Cal AI alternatives, compared on price and free tier
If you like the idea of photo calorie logging but not a paywall before your first result, here is what each app offered when we checked. Prices are the US App Store's in-app purchase lists, which can include offers not everyone sees.
Checked on 15 October 2026, US App Store and the apps’ own sites
Cal AI
Published by Viral Development LLC; reported in the press as acquired by MyFitnessPal in March 2026.
| What we checked | Homekcal | Cal AI |
|---|---|---|
| Annual prices in the US App Store's in-app purchase list | $12.99 a year (US). Annual only, no monthly plan | $14.99, $29.99 and $59.99, plus lifetime optionsSeen on: US App Store listing |
| Photo results without paying | 3 photo logs a day free, plus unlimited barcode, typed and spoken logging | No. The store description says food scanning results require a subscriptionSeen on: US App Store description |
| Free trial | No store trial. The free tier is the trial | 3 days, offered on its websiteSeen on: calai.app |
| Estimates shown as a range or with a confidence level | Yes. Every photo estimate is a range with the likely value marked, until you confirm it | Not found on our check dateSeen on: US App Store description |
| A control for how much oil or ghee went in | Yes. None, a little, normal or a lot, after every cooked dish | Not found on our check dateSeen on: US App Store description |
| US App Store rating | New app, no ratings yet | 4.80 from 370,408 ratings |
Where Cal AI is ahead
- A depth sensor portion estimate on supported iPhones, nutrition label scanning, a family plan and Apple Health and Google Fit sync.
- Weekly app updates and one of the largest user bases in the category.
MyFitnessPal
| What we checked | Homekcal | MyFitnessPal |
|---|---|---|
| Premium prices in the US App Store's in-app purchase list | $12.99 a year (US). Annual only, no monthly plan | $49.99 and $79.99 a year; $9.99 and $19.99 a monthSeen on: US App Store listing |
| Free tier | 3 photo logs a day free, plus unlimited barcode, typed and spoken logging | Manual logging is free. Barcode scan, meal scan and voice logging are listed as PremiumSeen on: US App Store description |
| Estimates shown as a range or with a confidence level | Yes. Every photo estimate is a range with the likely value marked, until you confirm it | Not found on our check dateSeen on: US App Store description |
| A control for how much oil or ghee went in | Yes. None, a little, normal or a lot, after every cooked dish | Not found on our check dateSeen on: US App Store description |
| US App Store rating | New app, no ratings yet | 4.71 from 2,378,163 ratings |
Where MyFitnessPal is ahead
- A very large food database built over many years, meal planning and an AI coach.
SnapCalorie
Published by Perception Labs.
| What we checked | Homekcal | SnapCalorie |
|---|---|---|
| Prices in the US App Store's in-app purchase list | $12.99 a year (US). Annual only, no monthly plan | Ten price points from $9.99 to $149.00, including $15.99Seen on: US App Store listing |
| Free tier | 3 photo logs a day free, plus unlimited barcode, typed and spoken logging | Its website says core features are free with no card needed. A third party reports 3 free AI photos a day; we did not confirm that numberSeen on: snapcalorie.com |
| Learns from corrections | Yes, and the app says when it is using your correction | Yes, per its store descriptionSeen on: US App Store description |
| Estimates shown as a range or with a confidence level | Yes. Every photo estimate is a range with the likely value marked, until you confirm it | Not found on our check dateSeen on: US App Store description |
| US App Store rating | New app, no ratings yet | 4.73 from 6,814 ratings |
Where SnapCalorie is ahead
- LiDAR portion measurement on Pro iPhones, voice notes that adjust for oils, more than 100 nutrients, and a label scanner.
- Its listing cites peer-reviewed research behind its estimates. Homekcal makes no such claim yet.
Lose It!
| What we checked | Homekcal | Lose It! |
|---|---|---|
| Premium prices in the US App Store's in-app purchase list | $12.99 a year (US). Annual only, no monthly plan | Ten points from $9.99 to $79.99, plus lifetime at $49.99 and $59.99Seen on: US App Store listing |
| Free tier | 3 photo logs a day free, plus unlimited barcode, typed and spoken logging | Calorie tracking is free. Photo logging, AI voice and barcode scanning are listed as paidSeen on: US App Store description |
| Estimates shown as a range or with a confidence level | Yes. Every photo estimate is a range with the likely value marked, until you confirm it | Not found on our check dateSeen on: US App Store description |
| US App Store rating | New app, no ratings yet | 4.77 from 781,112 ratings |
Where Lose It! is ahead
- A long track record, many device connections and a community feature.
Cronometer
| What we checked | Homekcal | Cronometer |
|---|---|---|
| Gold prices in the US App Store's in-app purchase list | $12.99 a year (US). Annual only, no monthly plan | $59.99 a year or $10.99 a monthSeen on: US App Store listing |
| Free tier | 3 photo logs a day free, plus unlimited barcode, typed and spoken logging | Manual logging and barcode scanning are free; photo and voice logging are in GoldSeen on: US App Store description |
| US App Store rating | New app, no ratings yet | 4.77 from 99,426 ratings |
Where Cronometer is ahead
- Barcode scanning in its free tier, and photo logging for Gold members.
MacroFactor
| What we checked | Homekcal | MacroFactor |
|---|---|---|
| Prices in the US App Store's in-app purchase list | $12.99 a year (US). Annual only, no monthly plan | $59.99 and $71.99 a yearSeen on: US App Store listing |
| Free tier | 3 photo logs a day free, plus unlimited barcode, typed and spoken logging | None; a 7-day trialSeen on: US App Store description |
| AI photo logging | Yes, the main way to log | In open beta, described in its help centreSeen on: help.macrofactorapp.com |
| US App Store rating | New app, no ratings yet | 4.84 from 23,213 ratings |
Where MacroFactor is ahead
- Targets that adapt each week from your logged intake and weight, and a verified food database.
Where Homekcal is different
- Try it before you pay: photo logging is in the free tier, with a daily limit, and there is no sign-up before your first photo.
- Ranges, not one number, until you confirm, with the basis of each number one tap away.
- Built around home cooking: thali split, a ghee and oil tap, counters for roti and idli, katori portions.
- Photos deleted after analysis, and no ads or ad tracking in the app.
We have not yet measured how close Homekcal’s estimates come, and make no claim about it. What independent studies found about photo apps.