method

1. accuracy

Primary reference: Dietary Assessment Initiative six-app validation study, 2026. Six apps, 50 reference meals, bomb-calorimetered ground truth, MAPE on kcal/protein/carbs/fat. We do not run our own bomb-calorimetry — we cite DAI's.

2. features

For use-case answers (free, photo-AI, barcode, keto, etc.) we check feature presence + quality on the apps that placed top-3 in DAI 2026. Apps below top-3 on accuracy are mentioned only when they specifically excel on a feature dimension.

3. price

Pricing pulled directly from each vendor's pricing page on the publication date. Re-checked on each modifiedDate.

4. what we do not do

• No affiliate links. (See policy.)
• No sponsored placements.
• No ads.
• No AI-written body copy. AI is used for spelling, fact-checking against citations, and accessibility checks. Final wording is human.
• No retroactive edits without a log entry.

5. corrections

If you find an error, tell us. We will fix it within 72h and add a log entry. We will not silently edit an article to remove a wrong claim.

6. why minimalist

Because every other site doesn't.