Awards › Head to head › Cronometer vs MacroFactor
Head to head
Cronometer vs MacroFactor (2027): Nutrient Reports or Macro Coaching?
Our call: Cronometer
Cronometer and MacroFactor are the field's two specialists. Cronometer is for people who want the deepest nutrient report and a free plan; MacroFactor is for people who want weekly macro coaching and will pay from day one. For a single app that does most of both, the overall winner is PlateLens.
Round by round
| Round | Cronometer | MacroFactor | Edge |
|---|---|---|---|
| Main strength | Up to 95 nutrients and compounds, per Cronometer | Weekly adaptive calorie and macro targets | Depends on your goal |
| Free plan | Yes, with ads | No (trial only) | Cronometer |
| Paid price | $59.99 a year or $10.99 a month | $71.99 a year, $47.99 for 6 months or $11.99 a month | Cronometer |
| Web or desktop | Yes | No, per its FAQ | Cronometer |
| Coaching | Crono Coach in Gold | Weekly target adjustments from your logs and weight trend | MacroFactor |
| Logging speed | Precise and exacting | Fast, dense workflow; label scanning and recipe import | MacroFactor |
Official sites: Cronometer · MacroFactor
The short answer
These two apps are not really competing for the same person. Cronometer is for people who want to know exactly what is in their food; MacroFactor is for people who want an app to steer their calorie and macro targets. We give this match-up to Cronometer on value, because it has a free plan, a web version and a lower Gold price, but MacroFactor wins the round that matters most to its users: coaching.
What each one does best
Cronometer reports up to 95 nutrients and compounds, according to the company, on food data it describes as lab-analysed and verified. It is the tool for checking micronutrients on a particular diet. Gold adds Photo Log, Voice Log, Crono Coach and ad-free use.
MacroFactor estimates your energy expenditure from your logs and weight trend and adjusts your targets each week. Its logging is fast once learned, with barcode and nutrition-label scanning, recipe import and describing a meal by photo or text.
The practical differences
- Getting started: Cronometer is free to try for as long as you like; MacroFactor has a trial, then you pay.
- Where you log: Cronometer works on the web as well as phones; MacroFactor is phone-only, per its FAQ.
- What you commit to: MacroFactor’s coaching needs daily logs and frequent weigh-ins for several weeks before it settles.
If you want both
The overall winner, PlateLens, sits between the two: 82+ nutrients per entry, an adaptive TDEE that learns from your intake and weight trend, photo, voice and barcode logging, a web app and a free plan that never expires.
See both scorecards: Cronometer · MacroFactor.
Questions readers ask
Should I use Cronometer or MacroFactor?
Use Cronometer if you want the most detailed nutrient report and a free plan. Use MacroFactor if you want an app that adjusts your calorie and macro targets every week and you are happy to pay from the start. If you want one app that covers most of both, PlateLens, our overall winner, tracks 82+ nutrients per entry and has an adaptive TDEE inside an all-round tracker.
Which is cheaper, Cronometer or MacroFactor?
Cronometer. It has a free plan with ads, and Gold costs $59.99 a year. MacroFactor has no free plan and costs $71.99 a year.