Free · no account
Free AI calorie counter with no account or sign-up
Kalova is a free AI calorie counter for iPhone that needs no account, email or sign-up. The free tier includes 3 AI photo scans a day for the first 3 days, then 1 a day, plus unlimited barcode scanning, nutrition-label scanning, food search and manual logging. Premium adds unlimited AI scans, Fix with AI, describe-a-meal and full CGM glucose insights.
What is free in Kalova, and what does Premium add?
| Free | Premium | |
|---|---|---|
| AI photo scans | 3 a day for the first 3 days, then 1 a day | Unlimited |
| Barcode scanning, nutrition-label scanning, food search, manual logging | Unlimited | Unlimited |
| Fix with AI, describe a meal | Part of Premium | Included |
| CGM glucose insights | Full insights are part of Premium | Full insights |
| Account | None | None |
| Price | $0 | $0.99/month or $9.99/year; 7-day free trial on yearly |
What does "no account" actually mean?
- No sign-up. No email, password, or Apple or Google sign-in.
- Your log stays on your iPhone. Food log, weight and water are stored on the device.
- Photos are analyzed, not stored. A meal photo is sent through Kalova's server to a third-party AI provider for analysis and is not stored server-side.
- No ads, no third-party analytics or ad trackers.
- The trade-off: no account also means no web login and no server copy to recover if you lose your phone without a backup.
The longer version is on why Kalova has no account, and the details are in the privacy policy.
How do free tiers compare across calorie apps?
| App | AI photo logging on the free tier | Barcode scanning on the free tier | Ad-free | Account |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cal AI | Listing says food scanning results require a subscription | — | — | FAQ describes Apple ID or Google sign-in, cloud storage |
| SnapCalorie | Website says core features are free; limits not stated | — | — | — |
| MyFitnessPal | Meal scan is Premium | Premium | Ad-free logging is Premium | — |
| Lose It! | Photo logging is Premium | Premium | — | — |
| Cronometer | Photo logging is Gold | Free | Ad-free is Gold | — |
| Kalova | 3 a day for the first 3 days, then 1 a day | Free, unlimited | No ads on any plan | None |
How do you check the privacy of any calorie app?
This checklist works for any app, not just Kalova:
- Read the App Privacy section on the App Store listing. It shows which data types the developer says are collected and whether they are linked to you or used to track you.
- Check the sign-up screen. Does the app require an email, a phone number or a social login before you can log a meal?
- Find out what happens to your photos. Are they stored on a server, kept as a history, or used to train models? The privacy policy should say.
- Look for ads and trackers. Ad-supported free tiers usually involve third-party ad networks.
- Check export and deletion. Can you delete your data, and can you take it with you? With no account, deleting the app and its backup deletes the log.
- Check Apple Health permissions. Grant only the read and write types you actually want.
How good is the free AI photo scan?
The free scans use the same method as Premium: the AI identifies foods and estimates grams, and calories and macros come from USDA FoodData Central when a food matches. The same photo gives the same answer. See the methodology, and run the five-scan test to check repeatability on Kalova or any other app.
Limitations
- After the first 3 days, the free tier allows 1 AI photo scan a day. Barcode, label scanning and search stay unlimited.
- Kalova is iPhone only (iOS 17 or later). There is no Android version.
- Without an account, there is no web access and no server-side recovery of your log.
- Portion size from a single photo is the main error source for every photo app, Kalova included. Kalova is not a medical device.
- Kalova was previously published under another name; the App Store listing (id 6761417073) is the same.
Sources
Competitor facts on this page were checked on 2026-10-16 against each app's own App Store listing, Google Play listing or website. Listings change; check them before you buy.
- https://apps.apple.com/us/app/cal-ai-calorie-tracker/id6480417616
- https://www.calai.app/
- https://www.snapcalorie.com/
- https://apps.apple.com/us/app/myfitnesspal-calorie-counter/id341232718
- https://apps.apple.com/us/app/lose-it-calorie-counter/id297368629
- https://apps.apple.com/us/app/cronometer-calorie-counter/id1145935738
Frequently asked questions
Is Kalova really free?
Yes. Kalova is free to download, and the free tier currently includes 3 AI photo scans a day for the first 3 days, then 1 a day. Barcode scanning, nutrition-label scanning, food search and manual logging are free and unlimited. Premium removes the AI-scan limit.
What happens after the free trial?
The 7-day free trial applies to the yearly Premium plan. If you do not cancel in iOS Settings before it ends, the yearly subscription renews at the price shown on the App Store. If you cancel, you keep the free tier.
How much is Kalova Premium?
From 17 October 2026, US prices are $0.99 a month or $9.99 a year, and the yearly plan has a 7-day free trial. Prices vary by region. Premium adds unlimited AI scans, Fix with AI, describe-a-meal and full CGM glucose insights.
Where is my data if there is no account?
Your food log stays on your iPhone. Meal photos are sent through Kalova's server to a third-party AI provider for analysis and are not stored server-side. Because there is no account, there is no web login and no server copy of your log to recover if you lose your phone without a backup.
Is Kalova HIPAA-covered?
No. Kalova is a consumer nutrition app, not a medical device, and it is not a HIPAA-covered service. Its privacy approach is to avoid collecting an account and to keep the food log on your iPhone.