Comparison

MacroFactor vs Cal AI

Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.

Head to head
About

MacroFactor

This nutrition app personalizes calorie and macro targets using adaptive algorithms and behavioral science. It offers advanced food logging, detailed breakdowns, and weight trend analysis to help users achieve sustainable diet goals.

Highlights
  • Adaptive nutrition coach
  • Best-in-class expenditure estimate (TDEE)
  • Fastest macro tracker
  • Verified food database
  • Weight Trend visualization
  • Flexible plan modes
  • AI photo food logging
Features
Read full description

MacroFactor is a macro tracker, calorie counter, and nutrition coach app that helps you reach your diet goals to lose weight, gain muscle, or maintain with empowering, sustainable results, by combining innovative coaching algorithms with proven nutrition and behavioral science. KEY CAPABILITIES • Adaptive nutrition coach: smart algorithms personalize your calorie and macro intake targets, just like a nutrition coach would, and weekly check-ins keep you on track • Best-in-class expenditure estimate (TDEE): calculates how many calories you actually burn from your own logs and weight data, so your plan fits your body instead of a generic formula • Fastest macro tracker on the market: log food by AI photo, meal description, speech-to-text, barcode scanner, or nutrition label scanner, so logging takes seconds • Verified food database: more than 1.36 million entries, so you can trust the calorie and macro information of the food you log • Food and meal tracker: covers macros and micronutrients with detailed breakdowns for every meal and day, so you see exactly what you eat • Weight Trend: cuts through the noise of daily weight fluctuations, so you see your real progress • Flexible plans: choose Coached, Collaborative, or Manual mode with balanced, low-carb, keto, or carb-focused diets and different macros on different days, so your plan fits your health and fitness goal • Extra tools in one app: period tracker, habit tracker, data insights and visualization, integrations, and dark mode. HOW IT WORKS 1. Set your goal (lose, maintain, or gain) and choose your rate of weight change to set your calorie deficit or surplus. 2. Log your meals in the food log and weigh in with the weight tracker as usual. 3. Each week, MacroFactor compares your calorie and macro intake with your weight trend to calculate your true energy expenditure (TDEE) and detect changes in your metabolism. 4. It then adjusts your calorie, protein, and macro targets for the week ahead, so your diet plan keeps working and you avoid a plateau. FAQ • How does MacroFactor set my calorie target? It estimates your energy expenditure from your food logs and weight trend, then adjusts your targets at each weekly check-in. • What if I go over my targets or skip logging? Nothing breaks. The algorithm is adherence neutral, so your check-in and calorie adjustment still work, with no warnings or red numbers. • Can I set my own macros instead of following the coach? Yes. Choose Manual mode, and set different macros for different days. • How can I log food quickly? Snap a photo with AI food logging, describe your meal, speak it, or scan a barcode or nutrition label. NOTICES Contains information from Open Food Facts, which is made available here under the Open Database License (ODbL). Open Food Facts: https://openfoodfacts.org/ ODbL: https://opendatacommons.org/licenses/odbl/1-0/ SUBSCRIPTION PRICING & TERMS MacroFactor is a premium macro tracker app that offers three auto-renewing subscription options: $11.99 / month $47.99 / half year $71.99 / year (equal to $5.99 a month) MacroFactor has a free trial, but does not offer a free subscription tier. These prices are for US customers. Pricing in other countries may vary. Payment will be charged to your Apple account at confirmation of purchase. Your subscription to MacroFactor will automatically renew, unless you cancel at least 24 hours before the current period ends. You can cancel or manage your subscription from your Apple account settings. Terms & Conditions: https://terms.macrofactorapp.com/ Privacy Policy: https://privacy.macrofactorapp.com/ MacroFactor is a macro counter, calorie tracker, and AI food tracker with a nutrition coach that adapts your calorie and macro targets every week, helping you lose weight, maintain, or build muscle without stress.

About

Cal AI

This app helps you achieve your fitness goals by providing personalized plans and nutritional breakdowns. Simply answer lifestyle questions, snap a photo of your meal, and receive an analysis to support your journey.

Highlights
  • Personalized lifestyle plans
  • AI-powered meal analysis
  • Nutritional breakdown
  • Weight management support
  • Food scanning feature
Features
Read full description

HOW TO USE CAL AI: 1) Answer lifestyle questions to build your plan 2) Snap a photo of your meal* 3) Get your nutritional breakdown* If you want to get your dream body, Cal AI will help you get there with less time spent than anyone else. We aren't another complicated diet app. We want to empower everyone to be confident in their bodies with minimal time spent, but you have to work hard. We will support you and give you the tools and information you need. If you have any ideas or questions, please email us at team@calai.app. NOTE: We do not offer medical advice. Any and all recommendations should be viewed as suggestions, please consult with a professional and do your own research before trying a new calorie and nutrient plan. *FOOD SCANNING ANALYSIS RESULTS REQUIRE A SUBSCRIPTION TERMS: https://calai.app/tos

Screenshots

MacroFactor4 screens
Cal AI4 screens

Verdict

The call

MacroFactor and Cal AI both sit at 4.8 stars, but that hides the real split: 71% of MacroFactor's written reviews are positive against 32% of Cal AI's. MacroFactor also leads on ads (none vs shown) and device support (4 vs 2). Cal AI's advantage is ratings volume (375K vs 24K). On price, rating, update cadence and in-app purchases there is nothing between them.

Scored on Price · Rating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings · Update frequency · Ads · In-app purchases · Monetization · Best chart rank · Devices · Requires iOS

CostPrice · In-app purchases · Ads · Monetization

Both are free to download. MacroFactor sells 10 in-app purchases, starting at $9.99 per month and Cal AI sells 9 in-app purchases, starting at $2.99 per 7 days. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

ReceptionRating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings

On the App Store both sit at effectively the same score — 4.8 for MacroFactor against 4.8 for Cal AI. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Cal AI has 375K ratings behind it against 24K, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews are what separate them: 71% of MacroFactor's written reviews are positive against 32% of Cal AI's.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

MacroFactor ships an update every 9 days, Cal AI weekly. Both last shipped on November 10, 2026.

Scorecard5 real differences · 6 level
MacroFactor versus Cal AI: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterMacroFactorCal AI
PriceFreeFree
Rating4.8 (24K ratings) — better4.8 (375K ratings)
Positive reviews70.6% of reviews — better32.4% of reviews
Number of ratings24K375K — better
Update frequencyEvery 9 daysWeekly — better
AdsNo — betterYes
In-app purchasesYesYes
MonetizationFree with in-app purchasesFree with in-app purchases
Best chart rank#10#6 — better
DevicesiPhone, iPad, iPod, Apple Watch — betteriPhone, Apple Watch
Requires iOS15.6 — better18.0
Further details — not scored
Size247 MB319 MB
Age rating9+4+
DeveloperStronger By Science Technologies LLCViral Development LLC

Customer experience

MacroFactor

All ratings23,836 ratings
Positive96.2%
Neutral1.3%
Negative2.5%
Written reviews1,594 reviews
Positive70.6%
Neutral9.5%
Negative19.9%

Cal AI

All ratings372,843 ratings
Positive95.5%
Neutral2.5%
Negative2.1%
Written reviews4,273 reviews
Positive32.4%
Neutral10.3%
Negative57.3%

User reviews

MacroFactor

From 24K App Store ratings

What we love

  • 🚀 Easy to use
  • 🔍 Detailed analytics and data
  • 🤖 Intelligent algorithm adjustments
  • 👍 Flexible and customizable
  • 💯 Comprehensive food database

Room to improve

  • 🔍 Limited food database for some regions
  • 🤔 Steep learning curve for some users
  • 💰 Subscription-based model
  • 🤖 Occasional inaccuracies in AI-generated entries
  • 🔀 Convoluted navigation in some areas

Cal AI

From 375K App Store ratings

What we love

  • 🚀 Convenient and easy to use
  • 💡 Innovative AI-powered calorie tracking
  • 👍 Helps with weight loss/gain goals
  • 🚀 Fast and efficient
  • 👍 Affordable subscription

Room to improve

  • 🐛 Inaccurate calorie/macro calculations
  • 🐛 Inconsistent performance
  • 🐛 Limited food database
  • 🔒 Lack of free trial
  • 🔒 Paywall to access full features

Bugs and requests

MacroFactor

Reported bugs

2 issues
  • Disappearing food entries
  • Inconsistent syncing with Apple Health

Requested features

5 requests
  • Apple Watch integration
  • Micronutrient tracking
  • Ability to edit database entries
  • Improved barcode scanning for international users
  • Customizable dashboard and widgets

Cal AI

Reported bugs

4 issues
  • Freezing/crashing issues
  • Incorrect data entry and logging
  • Syncing problems across devices
  • Unreliable barcode scanning

Requested features

5 requests
  • Ability to manually adjust portion sizes
  • Integration with fitness trackers
  • Detailed macro and nutrient breakdowns
  • Saved meal/recipe functionality
  • More customization options

In-app purchases

10 purchases

MacroFactor

Subscriptions10
  • Monthly Subscription14 Days trial$9.991 Month
  • Monthly Subscription7 Days trial$11.991 Month
  • Monthly Subscription$11.991 Month
Show 7 more
  • Monthly Subscription14 Days trial$11.991 Month
  • Semiannual Subscription7 Days trial$47.996 Months
  • Semiannual Subscription14 Days trial$47.996 Months
  • Annual Subscription14 Days trial$59.991 Year
  • Annual Subscription7 Days trial$71.991 Year
  • Annual Subscription14 Days trial$71.991 Year
  • Annual Subscription Bundle$89.991 Year
9 purchases

Cal AI

Subscriptions8
  • Unlimited$2.997 Days
  • Unlimited3 Days trial$5.991 Month
  • Unlimited$5.991 Month
Show 5 more
  • Unlimited$9.991 Month
  • Unlimited$19.991 Year
  • Unlimited Plan3 Days trial$19.991 Year
  • Unlimited$29.991 Year
  • Unlimited3 Days trial2 variants$29.991 Year
One-time1
  • Streak Restore$0.99

Questions

Is MacroFactor free?
MacroFactor is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Is Cal AI free?
Cal AI is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Which has better reviews, MacroFactor or Cal AI?
MacroFactor is rated higher. MacroFactor averages 4.8 out of 5 from 24K ratings, while Cal AI averages 4.8 from 375K ratings.
Do MacroFactor or Cal AI have ads?
Cal AI shows ads; MacroFactor does not.
Which is updated more often, MacroFactor or Cal AI?
MacroFactor ships an update every 9 days, and Cal AI weekly. Most recently, MacroFactor was updated on November 10, 2026 and Cal AI on November 10, 2026.
Which is more popular, MacroFactor or Cal AI?
MacroFactor currently peaks at #10 in the App Store charts, and Cal AI at #6. Chart position reflects recent download velocity rather than total install base.

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