MyFitnessPal alternative?

[broseph]

The barcode scanning feature that’s been part of the free (with ads) version of MYFitnessPal is now behind a $80/year (or $20/month) paywall.

Fuck those greedy pigs. And fuck them extra because I think the barcode linked nutritional data library has been user built.

Anyone recommend a different macro tracking app?

[augeleven]

Pay the money and get MacroFactor

All the cool kids are doing it.

I think they have merch now too…

[EggMcMuffin]

Pay the money and get MacroFactor

All the cool kids are doing it.

I think they have merch now too…

Sell me on Macrofactor in 5 seconds

[augeleven]

Pay the money and get MacroFactor

All the cool kids are doing it.

I think they have merch now too…

Sell me on Macrofactor in 5 seconds

1) $72 for a yearly subscription= skipping a $6 fastfood breakfast every month that you shouldn't be eating anyway.
2) The expenditure numbers and trend weight help you trust the process better.
3) The app's adherence-neutral focus reinforces a healthier food relationship

I would recommend this heavily for people with a modicum of disposable income. I wouldn't have sprung for this as a student. I would have spent (ok, did spend) the money on beer and pizza and pants with stretchy waistbands, though.

[broseph]

I’m insanely frugal, especially when it comes to recurring charges. And I only use the app when I’m cutting (less than 25% of the year).

Also, I really don’t want an AI Diet Coach. I just want to accurately and easily track macros.

Maybe I should just go back to MFP and live without the barcode scanner.

[James]

If you're going monthly MF is $12.

You can turn off the diet coaching. Either picking collaborate mode where it gives you suggestions or manual where you set everything.

[James]

Oh forgot because I didn't read it but Greg put out some anti-MFP propaganda a couple days ago.

https://macrofactorapp.com/macrofactor-vs-myfitnesspal/

[JohnHelton]

I've probably used 5-6 different calorie counting apps. MF is by far the best. It is hard to explain how much thought and energy the SBS team has put into the app, and they just keep making it better. I'm frugal too, but I don't mind paying the annual charge when I am getting such a great product. I also feel like I'm supporting @gnuckols and team for all the great content that they have produced and that I've consumed for free over the years.

[quikky]

I've recently switched to Cronometer and like it so far. It gives you free macro and micro breakdowns, and it has free barcode scanning. The free version does not have meal breakdowns, i.e. breakfast, lunch, dinner, but seems to do the job otherwise.

[gnuckols]

I’m insanely frugal, especially when it comes to recurring charges. And I only use the app when I’m cutting (less than 25% of the year).

Also, I really don’t want an AI Diet Coach. I just want to accurately and easily track macros.

Maybe I should just go back to MFP and live without the barcode scanner.

fwiw, I still wouldn't go with MFP. If you're specifically looking for a free option, I'd probably go with MyNetDiary or Cronometer

[broseph]

I’m insanely frugal, especially when it comes to recurring charges. And I only use the app when I’m cutting (less than 25% of the year).

Also, I really don’t want an AI Diet Coach. I just want to accurately and easily track macros.

Maybe I should just go back to MFP and live without the barcode scanner.

fwiw, I still wouldn't go with MFP. If you're specifically looking for a free option, I'd probably go with MyNetDiary or Cronometer

Dang, a recommendation from gnuck's himself... Thanks man.

Sounds like if I ever upgrade to a paid app, MacroFactor will be at the top of the list.

[alek]

Pay the money and get MacroFactor

All the cool kids are doing it.

I think they have merch now too…

Sell me on Macrofactor in 5 seconds

1) $72 for a yearly subscription= skipping a $6 fastfood breakfast every month that you shouldn't be eating anyway.
2) The expenditure numbers and trend weight help you trust the process better.
3) The app's adherence-neutral focus reinforces a healthier food relationship

I would recommend this heavily for people with a modicum of disposable income. I wouldn't have sprung for this as a student. I would have spent (ok, did spend) the money on beer and pizza and pants with stretchy waistbands, though.

My Sam's had some Lucky Brand 412's, marketed as "slim-stretch" or something similar. I thought they'd be kinda like the Levi's 541. But they're better. I picked up a second pair, and they're pretty much all I wear now after I grew out of essentially all my shorts over the summer. Ask my wife what she thinks of that.

[broseph]

Since @cole reminded me of this thread, I should probably confess;

After trying a few of the top free macro tracking apps, I have returned to MFP. It’s slow and full of ads and no longer has barcode scanning, but…

The other apps don’t organize your entries by meal- it’s just a running list of the foods you ate. MFP makes it super easy to see calories and the macro split for each meal. This is very important to me.

The other apps are way too obsessed with being an AI diet coach, which I hate.


TLDR- Of the currently available FREE macro tracking apps, I still prefer MyFitnessPal.

[SnakePlissken]

Since @cole reminded me of this thread, I should probably confess;

After trying a few of the top free macro tracking apps, I have returned to MFP. It’s slow and full of ads and no longer has barcode scanning, but…

The other apps don’t organize your entries by meal- it’s just a running list of the foods you ate. MFP makes it super easy to see calories and the macro split for each meal. This is very important to me.

The other apps are way too obsessed with being an AI diet coach, which I hate.


TLDR- Of the currently available FREE macro tracking apps, I still prefer MyFitnessPal.

I always love how these apps and websites are so happy and eager to "get you started on your journey" and becomes "a stronger version of yourself" and then go BAM payup mother fucker!

Always wanted to track my calories and almost thought of starting it up again because my work gives me credits for tracking this to reduce my insurance premiums, but I can earn points in other ways. The only saving grace with that app was that you could always just scan a barcode and be done with it, but pulling that kind of stuff just makes me never want to use their stuff even the free versions.

[slowmotion]

The other apps don’t organize your entries by meal- it’s just a running list of the foods you ate. MFP makes it super easy to see calories and the macro split for each meal. This is very important to me.

Really? MFP is the only app that does this? I'll just stay with MFP then. It's free, and I'm used to it.

[broseph]

The only saving grace with that app was that you could always just scan a barcode and be done with it, but pulling that kind of stuff just makes me never want to use their stuff even the free versions.

I actually deleted the app in a fit of rage after my wife (who’s always tracking) mentioned it.

I did a little digging, and I guess MFP was created by an actual-non-corporation-person, and it was one of the first good tracking apps available. Then Under Armor bought it to add to their lineup of fitness app purchases (map my run, map my ride, pedometer, etc).

But it was recently sold to some equity firm, who hid all the decent features behind a pay wall (and cranked up the ad volume).

Really? MFP is the only app that does this? I'll just stay with MFP then. It's free, and I'm used to it.

To the best of my knowledge of the free apps, yes.

[JohnHelton]

@broseph I believe that Nutritionix allows you to organize by meal. It also has a curated database of foods, so you don't get bad entries like those found in MFP.

[broseph]

broseph I believe that Nutritionix allows you to organize by meal. It also has a curated database of foods, so you don't get bad entries like those found in MFP.

Wow that one looks great (for me). Super simple/basic, no ads, no tips/coaching, barcode scanner, meal breakdown, fast loading data, and the restaurant menu function is pretty cool.

[xuerebx]

Another vote for Macrofactor - only app I've ever paid for. I was one of the initial subscribers so I pay €51/year.

Also, has the MFP bar code scanning behind a paywall been applied globally yet? My wife still uses MFP and the bar code scanning daily, and she obviously didn't pay for it. And she updated MFP a few days ago too on Google Play Store.

[Bliss]

Looking to start macro/calories tracking when the cut starts which it soon must and want to ask for advice for a free alternative to MFP.

The feature I'm most missing from MFP would be the "recipes" - for example, if you were making say, a tower of pancakes, I'd enter all the ingredients and let it keep a running talley of ALL macros in the entire recipe.

Then i would count how many pancakes came out and enter that number as the "number of servings", which MFP then divided and thus gave a number of macros/1 pancake.

Easy tracking afterwards with simply entering how many "servings" one ate.

Same for stuff like lasagne, except the number of servings I'd set to 1 and track the amount by visually dividing, so i could enter 0.5 or 0.25 if i ate half or a quarter of the resulting lasagne's "area".

Barcode scanner would be a great bonus too!
Thanks!