calvinMyFitnessPal moved barcode scanning behind Premium ($79.99/year) on October 1, 2022, and its free tier now logs through ads with no custom macro targets. Cronometer and Calvin still scan free; Lose It is reported free but unconfirmed by the vendor; MacroFactor has no free tier at all, at $71.99 a year.
Prices and tiers verified 16 September 2026
Disclosure: I make Calvin, one of the four alternatives compared here. That's a reason to check my claims rather than take them on trust, so every figure below is dated and linked to the vendor's own page where one exists. Where a competitor's position is genuinely unclear, this page says so instead of guessing.
Why are people looking for a MyFitnessPal alternative?
MyFitnessPal moved barcode scanning behind a Premium subscription on October 1, 2022, and free accounts now log through ads on every screen. Premium starts at $79.99 a year for scanning, custom macro targets and an ad-free log — three things every other tracker in this comparison still gives away free.
MyFitnessPal's own Premium comparison page lists "Ad-free logging," "Barcode and meal scan" and "Custom macros and goals" together under what Premium adds — meaning a free account gets manual logging with basic goals, ads, and no scanner. That's a real shift from the app's earlier, more permissive free tier, and it's the single most common reason people search for something else.
Which apps are the best MyFitnessPal alternatives?
Four trackers cover most of what people want when they leave MyFitnessPal: Cronometer for micronutrient depth, Calvin for fast barcode logging on iPhone with no account, Lose It for a familiar layout, and MacroFactor for algorithmic coaching at $71.99 a year. Only MacroFactor requires payment before you can scan a single barcode.
| App | Best for | Barcode scanning, free? | Paid tier, from |
|---|---|---|---|
| Cronometer | Micronutrient depth (84 tracked free) | Yes — free Basic tier | $59.99/year |
| Calvin | Fast logging on iPhone, no account | Yes — no scan limit | $49.99/year, optional |
| Lose It! | A layout close to MyFitnessPal's | Reported free — unconfirmed | $39.99/year |
| MacroFactor | Algorithmic coaching | No free tier to scan from | $71.99/year, required |
Cronometer's pricing and feature list come from its own Gold comparison page. MacroFactor's and Lose It's figures are the consistent numbers reported across third-party reviews in 2026 rather than a vendor confirmation for both, so treat those two as approximate. Every price is US dollars and excludes App Store regional variation.
Which MyFitnessPal alternative is best on iPhone?
Calvin is built only for iPhone and Apple Watch, and logs a barcode scan in about five seconds with no account required. Its calorie target adjusts itself after roughly three weeks of weigh-ins instead of using a fixed formula, which none of MyFitnessPal, Cronometer or Lose It do.
The tradeoff is platform: Calvin has no Android or web version, so it only makes sense as a MyFitnessPal replacement if you're already on iPhone. Cronometer and Lose It both cover Android and web as well, which matters if your household or your own devices are mixed.
How do you switch from MyFitnessPal without losing your log?
No tracker compared here, including Calvin, imports MyFitnessPal's food log directly, so switching always starts your diary over on day one. Export your MyFitnessPal history from Settings first — it arrives as three CSV files covering nutrition, weight and exercise — before you cancel Premium or delete the app.
On the MyFitnessPal app, that's More → Nutrition → Export, choosing a date range before tapping Export My Information; the web version has the same option under Settings → Privacy & Security → Export Data. MyFitnessPal's own export documentation says the file typically arrives within 24 hours by email. Keep that export for your own records — none of the four alternatives above read a MyFitnessPal CSV back in, so the new app's log starts empty regardless.
Common questions
Can I import my MyFitnessPal log into another calorie tracker?
No. None of the apps compared here, including Calvin, import another app's food log directly. Export your MyFitnessPal data from Settings before cancelling — it arrives as three CSV files covering nutrition, weight and exercise — then start logging fresh in whichever app you choose.
Why does MyFitnessPal charge for barcode scanning now?
MyFitnessPal moved barcode scanning behind its Premium subscription on October 1, 2022. Scanning is the feature people use most, which makes it the most effective one to meter, and the underlying nutrition data — USDA FoodData Central and Open Food Facts — is largely public, so the paywall prices convenience rather than the numbers themselves.
Which MyFitnessPal alternative works with Apple Watch?
Calvin is built for iPhone and Apple Watch and shows calories and macros directly on the watch face. It's the only app in this comparison made specifically for those two platforms rather than iOS broadly.
Do MyFitnessPal alternatives require an account?
Most do. MyFitnessPal, Cronometer, Lose It and MacroFactor all require signing up. Calvin is the exception — logging works with no account, and the food log stays on the phone rather than a server.
Sources
- MyFitnessPal Premium — Premium/Premium+ pricing and feature comparison. Checked 16 September 2026.
- MyFitnessPal Data Export FAQs — what an export contains and how to request one. Checked 16 September 2026.
- Cronometer Gold — Basic versus Gold feature table and pricing. Checked 16 September 2026.
- USDA FoodData Central — the branded-food dataset behind most barcode lookups.
- Open Food Facts — open packaged-food database, Open Database License.
Calvin keeps scanning free
Barcode scanning, food search and full macros, with no account and no scan limit. Your log stays on your phone.
Leer en español Calvin is made by Kevin Estrada. This page compares Calvin with apps I do not make; prices change, and the date above is when each was last checked.