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Two apps compared, not ranked

MacroFactor vs MyFitnessPal

One is paid-only and built around adjusting your macro plan to your weight trend; the other has a free tier and sells scanning, voice and custom macro goals as Premium. The table sets out what each one's own pages say.

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Head to head

MacroFactor and MyFitnessPal compared on 9 points, in alphabetical order
MacroFactorMyFitnessPal
Free planNo. No free version: "there isn't (and will never be) a free version"[1]Yes. A free tier with nutrition, weight and exercise tracking[2]
Free trialYes. A 7-day free trial[1]Yes. A 7-day free Premium trial for accounts that have not had one[2]
Targets that adjust to your weight trendYes. Weight trend and an energy expenditure estimate; the macro plan auto-adjusts every week[1]Not listed. Not listed on the pages checked[2]
Your own nutrition targetsYes. Custom macro targets that can differ day to day[1]Yes. Macro tracking with custom goals, a Premium feature[2]
Logs a meal from a photoYes. AI calorie tracking: snap a photo or describe your meal[1]Yes. Meal Scan, a Premium feature[2]
Voice loggingYes. Speech-to-text food logging[1]Yes. Voice Log, a Premium feature[2]
Barcode scannerYes. Scans barcodes and nutrition labels; coverage varies by country[1]Yes. Barcode scan, a Premium feature[2]
AdsYes. None: "we will never serve ads"[1]Not listed. Ad-free logging is listed under Premium; the free tier's ads are not stated[2]
Where it runsYes. iPhone and Android apps; no desktop version at present[1]Not listed. Not listed on the pages checked[2]

Last verified . Numbers in brackets point to the sources below. The apps are in alphabetical order.

One app at a time: MacroFactor alternative, MyFitnessPal alternative. CalorTracker features mentioned here: Macro tracker, Weight progress tracker.

Where each one is stronger

Where MacroFactor is stronger

  • Targets that follow your weight: it estimates energy expenditure from your logged intake and weight change and auto-adjusts the macro plan every week.[1]
  • Says it will never serve ads, and tracks vitamins and minerals with custom targets.[1]
  • Photo, speech-to-text and barcode logging are all described on one page, with no plan split to work out.[1]

Where MyFitnessPal is stronger

  • A free tier exists: nutrition, weight and exercise tracking, where MacroFactor says there will never be a free version.[2]
  • Lists the Premium features explicitly (barcode and Meal Scan, Voice Log, custom macro goals, fasting, ad-free logging), so you can see what a subscription adds.[2]
  • A 7-day free Premium trial for accounts that have not tried it.[2]

Who each one suits

  • MacroFactor suits someone who is happy to pay from day one and wants targets that adapt to their weight week by week.
  • MyFitnessPal suits someone who wants to start with a free diary and decide later which paid features, if any, are worth it.

These are suggestions drawn from the table, not a verdict. The right app depends on which row matters to you.

And if you want something else, CalorTracker

CalorTracker is a third option, from the team that wrote this page. What it does for the points above, from our own code:

  • If you want to start free and log by photo with a daily allowance: 1 photo scan and 2 text logs a day.
  • If you want targets that are yours to set: Custom calorie and macro targets.
  • If you want the plan to stay put until you change it, with no weekly adjusting: Targets come from your profile and goal; no weekly adjustment.

Where CalorTracker falls short

  • No barcode scanner; reads the label from a photo.
  • Web app and Android app; the iOS app is not public yet.
  • Voice logging is Premium.
  • The free plan has daily limits: 1 AI photo scan and 2 AI text logs a day.
  • AI results are estimates to check before you save them.

Sources and last verified

Every fact about the two apps on this page comes from that app’s own site, checked on . “Not listed” means we found nothing on the pages cited; it does not mean the app lacks the feature. Prices are left out because they change and differ by country, so check each app before you decide.

We re-verify this page every quarter. Next review due by . We also re-read every source before a page goes live if its facts are more than 90 days old.

  1. MacroFactor app page: https://macrofactor.com/macrofactor/ (checked )
  2. MyFitnessPal Premium page: https://www.myfitnesspal.com/premium (checked )

Frequently asked questions

Does MacroFactor have a free version?
No. Its app page says there isn't, and will never be, a free version; it offers a 7-day free trial.
Which of the two adjusts targets from your weight?
MacroFactor says it does, weekly, from your intake and weight trend. MyFitnessPal's Premium page, the page we checked, does not describe that.
Which has ads?
MacroFactor says it never serves ads. MyFitnessPal lists ad-free logging as a Premium feature and does not say what the free tier shows.
Does CalorTracker adjust targets from weight?
No. Targets come from your profile and goal, and you can set your own.

Try it on your own meals

Start free, log your first meal from a photo, and see whether it suits the way you track.

Start free on the web

Every app name is a trademark of its respective owner; this page is an independent comparison.