TL;DR
- Pick MacroFactor for an adaptive coaching algorithm that adjusts your calorie and macro targets to your real results; pick Cronometer for precise micronutrient tracking from lab-analysed databases.
- They solve different problems. MacroFactor answers "how many calories should I eat this week?"; Cronometer answers "am I hitting my vitamins and minerals?"
- On price, Cronometer is cheaper annually: Gold is $10.99/mo or $59.99/yr, and the free tier already covers full micronutrient logging.[3] MacroFactor is $11.99/mo or $71.99/yr with no free tier, only a 7-day trial.[1]
- If you only want one, choose by question: adaptive targets means MacroFactor; nutrient depth means Cronometer.
These two are both serious tracking apps, but they are built for opposite jobs. MacroFactor is a diet coach that recalculates your energy expenditure from your weight trend; Cronometer is a nutrition microscope that shows exactly what you ate down to the trace minerals. This comparison uses each vendor's published pricing and feature pages; there is no in-house testing claim. All figures were verified as of 2026-05-25.
Verified price and feature comparison
| Spec | MacroFactor | Cronometer |
|---|---|---|
| Monthly price | $11.99[1] | $10.99 (Gold)[3] |
| Annual price | $71.99[1] | $59.99 (Gold)[3] |
| Free tier | None; 7-day trial only[1] | Yes; full micronutrient logging[3] |
| Headline feature | Adaptive TDEE / dynamic targets[2] | Lab-analysed micronutrient tracking[4] |
| Nutrient coverage | Macros plus configurable micros | Up to 84 nutrients and compounds[3] |
| Data sourcing | Curated and verified food entries | NCCDB, USDA, CRDB (lab-analysed)[4] |
MacroFactor adapts your targets to reality
MacroFactor's defining feature is its adaptive expenditure algorithm: instead of fixing your calorie target from a one-time formula, it learns your real maintenance from your logged weight and intake trend, then adjusts your calorie and macro targets each week as your metabolism shifts.[2] That removes the "my calculator says X but I am not losing weight" problem by treating your own data as the source of truth. It costs $11.99/mo or $71.99/yr and has no free tier, only a 7-day trial, so you are paying for the coaching loop.[1]
Cronometer is built on nutrient precision
Cronometer's edge is data quality and depth. It tracks up to 84 nutrients and compounds, drawn from lab-analysed sources including the NCCDB and USDA databases rather than purely crowd-sourced entries, which makes its vitamin, mineral, amino-acid, and fatty-acid figures more trustworthy.[3][4] The free tier already covers full micronutrient logging, and Gold ($10.99/mo or $59.99/yr) adds extras on top.[3] If your goal is to confirm you are hitting iron, magnesium, omega-3s, or vitamin D, Cronometer is the better tool even before you pay.
The cost picture
Annually, Cronometer is cheaper at $59.99 against MacroFactor's $71.99, and Cronometer has a genuinely useful free tier while MacroFactor has none.[1][3] But the comparison is not purely about price: you are buying different capabilities. MacroFactor's adaptive coaching is something Cronometer does not do, and Cronometer's lab-grade micronutrient depth is something MacroFactor is not built for. The cheaper app is only the better deal if it does the job you actually need.
Decision frame
- You want your calorie and macro targets to adjust to your real results: MacroFactor.
- You want precise vitamin, mineral, and fatty-acid tracking: Cronometer.
- You want a free option: Cronometer, whose free tier covers full micronutrient logging.[3]
- You are dialing in a cut or lean bulk and keep stalling: MacroFactor's adaptive expenditure is the targeted fix.
The verdict: pick MacroFactor if you keep stalling on a cut or lean bulk and want targets that adapt to your real weight trend, and pick Cronometer if your goal is precise vitamin, mineral, and fatty-acid tracking, where its lab-analysed data and free tier make it both better and cheaper. The deciding question is adaptive coaching versus nutrient precision, not the $12/yr price gap. Either way, sanity-check the starting numbers: estimate your baseline with the TDEE Calculator and set protein and macro splits with the Macro Calculator. For the database-breadth angle, read MyFitnessPal vs Cronometer 2026 and the adaptive-TDEE matchup in MyFitnessPal vs MacroFactor 2026.
Verified as of 2026-05-25. Prices and features change without notice; confirm on each vendor page before subscribing.
FAQ
Is MacroFactor or Cronometer cheaper?
Cronometer is cheaper annually at $59.99 (Gold) versus MacroFactor's $71.99, and Cronometer has a free tier while MacroFactor offers only a 7-day trial.[1][3]
What makes MacroFactor different?
Its adaptive expenditure algorithm learns your real maintenance from your weight and intake trend and adjusts your calorie and macro targets weekly, rather than fixing them from a one-time formula.[2]
Does Cronometer track micronutrients better?
Yes. Cronometer tracks up to 84 nutrients and compounds from lab-analysed sources (NCCDB, USDA), which is its core strength and more than MacroFactor is built to cover.[3][4]
Does MacroFactor have a free version?
No. MacroFactor has no free tier and never has; it offers a 7-day trial, then $11.99/mo or $71.99/yr. Cronometer, by contrast, has a free tier covering full micronutrient logging.[1][3]
References
- 1 MacroFactor press kit (pricing: $11.99/mo, $71.99/yr; no free tier; 7-day trial) — MacroFactor (2026)
- 2 MacroFactor app overview (adaptive expenditure / dynamic TDEE algorithm) — MacroFactor (2026)
- 3 Cronometer Gold pricing ($10.99/mo or $59.99/yr; free tier nutrient coverage) — Cronometer (2026)
- 4 Cronometer data sources (NCCDB, USDA, CRDB — lab-analysed nutrient data) — Cronometer Help Center (2026)