# macro vs Cortex

The clearest difference is device support: macro at 4 against Cortex's 1. macro also leads on iOS requirement (15.1 vs 17.0). On price, update cadence, ads and in-app purchases there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. macro sells 5 in-app purchases, starting at $0.99 per month and Cortex sells 3 in-app purchases, starting at $4.99 per month. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

macro ships an update every 2 days, Cortex daily. The most recent releases landed on October 5, 2026 and October 6, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | macro | Cortex |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | **[5.0 (48 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/macro-count-your-calories/id6762831848/reviews)** | — |
| Number of ratings | **48** | — |
| Positive reviews | 100.0% of reviews | — |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Every 2 days | **Daily** |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | — |
| Size | 70 MB | 11 MB |
| Requires iOS | **15.1** | 17.0 |
| Devices | **iPhone, iPad, iPod, Apple Watch** | iPhone |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Carl Angel Rosales](https://appshunter.io/developer/1778606304) | [Hendrik Alastair Kung](https://appshunter.io/developer/6793638181) |

## What reviewers say

### macro

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/macro-count-your-calories/id6762831848)

This app helps you manage your nutrition by quickly logging meals. It offers features like AI-powered tracking, photo scanning of food, and barcode scanning for packaged items. The app prioritizes user privacy with all data stored locally on your device.

**Highlights:** AI-powered calorie tracking, Log meals in seconds, Scan food with camera, Scan barcodes, 100% private data storage, Fast and responsive

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

**In-app purchases (5)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| macro Cloud | $0.99 | per month |
| macro Plus | $2.99 | per month |
| macro Cloud | $7.99 | per year |
| macro Plus | $29.99 | per year |
| macro Lifetime | $4.99 | one-time |


### Cortex

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/cortex-attention-lab/id6806795452)

**Features:** macOS Compatibility, Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases (3)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Cortex Pro Monthly | $4.99 | per month |
| Cortex Pro Annual | $34.99 | per year |
| Cortex Pro Lifetime | $79.99 | one-time |


## Frequently asked questions

### Is macro free?

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

### Is Cortex free?

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

### Do macro or Cortex have ads?

Neither macro nor Cortex shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, macro or Cortex?

macro ships an update every 2 days, and Cortex daily. Most recently, macro was updated on October 5, 2026 and Cortex on October 6, 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.*