Comparison
Silent vs Cal AI: Price, Privacy, Features
An honest comparison of Silent and Cal AI: pricing model, free tier, ads, where your data lives, AI, platforms, and which one fits you.
These two apps make opposite bets. Cal AI is a subscription service known for photographing a meal and getting a calorie estimate. Silent is a one-time purchase that keeps everything on your phone. Here is where they differ, and who each one is for.
| Silent | Cal AI | |
|---|---|---|
| Price | $3.99 once | A subscription sold yearly, with a weekly option. The price varies by country and promotion, so trust the App Store screen at the moment you subscribe. |
| Free tier | No. You buy it. | No, trial only |
| Ads | None | None |
| Account required | No | Yes |
| Where your data lives | On your iPhone | On Cal AI's servers |
| AI | On-device, Apple Intelligence | Cloud photo recognition for every meal |
| Barcode or photo logging | No | Yes |
| Fasting timer | Yes, with Live Activity | No |
| Habit tracker | Yes | No |
| Platforms | iPhone | iOS, Android |
Cal AI details verified September 2026. Prices change; trust the store screen.
Where Cal AI wins
Cal AI is known for photographing a meal and getting a calorie estimate. It scans barcodes and photos, which Silent does not. It runs on iOS and Android, and Silent is iPhone only. If you share a food log with a partner on Android, or you would rather point a camera than type, Cal AI is the more convenient tool and the subscription is the price of that convenience.
Where Silent wins
Cost and privacy. Silent is $3.99 once, which is less than a month of Cal AI, and it never renews. There is no account, so there is nothing to leak. The AI coach runs on the phone with Apple Intelligence, so your meals and weight are never sent anywhere. It also does two things Cal AI does not: a habit tracker with streaks, and a fasting timer that lives on the lock screen as a Live Activity.
Which should you pick?
Pick Cal AI if you need Android or the web, or if barcode and photo logging are how you stay consistent. Pick Silent if you have an iPhone, you are fine typing what you ate, and you are done paying every year for a food log. Most people who switch say the second part was the whole reason.
Get Silent on the App Store, or read why people leave Cal AI.
Quick answers
Is Silent cheaper than Cal AI?
Yes. Silent is $3.99 once. A subscription sold yearly, with a weekly option. The price varies by country and promotion, so trust the App Store screen at the moment you subscribe.
Does Silent have everything Cal AI has?
No. Silent has no barcode or photo logging and is iPhone only. It adds a habit tracker, a fasting Live Activity and an on-device AI coach that Cal AI does not have.
Which is more private, Silent or Cal AI?
Silent. It has no account and no server, and its AI runs on the phone. Cal AI stores your log on its servers and requires an account.