quick answer
Want the same photo logging plus vitamins, minerals and supplements? EXO.
Want targets that adjust to your weight trend? MacroFactor. Want a free plan? Cronometer or Lose It!, without photo logging.
Why look for a Cal AI alternative?
- You want more than calories and macros. Cal AI's listing and site do not list vitamins, minerals or supplement tracking.
- Scans need a subscription. Cal AI's App Store listing says food scanning results require a subscription.
- You want plans. Cal AI's listing and site do not list meal plans or workout plans.
- It now belongs to MyFitnessPal. MyFitnessPal bought Cal AI in March 2026, and some people prefer an independent app.
Cal AI alternatives at a glance
| App | Stands out for | Photo logging | Free plan | US yearly price | Android |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| EXO | Vitamins, minerals, supplements, Apple Health sleep and heart, meal and workout plans | Included | No, free trial | $79.99 | No |
| MacroFactor | Weekly adaptive calorie targets | Beta | No, free trial | $71.99 | Yes |
| Cronometer | Up to 95 nutrients, web app | Gold | Yes | $59.99 Gold | Yes |
| MyFitnessPal | 20M+ foods, 40+ device connections | Premium | Yes | $79.99 Premium | Yes |
| Lose It! | Free basic plan, lifetime option | Premium | Yes | $39.99 Premium* | Yes |
| SnapCalorie | LiDAR portion sizing, voice notes | Included | Yes, core features | Varies* | Yes |
| Fitia | Meal plans with shopping lists, family plan | Premium | Yes | $59.99 Premium | Yes |
From each app's US App Store listing and own website and help pages, read October 26, 2026. *Several yearly prices are listed without labels.
The 7 best Cal AI alternatives
1EXO
Best Cal AI alternative for vitamins, minerals and supplements
EXO logs a meal from one photo like Cal AI, then goes further: 13 vitamins and 11 minerals, supplements counted with food, nutrition label scans, and sleep, steps, workouts and heart data from Apple Health. It also builds AI meal plans and strength plans.
- Keep in mind: iPhone only and no free plan.
- Price: $79.99 a year with a free trial.
2MacroFactor
Best for targets that adjust each week
MacroFactor watches your weight trend and adjusts your calories every week, so your target keeps up as you change. It added AI photo logging in an open beta, plus barcode and label scanning.
- Keep in mind: no free tier; photo logging is beta.
- Price: $71.99 a year.
3Cronometer
Best free plan for nutrient detail
Cronometer's free plan tracks up to 95 nutrients with unlimited barcode scans, on iPhone, Android and the web.
- Keep in mind: photo logging needs Gold.
- Price: free, or $59.99 a year for Gold.
4MyFitnessPal
Best food database
Cal AI's owner has the biggest food database, over 20 million items, and its own Meal Scan for photos.
- Keep in mind: Meal Scan and barcode scanning are Premium.
- Price: free, or $79.99 a year for Premium.
5Lose It!
Best free basic plan
Lose It! offers free calorie tracking and a weight loss plan, with photo meal logging, voice and barcode in Premium. A lifetime Premium option is listed in the App Store.
- Keep in mind: photo logging is Premium.
- Price: free, with Premium listed at $39.99 a year.
6SnapCalorie
Best for LiDAR portion sizing
SnapCalorie uses the LiDAR sensor on iPhone Pro models to size portions, and says its core features are free.
- Keep in mind: English only.
- Price: core features free; Premium prices vary by offer.
7Fitia
Best for meal plans and families
Fitia's Premium builds meal plans with shopping lists and adds photo and voice logging. It has a family plan and one of the highest ratings in the category.
- Keep in mind: the free plan logs up to 4 meals, and photo logging is Premium.
- Price: $59.99 a year, or $89.99 for the family plan.
A note on accuracy
Switching apps will not make photo logging perfect. A preliminary NIH study in 2026 found photo logging in MyFitnessPal, Lose It!, Cal AI and Appediet came in about 250 to 345 calories low on weighed meals. Whatever you choose, check portions and add the oil and sauces the camera cannot see.
Sources
- Apple App Store US listings and in-app purchase lists for Cal AI, EXO, MacroFactor, Cronometer, MyFitnessPal, Lose It!, SnapCalorie and Fitia, read October 26, 2026.
- Each app's own pages, read October 26, 2026: calai.app; MacroFactor AI food logging and version 5.0 open beta; Cronometer free plan and Gold; MyFitnessPal Premium; Lose It! Premium; snapcalorie.com; Fitia free vs Premium.
- Google Play listings for Cal AI, MacroFactor, Lose It!, SnapCalorie and Fitia.
- TechCrunch. MyFitnessPal has acquired Cal AI, March 2, 2026.
- American Society for Nutrition. Photo-based calorie-tracking apps may underestimate energy in meals, NUTRITION 2026 abstract from NIH NIDDK researchers, July 25, 2026. Preliminary, not peer reviewed.
EXO makes this list and ranks its own app first; every other entry is based on the sources above. We are not affiliated with any other app here and were not paid for placement. Tell us at [email protected] if something is out of date.
