Free tools / Free barcode scanner
Calorie counter with a free barcode scanner
Point your phone at the barcode and the food is in your log, with calories, protein, carbs and fat. In Epoch, barcode scanning is free: no trial, no cap, no Pro needed.
Barcode scanning in Epoch
$0
Part of the free app, on every account.
How it works
- Scan. In the food log, tap scan and point the camera at the barcode on the pack.
- Look up. Epoch checks Open Food Facts, a free, open database of food products from around the world. If the product is not there, it checks the branded foods in USDA FoodData Central.
- Log. Choose how much you ate. Calories, protein, carbs, fat and fiber are scaled to your portion and added to your day.
When a product is in neither database, Epoch opens a short form so you can copy the label once. It remembers that barcode on your phone, so the next scan of the same product logs it straight away.
Why it is free
A barcode lookup does not use AI and the databases behind it are open, so it costs us very little to run. Some popular calorie trackers put barcode scanning behind a paid subscription. We think the fastest way to log food belongs in the free app.
The free app also covers calorie tracking, workout logs and progress charts. Epoch Pro adds the AI coach, the Community and direct messages; scanning stays free either way.
Before you start
Not sure how many calories to aim for? The free TDEE calculator gives you a daily number, and the macro calculator splits it into protein, carbs and fat. Or take the quiz and Epoch sets both for you.
Epoch is on iPhone now; Android comes later. The web app uses the same account.
Questions
Is the barcode scanner in Epoch really free?
Yes. Barcode scanning is part of the free Epoch app. There is no trial to start, no daily or monthly limit on scans, and you do not need Epoch Pro to use it.
Where does the nutrition data come from?
Epoch looks the barcode up in Open Food Facts, a free and open food database with products from around the world. If a product is not there, it checks the branded foods in USDA FoodData Central.
What happens if a product is not found?
Epoch opens a short form so you can copy the numbers from the label, with the name filled in when the database knows it. It remembers that barcode on your phone, so the next scan of the same product logs it straight away.
How accurate is scanned nutrition data?
Most entries match the package, but open databases are maintained by people and recipes change. If a number looks off, check it against the label on the pack.
Does it work outside the United States?
Yes. Open Food Facts covers products sold in many countries. How many products it knows varies by country and shop, so some local items will need to be added from the label the first time.
Is Epoch on Android?
Not yet. Epoch is on iPhone now, and Android is coming later. You can also use Epoch in a web browser on the same account.