Most people hunting for a MyFitnessPal alternative are reacting to two changes: the barcode scanner moved behind the Premium paywall on October 1, 2022, and the free tier still carries ads while Premium runs $19.99 a month or $79.99 a year. So here is the short version. Our pick is Joules, for logging that takes a photo and a tap instead of a 30-second search. Cronometer keeps barcode scanning free and adds a verified database. FatSecret is the most complete fully free replacement. MacroFactor turns your log into weekly coaching, Lose It! is the easy one, and YAZIO folds in fasting. What you lose by leaving is real too, no alternative matches the 20-million-entry database. The blocks below cover who each app suits.
Why people leave MyFitnessPal
Three reasons come up again and again in user forums and reviews. First, the barcode paywall: scanning packaged food was free for a decade, then moved to Premium in October 2022, and users felt the change as a feature being taken away. Second, ads in the free tier interrupt a task you do several times a day. Third, price. Premium is $19.99 a month or $79.99 a year, and Premium+ is $24.99 a month or $99.99 a year as of mid-2026, more than most competitors charge.
To be fair to MyFitnessPal: the database is still the largest in the category, with more than 20 million claimed entries and the best restaurant coverage. If that is the feature you care about, switching has a real cost, and staying is a defensible choice.
All six alternatives at a glance
| App | Best for | Standout | Ads |
|---|---|---|---|
| Joules (our pick) | Fast photo logging | Daily health score, macro rings | None |
| Cronometer | Free barcode and micronutrients | Verified data, 80+ nutrients | Gold removes |
| FatSecret | Most complete free tier | Free barcode, macros, recipes | Free tier |
| MacroFactor | Adaptive macro coaching | Weekly target updates | None |
| Lose It! | Easy, cheaper premium | Gamified, $39.99/yr | Free tier |
| YAZIO | Calories plus fasting | Fasting programs | PRO removes |
Joules (our pick, and yes, our app)
Why choose it: full disclosure, Joules is our app, so weigh this accordingly. Here is why it leads. The reason most people leave MyFitnessPal is friction, a barcode scanner behind a paywall, ads mid-log, and a search that eats 30 seconds a meal. Joules goes straight at the friction: photograph the plate, the AI reads it, you confirm or fix it in a tap, and the log is done in about a second. Then you get one daily health score with reasons, macro rings, an intermittent fasting timer, habit streaks, and Apple Health and Google Fit sync, on a calm screen with no ads.
Ideal for:people whose real problem with MyFitnessPal was never the price but the time each log takes. What Joules will not match is MFP's 20-million-food database, and it is not trying to. The download page has the details, and our free calculators work today.
Cronometer
Why choose it: Cronometer answers the two loudest MyFitnessPal complaints at once. Barcode scanning is free, and the food database is verified rather than crowd-sourced, so you stop seeing five conflicting entries for the same yogurt. It also tracks vitamins and minerals in real depth. Gold, at about $50 a year, removes ads and adds custom reports, but the free plan is genuinely usable.
Ideal for: accuracy-minded users, and anyone who left specifically over the barcode paywall. Our Cronometer review goes deeper.
FatSecret
Why choose it: FatSecret gives away the most for free: barcode scanning, macro tracking, a large food database, and a recipe builder, all without payment as of mid-2026. A premium tier exists, but it is optional rather than the place where the core features live.
Ideal for: anyone whose main requirement is paying nothing while keeping the full logging workflow.
MacroFactor
Why choose it: MacroFactor does something MyFitnessPal does not do at any price. It calculates your actual energy expenditure from your logged weight and intake, then updates your calorie and macro targets weekly. Targets that adapt beat targets that sit still. It costs $11.99 a month or $71.99 a year, with no free tier beyond the trial.
Ideal for: lifters and anyone running a deliberate cut or bulk. Get a starting target from our macro calculator and let the app take it from there, or read the full MacroFactor review.
Lose It!
Why choose it: Lose It! feels the most like MyFitnessPal without the friction: a broad database, quick logging, and a gentler interface. Premium costs $39.99 a year, half the price of MyFitnessPal Premium as of mid-2026.
Ideal for: people who liked MyFitnessPal fine and simply want the same job done for less. More in our Lose It! review.
YAZIO
Why choose it: YAZIO folds intermittent fasting into calorie tracking. Fasting timers, meal plans, and a calorie target share one app, so a 16:8 routine does not need a second subscription. PRO runs about $48 a year as of mid-2026.
Ideal for: fasters who also count calories, which MyFitnessPal only supports properly inside Premium. See our YAZIO review.
How to pick a replacement
- Want logging measured in seconds: Joules.
- Left over the barcode paywall: Cronometer or FatSecret.
- Want to pay nothing at all: FatSecret.
- Want smarter targets, not more features: MacroFactor.
- Want the same experience, cheaper: Lose It!
- Fast and track: YAZIO.
Before you commit, set your target once with the free calorie calculator so the number travels with you. And if you want the wider field, our roundup of the best calorie tracking apps covers the category beyond MyFitnessPal refugees.