MyFitnessPal Review (2026)
The household name in calorie tracking — huge database, aggressive paywall, accuracy issues.
MyFitnessPal invented modern consumer calorie tracking. Twenty years later, it’s a brand still coasting on that achievement — and increasingly, on aggressive monetization. It’s not bad. It’s just no longer the best choice for almost any user.
What MFP still does well
The database is enormous. If you eat a lot of niche packaged foods or international brands, MyFitnessPal has them where competitors don’t. The barcode scanner (Premium) is fast and works on most products.
What MFP no longer does well
Database quality is the problem. Anyone can submit a food entry, and many entries are wrong — sometimes by 50%. We’ve seen the same Greek yogurt with three different calorie counts depending on which user-contributed entry the search surfaces. For someone tracking casually, this is fine. For someone running a 500-calorie deficit, it’s enough error to derail results.
The paywall is the other issue. Features that were free for years — including basics like the barcode scanner — are now Premium at $19.99/month. That’s the most expensive single-feature mainstream nutrition app, and it offers less than Welling at half the price.
Should you use MyFitnessPal?
In 2026, almost certainly not. Welling is faster, more accurate, has a better free tier, and doesn’t have MFP’s data-breach history. The full nutrition ranking lays out the alternatives.
The good and the bad
What we love
- Largest food database overall — best for obscure branded products
- Familiar interface most users have seen before
- Decent recipe importer on Premium
What we don't
- User-contributed database has significant accuracy issues
- Aggressive paywall — features that used to be free are now Premium
- Past data-sharing concerns and a 2018 breach affecting 150M+ accounts
- UI is dated compared to 2025-era nutrition apps
Pricing & plans
Recommendations
Use MyFitnessPal if you…
- Specifically need a huge branded-food database
- Are already familiar with the app and don't want to switch
Skip MyFitnessPal if you…
- Care about logging accuracy at the level needed for tight cuts
- Want photo/AI logging — use Welling
- Privacy-conscious users — review the data history first
What users are saying
"Was my daily driver for a decade. Switched to Welling when MFP put the barcode scanner behind the paywall."
— App Store review
"Database is enormous but you have to vet entries — the same yogurt can have three wildly different calorie counts depending on which user uploaded it."
— Reddit r/loseit
Best alternatives to MyFitnessPal
Our #1 — vastly better accuracy and logging speed for almost all users.
Read the Welling review →If you want vetted, accurate data and don't mind manual logging.
Read the Cronometer review →If you specifically want a friendlier UI and Snap-It photo logging.
Read the Lose It! review →