High Protein- 1x12 ct Chick-fil-A® Nuggets380Calories40gProtein16gCarbs17gFat
- 1xOriginal Flavor Waffle Potato Chips220Calories3gProtein25gCarbs13gFat
Meal total
600Calories43gProtein41gCarbs30gFatSimple Macros vs Cronometer
Cronometer is known for careful data: its whole foods come from lab-analyzed databases, and its staff reviews every food users submit. For whole foods, Simple Macros stands on similar ground, with USDA's lab-analyzed reference data. The difference is everything around it: Simple Macros has each restaurant chain's full official menu with every option, AI photo logging free, and connections to ChatGPT, Claude and Grok.
Prices, features and data sources checked .
Features and price
 | Cronometer | |
|---|---|---|
| Nutrition data | ||
| Whole-food dataBanana, grilled chicken, white rice | USDA FoodData Central | Lab-analyzed databases (mostly NCCDB) |
| Packaged foodsWhat a barcode scan returns | USDA Branded Foods + products users add | Label data via Nutritionix and USDA |
| Who adds foods to search | Users, usually from a label photo; two matches = verified | Users, reviewed by staff first |
| Restaurant nutrition | Each chain's official numbers, every option | Restaurants tab |
| Estimates marked as estimates | Yes, every one | Not stated |
| Features | ||
| Calorie + macro tracking | Included free | Included free |
| Barcode scanner | Included free | Included free |
| AI photo logging | Included free | Paid: only with a paid plan |
| Customize restaurant ordersEvery menu option at 200,000+ restaurant locations | Included free | Not offered |
| Meal GeneratorBuilds restaurant orders that hit your calorie target | Included free | Not offered |
| Log food in ChatGPT, Claude, GrokTrack by talking to the AI you already use | Included free | Not offered |
| Price | FreeEvery feature | $59.99/yrGold |
Paid = only with a paid plan. No = we didn't find the feature on the app's own pages on that date. Not stated = the app doesn't say on its own website, help center or App Store listing. US list prices, features and data sources as each app describes them on its own App Store listing, website and help center; they can change, so check each app for current details. All trademarks belong to their owners. Simple Macros is not affiliated with or endorsed by Cronometer. Our own data sources are on where our nutrition data comes from. Last checked .
What Simple Macros does differently
Restaurant meals that add up.
Simple Macros has each chain's full official menu with every option: swap the protein, skip the sauce, go light on the rice, and the numbers update from the chain's own figures.
Browse restaurant menusHigh ProteinWhere the numbers come from.
Whole foods use USDA FoodData Central. Packaged foods start from the label data in USDA's Branded Foods database, one product per barcode, plus products people who use the app add. Every estimate is marked.
Where our nutrition data comes from- Whole foodsUSDA FoodData CentralUSDA's numbers, unchanged
- Packaged foodsUSDA's Branded Foods label dataPlus products people add, one per barcode
- RestaurantsThe chain's official numbersEvery option, estimates marked ~
- Photo loggingAn AI estimateAlways marked ~
Photo logging, free.
Cronometer's AI photo logging is a Gold feature. In Simple Macros, photo logging and the barcode scanner are free for everyone, and a photo estimate is always shown as an estimate.
About vitamins and minerals
Cronometer says it tracks up to 95 nutrients and compounds, even on its free plan. If you mostly cook from whole foods, that's a real strength.
Simple Macros tracks calories, protein, carbs, fat, fiber, sugar, sodium and cholesterol, on purpose. US restaurant chains have to publish calories, fat, saturated and trans fat, cholesterol, sodium, carbs, fiber, sugars and protein, and nothing more (a few add vitamins A and C, calcium and iron). Packaged-food labels add only vitamin D, calcium, iron and potassium. So whatever app you use, a food that doesn't list a nutrient adds nothing to that day's total.
We track the nutrients every restaurant and food label publishes, so a day with a restaurant meal still adds up. It is a design choice, not a judgment on anyone's numbers.
When Cronometer might suit you better
- You want detailed vitamin and mineral totals and mostly cook from whole foods: Cronometer says it tracks up to 95 nutrients and compounds, free.
- You want every community food reviewed before anyone else sees it: Cronometer says its curation team reviews each submission first. In Simple Macros a product someone adds is visible right away and marked verified once a second person adds matching numbers.
Questions
Is Simple Macros a free alternative to Cronometer?
Yes. Simple Macros is completely free on iPhone and Android, including AI photo logging, which needs Cronometer Gold. As of October 5, 2026, Cronometer Gold is $59.99 a year or $10.99 a month in the US; Cronometer's free plan includes its barcode scanner.
Where does each app get its food data?
Cronometer says most of its whole foods come from the NCCDB, with USDA and other government databases, and that its staff reviews user submissions. Simple Macros' whole foods come from USDA FoodData Central (SR Legacy, Foundation Foods and FNDDS), packaged foods from USDA's Branded Foods label data plus products people who use the app add, and restaurant items from each chain's official published nutrition.
Why doesn't Simple Macros track vitamins and minerals like Cronometer?
Because restaurants and most packaged foods don't publish them. US chains must publish calories, fat, saturated and trans fat, cholesterol, sodium, carbs, fiber, sugars and protein; labels add only vitamin D, calcium, iron and potassium. Simple Macros tracks the nutrients every restaurant and label publishes, so a day's totals cover every meal in it.
How much does Cronometer Gold cost?
As of October 5, 2026, Cronometer Gold lists at $59.99 a year or $10.99 a month in the US. Simple Macros is free.
Sources
- Cronometer Gold pricing
- Cronometer: free version features
- Cronometer: food databases
- Cronometer help: data sources
- Cronometer help: adding a food (Restaurants tab)
- Cronometer help: photo logging (Gold)
- Cronometer on the App Store
More comparisons: Simple Macros vs MyFitnessPal, Simple Macros vs MacroFactor, Simple Macros vs Lose It!, Simple Macros vs Cal AI, or all 5 side by side.