MacroFactor - The Best Calorie Counter App

Note: You can use the code "simple" when you sign up for a free trial.

Macrofactor is the best macro tracking app.

Most macro trackers shame you when you "go over" your target calories. When you find a tool that doesn't wave obnoxious red flags and dramatically simplifies decision-making, there are two natural responses:

1. “This is informative. Why hasn't anyone told me about this before?”
2. “Well, crap. I wish I hadn't sunk all that time into the last app.”

That’s exactly how I felt when I became a beta tester for MacroFactor in September 2021. The app's design has changed quite a bit but its core philosophy has never shifted;

"Adherence-neutral calorie and macro adjustments. You’re completely in control of every step of the process. You set a goal, and we tell you how to get there, but it’s totally fine if you don’t follow our advice." - Greg Nuckols

I think most former athletes can identify with the struggles I've had transitioning my relationship with food into retirement. MF has helped me gain a sense of what I truly need in a given day without judging me for occasionally slipping up in my adherence.

I'm sharing an app that I love but, I do coach for Stronger by Science. This probably reads like a sales pitch but you should use it anyway. The only way I'll get a kickback is if you use the code "simple" when you sign up.

Codes don't change the price of MF, just helps me pay the bills.

My criteria for the best calorie counter app are:

• An easy-to-use user interface (UI).
• Less is more - most apps add poor features that hurt functionality.
• An understanding and empathy for the core user.
• A balance of ease and use - adjusting to serve the core user's emerging needs.
• A well-maintained database - that accurately recognizes common foods and accommodates dietary restrictions
• Offline functionality (a plus when possible)
• A free or limited trial (to see if it's a good fit)
• Personalization - If you enter the same foods often, it should be quick.

I did my best to avoid slanting this article to paint other apps in a negative light. I have personally used these and would recommend all but one to a friend.

Note: app functionality is ever-changing so this review will always be out of date. I hesitated to include past experiences, but at least it provides you with a loose expectation.

I'm pretty lazy. MF has a lot of advanced user edits available if you want to get into it but out of the box, it works very well.

You can enter foods by search, barcode, and even use a clever voice input feature called "AI describe". I don't use it often but it's pretty accurate.

MF can cache foods that you've entered before. That's come in handy for me when attempting to log snacks I packed before a hike.

Happy Scale is a super simple weight trend tracking app that I've used to get an idea of the direction that my weight was going. If you can think back to all the times you've weighed yourself, it can be super surprising to learn how much you fluctuate daily. MF did a great job of infusing that same concept into the modeling of weight trends in the app. I wish all apps would adopt this feature.

As of this writing, MacroFactor has 431 ratings with an overall score of 4.7 out of 5 on the apple store.

One of the most critical reviews;

"Big fan of Jeff and Greg but the UI of this app is overly complicated to use in my opinion. The process of logging and visualizing meals is cumbersome and I feel there is a bit of data overload. Logging a meal from the home screen and being able to see meals each day should be simpler." "burfeckt" on the apple app store 10/23/21.

One of the most favorable reviews from "RoseT314" on 3/28/22:

"I have been a longtime user of MFP until using MacroFactor. I had gotten so used to MFP that I didn't realize how antiquated and inadequate it was until switching. I also really appreciate the monthly digests that MacroFactor emails to its users with helpful tips and updates on current and future app developments. Make the switch and you'll never look back".

Based on what you're looking for, this app is worth it. If you're interested in learning more about the science behind nutrition and want to pay more attention to what you eat, this is a super solid choice.

If you want to learn more about micronutrients, some of that data varies by food source. I've heard that Cronometer is better at that.

MacroFactor is a paid app. MF does offer a free trial period to see if the app is right for you.

If you would like a free app, I think these two apps are good options:

• FitGenie - I used this for a couple of years
• MyPlate by Livestrong - Also used this for years

You could try to use MyFitnessPal if you accept it for its flaws. It's been around for over 17 years so many people find some value in it. I picked Livestrong over MFP when I compared the two because the UI was simpler.

Yes, and it's not even close. From the design to food database accuracy, in my experience, I've had a lot of trouble using MyFitnessPal to try and track my intake.

Many entries in MyFitnessPal were user-entered and contained a number of errors. In addition, the math often seemed incorrect when totaling up the calories from my food and my daily totals. I tried to account for the difference by considering if they were using net carbohydrates but it still didn't measure up.

To top it all off, MyFitnessPal recently made things less user-friendly and put their barcode scanner behind a paywall. For $19.99 a month, you can use a basic feature.

MacroFactor has varying subscription prices that vary based on plan length:

• Month to month - $11.99 per month
• Yearly - $5.99 per month, for 12 months, paid upfront at $71.99
• Every 6 months - $7.99 per month, paid upfront at $47.99

I would recommend that you start with a free trial and set a reminder to re-evaluate a day or two before it runs out.

We don't talk more about Nutrition outside of the basics at Simple Solutions Fitness but we're happy to recommend Macrofactor. Use the affiliate code or promo code "simple" when you sign up for an extended 14-day free trial.

We're not the only ones, for a breakdown of the best paid and free diet apps, read this article on Lifehacker.com