Verithiathe honest score on any app
Updated July 2026 · real, multi-region App Store reviews
Head-to-head

BitePal vs Cronometer

BitePal 4.7★ · Free + IAP 45
Winner Cronometer
Cronometer 4.8★ · Free + IAP 70

Cronometer is the better choice for serious nutrition tracking due to its more accurate food database and comprehensive micronutrient tracking, despite recent UI issues and ad complaints in its free version.

Full reviews: BitePal · Cronometer

Cronometer offers a more robust and accurate food database, including micronutrient tracking, making it suitable for detailed nutrition goals. BitePal, while visually appealing and easy to use for basic calorie tracking, suffers from significant accuracy issues with its AI, frequent bugs, and widespread complaints about unauthorized charges.

Head to head

Features & Accuracy (Food Logging) edge: CronometerR3R9R10R12
BitePal BitePal's AI food scanning is a core feature but is frequently inaccurate, often misidentifying foods or providing incorrect calorie/macro counts, requiring manual correction R3R9R10R12. Recent updates have even removed the ability to edit AI-generated entries, making the app less usable for some . The app also lacks detailed micronutrient tracking and customizable macro goals R9.
Cronometer Cronometer is praised for its highly accurate food database and comprehensive micronutrient tracking, a feature often highlighted as superior to competitors . It includes a functional barcode scanner and allows for recipe creation . However, some users find its search function for raw foods difficult and note that the photo log can be glitchy .
Ease of Use & User Experience tieR2R8R14R17
BitePal BitePal is often described as easy to use and fun, with a cute virtual pet and interactive elements that make tracking enjoyable R2R8R14R17. However, some users find the interface limited, particularly after updates that restrict editing capabilities . There are also complaints about the app's inability to sync with Apple Health or track burned calories from workouts .
Cronometer Cronometer is generally considered easy to use for tracking, especially with its barcode scanner . However, recent UI updates have led to significant dissatisfaction, with users complaining about new pastel colors being difficult to read, cluttered designs, and large font sizes R79. Some also find the app non-intuitive or unpolished .
Reliability & Bugs tieR22R25R42R46
BitePal BitePal users report frequent issues with the app crashing, not loading meals, or becoming unusable for weeks R22R25R42. There are also complaints about the fasting timer not being editable R46.
Cronometer Cronometer also has significant bug complaints, including frequent freezing, crashing, and blank screens R61. Some users experience issues with macro ratios not updating or the app prompting for photo access repeatedly .
Price & Value tieR1R4R6R11
BitePal BitePal is a free app with in-app purchases, but many essential features are paywalled, leading to frustration R6R11. Crucially, there are widespread and severe complaints about unauthorized charges, difficulty canceling subscriptions, and continued billing even after cancellation or account deletion R1R4R13. Some users feel it's overpriced for its inaccuracies R15.
Cronometer Cronometer is also a free app with in-app purchases (Gold subscription). While the free version is functional, it is increasingly plagued by frequent and intrusive ads that can freeze the app or make it unusable R61R82R87R94. Many core features like the scanner are only available in the paid version, making the free tier feel limited . Some users regret paying for the subscription due to bugs or unmet expectations .
Customer Support edge: CronometerR13R21R55R79
BitePal BitePal's customer support is severely criticized for being unresponsive, with users reporting no replies to emails regarding subscription issues or account access problems R13R55. Some users were able to get refunds, but only after immediate outreach R21.
Cronometer Cronometer's customer service receives some positive mentions for being helpful . However, users also report that the company is unresponsive to feedback regarding recent UI changes, such as the new color scheme R79.
Pick BitePal if

You prioritize a 'fun' and 'cute' app experience with a virtual pet for basic calorie tracking, and you are diligent about monitoring and canceling subscriptions directly through Apple R2R8.

Pick Cronometer if

You need accurate and comprehensive micronutrient tracking, a reliable food database, and a functional barcode scanner for detailed nutrition goals, and you are willing to pay for the premium version to avoid ads and bugs .

Evidence note: BitePal's reviews are heavily skewed by severe, recurring complaints about unauthorized charges and subscription cancellation difficulties, which significantly impact its perceived value and reliability. Cronometer's recent negative reviews often focus on UI changes and increased ad frequency in the free tier, rather than core data accuracy.

Frequently asked

Is BitePal a scam?
Many users report BitePal as a scam due to unauthorized charges, difficulty canceling subscriptions, and continued billing even after account deletion, with charges ranging from $9.99 to $70 or more per month/week R1R4R13R19.
Does Cronometer have a free version?
Yes, Cronometer has a free version, but it is increasingly criticized for frequent and intrusive full-screen ads that can freeze the app and make it difficult to use R61R82R87R94.
How accurate is BitePal's food tracking?
BitePal's AI food scanning and calorie estimations are frequently reported as inaccurate, often being off by significant amounts (e.g., 50-75 calories or even 400-800 calories compared to other apps), and sometimes misidentifying foods or providing inconsistent calorie counts for the same item R3R10R12R15.

What reviewers actually said

Built only from these 120 real reviews (foreign ones translated). Superscripts jump to the quote here. Apple has no per-review links, so [ref] opens that app's reviews on the App Store.

  1. [R3] BitePal 3/5 · US Not quite what I expected: Honestly, I would’ve been better off just staying with a free version. I’ve seen so many reviews and videos on this and thought it was the way to go. Thinking that this is an AI app I figured it would be over the top with help figuring all the nutrition for foods and boy was I wrong. Unless you’re actually scanning the label which is a nice option you’re not gonna get ac
  2. [R9] BitePal 3/5 · US Limited Options and AI Has Errors: This app is okay, and I’m going to give it a shot for four weeks. I’m on day 5. The frustration I have with it is the limited options for tracking nutrition outside of macros and total calories. There’s also no way for me to set independent macro goals, monitor fiber, etc. Also when you enter food- either with the photo or text option- it enters all food as ounce
  3. [R10] BitePal 2/5 · US Try shortest trial first: I did a longer trial to get the best value for my money because i felt pretty confident i would like this app, but the ai scan and other tracking methods for meals isn’t accurate at all and doesn’t work most of the time. The first several times i tried to scan a meal it errored out, and it has no way to help clarify what it is looking at. For example, i could have two sli
  4. [R12] BitePal 3/5 · US Cute but not accurate: I do enjoy the cute animations of the app however 90% of the time I enter a meal (whether I type it exactly as the branded label or take a picture of the product) the AI is very much off regarding the Calories / protein / fat. Most of the time I spend editing this stuff. If the AI was better I would give the app a 5
  5. [R2] BitePal 5/5 · US Love<3: I live this app so much I was 187 lb now I’m 154.8 still going but if it wasn’t for this app I wouldn’t be where I am now 🙏🙏🙏
  6. [R8] BitePal 5/5 · US Just started, seems great: I’m on day 2. The raccoon does start harassing to leave a review the moment I downloaded the app. It’s gotten some of the food ai tracking stuff wrong, but it lets you go in and correct the information as needed. It’s better if I take a picture of the nutrition label. I think it’s been fun and I’m looking forward to using it more.
  7. [R14] BitePal 5/5 · US Fast: Takes seconds to track
  8. [R17] BitePal 5/5 · US So easy: I love this! It helped me stay committed. I wish I downloaded it sooner!
  9. [R22] BitePal 1/5 · US Wasn’t able to use for weeks: Thank goodness I got a coupon code for $23 off because this is the worst app I’ve found to track your nutrition. For weeks everytime I logged in, I couldn’t log anything because the app looked like it was down. It might be because I hadn’t updated it, possible, but I couldn’t use this app in its entirety for weeks because of that. I ended up deleting it. Then they’re
  10. [R25] BitePal 1/5 · US Poor update: Absolutely useless since the “food database” update. It no longer scans accurately and cannot correctly identify ANY foods. It is only usable if you manually log all food and amounts, which I use this app in order to avoid. I will be switching.
  11. [R42] BitePal 3/5 · GB Good when it works: This app is good for easy tracking if you don’t need super accurate macros but the tech issue of not loading meals has become tiresome.
  12. [R46] BitePal 2/5 · US Issues after update: Can’t edit the fasting time if I forget to start or end it in the app.
  13. [R1] BitePal 1/5 · US SCAM: This app is a scam. I signed up for a free trial, decided I did not like it and canceled the subscription, and it wouldn’t even recognize my email as having an account afterward. However, for two months I have still been getting two $9.99 charges to my card from Bitepal. I went through hoops trying to cancel it and they told me to cancel through Apple. I talked to Apple Support and we both c
  14. [R4] BitePal 1/5 · US Scam subscription BEWARE!: Beware this app does nothing special but charge you lots of money(not through Apple) in hopes to get more money off you!
  15. [R6] BitePal 3/5 · US Paywall for everything: Why did it say my max calories for a day was 2000 even though my nutritionist told me 1400? I couldn’t even change it without paying to change it.. now how am I, a 5’7 female who weighs 185, supposed to lose weight eating 2000 calories a day? Be for real
  16. [R11] BitePal 4/5 · US Amazing: The virtual pet is so cute but the one thing I get annoyed with is the fact you have to pay to get everything you need
  17. [R13] BitePal 1/5 · US Will continue charging: I deleted my entire account and they are still trying to charge me. I’ve blocked future payments from my bank but beware! There’s no response to try to rectify this
  18. [R21] BitePal 3/5 · US Misleading information: I don’t know if the other reviews are from review farms but the information in this app is extremely misleading. I cross referenced all my meals in LoseIt! And the calorie differences were nearly 400-800 calorie differences. There is no program for emotional or ADHD eating even if the questionnaires ask and reference help. I bumped the review to 3 stars because I immediatel
  19. [R55] BitePal 1/5 · US App Won’t Recognize My Paid Subscription After Phone Switch, No Response from Support: After switching phones, the app no longer recognizes my paid annual subscription. I’ve emailed support, the only contact option provided, more than 10 times with no response, and I still can’t get the app working. When it does work, the app itself is fine; the problem is entirely with account/subscription access
  20. [R79] Cronometer 1/5 · US Bad color change and they won’t change it back/allow us to change custom colors: I get some apps change themes overtime, functionally it’s the same in terms of inputting data, but it is too hard to read now. Flat out they made it difficult to read and follow along with what you are reading. They seem pretty responsive on Reddit/social media and they aren’t changing it in the near future. I really
  21. [R19] BitePal 1/5 · US very badl: This app is a total rip-off; they charge you up to three times a week. I bought the app for my kids, and they were charging me up to $30 a week from my bank, when I was only supposed to pay $30 a year. I don't recommend it.
  22. [R61] Cronometer 1/5 · US Frozen ad locks you out of the app: The ad hangs on a black screen every time I open the app and won’t close no matter what I tap. Restarting the app doesn’t help, it reopens with the same frozen ad. The only way to get into my diary is to turn on airplane mode so the ad can’t load. That’s ridiculous. The app itself is good, but the free version is basically unusable when the ad blocks you from ev
  23. [R82] Cronometer 2/5 · US Too many ads and pop ups: I used to love this app but the ads and pop ups are out of control
  24. [R87] Cronometer 3/5 · US Ads malfunctioning: I’ve really loved this app. Been using it down over 100lbs. The app itself is great but lately the ads (which I don’t mind having) either freeze the app or won’t close out when I try to tap the ‘X’ provided. It really halts the flow of using the app. Would love to change this rating to higher eventually if this is fixed Edit in response: Sadly the freezing of the app happens
  25. [R94] Cronometer 1/5 · US Ruined by Ads: I switched to this app a long time ago when MFP ran ads and I enjoyed the run. Started using it again recently and every time I feel productive about adding my foods, it shows an ad and KILLS my productivity.
  26. [R15] BitePal 3/5 · US Lacks accuracy: Pricey for one. After that, the biggest flaw is the calorie estimation. I’ve used a few different apps in the past. The best of them allow you to scan a product barcode for more accurate calorie tracking. This app can be off by as much as 50-75 calories on some foods. This could translate to too great of a calorie deficit. If you’re okay with estimation, go for it. If you don’t wan

Synthesized from 120 recent App Store reviews · updated July 2026 · View on the App Store