Comparison

Cursus vs Smart Cal

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

Head to head
About

Cursus

This app offers a private and ad-free way to track your food intake, monitor health metrics, and manage intermittent fasting and cycle tracking. It focuses on local data storage and quick logging with features like barcode scanning and photo-based food estimation.

Highlights
  • Log food with barcode scanning
  • Estimate meals from photos
  • Intermittent fasting timer
  • Cycle tracking with predictions
  • Track water, steps, sleep, and weight
  • Local data storage, no account needed
Features
Read full description

Cursus is the calm, private way to stay on top of what you eat and how you feel — with no account and no cloud. Everything lives on your phone. LOG FOOD IN SECONDS • Search a large food database or scan barcodes • Save custom foods, favorites, and whole recipes • Quick Log for the meals you eat all the time • Meal planning to think ahead, not catch up SMART SCANNING & COACH • Snap a photo of your plate and let Smart Scan estimate what's on it • Scan nutrition labels straight into your diary • Ask the nutrition coach quick questions, any time SEE THE WHOLE PICTURE • Calories, protein, carbs, and fat at a glance • Water, steps, sleep, weight, and body measurements • Blood pressure and blood glucose logs • Weekly reports, insights, streaks, and achievements FASTING THAT JUST WORKS • Intermittent fasting timer with popular presets • Keeps perfect time even if you close or restart the app • Optional reminder when your fast completes CYCLE TRACKING, PRIVATELY • Opt-in period and symptom tracking • Honest predictions that tell you how certain they are • Never leaves your device, and it's off until you turn it on MAKE HOME YOURS • Choose what your Home screen shows — fasting, hydration, quick log, and more • Gentle nudges when they help, silence when they don't • Local reminders for meals and water (all off by default) YOUR DATA IS YOURS • No sign-up, no account, no tracking • Everything is stored on your device • Delete all your data any time, in one tap Cursus is free to use, with ads. Free users see banner ads on several screens, and can choose to watch an optional video ad for a few extra scans or messages when they reach a daily limit. Cursus Pro removes every ad. Ads are non-personalized and see none of your food, workout or health data. Terms of Use (EULA): https://www.apple.com/legal/internet-services/itunes/dev/stdeula/ Privacy Policy: https://nyzlabs.app/cursus/privacy

About

Smart Cal

Features
Read full description

Smart Cal is the calorie tracker that actually understands Indian food. Roti, dal, sabzi, biryani, street food — log it with a photo, your voice, or a quick text, and get calories, protein, carbs and fat in seconds. TRACK YOUR WAY • Photo: point your camera at your plate (or a menu) and let AI do the math • Voice: say "2 roti aur dal" — Hinglish works • Text: type it like you'd say it • Barcode: real nutrition data for packaged foods BUILT FOR INDIA • Understands Indian dishes, portions (katori, piece), and mixed plates • Hinglish in, accurate macros out YOUR AI COACH • Ask anything about your day, your macros, or what to eat next • Knows your goals, your logs, and (if you connect it) your Apple Health activity • Not a doctor — for medical advice, see a professional MORE THAN A COUNTER • Apple Health: steps, active energy, weight and sleep inform your targets • Recipes: generate healthy recipes with per-serving macros • Plan ahead: log meals for future days • Micronutrients: fiber, sugar, sodium, iron, calcium and more (optional) • Streaks, insights and weekly trends SMART CAL PRO Free users get a daily allowance of AI logs. Pro unlocks unlimited AI logging and coaching. • ₹599/month or ₹3,599/year (US: $9.99 / $59.99), both with a 7-day free trial • Payment is charged to your Apple ID account at confirmation of purchase. Subscriptions auto-renew unless cancelled at least 24 hours before the end of the period. Manage or cancel in App Store settings. Privacy Policy: https://smartcal-server.onrender.com/privacy Terms of Use: https://smartcal-server.onrender.com/terms Calorie and nutrition values for home-cooked food are AI estimates — treat them as close guides, not lab measurements.

Screenshots

Cursus4 screens
Smart Cal4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is ads: Smart Cal at none against Cursus's shown. On price, in-app purchases, device support and iOS requirement 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. Cursus sells 3 in-app purchases, starting at $1.99 per month and Smart Cal sells 2 in-app purchases, starting at $9.99 per month. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

Scorecard1 real difference · 8 level
Cursus versus Smart Cal: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterCursusSmart Cal
PriceFreeFree
Rating5.0 (2 ratings) — better—
Number of ratings2 — better—
Update frequencyEvery 6 days—
AdsYesNo — better
In-app purchasesYesYes
MonetizationFree with in-app purchases—
DevicesiPhone, iPodiPhone, iPad, iPod — better
Requires iOS15.0 — better15.1
Further details — not scored
Size25 MB41 MB
Age rating12+12+
DeveloperGraham FieldsHarsh Malhotra

In-app purchases

3 purchases

Cursus

Subscriptions2
  • Monthly$1.991 Month
  • Yearly$8.991 Year
One-time1
  • Cursus Pro Lifetime$12.99
2 purchases

Smart Cal

Subscriptions2
  • Smart Cal Pro Monthly7 Days trial$9.991 Month
  • Smart Cal Pro Annual7 Days trial$59.991 Year

Questions

Is Cursus free?
Cursus is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Is Smart Cal free?
Smart Cal is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Do Cursus or Smart Cal have ads?
Cursus shows ads; Smart Cal does not.

Other comparisons