MacroFactor is the tracker for people who want their targets to think for them. Its adaptive algorithm estimates your real energy expenditure from your weight trend and logged intake, then updates your calorie and macro goals every week, so a stall on the scale triggers a recalculation instead of a guess. It was built by Greg Nuckols and Eric Trexler of Stronger By Science with backing from Jeff Nippard, and that evidence-based pedigree shows: fast logging, no ads, a verified database, and none of the restrictive gamification common elsewhere. The cost is the honest catch. There is no free tier, only a 7-day trial, and it runs $71.99 a year or $11.99 a month as of mid-2026. Our verdict: the best target engine in the category for serious dieters, and more app than a casual tracker needs.
What MacroFactor is
MacroFactor is a macro and calorie tracker whose defining feature is coaching-style target management. Rather than handing you a fixed calorie number and leaving you to adjust it, it treats your log as data and recalculates what you should eat as your results come in. The result feels closer to having a nutrition coach than using a spreadsheet, which is exactly the audience it targets.
How the adaptive algorithm works
Each week the app compares your average weight change against your logged intake, estimates your true energy expenditure, and adjusts your targets accordingly. Lose too slowly and your calories come down; lose too fast and they go up. This is the piece a plain formula cannot do, because your metabolism and adherence both drift over time. If you want to see the static starting point it improves on, our free TDEE calculator and macro calculator show the formula-based version.
What MacroFactor costs as of mid-2026
| Plan | Effective per month | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Monthly | $11.99/mo | Full access; cancel anytime |
| 6-month | About $7.99/mo | Billed twice a year |
| Annual | $5.99/mo | $71.99 billed yearly |
A 7-day free trial unlocks every feature first, with no locked screens. There is no permanently free tier, and the company has stated there never will be, so this is a paid-only app by design.
What MacroFactor does best
- The adaptive algorithm: weekly target updates from your own data.
- Evidence-based team: built by the Stronger By Science group.
- No ads and a verified food database.
- Fast, low-friction logging that respects your time.
Where MacroFactor falls short
- No free tier. Only a 7-day trial, then it is paid, so casual users have cheaper or free options.
- Price. At $71.99 a year it costs more than Lose It! or Cronometer Gold.
- No exercise-calorie add-back. By design it does not credit workout calories, which confuses users who expect that behavior.
MacroFactor vs Joules
Full disclosure: Joules is our app, so treat this as a competitor comparison. Straight up: MacroFactor's adaptive algorithm is deeper than anything Joules does for target management, and if weekly coaching is what you want, that is its edge. Joules aims at a different problem, the daily log itself. Photograph the plate, confirm the AI read in a tap, and 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 ad-free screen. It is not trying to out-coach MacroFactor on macros; it is trying to make logging take about a second. The download page has the details.
Who MacroFactor fits
MacroFactor fits lifters, physique-focused users, and anyone running a deliberate cut or bulk who wants targets that respond to results. It fits badly if you are a casual tracker who wants a free app for a rough calorie count, where Cronometer or Lose It! make more sense. For the wider field, see the best calorie tracking apps roundup.