MyFitnessPal Barcode Scanner is now paywalled but these are free!

Suppose you’re a fan of the popular calorie-counting app MyFitnessPal. In that case, you may be disappointed to learn that MyFitnessPal’s barcode scanner is now behind a paywall. While this feature was previously free, users will now have to pay a monthly subscription fee to access it. While the company says the new part is worth the $19.99-per-month price tag, many users balked at the unexpected cost. However, there are still some great alternatives out there that offer this same functionality for free. We’ll list three of our favorites.

How MyFitnessPal Used to Be: Free and Easy

For years, MyFitnessPal was an app that offered a barcode scanner as part of its standard features. The app’s scanner was free and easy to use, and users could access it from any device. You can even use it to scan food labels in the grocery store!

Many people use the app to change habits, lose weight, and get in better shape. Being a free user means trade-offs, like the number of ads and the onslaught of pop-ups urging users to go premium. However, The database of food and nutritional value built by users was such a valuable tool it was worth it to many.

Why MyFitnessPal’s Paywall is a Problem

MyFitnessPal’s daily calorie counting is a critical component of the app. The barcode scanner offers a shortcut to finding nutritional value for a specific food item in the app’s vast food database. Much of that database is user-generated, with free and premium users able to add any food by entering the nutrition facts and barcode off a label.

Once October 1st rolls around, free users can still search the database for their food entries. Still, the barcode scanner that helps build the huge MyFitnessPal database will now cost $19.99 per month or $79.99 for an annual plan, along with other premium features. 

3 Free Alternatives to MyFitnessPal’s Barcode Scanner

1. Cron-O-Meter

This app is similar to MyFitnessPal in that it allows users to keep track of their calorie intake and expenditure. However, it offers comprehensive features, including tracking macronutrients (protein, carbohydrates, and fat), vitamins, and minerals. Plus, it’s completely free to use!

Cronometer includes a massive database of exercises, including everyday domestic chores, and even calculates how many calories you burn when operating a car or flying an airplane! It would help if you upgraded to Cronometer Gold to use premium features like timestamps, the fasting timer, and the nutrient oracle.

2. LoseIt

This app is a calorie-tracking powerhouse that offers many features, including the ability to track macros, track your weight loss progress, and connect with friends for support.

The sole purpose of the Lose It! app is to assist users in losing weight. It makes it as simple as possible to keep track of everything you consume. The app has one of the largest food monitoring databases accessible, which contains more than 34 million things.

When creating your profile, you’ll answer several lifestyle-related questions, such as whether you’ve previously tried to lose weight and what drives you to achieve your objectives.

You can create an account and start tracking your diet for free, but if you want to access additional features like custom goals and habit tracking, you’ll need to upgrade.

3. LifeSum

The LifeSum app has made an effort to distance itself from terms like “calorie counter” and “diet app,” referring to itself as a “digital self-care app.”

The Lifesum UI is vibrant and unique. With a built-in barcode scanner and a sizable food database with millions of food items, the app makes updating your food diary a little bit simpler. Lifesum’s habit trackers can assist you in forming enduring, healthy habits if you’re seeking to utilize an app to increase your intake of fruits and vegetables or water.

You can utilize Lifesum’s free basic edition, which has a barcode scanning feature. Still, to access all of its features, you must pay a nominal monthly subscription fee.

Honorable Mentions:

Open Food Facts

The non-profit software Open Food Facts was created to assist users in understanding eating labels and making educated food decisions. Users can search or scan its label to view a product’s nutritional rating, carbon footprint, ingredient list, and allergens. Additionally, users may add food items to lists for later access.

Setting environmental food choices is one of Open Food Facts’ unique features. Users can rank meals according to both their total eco score and their impact on the environment. Additionally, you can define preferences for food processing and highlight allergens in your settings. While Open Food Facts is fantastic for eco-conscious people, you can’t filter items by diet using it.

Fitbit

Fitbit is a fantastic fitness software for activity tracking that enables you to determine how many calories you’ve consumed. It contains a barcode scanner that can search its food database to determine how many nutrients are in a particular food product.

Conclusion

In conclusion, the MyFitnessPal barcode scanner is now paywalled, but free alternative options exist. If you are looking for a free barcode scanner, consider one of the alternatives in the article. With so many options available, there is sure to be a free barcode scanner that meets your needs.