Cal AI offers photo-based food logging, while MacroLog includes manual search and unlimited barcode scanning in its free tier. Cal AI's store listing says food-scanning analysis requires a subscription. [1][4][3]
Facts as of 10 September 2026. Published by MacroLog, the maker of one of the apps compared. We are not neutral. Rival facts were checked on 10 September 2026 using vendor sources and the verified articles cited below.
At a glance
Feature comparison
| Feature | MacroLog | Cal AI |
|---|---|---|
| Free tier | Manual search, unlimited barcode scanning, basic stats and local storage. Free forever, no card. | No ongoing free tier is documented. Our review checked today records a 3-day free trial. [4][1] |
| Barcode scanner | Free, unlimited. | Available; an ongoing free barcode allowance is not stated by vendor. [3] |
| Macros and nutrients | Basic stats free; 12 micronutrients in Pro. | Calories, protein, carbs and fat; scanning results require a subscription. [4][1] |
| AI photo logging | Pro; photo and voice need internet. | Available; food-scanning analysis requires a subscription. [1] |
| Apple Health | Supported on iOS; full data scope below. | The FAQ provides an Apple Health connection step. A complete list of synced data types is not stated by vendor. [3] |
| Health Connect | Supported on Android; full data scope below. | Not stated by vendor; the FAQ names Google Fit on Android. [3] |
| Platforms | iOS and Android; no web app. | iOS and Android; subscriptions do not transfer between those platforms. [3] |
| USD prices: US offers | Pro: $5.99/month or $49/year in the US. The first week costs $2: a paid trial, not a free trial. Prices vary by country and store. | Unlimited purchases: $2.99–$29.99. Monthly and annual periods are not stated for these items. [1][4] |
| PLN prices: Polish offers | Prices vary by country and store. Check the Polish purchase screen; the USD amounts above are US prices. | Unlimited purchases: 24.49–299.99 zł; billing periods are not stated. Streak Restore is a separate purchase. [2] |
Store entries can be different offers. Amounts with no stated period are not presented as monthly or annual prices.
Cal AI: what the vendor documents
Cal AI's FAQ lists photo scanning, barcode scanning and manual search. It also states that a subscription bought on iPhone will not carry over to Android, or vice versa. Check that restriction before paying if you expect to change phones. [3]
- We could not match Cal AI's USD or PLN Unlimited purchases to monthly or annual periods. Health Connect support and a complete Apple Health data list remain unverified.
MacroLog: free and Pro
Logging works offline with local storage, except AI photo and voice logging, which need internet. Multi-device sync is planned and is not available today. Data export is a Pro feature.
- Manual search, unlimited barcode scanning, basic stats and local storage. Free forever, no card.
- Pro adds AI photo logging, voice logging, 12 tracked micronutrients and CSV/JSON export. Photo and voice use Gemini and need internet access. Accuracy is not guaranteed; low-confidence items are flagged for your review.
- MacroLog is available on iOS and Android, with no web app. Multi-device sync is planned. Photo and voice logging require both Pro and internet access.
Apple Health on iOS / Health Connect on Android: writes calories, protein, carbs, fat, 12 micronutrients, water and weight; reads weight (two-way), steps and active energy. Steps and active energy are informational only and never change the calorie budget.
Health sync and daily use
The FAQ provides an Apple Health connection step. A complete list of synced data types is not stated by vendor. [3]
Not stated by vendor; the FAQ names Google Fit on Android. [3]
Check both the data type and its direction. A connection badge does not promise that a complete food diary will move between apps. MacroLog multi-device sync is planned, and health integration does not change that status.
Prices and billing periods
Prices were read on 10 September 2026. USD amounts refer to US offers; PLN amounts come from the Polish App Store. We did not convert currencies. The table distinguishes named billing periods from purchases with no stated duration.
Pro: $5.99/month or $49/year in the US. The first week costs $2: a paid trial, not a free trial. Prices vary by country and store.
A store listing can include several prices for the same plan. The final purchase screen determines the amount, billing period and renewal terms offered to you. A free download is not proof of an ongoing free subscription.
Which fits your needs?
Cal AI is an option for subscription-based photo logging. MacroLog is an option if you want to keep searching foods and scanning barcodes without a subscription, and buy photo or voice logging only through Pro. [3]
- Manual search, unlimited barcode scanning, basic stats and local storage. Free forever, no card.
- MacroLog is available on iOS and Android, with no web app. Multi-device sync is planned. Photo and voice logging require both Pro and internet access.
Frequently asked questions
What this does not solve
- We did not run a side-by-side app test, measure photo accuracy or check every regional paywall. Vendor descriptions establish advertised availability, not measured performance.
- We could not match Cal AI's USD or PLN Unlimited purchases to monthly or annual periods. Health Connect support and a complete Apple Health data list remain unverified.
- MacroLog is available on iOS and Android, with no web app. Multi-device sync is planned. Photo and voice logging require both Pro and internet access.
What this is based on
MacroLog publishes this page and is not neutral. Sources below were read on 10 September 2026 through browser retrieval or the verified sibling articles explicitly identified here. Command-line curl requests failed with DNS errors.
- US App Store — read 10 September 2026
- Polish App Store — read 10 September 2026
- Vendor product/help page — read 10 September 2026
- Cal AI review, verified today — read 10 September 2026. Verified sibling article; the original vendor sources are linked there.
Unsuccessful source checks on 10 September 2026:
- Google Play, Poland (hl=pl, gl=PL) — attempted 10 September 2026; unavailable in this run. No unsupported facts were inferred from it.
MacroLog features and prices follow our product documentation, reviewed 10 September 2026. Unverified rival features are marked as not stated in the checked sources.