Food diaries differ in their UK food coverage, logging tools and paid features. Compare ten apps in alphabetical order, with the practical limits of calorie estimates kept in view.
By Med EasySources checked 26 October 2026Editorial comparison · not clinically reviewed
10 OPTIONS · A–Z · UK FOCUS
Features first. Small print beside them.
Selected UK-focused options in alphabetical order. No scores, winner or claim to cover the whole market. Published features and prices are an editorial snapshot, not a hands-on test or clinical review. Free download does not mean every feature is free.
What you can comparePublished featuresFree & paid accessDevices & UK fitPractical limitations
All ten at a glance
Names are alphabetical. Prices describe access, not a quality score.
Calorie & food tracking: published access and feature summaries
Augo links the food diary to planning and shopping, rather than treating the log as an isolated calorie total. Its published nutrition features include UK supermarket foods and the option to save a recipe or planned meal into the diary.
What it offers
UK food search and barcode logging
Photo-assisted meal entries
Recipes, meal plans and shopping lists
Limits & things to check
Photo recognition still needs you to check the food and portion.
Suggested meals are not an individual dietetic assessment; check ingredients against your own dietary requirements.
UK fit: The developer describes a UK food database; app tools are free and optional human consultations are separately charged.
Published price / accessFree basic tier; UK iOS Gold Monthly listed at £9.99
Cronometer puts nutrient detail alongside calorie totals. It can help a user examine the food entries behind their intake rather than focusing only on a daily target. The UK listing separates core tracking from Gold tools such as recipe importing and photo or voice logging.
What it offers
Calorie and macronutrient diary
Detailed vitamin and mineral breakdowns
Free barcode scanner and device connections
Limits & things to check
A food diary cannot diagnose a nutrient deficiency.
Gold is optional and renews automatically; annual and promotional purchases may differ from the monthly example.
UK fit: UK iOS price example only; check Android or website billing separately.
Published price / accessFree core diary; optional Premium subscription
FatSecret combines a food diary with weight records and a community. The UK service and country-specific food catalogue are relevant when searching supermarket products. The developer also offers a route to share records with a chosen professional.
What it offers
Food, exercise and weight diaries
Barcode search and meal reminders
Community and optional professional sharing
Limits & things to check
Advanced meal planning and some additional trackers require Premium.
Sharing logs does not include a free clinician consultation; arrange professional support separately.
UK fit: The UK catalogue and app listing are available; confirm the local subscription period and renewal amount.
Published price / accessFree download; optional Premium subscription
Lifesum combines food logging with meal inspiration and habit prompts. Its published tools support several entry methods, including text, barcode and photo, alongside plans for different food preferences. Confirm which tools are included in the subscription you are considering.
What it offers
Food and macronutrient tracking
Water and food-group habit records
Meal plans and grocery lists within the service
Limits & things to check
The full experience requires Premium, with different subscription lengths.
AI food entries and food ratings are aids to logging, not a complete judgement of a person’s diet.
UK fit: UK store availability checked; several offers are listed, so no universal cheapest paid rate is claimed.
Published price / accessFree basic tracking; optional Premium subscription
Lose It! organises nutrition around a personalised calorie budget and a progress record. Its UK listing makes a useful distinction between basic diary features and faster logging methods in Premium. Compare that boundary with how often you expect to scan packaged food.
What it offers
Food diary and calorie budget
Weight and activity records
Premium photo, voice and barcode logging
Limits & things to check
Barcode, photo and voice logging are described as Premium features.
A calculated calorie budget is an estimate; prescribed nutritional advice takes priority over an app target.
UK fit: UK App Store listing verified; paid plans renew unless cancelled through the relevant billing service.
Published price / accessPaid subscription after any eligible free trial
MacroFactor’s nutrition app uses recorded intake and progress to adjust its suggested targets over time. That approach depends on a usable record, so consider the effort of regular logging as well as the subscription cost. Its workouts product is a separate app.
What it offers
Food diary and macro targets
Expenditure estimates that update with recorded data
Nutrition coaching algorithms and progress trends
Limits & things to check
Free download means trial access, rather than an unlimited free nutrition tier.
Its expenditure calculation is an estimate and does not measure metabolism directly.
UK fit: A UK App Store listing is available; confirm the selected nutrition plan and billing period.
Published price / accessFree basic tier; paid Premium and Premium Plus
MyFitnessPal combines a food diary with activity and weight records. Its range of subscriptions makes the exact tier important: the UK listing puts barcode scanning and advanced logging in Premium, while broader meal planning sits in Premium Plus.
What it offers
Food, water and macronutrient records
Saved meals and recipes
Connected activity tracking and paid meal-planning tools
Limits & things to check
The free tier does not include all quick-entry methods advertised across the service.
Review serving sizes and nutrition labels when choosing a database entry.
UK fit: UK listing checked; grocery delivery and other location-dependent services should be confirmed locally before paying.
Published price / accessFree core tracker; optional paid upgrades
MyNetDiary’s free version includes barcode scanning and a food diary, while separate upgrades add more tools. Its UK listing specifically describes local brands and food labels. This comparison uses the free app, which is distinct from a separate paid PRO download.
What it offers
Food diary with free barcode scanning
Calorie, nutrient and water records
Optional AI logging and additional guidance
Limits & things to check
Not every AI or coaching feature belongs to the free tier.
A verified database entry still needs the correct product, portion and preparation method.
UK fit: Check the app name carefully in the UK store: the free and paid PRO downloads are different listings.
Published price / accessFree limited Lite tier; subscription for unlimited diary use
Nutracheck is built around UK food shopping, with recognisable products and a recipe builder for home cooking. The paid service removes the diary limits of Lite. This makes the number of entries you need each day a practical part of the comparison.
What it offers
UK supermarket and restaurant food entries
Barcode search and recipe builder
Calorie, nutrient and exercise records
Limits & things to check
Lite has daily diary limits after the initial trial.
Published offers and store purchase amounts vary; confirm the current UK renewal price and whether web access is included.
UK fit: An indexed £29.99 annual promotion had an expired September 2026 end date, so it is not advertised here as a current offer.
Published price / accessFree core diary; optional Pro subscription
YAZIO combines meal tracking with progress analysis and optional recipe tools. Its help centre distinguishes daily information in the free version from longer reporting periods in Pro. This is useful when deciding whether you need a simple daily diary or extended analysis.
What it offers
Calorie and macronutrient diary
Water, activity and weight records
Pro recipes and longer-term analysis
Limits & things to check
Recipe access and weekly or monthly analysis require Pro.
The developer says AI photo logging gives rough estimates that need checking and editing.
UK fit: UK App Store availability checked; subscription offers differ, so review the local price and renewal term.
No apps match. Try another word or clear the search.
A MORE USEFUL SHORTLIST
Choose for the job you need done.
Test the foods you actually buy
Look up a normal breakfast, a supermarket ready meal and a home-cooked dish. Check the pack size, per-100g value and serving unit against the label. A large database can still contain duplicated or user-entered records. A barcode match saves time but does not remove the need to check whether the nutrition entry matches your pack.
Photo estimates still need your judgement
A photograph may not reveal cooking oil, ingredients hidden under a sauce or how much of the serving you ate. Use photo tools as a convenient starting point and correct quantities where you can. Compare the logging effort you can sustain with the precision you need; more decimal places do not make an uncertain input exact.
Compare the feature you need in the free tier
Free download can mean a basic diary plus a trial, or a limited version with paid features. Check barcode scanning, recipe import, macro views, exports and device connections individually. A subscription’s monthly equivalent can hide an upfront annual bill. Use the official UK checkout to confirm the plan, renewal date and cancellation route before starting a trial.
Tracking is optional, not a test of willpower
Food logging is one way to organise information. It need not be the centre of every health routine. If a numerical diary is unhelpful or distressing, consider a different way to discuss meals and habits with an appropriate professional. An app’s calorie target is not an individual clinical assessment, and automated targets should not override advice from your care team.
How this comparison was prepared
Med Easy checked official product information and UK app-store listings on 26 October 2026. The ten entries are a selected set, not a complete market list. We have not scored the apps, tested every feature, verified comparative results or claimed a registered-clinician review. UK focus means we checked for relevant UK access or information; it does not mean every app was built in Britain.
Where a reliable comparable UK price was unavailable, we say to check the current checkout instead of converting a US price or inventing a billing period. Promotions, account eligibility, store and subscription tier can change the charge. Practical caveats are our interpretation of the published offer, not a survey of complaints.
Inclusion and relationships: Augo appears in every category because its published tools overlap these uses. Its website identifies Medstack as its operator and funder, alongside Monj, iGovy, Ogovy and Dayo, the medicine comparison sites Med Easy links to. Inclusion is not an independent award. Read Augo’s ownership statement and Med Easy’s relationship disclosure.
Before sharing health information, read the app’s privacy terms: what is stored, what reaches AI or analytics services, what appears publicly and how export or deletion works. A convenient tool still deserves a deliberate data-sharing choice.
Questions before you choose
Are calories in an app exact?
No. The result depends on food records, portions, recipes and what was entered. Check the product label and quantities rather than treating a barcode or photograph as a precise measurement.
Is a calorie app required for weight management?
No. These are optional record-keeping tools. Other approaches use meal structure, behavioural support or professional advice without logging every item. Choose support that fits your circumstances.