The free Cal AI alternative.

Updated October 12, 2026

Photo calorie counting without paying: how C for Calories compares with Cal AI.

The short version

Cal AI made photo calorie counting popular. Its photo scanner is a paid feature: you get a short free trial, then it needs a subscription. If you want to count calories from photos without paying, C for Calories does the same core job for free, with no trial and no account.

Competitor plans as reported in October 2026; app plans change often, so check each store listing for current terms.

What's the same

Both apps let you photograph a meal and get calories, protein, carbs and fat. Both let you adjust the result before saving, and both offer barcode scanning and manual entry for food without a photo.

What's different

Price

C for Calories is free to use, including photo scans, and is supported by ads. Cal AI's photo scanning requires a paid plan once the trial ends.

No account

C for Calories has no sign-up. Your meals are stored on your phone.

Breakdown by food

Each photo estimate in C for Calories lists every food it found with an estimated weight, so you can fix one item instead of re-scanning the whole plate.

Who should choose which

If you already pay for Cal AI and like it, there's no reason to switch. If you're looking for a free Cal AI alternative, or a photo calorie counter for Android that you don't have to pay for, try C for Calories. It takes about a minute to set up.