Homekcal and Cal AI, side by side
Both apps estimate calories from a photo of your meal. They differ on whether you can try it first, how estimates are shown and what each is built around.
Checked on 15 October 2026, US App Store and the apps’ own sites
Homekcal and 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.
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.