Is CaveCals Free? What You Get Free vs Cave Cals+

Yes, CaveCals is free to download and use. Logging, food search, barcode scanning, a calorie plan, macro targets, weigh-ins and progress charts are all free, and new users get 10 free photo and voice logs. Cave Cals+ is optional and costs £4.99 a month or £39.99 a year on the UK App Store.

Last updated: 8 November 2026 · By Alan Spicer

Is CaveCals free to use?

Yes. CaveCals is free to download on iPhone and Android, and you can use it to count calories without paying anything or creating an account. The paid tier, Cave Cals+, is optional.

The free version covers the parts most people need every day: logging food, searching, scanning barcodes, setting a calorie plan, macro targets, weigh-ins and progress charts. You also get 10 free Meal Scan (photo) and Voice Log analyses to try the AI features.

What’s free and what’s paid in CaveCals?

Most of CaveCals is free; Cave Cals+ adds more photo and voice logging plus a handful of extras. Here’s the full split from the CaveCals feature guide:

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

How much does Cave Cals+ cost in the UK?

Cave Cals+ costs £4.99 a month or £39.99 a year on the UK App Store (checked 7 November 2026). New subscribers can get a free trial: 3 days on monthly and 7 days on yearly.

Source: UK App Store, checked 7 November 2026. Prices are set by Apple and Google and can change; the store shows the exact price before you pay.

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.

Do you need Cave Cals+?

You don’t need Cave Cals+ to count calories properly. Typing, search, barcode scanning and Quick Add will log almost anything, and the calorie plan, macros and weigh-ins are all free.

You’ll want Cave Cals+ if photo and voice logging become your main way of tracking. Those are my favourite features. With Voice Log I talk to the app like I’m telling a friend what I had and it turns that into food entries with calories and macros, and Meal Scan has been a life changer for me on home-cooked meals. Recipe import is also handy if you cook from the same recipes a lot.

How does CaveCals’ free version compare with other apps?

CaveCals gives more for free than most big-name apps, mainly because barcode scanning is free. MyFitnessPal and Lose It! both list barcode scanning as a paid feature, and Cal AI’s listing says food scan results need a subscription.

Source: each app’s UK App Store listing or official site, checked 7 November 2026.

For a fuller comparison, see my best calorie tracker app UK guide or the MyFitnessPal alternatives ranking.

Does free CaveCals have hidden limits?

The only limit on free CaveCals is the number of photo and voice analyses (10 to try). Everything else in the free column works without caps, and you don’t need an account.

What CaveCals doesn’t do at any price is track vitamins and minerals; it covers calories, protein, carbs and fat. If you’re worried about a deficiency, your GP can arrange a blood test.

How do you get started with free CaveCals?

Getting started takes a couple of minutes. Here’s the quickest route:

1. Download CaveCals using my link (it opens the right store for your phone).
2. Set a calorie plan with your age, height, weight, activity and goal, or skip it and just track.
3. Log your next meal: scan, search, type, or use one of your free photo or voice logs.
4. Keep going for a week so Quick Add learns your usual foods.

If you’re new to all this, start with my beginner’s guide to counting calories.

People also ask

Frequently asked questions

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). The store shows the exact price before you pay.

What do you get with Cave Cals+?

Cave Cals+ adds more Meal Scan and Voice Log analyses, recipe import from a link, photos or text, Cave Coach (three AI tips based on your eating patterns), extra progress photos each day, clans bigger than two people and Siri estimates for new foods.

How many free photo scans does CaveCals give?

New users get 10 free Meal Scan and Voice Log analyses to try. After that, photo and voice logging are part of Cave Cals+, but every other way of logging stays free.

Can you use CaveCals free forever?

Yes. You can keep using the free version with typing, search, barcode scanning, Quick Add and saved meals for as long as you like.

Do you need an account for the free version?

No. You can download CaveCals and start tracking without an account. Signing in is only needed if you want to join or start a clan.

Is the yearly plan better value than monthly?

The yearly plan is £39.99 against £4.99 a month (£59.88 over a year) on the UK App Store, so yearly works out cheaper if you’ll use it all year. The iPhone code ALANSPICER adds a free month on the yearly plan.

How do I cancel Cave Cals+?

Subscriptions are managed through the App Store or Google Play, not inside the app. Cancel from your phone’s subscription settings before the renewal date.

Is CaveCals cheaper than MyFitnessPal Premium?

Yes, at the prices listed on the UK App Store when I checked: Cave Cals+ is £39.99 a year, and MyFitnessPal Premium yearly plans were listed from £39.99 to £64.99. CaveCals also includes barcode scanning for free, which MyFitnessPal keeps in Premium.

Final thoughts

CaveCals is free, and for counting calories the free version is enough: you can log by typing, searching or scanning barcodes, set a calorie plan and track your weight without paying a penny.

Cave Cals+ is worth it if you like logging by photo or voice, which are my favourite features. Try your 10 free scans first and see how you get on. Download CaveCals free, and if you’re on iPhone, use the code ALANSPICER for a free month on the yearly plan. My full CaveCals review covers the rest.

Sources: [1] CaveCals on the UK App Store. [2] MyFitnessPal Premium (official). [3] Lose It! on the UK App Store. [4] Cal AI on the UK App Store.

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.