# Calorie Counter + vs Hydra

The clearest difference is ads: Hydra at none against Calorie Counter +'s shown. Hydra also leads on update cadence (weekly vs fortnightly). On price, in-app purchases, device support and iOS requirement there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Calorie Counter + sells 11 in-app purchases, starting at $6.99 per month and Hydra sells 1 in-app purchase, starting at $1.99 per 7 days. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

Calorie Counter + ships an update fortnightly, Hydra weekly. The most recent releases landed on October 30, 2026 and October 28, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Calorie Counter + | Hydra |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | **[4.8 (26K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/calorie-counter-plus/id444924121/reviews)** | — |
| Number of ratings | **26K** | — |
| Positive reviews | 78.5% of reviews | — |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Ads | Yes | **No** |
| Update frequency | Fortnightly | **Weekly** |
| Monetization | Freemium | — |
| Size | 129 MB | 22 MB |
| Requires iOS | 16.0 | **15.0** |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, Apple Watch | iPhone, iPad, iPod |
| Age rating | 17+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [NutraTech Ltd](https://appshunter.io/developer/419867592) | [Ronak Bhatt](https://appshunter.io/developer/1895740274) |

## What reviewers say

### Calorie Counter +

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/calorie-counter-plus/id444924121)

Easily track your food intake, macros, and exercise to achieve your health goals, whether it's weight loss or building healthy habits. Utilize a verified food database, barcode scanner, and recipe builder for accurate logging. Sync with fitness devices for comprehensive tracking.

**Highlights:** Calorie and nutrient tracking, Verified food database, Barcode scanner, Exercise logging, Recipe builder, Community support

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

**In-app purchases (11)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| 1 Month | $6.99 | per month |
| 1 Month App-Only | $6.99 | per month |
| 1 Month | $6.99 | per month |
| 1 month | $6.99 | per month |
| 12 Months | $29.99 | per year |
| 12 Months | $29.99 | per year |
| 12 Months App-only | $29.99 | per year |
| 12 Months | $39.99 | per year |
| 12 months App Only | $29.99 | one-time |
| 12 months App-only | $29.99 | one-time |
| 12 months App-Only | $39.99 | one-time |

**What reviewers like**

- 👍 Easy to use
- 🚀 Comprehensive food database
- 📊 Helpful tracking and progress features
- 🔗 Integrates with fitness trackers
- 💰 Affordable subscription

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Occasional app crashes or glitches
- 🔢 Difficulty modifying portion sizes
- 📋 Missing some common food items
- 🔢 Inaccurate nutritional data for some items
- 🔗 Issues syncing with fitness trackers

**Reported bugs**

- Barcode scanner not working consistently
- Incorrect exercise calorie calculations

**Requested features**

- Add option to track net carbs
- Improve recipe creation and meal planning features
- Allow users under 18 to use the app
- Provide more customization options for calorie/macro targets
- Add notes section for daily entries


### Hydra

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/hydra-water-tracker/id6764341581)

**Features:** macOS Compatibility

**In-app purchases (1)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Hydra Pro | $1.99 | per 7 days |


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Calorie Counter + free?

Calorie Counter + is free to download, with in-app purchases available.

### Is Hydra free?

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

### Do Calorie Counter + or Hydra have ads?

Calorie Counter + shows ads; Hydra does not.

### Which is updated more often, Calorie Counter + or Hydra?

Calorie Counter + ships an update fortnightly, and Hydra weekly. Most recently, Calorie Counter + was updated on October 30, 2026 and Hydra on October 28, 2026.

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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.*