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You're standing in the grocery store, trying to scan a barcode in MyFitnessPal, and suddenly you hit a paywall. Frustrating, right?
If you're wondering about the myfitnesspal app cost and whether you actually need to pay for it, you're not alone. Thousands of people search "do you have to pay for myfitnesspal" every month because the line between free and paid features keeps getting blurrier.
Here's the truth: MyFitnessPal offers a free version, but many features you might expect have moved behind a premium paywall. The cost of MyFitnessPal Premium ranges from $8.34 to $24.99 per month, depending on which plan you choose.
In this complete breakdown, I'll show you exactly how much does myfitnesspal cost, what you get with each tier, and whether the investment actually makes sense for your goals. We'll compare Free vs Premium vs Premium+, look at real reviews of the fitness pal app, and help you decide whether to upgrade or stick with the free version.
By the end, you'll know exactly what you're paying for and whether there are better alternatives for your money.
Let's dive in.
What is MyFitnessPal?
MyFitnessPal is a calorie-counting and nutrition tracking app that helps you monitor your food intake and reach your fitness goals. With over 200 million users worldwide, it's one of the most popular health apps available.
The app features a massive database of over 14 million foods, making it easy to log meals and track macros. You can set weight loss or gain goals, monitor your daily calorie intake, and sync the app with fitness trackers and other health devices.
Whether you're trying to lose weight, build muscle, or simply eat healthier, MyFitnessPal gives you the tools to track your nutrition. But the real question is: how much does this tracking cost you?
How Much Does MyFitnessPal App Cost? (2025-2026 Pricing Overview)
Let's cut straight to the numbers. The MyFitnessPal appp cost varies depending on which version you choose, and the differences are significant.
MyFitnessPal offers three tiers: Free, Premium, and Premium+. Each comes with different features and different price points.
Here's the complete pricing breakdown:
Free Version
- Cost: $0
- Basic calorie tracking
- Limited features
- Ads throughout the app
Premium+ (Best Value)
- Monthly Plan: $24.99 per month
- Annual Plan: $99.99 per year ($8.34/month)
- Savings: 67% off when you pay annually
- Full meal planning features
- Ad-free experience
The annual plan saves you about $200 compared to paying monthly. That's a massive difference if you're planning to use the app long-term.
But here's what most people want to know: do you have to pay for myfitnesspal to actually use it effectively?
The answer is complicated. While the free version exists, many core features that used to be free have moved behind the paywall. Features like barcode scanning, custom macro goals, and detailed nutrient tracking now require a premium subscription.
MyFitnessPal Pricing Comparison Table
Breaking Down the Real Cost
When you calculate how much does myfitnesspal cost per day, the numbers look different:
- Premium+ Monthly: $0.83 per day
- Premium+ Annual: $0.27 per day
That's less than a cup of coffee. But the question isn't whether it's affordable. The question is whether you'll actually use the premium features enough to justify the cost.
Most fitness pal app reviews mention that the free version feels intentionally limited. Features that were once free, like the barcode scanner, moved to premium in recent years. This frustrated long-time users who felt the app was becoming less accessible.
The myfitnesspal app cost has also increased over time. A few years ago, premium was significantly cheaper. The current pricing reflects added features like meal planning and grocery integration, but it also means a bigger commitment from users.
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Try for FREEWhat You Get with MyFitnessPal's Free Version
Let's talk about what the free version actually offers. Because yes, you can use MyFitnessPal without paying a dime, but you need to understand the limitations.
The free plan gives you access to the basics of this nutrition app. You can log meals, track calories, and work toward your fitness goals without spending money. But the experience feels stripped down compared to what premium users get.
Core Features in the Free Version
Food Logging and Database Access
The myfitnesspal app gives you access to one of the largest food databases in any calorie counter app. With over 14 million foods, you can find almost anything you eat.
You can log food manually by searching the database. This comprehensive food library includes restaurant meals, packaged foods, and user-submitted recipes. It's available on both the Apple App Store and Google Play Store.
The food journal functionality works well enough for basic calorie tracking. You can see your daily totals and track your eating habits over time.
Basic Calorie and Nutrition Tracking
Free users can track calories and see basic macronutrient breakdowns. The app shows you how much protein, carbs, and fat you're consuming each day.
You'll see your fitness progress and how your food habits align with your health goals. The calorie tracker gives you a clear picture of whether you're eating too much or too little.
This works fine if your only goal is to lose weight or maintain weight through simple calorie counting. Many people have successfully used just the free version to reach their weight loss goals.
Exercise and Fitness Logging
The free version includes fitness logging tools. You can track your workouts, log cardio sessions, and connect certain fitness tracker devices.
Your health and fitness progress appears on your dashboard. You can see how exercise impacts your daily calorie budget and adjust your eating accordingly.
Community Features
MyFitnessPal's free plan includes access to community forums and friend connections. You can share your fitness journey with others, get support, and stay motivated.
What's Missing from the Limited Free Version
Here's where things get frustrating. Many features you'd expect from a modern food tracking app are locked behind the premium subscription.
No Free Barcode Scanner
This is the biggest complaint in fitness pal app reviews. The barcode scanner used to be free, but MyFitnessPal moved it to premium only.
Now, free users must manually search and log every packaged food. This makes food tracking significantly slower and more tedious. When you're trying to quickly log your breakfast, typing everything manually gets old fast.
Ads Everywhere
The free version bombards you with advertisements. You'll see ads between screens, at the bottom of pages, and while browsing the food database.
These ads slow down the app and make the user experience clunky. If you're trying to quickly log food between meetings or at the gym, the ads become genuinely annoying.
No Custom Macro Goals
Free users get stuck with MyFitnessPal's default macro calculations. You cannot customize your protein, carb, or fat targets.
This is a huge limitation if you follow a specific diet like low carb, keto, or high-protein. Athletes and bodybuilders who need precise macro tracking find the limited free version almost useless.
No Advanced Nutrition Insights
Want to track your fiber intake? Your sodium? Your micronutrients? Too bad. The free plan only shows basic calories and macros.
Free users miss out on deeper nutrition insights that help you understand your eating patterns and make healthier choices.
No Meal Planning Tools
The free version offers zero help with meal plans. You're completely on your own to figure out what to eat.
There's no custom meal planner, no personalized meal plans, and no access to the 1,500+ healthy recipes that premium users enjoy. You get no exclusive food inspiration or guidance.
Who Should Stick with the Free Version?
The free plan works for specific types of users:
- Complete Beginners: If you've never tracked food before and want to dip your toes in, start free. You'll learn the basics of calorie counting without financial commitment.
- Casual Trackers: People who only track occasionally or during specific weight loss pushes can get by with the free version.
- Budget-Conscious Users: If money is tight and you're willing to deal with ads and manual logging, the free version accomplishes basic calorie tracking.
- Simple Goals: If you just want to count calories to lose weight or gain weight, and you don't care about macros or meal planning, free might be enough.
MyFitnessPal Membership+: What You're Really Paying For
Now let's break down what you actually get when you upgrade to the premium version. Is the myfitnesspal cost worth it? Let's look at every feature included in the premium plan.
Faster and Easier Food Tracking App
The biggest upgrade in myfitnesspal premium is how much faster you can log food. Premium removes the biggest friction points that slow down free users.
Barcode Scanner
The barcode scanner is back when you upgrade. Point your phone at any packaged food and instantly log it.
This feature alone saves hours over the course of a month. Instead of typing "Greek yogurt, plain, nonfat" and scrolling through dozens of options, you scan and move on in two seconds.
For busy people trying to maintain healthier habits, this speed matters. Food tracking easier means you're more likely to stick with it long-term.
Meal Scan Photo Logging
Meal scan lets you take a photo of your plate and the app identifies the foods. The technology isn't perfect, but it works surprisingly well for common foods.
You can log your whole meal in seconds instead of adding each item individually. This makes tracking restaurant meals and home-cooked dishes much faster.
Voice Logging
Talk to your phone instead of typing. Say "two eggs, one slice of toast, and a banana" and the app logs it.
Voice logging works great when your hands are busy or you're driving. It's another tool that makes consistent food tracking more realistic for people with busy lives.
Custom Meal Planner and Recipe Library
Premium+ includes a full custom meal planner that generates personalized meal plans based on your health goals and dietary preferences.
1,500+ Healthy Recipes
The recipe library gives you exclusive food inspiration for breakfast, lunch, dinner, and snacks. Every recipe includes full nutrition information and fits within your calorie and macro targets.
You can filter recipes by:
- Diet type (low carb, vegetarian, vegan, keto, paleo)
- Prep time
- Ingredients you have on hand
- Specific nutrition goals
This solves the "what should I eat?" problem that derails so many people's fitness journey.
Personalized Meal Plans
The meal planner creates weekly meal plans tailored to your specific goals. Whether you want to lose weight, gain weight, or maintain weight, the planner adjusts portions and recipes accordingly.
Plans consider your:
- Target calories and macros
- Food preferences and restrictions
- Cooking skill level
- Available prep time
- Budget constraints
Each week, you get a complete plan with breakfast, lunch, dinner, and snacks already mapped out. No more decision fatigue about what to eat.
Grocery Delivery Integration
Premium+ syncs your meal plans with grocery delivery services. The app generates shopping lists automatically based on your weekly meal plan.
You can send that list directly to Instacart, Amazon Fresh, or other grocery delivery integration partners. This feature is currently only available in the United States, but it's genuinely useful for making healthy eating more convenient.
Advanced Tracking and Insights
Premium unlocks more advanced tools for understanding your nutrition and fitness progress.
Custom Macro Goals
Set your own targets for protein, carbs, and fat instead of using MyFitnessPal's defaults. This is essential for anyone following a specific nutrition plan.
Athletes need high protein. Keto dieters need high fat and low carb. Endurance runners might want more carbs. Premium lets you dial in these numbers precisely.
Macros by Meal
See how your macros break down across breakfast, lunch, dinner, and snacks. This helps you identify patterns in your eating habits.
Maybe you're not getting enough protein at breakfast, or you're eating too many carbs at night. These nutrition insights help you adjust and optimize.
Detailed Nutrient Tracking
Track micronutrients like fiber, sodium, sugar, vitamins, and minerals. The free version only shows basic calories and macros.
Premium users can monitor their whole food focus and ensure they're getting complete nutrition, not just hitting calorie targets.
Intermittent Fasting Tracker
Premium+ includes an intermittent fasting tracker built directly into the app. Set your fasting window and the app reminds you when to start and stop eating.
For people combining calorie counting with intermittent fasting tracking, this integration is convenient. You don't need a separate fasting app.
Ad-Free Experience
Premium removes all advertisements from the myfitnesspal app. The interface becomes cleaner, faster, and less frustrating.
This might seem minor, but the ad free experience genuinely improves daily use. You can log meals quickly without waiting for ads to load or accidentally clicking them.
Priority Customer Support
Premium subscribers get priority customer support with faster response times. If you encounter bugs or have questions about features, you move to the front of the support queue.
For most users, this isn't a dealbreaker feature. But if you rely heavily on the app and need technical help, priority support provides peace of mind.
What Premium+ Doesn't Include
It's worth noting what you don't get, even with the premium subscription:
- No Personal Coaching: This is a self-service health and nutrition app. You don't get one-on-one guidance from nutritionists or trainers.
- No Workout Programming: While you can track fitness, MyFitnessPal doesn't provide structured workout plans. It's primarily a nutrition app, not a comprehensive fitness tracker.
- Limited Device Integrations: MyFitnessPal syncs with some fitness tracker devices, but not all. Check compatibility before assuming your specific device will work.
- Meal Planner Geographic Limits: The grocery delivery integration only works in certain countries. International users get meal plans and recipes but cannot sync with local grocery services.
Is Premium+ Worth $99.99 Per Year?
Let's do the math on value. At $99.99 annually, you're paying about $8.34 per month or $0.27 per day.
Compare that to:
- One meal at a fast-food restaurant: $8-12
- A single nutrition coaching session: $50-150
- A month of meal kit delivery: $200-300
- Other weight loss apps with similar features: $60-200 per year
From a pure cost perspective, the myfitnesspal membership is competitively priced for what you get.
The real question is whether you'll use these features. The meal planner and recipe library are valuable if you struggle with meal planning. The barcode scanner saves significant time if you track consistently.
But if you only log food occasionally, or if you're happy manually searching the food database, the premium features might sit unused.
Who Should Upgrade to Premium+?
Premium+ makes sense for:
- Serious Trackers: People who log meals daily and want the process to be as fast as possible. The barcode scanner and meal scan are game-changers for consistent tracking.
- Macro Counters: Anyone who needs custom macro goals for bodybuilding, athletic training, or specific diet protocols. The free version's limitations make precise macro tracking impossible.
- Meal Planning Strugglers: If you waste time every day wondering what to eat, or if you frequently resort to unhealthy takeout because you didn't plan, the meal planner justifies the cost.
- Low Carb and Specialty Dieters: People following keto, paleo, or other specific eating patterns benefit from filtered recipe suggestions and custom macro tracking.
- Time-Strapped Professionals: Busy people who value convenience will appreciate voice logging, meal scan, and automated grocery lists. These features turn food tracking from a 10-minute chore into a 2-minute task.
Who Should Skip Premium+?
Save your money if:
You're Just Starting Out: New to calorie counting? Try the free version first. Use the free premium trial to test features, then decide if you need them long-term.
You Have Simple Goals: If you only want to count calories for basic weight loss, the free version handles that. You don't need meal plans and macro tracking.
You're Inconsistent: If you only track food sporadically, you won't get value from premium features. Don't pay for tools you won't use regularly.
You're on a Tight Budget: The free plan accomplishes basic calorie tracking. If $100 per year strains your budget, stick with free and manually log your foods.
You Already Meal Prep: If you already have a meal planning system that works, you don't need MyFitnessPal's meal planner. The barcode scanner alone doesn't justify the cost for everyone.
Common Complaints and What MyFitnessPal Gets Wrong
No health and fitness app is perfect, and MyFitnessPal has its fair share of problems. Let's look at what users consistently complain about in fitness pal app reviews.
The Barcode Scanner Paywall Backlash
This is the number one complaint across the Apple App Store and Google Play reviews. Users who relied on the free barcode scanner for years suddenly found it locked behind the premium subscription.
The backlash was immediate and intense. Long-time users felt betrayed. Many had recommended MyFitnessPal to friends specifically because of the free scanner.
Moving such a core feature to premium made the app feel greedy. Users argued that barcode scanning should be a basic feature in any modern food tracking app, not a premium luxury.
Some users abandoned MyFitnessPal entirely over this change. They switched to other fitness apps that still offer free barcode scanning.
Inaccurate Food Database Entries
MyFitnessPal's massive food database is both a strength and a weakness. With millions of user-submitted entries, accuracy becomes a serious problem.
You'll find multiple entries for the same food with wildly different calorie counts. Some entries are correct. Others are completely wrong. There's no easy way to tell which is accurate without cross-checking other sources.
This creates problems when you're trying to track calories precisely. If you accidentally select an incorrect entry, your daily totals will be off. Over time, these errors compound and can sabotage your health and fitness goals.
Premium users face the same database accuracy issues as free users. Paying for the premium plan doesn't give you access to verified or more accurate food data.
Excessive Ads in the Free Version
Free users report that advertisements have become increasingly aggressive. Ads appear between screens, during food searches, and while viewing your food journal.
The ads slow down the app experience significantly. Users trying to quickly log food find themselves waiting for ads to load or accidentally clicking them.
Some ads are also poorly targeted. Users see advertisements for junk food and unhealthy eating while trying to maintain healthier habits. This feels counterproductive in a health and nutrition app.
The ad free experience in premium is genuinely better, but many users feel the free version's ads are intentionally intrusive to push upgrades.
Limited Customization Options
Even premium users find customization options lacking. You cannot fully customize your dashboard, rearrange how information displays, or hide features you don't use.
The app forces everyone into the same basic layout. If you don't care about certain metrics or features, you're stuck seeing them anyway.
Other nutrition app competitors offer more flexibility in how users view and interact with their data.
Meal Planner Geographic Limitations
The custom meal planner and grocery delivery integration only work in select countries. International users pay the same myfitnesspal cost but get fewer features.
This geographic limitation frustrates users in Canada, UK, Australia, and other countries. They can access recipes but cannot sync grocery lists with local delivery services.
MyFitnessPal hasn't been transparent about plans to expand these features globally.
Recipe Integration Issues
The meal planner recipes sometimes don't sync properly with your food diary. Users report having to manually adjust portions or ingredients even when following the plan exactly.
Some recipes also assume you're cooking for multiple people. If you live alone, scaling recipes down becomes complicated. The app doesn't always adjust ingredient amounts accurately.
Privacy and Data Concerns
MyFitnessPal experienced a major data breach in 2018 that affected 150 million users. While the company improved security since then, some users remain concerned about trusting the app with health data.
The app also shares anonymized data with partners for research and advertising purposes. Premium subscribers receive the same data handling as free users. Paying doesn't give you additional privacy protections.
Customer Support Response Times
Despite promising priority customer support for premium subscribers, many users report slow response times. Email tickets can take days or weeks to receive answers.
The New York Times and World Report have noted customer service as a weak point for MyFitnessPal compared to competitors.
For technical issues or billing problems, the slow support creates frustration, especially for paying customers.
No Mental Health Considerations
MyFitnessPal provides no safeguards or support for users with eating disorders. The app's focus on calorie counting and weight tracking can trigger unhealthy behaviors in susceptible individuals.
Mental health experts have criticized fitness tracking apps, including MyFitnessPal, for potentially contributing to disordered eating patterns.
The app includes no warnings, no resources for eating disorder support, and no features to promote a healthy relationship with food beyond simple calorie counting.
If you have a history of eating disorders or obsessive food tracking, discuss with a healthcare provider before using any calorie counter app.
Battery and Performance Issues
Users consistently report that the myfitnesspal app drains phone batteries quickly. The app runs in the background and syncs frequently, consuming more power than necessary.
Performance issues also plague older phones. The app can lag, freeze, or crash, especially when searching the large food database or loading meal plans.
These technical problems affect both free and premium users equally.
Subscription Management Confusion
Some users report difficulty canceling their premium subscription. The cancellation process isn't always clear, and users sometimes get charged even after thinking they canceled.
The myfitnesspal membership auto-renews by default. If you forget to cancel before the renewal date, you're charged for another year.
Monthly subscription users trying to switch to the cheaper annual plan often encounter confusing interfaces that make the change difficult.
Better Alternatives for Fitness Professionals and Their Clients
MyFitnessPal works fine for individuals tracking their own nutrition. But if you're a personal trainer, nutritionist, or fitness coach working with clients, the app has serious limitations.
The myfitnesspal app wasn't designed for professional coaching relationships. It's built for solo users, not trainers managing multiple clients.
FitBudd: Built for Fitness Professionals
FitBudd is an all-in-one platform designed specifically for personal trainers and fitness coaches. Unlike general fitness apps, FitBudd focuses on the professional coaching relationship.
Complete Client Management
FitBudd gives trainers a centralized dashboard to manage all clients. You can:
- View every client's nutrition and workout data in one place
- Track progress across multiple metrics simultaneously
- Send personalized feedback and coaching directly in-app
- Monitor client check-ins and adherence
This eliminates the back-and-forth of screenshots and text messages that plague trainers using consumer apps.
Integrated Nutrition and Training
FitBudd combines food tracking with workout programming. Create complete training plans that include:
- Custom workout programs with video demonstrations
- Nutrition guidance and meal plans
- Habit tracking for sleep, water, and other health goals
- Progress photos and body measurements
Everything your client needs lives in one app. They don't juggle multiple fitness tracking tools.
Branded Mobile App Experience
FitBudd provides a white-labeled app with your business branding. Your clients download an app with your logo, your colors, and your business name.
This professional presentation builds your brand and creates a premium coaching experience that justifies higher rates.
Business Management Tools
FitBudd includes features that help run your fitness business:
- Integrated payment processing for training packages
- Automated billing and subscription management
- Client scheduling and appointment booking
- Digital waivers and onboarding forms
- Client communication and messaging
You spend less time on administrative tasks and more time coaching.
Better for Client Accountability
When clients use your branded app instead of a generic nutrition app, they feel more connected to your coaching program. The app becomes an extension of your training relationship.
FitBudd's built-in accountability features help clients stay on track:
- Daily check-in prompts
- Habit streak tracking
- Progress celebrations and milestones
- Direct trainer communication for questions
Clients stick with their fitness journey longer when they have this level of structure and support.
FitBudd vs MyFitnessPal: For Trainers
Who Should Choose FitBudd
FitBudd makes sense for:
- Personal Trainers: If you train clients one-on-one, either in-person or online, FitBudd streamlines your entire business.
- Online Coaches: Building an online fitness business requires professional tools. FitBudd gives you the infrastructure to scale.
- Gym Owners: Manage all your gym's trainers and their clients from one platform. Track facility-wide progress and engagement.
- Nutrition Coaches: Even if you focus primarily on nutrition without workouts, FitBudd's meal planning and tracking tools work better for coaching relationships than consumer apps.
- Group Training Programs: Run challenges, boot camps, or group programs with tools designed for managing multiple participants simultaneously.
Final Thoughts
MyFitnessPal remains one of the most popular fitness tracking apps for good reason. The massive food database, cross-platform availability, and comprehensive tracking features work well for millions of users.
But the company's decisions to move core features like barcode scanning behind paywalls, combined with persistent database accuracy issues, create legitimate frustrations.
For individuals serious about tracking their nutrition and fitness goals, the premium subscription delivers enough value to justify the cost. The time savings alone add up over months of daily use.
For casual trackers or people just starting their fitness journey, begin with the free version. Take advantage of the free premium trial to test features before committing.
And if you're a fitness professional, remember that consumer apps like MyFitnessPal weren't built for your needs. Platforms designed for trainers will serve you and your clients far better.
Ready to Take Your Fitness Tracking to the Next Level?
Whether you choose MyFitnessPal or explore alternatives like FitBudd, the most important thing is finding tools that support your health goals consistently.
The best nutrition app is the one you'll actually use every day. Choose based on your specific needs, budget, and how the features align with your fitness journey.
Start tracking, stay consistent, and let the data guide your decisions toward better health and fitness.
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