FitDiaryMyFitnessPal alternative: how FitDiary compares
Looking for a MyFitnessPal alternative? FitDiary lets you type or say a whole meal in your own words and shows you the calories to check before anything is saved. Its barcode scanner and 3 chat messages a day are free. In MyFitnessPal, the barcode scanner is part of Premium.
By FitDiaryLast updated
FitDiary vs MyFitnessPal at a glance
What each app does, row by row. Each MyFitnessPal detail links to the MyFitnessPal page it comes from.
| Feature | FitDiary | MyFitnessPal |
|---|---|---|
| Logging a meal | Type or say the whole meal in your own words. Photo logging is part of PRO. | Search its food database and choose the food. Barcode scan, Meal Scan (photo) and Voice Log need Premium.Source: MyFitnessPal Premium page |
| Barcode scanner | Free | Premium onlySource: MyFitnessPal Premium page |
| Logging by voice | Free, as one of your 3 chat messages a day. Unlimited with PRO. | Voice Log, with PremiumSource: MyFitnessPal Premium page |
| Photo of your plate | With PRO | Meal Scan, with Premium (iOS and Android, English only)Source: MyFitnessPal Help: Premium features |
| Ads | No ads | The free version shows ads. Premium is ad-free.Source: MyFitnessPal on the App Store (US), MyFitnessPal Premium page |
| Price | Free plan. PRO is monthly or yearly, with the price shown in your currency in the App Store or Google Play. | Free version, plus Premium and Premium+ subscriptions. The US App Store lists the subscriptions from $9.99 to $79.99.Source: MyFitnessPal on the App Store (US) |
| Exporting your data | Not available | CSV export of nutrition, weight and exercise, with PremiumSource: MyFitnessPal Help: export your data |
| Phones and devices | iPhone and Android | iPhone, iPad, Apple Watch, Android and the webSource: MyFitnessPal on the App Store (US), MyFitnessPal Help: Premium features |
Checked on 24 October 2026; prices can change. Details of the other app come from its own pages and App Store or Google Play listings, linked in each row.
When MyFitnessPal is the better choice
MyFitnessPal does a lot well, and it may suit you better if:
- You prefer to pick the exact entry yourself from a very large database. MyFitnessPal lists over 20.5 million foods, including restaurant dishes.Source: MyFitnessPal on the App Store (US)
- You also log on a computer or an Apple Watch. MyFitnessPal works on iPhone, iPad, Apple Watch, Android and the web.Source: MyFitnessPal on the App Store (US), MyFitnessPal Help: Premium features
- You connect a lot of devices or apps. MyFitnessPal links to more than 40 fitness trackers, smartwatches and health apps.Source: MyFitnessPal on the App Store (US)
- You want meal plans and recipes in the same app. They come with Premium+.Source: MyFitnessPal on the App Store (US), MyFitnessPal Help: Premium features
- You want your history as a spreadsheet. Premium exports it as CSV files.Source: MyFitnessPal Help: export your data
- You have years of entries there and want to carry on with them. FitDiary can’t bring them over.
When FitDiary may suit you better
FitDiary may suit you better if you’d rather describe a meal than search for it:
- You’d rather not search for every ingredient. Type “chicken curry with rice and a naan” and the whole meal is ready to check at once.
- You cook at home and can’t find your dish in a database. Describe your portion the way you’d say it, like “half a plate of leftover lasagne”.
- You want to check before anything is saved. The calories show up first and nothing goes into your diary until you tap “Add to diary”. If something’s wrong, say what to change.
- You want answers about your own day. Ask “how much can I still eat today?” and you get an answer based on your target and what you’ve logged.
- You want a free barcode scanner. It’s on the free plan, along with 3 chat messages a day.
A free MyFitnessPal alternative: what’s free and what’s PRO
On the free plan you get 3 chat messages a day, to log a meal in one sentence or ask what to eat next. You also get the barcode scanner, food search and water and weight tracking, with no time limit. Your daily calorie target is worked out from your age, height, weight and activity, and updated as your weight changes.
PRO adds unlimited chat messages and a calorie estimate from a photo of your plate. Before you subscribe, the App Store or Google Play shows the PRO price in your currency. There are no ads on either plan. All the details are under pricing.
Why people look for a MyFitnessPal alternative
These are reasons people give in App Store reviews of MyFitnessPal and in coverage of its 2022 barcode scanner change:
The barcode scanner moved to Premium
MyFitnessPal told its users that from 1 October 2022 the barcode scanner would need Premium. Free users can still search for foods by name.
Source: Droid Life, 24 August 2022, MyFitnessPal Premium pageThe cost of Premium
Some reviewers were happy with the free version but say Premium costs more a month than they want to pay.
Source: MyFitnessPal reviews on the App Store (US)Ads in the free version
Reviewers mention ads that appear as soon as they open the app. The App Store listing says the app contains ads, and Premium removes them.
Source: MyFitnessPal reviews on the App Store (US), MyFitnessPal on the App Store (US)Finding the right entry
Because users add many of the foods, people say they have to choose between near-identical entries and fit their portion to the serving sizes listed.
Source: Droid Life, 24 August 2022, MyFitnessPal reviews on the App Store (US)
How to switch from MyFitnessPal
- If you have Premium, export your history first: MyFitnessPal emails it to you as CSV files (how to export). On the free version you can still print a report from the website.
- FitDiary can’t import a food diary from MyFitnessPal or any other app, so your diary starts on the day you join.
- Set your goal. FitDiary asks for your age, height, weight and activity and works out your daily calorie target. You can check the number first with the TDEE calculator.
- If your steps, workouts and weight are in Apple Health or Health Connect, connect whichever you use and FitDiary brings them in.
- Log your next meal the way you’d describe it to a friend, check the calories and tap “Add to diary”.
Log your next meal in one sentence
Type “two eggs on toast and a coffee with milk” and check the calories before they go in your diary. The barcode scanner and 3 chat messages a day are free.
See how the FitDiary calorie counter works.
Frequently asked questions
Is there a free MyFitnessPal alternative with a barcode scanner?
Yes. FitDiary’s free plan includes the barcode scanner, food search, water and weight tracking, and 3 chat messages a day for logging meals in your own words. PRO adds unlimited chat and calories from a photo.
Is the MyFitnessPal barcode scanner free?
No. MyFitnessPal’s Premium page lists the barcode scanner as a Premium feature. It moved there on 1 October 2022, and free users can still search for foods by name.
Can I import my MyFitnessPal data into FitDiary?
No. FitDiary can’t import a food diary from another app. If you have MyFitnessPal Premium, you can export your history as CSV files to keep a copy.
How accurate are FitDiary’s calories?
When you describe a meal, the calories are an estimate, as they are for any portion you don’t weigh. You see them before saving and can correct the entry by saying what changed, or type the weight in grams if you want to be precise.
Does FitDiary work in the UK?
Yes. FitDiary is on the UK App Store and works in English on iPhone and Android, with metric or imperial units. Energy is shown in kcal, the figure UK labels print next to kJ.
Is FitDiary open source?
No, FitDiary isn’t open source. The free plan has no time limit and doesn’t need a subscription.
Other comparisons
- Noom alternative
A food diary you can ask questions, next to a paid programme with lessons and coaching.
- Cal AI alternative
Logging by typing or voice, next to an app that starts from a photo of your meal.
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