MyFitnessPal review: the tracker we kept open at dinner
Official site: myfitnesspal.com
What we liked
- A food database so large that almost anything you eat is already listed
- Barcode scanning that turns a packaged meal into a one-tap entry
- Logging drops to seconds once your regular meals are saved
- A free plan that handles calorie tracking on its own
What we didn't
- The best features, including macro targets, sit behind the paid plan
- The free version shows ads and nudges you toward premium
- Database entries are user-submitted, so the odd one needs a sanity check
The verdict, up front
MyFitnessPal took the top spot because it removed the one thing that kills food tracking: friction. Over three weeks we logged breakfast, lunch and dinner in a handful of taps each, and a habit that quick is a habit that lasts. It is not the prettiest app here and it is not the cheapest, yet it was the one we never dreaded opening, and for a tracker that counts for almost everything.
Where it earns its place
The database is the whole story. Whatever you are eating, from a supermarket ready meal to a chain-restaurant burrito, it is almost certainly in there with a barcode attached. That coverage means logging stops feeling like data entry and starts feeling automatic. Recent meals and a quick-add option do the rest, so by week two we were reaching for it without thinking.
The catch
Plenty of what makes the app genuinely useful is reserved for premium, now around twenty dollars a month. Custom macro goals, some reports and an ad-free view all live behind the paywall. The free tier still tracks calories well, but if you want to steer protein or carbs you will hit the upgrade prompt fast, and the free experience comes wrapped in ads.
Who it's for
Anyone whose main barrier to tracking is the effort of logging should start here. It rewards people who eat a lot of packaged or branded food, where the database shines brightest. If you mostly cook from scratch and care more about micronutrients than speed, Cronometer below will serve you better for less.
Score, point by point
| Criterion | Score |
|---|---|
| Speed of logging | 10/10 |
| Database coverage | 10/10 |
| Barcode scanning | 9/10 |
| Habit stickiness | 9/10 |
| Free tier usefulness | 8/10 |
| Macro tracking | 8/10 |
| Micronutrient detail | 6/10 |
| Interface | 7/10 |
| Privacy controls | 7/10 |
| Value for money | 7/10 |
| Stability | 9/10 |
Alternatives
Cronometer
Cheaper, with far deeper micronutrient data. The better fit if you cook from scratch and read labels.
Check Cronometer
Lifesum
Gentler and more guided, with meal plans that suit people who find a blank diary off-putting.
Check Lifesum