Free barcode scanner calorie app: scan without paying in 2026
In short
Since October 2022, MyFitnessPal has reserved barcode scanning for its Premium subscription, announced at $79.99 per year at the time of the change. The free tier no longer includes it.
Looking for a free barcode scanner calorie app? It exists in 2026: Radish scans via Open Food Facts, no premium, no account, counting works without a connection. The feature MyFitnessPal moved behind its Premium subscription (~$80/year) back in 2022 is available elsewhere, for free. Here's why it ended up behind a paywall over there, and how to scan barcodes without premium — without spending a cent.
The MyFitnessPal barcode scanner paywall: a quick recap
Until 2022, you opened MyFitnessPal, scanned your yogurt, done. Then barcode scanning moved behind Premium, the subscription that runs around $80 a year. The single most-used feature of a calorie counter, priced like a budget gym membership. And the widely criticized April 2026 redesign didn't make life any better for people who stayed on the free tier. If you've been searching for a way around the MyFitnessPal barcode scanner paywall, you're clearly not alone. We covered the bigger picture in our guide to free MyFitnessPal alternatives.
Why scanning can stay free elsewhere
Scanning a barcode costs next to nothing by itself. What's expensive is the product database — unless it's open. Open Food Facts is a collaborative, open database of food products: any app can plug into it, and anyone can add a missing product. That's what Radish does. No proprietary database to monetize, so no paywall to justify. Scanning stays free because nothing forces it to be paid.
Scanning with Radish, step by step
- You open the app — no account to create, no email to hand over.
- You scan the barcode — the product comes in via Open Food Facts.
- You instantly see: calories, macros, Nutri-Score, and 11 vitamins and minerals from public reference databases (CIQUAL/USDA).
- Your diary stays on your phone — never sent to our servers (except AI or barcode scanning, if you use them) — only the barcode itself reaches Open Food Facts when you scan — and counting works without a connection.
Scanning a new product uses the network, just long enough to fetch its record, and so does the optional AI; anonymised usage statistics are also sent to Google (in the EU, only if you agree). Everything else works without a connection.
One precision on wording: people search for how to scan food labels, and what an app actually reads is the barcode printed on that label. Radish is no exception — there is no text recognition of a printed nutrition panel in it. The optional AI can read a photo of a meal, which is a different thing and a paid option.
Scan your first product for freeScanning via Open Food Facts, no account, counting without a connection, Nutri-Score. Zero ads.Get Radish →Free — but for how long?
Fair question: MyFitnessPal used to be free too. Radish runs on a different model. The core — diary, scanning, Nutri-Score, recipes, macros, micronutrients — is free for good. The optional Pro version is a one-time payment, not a subscription, and only unlocks advanced features. Scanning isn't part of what's for sale: it's part of the foundation. For a full head-to-head, read Radish vs MyFitnessPal.
What if the product isn't in the database?
Because Open Food Facts is collaborative, it keeps growing: missing products end up being added by the community. In the meantime, you can log the food manually in your Radish diary. Not ideal, but rare — and still better than a scanner that refuses to work until you've paid.
FAQ
Which app scans barcodes for calories for free?
Radish (nutri-track.fr): scanning via Open Food Facts is free, with no account and no subscription, showing calories, Nutri-Score and 11 vitamins and minerals.
Why is the MyFitnessPal barcode scanner paid?
Since 2022, MyFitnessPal has reserved barcode scanning for its Premium subscription, billed at around $80 per year. The free tier no longer includes it.
What is Open Food Facts?
A collaborative, open database of food products. Any app can use it and anyone can add products — that's what lets Radish offer barcode scanning for free.
Does scanning work without an internet connection?
Scanning a new product needs the network to fetch its record. Anonymised usage statistics are also sent to Google (in the EU, only if you agree); your diary, foods and weight never are. Everything else in Radish — diary, history, calculations — counting works without a connection.
Are my scans sent anywhere?
Just the barcode, to Open Food Facts, to fetch the product record. Your diary itself stays on your phone — never sent to our servers (except AI or barcode scanning, if you use them). Radish asks for no account and collects no data.
Scanning a barcode to count your calories should never cost $80 a year. In 2026, it doesn't have to: open Radish, point it at the barcode, and keep your card in your pocket.
General information, not medical advice. Third-party app prices and features are cited for reference and may change.
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