The best free Cronometer alternative depends on why you want to leave: if you want photo logging, voice logging and a fasting timer without paying for Gold, Calo AI includes all three free, paid for by ads. If you love Cronometer’s micronutrient detail, though, its own free Basic plan is still one of the most generous free trackers, and no app on this page beats it on vitamins and minerals.
Disclosure: this page is written by the Calo AI Team, and Calo AI is our app. We have no link to Cronometer, MyFitnessPal, Lose It! or MacroFactor. Their facts below come from their own websites and app store listings, checked on 23 October 2026. Prices change, so treat them as a snapshot.
What does Cronometer give you free, and what needs Gold?
Cronometer Basic is free with no time limit. Its free version page says Basic tracks calories and “up to 95 nutrients and compounds”, includes unlimited barcode scanning, custom meals and recipes, and syncing with other apps and devices. Its Gold page adds custom macro and micronutrient targets and a database of over 1 million lab-analysed or verified foods to the Basic list.
Gold adds the faster and more convenient tools. Cronometer’s App Store listing names “Photo & Voice Logging”, the “Fasting Tracker” and an “Ad-free experience” as Gold features, and the Gold page adds Crono Coach, its AI coaching. Basic insights are limited to a 7-day window.
| Plan | US price (cronometer.com) | Canada (App Store) | Australia (App Store) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Basic | Free, with ads | Free, with ads | Free, with ads |
| Gold monthly | $10.99 | CA$14.99 | A$17.99 to A$19.99 |
| Gold yearly | $59.99 | CA$79.99 | A$99.99 |
The Australian App Store shows more than one monthly Gold price, so the price you see in the app may differ.
Why do people look for a Cronometer alternative?
From what Cronometer itself puts behind Gold, the usual reasons are:
- Logging takes effort. On Basic you search the database or scan a barcode for each food. Photo and voice logging are Gold features, so a mixed home-cooked meal means adding each ingredient by hand.
- Ads on the free plan. Removing them means paying for Gold.
- More detail than you need. If you only want calories and protein, carbs and fat, tracking dozens of nutrients can feel like a lot of screen for a simple goal.
If none of those bother you, Cronometer Basic is a good free app and staying put is a sensible choice.
Which free Cronometer alternatives are worth a look?
| Cronometer Basic | Calo AI | MyFitnessPal (free) | Lose It! (free) | MacroFactor | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cost | Free, Gold optional | Free, Premium optional | Free, Premium optional | Free, Premium optional | No free tier, 7-day trial |
| Ads on free plan | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | No ads |
| Barcode scanner free | Yes | No barcode scanner | No, Premium | No, Premium | Paid app |
| Photo logging free | No, Gold | Yes | No, Premium | No, Premium | Paid app, AI recipe import |
| Voice logging free | No, Gold | Yes | No, Premium | No, Premium | Not listed |
| Fasting timer free | No, Gold | Yes, 12:12 to 20:4 | No, Premium | No, Premium | Not listed |
| Detailed micronutrients | Yes, its main strength | No | Food Insights is Premium | Premium | Not listed |
Facts for each app come from its own pages listed in the sources, checked on 23 October 2026.
Calo AI: best if you want photo and voice logging free
Calo AI is built around fast logging: take a photo of your meal, say what you ate, or type it. Every feature is free, including the AI nutrition coach, the fasting timer (12:12 to 20:4 plans), personalised meal plans using dishes from your own country’s cuisine, weight and macro analytics and step tracking.
The trade-offs are real. The free version shows ads, including one before each meal scan, and there is a short timer between AI coach messages. Optional Premium removes ads and waiting but unlocks nothing extra. There is no barcode scanner and no native iPhone app (the web app works in Safari on iPhone and iPad). Photo results are estimates, and portion size is the hardest part, so describing the dish or correcting it by voice or text gives a closer number. Our guide on how accurate AI calorie trackers are explains why.
It does not track vitamins and minerals in Cronometer’s depth. If that is your reason for using Cronometer, Calo AI is not a replacement for it.
MyFitnessPal: best for a huge database and connected apps
MyFitnessPal’s free plan covers food and exercise logging, and its App Store listing says it covers more than 20.5 million foods, including restaurant dishes. Its barcode scanner, Meal Scan, voice logging, intermittent fasting and ad-free logging are Premium, which MyFitnessPal lists at $79.99 a year or $19.99 a month in the US. Switching from Cronometer Basic to MyFitnessPal free means losing a free barcode scanner. Our Cronometer vs MyFitnessPal page goes into detail.
Lose It!: best for a simple weight loss plan
Lose It!’s free features, according to its App Store listing, are calorie tracking, a weight loss plan and community support. Photo meal logging, AI voice, the barcode scanner, advanced macro and micronutrient tracking and intermittent fasting are Premium. It suits people who want a straightforward plan more than detailed numbers. See our Lose It! alternatives page for prices.
MacroFactor: best paid option for serious macro trackers
MacroFactor is not free. Its US App Store listing offers a 7-day trial and then $11.99 a month, $47.99 for six months or $71.99 a year, and it describes itself as a “premium, ad-free macro tracker app” with a barcode scanner and an algorithm that adapts to changes in your metabolism. If you are leaving Cronometer for a more coaching-style macro app and do not mind paying, it is a strong choice. Our MacroFactor alternative page covers it.
When should you stay with Cronometer?
Cronometer does several things better than every alternative here:
- Micronutrients. Tracking vitamins, minerals and compounds in this depth on a free plan is rare.
- A free barcode scanner. MyFitnessPal and Lose It! both charge for theirs.
- A verified database. Over 1 million lab-analysed or verified foods, according to Cronometer.
- Custom targets. Custom macro and micronutrient targets are free.
- Apple devices. Its App Store listing supports iPhone, iPad and Apple Watch.
If you weigh your food, follow a specific nutrient plan, or have been told by a dietitian to watch a particular vitamin or mineral, Cronometer is likely the better tool, free or paid.
Which alternative should you pick?
- You want to snap a photo or speak your meal and move on, for free: Calo AI.
- You want the biggest food database and restaurant dishes: MyFitnessPal.
- You want a simple weight loss plan: Lose It!.
- You want an adaptive macro coach and will pay: MacroFactor.
- You care most about vitamins and minerals: stay on Cronometer Basic.
Whichever you choose, the numbers that matter most are your calorie and protein targets. Work them out first with our TDEE calculator and macro calculator, and read how much protein you need per day.
How do you switch from Cronometer to Calo AI?
- Save your history. Screenshot or export your weight and intake trends from Cronometer before you stop using it.
- Cancel Gold if you have it, in the store you paid through, before your renewal date.
- Install Calo AI from Google Play, or open the web app on iPhone, iPad, Mac or PC.
- Enter your details and pick a relaxed, steady or aggressive deficit (250, 500 or 750 kcal a day). Calo AI uses the revised Harris-Benedict equation and never sets a target below 1,200 kcal for women or 1,500 kcal for men.
- Log your next meal by photo, voice or text, and correct anything that looks off.
A note on safety: if you are pregnant or breastfeeding, under 18, or have diabetes, PCOS, kidney disease or a history of eating disorders, speak to a doctor or registered dietitian before following a calorie target from any app. Real results vary from person to person.