Is Yazio Free Anymore? The Honest 2026 Answer

Yes, Yazio is still free in 2026. The free tier is basic — calorie log, fasting timer, ads. Most advanced features require PRO. You can download Yazio, create an account, log meals, set a calorie goal, and run a basic intermittent fasting timer without paying a cent. But the moment you reach for recipes, meal plans, advanced fasting protocols, or an ad-free interface, a paywall appears.

There is a persistent rumor in fitness forums and on social media that Yazio "went fully paid" somewhere between 2024 and 2026. That rumor is inaccurate. What actually happened is more subtle — Yazio kept the free tier alive but has steadily moved more of the app's useful functionality behind PRO, so the free experience in 2026 feels thinner than it did three years ago. For some users the free tier is still enough. For many, it has quietly become a teaser for the €4–€6/month PRO plan.

This guide breaks down exactly what Yazio Free gives you in 2026, what PRO unlocks, whether the free tier is actually useful, and which alternatives — including Nutrola's real free tier and permanently free competitors — deliver more without pushing you toward a subscription.

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What's in Yazio Free in 2026

Yazio Free in 2026 keeps the core calorie counting experience intact. You can sign up with email or Apple/Google, set a weight goal, pick a daily calorie budget, and start logging food immediately. For users who only want a digital food diary, this alone covers the job.

The free tier includes:

• Daily calorie budget. Set a target based on your current weight, goal weight, activity level, and preferred pace. Yazio calculates a standard deficit, surplus, or maintenance number.
• Food logging with search. Access Yazio's food database and log meals across breakfast, lunch, dinner, and snacks. Database accuracy varies — many entries are crowdsourced.
• Barcode scanner. Scan packaged foods in most supermarkets. European barcode coverage is strong given Yazio's German origin; coverage outside the EU is more mixed.
• Basic macro display. Carbs, protein, and fat are visible on the free tier, though macro goal-setting and detailed macro targeting are PRO features.
• Weight tracking. Log your weight over time and see a basic chart.
• Water intake tracker. Log cups of water against a daily target.
• Basic step/activity import. Yazio reads step data from Apple Health or Google Fit and credits it against your daily calorie budget.
• Intermittent fasting timer (basic). The 16:8 protocol is available for free, along with a simple countdown timer. You can see your fasting window, start/stop fasts, and view a basic fast history.
• Notifications and reminders. Meal reminders, fasting alerts, and weight check-in nudges.

For a user whose goal is "I want to log my meals and stay in a calorie deficit," this is a workable free tier. It is not generous by 2026 standards, but it is functional.

What you will also notice on the free tier: ads. Banner ads on the main log screen, interstitial ads when opening some sections, and recurring PRO upsell prompts throughout the app. The ad load is lighter than MyFitnessPal Free but heavier than FatSecret. On a quiet week you might not notice. On a busy logging day you will.

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What Requires Yazio PRO

This is where the 2026 Yazio experience diverges most from what free users remember from a few years ago. The PRO tier now absorbs most of the features that made Yazio distinctive in the first place — recipes, meal plans, and the more advanced fasting protocols.

Yazio PRO in 2026 unlocks:

• Full recipe library. Thousands of recipes with per-serving calories and macros. The free tier shows a tiny sample and routes most recipe taps into the PRO upsell.
• Meal plans. Structured multi-day and multi-week plans for specific goals — weight loss, muscle gain, low-carb, keto, Mediterranean, vegan, vegetarian, and more. None of these are accessible on free in any meaningful depth.
• Advanced fasting protocols. 18:6, 20:4, 5:2, warrior fast, alternate-day fasting, and custom protocols all require PRO. Only 16:8 and a couple of beginner options remain free.
• Macro goal setting. You can see macros for free, but setting specific macro targets (for example 40/30/30 or 150g protein) is PRO.
• Recipe import from URLs. Pasting a recipe URL and getting a nutrition breakdown is PRO.
• Ad-free experience. The free tier is ad-supported in 2026. Removing ads requires PRO.
• Detailed nutrient tracking. Micronutrients, fiber targeting, sugar tracking beyond basics, and nutrient reports are PRO.
• Data export. CSV or PDF exports for sharing with a coach or healthcare provider are PRO.
• Full Apple Watch and widget features. Some watch complications and home screen widgets are limited or locked on free.
• Advanced progress analytics. Streaks, detailed trends, and goal analysis beyond the basic chart are PRO.

Yazio PRO in 2026 runs roughly €4–€6 per month billed annually, with higher monthly pricing if you pay month to month, and occasional first-year promotions. Pricing varies by region and currency. A lifetime PRO option surfaces in the app periodically at a higher one-time fee.

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Is Yazio Free Good Enough for Most Users?

For a strict subset of users, Yazio Free in 2026 is genuinely enough. If you want a simple food diary plus a basic 16:8 fasting timer and you are willing to tolerate ads, the free tier handles that job. No database of meal plans you will not use, no paywall to bump into on every other tap — just log food, log fasts, log weight.

For everyone else, Yazio Free has become frustrating in ways that are easy to predict. If your interest in Yazio was ever about the recipes, the meal plans, or the fasting variety, the free tier in 2026 is a preview, not a product. You will spend more time tapping through upsell prompts than actually using features. Three specific friction points drive most complaints:

1. Recipe teasing. The app surfaces recipe cards in feeds, then gates the recipe content behind PRO. Users who came to Yazio for its recipe library specifically are the most disappointed.
2. Fasting protocol limits. If you are running 18:6 or 20:4 — two of the most commonly recommended intermittent fasting windows in 2026 — you cannot do that on the free timer. Only 16:8 and a couple of lighter options stay free.
3. Macro goals are read-only. You can see your macros but you cannot set targets. For anyone following a protein-forward plan, a keto approach, or a coach's macro split, this is a blocker.

A reasonable rule in 2026: if you open Yazio and feel the app is nudging you to upgrade more than it is helping you log, it probably is. That is not a value judgment — the app has to make money — but it means users who want more than a basic diary should look at what else is out there before paying €50+ per year for Yazio PRO.

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Better Free Alternatives

If Yazio Free is too thin for your needs but you are not ready to pay, three alternatives are worth testing in 2026.

Nutrola Free Trial

Nutrola's free trial gives you every premium feature with no upfront cost — AI photo logging, voice logging, barcode scanning, a verified 1.8 million+ food database, 100+ nutrients tracked, recipe URL import, meal planning, full HealthKit sync, and 14-language support. Zero ads on any tier, including the trial. If the app earns your trust during the trial, it continues at €2.50 per month — roughly half of what Yazio PRO costs — and there is also a permanent free tier with the core logging features still intact.

FatSecret (Permanently Free)

FatSecret has the most complete permanently free tier in the calorie tracking category. Full macro tracking, unlimited logging, barcode scanner, recipe calculator, and weight tracking all remain free in 2026. The interface is dated and the database is crowdsourced (so accuracy is inconsistent), but if "genuinely free and functional" is the top priority, FatSecret delivers.

Cronometer Free

Cronometer Free is the most nutritionally accurate free option. It tracks 80+ nutrients from verified databases (USDA, NCCDB) and is the gold standard for users with specific medical or micronutrient needs. The free tier has daily log limits and no barcode scanner, and the interface is more utility than app, but the data quality is unmatched in the free category.

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How Nutrola's Free Tier Compares

Nutrola takes a different approach to the free-vs-PRO question. Rather than pushing the useful features into a premium tier and hoping you convert, Nutrola keeps a genuinely free base tier and prices PRO at €2.50/month — low enough that the upgrade decision is about features, not leverage. Here is what the trial (and, more importantly, what the paid tier) includes:

• AI photo logging in under 3 seconds. Snap a meal, get a verified identification and portion estimate with macros and micros in under 3 seconds.
• Voice logging in natural language. "I had two slices of sourdough and a bowl of Greek yogurt with berries" — logged.
• Barcode scanning with 1.8M+ verified entries. Packaged foods worldwide, EU-strong coverage, verified by nutrition professionals rather than crowdsourced.
• 100+ nutrients tracked. Not just calories and the three macros — full micronutrient profile including vitamins, minerals, fiber, sodium, and added sugars.
• 14 languages. Full localization for international users, including right-to-left scripts where relevant.
• Zero ads on every tier. Not a PRO perk. No banner ads, no interstitials, no upsell popups between meals.
• Full HealthKit and Google Fit sync. Bidirectional sync for activity, steps, workouts, weight, sleep, and nutrition.
• Recipe URL import. Paste any recipe link for a verified nutritional breakdown with per-serving macros and micros.
• Meal planning and templates. Build reusable meal templates and structured plans without a PRO paywall gating the core workflow.
• Custom macro and nutrient targets. Set protein, carbs, fat, fiber, sodium, or any nutrient target you want.
• Cross-device sync via iCloud. Log on iPhone, see it instantly on iPad, Apple Watch, and the web.
• €2.50/month PRO. About half of Yazio PRO. Covers every device under a single subscription.

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Yazio Free vs PRO vs Alternatives — Comparison Table

Feature	Yazio Free	Yazio PRO	FatSecret Free	Cronometer Free	Nutrola Free Tier	Nutrola PRO
Calorie logging	Yes	Yes	Yes (unlimited)	Yes (limited)	Yes	Yes
Macro display	Yes (view only)	Yes (full targeting)	Yes (full)	Yes	Yes	Yes
Custom macro goals	No	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes
Barcode scanner	Yes	Yes	Yes	No	Yes	Yes
AI photo logging	No	No	No	No	Trial	Yes (<3s)
Voice logging	No	No	No	No	Trial	Yes
Recipes	Teaser only	Full library	Community	Limited	Basic	Full + URL import
Meal plans	No	Yes	No	No	Basic	Full
Fasting timer	16:8 only	All protocols	No	No	Yes	Yes
Micronutrients	No	Yes	Limited	80+	Yes	100+
Ads	Yes	No	Yes	Yes	No	No
HealthKit sync	Basic	Full	Basic	Limited	Full	Full
14 languages	Partial	Partial	Limited	Limited	Yes	Yes
Price	Free	~€4–€6/mo	Free	Free	Free	€2.50/mo

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Who Each App Is Actually For

Best if you only want a basic diary and 16:8 fasting

Yazio Free. If your entire use case is "log meals, run a 16:8 fast, watch weight trend," Yazio Free still does the job in 2026. You will see ads and upsell prompts, but the core diary works. Do not expect recipes, meal plans, or advanced fasting without paying.

Best if you want the most functional permanently free tier

FatSecret Free. Full macro targeting, unlimited logging, a barcode scanner, and a recipe calculator all at zero cost permanently. Interface is dated and the database is crowdsourced, but the free depth is hard to beat.

Best if you want premium features without a premium price

Nutrola Free trial, then €2.50/month. AI photo logging under 3 seconds, voice logging, 1.8M+ verified database, 100+ nutrients, 14 languages, zero ads on any tier. Try it free, decide based on the product, and if you continue it's roughly half of Yazio PRO.

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Frequently Asked Questions

Is Yazio completely free in 2026?

No. Yazio has a free tier and a paid PRO tier. The free tier covers basic calorie logging, barcode scanning, weight tracking, water tracking, and a basic 16:8 fasting timer, with ads. Recipes, meal plans, advanced fasting protocols, macro targeting, and an ad-free experience all require PRO.

Did Yazio remove the free tier?

No. Yazio has not removed the free tier. What has changed between 2023 and 2026 is that more features have moved behind the PRO paywall, so the free tier feels thinner than it used to. If you read somewhere that Yazio is "no longer free," that is inaccurate — you can still download and use Yazio Free today.

How much does Yazio PRO cost in 2026?

Yazio PRO costs roughly €4–€6 per month when billed annually, with higher monthly pricing if you pay month-to-month. Exact pricing varies by region, currency, and promotion. A lifetime PRO option appears periodically at a higher one-time fee.

Does Yazio Free have ads?

Yes. The free tier is ad-supported in 2026. Expect banner ads on the main logging screen, occasional interstitial ads, and recurring prompts to upgrade to PRO. Removing ads requires PRO.

Can I use intermittent fasting for free on Yazio?

Yes, but only for the 16:8 protocol and a couple of lighter options. More advanced protocols — 18:6, 20:4, 5:2, warrior fast, alternate-day, or custom — require Yazio PRO in 2026.

What free alternatives to Yazio exist in 2026?

FatSecret has the most complete permanently free tier, with unlimited logging, full macro tracking, and a barcode scanner. Cronometer Free is the most nutritionally accurate, tracking 80+ nutrients from verified databases. Nutrola offers a free trial of every premium feature plus a free base tier, with PRO priced at €2.50/month.

Is Nutrola actually cheaper than Yazio PRO?

Yes. Nutrola PRO is €2.50/month — roughly half the cost of Yazio PRO. Nutrola also runs zero ads on every tier (free trial included), tracks 100+ nutrients (vs Yazio's more limited micronutrient view), uses a 1.8 million+ verified database, and supports 14 languages with AI photo logging in under 3 seconds.

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Final Verdict

Yes, Yazio is still free in 2026 — but "free" means a basic calorie diary, a barcode scanner, weight and water tracking, and a 16:8 fasting timer, wrapped in ads and upsell prompts. Everything that made Yazio distinctive — the recipes, the meal plans, the variety of fasting protocols, the macro targeting — now sits behind the PRO paywall at €4–€6/month. That is a defensible pricing decision for Yazio, but it leaves users with a choice: accept a thinner free tier, pay for PRO, or look at alternatives. FatSecret Free is the most feature-complete permanently free option. Cronometer Free is the most accurate. Nutrola's free trial unlocks every premium feature — AI photo logging under 3 seconds, 100+ nutrients, 1.8M+ verified database, 14 languages, zero ads on any tier — and if you continue it's €2.50/month, roughly half of Yazio PRO. If Yazio Free feels like it's nudging you to upgrade more than it's helping you log, that's a signal to test at least one alternative before paying.