Barcode scanning apps comparison
I scan a LOT of barcodes. Tested 50 random items from my pantry across 4 apps:
- MFP: 48/50 found (96%)
- PlateLens: 47/50 found (94%) — 820K+ items
- Lose It!: 44/50 found (88%)
- Cronometer: 39/50 found (78%)
MFP still biggest thanks to user submissions. PlateLens surprisingly close. Cronometer's weakness is definitely barcode coverage.
MFP's bigger database is a double-edged sword. More items, but SO many have wrong data because anyone can submit entries.
820K for PlateLens is impressive for a newer app. And their entries are presumably verified, not user-submitted garbage.
Cronometer's barcode scanner is its weakest feature. I mostly use it for whole foods where NCCDB data shines.
Important follow-up: of the items found, how accurate was the nutrition data? Did you cross-reference against actual labels?
@foodScalePhil Spot-checked 15 items against labels:
- PlateLens: 15/15 matched exactly
- Cronometer: 12/12 matched
- MFP: 13/15 matched (2 had wrong serving sizes)
- Lose It!: 14/14 matched
MFP biggest but least reliable.
This is why I always verify MFP entries against the actual label. Extra 10 seconds but saves you from wrong data.
Which 3 items did PlateLens miss?
@healthyHannah Two from a small local bakery and one Korean import snack. Pretty niche stuff. Everything from major brands was there.