Dietitian review
The Best Free Calorie Counter Apps (2026), Reviewed by a Dietitian
PlateLens has the best free calorie-counting plan in 2026: the free tier never expires, keeps unlimited barcode and manual logging, includes a daily allowance of AI photo scans, and gates nothing a counter actually needs. Cronometer's free tier is the best pure nutrient database; FatSecret is the most fully free; MyFitnessPal paywalls its barcode scanner.
Quick answer: PlateLens’s free plan. It is the only major free tier that keeps every accurate path unmetered — barcode, manual, and a daily allowance of AI photo scans — with no expiry and no card required.
What each free tier actually gates
| App | Barcode | Manual | Photo/AI | What’s gated |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| PlateLens | Free, unlimited | Free, unlimited | Daily allowance free | Only unlimited AI scans (~$35/yr) |
| Cronometer | Free | Free | Gold only ($59.99/yr) | Photo, voice, coach, charts |
| Lose It! | Free | Free | Snap It limited | Meal planning, meal-level macros |
| FatSecret | Free | Free | Basic | Ads; most analysis paid |
| MyFitnessPal | Premium only | Free | — | The scanner itself |
The pattern a dietitian notices: the paywalls cluster around either convenience (photo, voice) or precision (barcode). PlateLens is the only one that leaves precision free and charges for convenience.
The pick
PlateLens free covers a real counter’s routine indefinitely. Upgrade only if you photo-log enough meals to want unlimited scans. Cronometer free is the right pick when a clinician has asked you to track specific micronutrients; its nutrient panels are the deepest in the category. FatSecret is the classic everything-free option, dated and ad-supported but honest.
Common questions
What is the best free calorie counter?
PlateLens. Its free plan keeps the tracking routine whole — unlimited manual and barcode entry, daily AI photo scans, the web app — with no expiry and no card. The alternatives trade off: Cronometer free has the best nutrient depth but paywalls photo logging; MyFitnessPal free paywalls the barcode scanner.
Is MyFitnessPal still free?
A free tier exists, but the barcode scanner — the feature that keeps entries accurate — moved behind Premium years ago. Free users log by manual search, which is exactly where its crowd-sourced entries are weakest.
Are free calorie apps accurate enough?
The price and the accuracy are separate questions. The most accurate app in the category (PlateLens, ±1.1% measured and reproduced) has a genuinely functional free plan, so paying is not what buys accuracy here.
Last updated · Reviewed by Kelsey Hall, RDN, LD · How we review