AI photo calorie counter apps: how they work and what they cost

How photo calorie counting works

There are three steps: recognise each food in the picture, estimate how much of it there is, then turn that amount into calories and macros using a nutrition database. Recognition is usually the easy part; portion size is where estimates drift.

• Recognise: the model names the items it can see, such as rice, grilled chicken and salad.
• Estimate: it guesses a weight or volume for each item from the photo.
• Look up: each item and amount is matched to a nutrition entry to get calories, protein, carbs and fat.
• Correct: a good app shows the result as an editable entry, so you can fix the item or portion before saving.

Where photo estimates go wrong

Photos miss what is not visible: cooking oil, butter, dressing, sugar in a sauce, and food hidden under other food. Mixed dishes such as curries, stews and casseroles are harder than separate items on a plate, and bowls hide depth.

That is why a photo log is best treated as a fast first draft. Check the portion, add the oil if you know it was there, and the estimate gets much closer. An app that asks one question when a meal is vague, such as how much rice was in the bowl, saves you from editing every entry by hand.

Which apps include photo logging (checked 11 November 2026)

Photo logging is mostly a paid feature. Here is where each app put it on its own pricing page or App Store listing on the date checked.

• MyFitnessPal: Meal Scan is marked Premium on its comparison table, with a 7-day trial for first-time upgraders.
• Cronometer: Photo Log is a Gold feature; Gold is $10.99 a month or $59.99 a year.
• Lose It!: photo meal logging is listed under Premium in its App Store description.
• MacroFactor: AI photo logging is included, but the app has no free version (7-day trial, then from $71.99 a year).
• Cal AI: free to download; its App Store description says food scanning results require a subscription.
• Peasy (ours): photo, voice and text AI logs are free for the first 3 days, then 1 AI log a day free; Peasy Plus unlocks unlimited AI logging.

Photo, voice or barcode: which is fastest

Barcode scanning is the most precise for packaged food because it reads the exact product. Photo logging is fastest for a plated meal you can see. Voice logging is fastest when the meal is already eaten or the photo would not show much, such as a sandwich or a smoothie.

Most people end up using all three. The best setup is an app that lets you switch between them on the same screen, so each meal takes the quickest route.

Getting better numbers from a photo

Shoot from above in good light, keep each food visible rather than piled, and include something for scale such as a fork or your hand. Then check the portion before you save.

Calorie numbers from any app, photo or not, are estimates for information. If you are tracking for a medical reason or while taking medication that affects appetite, agree targets with your doctor.