Buzz
Over the years, I’ve found MyFitnessPal's prominence as a food tracker puzzling. Its intrusive ads and irrelevant articles disrupt the flow, and its food database is so filled with inaccurate entries that a badge system has been introduced to help users identify which ones are likely correct. In addition, the app plans to charge $20/month for the barcode scanner starting October 1st. If you're ready to find a better alternative, now’s a great time.
Luckily, there are numerous apps out there that not only match MyFitnessPal’s capabilities but also improve on them. Many alternatives offer barcode scanning features for free. Let’s take a look at one standout option, as well as a few other great choices.
Cronometer stands out as the top contender among MyFitnessPal alternatives.
Cronometer’s free version includes a barcode scanner and has consistently outperformed MyFitnessPal across all key metrics.
The app’s database is filled with a wide range of foods, including branded and restaurant items, all while avoiding the inaccurate, user-uploaded entries.
In the free version, you can view not only macros but also micronutrients such as vitamins.
Customization options allow you to adjust the display so that calories aren't the focal point, which is useful for those focusing on macros or just keeping track of calories without setting limits.
It allows you to add custom foods and recipes.
You can monitor your progress with trend charts, though more options are available in the paid version.
A weekly nutrient report, covering water, fiber, vitamins, and minerals, is available.
The premium version (“Gold”) is priced at $8.99/month, a much lower cost compared to MyFitnessPal’s $19.99/month.
Though the free version includes ads, I’ve never really noticed them. (I’m sure they’re somewhere in the app.) After testing Cronometer’s barcode scanner with a few items around the house, I can confidently say it outperforms MFP’s. Both apps correctly scanned Cheerios, store-brand coconut oil, Barebells protein bars, and Kraft macaroni and cheese. However, MyFitnessPal failed on items like Skippy peanut butter (it couldn’t find a match), Trader Joe’s rolled oats (misidentified as Dave’s Killer Classic English Muffins), and Hellman’s mayonnaise (it scanned as “light mayonnaise” at 35 calories per serving, when it was actually regular at 100 calories). Cronometer got everything right.
This is especially important because many MFP users rely on the barcode scanner to provide more accurate results than the unreliable food database. It’s time to make the switch—you’ll have an easier experience with Cronometer.
Notable Alternatives
LoseIt is heavily geared towards weight loss, to say the least. You’ll be prompted to complete a thorough motivational-interviewing style questionnaire before you can even set up an account. There’s no option to maintain or gain weight, just different rates for losing weight.
Once you're through the initial setup, the app is easy to navigate, and the barcode scanner works efficiently. It correctly identified the peanut butter, oats, and mayo without issue.
Upgrading to the premium version costs $39.99/year, with no monthly option available.
LifeSum offers another user-friendly tracker with solid functionality. It lets you set goals to maintain or even gain weight, although you’ll always see a prominent “calories left” figure for the day, as if calories were a scarce resource, even when you're aiming to gain weight.
The barcode scanner is free and accurately detected all the products I tested, but it did give incorrect calorie counts for a few items: 85 calories for the mayo instead of 100, and 191 calories for the macaroni and cheese instead of the correct 250. (I double-checked the serving sizes, just to be sure.)
To unlock additional features, the premium version is available for $14.99 every three months.
