Source-backed analysis8
Review basis
Research-based review: the AppDuo Editorial Team compiled it from official pages, documentation, app stores, press and user feedback, without hands-on testing. Every claim links to a source with the date it was checked.
8 reference sourcesInformation updated Nov 10, 2026
How we review
Cal AI Review
Photo-based calorie counting, now owned by MyFitnessPal
By AppDuo Editorial Team · Updated
- iOS
- Android
On this page
Decide at a glance
Our verdict
A good fit for people who want the fastest possible meal logging from a single photo and accept some error. The downsides are a paywall on scan results with no clearly stated billing period, a developer-stated accuracy of about 80%, and a privacy policy that allows sharing with advertising partners.
Best for: People who dislike manual entry and need calorie and macro estimates that are good enough.
Skip it if: Anyone who needs gram-level nutrition accuracy, such as for medical conditions or contest prep.
Pros
- A photo, barcode scan or text description gives calories and macros.
- High store ratings: 4.8/5 on the US App Store and 4.5/5 on US Google Play.
- You can add your own foods and recipes and edit values; the website cites a database of over 1 million foods, and per TechCrunch the app is now integrated with MyFitnessPal's food database.
Cons
- Photo scan results need a paid plan, and prices appear only in the in-app purchase list without billing periods.
- Cal AI's own FAQ says it is about 80% accurate; some user reviews mention wrong calorie counts and lost meal entries.
All pros and cons · Who is it for?
Cons
- The privacy policy describes no in-app data deletion and allows sharing with advertising partners.
- Subscriptions do not transfer between iPhone and Android, and MyFitnessPal history cannot be imported yet.
Best for
- iPhone or Android users who want steps synced from Apple Health or Google Fit.
Problems it solves
Experience & key features
What Cal AI is
Cal AI is a calorie-tracking app that uses AI to estimate calories, protein, carbs and fat from a food photo, a barcode or a text description. It first appeared on the App Store in April 2024 and also has an Android version. According to TechCrunch (2 March 2026), the app was built by two high school students and passed 15 million downloads and $30 million in annual revenue in under two years, figures supplied by MyFitnessPal.
How it works and accuracy
The website says the app uses the phone's depth sensor to estimate food volume, has a database of over 1 million foods, lets you add your own foods and recipes, logs water and exercise, and syncs steps through Apple Health or Google Fit. Its own FAQ says it is about 80% accurate and that results depend on lighting and focus. No independent, verified test turned up in the sources read, and user reviews are mixed: one App Store reviewer reports error usually within 10%, another describes absurd calorie counts.
Pricing and terms
The App Store states that photo analysis results require a subscription. The website advertises a 3-day trial but lists no prices. The US App Store in-app purchase list shows "Unlimited" items from $2.99 to $29.99 without billing periods, so this review does not convert them to a monthly or yearly price. The terms require users to be 13 or older, with parental consent for ages 13 to 17, and plans auto-renew unless cancelled 24 hours before the period ends.
More analysis
Ownership and alternatives
MyFitnessPal acquired Cal AI; TechCrunch says the deal closed in December 2025 and was announced on 2 March 2026, with financial terms undisclosed and the app staying independent. People who want a large food database and deeper tracking tools can look at MyFitnessPal, Lose It!, Cronometer or MacroFactor; Cal AI leans toward logging speed rather than data depth.
Screenshots
Plans & pricing
Prices last verified Nov 10, 2026
Unlimited
PersonalContact sales
The website and Google Play publish no price. The US App Store in-app purchase list shows several "Unlimited" items from $2.99 to $29.99 without billing periods, so this review does not convert them to a monthly or yearly price. The App Store states that food-scan analysis results require a subscription. The website offers a 3-day free trial, cancel anytime, and plans auto-renew unless cancelled at least 24 hours before the period ends. The FAQ also mentions a family plan.
- Free plan limits
- The app is free to download, but per the App Store listing, photo food analysis results require a subscription.
- Free trial
- 3-day free trial · no credit card
Cancellation & refunds
Per the terms (last updated 28 Nov 2025) and the FAQ, refunds are handled by Apple or Google; purchases made directly with Cal AI go through email support. Deleting the app does not cancel the subscription; cancel it in the phone's subscription settings. Subscriptions are tied to the platform they were bought on and do not move between iPhone and Android.
Privacy
According to the privacy policy (effective 21 May 2026), Cal AI collects account details, food and activity logs entered by voice or image, body measurements, food photos, optional progress photos, device data and, with permission, data from Apple HealthKit or Health Connect. The policy says this can include sensitive information when it indicates a health condition. Cal AI says it does not expressly sell data, but certain advertising cookies may count as a sale or sharing; HealthKit and Health Connect data is not used for marketing. Data is retained as long as necessary, with no specific period given. Access and deletion requests go to [email protected]; the policy describes no in-app deletion option and does not name the AI vendors that process photos. The Google Play data safety section says the app may share personal info with third parties, encrypts data in transit and accepts deletion requests.
Cal AI alternatives
Frequently asked questions
Is Cal AI free?
The download is free, but per the App Store, photo analysis results require a subscription. The website offers a 3-day trial and publishes no prices; the App Store lists in-app purchases from $2.99 to $29.99.
How accurate is Cal AI?
Cal AI's FAQ says about 80% and that values can vary. No verified independent test was found.
Who owns Cal AI?
MyFitnessPal acquired Cal AI; per TechCrunch the deal closed in December 2025 and was announced on 2 March 2026. The terms of service name Cal AI, Inc. as the operator; the App Store seller is Viral Development LLC.
How do I cancel?
Cancel in your iPhone or Android subscription settings. The website warns that deleting the app does not cancel the subscription.
Review evidence & sources8
Scores
- Ease of use
- 8.0
- Features
- 6.5
- Value for money
- 5.5
- Performance
- 6.0
- Support
- 6.0
- Privacy & security
- 5.5
Why this score
The photo flow is the core; App Store reviewers praise the clean layout and fast logging.
Why this score
Photo, barcode and text logging, macros, water and exercise logs and step sync; no MyFitnessPal import yet and fewer in-depth nutrition tools than dedicated trackers.
Why this score
Photo results are paywalled, the trial is only 3 days, and App Store prices ($2.99 to $29.99) carry no billing period, making comparison hard.
Why this score
Self-stated accuracy of about 80%; store reviews mix praise with complaints about errors and lost entries.
Why this score
Email support ([email protected]) and a troubleshooting FAQ; no chat or phone found.
Why this score
Collects sensitive health data, shares with advertising and analytics partners, and names neither a retention period nor AI vendors.
What users say
- App Store (United States)4.8/5 · 374,728
- Google Play (United States)4.5/5 · 272,000
- Google Play (Vietnam)4.7/5 · 272,000
Sources
- Vendor-providedOfficial websiteNov 10, 2026
- Vendor-providedOfficial FAQ (updated July 2026)Nov 10, 2026
- Vendor-providedOfficial privacy policy (effective 2026-05-21)Nov 10, 2026
- Vendor-providedOfficial terms of service (updated 2025-11-28)Nov 10, 2026
- storeApp Store listing (US)Nov 10, 2026
- storeGoogle Play listing (US and Vietnam)Nov 10, 2026
- pressTechCrunch: MyFitnessPal has acquired Cal AI (2026-03-02)Nov 10, 2026
- pressPulse 2: MyFitnessPal acquires Cal AINov 10, 2026
Specs & compatibility
- Developer
- Cal AI, Inc.
- Headquarters
- United States
- Launched
- 2024
- Category
- Health
Capabilities
- Mobile app
- AI features
- Integrations
Platforms
- iOS
- Android
Interface languages
- English
- Japanese
- Chinese
- Spanish
- French
- Korean
- German
- Portuguese
- Russian
Integrations
- Apple Health
- Google Fit
- Health Connect
Support
- Help center
Change history
- Update.A new version of the Cal AI privacy policy took effect, replacing the 25 Nov 2025 version.
- Company.TechCrunch reported MyFitnessPal announced the Cal AI acquisition; price undisclosed, the 7-person team was retained and the app stays independent.
- Company.MyFitnessPal closed its acquisition of Cal AI in December 2025 per TechCrunch, and Cal AI was integrated with MyFitnessPal's food database.
Full change history (5)
- Update.Terms of use updated, naming Cal AI, Inc. (Delaware) as the operating entity.
- Launch.Cal AI first appeared on the App Store, per Apple's release date data.
About the author
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