Verdict
MyFitnessPal remains the largest food-tracking platform in the world by user base — useful for that reason alone, since the food database is the largest by far. Premium ($19.99/month or $79.99/year) adds genuinely useful features: AI photo-scan for meals, custom macros, deeper analytics, and (where it's sticking) recipe import. The free tier got significantly weaker after 2022's removal of barcode scanning behind the paywall and is now mostly a calorie diary with limited extras.
For users who care primarily about nutrient density (vitamins, minerals, micronutrient targets), Cronometer is the better tool. For users who care primarily about weight management with social features and the largest food database, MyFitnessPal Premium is still the leader. The free tier is hard to recommend in 2026.
Pricing
- Free tier: Calorie diary, basic food logging, weight tracking. No barcode scanning since 2022; no AI features; limited macro tracking.
- Premium: $19.99/month or $79.99/year (annual is roughly 67% discount). Adds barcode scanning, AI Meal Scan (photo-based), custom macros, food analysis (high in / low in nutrients), recipe import, and ad-free experience.
- Premium + (where offered): Adds Hexagon nutritional coaching and meal-plan recommendations; pricing varies; not consistently available globally.
Pricing changes; verify on myfitnesspal.com/premium before signing up.
Strengths
- Food database depth. 14 million+ foods, including a huge restaurant catalogue. For users in the US who eat out frequently, no competitor approaches this depth.
- Barcode scanning + AI Meal Scan. Premium's AI Meal Scan lets users photograph a meal and get an estimated breakdown — accuracy varies (better on simple foods, less reliable on mixed dishes) but the speed gain over manual entry is real.
- Macro tracking. Premium supports custom macros (protein/carb/fat targets), useful for keto, low-carb, high-protein, and athletic diets.
- Integration ecosystem. Connects to Fitbit, Apple Health, Garmin, Samsung Health, Oura, Withings, and many other trackers.
- Largest user community. Forums, food-sharing, and recipe import benefit from network effects.
Weaknesses
- Free tier is meaningfully worse than 2021. Barcode scanning paywalled in 2022; ad density grew; some previously-free features moved behind Premium. Free-tier users find the experience increasingly nagging.
- Food database accuracy. The database is large because users add entries — that means quality varies. The same item may have different calorie counts across multiple entries. The "Verified" green checkmark helps but doesn't cover everything.
- Micronutrient tracking is shallow. Vitamins, minerals, and detailed micronutrients are weakly tracked compared to Cronometer. If you care about iron, B12, vitamin D, or other micronutrient targets, Cronometer is the better choice.
- Owned by Francisco Partners (since 2020 acquisition from Under Armour). Some users have raised concerns about feature changes and paywalling decisions under PE ownership; the 2022 barcode paywall was a flashpoint.
- AI Meal Scan accuracy. Photo-based estimation is improving but varies by meal complexity. Mixed plates, sauces, and homemade dishes are estimated less reliably than packaged foods or restaurant menu items.
MyFitnessPal vs Cronometer
Different tools, different priorities:
- Pick MyFitnessPal Premium if your goal is weight management with quick logging, restaurant tracking, and a large social community.
- Pick Cronometer if your goal is nutrient density, micronutrient targets, USDA-database accuracy, or athletic / endurance nutrition. Cronometer's free tier is also more usable than MyFitnessPal's free tier.
- Pick Noom if you want behavioural-change coaching and CBT-style food categorization rather than calorie tracking.
Bottom line
MyFitnessPal Premium at $79.99/year is reasonable value for users who want a large food database, restaurant tracking, AI photo logging, and macro support — with the caveat that the free tier alone is not really competitive in 2026. For users primarily tracking macros for weight management, MFP Premium is the leading choice. For users tracking micronutrients, Cronometer is the better tool. For behavioural change rather than tracking, see Noom.