Keto and low-carb specialist
Carb Manager review
By Hannah Whitlock · Published October 22, 2026 · Updated October 22, 2026
Carb Manager is a tracker built for keto and low-carb eating. It puts net carbs at the centre of the diary and pairs logging with a large library of low-carb recipes. It is listed under "also considered" in our 2027 ranking.
| Website | www.carbmanager.com |
|---|---|
| Platforms | iPhone, Android, web |
| Free | $0: net-carb diary and food search |
| Premium | Optional paid tier; see the app store for the current price |
US prices as published by the company. PlateLens Premium checked August 10, 2026; Cronometer Gold September 20, 2026; other prices as read for this edition.
What it does well
- Net carbs front and centre, with keto-friendly macro targets
- A large library of low-carb and keto recipes
- Food search and barcode scanning
- Available on the web as well as phones
Worth knowing
- Designed around low-carb eating, so less suited to other approaches
- Meal plans and many advanced features are part of Premium
What it is like to use
Carb Manager is unapologetically a low-carb app. From setup onwards it frames your day around net carbs, with targets for fat and protein built for a ketogenic or low-carb plan. The diary shows how many net carbs you have left, which is the number keto eaters check most.
Net carbs and macros
Net carbs, total carbohydrate minus fiber (and usually sugar alcohols), are shown for every entry and for the day. Macro targets can follow a keto split or a more moderate low-carb approach. For people who have found it fiddly to calculate net carbs in a general tracker, this focus is the main reason to choose the app.
Recipes
The recipe library is one of Carb Manager’s strengths: a large collection of low-carb and keto recipes, each with nutrition information you can log directly. For people trying to keep keto interesting over months, having ideas built into the tracker helps.
Platforms
Carb Manager runs on iPhone and Android and on the web, so you can plan meals or review your log on a computer.
Who it suits
- People following a keto or strict low-carb diet.
- People who want a large library of low-carb recipes in the same app as their log.
Who should look elsewhere
People who eat a more varied diet, or who might move away from low-carb later, may prefer a general tracker that handles net carbs well alongside everything else.
A note on keto and health
Very low-carbohydrate diets can be effective for weight loss for some people, but they are not right for everyone. People with diabetes, especially those on insulin or certain medications, people who are pregnant and anyone with kidney or liver conditions should talk to a doctor before starting.
How it compares
PlateLens calculates net carbs automatically and shows a macro view in grams and percentages, inside a general-purpose tracker. See the full 2027 ranking.
Verdict
Carb Manager is a strong specialist for committed keto eaters. If you want net carbs and a macro view inside a general-purpose tracker with a verified database and AI photo logging, PlateLens is our 2027 pick.
Questions readers ask
Is Carb Manager good for keto?
Yes. Carb Manager is built specifically for keto and low-carb diets, with net carbs at the centre of the diary, keto macro targets and a large low-carb recipe library.
What are net carbs?
Net carbs are total carbohydrate minus fiber, and usually minus sugar alcohols too. Many low-carb diets count net carbs rather than total carbs because fiber has little effect on blood sugar.
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