of the strongest free plans in this category.
Gold costs $59.99 per year and adds photo logging, voice logging, a fasting timer, custom charts, longer report history, and nutrient gap search. The interface shows more numbers than a simple calorie counter, which suits people who read labels closely and want to spot gaps in their diet. People who only want a calorie total may find the detail more than they need.
What we like- Barcode scanning included free
- Tracks up to 95 nutrients on Gold
- Lab verified data sources
- Free data export
Watch out for- Interface feels dense for casual trackers
- Photo and voice logging require Gold
- Restaurant coverage is smaller than MyFitnessPal
Starting priceSee website
Free planYes
Lose It! builds the whole day around one number: a personal calorie budget set from age, height, weight, and goal. Food entries subtract from that budget, exercise adds room back, and the remaining balance stays visible. That single number keeps decisions simple, which helps people who stop tracking when an app asks for too much detail.
Logging options include search, barcode scan, Snap It photo logging, and Say It voice logging, though some of these sit behind Premium. The app also tracks weight, water, and body measurements, and it connects with Apple Health and Google Fit. Lose It! fits people who want a fast daily routine and a clear budget, rather than deep micronutrient reports.
What we like- Clear personal calorie budget
- Snap It photo logging
- Say It voice logging
- Long track record since 2008
Watch out for- Some advanced features require Premium
- Barcode scanning terms for new accounts have changed over time
- Database is smaller than MyFitnessPal
Starting price$59.99 per year
Free planYes
MyNetDiary stands out for the quality of its free plan. The database is staff verified rather than user submitted, barcode scanning is free, macro tracking is free, and the free tier carries no ads. A free account also covers water tracking, a shopping list, and community access, with no account required to start.
Premium costs $59.99 per year and adds advanced reports, diet plans, and customizable macro targets. Premium Plus adds Meal Scan photo logging, AI voice logging, an AI restaurant menu scan, and an AI Coach. MyNetDiary fits people who want accurate entries and a free plan they can use for months without hitting a paywall on basic tools.
What we like- Staff verified food database
- Free barcode scanner
- Free plan has no ads
- Up to 108 nutrients per item
Watch out for- Meal Scan and AI Coach require Premium Plus
- Smaller database than MyFitnessPal
- Some advanced plans sit on higher tiers
Starting price$47.90 per year
Free planYes
YAZIO pairs calorie tracking with fasting and meal planning in one app. The fasting tracker covers common schedules such as 16:8, 14:10, and 5:2, and it shows progress through a fast. Meal plans and recipes give structure to people who track well but struggle to decide what to eat next.
The free plan covers basic logging, but the features most people want sit on Pro. Barcode scanning, AI photo logging, and full nutrition data require Pro, listed at $47.90 per year. YAZIO fits people who fast, want a plan to follow, and prefer a calm interface over a dense data dashboard.
What we like- Built in intermittent fasting tracker
- Meal plans and recipes
- Clean and simple interface
- AI photo logging on Pro
Watch out for- Barcode scanner requires Pro
- Free plan is limited
- No coaching on the base plan
Starting priceSee website
Free planYes
FatSecret has offered free calorie and macro tracking since 2006, and its core tools remain free. The app covers food logging, weight logging, barcode scanning, and community access without a subscription. Its global food database helps people outside the United States, and community groups and challenges add accountability for people who track better with others.
FatSecret Premium adds dietitian designed meal plans, advanced tracking tools, a water tracker, and a learning center. Premium pricing varies by region and appears inside the app, so the vendor site does not list one fixed price. FatSecret fits people who want a capable free tracker and do not need photo logging or an AI coach.
What we like- Core tracking is free
- Barcode scanner included free
- Large global food database
- Active community and challenges
Watch out for- Premium pricing varies by region and shows in the app
- Photo logging requires Premium
- Interface feels dated next to newer apps
Starting priceSee website
Free planYes
Lifesum frames nutrition as a set of daily habits rather than a single calorie number. The app offers meal plans for styles such as Mediterranean, keto, fasting, and high protein eating, plus one tap trackers for water, fruit, and vegetables. Logging supports photos, voice, text, barcode scans, and quick entries, which keeps the diary usable on busy days.
The free plan covers basic tracking, while Premium adds the full meal plans, detailed macro breakdowns, and deeper guidance. Pricing is presented in the app and can vary by plan and region, so check the current offer before subscribing. Lifesum fits people who want a plan and gentle habit prompts alongside their food diary.
What we like- Meal plans for many eating styles
- Photo, voice, text, and barcode logging
- Habit trackers for water, fruit, and vegetables
- Wearable sync
Watch out for- Best features require Premium
- Pricing is shown in the app and varies
- Life Score guidance can feel general
How we chose
We compared pricing pages, feature documentation, and public reviews on G2, Capterra, and Reddit, and we checked each vendor homepage to confirm the product still exists and matches its category. We favored apps with a usable free plan or trial, a food database that covers everyday meals, and logging methods beyond manual search. We also weighed the honest catch for each app, such as a paywalled barcode scanner or a smaller database, because that trade-off usually decides whether someone keeps tracking after the first month.
What to check before you pay
A nutrition app only helps if you keep using it, so match the app to the way you eat and log, not to the longest feature list.
Start with the free plan
Use the free plan for at least two weeks before paying. Log packaged foods, restaurant meals, and home cooked dishes, and note which logging method you reach for most. If the barcode scanner or photo logging sits behind a paywall, that limit will shape daily use more than any premium report.
Match the detail level to your goal
Calorie and macro totals suit most weight and fitness goals. Micronutrient tracking suits people working with a dietitian, managing a restricted diet, or checking for gaps in vitamins and minerals. A dense dashboard helps the second group and slows down the first, so pick the level of detail you will actually read.
Check the database for your foods
Search for ten foods you eat every week, including a local restaurant dish and a packaged snack. An app that misses half of them will cost time every day, no matter how good its charts look. Verified databases tend to have fewer errors, while larger user submitted databases tend to have wider coverage.
Confirm the price and the renewal
Prices in this guide reflect published annual plans where the vendor lists one, and app store prices can differ by region and promotion. Read the plan length, the renewal date, and the cancellation steps before subscribing, and set a reminder to review the subscription after the first month.
Frequently asked questions
Is there a completely free nutrition tracking app?
Yes. FatSecret, Cronometer Basic, and MyNetDiary all offer free plans that cover food logging and macro tracking. The limits differ, since Cronometer and MyNetDiary include a free barcode scanner while MyFitnessPal reserves that tool for Premium. A free plan works well for basic tracking, and a paid plan mainly adds photo logging, reports, and plans.
Which nutrition app has the best free barcode scanner?
Cronometer and MyNetDiary both include barcode scanning on their free plans, and FatSecret does as well. MyFitnessPal and YAZIO reserve barcode scanning for paid plans. If scanning packaged foods is your main logging method, start with one of the free scanner options before paying for another app.
Do I need micronutrient tracking?
Most people do not need it every day. Calories, protein, fiber, and overall food quality cover most goals, and a simple diary can track those well. Micronutrient tracking helps when a dietitian asks for it, when a diet restricts whole food groups, or when you want to check for repeated gaps over several weeks.
Can these apps replace advice from a dietitian?
No. These apps record food and show nutrient totals, but they do not diagnose, treat, or adjust a medical plan. A dietitian can read your history, account for health conditions and medicines, and set targets that fit your situation. Use the app as a record to share, not as a substitute for professional advice.
How accurate are calorie counts in these apps?
Accuracy depends on the food record, the serving size, and the preparation method you choose. Verified databases reduce entry errors, but a restaurant dish or a home cooked meal still involves estimation. Photo logging adds another layer of estimation. Treat totals as a useful guide and watch trends over weeks rather than single days.
What happens to my data if I cancel?
Most apps keep your account and history after cancellation, with premium features removed at the end of the paid period. Export options vary, since Cronometer offers free export while other apps reserve full export for paid plans. Check the export and deletion settings before you cancel if keeping your history matters.
Sources we checked (7)
- https://www.myfitnesspal.com
- https://cronometer.com
- https://www.loseit.com
- https://www.mynetdiary.com
- https://yazio.com
- https://www.fatsecret.com
- https://lifesum.com
Is your product missing or out of date?
We review this list regularly. Vendors can request a listing, send updated pricing or ask about featured placement.
Shihab Mia · Founder, Rankite
Shihab has 5+ years in B2B and SaaS SEO. He writes Rankite's software buying guides from pricing pages, documentation and public user reviews. More about Shihab.