# MacrosFirst vs Carbon

The clearest difference is ads: Carbon at none against MacrosFirst's shown. MacrosFirst's advantage is device support (3 vs 1). On price, rating, review sentiment and ratings volume there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. MacrosFirst sells 7 in-app purchases, starting at $11.99 per month and Carbon sells 9 in-app purchases, starting at $11.99 per month. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

On the App Store both sit at effectively the same score — 4.9 for MacrosFirst against 4.8 for Carbon. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 23K and 8.1K respectively. Written reviews are what separate them: 74% of MacrosFirst's written reviews are positive against 79% of Carbon's.

Both ship on a similar rhythm, roughly weekly. Both last shipped on October 21, 2026.

## The numbers

| Metric | MacrosFirst | Carbon |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | **[4.9 (23K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/macrosfirst-macro-tracker/id1253012487/reviews)** | [4.8 (8.1K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/carbon-macro-coach-and-tracker/id1437820611/reviews) |
| Number of ratings | **23K** | 8.1K |
| Positive reviews | 74.0% of reviews | **79.2% of reviews** |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Ads | Yes | **No** |
| Update frequency | Weekly | Weekly |
| Monetization | Freemium | Free with in-app purchases |
| Best chart rank | **#77** | #93 |
| Size | 212 MB | 106 MB |
| Requires iOS | **16.0** | 16.6 |
| Devices | **iPhone, iPad, Apple Watch** | iPhone |
| Age rating | 12+ | 17+ |
| Developer | [MacrosFirst, Inc.](https://appshunter.io/developer/1275597328) | [Reform LLC](https://appshunter.io/developer/1437820610) |

## What reviewers say

### MacrosFirst

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/macrosfirst-macro-tracker/id1253012487)

**Currently charting:** #77 Top Grossing · Health & Fitness (US App Store)

This app helps users track their food intake, calories, and macronutrients to achieve health and fitness goals. It offers features like custom goal setting, automatic serving size calculation, and quick food logging via barcode scanning or label analysis. Users can also monitor progress, share meals, and even convert alcohol calories into macro equivalents.

**Highlights:** Custom macro goal setting, Automatic serving size calculation, Barcode and label scanning for food logging, Detailed macro and nutrient tracking, Progress analysis and trend reporting, Meal sharing and social support, Alcohol calorie conversion

**Features:** macOS Compatibility, Apple Watch app, Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases (7)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| MacrosFirst Premium | $11.99 | per month |
| MacrosFirst Premium | $11.99 | per month |
| MacrosFirst Premium | $41.99 | per year |
| MacrosFirst Premium | $71.99 | per year |
| MacrosFirst Premium | $71.99 | per year |
| MacrosFirst Premium | $79.99 | per year |
| MacrosFirst Premium | $79.99 | per year |

**What reviewers like**

- 👍 Easy to use
- 🚀 Intuitive interface
- 💯 Accurate macro tracking
- 🔍 Extensive food database
- 🔓 Free features without paywall

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Occasional bugs and glitches
- 📚 Limited food database for some users
- 🔢 Difficulty adjusting serving sizes
- 🔍 Inaccurate nutrition info for some items
- 🔧 Lacking certain customization options

**Reported bugs**

- Search function not working properly
- Time zone issues causing date discrepancies
- Scanning feature recording incorrect nutrition info

**Requested features**

- Integration with Apple Health
- Ability to share meals/recipes with friends
- Customizable macro goals (e.g., carb cycling)
- Improved reporting and progress tracking
- Option to submit food data corrections


### Carbon

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/carbon-macro-coach-and-tracker/id1437820611)

**Currently charting:** #93 Top Grossing · Health & Fitness (US App Store)

This app provides personalized nutrition plans for weight loss, muscle gain, or maintenance. It adapts your plan as you progress and offers a comprehensive food tracker with a large database and barcode scanner. It supports various diet preferences and allows for custom meal planning.

**Highlights:** Personalized nutrition plans, Adaptive plan adjustments, Comprehensive food logging, Barcode scanner, Diet preference customization, Diet planner for flexible eating

**Features:** macOS Compatibility

**In-app purchases (9)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Monthly Subscription | $11.99 | per month |
| Monthly Subscription | $11.99 | per month |
| Monthly Subscription | $11.99 | per month |
| Six Month Subscription | $59.99 | per 6 months |
| Six Month Subscription | $59.99 | per 6 months |
| Six Month Subscription | $59.99 | per 6 months |
| Yearly Subscription | $99.99 | per year |
| Yearly Subscription | $99.99 | per year |
| Yearly Subscription | $99.99 | per year |

**What reviewers like**

- 🚀 Easy to use
- 👍 Flexible and customizable
- 🔍 Accurate food database
- 💡 Helpful coaching and adjustments
- 🤝 Responsive customer support

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Limited food database for some regions
- 🤔 Strict adherence required for adjustments
- 🤷‍♀️ Lack of exercise tracking integration

**Reported bugs**

- Occasional app crashes or freezes
- Issues with resetting account data

**Requested features**

- Add water intake tracking
- Improve barcode scanning functionality
- Allow more flexibility in macro adjustments
- Integrate with fitness trackers


## Frequently asked questions

### Is MacrosFirst free?

MacrosFirst is free to download, with in-app purchases available.

### Is Carbon free?

Carbon is free to download, with in-app purchases available.

### Which has better reviews, MacrosFirst or Carbon?

MacrosFirst is rated higher. MacrosFirst averages 4.9 out of 5 from 23K ratings, while Carbon averages 4.8 from 8.1K ratings.

### Do MacrosFirst or Carbon have ads?

MacrosFirst shows ads; Carbon does not.

### Which is updated more often, MacrosFirst or Carbon?

MacrosFirst ships an update weekly, and Carbon weekly. Most recently, MacrosFirst was updated on October 21, 2026 and Carbon on October 21, 2026.

### Which is more popular, MacrosFirst or Carbon?

MacrosFirst currently peaks at #77 in the App Store charts, and Carbon at #93. Chart position reflects recent download velocity rather than total install base.

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*Compared by [AppsHunter](https://appshunter.io/) from daily US App Store data. Review summaries are generated from verbatim App Store reviews.*