Head-to-head comparison
WhispCal vs FatSecret: Free and Huge, or Measured
FatSecret has been around since 2007 and is one of the most complete free calorie counters you can install. The food database is enormous and community checked, restaurant items included, and the core app costs nothing.
WhispCal charges for less of the basics and does one thing FatSecret does not. It measures your real burn from what you log and weigh, then moves your calorie Target for you. Here is how the two compare.
| Feature | WhispCal | FatSecret |
|---|---|---|
| Free tier | Yes, no ads | Yes, with ads |
| Food database | Standard | Very large, community verified |
| Voice logging | Yes, a few seconds | No |
| Metabolism measured | Yes, real burn from your data | No, RDI from a formula |
| Target adjusts itself | Autopilot | Only when you edit your goal |
| Price | Free / $4.99/mo | Free / $6.99/mo |
The free tier and the database
FatSecret's free tier is generous, and the database is its best asset. Millions of foods, a lot of them verified by the community, with restaurant and supermarket items from many countries. Image recognition and a diet calendar are in the free app too. Premium adds meal plans, water and exercise tracking, and removes the ads.
WhispCal's free tier covers logging, barcode and the measured burn without ads. The database is smaller than FatSecret's. If you eat a lot of chain restaurant food and want every item pre-entered, FatSecret has the edge there.
Logging speed
FatSecret logs by search, barcode and photo recognition. The interface has grown over the years and it shows. Logging works, but it takes a few more taps than it should.
WhispCal logs by voice, photo, barcode or text in a few seconds. Hold a food and drag to fix a portion. The screens are built for one thing, getting the meal in fast, and the habit sticks because of it.
- FatSecret: the largest free database, community verified, restaurant items, a big community
- WhispCal: voice, photo, barcode, text, drag to adjust, no ads on the free tier
- WhispCal: real burn measured from your own data, Target moved by Autopilot
Metabolism and price
FatSecret gives you an RDI, a recommended daily intake, from a formula. It stays where it is until you edit your goal. WhispCal measures your real burn from your weight and meals, shows how it drifts as your body adapts, and Autopilot moves your Target one step at a time with a Brief that says why.
FatSecret is free with ads; Premium is about $6.99 a month or less yearly. WhispCal is $4.99 a month with a free, ad-free tier. Both run on iOS and Android in English and French.
Frequently asked questions
Is FatSecret really free?
Yes. Search, barcode, photo recognition and the diet calendar are all in the free app, with ads. Premium, about $6.99 a month at the time of writing, removes the ads and adds meal plans and extra tracking.
Does FatSecret have a bigger food database than WhispCal?
Yes. FatSecret's community-verified database is one of the largest around, with restaurant items from many countries. WhispCal's is smaller. WhispCal makes up for it with voice and photo logging, which need no database lookup.
Does FatSecret adjust my calories automatically?
No. FatSecret's RDI comes from a formula and stays put until you edit your goal. WhispCal's Autopilot reads your weight and intake over a few days and moves your Target for you, with a Brief that explains the move.
Which should I pick?
FatSecret if you want the biggest free database and don't mind ads or a static goal. WhispCal if you want fast logging with no ads and a Target that moves on your own data.
Keep exploring
Let WhispCal do the math automatically
These numbers are a starting point. WhispCal measures how your body actually responds — logging food in 3 seconds by voice, photo, or barcode — and auto-adjusts your targets as your metabolism changes. Free on iOS and Android.
Free on iOS & Android