A quick look calorie counting apps free at the best calorie counter apps
For some people, calorie counting apps free keeping track of food and calorie intake can be helpful for promoting weight loss.
Research shows that people who log calories lose more weight and are more likely to keep the weight off in the long run
These days, counting calories is very easy. There are many useful websites and apps that help you log your meals and track your intake.
Most of them are accessible online, and signing up takes less than a minute calorie counting apps free. They all have apps for iPhone, iPad, and Android.
Last but not least, most of them are free.
This article reviews the 8 best calorie counters available today.
Why use a calorie counter app?
Calorie-counting apps and other self-monitoring technologies are great tools that allow users to monitor their food intake and dietary choices.
While most research on the impact of calorie counter apps and body weight centers on their beneficial effects on weight loss, some studies also point out other highly valuable benefits.
For instance, food logging may also encourage behavior changes that help modify unhealthy habits — one of the main goals of nutrition interventions.
In addition, just as they recommend a maximum of calories to consume to reach your target weight, the calorie monitor can also help you realize whether you’re eating too little, which could cause your resting metabolic rate (RMR) to slow down after weight loss.
Your RMR is the number of calories your body burns at rest. By slowing down, it acts as a preventive measure that counters excessive weight loss, which may lead to weight regain.
Lastly, some apps also provide accountability, which is key when aiming for consistency, a determining factor for weight loss success.
How we chose
Here’s what we took into account to select the best calorie counter apps:
Transparency: We selected apps with websites that are transparent about the apps’ features, frequently asked questions, and subscription or billing options to keep you from unwanted surprises along your calorie-tracking journey.
User reviews: We focused on highly rated apps that included user reviews that were no more than a few months old.
User-friendliness: We did our best to choose the most user-friendly apps to ensure you’d have the best possible experience.
Price: We included options suitable for all budgets, from fully free to subscription-only apps.
Features: We carefully chose apps with the best possible features in their free versions or with features worth paying for.
Reviews: We did a deep dive into customer reviews to see whether each app is useful and effective and whether it lacks something that you may be looking for.
Vetting: The apps on our list have been vetted to ensure that they align with Healthline’s brand integrity standards and approach to well-being. You can read more about our vetting process.
The home page provides a clear picture of how many calories you’ve consumed during the day. In addition, it shows your remaining recommended intake and how many calories you’ve burned by exercising.
If you’re using a fitness tracking device, MyFitnessPal can likely sync with it to include its data in the exercise log.
The app tracks your progress toward your goals and offers chat forums with fellow users. The forums include conversations, recipes, tips, and personal success stories.
MyFitnessPal’s nutrition database is extensive, containing more than 11 million foods. You can also download recipes from the internet or create custom foods and dishes.
The app even saves your favorite meals for convenient logging.
Additionally, MyFitnessPal’s barcode scanner allows you to enter the nutritional information of some packaged foods instantly.
Each day is presented as a pie chart, showing your breakdown of carbs, protein, and fat. You can also write a note for each day, recording how things went or how you were feeling.
MyFitnessPal does offer a free version. However, some of its features — such as meal prep and recipes, macronutrient counters, and guided fitness — can be accessed only in the premium version.
It features a comprehensive food database and an icon representing each food entry. The food diary is simple and user-friendly. Adding new foods is not complicated.
Additionally, Lose It! has a barcode scanner for packaged foods, and common foods are saved for quick entry later on.
Lose It! presents weight changes on a graph, provides access to an active chat community, and keeps a daily and weekly total.
The tab called “Challenges” allows you to participate in dietary challenges or make your own.
With a premium membership, you can set more goals, log additional information, and get some extra features.
