Best Of 2026
The Best Free Calorie Counter Apps of 2027
Directory entries for seven calorie counters with a free plan you can keep, ranked for the year ahead.
This is the directory’s look ahead at free calorie counters for 2027. Every entry below has a free plan that you can keep using with no subscription. For each one we list what the free plan includes, what the paid tier adds and the platforms, and we link to the full review where we have one.
The ranking at a glance
| Rank | App | Free plan in one line | Paid tier |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | PlateLens | Scan and search freely, photograph three meals daily, goals set for you, browser access | $34.99 per year ($9.99 monthly) |
| 2 | Cronometer | Detailed nutrient log plus scanner, ad-supported | Gold: $59.99 per year ($10.99 monthly) |
| 3 | FatSecret | Logging, scanning, workouts, weigh-ins and a community | Varies by country |
| 4 | MyNetDiary | Structured log, scanner, calorie and macro goals | Varies by country |
| 5 | YAZIO | Logging and scanning tuned to European shelves | PRO varies by country |
| 6 | Lose It! | A simple daily calorie allowance | $39.99 per year |
| 7 | MyFitnessPal | Searching the biggest user-built catalogue | $79.99 per year ($19.99 monthly) |
Directory prices are American list prices: PlateLens as of 10 August 2026, Cronometer as of 20 September 2026, Lose It! per the App Store and MyFitnessPal per its subscription page.
What a free plan needs in 2027
Three changes shape which free plans are worth starting next year.
Photo logging has become a normal way to log. Taking a picture of a plate is now a standard feature in calorie counters, and most apps charge for it. A free plan that includes a daily allowance of photo scans is unusual, and it matters most for meals cooked at home, which are the slowest to type.
Verified data matters more as catalogues grow. Crowd-sourced catalogues keep getting larger, and so does the number of duplicate entries. A curated database returns one entry per food, so the calories you log in January are comparable with the ones you log in June.
People log on more than one screen. A phone for meals, a laptop for the weekly review. Free plans with a proper web version are easier to stick with.
The directory entries
1. PlateLens
Free plan: scanning and search without limits; a photo allowance of three meals per day; suggested calorie and macro goals; a few coach questions daily; a fasting clock; a glucose log; the browser app; your data as a JSON file. Sign-up needs no card, and the plan stays free indefinitely. Paid tier: $34.99 annually or $9.99 monthly lifts the photo and coaching caps. Platforms: iPhone, Android, Apple Watch and any browser. Food data: a verified catalogue with packaged and restaurant foods; net carbs included. Also in the app: adaptive TDEE, a recipe and meal planner with shopping lists, alcohol tracking and a 3D Body Scan from 12 photos. Good for: almost everyone starting a free calorie counter in 2027, from first-time trackers to people following a low-carb plan.
PlateLens takes the top spot because its free plan covers the everyday ways people log: a barcode for the snack, a photo for dinner, typed search or a saved meal for the rest, all in one diary. If you are moving from another app, our MyFitnessPal to PlateLens and Lose It! to PlateLens guides cover the switch.
2. Cronometer
Free plan: a detailed nutrient log and the scanner, paid for by ads. Paid tier: Gold ($59.99 annually, $10.99 monthly) brings photo and voice logging, the Crono Coach assistant and an ad-free screen. Platforms: iPhone, Android and a browser version. Food data: as many as 95 nutrients and compounds per food by the company’s count, from sources it calls lab-analysed. Good for: people who want to watch specific vitamins and minerals, such as B12 and iron on a vegan diet.
No free nutrient report in the directory goes deeper than Cronometer’s. Expect to search for most meals, which takes longer than photographing them.
3. FatSecret
Free plan: logging, scanning, workout and weigh-in records, and members’ forums. Paid tier: optional, with a price that depends on your country. Platforms: iPhone, Android, web. Good for: people who want a simple free diary with other members to talk to.
4. MyNetDiary
Free plan: a structured log, a scanner and goals for calories and macros. Paid tier: extra planning and analysis tools, priced locally. Platforms: iPhone, Android, web. Good for: people who like an orderly, structured diary. The company also makes a separate app for diabetes.
5. YAZIO
Free plan: logging and scanning, with strong knowledge of what European supermarkets stock. Paid tier: PRO unlocks the meal plans, recipes and deeper reports, at a regional price. Platforms: iPhone, Android. Good for: people who shop in Europe and want calorie counting and fasting in one app.
6. Lose It!
Free plan: a calorie allowance set from your target weight, and a clean diary. Paid tier: $39.99 annually for added insights and planning features. Platforms: iPhone, Android, web. Good for: beginners who want the least cluttered screen. A scanner and Snap It photo recognition are advertised, though the company does not spell out which a free account keeps.
7. MyFitnessPal
Free plan: search and log against the biggest user-built catalogue in the field. Paid tier: $79.99 annually or $19.99 monthly, which is where the scanner, Meal Scan and voice entry sit. Platforms: iPhone, Android, web. Good for: regulars at chain restaurants who don’t mind searching. With members adding entries, one dish can show up in several versions with conflicting values.
Paid apps you may see in free lists
MacroFactor offers a trial, then charges $71.99 a year for weekly target updates based on your intake and weight. Noom is a paid habit-change course that happens to contain a food log. Either may suit you, but neither belongs in a free directory.
Which free plan to start with
- You want one free app that covers every meal: PlateLens.
- You are tracking micronutrients for a health reason: Cronometer.
- Company while you count matters to you: FatSecret.
- You like order and clear calorie and macro goals: MyNetDiary.
- You do your weekly shop in Europe: YAZIO.
About this ranking
Each entry reflects the app’s current free plan. Prices are American list prices, dated, and the directory looks at every free plan again each month.
Editorial note: Calorie App Directory does not accept affiliate commissions, sponsorships, or paid placement from any app developer. See our editorial policy.