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 does MyFitnessPal still do 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 does MyFitnessPal no longer do 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.
What makes MyFitnessPal different from other fitness tracking apps?
MyFitnessPal's defining asset is scale: a food database with millions of user-contributed entries, including obscure regional and branded products competitors simply don't carry. After two decades it is also the most widely recognized name in calorie tracking, with integrations into nearly every fitness platform.
How does MyFitnessPal score on each of our 8 fitness app parameters?
Decomposed against our 8-parameter methodology (v3.1, 2026 edition). Weighted average rounds to the published overall score of 7.2 / 10.
What are the pros and cons of MyFitnessPal?
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
How much does MyFitnessPal cost and what is included?
Who is MyFitnessPal the best fit for?
MyFitnessPal is best for users who specifically need its database breadth for unusual branded foods, and for long-time users already comfortable in the app who don't want to migrate their history.
Should you use MyFitnessPal? Our recommendation
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
When is MyFitnessPal not the right fitness tracking app for you?
That same crowd-sourced database is the weakness — entry quality is inconsistent, and common foods can be off by 20% or more. Features that were once free, including the barcode scanner, now sit behind a $19.99/month paywall, the most expensive mainstream option. The interface also feels dated next to AI-first apps.
What are real users saying about MyFitnessPal?
What real users say about MyFitnessPal, drawn from App Store, Google Play, and community discussions.
"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
What are the 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 →