Cronometer — the best free all-rounder. Clean, accurate, and the free version does everything you need.
2
Easy Diet Diary — if you want the easiest Aussie experience. Australian-made, totally free, no ads.
3
OpenNutriTracker — if open-source & privacy matter. Free, no ads, your data stays on your phone.
The top three
Ranked by how well they fit what you actually asked for — not by who's loudest on TikTok.
1
Cronometer
The best free all-rounder. A genuinely clean interface, the most accurate nutrition data in the category, and a free tier that covers calories, macros and barcode scanning.
🆓 Free tier✨ Clean UI🔬 Most accurate
WhyTracks calories, macros and 80+ nutrients from lab-verified sources — reviewers rate it the most accurate tracker out there.
Best forWanting accuracy and a nice interface without paying. Uses Open Food Facts, so most Aussie barcodes scan fine.
The catchThe deepest features (custom charts, some nutrient targets) sit behind a paid Gold tier — but the free version is plenty.
The Australian “easy data” winner. Completely free, no ads, and built around an Australian food database — so logging local groceries and brands is fast.
🆓 100% free🇦🇺 Aussie food DB🚫 No ads
WhyAustralian-made and trusted by AU universities, hospitals and dietitians. Barcode scanner plus a food database built from official Australian sources.
Best forFriction-free logging of foods you'll actually recognise on the shelf at Woolies or Coles.
The catchInterface is clean and practical rather than flashy — function over polish.
Strong in one specific way, if the top three don't click.
Nicest UI · 💲 Paid
MacroFactor
The slickest interface and smartest targets in the whole category (its algorithm adapts to you weekly). The only reason it's not in the top three: it's a paid subscription after a free trial.
Australia's most reliable food database — clinically verified, 26,000+ local foods including fast-food chains. Great if total AU accuracy is the priority.
Still the biggest database (20M+ foods), but it moved the barcode scanner behind a paywall and the free version is ad-heavy. People are describing it as feeling a little outdated, which is why the picks above have overtaken it.
⚠️ The viral AI photo-scan apps
Cal AI, Counter AI, Caloriez and friends are everywhere on TikTok and Instagram right now — snap a photo, get the calories. Fun idea, but the consistent complaint is accuracy: the estimates just aren't reliable enough to base decisions on yet.
What I noticed
1
The free tier is the battleground now. MyFitnessPal locking its barcode scanner pushed people toward Cronometer and FatSecret's free tiers.
2
For Australia, a local database beats a bigger global one. Easy Diet Diary and CalorieKing win because they match real Aussie groceries and fast-food.
3
AI calorie-photo apps dominate the feeds but lose on trust. The estimates aren't accurate enough to rely on.
4
Open-source means private and ad-free. OpenNutriTracker is the clear leader, keeping all your data on the device.