Foodnoms: A Simpler Cronometer Alternative

Last updated: February 2026

Looking for a Cronometer alternative? While Cronometer is a powerful nutrition tracker beloved by biohackers, many users find it overwhelming for everyday use.

Foodnoms offers a simpler approach to nutrition tracking—built exclusively for Apple devices with features Cronometer lacks.

Quick Comparison: Foodnoms vs Cronometer

Feature

Foodnoms

Cronometer

Design Philosophy

Simple & fast

Comprehensive & detailed

Apple Watch App

Log favorites

View-only

Offline Support

Yes (local-first)

Limited

Account Required

No (optional)

Yes

Ads

None

Free tier has ads

Barcode Scanner

Free

Free

Micronutrient Tracking

Foodnoms+

Full (84+ nutrients)

Price

Free or $40/yr

Free / $55/yr

Family Plan

$70/yr (Apple Family Sharing)

Not available

Why Users Are Looking for Alternatives

Cronometer is a powerful tool—maybe too powerful for many users. Common frustrations include:

  • Overwhelming interface - Tracking 84+ nutrients can feel like homework rather than health tracking. Many users just want to log calories and macros without data overload.

  • Limited Apple Watch app - Cronometer's Watch app only displays information—you can't log food from your wrist.

  • Poor offline support - Cronometer requires an internet connection for most features. Users report sync delays between devices showing outdated macro information.

  • Slow mobile app - Users on Cronometer's own forums complain about slow startup times, navigation bugs, and needing to restart their phones due to app instability.

  • No family sharing - Premium subscriptions can't be shared with family members, making it expensive for households.

  • Search finds wrong foods - The search algorithm prioritizes unfamiliar foods over your recently consumed items, forcing you to manually locate regular meals.

Foodnoms vs Cronometer: Key Differences

Simple Daily Tracking vs Deep Analysis

Cronometer is designed for users who want to track everything—84+ nutrients with data from verified sources. If you want to know exactly how much zinc, selenium, or vitamin K2 you're getting, Cronometer excels here.

Foodnoms is designed for people who want effective tracking without complexity. The interface is clean and fast, optimized for logging meals quickly and moving on with your day. Foodnoms+ does offer micronutrient tracking, but the app doesn't overwhelm you with data unless you want it.

Native Apple Experience

Foodnoms is built exclusively for Apple platforms, taking full advantage of the latest features:

  • iPhone, iPad, and Mac apps - Native apps for all your devices

  • Apple Watch app - Log your favorite foods and view progress from your wrist

  • Siri Shortcuts and App Shortcuts - Automate your tracking with powerful shortcuts

  • Widgets - Home Screen, Lock Screen, and StandBy support

  • iOS 26 Liquid Glass design - Updated with Apple's latest design language

  • Bidirectional Apple Health sync - Reliable data exchange

Cronometer is cross-platform, which means the Apple experience isn't as deeply integrated. The Apple Watch app is view-only (no logging), there's no native Mac app, and sync is account-based only.

Local-First and Works Offline

Foodnoms is built local-first:

  • Works offline - Log food anywhere, even without internet

  • No account required - Use iCloud sync with your Apple ID, or optionally create a Foodnoms Cloud account

  • Fast and responsive - No waiting for server responses

Cronometer requires an account and internet connection for most features. Users report frustrating sync delays between devices.

Pricing


Foodnoms

Cronometer

Free tier

Generous

Yes (with ads)

Premium

$40/year

$55/year

Family Plan

$70/year

Not available

Foodnoms+ Family supports Apple Family Sharing, so your whole household can share a single subscription.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is Cronometer too complicated?

It depends on your goals. If you want to track 84+ micronutrients in detail, Cronometer's complexity is a feature. But if you just want to track calories and macros quickly, many users find it overwhelming. Foodnoms lets you customize exactly which nutrients appear in your dashboard.

Does Cronometer have an Apple Watch app?

Yes, but it's view-only—you can see your energy summary and nutrition scores, but you can't log food from your wrist. Foodnoms lets you log your favorite foods directly from Apple Watch.

Can I use Cronometer offline?

Cronometer has limited offline support and requires an account. Users report sync delays and needing internet for most features. Foodnoms is local-first—all your data lives on your device and works fully offline.

Can I share a Cronometer subscription with my family?

No, Cronometer doesn't support Apple Family Sharing for subscriptions. Foodnoms+ Family ($70/year) supports Apple Family Sharing for up to 6 family members.

Is Foodnoms as detailed as Cronometer?

Foodnoms+ offers micronutrient tracking, but it's optional—the app doesn't overwhelm you unless you want that level of detail. Cronometer tracks more nutrients (84+) but with more interface complexity.

Ready to Try a Simpler Approach?

Download Foodnoms free and see if a cleaner, faster tracking experience works better for your daily routine.

Download on the App Store

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