AI scanning and protocol depth versus the adaptive coaching algorithm. A factual side-by-side. Updated August 2026.
BodyDexMacroFactor emphasizes adaptive macro targets. BodyDex combines nutrition and protocols.
MacroFactor is one of the most respected macro-coaching apps on the market — its adaptive expenditure algorithm is genuinely best-in-class for cutting, lean bulking, and recomp. It also added AI photo food logging in April 2025 (Premium-only). BodyDex is broader still: AI photo logging from day one, peptide and protocol tracking, an AI nutrition coach, a permanent free tier, and on-device data storage. Pick MacroFactor if the adaptive algorithm is your single must-have. Pick BodyDex if you want depth across logging, protocols, and AI features without paying day one.
| Feature | BodyDex | MacroFactor |
|---|---|---|
| AI photo food scanning | Yes — AI-powered, multi-item per photo (Premium) | Yes — added April 2025; subscription-only |
| Restaurant menu photo scan | Yes — photograph the printed menu; dishes appear with estimated calories, grouped by menu section (Premium) | Not found in official materials — AI photo logging photographs the meal itself |
| Adaptive expenditure / TDEE algorithm | No — fixed targets you can recalc; goal date is projected from your weigh-in trend | Yes — flagship feature; weekly recalibration |
| Macro coaching algorithm | Manual goals + AI coach (chat) | Algorithmic weekly macro adjustments |
| Peptide & protocol tracking | Yes — BPC-157, GLP-1, supplements, doses | No |
| Recipe builder | Yes (free) | Yes (subscription) |
| Workout logging | Yes — included in the same app | Not in MacroFactor itself — separate MacroFactor Workouts app (2026), $89.99/yr bundle |
| Food database | FatSecret + USDA + Open Food Facts | User-contributed + curated |
| Free tier | Yes — manual log, recipes, weight, peptide tracking free (up to 2 active protocols per category) | No free tier (by design, per its developer) — subscription required after trial |
| Night-shift day window | Yes — pick when your day starts; overnight meals appear together in one working-day view (free; stored data stays calendar-day) | Not found in official materials — time settings cover entry timestamps only |
| Where your data lives | On your device (local SQLite) | Server-side account |
| Apple Health / HealthKit | Yes — bidirectional | Yes |
| Android | Yes | Yes |
| Pricing | Free with Premium ($9.99/mo or $79.99/yr) | Subscription only ($11.99/mo or $71.99/yr / ~$5.99/mo on annual) |
Sources (checked August 2026): MacroFactor pricingMacroFactor time logging preferences
MacroFactor added AI photo logging as a Premium feature in April 2025; BodyDex shipped with AI scanning as a core feature and pairs it with manual database search for precision when the photo guess is off. More in our guide to AI macro tracking with editable photo logs.
MacroFactor is subscription-only after trial. BodyDex's free tier is indefinite — manual log, recipes, weight, peptide tracking are all free (free tier: up to 2 active protocols per category); Premium unlocks AI scan limits and the coach.
BPC-157, GLP-1 doses, supplements, reconstitution math, supply alerts — first-class data types in BodyDex. MacroFactor isn't built for that audience.
Your logs live on your device. There is no BodyDex server holding a database of your day. For sensitive health data — protocols especially — that's a stronger privacy posture by default.
If your goal is dialing in calorie targets to a moving body weight — cutting, lean bulking, recomp — MacroFactor's adaptive expenditure model is genuinely best-in-class. It removes the manual recalculation step. If you're tracking macros for general health, peptide protocols, or AI-assisted logging, the adaptive piece may be more than you need.
Not yet — BodyDex uses a fixed daily calorie target you set during onboarding (recalculable any time). What it does have is a goal date projected from your real weigh-in trend: the Weight Stats card on the Progress tab updates it weekly and says whether you're ahead, on track, or behind your target date. Expenditure itself isn't adaptively modeled. Adaptive expenditure is on our roadmap; we want to ship it well rather than ship a half-baked algorithm. For now, the gap is real and we'd point users who specifically want adaptive coaching toward MacroFactor for that single feature.
Pick BodyDex if you want a free tier you can use indefinitely, peptide and protocol tracking, on-device data storage, and an AI nutrition coach you can chat with. Pick MacroFactor if the adaptive expenditure algorithm and weekly macro coaching are the core feature you're paying for. Both apps now offer AI photo food logging — MacroFactor added it as a Premium feature in April 2025; in BodyDex AI scanning is also Premium-gated, but the manual food log, peptide tracking (up to 2 active protocols per category on free), recipes, and weight history stay free indefinitely.
BodyDex has a permanent free tier (manual log, recipes, peptide tracking — up to 2 active protocols per category — weight, barcode scanning). BodyDex Premium is $9.99/month or $79.99/year and unlocks AI photo scanning, voice food logging, full AI coach chat, and advanced analytics. MacroFactor has no free tier — after the trial, it's subscription-only at $11.99/month, a 6-month plan at $47.99 (~$8.00/month), or the annual plan at $71.99/year (~$5.99/month).
Direct import isn't available today. MacroFactor has data export tools; we're evaluating an importer. If this matters to you, contact us via bodydex.app/support and we'll prioritize based on demand.
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MacroFactor is a trademark of Stronger by Science, LLC. BodyDex is not affiliated with or endorsed by Stronger by Science. Pricing and features verified August 2026 from each publisher's public marketing pages and app-store listings — products evolve, so always confirm current details on the publisher's site before deciding. All trademarks are the property of their respective owners.
