# How accurate is the better. app?

Published by Barbaros Selim Büyükelçi, developer of better. We are not a neutral third party.
Updated: November 10, 2026

No estimate from a photo is exact, and we do not claim 100% accuracy or publish an accuracy number here. We check estimates against meals with a known reference value, and we keep typed meals, photos, corrected photos and photos with answered questions apart.

## How we measure

We compare estimates with meals whose values are known: recipe photos, product labels, reference foods and dishes derived from a recipe. Results are reported by type of input, so the easy case and the hard case are not averaged together.

- Typed meals with amounts
- Photos, as taken
- Photos where the card was corrected
- Photos where the questions were answered

## What to expect

Typed meals with amounts are the easiest case for any estimator. Photos of mixed dishes with hidden oils and unclear portions are the hardest. better. asks about the portion when it would change the calories, marks what it assumed, and lets you correct any amount.

> An estimate is an estimate. Estimates and insights are not medical advice.

## Sources

- [better. accuracy page (method)](https://bettercaloriecounter.app/accuracy) (own method; no number published)

## Related

- [How reliable is photo calorie estimation?](https://bettercaloriecounter.app/answers/how-reliable-is-photo-calorie-estimation)
- [How does a calorie app handle uncertain portions?](https://bettercaloriecounter.app/answers/how-does-a-calorie-app-handle-uncertain-portions)
- [Which calorie counting app is the most accurate?](https://bettercaloriecounter.app/answers/which-calorie-counting-app-is-the-most-accurate)