Lose It vs MyFitnessPal: Which Calorie Counter Fits You?
Short answer: Lose It! is the simpler app for calorie-budget weight loss. MyFitnessPal has more depth: custom macro goals per day, a net-carbs mode, more device connections, and Wear OS support. In both apps the fastest logging tools (barcode scan, photo logging, voice logging) are part of Premium. We checked every cell in the table below against the official App Store listing or the developer's own site on October 18, 2026. We also list Calco, our own photo-first iPhone app, as a third option.
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.
Lose It! vs MyFitnessPal vs Calco: features and prices
| Feature | Lose It! | MyFitnessPal | CalcoOur app |
|---|---|---|---|
| Price to start | Free to download; free basic tierSource, checked October 18, 2026 | Free to download; free basic tier; Premium free trial offeredSource, checked October 18, 2026 | Free to download; photo logging requires the premium subscriptionSource, checked October 18, 2026 |
| Premium prices (US App Store in-app purchases) | Listed from $9.99 to $79.99, including Premium Lifetime optionsSource, checked October 18, 2026 | Monthly Premium listed at $9.99 and $19.99; yearly at $49.99 and $79.99; Premium Plus tier existsSource, checked October 18, 2026 | Premium subscription, needed for photo logging (see the App Store listing)Source, checked October 18, 2026 |
| Food database (developer's own figure) | 56+ million foods and recipesSource, checked October 18, 2026 | 20.5M+ foods, including restaurant dishesSource, checked October 18, 2026 | No food search needed: AI estimates the meal from a photoSource, checked October 18, 2026 |
| Barcode scanning | Premium featureSource, checked October 18, 2026 | Premium featureSource, checked October 18, 2026 | Not listed on the App Store pageSource, checked October 18, 2026 |
| Log a meal from a photo | Yes, Photo Meal Logging (Premium feature)Source, checked October 18, 2026 | Yes, Meal Scan (Premium feature)Source, checked October 18, 2026 | Premium feature: snap a photo, AI estimates calories and macros, you adjust portionsSource, checked October 18, 2026 |
| Voice logging | Yes, AI Voice (Premium feature)Source, checked October 18, 2026 | Yes, Voice Log (Premium feature)Source, checked October 18, 2026 | Not listed on the App Store pageSource, checked October 18, 2026 |
| Macro tracking | Calorie tracking free; macro, vitamin and mineral tracking listed under PremiumSource, checked October 18, 2026 | Macro breakdown in the app; custom macro goals (grams or %, per day) in PremiumSource, checked October 18, 2026 | Estimates calories, protein, carbs and fat per mealSource, checked October 18, 2026 |
| Extra diet tools | Intermittent fasting, meal plans (Premium); GLP-1 medication loggingSource, checked October 18, 2026 | Intermittent fasting, Net Carbs Mode (Premium); AI Coach; GLP-1 trackingSource, checked October 18, 2026 | Set goals once; trends and intake historySource, checked October 18, 2026 |
| Apple Health and device sync | Apple Health and Google Fit; Fitbit, Garmin, Withings and other syncs listed under PremiumSource, checked October 18, 2026 | 40+ trackers, smartwatches and health apps, incl. Apple Watch, Fitbit, GarminSource, checked October 18, 2026 | Not listed on the App Store pageSource, checked October 18, 2026 |
| Ads | Not documented on the official pages we checkedSource, checked October 18, 2026 | Ad-free logging is a Premium feature, so the free tier shows adsSource, checked October 18, 2026 | Not listed on the App Store pageSource, checked October 18, 2026 |
| Platforms | iPhone, iPad, Apple Watch, Android, web log-inSource, checked October 18, 2026 | iPhone, iPad, Apple Watch, Android, Wear OS, webSource, checked October 18, 2026 | iOS only (no Android or web app)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?
Best if you want a simple calorie budget for weight loss
Pick: Lose It!
Lose It! builds a daily calorie budget and weight loss schedule from your profile, and calorie tracking is part of the free basic tier. The app focuses on the calorie budget, so a first-time tracker has fewer settings to learn.
Best if you want detailed macro goals or low-carb tracking
Pick: MyFitnessPal
MyFitnessPal Premium lets you set macro goals in grams or percentages for each day of the week, and it has a Net Carbs Mode for keto and low-carb diets.
Best if you use many fitness devices or a Wear OS watch
Pick: MyFitnessPal
MyFitnessPal lists 40+ connected trackers, smartwatches and health apps, plus Wear OS support. Lose It! connects Apple Health and Google Fit and lists more device syncs under Premium.
Best if you want the largest food database
Pick: Lose It!
By each developer's own figure, Lose It! lists 56+ million foods and recipes and MyFitnessPal lists 20.5M+ foods. A larger count does not prove that each entry is accurate, so check the label values on items you eat often.
Best if you want to log meals from a photo on iPhone
Pick: Calco
Calco is built around photo logging: snap a meal, the AI estimates calories and macros, and you adjust the portion before you save it. Photo logging requires the premium subscription. It is iOS only and does not list barcode scanning or device sync.
Free tier vs Premium: what you actually get for free
Both apps are free to download, and both keep their fastest logging tools behind Premium.
- Lose It! free: calorie tracking, a weight loss plan, and community groups. Its App Store listing puts photo logging, AI voice logging, the barcode scanner, macro and nutrient tracking, intermittent fasting, and most device syncs under Premium.
- MyFitnessPal free: nutrition, weight, and exercise tracking. Its Premium page lists barcode scan, Meal Scan, voice logging, custom macro goals, ad-free logging, and intermittent fasting as Premium features.
If you will only search and log foods by hand, either free tier works. If you want barcode scanning, plan to pay for either app. US prices change often and the App Store lists several price points, so check the in-app subscription screen before you buy.
Ease of logging
Both apps now offer four ways to log: search, barcode, photo, and voice. In both apps, only search is in the free tier. Search-based logging means you pick a database entry and set the portion for every food.
Photo logging changes the steps: you take one picture, check the estimate, and correct the portion. This is the approach Calco is built on. It is faster for mixed meals and home cooking. For packaged foods, a barcode scan or the nutrition label is usually more precise than a photo estimate.
Food database and accuracy
Neither developer publishes an accuracy figure for its database. The FDA explains how to read the Nutrition Facts label, and that label is the best check for any packaged food. With either app, compare the entry you pick with the label once, then save it as a favorite so you log the same values each time.
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. Calco is free to download on iPhone, and photo logging requires the premium subscription.
Get Calco on the App StoreFrequently asked questions
Is Lose It free?
Yes. Lose It! is free to download and has a free basic tier with calorie tracking, a weight loss plan, and community support. Photo logging, voice logging, the barcode scanner, and macro and nutrient tracking are listed as Premium features on its App Store page.
Is the MyFitnessPal barcode scanner free?
No. MyFitnessPal lists Barcode Scan and Meal Scan as Premium features on its official Premium page.
Which is more accurate, Lose It or MyFitnessPal?
Neither app publishes an accuracy figure, so no honest answer names a winner. Accuracy depends on the entry you pick and on how well you measure portions. For packaged foods, check the entry against the Nutrition Facts label. For home-cooked meals, weigh portions when you can.
Can you switch from MyFitnessPal to Lose It (or back)?
Yes, but plan to set up your goals again. The official pages we checked do not document a direct import of your food diary from one app to the other. If both apps sync with Apple Health on your iPhone, data that they write to Apple Health stays there when you change apps.
Do Lose It and MyFitnessPal work on Android?
Yes. Both apps are on Google Play and the App Store. MyFitnessPal also supports Wear OS watches. Calco is available on iOS only.
Is Calco free?
Calco is free to download, and photo logging requires the premium subscription.