Final Verdict 

If you’re unsure about the best diet app for you, consider trying a few of the ones we listed above. A great place to start is with MyFitnessPal, which is comprehensive and easy to use. It provides you with an accurate calorie and macro tracker as well as tons of tools for staying active. But if you’re following a specific program like Keto or Paleo, Carb Manager is a better fit. And of course, Lifesum, our best overall pick, is a must-see for anyone with specific dietary needs. 

Diet Apps vs Nutrition Apps

Diet apps and nutrition apps are similar in form and function. Where they may differ is in the meal plans, tracker, and tips they offer. For example, a diet app for carb counters might include recipes and meal plans exclusively designed for the low-carb lifestyle. The calorie and macro tracker will likely highlight carbs and protein, but still provide data on fat and calories. In contrast, a nutrition tracker is more universal. They’re often designed to track all macronutrients and provide information about general health. Premium features of a nutrition app might include a variety of meal plans, weight loss tips, vegan lifestyle options, or family-centered recipes.

Compare The Best Diet Apps

Frequently Asked Questions

What Is a Diet App?

Diet apps are programs that can be used on an iPhone or Android-based smartphone, allowing you to track eating and activity habits to help your weight loss efforts. One of the most popular features of diet apps is the ability to record the food you eat and view the nutritional information.

Some apps have helpful features such as barcode scanners, workout trackers, meal planners, support forums, and the ability to enter and save your own recipes, with all the nutritional information provided. Diet apps may be synced with other health apps and devices, such as Fitbit, Apple Health, Garmin, and Google Fit.

Can a Diet App Help Me Lose Weight?

While a diet app can certainly help users feel more motivated, accountable, and disciplined in their weight loss efforts, there are no guarantees that using one will help someone lose weight. That being said, there is evidence that using a calorie tracking app improves progress. A 2019 study found that people who regularly used MyFitnessPal lost more weight than those who didn’t use it as frequently.

Like any weight loss plan, the harder you work, the better results you’ll get. If you’re disciplined in your approach and take advantage of a diet app’s tracking and motivating features, it can be a powerful tool.

How Much Do Diet Apps Cost?

Some diet apps are free to download, but the free versions usually have limited access to special tracking tools, communities, and the ability to connect to other devices and apps. In many cases, diet apps charge a fee so that you can use those special features without annoying ads.

Some diet apps can be purchased for a one-time download cost, usually in the range of $1 to $5. Others are available for a monthly or yearly subscription fee, which can range from approximately $2 to $20 per month. The more expensive diet apps offer more customization, personalized feedback, and access to workouts.

Methodology 

To create this list of best diet apps, we researched eight different apps from reputable companies that offer platforms for both iOS and Android. We narrowed our focus on a few basic factors such as function, ease-of-use, and readability (is it easy to scan). Additionally, we looked at free use of the app vs. upgrades requiring a paid subscription. To make this list, the free version needed to offer enough tools to make the app helpful and worth using. Beyond this, the premium version should be affordable and comparable in cost to similar platforms. Most importantly, all of the diet apps listed provide accurate food and calorie trackers and decent support.