Quick pick by need
- Ember
- Free photo and description logging, with built-in fasting
- MyFitnessPal
- Largest food database and integrations
- Yazio
- Recipes and many fasting trackers
- FatSecret
- Free classic food diary with barcodes
- Lifesum
- Guided diets (keto, Mediterranean…)
- Foodvisor
- Nutrition program, lessons and advice
- Cal AI
- Photos, nutrition labels and Apple Watch
Calorie app comparison table
Features publicly documented by each app and prices from the US App Store in October 2026.
Swipe the table horizontally to compare.
| App | Logging a meal | Photo analysis | Barcode | Intermittent fasting | Price |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ember | Photo, description or barcode | Free, up to 2 analyses per day | Yes | Timer and reminders included | Free, optional subscription |
| MyFitnessPal | Database search, recipes | Premium, English only | Premium | Premium | $79.99/year (Premium+ $99.99/year) |
| Yazio | Search, AI scan and barcode | Yes | Yes | Several dedicated trackers | Free plan, paid Pro |
| FatSecret | Search and barcode | Premium | Free | Premium meal plans | From $10.49/month or $38.99/year |
| Lifesum | Search and barcode | Premium (AI Tracking) | Free | Premium programs | From $29.99/quarter or $99.99/year |
| Foodvisor | Photo, voice, search and barcode | Premium | Free | Advanced Premium programs | Free plan, paid Premium |
| Cal AI | Photo, barcode, label and description | 3-day trial, then subscription | With subscription | Not documented | $2.99 to $29.99 depending on the offer |
The 7 apps in detail
For each app: who it suits best, what it does well and what to know before subscribing.
1. Ember
Ember estimates the calories, protein, carbs and fat of a meal from a photo, a plain-language description or a barcode. Results stay editable, and the app brings meals, water, steps, weight and intermittent fasting together in one simple, ad-free view.
- Best for
- Logging a meal in seconds with a photo or a sentence, without searching for every food.
- Good to know
- No recipe catalog, guided diets or Apple Watch app.
2. MyFitnessPal
The classic calorie counter, with a huge food database largely built by users and 40+ fitness integrations. On the free plan, logging relies mostly on manual search and shows ads.
- Best for
- Weighing food and finding it in a database of over 20 million items.
- Good to know
- Barcodes, fasting and photo logging are paid; some database entries are duplicated or inaccurate.
3. Yazio
Launched in 2014, Yazio combines a large food database, an AI scanner, barcodes, thousands of recipes, statistics and several fasting trackers. A significant part of the features requires Pro.
- Best for
- Combining calorie counting, recipes and different fasting methods in a highly customizable diary.
- Good to know
- The interface has many options, which can feel dense if you only want to log a meal.
4. FatSecret
FatSecret offers one of the most complete free plans: search, barcodes, calories, macros, exercise, weight, recipes and community. Premium adds photo logging, a logging assistant, dietitian-made meal plans and water tracking.
- Best for
- Keeping a classic food diary for free, with barcodes, recipes and a community.
- Good to know
- Photo logging, which really speeds up tracking, is reserved for Premium.
5. Lifesum
Lifesum combines a food diary, guided diets (keto, Mediterranean, high-protein, fasting), recipes and a weekly Life Score. Photo, voice and text logging are part of Premium.
- Best for
- Following a specific diet with meal plans, recipes and a weekly score.
- Good to know
- The free plan is limited: diets, the full recipe catalog and AI logging require Premium.
6. Foodvisor
Foodvisor combines a food diary with a nutrition program, lessons, advice, recipes and reports. Its free plan includes manual entry and barcode scanning.
- Best for
- Getting guidance beyond calories, with a program, lessons and recipes.
- Good to know
- Photo meal analysis and most of the coaching are reserved for Premium.
7. Cal AI
Cal AI is a photo-first calorie counter acquired by MyFitnessPal in late 2025 and now backed by its food database. It also reads barcodes and nutrition labels, and syncs with Apple Health and Google Fit.
- Best for
- A photo-first app with label scanning and Apple Watch, if you don’t mind a subscription.
- Good to know
- No lasting free plan: after a 3-day trial, the app runs on a subscription.
How to choose a calorie app
Logging speed
This is what decides whether you stick with it. Searching and weighing every food is precise but slow; a photo or a sentence takes seconds. Test the app on a real home-cooked meal, not just a packaged product.
What stays free
All these apps are free to download, but photo logging, barcodes or fasting are often paid. Check the feature you will use at every meal, and read the price shown when you subscribe: offers vary between users.
Accuracy
No app knows the exact portion weight, cooking oil or sauces. In July 2026, a preliminary NIH study found that several photo-based calorie apps underestimated meals by 250 to 345 kcal on average. Pick an app that makes portions easy to correct.
What surrounds the tracking
Recipes, guided diets, intermittent fasting, smartwatches: these only matter if you use them. A simpler app you open every day beats a complete app you abandon after a week.
Frequently asked questions
What is the best app for counting calories?
There is no universal winner. Ember suits you if you want to log meals with a photo or a sentence without paying. MyFitnessPal remains the reference for database size, FatSecret for a free classic diary, Lifesum for guided diets and Foodvisor for a full nutrition program.
What is the best free calorie counter app?
FatSecret has a complete free plan for a classic diary with barcodes. Ember includes up to two free AI analyses per day, by photo or description. MyFitnessPal, Lifesum and Foodvisor also have free plans but reserve photo logging for paid tiers.
Which app counts calories from a photo?
Ember, Cal AI, Foodvisor, Lifesum, FatSecret, Yazio and MyFitnessPal all offer photo meal analysis. Ember includes it on its free plan; most others require a subscription, and MyFitnessPal’s only works with the app set to English.
Are calorie counting apps accurate?
They provide estimates. Accuracy depends on weighing portions in database apps and on what the photo shows in AI apps. Correct portions, sauces and cooking fats when you know them, and seek advice from a healthcare professional for medical needs.
Do you really need to count calories to lose weight?
It is not mandatory, but tracking meals for a few weeks helps you spot the portions and foods that push you over your needs. A fast app makes this much easier to keep up.
Try Ember with your next meal
Snap it, describe it or scan it: the free version includes up to two AI analyses per day, with no credit card required.
Methodology and sources
This comparison is published by the Ember team, so we have a commercial interest in presenting our app. To limit this bias, each app’s features and prices were checked against its official help center and App Store listing in October 2026. Detailed sources are listed in each individual comparison.
MyFitnessPal, Yazio, FatSecret, Lifesum, Foodvisor and Cal AI are trademarks of their respective owners. Ember is not affiliated with any of these apps. Features and prices may change after the verification date.