MacroFactor Alternatives in 2026: Free and Cheaper Macro Trackers Compared

MacroFactor is the tracker many evidence-based coaches recommend, and for good reason. Its expenditure algorithm estimates how many calories you really burn from your logged intake and weight trend, then adjusts your targets every week. No static calculator can do that.

But it is a paid-only app, at about $11.99 a month or $71.99 a year after a free trial, and MacroFactor Workouts is a separate purchase unless you buy the bundle (about $89.99 a year). If you want something free, something that handles Indian food better, or one app for both training and diet, here are the best MacroFactor alternatives. Prices are US list prices at the time of writing (October 2026).

Why People Look for MacroFactor Alternatives

• No free tier. After the trial you must subscribe to keep logging.
• Two apps for diet and training. Nutrition and workouts are separate apps and, outside the bundle, separate subscriptions.
• It needs consistent data. The algorithm works best with frequent weigh-ins and complete logging. If you log loosely or weigh once a week, its adjustments are less useful.
• Regional foods. Its database is strong for Western and packaged foods; Indian home-cooked dishes often need to be built as recipes.

MacroFactor Alternatives at a Glance

USD list prices reported at the time of writing; they vary by country, tax and promotions.

1. UltraFit360 — Best Free All-in-One Alternative

Best for: people who want food and training in one free app, and who eat Indian or mixed home-cooked food.

UltraFit360 is our app, so read with that in mind. It calculates your BMR, TDEE and macro targets at setup, then lets you log meals by photo, plain-language text or search. Each week it sends an AI coaching report that looks at your intake, training and weight trend together and tells you what to change. It also includes workout programs with automatic PR detection, progress photos and sync with Apple Health and Health Connect.

• Pros: free; diet and workouts in one app; fast logging for mixed Indian meals; weekly report gives practical adjustments.
• Cons: it does not run MacroFactor's continuous expenditure algorithm, so target changes come from the weekly review rather than an automatic daily recalculation; the food database is smaller than MyFitnessPal's; workouts are curated programs.

2. Cronometer — Best for Accurate Data

Best for: people who switched to MacroFactor for accuracy and want to keep that without paying.

Cronometer's curated databases make it the most accurate free tracker, with detailed vitamin and mineral tracking and free barcode scanning. Targets are static, so pair it with the DIY method below if you want them to adapt.

• Pros: trustworthy numbers; excellent micronutrients; strong free plan.
• Cons: no adaptive targets; busier interface; photo logging is paid.

3. MyFitnessPal — Best Food Database

Best for: people who eat a lot of branded, packaged or restaurant food.

No tracker matches MyFitnessPal's database size. The trade-offs are inconsistent user entries, ads and paywalled basics: barcode scanning and custom macro goals are Premium features, and Premium costs more than MacroFactor. See MyFitnessPal alternatives for the full comparison.

• Pros: biggest database; many app integrations.
• Cons: static targets; key features paid; ads on free plan.

4. Lose It! — Best for Beginners

Best for: people new to tracking who want a simple calorie budget.

Lose It! sets a calorie budget from your goal weight and keeps logging simple, with free barcode scanning. Premium, about $80 a year, adds macro goals and insights.

• Pros: very easy to use; free barcode scanning.
• Cons: no adaptive targets; macro goals paywalled.

5. FatSecret — Best Completely Free Tracker

Best for: people who want a free food diary and will handle targets themselves.

FatSecret's free plan includes a food diary, barcode scanning and weight log. Combined with the DIY method below, it can do most of what MacroFactor does for no cost, as long as you are willing to do a little maths each fortnight.

• Pros: free core features; web and mobile.
• Cons: dated design; no insights or coaching.

6. The DIY Method: Adaptive Targets With Any Free App

MacroFactor's core idea is simple energy balance, and you can approximate it yourself with any tracker:

1. Log everything and weigh in daily for two weeks. Same time, after the bathroom, before eating.
2. Compare weekly averages, not single days. Daily weight swings of 0.5–1.5 kg are mostly water and food in your gut.
3. Estimate your real expenditure. Take your average daily intake and adjust for the change in average weight. A kilogram of body weight change is roughly 7,700 kcal, so losing 0.5 kg a week means you were about 550 kcal a day below expenditure. Example: you averaged 2,000 kcal a day and lost 0.5 kg per week, so your expenditure is about 2,550 kcal.
4. Set your new target from that number. For fat loss, eat about 300–500 kcal below it; for a lean bulk, about 200–300 kcal above.
5. Repeat every two weeks. Expenditure falls as you lose weight, which is why static targets stop working. Read more in calorie deficits and muscle preservation.

This is less precise than MacroFactor's algorithm, which smooths data daily and handles missed logs, but it works well for most people. Start from the estimate in our TDEE and calorie calculator, then let your real data correct it.

How to Switch From MacroFactor

1. Export your data. In MacroFactor, use Data Export under Data Management in the More tab. You can export nutrition, weight and, for Workouts, detailed training data as a spreadsheet.
2. Note your latest expenditure estimate. This is the most valuable number MacroFactor has given you. Use it as your starting maintenance calories in the new app.
3. Move weight history through Apple Health or Health Connect. If MacroFactor or your smart scale wrote weight to them, a new app that reads from them will pick it up.
4. Set your protein target. Use the protein calculator; most lifters do well on 1.6–2.2 g per kg of body weight.
5. Cancel through the app store before your renewal date if you subscribed there.

Which One Should You Choose?

• Free, with workouts and a weekly AI review: UltraFit360.
• Accurate data, free: Cronometer plus the DIY method.
• Biggest food database: MyFitnessPal Premium.
• Simple and beginner-friendly: Lose It!
• Zero cost: FatSecret plus the DIY method.
• You want fully automatic adaptive targets and will pay for them: stay with MacroFactor.

For more on tracking without obsessing, read how to track macros for fat loss and macro tracking in real life. For workout app options, see Fitbod alternatives.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is there a free version of MacroFactor?

No. MacroFactor offers a free trial, then requires a subscription of about $11.99 per month or $71.99 per year in the US at the time of writing.

What is the best free alternative to MacroFactor?

UltraFit360 is a free all-in-one alternative with diet tracking, workouts and a weekly AI coaching report. Cronometer is the most accurate free tracker. Neither runs MacroFactor’s exact algorithm, but you can adjust targets yourself from your weight trend.

Is MacroFactor better than MyFitnessPal?

For adjusting your targets, yes: MacroFactor adapts them weekly from your real data while MyFitnessPal uses static targets. MyFitnessPal has a much bigger food database.

How do I calculate my real TDEE without MacroFactor?

Log your intake and weigh in daily for two weeks. Add about 7,700 kcal per kilogram lost (or subtract per kilogram gained) to your total intake, then divide by the number of days. The result is your approximate real daily expenditure.

Does MacroFactor include workouts?

Workouts are in a separate MacroFactor Workouts app, sold on its own or in a bundle with the nutrition app for about $89.99 per year.

Can I export my MacroFactor data?

Yes. Use Data Export in the More tab under Data Management to export nutrition, weight and workout data as a spreadsheet.