CaveCals Review UK (2026): The Calorie Counter I Use

CaveCals is a calorie counter that logs food by photo, voice, barcode or a typed number, and it’s free to download with no account needed. I use it alongside my GLP-1 medication, and it beats every other tracker I’ve tried. My rating: 4.5 out of 5.

Last updated: 8 November 2026 · By Alan Spicer

What is CaveCals?

CaveCals is a calorie counter app for iPhone and Android that lets you log food by typing, scanning a barcode, taking a photo or saying what you ate. Its own tagline sums it up: “You eat. App track. Weight drop.” It’s made by Claim727 LLC and the food search is powered by FatSecret.

The idea is that logging should be over in seconds. Type “650” and it logs 650 calories. Type “pizza 300” and it logs pizza at 300 calories. Take a photo and it works out what’s on the plate.

Is CaveCals worth it?

CaveCals is worth it if you want to count calories and have given up on trackers before because logging took too long. I’ve tried Weight Watchers, Livestrong and MyFitnessPal, and CaveCals beats them all for me.

The free version is enough to count calories properly: logging, search, barcodes, a calorie plan, macro targets, weigh-ins and progress charts. You only pay if you want unlimited photo and voice logging, recipe import and a few extras.

Source: my scores; prices from the UK App Store, checked 7 November 2026.

What I like most about CaveCals

My two favourite features are Voice Log and Meal Scan.

Voice Log is top of my list. I love that I can talk to the app like I’m telling a friend what I had, and it turns that into the food entries with the calories and macros. You review the list before it’s added, so you can fix anything it misheard.

Meal Scan has been a life changer for me. I take a picture of my meal and it identifies what’s on the plate, the calories and the macros. Each food comes up as an editable estimate, so you can adjust the portion if it’s off before saving.

I also like Quick Add. It makes adding meals quick and painless when you know what you’re having, because it shows up to ten foods you’re likely to eat at that time of day, learned from your own log. And the barcode scanner is great for anything in a packet: scan it once and next time it adds instantly.

I also like the cute caveman design. It’s a small thing, but it makes the app nicer to open.

What’s free and what does Cave Cals+ cost?

CaveCals is free to download and use, and Cave Cals+ costs £4.99 a month or £39.99 a year on the UK App Store (checked 7 November 2026). Free trials (3 days on monthly, 7 days on yearly) are for eligible new subscribers.

Source: CaveCals partner feature guide (November 2026) and UK App Store listing, checked 7 November 2026.

If you’re on iPhone, the code ALANSPICER gives you one month free on the yearly plan. In the App Store, tap your profile picture, then Redeem Gift Card or Code. My is CaveCals free? guide goes through the free version in more detail.

How does logging work in CaveCals?

CaveCals has four ways to log food, plus shortcuts that learn your habits. Here’s how each one works:

• Type it: enter a number for calories (“650”) or a food and calories (“pizza 300”).
• Search: restaurant, branded and everyday foods, with foods you’ve logged before shown first.
• Scan a barcode: get calories and macros from the pack.
• Snap or say it: Meal Scan from a photo, or Voice Log from what you say (or type into the voice box).

Quick Add shows up to ten foods you’re likely to eat right now, and you can pin favourites. Quick Start puts the foods you usually start the day with on the Home screen. Saved meals let you log a regular breakfast or lunch in one tap, and you can build one from today’s log, a photo, your voice or by hand.

Everything is editable: portions, servings and times. Swipe to duplicate or delete, with Undo if you slip. Meal types (breakfast, lunch, dinner and snacks) are optional and set by time of day.

How does the CaveCals calorie plan work?

The CaveCals calorie plan takes about a minute: you enter your age, height, weight, activity level and a goal to lose, maintain or gain, and it suggests daily calories with an estimated date to reach your goal. You can skip the plan and just track if you prefer.

A calorie plan is a daily calorie target worked out from your body and activity. The NHS says an average man needs about 2,500kcal a day and an average woman about 2,000kcal, but your number depends on your size and how active you are. My guide to how many calories to eat to lose weight explains the maths.

CaveCals also suggests protein, carbs and fat targets from your plan, all editable. Tap any macro on the Home screen to see each food’s grams. If a food is missing a value, CaveCals estimates it and marks it so you know. If you want a protein number to aim for, my protein calculator gives you a starting point.

What do progress tracking and Clans do?

CaveCals tracks your weigh-ins and calories with weekly, monthly and yearly charts, and Clans let you check in with friends without sharing your food. Here’s what the progress features include:

• Weekly Recap: this week against last week, plus a printable one-page report to share with a coach.
• Trends: your average calories by day of the week and by hour of the day.
• On-target vs over days: what’s different on the days you stay on target, such as timing, foods and macros.
• Progress photos: with a timer and a ghost of your last photo to line up, stored only on your phone.

Clans are private groups with friends, family or a trainer, on iPhone and Android together. A campfire page shows who has logged today and the clan’s streak, and there are challenges like logging streaks, on-target days and weight loss. Clan members see your check-ins but never your food. A clan of two is free.

Is CaveCals private?

CaveCals is private by design: you don’t need an account to track, and your food diary stays on your phone. On iPhone it syncs privately between your own devices through iCloud.

The AI only sees what you choose to scan, say or type, never your whole diary. Progress photos and weigh-ins stay on the phone and are never sent to the AI. You only sign in if you want to use Clans. For a health app, that’s a sensible setup.

How accurate is Meal Scan?

Meal Scan gives an estimate, not an exact figure, which is why every food it finds is editable before you save. That’s true of every photo calorie app, not just CaveCals.

For packaged food, the barcode scanner takes the figures straight from the pack. For home-cooked meals, a photo plus a quick portion check gets you close. CaveCals’ own fine print says the same: calorie plans and AI results are estimates, not medical advice.

What doesn’t CaveCals do?

CaveCals doesn’t track vitamins and minerals, and unlimited photo and voice logging needs Cave Cals+. Those are the two reasons it’s 4.5 and not 5.

• No micronutrients: it tracks calories, protein, carbs and fat. If you need iron, zinc or magnesium data, Cronometer is built for that, and a GP blood test tells you more than a food diary.
• Photo and voice are capped on free: you get 10 analyses to try, then it’s Cave Cals+.
• No web version: it’s a phone app, so there’s no logging from a laptop.

Who is CaveCals for (and who isn’t it for)?

CaveCals suits people who want to count calories quickly and have dropped a tracker before because it felt like homework. It isn’t the best pick if you want detailed nutrient data or a coaching programme.

If you’re comparing it with other apps, my MyFitnessPal alternatives guide ranks the free options, and the best calorie tracker app UK page compares ten apps side by side.

Can you use CaveCals alongside a diet plan or medication?

Yes. CaveCals is a food diary, so it works alongside whatever plan you follow, including GLP-1 medication. It isn’t part of any treatment and doesn’t claim to be.

I’ve been on GLP-1 medication since January 2024 and lost 7 stone in 18 months, and I track my food in CaveCals alongside it. Your results will be your own, and your prescriber is the person to talk to before you change how much you eat. My complete GLP-1 guide covers the medication side.

How to get started with CaveCals

Getting started takes a few minutes and you don’t need an account. Here’s the order I’d do it in:

1. Download CaveCals from the App Store or Google Play using my link.
2. Set your calorie plan with your age, height, weight, activity and goal, or skip it and just track.
3. Check the suggested protein, carbs and fat targets and edit them if you have your own.
4. Log your next meal with a photo, your voice, a barcode or by typing it.
5. Keep logging for a week so Quick Add learns your usual foods.

If you’re new to counting, my beginner’s guide to counting calories explains the basics before you start.

People also ask

Frequently asked questions

Is CaveCals free?

Yes. You can download and use CaveCals free, with logging, search, barcode scanning, calorie plans, macros, weigh-ins and progress charts included. New users get 10 free Meal Scan and Voice Log analyses. Cave Cals+ adds more of those plus recipe import and extra features.

How much is Cave Cals+ in the UK?

Cave Cals+ costs £4.99 a month or £39.99 a year on the UK App Store (checked 7 November 2026). Free trials are available for eligible new subscribers, and the iPhone code ALANSPICER gives one month free on the yearly plan.

Do you need an account to use CaveCals?

No. You can download CaveCals and start tracking straight away. You only sign in if you want to join or start a clan with friends, family or a trainer.

Does CaveCals track protein?

Yes. CaveCals suggests protein, carbs and fat targets from your calorie plan, and you can edit them. Tap protein on the Home screen to see how many grams each food added.

Does CaveCals track vitamins and minerals?

No. CaveCals tracks calories, protein, carbs and fat. If you need detailed vitamin and mineral tracking, Cronometer is built for that, and a GP blood test is the best way to check for a deficiency.

Is CaveCals on Android?

Yes. CaveCals is on iPhone and Android, and iPhone and Android users can be in the same clan.

How accurate is CaveCals Meal Scan?

Meal Scan gives an editable estimate for each food on your plate. Photo estimates aren’t exact, so check the portion before you save it. For packaged food, the barcode scanner uses the pack’s own figures.

Can I use CaveCals alongside my medication?

CaveCals is a food diary, so it works alongside whatever plan you follow, including medication. It isn’t part of any treatment. I use it alongside mine, and I’d talk to your prescriber before changing how much you eat.

Final thoughts

CaveCals is the calorie counter I use, and I rate it 4.5 out of 5. The free version does the job, logging takes seconds, and your food diary stays on your phone.

It loses half a point because unlimited photo and voice logging needs Cave Cals+ and it doesn’t track vitamins and minerals. If those don’t matter to you, download CaveCals free and log a normal week before you decide whether to upgrade. For how it stacks up against the rest, see my best calorie tracker app UK comparison.

Sources: [1] CaveCals on the UK App Store. [2] Shonkoff E et al. AI-based digital image dietary assessment, Annals of Medicine 2023. [3] Harvey J et al. Log Often, Lose More, Obesity 2019. [4] NHS: Understanding calories.

Disclosure: some links on this page are affiliate links (including CaveCals). If you sign up or buy, I may earn a commission at no extra cost to you. I only recommend what I use or would use. Programme terms change, so check current terms on each site.