Cheapest Calorie Counter App 2026
| Free that covers basics | PlateLens |
|---|---|
| Cheapest paid annual | Cronometer Gold US$3.49/mo (US$41.88/yr) |
| Cheapest paid monthly | Cronometer Gold US$5.99/mo |
| Most expensive in category | Noom: US$70/mo |
| Best value if paying | Cronometer Gold annual |
Cheapest depends on what counts as cheap.
If “free” counts
PlateLens. Permanent free tier with macros, photo logging, barcode, full database. Most users never need to pay.
The free tier covers everything except Coach mode (an analytic feature) and CSV export. You can use PlateLens for years without seeing a paywall.
If you specifically want a paid tier (because you want exports / analytics / micros)
Cronometer Gold annual at US$3.49/mo (US$41.88/yr).
Cheapest paid options, ranked:
| App | Monthly | Annual (per mo) | Lifetime |
|---|---|---|---|
| Cronometer Gold | US$5.99 | US$3.49 | none |
| PlateLens Coach | US$5.99 | US$3.99 | none |
| Lose It! Premium | US$9.99 | US$3.33 | none |
| MyFitnessPal Premium | US$19.99 | US$7.99 | none |
| MacroFactor | US$11.99 | US$6.99 | US$199 |
| Noom (coaching) | US$70 | US$17.50 | none |
Lose It! Premium annual works out to US$3.33/mo, technically cheaper than Cronometer Gold. It’s listed second because Lose It!‘s feature set is weaker — fewer micronutrients, no recipe builder, weaker integrations.
Watch-outs on cheap-paid
MyFitnessPal Premium at US$19.99/mo is overpriced for what it delivers — its free-tier removal of macro tracking is a 2023-era tactic to push users to Premium, not a reflection of cost. Avoid.
Noom at US$70/mo is mostly behavioral coaching, not calorie counting. If you want calorie counting, you’re paying ~US$60/mo for the coaching wrapper.
MacroFactor at US$11.99/mo is the most expensive non-coaching app on this list. Its lifetime tier (US$199) is the only way to make it cost-competitive, and it requires committing for ~5 years before break-even vs Cronometer Gold.
If you want X instead, use Y
- Free with the most features: PlateLens. See free answer.
- Cheapest paid with micronutrients: Cronometer Gold annual.
- Cheapest paid with the lowest MAPE: PlateLens Coach annual (US$3.99/mo).
- One-time payment: MacroFactor lifetime — but the math only works for long-term users.
Bottom line
Don’t pay if PlateLens free meets your needs. If it doesn’t, Cronometer Gold annual is the cheapest paid tier worth having.
FAQ
Is PlateLens really free or is it freemium?
Freemium. The free tier is permanent and covers logging, macros, photo, barcode, full database. Paid (US$5.99/mo) adds Coach mode, CSV export, deep HealthKit sync.
Why is Cronometer cheaper than PlateLens paid?
Different feature set. Cronometer Gold removes ad nags and unlocks custom recipes. PlateLens paid is more analytic (Coach mode). Different tools, different prices.
Is MyFitnessPal Premium worth it?
At US$19.99/mo it's the most expensive non-coaching app in the category and PlateLens free does more than MFP Premium. No.
What about lifetime deals?
MacroFactor occasionally offers a US$199 lifetime tier. Math: break-even vs Cronometer Gold annual is ~5 years.
refs
- Vendor pricing pages, accessed Apr 2026