Frequently Asked Questions

Chowdown is a free AI macro tracker that lets you snap a photo of your food and instantly get a breakdown of calories, protein, carbs, fat and fibre. There is no premium tier, no ads and no paywall. Every feature is available to every user, forever.

Chowdown uses computer vision to identify foods from photos. When you take a picture of your meal, the AI recognises individual ingredients and composite dishes, estimates portion sizes, and calculates the nutritional breakdown. You can also type a description of what you ate if you prefer.

Yes. Chowdown is 100% free with no subscriptions, no premium tier, no ads and no paywall. Every feature is available to everyone. The project is funded entirely by voluntary donations through Buy Me a Coffee.

Chowdown tracks five key nutritional metrics: calories, protein, carbohydrates, fat and fibre. You get a full breakdown for every meal you log, plus daily totals and progress bars on your dashboard.

AI food scanning estimates are typically within 15 to 25% accuracy. That is not perfect, and we do not pretend it is. However, research consistently shows that consistent tracking beats perfect tracking. People who log every meal at 80% accuracy get better results than those who track perfectly for two weeks and then quit.

MyFitnessPal charges £79.99 per year for Premium and locks features like detailed nutrient breakdowns behind a paywall. Chowdown is completely free with no feature gates. Chowdown also uses AI food scanning from photos, so you do not need to manually search a database or type in every ingredient.

You can sign in with Google in one tap. There are no forms to fill out, no verification emails and no passwords to remember. Your data syncs across devices automatically once you are signed in.

Yes. You can snap a photo of any homemade meal and the AI will identify the ingredients and estimate the macros. You can also type a description like "chicken stir fry with rice and broccoli" and get a breakdown. There is no need to find exact recipes in a database.

Chowdown works on any device with a web browser: iPhone, Android, tablet, laptop or desktop. It is a Progressive Web App (PWA), so there is nothing to download from an app store. Just open app.chowdown.me and start tracking.

Yes. Your data stays yours. Chowdown does not sell or share your personal information with third parties. There are no ads, so there is no incentive to monetise your data. You can delete your account and all associated data at any time.

Most macro trackers require you to manually search a food database and weigh portions. Chowdown uses AI to identify food from photos, making logging a meal as simple as taking a picture. It is also completely free with no premium tier, unlike MyFitnessPal, MacroFactor and Cronometer which all charge for full features.

Chowdown was built because nutrition tracking should not cost money. The creator believes that knowing what you eat is a basic health tool, not a luxury. Running costs are kept low and the project is supported by voluntary donations.

Robin is Chowdown's built-in AI nutritional coach. Robin analyses what you have eaten throughout the day, spots gaps in your nutrition, and suggests what to eat next based on your remaining macro targets. Robin is included free for all users.

Yes. Chowdown is an effective tool for weight loss because it makes calorie and macro tracking effortless. Set your daily targets using the built-in macro calculator, log your meals by taking photos, and track your progress on the dashboard. Consistent tracking is one of the strongest predictors of successful weight loss.

Yes. You can create or join groups to share meals with friends and family. Group members can react to each other's meals with motivational messages. Social accountability helps people stick with their nutrition goals longer.

Yes. Snap a photo of your restaurant meal and the AI will estimate the macros. It is not as precise as weighing food at home, but it is far better than not tracking at all. Consistent approximate tracking beats skipping meals entirely.

Chowdown is a web app that requires an internet connection for AI food scanning. However, as a PWA, you can install it on your home screen for quick access and a native app-like experience.

Visit app.chowdown.me, sign in with Google, and snap a photo of your next meal. That is it. The whole process takes under 10 seconds. There is nothing to download, free account takes seconds, and no credit card required.