Free Cal AI alternatives: 4 apps ranked by verified data

Facts checked Nov 8, 2026AppBreakup editorialHow we rank

4 of the 6 Cal AI alternatives we track can be used for free (free, open source, or with a free plan). MyFitnessPal, Lifesum and Carb Manager rank highest, with facts last verified Nov 8, 2026.

Quick comparison

#	App	Pricing	Verified price	Open source	Platforms	Verified facts	Score
1	MyFitnessPal	Free plan + paid	—	No	iOS, Android, Web	5 of 5	68.8
2	Lifesum	Free plan + paid	—	No	iOS, Android	5 of 5	61.8
3	Carb Manager	Free plan + paid	$3.33 a month, billed annually (Premium)	No	Web, iOS, Android	5 of 5	57.5
4	FatSecret	Free plan + paid	—	No	Web, iOS, Android	4 of 4	57.2

1. MyFitnessPalTop pick
Best for: People who want the biggest food database and wide device sync for everyday calorie counting
Free plan + paidiOS, Android, Web
68.8
score / 100
Why switch from Cal AI
Huge food database and a free tier for people who want more precise logging.
Pros
Food database of over 20 million items, incl. restaurant dishes
Syncs with 40+ apps and devices
Photo and voice logging in Premium
Free tier covers basic food and weight tracking
Cons
Barcode scanning needs Premium
Free version shows ads
User-added entries can be duplicated or inaccurate
Visit MyFitnessPal Compare with Cal AI Details and reviews
How this score is calculated
Editorial fit ×0.3100
Reviews ×0.363
Clicks (90 days) ×0.150
Freshness ×0.15100
Votes ×0.150
0 counted reviews, 0 up and 0 down votes. Full formula
Is MyFitnessPal a good Cal AI alternative?
Verified facts
5 of 5 verified
Free plan
Yes
Checked Nov 8, 2026myfitnesspal.com(opens source in a new tab)
Food database
20.5M foods
Checked Nov 8, 2026myfitnesspal.com(opens source in a new tab)
Integrations
40+ apps and devices
Checked Nov 8, 2026myfitnesspal.com(opens source in a new tab)
Free trial
7 days for first-time Premium users
Checked Nov 8, 2026myfitnesspal.com(opens source in a new tab)
Premium logging tools
Barcode Scan, Meal Scan, Voice Log
Checked Nov 8, 2026myfitnesspal.com(opens source in a new tab)
2. Lifesum
Best for: People who want structured diet plans and recipes, not just a calorie number
Free plan + paidiOS, Android
61.8
score / 100
Why switch from Cal AI
Includes photo and voice logging, and adds diet programmes and meal plans.
Pros
Many ways to log food, including photo and voice
Diet programmes and meal plans for popular eating styles
Clean, friendly design with habit trackers for water and vegetables
Syncs with Apple Watch and Samsung Galaxy Watch
Cons
Most meal plans and recipes sit behind Premium
No full web app for logging on a computer
Less detailed micronutrient tracking than specialist apps
Visit Lifesum Details and reviews
How this score is calculated
Editorial fit ×0.377
Reviews ×0.363
Clicks (90 days) ×0.150
Freshness ×0.15100
Votes ×0.150
0 counted reviews, 0 up and 0 down votes. Full formula
Is Lifesum a good Cal AI alternative?
Verified facts
5 of 5 verified
Logging methods
Photo, voice, text, barcode
Checked Nov 8, 2026lifesum.com(opens source in a new tab)
Diet plans
High-protein, Mediterranean, fasting, keto
Checked Nov 8, 2026lifesum.com(opens source in a new tab)
Wearables
Apple Watch, Samsung Galaxy Watch
Checked Nov 8, 2026lifesum.com(opens source in a new tab)
Users
60 million+ (vendor figure)
Checked Nov 8, 2026lifesum.com(opens source in a new tab)
Company
Lifesum AB
Checked Nov 8, 2026lifesum.com(opens source in a new tab)
3. Carb Manager
Best for: Keto and low-carb dieters who want net-carb tracking and matching recipes
Free plan + paidWeb, iOS, Android
57.5
score / 100
Why switch from Cal AI
Better for keto dieters who need net-carb tracking rather than quick estimates.
Pros
Built around net carbs and keto macros
Huge low-carb recipe library, with more on Premium
Tracks ketones, glucose and fasting on Premium
Usable free Basic account, on web and mobile
Cons
Meal plans, voice logging and device sync need Premium
Narrow focus is less useful outside low-carb diets
No monthly billing option for Premium
Visit Carb Manager Details and reviews
How this score is calculated
Editorial fit ×0.363
Reviews ×0.363
Clicks (90 days) ×0.150
Freshness ×0.15100
Votes ×0.150
0 counted reviews, 0 up and 0 down votes. Full formula
Is Carb Manager a good Cal AI alternative?
Verified facts
5 of 5 verified
Free plan
Yes (Basic account)
Checked Nov 8, 2026carbmanager.com(opens source in a new tab)
Starting price
$3.33 a month, billed annually (Premium)
Checked Nov 8, 2026carbmanager.com(opens source in a new tab)
Device sync
Fitbit, Garmin (Premium)
Checked Nov 8, 2026carbmanager.com(opens source in a new tab)
Ketone tracking
Yes
Checked Nov 8, 2026carbmanager.com(opens source in a new tab)
Developer
Wombat Apps LLC
Checked Nov 8, 2026carbmanager.com(opens source in a new tab)
4. FatSecret
Best for: Budget-minded dieters who want a free, international food diary on phone and web
Free plan + paidWeb, iOS, Android
57.2
score / 100
Why switch from Cal AI
Free food diary with a verified international database and a web version.
Pros
Core calorie and macro diary is free
Large verified database covering many countries and languages
Works on the web as well as iPhone and Android
Community, recipes and meal ideas built in
Cons
Free tier shows ads
No adaptive targets based on your weight trend
Interface feels dated next to newer trackers
Visit FatSecret Details and reviews
How this score is calculated
Editorial fit ×0.369
Reviews ×0.363
Clicks (90 days) ×0.150
Freshness ×0.1585
Votes ×0.150
0 counted reviews, 0 up and 0 down votes. Full formula
Is FatSecret a good Cal AI alternative?
Verified facts
4 of 4 verified
Food database
1.9 million+ verified foods
Checked Nov 8, 2026fatsecret.com(opens source in a new tab)
Platforms
iOS, Android, web
Checked Nov 8, 2026fatsecret.com(opens source in a new tab)
Reach
56 countries, 24 languages
Checked Nov 8, 2026fatsecret.com(opens source in a new tab)
API
Nutrition API for developers
Checked Nov 8, 2026fatsecret.com(opens source in a new tab)

Quick comparison

1. MyFitnessPalTop pick

Pros

Cons

Verified facts

2. Lifesum

Pros

Cons

Verified facts

3. Carb Manager

Pros

Cons

Verified facts

4. FatSecret

Pros

Cons

Verified facts