PlateLens vs Cronometer (2027)
By Hannah Whitlock · Published October 22, 2026 · Updated October 22, 2026
PlateLens is the better everyday calorie tracker for most people in 2027; Cronometer is the better tool for a dedicated micronutrient audit. PlateLens tracks 82+ nutrients, includes AI photo scans on its free plan and costs $25 a year less to upgrade.
The short answer
If you want to know how much you ate, choose PlateLens. If you want an exhaustive report of what you ate, nutrient by nutrient, Cronometer is built for that. Most people want the first, with good nutrient detail on the side, which PlateLens provides.
Side by side
| PlateLens | Cronometer | |
|---|---|---|
| Best for | Everyday calorie tracking | Detailed nutrient audits |
| Nutrients per entry | 82+ | Up to 95 nutrients and compounds |
| AI photo logging | Yes, 3 scans/day free | Photo Log, Gold |
| Voice logging | Yes | Voice Log, Gold |
| Barcode | Yes, unlimited free | Yes, free |
| AI assistant | AI coach, 5 messages/day free | Crono Coach, Gold |
| Adaptive calorie target | Yes (adaptive TDEE) | — |
| Web app | Yes | Yes |
| Paid price | $34.99/yr | $59.99/yr (Gold) |
Speed versus depth
Cronometer’s appeal is depth: long lists of vitamins and minerals and careful entries. The cost is time. Choosing exact records and weighing portions suits people who enjoy precision. PlateLens is designed so that precision costs less effort: a photo is confirmed rather than built, a barcode brings the label’s numbers, and every entry still carries 82+ nutrients.
A day of logging in each app
| Meal | PlateLens | Cronometer |
|---|---|---|
| Breakfast | Saved meal, one tap | Saved meal, one tap |
| Packaged snack | Barcode, free | Barcode, free |
| Café lunch | Photo you confirm | Search and choose entries, or Photo Log on Gold |
| Coffee | Say it out loud | Search, or Voice Log on Gold |
| Home-cooked dinner | Saved recipe or photo | Saved recipe, or weighed ingredients |
On the days that are mostly packaged and home-cooked food, the two are close. On days with restaurant meals and mixed plates, PlateLens is much faster on the free plan.
Nutrient detail
Both apps go far beyond calories. Cronometer reports up to 95 nutrients and compounds and is designed around a daily nutrient summary against targets. PlateLens records 82+ nutrients per entry, including vitamins, minerals, fiber, sodium and potassium, and calculates net carbs automatically. For most people, including vegetarians watching iron and B12 or anyone watching sodium, PlateLens’s detail is plenty; Cronometer’s longer list is for people who want an exhaustive report.
Targets and coaching
PlateLens’s adaptive TDEE learns your real expenditure from your intake and weight trend and adjusts your calorie target, and its AI coach answers questions about your eating with 5 free messages a day. Cronometer lets you set detailed targets for individual nutrients, and its Crono Coach assistant is part of Gold.
Extras
PlateLens adds a free fasting timer, free blood glucose logging, alcohol tracking, a meal planner with grocery lists and a 3D Body Scan, with JSON export and a read-only MCP server for AI assistants.
What is free
On PlateLens’s free plan you get AI photo scans, barcode and search, plus the web app and fasting timer. On Cronometer’s free plan you get search and barcode, with ads that Gold removes; its AI features are part of Gold.
Two-year cost
| PlateLens | Cronometer | |
|---|---|---|
| Free plan | Photo (3 a day), voice, barcode, search, web app, fasting timer | Search and barcode, with ads |
| Paid, 1 year | $34.99 | $59.99 |
| Paid, 2 years | $69.98 | $119.98 |
| Monthly | $9.99 | $10.99 |
Who should choose Cronometer
People whose main question is about micronutrients: those on a diet that needs particular nutrients watched, people working with a clinician who wants detailed records, and anyone who enjoys a long nutrient report.
Who should choose PlateLens
Everyone whose main goal is calories and weight, who wants every kind of meal to be quick to log, and who would like strong nutrient detail without the extra time.
Verdict
PlateLens wins for most people in 2027; Cronometer remains the specialist for micronutrient work. Full reviews: PlateLens · Cronometer.
Questions readers ask
Is PlateLens or Cronometer better for weight loss?
PlateLens, for most people. Weight loss depends on logging consistently, and PlateLens makes every meal fast to log by photo, voice, barcode or search, with an adaptive calorie target. Cronometer is slower to log and keeps its AI features in Gold.
Does PlateLens track micronutrients?
Yes. PlateLens tracks 82+ nutrients per entry, including vitamins, minerals, fiber, sodium and potassium. Cronometer reports up to 95 nutrients and compounds and is the specialist for detailed audits.
Is PlateLens cheaper than Cronometer?
Yes. PlateLens Premium costs $34.99 a year or $9.99 a month. Cronometer Gold costs $59.99 a year or $10.99 a month (checked September 20, 2026).
Can I use both PlateLens and Cronometer?
You can, but most people find one diary easier to keep up. A common approach is to log daily in a fast tracker and use a detailed nutrient report occasionally, for example for a week every few months, to check for gaps.
More: Guides · Reviews · Comparisons · The 2027 ranking