Is Cal AI free?
Cal AI is free to download, but its food scan results need a paid subscription. The Cal AI website offers a 3-day free trial, and the US App Store lists its "Unlimited" in-app purchases from $2.99 to $29.99 (checked October 18, 2026; prices vary by country and can change). To avoid a charge, cancel the trial in iPhone Settings at least 24 hours before it ends. This page compares Cal AI with MyFitnessPal, which owns Cal AI (TechCrunch reported the acquisition in March 2026), and with Calco. Calco is our app and competes with Cal AI. We did not test these apps hands-on: every fact below comes from the linked App Store listings, company pages, and Apple Support.
Disclosure: Calco is our app. We include it as one option. We checked each fact in the table against the linked source on the date shown, and we do not take payment from the other apps.
Cal AI vs MyFitnessPal vs Calco: features and prices
| Feature | Cal AI | MyFitnessPal | CalcoOur app |
|---|---|---|---|
| Price to download (US App Store) | FreeSource, checked October 18, 2026 | FreeSource, checked October 18, 2026 | FreeSource, checked October 18, 2026 |
| Pricing model | Free download; food scan results require a subscriptionSource, checked October 18, 2026 | Free tier and a paid Premium planSource, checked October 18, 2026 | Free to download; photo logging requires the premium subscriptionSource, checked October 18, 2026 |
| US in-app purchase prices | "Unlimited" items $2.99, $5.99, $9.99, $19.99, $29.99; Streak Restore $0.99Source, checked October 18, 2026 | Premium items from $9.99 to $79.99 (Monthly and Yearly Premium listed)Source, checked October 18, 2026 | Premium subscription, needed for photo logging; see the App Store listingSource, checked October 18, 2026 |
| Free trial | 3-day free trial offered on the Cal AI websiteSource, checked October 18, 2026 | 7-day Premium trial if you never had Premium or a trialSource, checked October 18, 2026 | Offer terms show in the app before you subscribeSource, checked October 18, 2026 |
| Log a meal from a photo | Yes; results require a subscriptionSource, checked October 18, 2026 | Meal Scan is a Premium featureSource, checked October 18, 2026 | Yes, with the premium subscription; AI estimates calories and macros, and you can adjust portionsSource, checked October 18, 2026 |
| Platforms | iOS and AndroidSource, checked October 18, 2026 | iOS, Android, webSource, checked October 18, 2026 | iOS onlySource, checked October 18, 2026 |
| Cancel on iPhone | Settings > your name > Subscriptions > Cal AI > Cancel SubscriptionSource, checked October 18, 2026 | Settings > your name > Subscriptions > MyFitnessPal > Cancel SubscriptionSource, checked October 18, 2026 | Settings > your name > Subscriptions > Calco > Cancel SubscriptionSource, checked October 18, 2026 |
| Refund for App Store purchases | Request it from Apple at reportaproblem.apple.comSource, checked October 18, 2026 | Request it from Apple at reportaproblem.apple.comSource, checked October 18, 2026 | Request it from Apple at reportaproblem.apple.comSource, checked October 18, 2026 |
| Owner | Viral Development LLC (App Store seller); TechCrunch reported in March 2026 that MyFitnessPal acquired Cal AISource, checked October 18, 2026 | MyFitnessPal, Inc.Source, checked October 18, 2026 | Tensortech Apps B.V.Source, checked October 18, 2026 |
Prices and features change. Each cell links to its source and shows the date we last checked it.
Which app should you pick?
You want Cal AI's photo scanning and accept a subscription
Pick: Cal AI
Cal AI is built around photo scanning, and its App Store listing states that scan results require a subscription. Use the 3-day trial from the Cal AI website to decide, and set a reminder to cancel if it is not for you.
You want a free tier with food, weight and exercise tracking
Pick: MyFitnessPal
MyFitnessPal's free version includes nutrition, weight and exercise tracking, and it runs on iOS, Android and the web. Barcode Scan and Meal Scan are Premium features.
You use Android or want a web app
Pick: MyFitnessPal
Calco is iOS only. MyFitnessPal has a free tier on Android and the web. Cal AI is also on Android, but its scan results need a subscription.
You want a photo-first tracker on iPhone
Pick: Calco
Calco is free to download, and photo logging requires the premium subscription. You snap a photo of a meal, the AI estimates calories and macros, and you can adjust the portion. It is iOS only.
Cal AI prices on the US App Store
The Cal AI App Store page lists these in-app purchases for the US store (checked October 18, 2026):
- "Unlimited": $2.99, $5.99, $9.99, $19.99 (listed twice) and $29.99 (listed three times)
- "Unlimited Plan": $19.99
- "Streak Restore": $0.99
Apple's list does not show the billing period of each item, so the App Store does not tell you which price is weekly, monthly or yearly. The app shows the plan length and price on its paywall before you confirm a purchase. A third-party paywall archive, Adapty, captured a Cal AI paywall on March 5, 2024 with a weekly price of $2.99, monthly prices from $5.99 to $19.99 and annual prices from $19.99 to $49.99. That capture is old and the current offer can be different.
Prices vary by country and can change at any time. Check the price on the paywall and on your Apple receipt.
What is free in Cal AI and what costs money
The Cal AI listing describes three steps: answer lifestyle questions to build a plan, snap a photo of a meal, and get a nutritional breakdown. The listing states: "Food scanning analysis results require a subscription." (App Store)
- Free: downloading the app and setting up your plan.
- Paid: the food scan results, which are the main feature of the app.
- Extra: a "Streak Restore" in-app purchase is listed at $0.99.
So Cal AI does not have a usable free tier for photo logging. The free trial is the way to test it without paying.
How the Cal AI free trial works
The Cal AI website offers a 3-day free trial at sign-up (calai.app). The Cal AI terms state that purchases go through the Apple App Store or Google Play, and that subscriptions renew automatically unless you cancel at least 24 hours before the current period ends (Cal AI Terms, section 7).
Apple gives the same rule for trials: if you do not want a trial to renew, cancel it at least 24 hours before the trial ends (Apple Support). When you cancel during a trial, you do not pay when the trial period ends.
How to cancel Cal AI on iPhone
You cannot cancel from inside the Cal AI app (Cal AI FAQ). Use the steps from Apple Support:
- Open Settings and tap your name.
- Tap Subscriptions.
- Tap Cal AI.
- Tap Cancel Subscription. You might need to scroll down to find it.
If there is no Cancel button, or you see an expiration message in red text, the subscription is already canceled. Deleting the app does not cancel the subscription (Cal AI FAQ). If you bought the subscription on the Cal AI website, use the Cal AI Manage Subscription page with the email address you subscribed with.
How to ask for a refund
Apple handles refunds for App Store purchases, and the Cal AI FAQ sends iPhone users to Apple (Cal AI FAQ). The steps from Apple Support:
- Sign in to reportaproblem.apple.com.
- Tap "I'd like to", then choose "Request a refund".
- Choose the reason, then choose Next.
- Choose the subscription, then choose Submit.
Apple says to wait 24 to 48 hours for an update. Apple decides each request, so a refund is not guaranteed. For a Google Play purchase, request the refund from Google. For a purchase made directly on the Cal AI website, the Cal AI FAQ says to email Cal AI.
Free alternatives to Cal AI
These trackers have a free version. Check each app for which features its free version includes.
- MyFitnessPal: the free version includes nutrition, weight and exercise tracking. Barcode Scan, Meal Scan and Voice Log are Premium (MyFitnessPal Premium). iOS, Android and web.
- Cronometer: the free Basic account tracks calories and up to 95 nutrients and compounds and includes the full food database. Cronometer Gold is an optional paid upgrade (Cronometer). iOS, Android and web.
- Lose It!: a free Lose It! Basic plan with calorie and exercise tracking, and a paid Lose It! Premium plan (Lose It!).
For more options, read our guide to the best free calorie counting app and our Cal AI review.
Calco (our app) is not a free photo logger. Calco is free to download, but photo logging requires the premium subscription. It is iOS only.
Who owns Cal AI?
TechCrunch reported in March 2026 that MyFitnessPal acquired Cal AI, in a deal that closed the previous December (TechCrunch via Yahoo Finance). The report says MyFitnessPal had no plans at that time to merge Cal AI into its main app. On the US App Store, the Cal AI seller is still Viral Development LLC (checked October 18, 2026).
Try photo logging with Calco
Snap a photo of a meal and Calco estimates its calories and macros. You can adjust the portion before you save it. Free to download; photo logging requires the premium subscription.
Get Calco on the App StoreFrequently asked questions
Is Cal AI free?
Cal AI is free to download, but its App Store listing states that food scanning results require a subscription. The Cal AI website offers a 3-day free trial.
How much does Cal AI cost?
On the US App Store (checked October 18, 2026), Cal AI lists "Unlimited" in-app purchases at $2.99, $5.99, $9.99, $19.99 and $29.99. Apple does not label which price is weekly, monthly or yearly; the app shows the plan length on its paywall. Prices vary by country and can change.
Does Cal AI have a free trial?
Yes. The Cal AI website offers a 3-day free trial. Cancel at least 24 hours before the trial ends if you do not want to pay (Apple Support).
How do I cancel my Cal AI free trial on iPhone?
Open Settings, tap your name, tap Subscriptions, tap Cal AI, then tap Cancel Subscription (Apple Support). Deleting the app does not cancel the subscription.
Can I get a refund for Cal AI?
For an App Store purchase, request a refund from Apple at reportaproblem.apple.com (Apple Support). Apple decides each request.
Is there a free alternative to Cal AI?
MyFitnessPal, Cronometer and Lose It! each have a free version, but photo meal scanning is a Premium feature in MyFitnessPal. Calco is free to download, but photo logging requires the premium subscription, so it is not a free alternative for photo logging. Calco is iOS only.
Is Cal AI owned by MyFitnessPal?
Yes. TechCrunch reported in March 2026 that MyFitnessPal acquired Cal AI (TechCrunch via Yahoo Finance). Cal AI still runs as a separate app.
Is Calco free?
Calco is free to download, and photo logging requires the premium subscription. Calco is our app and competes with Cal AI.