Barcode scanning shouldn't cost $80 a year.
Beacon keeps every core tracking feature free — including barcode scanning — and never shows you an ad while doing it.
100M trackers paying for what used to be free
The problem
The apps that built their userbases on free barcode scanning have quietly moved it behind annual paywalls. You are now paying $80/yr, and they are still running ads against your data. Trackers who stuck around through redesigns and data changes feel cheated — not by a startup that never promised anything, but by an app they defended to friends for years.
“100M trackers feel cheated as MyFitnessPal-style apps move barcode scanning behind $80/yr paywalls and still show ads.”
How it works
Beacon is calorie tracking stripped to what actually matters — scan, log, done — with no features held hostage.
Scan
Point your camera at any barcode. No subscription prompt, no free-trial countdown, no credit card modal. It works.
Log
Calories, macros, and micronutrients added instantly. No ads between you and your data.
Done
Close the app. No coaching push notifications, no supplement affiliate banners, no upsell flows queued up for tomorrow.
Different becauseMyFitnessPal charges $80/yr and still shows ads. Beacon's core features are free forever — the only paid tier exists for people who want to support the project, not access the basics.
What's inside
- 01
Free barcode scanning
Scan any packaged food. No paywall, no trial, no credit card. Every scan, every time, no exceptions.
- 02
Zero ads
No supplement banners, no sponsored foods pushed up in search results, no affiliate links dressed up as recommendations.
- 03
No coaching upsells
Beacon does not have a coaching tier. There is no prompt to hire a nutrition coach mid-log. Just your data.
- 04
Clean macro tracking
Calories, protein, carbs, fat, and fiber. The numbers you actually use, displayed without noise around them.
- 05
Core stays free
The features you use daily will never move behind a paywall. That is a hard commitment, not a marketing line.
Pre-launch pricing
Free
Free
- +Barcode scanning — unlimited
- +Calorie and macro logging
- +Food search — 3.2M+ items
- +Daily totals and streaks
- +Zero ads, zero affiliates
Founder
Founder
- +Everything in Free
- +Full CSV data export
- +Priority feature requests
- +Founder badge in-app
- +Early access to new features
✓ 30-day money-back. No questions asked.
Pre-Order
Pre-Order
- +Everything in Founder — forever
- +Lifetime supporter access
- +Name in credits
- +Direct input on roadmap
- +Never pay again
✓ 30-day money-back. No questions asked.
Questions
Voluntary supporter tiers fund the project. The free tier is not a funnel — it is the product. Supporters get extras like data export and early feature access, not gated core features.
Yes. Barcode scanning is a core feature. It will not move behind a paywall. If that ever changes, we will announce it publicly before it happens — not on a Thursday afternoon with a blog post.
We are building on Open Food Facts, a community-maintained database with 3.2M+ products. You can submit corrections and additions directly.
Supporter tiers include full CSV export at any time. Free users get a 30-day export window before any service discontinuation.
iOS and Android apps are in development. Waitlist members get early TestFlight and beta access before the public launch.
No. Your tracking data is not sold, not used for ad targeting, and not shared with supplements brands or affiliates.
MyFitnessPal's free tier limits barcode scans and shows ads. Beacon's free tier has unlimited barcode scanning and no ads — those are not premium features, they are table stakes.
Why now
- 100M trackers00-dossier.md hypothesis
- $80/yr paywall00-dossier.md hypothesis
Why this exists
Build the calorie tracker that does exactly what it says and nothing else.
One hundred million people hit the same paywall in the same app — the rage-switching moment is already happening.
Built by people who track calories and got tired of the same bait-and-switch the rest of you did.
Reach us: hello@waitlist.solutions