CRONOMETER VS MYFITNESSPAL
The two giants of food logging, compared honestly — and when a third option makes more sense than either.
Search "Cronometer vs MyFitnessPal" and you'll find a hundred affiliate posts that end in "they're both great!" They are not both great at the same things. Here's the version we'd tell a friend at the gym — including when the answer is neither.
The short answer
- Choose Cronometer if data quality is the point: it tracks 80+ micronutrients against curated, lab-grade databases (NCCDB, USDA), and its free tier still includes barcode scanning and data export.
- Choose MyFitnessPal if the social gravity is the point: the biggest food database (quality varies wildly — much of it is unverified user entries), recipes, forums, and every integration under the sun. Be ready for heavy ads on free and the scanner behind Premium.
- Choose EatSleepRep if consistency is the point: a free, ad-free tracker where food is one of three daily jobs alongside sleep and training, with a free scanner, adaptive weekly coaching, and a streak system built to keep you logging.
Head to head
| Cronometer | MyFitnessPal | EatSleepRep | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Database quality | Curated, lab-grade | Huge but noisy (user entries) | OFF + USDA + community, validated |
| Micronutrients | 80+ — best in class | Limited | Macros + fiber (by design) |
| Barcode scanner (free tier) | Yes | No — Premium | Yes, forever |
| Ads on free | Some | Heavy | None, ever |
| Adaptive calorie coaching | No | No | Weekly, from your own trend |
| Strength logging | Minimal | Cardio-centric | Full logger, PRs, routines |
| Sleep tracking | Via integrations | No | First-class daily job |
| Data export (free) | Yes | Premium | Yes |
| Price | Free + ads, paid tier | Free + ads, ~$20/mo Premium | $0, no tiers |
TIERS AND PRICES DRIFT — CHECKED AUGUST 2026. TELL US IF WE'RE STALE AND WE'LL FIX IT.
The thing both giants miss
Both apps treat food logging as the whole game. But body composition runs on three inputs — food, training, and sleep — and an app that only sees one of them can't tell you why the scale stalled. (It was the sleep. It's often the sleep.)
That's the actual reason EatSleepRep exists: not to out-micronutrient Cronometer (we won't — 80+ micros is their crown and they wear it well), but to make the daily loop — eat your fuel, sleep your hours, do your reps — the unit of progress. Close all three, the day counts, the streak grows, and the adaptive Coach quietly recalibrates your calorie target from your real-world trend every week. If you're leaving one of the giants, the full switching guide takes ten minutes.
Try the three-job tracker free →FAQ
Is Cronometer more accurate than MyFitnessPal?
For nutrition data, generally yes — Cronometer leans on curated databases (NCCDB, USDA) while much of MyFitnessPal's giant database is unverified user entries. Garbage in, garbage tracked.
Which is better for weight loss?
Whichever you'll log in every day — adherence beats features. If ads and paywalls erode your patience, a free, ad-free tracker with a streak system may out-perform both.
Does either track workouts properly?
Not for lifters. Neither offers real set-by-set strength logging with PRs. EatSleepRep and dedicated loggers do.
Can I use EatSleepRep alongside Cronometer?
Sure — some people run Cronometer for occasional micronutrient audits and EatSleepRep as the daily driver. Both export CSV, neither locks you in.