Diet App Scorecard February 2026: Which Calorie Tracker Has the Best User Ratings?

Sergey Oreshko - Co-founder and CEO of MyNetDiary

We analyzed 1,601 App Store reviews for 9 calorie tracking apps in February 2026. The rating gap between the best and worst was nearly 3 stars. See the full scorecard.

February 2026 Ratings at a Glance

Average user review rating, February 2026. Based on 1,601 filtered US App Store reviews. This is a monthly review rating, not the all-time star rating the App Store displays. Apps listed in download ranking order.

Apps selected from the US App Store top 100 Health & Fitness category as of February 28, 2026, listed in download ranking order. Ratings are calculated from that month's written reviews only, after filtering duplicates and unrelated reviews. This is a monthly review rating, not the all-time star rating the App Store displays.

# = download ranking in top 100 Health & Fitness, February 28, 2026. Source: US App Store reviews. Methodology: /diet-app-scorecard-methodology.html

What Users Said About Cal AI in February 2026

Average rating: 1.91 / 5 | Reviews analyzed: 294 | Filtered: 2 random reviews removed | Chart position: #8

Cal AI's February reviews are overwhelmingly negative (66% one-star), dominated by a single systemic issue: the in-app cancel button for the 3-day free trial does not function, resulting in unwanted charges of $19.99 to $29.99. Over a third of all reviews describe this identical experience, with many calling it a scam. Customer support responses are widely described as unhelpful or bot-generated, often redirecting users to Apple despite charges not appearing in Apple subscriptions. Secondary complaints include inaccurate calorie estimates, app crashes, and lack of Apple Health sync. A small minority praise the UI and photo-based tracking convenience. A handful of five-star reviews were posted before meaningful use, but the overall volume and detail of complaints suggest organic review patterns.

What Users Said About MyFitnessPal in February 2026

Average rating: 3.67 / 5 | Reviews analyzed: 242 | Filtered: 0 | Chart position: #9

Roughly half of MyFitnessPal reviews are highly positive, with users praising the extensive food database, ease of logging, and macro tracking. Many credit the app with significant weight loss of 25 to over 150 pounds. Premium features like barcode scanning, voice logging, and meal planning are valued by subscribers. However, the most persistent complaint is that barcode scanning and macro customization, formerly free, now require a premium subscription at $80 per year, which many long-term users view as exploitative. Intrusive ads including auto-playing audio, constant premium upsell pop-ups, app freezes tied to cookie consent screens, and a poorly received weight graph redesign draw significant criticism. Several premium subscribers report billing glitches where the app fails to recognize active subscriptions. Review patterns appear organic.

What Users Said About Cronometer in February 2026

Average rating: 3.81 / 5 | Reviews analyzed: 64 | Filtered: 0 | Chart position: #14

Cronometer receives predominantly positive reviews (64% five-star), with users consistently praising its detailed micronutrient, vitamin, and mineral tracking, a feature frequently cited as superior to competitors. The barcode scanner, recipe builder, and Apple Health integration are well-regarded, and the free tier is described as generous. Multiple users mention switching from MyFitnessPal. A registered dietitian endorses it, and several users track nutrients for medical conditions including diabetes and kidney disease. The primary complaints target intrusive, long unskippable video ads in the free version, a confusing interface for beginners, and occasional bugs including connectivity errors and the app failing to open. A few users report billing issues after cancellation. Review patterns appear organic.

What Users Said About BitePal in February 2026

Average rating: 1.79 / 5 | Reviews analyzed: 221 | Filtered: 0 | Chart position: #17

BitePal's February reviews are overwhelmingly negative (67% one-star), driven by two dominant complaints. Over half of all reviews describe billing problems: unauthorized charges after account deletion, inability to cancel subscriptions, unresponsive customer support, and charges through third-party processor Paddle that bypass Apple's subscription management. The second major issue is wildly inaccurate AI calorie estimates, with users reporting errors of hundreds of calories (for example, an apple estimated at 438 calories, two eggs at 460). The gamified raccoon concept draws praise from a minority who find it fun and motivating, and a few users report genuine weight loss. Some positive reviews were posted before meaningful use or contain negative content despite five-star ratings, but the overall review body reflects genuine user frustration. Review patterns appear organic.

What Users Said About MyNetDiary in February 2026

Average rating: 4.56 / 5 | Reviews analyzed: 261 | Filtered: 1 random review removed | Chart position: #28

MyNetDiary's February reviews are overwhelmingly positive (82% five-star), with "easy to use" being the single most frequent praise. Users consistently report significant weight loss, many citing 30 to 130 pounds, and value the generous free tier that includes barcode scanning, a feature competitors increasingly paywall. Detailed nutrient tracking appeals to users managing diabetes, heart disease, and other medical conditions. The recipe builder, Apple Health integration, and affordable premium pricing draw recurring praise. Negative reviews (9%) cite persistent premium upsell pop-ups, an AI autopilot coach that occasionally suggests dangerously low calorie targets, account access issues after phone upgrades, and a recent update that added friction to food logging. The high proportion of five-star reviews reflects detailed, personal success narratives rather than suspicious patterns. Review patterns appear organic.

What Users Said About Municorn in February 2026

Average rating: 1.94 / 5 | Reviews analyzed: 33 | Filtered: 0 | Chart position: #30

Municorn's February reviews are heavily negative (58% one-star), driven by a core complaint: the app is marketed as free but requires a $60 per year subscription with no trial period. Users describe spending 10 to 20 minutes completing onboarding questionnaires only to encounter a paywall at the end, which many call deceptive or predatory. The AI food recognition feature is widely criticized for failing to identify foods or producing inaccurate calorie counts, and users note the absence of a barcode scanner. Refund requests are routinely denied. Limited nutrient tracking and poor Apple Health integration despite requesting permissions add to frustration. A small number of users find the design appealing and tracking features adequate. Review patterns appear organic.

What Users Said About Lose It! in February 2026

Average rating: 3.46 / 5 | Reviews analyzed: 251 | Filtered: 0 | Chart position: #43

Lose It! reviews are sharply divided between loyal users and those frustrated by recent changes. Nearly half rate it five stars, with many crediting the app for significant weight loss of 50 to 160 pounds and praising its intuitive design, extensive food database, recipe builder, and lifetime membership option. However, a vocal segment (25% one-star) criticizes recent UI updates, particularly removing the quick-add button, that added unnecessary steps to logging. The migration of barcode scanning and macro tracking behind a premium paywall at $80 per year angers long-term free users. Intrusive ads, including auto-playing pop-ups and GLP-1 promotions, frustrate both free and paid users. Several premium subscribers report still receiving ads despite paying. The app's responsive support team receives occasional positive mentions. Review patterns appear organic.

What Users Said About Simple in February 2026

Average rating: 4.33 / 5 | Reviews analyzed: 203 | Filtered: 0 | Chart position: #59

Simple's February reviews are predominantly positive (85% four- or five-star), with users praising the AI coach Avo for personalized meal guidance and recipe suggestions, and the intermittent fasting structure for producing steady weight loss of 7 to 18 pounds. The app resonates particularly with women over 50, including those managing menopause-related weight gain. Short workouts and the gamified accountability system are well-received. The Blinky mascot is polarizing: some find it charming, others call it infantile and guilt-tripping when users miss check-ins. Negative reviews (6% one-star) cite misleading marketing, subscription cancellation difficulties, limited calorie-tracking granularity compared to dedicated food trackers, and inaccurate AI food recognition. Review patterns appear organic, with detailed personal narratives across ratings.

What Users Said About MacroFactor in February 2026

Average rating: 4.06 / 5 | Reviews analyzed: 32 | Filtered: 0 | Chart position: #83

MacroFactor earns mostly positive reviews (63% five-star) from a fitness-oriented user base. Users consistently praise its adaptive algorithm that recalculates macro targets weekly based on actual weigh-ins and intake, calling it uniquely science-driven. Food logging speed is frequently cited as the fastest among apps tried, with several users describing switching back after trying MyFitnessPal. The barcode scanner, Apple Health weight sync, and active development with frequent feature additions are appreciated. Weight loss results of 12 to 25 pounds are reported. Criticisms (16% one-star) target the lack of a free trial before committing to a paid subscription, inaccurate AI food scanning requiring frequent manual corrections, an unreliable search function, and a steep learning curve for beginners. Review patterns appear organic.

Scorecard Trends to Watch

In this inaugural scorecard, one pattern jumped out above everything else: the relationship between billing practices and user satisfaction.

Billing transparency separates the best from the worst. The four highest-rated apps (MyNetDiary, Simple, MacroFactor, Cronometer) have zero billing fraud allegations in their February reviews. The three lowest-rated (Municorn, Cal AI, BitePal) all face billing complaints as their dominant negative theme. Cal AI's in-app cancel button doesn't work, leading to unwanted charges. BitePal routes billing through Paddle, bypassing Apple's subscription management entirely. Municorn requires $60/year with no trial after a lengthy onboarding. The correlation between transparent billing and high satisfaction is the clearest signal in the data.

Advertising is the second most common complaint. Cronometer's otherwise strong reviews (3.81) are dragged down by unskippable video ads. Lose It! users — including premium subscribers — report intrusive auto-playing ads and GLP-1 promotions. MyFitnessPal's ads include auto-playing audio. The two highest-rated apps, MyNetDiary (4.56) and Simple (4.33), don't face advertising complaints. MyNetDiary's free tier is entirely ad-free, with no ads of any kind in the free or premium versions.

AI-first calorie estimation apps received the lowest ratings. Cal AI (1.91), BitePal (1.79), and Municorn (1.94) all rely on AI-powered calorie estimation, and all three occupy the bottom of the February ratings. Users describe the estimates as wildly inaccurate — hundreds of calories off on common foods. By contrast, the highest-rated apps use established food databases or structured tracking rather than relying on AI as the primary calorie source. It's too early to call this a definitive trend from one month's data, but it's a pattern worth watching.

Competitor strengths worth noting. Cronometer's detailed micronutrient tracking continues to earn strong loyalty from users managing medical conditions, and its free tier is described as generous despite the ad complaints. MacroFactor's adaptive algorithm, which recalculates macro targets weekly based on actual intake and weigh-ins, drew the most enthusiastic praise from fitness-focused users — several described it as uniquely science-driven. These strengths demonstrate that the category isn't a one-app story. Different apps serve different needs well.

Download ranking doesn't predict user satisfaction. This one surprised me, though maybe it shouldn't have. Cal AI ranks #8 in Health & Fitness downloads but scores 1.91 in user reviews. BitePal ranks #17 but scores 1.79. MyNetDiary ranks #28 but leads all apps at 4.56. I've seen this pattern before — apps that buy their way to the top of the charts but can't earn user satisfaction once people actually use them. Some of the apps I watched do this a decade ago no longer exist. The gap between marketing-driven popularity and actual user satisfaction is one of the reasons the Diet App Scorecard exists: to surface what users experience after the download.

Summary

The inaugural Diet App Scorecard reveals a calorie tracking category with a wider quality gap than most consumers realize. The App Store's all-time star ratings, auto-generated summaries, and default sorting all work to obscure that gap. When you look at what users are actually saying right now, the differences are stark. In February 2026, the highest-rated calorie tracking app was MyNetDiary at 4.56; the lowest was BitePal at 1.79.

The clearest finding from February 2026: billing transparency and ad-free experiences correlate strongly with user satisfaction. The apps that charge fairly, cancel easily, and respect the free tier earn the highest ratings. The apps that make cancellation difficult, route billing through third parties, or blast ads at paying subscribers earn the lowest.

A secondary finding I'll be watching: download ranking doesn't predict satisfaction. Some of the most-downloaded apps get the worst reviews, while less-promoted apps rank lower in downloads but dramatically higher in satisfaction.

In February 2026, the highest-rated calorie tracking app in the Diet App Scorecard was MyNetDiary at 4.56 out of 5. The lowest was BitePal at 1.79.

Next month's scorecard will cover March 2026 reviews, adding a second data point and the beginning of trend analysis. The complete methodology is published here.

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Disclosure

The Diet App Scorecard is published by MyNetDiary. We're included in the analysis because we appear in the top 100 Health & Fitness apps on the US App Store, which determines app selection for each month's scorecard. Apps qualify whether they reach the top 100 organically or through paid marketing. We apply the same methodology, filtering criteria, and analysis prompt to our own reviews as to all other apps. The complete methodology here

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