Comparison
FORM vs MyFitnessPal: the free alternative that adapts
MyFitnessPal moved barcode scanning and custom macros behind an ~£80/year paywall, and its targets never change. FORM keeps barcode scanning, logging and workouts free, adds targets that move with your weight trend, and puts your food and your training in one app.
FORM vs MyFitnessPal, feature by feature
| Feature | FORM | MyFitnessPal |
|---|---|---|
| Barcode scanner | Free (Open Food Facts) | Premium only (~£80/yr) |
| Core food logging | Free forever | Free |
| Targets that adapt to your weight trend | Yes | No - one static goal |
| Weekly rebalance (a big Friday trims the week) | Yes | No |
| Describe-it AI macros | Yes (Pro) | No |
| Workout generator + timers | Yes, free | No native training |
| Meal & week planner | Yes | ◑Basic / Premium |
| Budget meal planning + shopping list | Yes | No |
| Progress photos + measurements | Yes (Pro) | ◑Basic |
| No red numbers when you go over | Yes - trend, not guilt | Goes red |
| Food database size | ◑Growing + your own bank | Huge (their win) |
| Price | Free tier + £59.99/yr Pro | ◑Free tier + ~£80/yr Premium |
Prices and feature tiers are approximate and change over time - check each app's current terms. MyFitnessPal genuinely wins on raw database size; FORM leans on a curated bank, your own saved foods and describe-it AI.
The switch trigger
Why isn't MyFitnessPal free anymore?
MyFitnessPal still has a free tier, but the features people relied on quietly moved to Premium - barcode scanning went behind the paywall in 2022, along with custom macro goals and meal-level targets. Premium runs around £80/year. Nothing was technically taken from you, but the free app that used to just work now nudges you to pay for the parts you used most. That is the surge of searches for a MyFitnessPal alternative - and it is the one thing MyFitnessPal can't answer, because it was a deliberate product decision.
What stays free
What FORM keeps free (that MyFitnessPal charges for)
FORM's free-forever tier covers the daily job: log your food, scan a barcode, use the recipe bank, generate a workout and track your weight - no card, no trial clock. Pro (£59.99/year or £9.99/month) adds the AI and the smart planning: describe-it macros, plan import, adaptive targets, plan-my-week, the budget meal planner and progress photos. You can even earn Pro by staying consistent.
Adaptive vs static
Targets that adapt, not a number that goes stale
MyFitnessPal gives you one target from a formula and shows it every day, forever - and turns red when you go over. FORM reads your smoothed weight trend, not a single noisy weigh-in, and nudges your calories to keep you on pace. Eat big on a Friday and the weekly rebalance engine quietly trims the surrounding days instead of flashing a warning. It's the adaptive approach people pay MacroFactor for - with a free tier MacroFactor doesn't have.
One app, not two
Your food and your training in one place
MyFitnessPal tracks food and leaves training to a second app. FORM runs both off one adaptive plan: an injury-aware workout generator, timers and auto-progression sit next to your macros, so your training fuels your targets and your recipes fill your week. That's macros, meal planning, budget shopping and workouts in one subscription instead of two or three.
Where MyFitnessPal still wins
Fair is fair. MyFitnessPal's food database is enormous and community-built, so obscure branded products are more likely to be in there already. It has years of integrations and a huge user base. If your only need is the deepest possible packaged-food database and you're happy paying for Premium, it's a proven tool. FORM's bet is different: keep the everyday stuff free, make the targets intelligent, and put training and planning in the same app - so most people never need the second subscription.
Coming across
Switching from MyFitnessPal to FORM
There's no messy export needed. Start FORM free, and the foods you eat most become your own bank in a tap or two - describe a meal and the AI fills the macros, or scan it. Your targets set themselves from your details and then adapt as your weight trends. Most people are logging faster within a day, because reusing your saved meals and describing a plate beats searching a database every time.
FAQ
MyFitnessPal alternative: FAQ
What is the best free alternative to MyFitnessPal?
FORM is a strong free MyFitnessPal alternative: it keeps core food logging, the barcode scanner and weight tracking free forever - including barcode scanning, which MyFitnessPal moved behind Premium. You only pay for Pro if you want the AI, adaptive targets and planning, at £59.99/year.
Why is MyFitnessPal not free anymore?
MyFitnessPal still has a free tier, but it moved popular features - most notably barcode scanning and custom macro goals - behind its Premium subscription (around £80/year). That paywalling of features that used to be free is why a lot of people started looking for an alternative.
Does FORM have a free barcode scanner?
Yes. FORM's barcode scanner runs on the Open Food Facts database and is free - you don't need to pay to scan a product and log its macros.
Is FORM a free alternative to MacroFactor too?
Largely, yes. MacroFactor has no free tier; FORM gives you free logging and workouts, and its Pro tier matches the adaptive weight-trend approach at a lower yearly price, with meal planning, budget shopping and training built in rather than nutrition only.
Can I track my food and my workouts in one app?
That's the core of FORM and the main thing MyFitnessPal can't do - it tracks food and leaves training to a second app. In FORM your training fuels your targets and your recipes fill your week, all in one place.
Try the alternative that adapts
Free forever to start. Barcode scanner free, targets that steer, and a whole training app in the same place.
Download FORM for iPhoneAlso comparing MacroFactor or coaching platforms? See the coach platform.