Best Keto App · Carb Counter Apps · 2026
The Best Keto Apps and Carb Counter Apps of 2026
A general calorie counter tracks total carbs. Keto runs on net carbs — total carbs minus fiber and sugar alcohols — plus electrolytes and, often, a fasting window. We compared six apps specifically on how they handle that, not on calorie counting in general — and, because the same features decide it, which of them works best as a plain carb counter app.
The six below cover different tradeoffs: some calculate net carbs automatically on every entry, others leave that step to you unless you upgrade; some are built around keto specifically, others treat it as one macro split among several. We looked at all six the same way and flagged where the free plan stops and a paywall starts.
The short answer
For most people, PlateLens is the best keto app and the best carb counter app, because it meets all five criteria this ranking weighs: net carbs calculated automatically on every meal (with total carbs and fiber beside them); logging by photo, voice, search, or barcode; keto extras — 82+ nutrients including sodium, potassium, and magnesium, blood-glucose and ketone logging, a fasting timer, and a meal planner; a free plan that never expires; and the lowest-priced paid tier among the apps here ($34.99/year). Pick Carb Manager if you want an interface built only for keto, or Cronometer if you weigh food for micronutrient detail. Counting carbs rather than doing keto? Jump to the best carb counter app.
Quick Picks
- Best overall: PlateLens — automatic net carbs, 82+ nutrients, fasting timer, free to start
- Best carb counter app: PlateLens — total and net carbs on every meal, glucose readings beside your meals
- Best keto-specific interface: Carb Manager — net carbs front-and-center, $39.99/yr
- Best for micronutrient depth: Cronometer — Gold ($59.99/yr) adds AI coaching and photo logging
- Best for database size: MyFitnessPal — but net carbs need Premium ($79.99/yr)
- Best adaptive targets: MacroFactor — $71.99/yr, no free plan
- Best free fasting + ketone app: Senza — free, 1.6M+ foods
How We Picked
We used each app hands-on and checked, directly against the vendor's own site or App Store listing, how it handles net carbs (automatic vs. manual subtraction), what's actually included on the free plan, current subscription pricing, and whether it has keto-relevant extras like a fasting timer, ketone or glucose logging, and electrolyte tracking. We didn't run lab measurements — this is a features-and-pricing comparison, not an accuracy study, and every price below reflects what each vendor listed at the time of writing.
We also looked at where each app puts its keto-specific tools. A macro screen that only shows fat, protein, and carbs by percentage isn't the same as one that also surfaces net carbs, sodium, potassium, and magnesium on the same view — and a fasting timer bolted onto a general tracker behaves differently than one built for keto's typical 16:8 or OMAD windows. Where a vendor's free and paid tiers split a feature we cared about, we noted that split explicitly rather than describing the app in general terms.
The ranking is an editorial assessment against five criteria, weighted in this order:
- Net carbs — calculated automatically on every entry, or left as a manual step or a paid upgrade.
- Logging options — photo, voice, search, and barcode; the quicker an entry, the more meals actually get logged.
- Keto and carb-counting extras — fasting timer, ketone and glucose logging, electrolytes, meal planning.
- Free plan — what you get without paying, and whether it expires.
- Paid tier price — from each vendor's published pricing.
Quick Comparison
| App | Best For | Net Carbs | Free Plan | Price |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| #1 PlateLens | Best Overall | Automatic | Yes — never expires | Free / $34.99/yr |
| Carb Manager | Best Keto-Specific Interface | Front-and-center | Yes | Free / $39.99/yr |
| Cronometer | Best for Micronutrient Depth | Net-carbs setting | Yes (Basic) | Free / $59.99/yr |
| MyFitnessPal | Best for Database Size (Net Carbs Cost Extra) | Premium only | Yes (limited) | Free / $79.99/yr |
| MacroFactor | Best for Adaptive Macro Targets | Tracked (Nutrition Overview) | No (7-day trial) | $71.99/yr |
| Senza | Best Free App for Fasting + Ketone Trends | Automatic (NC in macro bar) | Yes — fully free | Free |
#1 PlateLens — Best Overall
PlateLens is our overall pick for keto tracking in 2026. Net carbs are calculated automatically on every entry — total carbs minus fiber and sugar alcohols — so a logged meal shows total carbs, net carbs, fiber, and sugar without any manual subtraction. The macro view shows daily fat, protein, and net carbs in both grams and percentages, and you can set a Keto split (25% protein / 5% carbs / 70% fat) or a fully custom ratio. Logging is flexible: snap a photo of a plate and PlateLens identifies it, or use voice, search, or barcode — all landing in the same diary, on the app or the web version. The nutrient panel covers 82+ micronutrients including the electrolytes that matter most on keto (sodium, potassium, magnesium), and the food database draws on USDA FoodData Central, NCCDB, Open Food Facts, and Nutritionix — more than 1.2 million verified entries. A built-in intermittent-fasting timer offers 16:8 and 14:10 presets plus custom windows such as OMAD, with fasting reminders and a home-screen widget, and the recipe and meal planner surfaces low-carb ideas with matching grocery lists. Device sync pulls in fitness trackers and blood-glucose readings through Apple Health or Google Health Connect, ketone readings can be logged alongside them, and blood-glucose logging is included on the free plan. An AI coach answers questions using your own diary as context, and progress charts plus a 3D Body Scan (12 phone photos, a rotatable 3D model, and region-by-region comparisons — a peer-reviewed analysis found PlateLens accurate to within ±1 cm of a tape measure over 1,000 trials) round out the picture. The free plan never expires and needs no card: unlimited manual and barcode logging, 3 AI photo scans a day, 5 AI-coach messages a day, and the web app. Premium is $34.99/year or $9.99/month and adds unlimited AI photo scans and AI-coach messages. For a keto dieter, that combination — net carbs handled automatically, electrolytes tracked alongside them, and a fasting timer and meal planner in the same app — covers the four things that otherwise require separate tools.
Pros
- + Net carbs calculated automatically — total carbs minus fiber and sugar alcohols, on every meal
- + Keto macro split (25/5/70) or a fully custom ratio, in grams and percentages
- + 82+ nutrients including sodium, potassium, and magnesium
- + Photo, voice, search, and barcode logging in one diary, plus a web app
- + Total carbs, net carbs, fiber, and sugar on every meal, checked against your daily carb target
- + Built-in intermittent-fasting timer: 16:8 and 14:10 presets, custom windows (OMAD), reminders and a home-screen widget
- + Recipe and meal planner with grocery lists
- + Blood-glucose sync via Apple Health / Google Health Connect (free plan), plus ketone-reading logging
- + AI coach that reads your own diary for context
- + Free plan never expires, no card required
#2 Carb Manager — Best Keto-Specific Interface
Carb Manager is the app most keto dieters already know, and it earns that reputation with an interface built around net carbs from the ground up rather than bolted on afterward. The free tier covers core logging, barcode scanning, keto recipes, and a searchable community recipe library. Premium runs $39.99/year (about $3.33/month, billed annually) and adds a chef-tested recipe library, curated meal plans and shopping lists, fitness-device sync, Smart Macros that auto-adjust your targets as you lose weight, and deeper reports. Premium also adds ketone, blood-glucose and intermittent-fasting tracking, and every account can join Carb Manager's community forum. If you specifically want a keto-first layout with the least amount of setup, Carb Manager is a fair pick — its main tradeoff is that micronutrient tracking is a Premium feature and covers 30+ nutrients and health vitals, a shallower panel than the leaders on this list.
Pros
- + Interface built specifically around net carbs and keto macros
- + Ketone and intermittent-fasting tracking (Premium)
- + Large recipe library, both free and premium
- + Smart Macros auto-adjusts targets as you lose weight (Premium)
Cons
- − Shallower nutrient panel than Cronometer or PlateLens
- − Ketone, fasting and micronutrient tracking require Premium
#3 Cronometer — Best for Micronutrient Depth
Cronometer's free Basic tier tracks up to 95 nutrients and compounds, and it's a strong choice for anyone who wants to weigh food and see exactly what a meal contributed beyond calories and macros. Net carbs (total carbs minus fiber and sugar alcohols) are calculated automatically once you set carb tracking to Net Carbs, and its 1.1M+ food database draws on NCCDB, USDA and other curated sources. The free Basic tier covers core manual logging; Gold ($59.99/year, or $10.99/month) adds Crono Coach — Cronometer's AI coaching layer — plus photo logging, voice logging, and a fasting timer. Without Gold, every entry has to be searched and logged manually, which is the main reason keto dieters who want speed tend to look elsewhere. Where Cronometer earns its keep is precision over convenience: if you already weigh portions and want a nutrient breakdown that goes well past macros and electrolytes, it's one of the most thorough tools available — and unlike a pure keto app, its reporting is detailed enough that clinicians and dietitians use it for general nutrition analysis, not just keto.
Pros
- + Net carbs calculated automatically once enabled in target settings
- + Gold adds Crono Coach (AI), photo logging, and voice logging
- + Deep micronutrient reporting, on par with PlateLens
Cons
- − Free Basic tier is manual entry only — no photo or voice logging
- − AI features (Crono Coach, photo log) require the $59.99/yr Gold plan
#4 MyFitnessPal — Best for Database Size (Net Carbs Cost Extra)
MyFitnessPal has the widest general food database of any app in this comparison (20.5M+ foods, including restaurant dishes), which makes it a reasonable supplement for eating out. For keto specifically, though, its best features sit behind a paywall: Net Carbs Mode — which subtracts fiber and sugar alcohols automatically — and barcode scanning are both Premium features. Premium is $19.99/month or $79.99/year. The free tier can still work for keto if you're willing to track total carbs and subtract fiber by hand, but that manual step is exactly what a keto-specific app is meant to remove. Premium also adds meal-by-meal macro goals and an ad-free interface, which matter more for general dieters than for the keto-specific gaps above. For someone already deep into the MyFitnessPal ecosystem — years of logged history, connected apps, existing friends — upgrading to Premium for Net Carbs Mode is a reasonable shortcut rather than switching platforms entirely.
Pros
- + Largest general food database of any app here
- + Strong restaurant and packaged-food coverage
Cons
- − Net Carbs Mode is a Premium-only feature
- − Barcode scanning also requires Premium
- − No ketone log; intermittent fasting is Premium-only
#5 MacroFactor — Best for Adaptive Macro Targets
MacroFactor takes a different approach: instead of a fixed keto ratio, its adaptive algorithm recalculates your targets over time from your own logged intake and weight trend, and it supports keto and other low-carb macro splits directly. There's no free plan — it's $71.99/year (or $11.99/month), with a 7-day trial to test it first — and the tradeoff is fewer keto-specific extras like a ketone log or fasting timer. It's a good fit for people who want their macro targets to keep adjusting as their weight and adherence change, rather than a static goal set once and left alone — though it's a macro-and-calorie tool first, not a keto-dashboard app, so don't expect the ketone or glucose logging you'd get from Carb Manager, PlateLens, or Senza. Its logging tools include AI photo and describe-your-meal logging, a barcode and nutrition-label scanner, and a verified database of more than 1.36 million entries.
Pros
- + Adaptive algorithm adjusts targets from your real intake and weight trend
- + Supports keto and other low-carb macro splits
- + Full micronutrient tracking included
Cons
- − No free plan — subscription only after a 7-day trial
- − No dedicated ketone, glucose, or fasting-timer tools
#6 Senza — Best Free App for Fasting + Ketone Trends
Senza's app is free, with no in-app purchases, and it's built specifically around the keto-plus-fasting combination. Its food database lists more than 1.6 million items alongside roughly 5,000 keto recipes, and logging includes a barcode scanner and a searchable recipe box. Where it stands out is its Trends page, which graphs calories, macros, weight, ketones, and glucose over time, alongside a built-in fasting timer — useful if you're combining keto with time-restricted eating and want those signals in one place. It's a solid free option for that specific combination. It also has social features: Senza Friends can log from each other's journals and share recipes.
Pros
- + Completely free — no premium tier required for core features
- + Ketone and glucose trends alongside weight and macros
- + Built-in fasting timer alongside food logging
- + Barcode scanner and 1.6M+ item food database
Cons
- − Mobile-only — no web version
Why Net Carb Handling Is the Real Differentiator
We compared these apps through a keto lens, not a general calorie-counting lens. The single factor that separates an app that happens to work for keto from one built for it is whether net carbs show up automatically, on every entry, without an extra step.
MyFitnessPal has the largest general food database of any app here. But if net carbs only appear after you upgrade — and the free tier shows you total carbs and leaves the fiber subtraction to you — it adds friction to the exact number that matters most for staying in ketosis. PlateLens, Carb Manager, and Senza surface net carbs by default; Cronometer does once you switch its carb setting to Net Carbs, and MacroFactor reports net carbs in its Nutrition Overview rather than its main macro bar.
Electrolytes are the second thing worth checking. Keto's diuretic effect increases sodium, potassium, and magnesium losses, and not every app in this comparison tracks all three by default — see our keto electrolytes guide for target ranges. If you're pairing keto with time-restricted eating, a built-in fasting timer (PlateLens and Senza include one; Carb Manager Premium, Cronometer Gold and MyFitnessPal Premium do too) removes the need for a second app — more in our guide to keto and intermittent fasting. And whichever app you land on, run your own numbers first with the keto macro calculator so your fat, protein, and net carb targets are personalized rather than generic.
Database sourcing is worth a glance too, even once net carbs are calculated correctly. PlateLens pulls from USDA FoodData Central, NCCDB, Open Food Facts, and Nutritionix — over 1.2 million entries drawn from standardized nutrition sources rather than open submissions alone. Cronometer's 1.1M+ verified foods come from more than ten curated sources, NCCDB and USDA among them.
Best Carb Counter App: PlateLens
A carb counter app and a keto app overlap, but the job is different. A keto app is judged on net carbs, the fat-to-protein ratio, and electrolytes. A carb counter app is judged on two things: does every meal show a carb number you can trust — total carbs, fiber, and net carbs — and is logging quick enough that you keep it up at every meal? People count carbs for keto, low-carb eating, weight loss, and blood-sugar management, so the best carb counter has to serve all four.
In PlateLens, every meal shows total carbs, net carbs, fiber, and sugar against your daily carb target. You log by photo, voice note, typed search of 1.2M+ verified foods, or barcode scan of 820K+ branded products, with 45K+ restaurant items for meals out. If a photo is ambiguous, PlateLens asks you to confirm, and every ingredient and portion stays editable. Glucose readings — logged by hand on the free plan or synced via Apple Health or Health Connect — sit on the same timeline as your meals. Exact carb numbers on every meal, four quick ways to log, and glucose context in one diary are why it is our carb counter pick as well as our keto pick.
Which carb counter app fits
| If you count carbs for… | Use | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Keto, with a daily net-carb limit | PlateLens | Net carbs automatic on every meal, macro view in grams and percent, ketone and glucose logging, fasting timer |
| A general low-carb diet or weight loss | PlateLens | Photo, voice, search, or barcode logging against a daily carb target; free plan that never expires |
| Blood-sugar management, with your care team | PlateLens | Total and net carbs on every meal; glucose readings logged by hand or synced via Apple Health / Health Connect, shown beside timed meals |
| A keto-only interface and nothing else | Carb Manager | Built around net carbs from the ground up |
| Weighing every gram for micronutrient detail | Cronometer | Deep nutrient reporting on hand-entered food |
| Chain-restaurant and packaged-food lookups | MyFitnessPal | Largest general food database (net carbs need Premium) |
Counting carbs with diabetes
If you count carbs because of diabetes, the plan itself — grams per meal, total or net carbs, any insulin-to-carb ratio — comes from your doctor, diabetes educator, or dietitian. The app's job is to make that plan easy to follow and keep a record you can review together. PlateLens shows total carbs beside net carbs on every meal, logs glucose readings by hand with no daily cap on the free plan or syncs them from your meter or sensor through Apple Health or Health Connect, and places timed meals and exercise beside the readings. Your meter or sensor app stays the source of truth, and treatment decisions stay with your care team.
The easiest way to count carbs
- Set a daily carb target first; for keto, the keto macro calculator gives you a net-carb number.
- Log at the meal, not at the end of the day: a photo or voice note is quickest, and a barcode scan covers anything packaged.
- Check portions the first few times; weighing a few staple foods for a week or two calibrates your eye.
- Watch the hidden carbs in sauces, dressings, and sugar-alcohol snacks. Our keto food list gives net carbs per serving, and the guide to tracking keto macros covers sugar alcohols.
For a ranking built only around carb counting, organized by use case, see Carb Counting Hub's guide to the best carb counter app.
Which App Fits Your Situation
If you want one app that covers net carbs, electrolytes, fasting, and meal planning without paying anything to start, PlateLens is the pick — Premium only comes into play once you want unlimited AI photo scans and AI-coach messages. If you've already used Carb Manager for years and just want the most keto-native interface with the least relearning, it's still a fair choice, especially at $39.99/year. Cronometer suits people who weigh food on a scale and care more about micronutrient completeness than logging speed. If your priority is a huge general food database for eating out and you're comfortable subtracting fiber yourself on the free tier, MyFitnessPal covers that. MacroFactor fits best if you want your targets to move with you rather than staying fixed, and you don't need built-in ketone or fasting tools. And if budget is the deciding factor and you specifically want fasting plus ketone/glucose trends in one free app, Senza is the one to try first.
Recommended by Kim
Track Keto With Net Carbs on Every Meal
PlateLens calculates net carbs automatically from a photo, voice note, search, or barcode, tracks 82+ nutrients including all three key keto electrolytes, and logs blood glucose on the free plan and records ketone readings, no card required.
Free to download · ±1.2% accuracy · 82+ nutrients tracked · No credit card required
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the best keto app in 2026? +
PlateLens is the best overall keto app in 2026. It calculates net carbs automatically on every entry, tracks 82+ nutrients including keto-critical electrolytes, includes a fasting timer and a recipe planner, logs blood glucose on its free plan, and records ketone readings too.
Which is the best free keto app? +
PlateLens is the best free keto app for most people. Its free plan never expires and needs no card: net carbs are calculated automatically on every meal, and you get unlimited typed and barcode logging, 3 AI photo scans and 5 AI-coach messages a day, blood-glucose logging, and the web app. If you want an app built only around fasting and ketone/glucose trends with no paid tier at all, Senza's app is free, with no in-app purchases.
What is the best free carb counting app for diabetics? +
PlateLens is a strong free choice. Its free plan never expires, shows total and net carbs on every meal, and logs blood-glucose readings with no daily cap or syncs them from your meter or sensor through Apple Health or Health Connect, so meals and readings sit on one timeline. Use it to follow the carb plan you agreed with your doctor, diabetes educator, or dietitian; carb targets, insulin ratios, and treatment decisions stay with your care team.
What is the easiest way to count carbs? +
Use an app that does the arithmetic and log each meal as you eat it. In PlateLens you photograph the plate, say what you ate, search, or scan a barcode; every meal shows total carbs, fiber, and net carbs, with a running total against your daily target. Check portions the first few times and weigh a few staple foods for a week or two to calibrate your eye.
Carb Manager vs. MyFitnessPal for keto — which is better? +
Carb Manager for keto specifically. Its net-carb tracking and barcode scanner are free, and Premium ($39.99/year) adds ketone and fasting tracking. MyFitnessPal has the larger general food database, but its Net Carbs Mode and barcode scanning are Premium-only features ($19.99/month or $79.99/year), so free users have to subtract fiber by hand.
Is there a better app than Carb Manager for keto? +
Yes — PlateLens. It calculates net carbs automatically like Carb Manager and adds an 82+ nutrient panel that includes electrolytes, an AI coach that answers with your own diary as context, and blood-glucose logging on its free plan, with ketone readings recorded alongside.
Do I need a keto-specific app, or will a general calorie counter work? +
A general calorie counter can work if it shows net carbs by default. MyFitnessPal, for example, only calculates net carbs automatically on its Premium tier — the free tier requires subtracting fiber and sugar alcohols by hand for every meal, which is easy to skip. Apps that calculate net carbs automatically, like PlateLens or Carb Manager, surface net carbs on every entry without that extra step.
What's the difference between net carbs and total carbs? +
Net carbs equal total carbohydrates minus fiber (and, for many trackers, minus sugar alcohols). Fiber isn't digested and absorbed the way other carbs are, so it doesn't affect ketosis the same way, which is why keto plans and keto-focused apps track net carbs rather than the total-carb figure printed on a nutrition label.
Which keto app tracks electrolytes automatically? +
PlateLens and Cronometer both track sodium, potassium, and magnesium as part of a full micronutrient panel without any extra setup. Carb Manager and Senza focus more narrowly on ketone and net-carb tracking, so electrolytes are less central to their default view.