Why Look for a MyFitnessPal Alternative?
MyFitnessPal pioneered calorie counting apps and built an enormous food database. But in 2026, it's no longer the obvious choice for UK users:
- Aggressive advertising: Constant interruptions with banner ads, video ads, and upgrade prompts
- Expensive premium: £19.99/month or £79.99/year for basic features like meal planning
- Poor UK database: Many UK supermarket products missing or using incorrect US data
- Barcode scanner paywall: Essential scanning feature now locked behind subscription
- Bloated interface: Packed with unnecessary features, social feeds, and sponsored content
- Privacy concerns: Sold to Francisco Partners in 2020, extensive data collection practices
The good news? Several UK-focused alternatives offer better value, cleaner interfaces, and more accurate nutrition data for British foods.
Best MyFitnessPal Alternatives for UK Users (2026)
1. NutraSafe
Best for: Vitamin tracking, food safety, allergy warnings
NutraSafe goes beyond calorie counting to track ~25 vitamins and minerals, making it the only app that shows both macros and micronutrients side-by-side. Built specifically for UK supermarket products with instant barcode scanning and comprehensive allergen warnings.
Pros
- Tracks vitamins & minerals (unique feature)
- 5 free barcode scans per day (no subscription required)
- Instant allergen warnings for your profile
- Clean interface with no ads
- Accurate UK database (Tesco, Sainsbury's, Asda)
- Food additive analysis (E-numbers)
- Apple Health integration
Cons
- Newer app with smaller user database
- iOS only (Android coming soon)
- Limited social features
2. Nutracheck
Best for: UK-specific calorie database, barcode scanning
Nutracheck is a UK-built calorie counter with an impressive database of British supermarket products, restaurant chains, and packaged foods. Their barcode scanner recognizes nearly every UK product without relying on US data.
Pros
- Excellent UK food database (best accuracy)
- Barcode scanner works brilliantly
- Meal plans tailored for UK tastes
- Clean, focused interface
- Recipe importer for UK sites
- Supportive UK-based community
Cons
- No free tier (trial only)
- Doesn't track micronutrients
- Subscription required for all features
3. Lose It!
Best for: Simple calorie tracking, habit building
Lose It! offers a cleaner alternative to MyFitnessPal with less aggressive advertising and a more streamlined interface. The free version is genuinely usable, though UK database coverage isn't as comprehensive as Nutracheck.
Pros
- Clean interface with minimal ads
- Barcode scanner (free tier)
- Large food database
- Habit tracking features
- Photo food logging
- Reasonable premium pricing
Cons
- US-focused database
- Many UK products missing
- Premium required for macros
4. Cronometer
Best for: Micronutrient tracking, precise nutrition data
Cronometer is the gold standard for nutrition tracking accuracy. It tracks 82 micronutrients using verified USDA and NCCDB data, making it perfect for serious nutrition optimization beyond simple calorie counting.
Pros
- Tracks 82+ micronutrients (most comprehensive)
- Extremely accurate nutritional data
- Custom biometric tracking
- No ads, clean interface
- Export data to CSV
- Keto, vegan, paleo diet support
Cons
- Steeper learning curve
- Smaller UK food database
- Less social features
5. Yazio
Best for: Intermittent fasting, European users
German-built Yazio combines calorie counting with intermittent fasting tracking, making it ideal if you follow time-restricted eating patterns. Better European food database than US-focused apps.
Pros
- Built-in fasting timer
- Good European food database
- Barcode scanner (free)
- Recipe database with UK options
- Water tracking
- Clean, modern interface
Cons
- Some UK products missing
- Premium required for macros
- Frequent upgrade prompts
6. Lifesum
Best for: Diet plans, recipe ideas, beautiful design
Lifesum focuses on structured diet plans (keto, Mediterranean, high protein) with recipe suggestions and meal planning. The app is beautifully designed but leans heavily towards premium features.
Pros
- Gorgeous interface design
- Structured diet plans
- Recipe suggestions
- Life score gamification
- Macro tracking
Cons
- Very limited free features
- UK database gaps
- Expensive premium
- Barcode scanner locked behind paywall
7. FatSecret
Best for: Genuinely free features, budget-conscious users
FatSecret is one of the few remaining apps that offers genuinely useful features completely free. No paywall for barcode scanning, macro tracking, or meal planning. The catch? Ads and a dated interface.
Pros
- 100% free (all features)
- Barcode scanner included
- Macro tracking free
- Meal plans free
- Large food database
- Community recipes
Cons
- Dated interface
- Contains ads
- UK database accuracy variable
- Less polish than competitors
Quick Comparison Table
| App | Free Tier | Barcode Scanner | UK Database | Micronutrients | Best For |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| NutraSafe | ✓ 5 scans/day | ✓ Free tier | ✓✓✓ Excellent | ✓ ~25 tracked | Vitamin tracking |
| Nutracheck | ✗ Trial only | ✓ Premium | ✓✓✓ Excellent | ✗ | UK accuracy |
| Lose It! | ✓ With ads | ✓ Free tier | ✓✓ Good | ✗ | Simple tracking |
| Cronometer | ✓ Full features | ✓ Free tier | ✓ OK | ✓ 82+ tracked | Nutrition nerds |
| Yazio | ✓ Limited | ✓ Free tier | ✓✓ Good | ✗ | Fasting + calories |
| Lifesum | ✓ Very limited | ✗ Premium only | ✓ OK | ✗ | Diet plans |
| FatSecret | ✓ All features | ✓ Free | ✓✓ Good | ✗ | Budget users |
| MyFitnessPal | ✓ Heavy ads | ✗ Premium only | ✓✓ Good | ✗ | — |
Which MyFitnessPal Alternative Is Right for You?
Choose NutraSafe if:
- You want to track vitamins and minerals, not just calories
- You have allergies or food intolerances
- You shop at UK supermarkets (Tesco, Sainsbury's, Asda)
- You want 5 free scans per day without subscription pressure
- You care about food additives and E-numbers
Choose Nutracheck if:
- You only shop in the UK and want perfect database accuracy
- You're willing to pay for a quality UK-built app
- You want meal plans tailored to British tastes
- You don't need micronutrient tracking
Choose Cronometer if:
- You want to optimize micronutrient intake (keto, vegan, athletic performance)
- You value data accuracy over database size
- You're willing to manually enter some UK foods
- You don't mind a less polished interface
Choose FatSecret if:
- You absolutely cannot pay for an app
- You don't mind ads
- You want barcode scanning and macro tracking free
- You're not too picky about interface design
Final Verdict: Best Overall MyFitnessPal Alternative
For most UK users, we recommend NutraSafe as the best MyFitnessPal alternative in 2026. The combination of vitamin tracking, accurate UK database, 5 free scans per day, and clean ad-free interface makes it the best value.
If you only care about calorie accuracy and are willing to pay, Nutracheck has the best UK database.
If you're a nutrition optimization enthusiast, Cronometer offers unmatched micronutrient tracking with a genuinely useful free tier.
If you need 100% free, FatSecret delivers all essential features without paywalls, though you'll endure ads and a dated interface.
Try NutraSafe Free Today
Track calories, macros, and ~25 vitamins. Get 5 free barcode scans daily. Instant allergen warnings. No ads. Start understanding what you eat beyond just calories.
Download NutraSafe (Free)