Tracking calorie intake is crucial to a lot of people. Monitoring what foods you eat can help you become healthier and more fit. And though you might think it’s difficult to track the calories of everything you consume, well it’s now entirely possible — thanks to the calorie counter apps available in the market. Nowadays, there is no shortage of calorie counter apps, and they’re incredibly useful as food trackers. Some calorie counters have gone above and beyond and include additional features. These features come in the form of a nutrition tracker as well as a calorie calculator for weight loss. In this article, we list down some calorie trackers so you can choose the best calorie counter app for you.
Best Calorie Counter Apps for Android and iOS
Each calorie tracker app is different. Some have more features in them, while others are more accurate. This makes it hard to choose which is the best calorie counter app. It’s also tedious to do extensive research just to arrive at a decision.
In that regard, we’ve made it easier for you by listing 12 of the best calorie trackers to try. Most of these apps are available on both Android and iOS. Some are also available for download on your computer.
1. Carb Manager
Carb Manager has a built-in nutrient tracker which is useful if you’re following a keto diet. It’s probably the best calorie counter app if you’re on a keto diet. Among its useful features is a keto calculator which allows you to track net carbs as well as a calorie calculator.
It boasts an accurate database of food that includes net carbs. Carb Manager even offers you keto recipes that are all low on carbs. With it, you can even create meal plans based on your preferences.
Additionally, you have the option of connecting with different apps and devices. It supports Fitbit and Garmin and can connect with Apple Health and Google Fit. Using Carb Manager, you can even track your Apple calories via Apple Health app.
2. ControlMyWeight
This app has a simple and aesthetically pleasing design. If you plan on tracking your calories daily and want a calorie counter with style, ControlMyWeight is the one for you. It’s perfect if you simply want to have a rundown of the calories in the food you consume.
ControlMyWeight is user-friendly and its friendly interface allows you to easily navigate to features you want to use. However, the only downside to this app is that it only functions as a calorie counter and nothing else. Apart from that, it does its job well.
It is the best calorie counter app for people who don’t want extra features and want to focus on calorie tracking. Since this app only really has one feature, you can bet it takes a lot less space than any regular calorie counter.
3. Cronometer
Cronometer is an all-in-one app. If you’re not skimping on memory space and want an app that can track all of your calorie intakes and workouts, then this one’s for you. It gives you recommendations as to what to eat. If you’re on a diet, you can set it to adjust its specific recommendations.
The app also functions as a food diary. Similar to Carb Manager, it has a wide database of food with calorie information you can view at your discretion. It also has a user-friendly interface and shows you a breakdown of not only your carbs but also your fat and protein intakes.
Cronometer is an extremely useful all-rounder. It is particularly good for tracking micronutrients and vitamins. If you try it out and like it, consider getting its premium upgrade for $3 a month. This gives you extra features and takes out the intrusive ads.
4. FatSecret
If you want a free calorie counter that brings in a lot of features, then you might want to consider FatSecret. It offers you a food diary, along with a database of recipes you can make. The app also gives you an exercise log as well as a weight chart.
FatSecret has a feature unlike any other. It has an added barcode scanner that you can use to track packaged food intake. If that doesn’t sell you on it, well, it also has a summary of all the calories you’ve taken in for each day.
In addition, it’s also a fun app since it allows you to participate in special challenges with other people. These challenges come in the form of diets and weight loss. The only bad thing about FatSecret is its interface that can be confusing at times.
5. Food Diary
Although Food Diary is limited to PC and Android users, it’s still pretty useful. Also, you won’t have to sign up for it unless you want to have a backup for your data.
With Food Diary, you get all the typical features. You can track your calorie intake from food and drinks and then add some notes. Its interface is fairly straightforward, so you can see everything you want to in a matter of seconds. You can also set reminders for yourself to log your latest meal.
All of Food Diary’s features work offline and don’t require an internet connection. The best part about it is that it doesn’t store any of your personal information. But if you want to unlock its full food database, you will have to pay $15.
6. Fooducate
If you don’t know how to read nutrition facts on the back of food packaging, Fooducate has got you covered. It does all of the usual things you’d expect out of a calorie counter. Perhaps one of the best things about this app is that it helps you examine the food you eat.
Fooducate has a food nutrition database containing over 250,000 foods. You can also use your phone’s camera to scan the barcode on your food. After doing this, Fooducate will grade your food based on its nutritional value and calories.
Although incredibly useful, Fooducate’s interface is not necessarily the most pleasing to look at. Other than that, Fooducate is probably one of the best calorie counter apps for learning how to eat healthier.
7. Lifesum
More than a calorie counter app, Lifesum is more akin to a personal trainer. It reminds you to eat on time and tells you how to eat healthier. It even allows you to set reminders when to work out.
Lifesum has won multiple awards off the back of its beautiful interface and outstanding features. When you scan food in its barcode scanner, it lets you see the number of calories and proteins. Additionally, it calculates all of the calories you’ve taken in without you even having to do anything.
This app is the best calorie counter app for people who want an easy-to-use app. With Lifesum, tracking your calories has never been easier.
8. Lose It
As the name suggests, the Lose It app functions mainly as a weight loss app. With it, you can track your calories and have an exercise log. It also offers you a decent food diary with a neat interface.
Unlike most other apps on this list, Lose It gives you a suggestion on how many calories you should intake. Its calculation is based on your body mass index as well as your goals. The change in your weight loss is also shown to you on a graph so you can see your progress.
Lose It is the best calorie counter app to stay motivated. It has a tab where you can view your daily progress which then inspires you to keep going. It also has a premium upgrade, giving you additional features like information on your sleep cycle and hydration. The premium version also allows you to set a weight loss target.
9. My Diet Coach
Similar to Lose It, My Diet Coach is great for motivation. It assists you in dealing with the mental stress of losing weight. More than a simple calorie counter app, My Diet Coach is more of a personal coach. It gives you valuable tips and photos to help you stay focused. Its user interface is also really nice to look at.
Probably the best thing about this app is that it cheers you on. It gets personal with you and advises you to take little steps in adjusting your lifestyle. My Diet Coach also drives you by giving rewards for certain milestones achieved.
My Diet Coach also has a premium version you can get which has some great add-ons. For instance, it gives you a panic button whenever you have cravings. It also offers a weight chart that gives you a visual representation of how much progress you’ve made.
10. MyFitnessPal
Being one of the most popular calorie counter apps, MyFitnessPal is an excellent all-rounder. By some people’s standards, it is the overall best calorie counter app out there. It tracks your weight and gives you a recommended calorie intake for the day. Like all good calorie counter apps, it has a food diary and an exercise log.
The homepage shows your remaining calorie intake recommended for the day. It also shows the total calories you’ve taken throughout the day. Additionally, you can link most fitness tracking devices to MyFitnessPal.
If that wasn’t enough, it even has a forum page where you can interact with fellow users. The topics in the forums range from recipes to tips for success. It also has the largest database any food diary has ever seen — having an astounding 5 million foods. However, this app isn’t as accurate as some calorie counters since the majority of the database is provided by users.
11. My Net Diary
My Net Diary features a user-friendly interface with icons that are easy to understand. The interface is aesthetically pleasing and offers an overall wonderful experience. The app is simply full of color.
Moreover, the app has a food database of over 600,000 food and drinks. You can also submit estimated calories for foods on their website. It’s widely available on Android and iOS.
Unlike most apps on this list, My Net Diary works with the Apple Watch and doesn’t require you to log in. However, if you want to export your data, you’ll need to have a monthly subscription. This subscription costs about $9 a month.
12. Nutritionix Track
We’re wrapping up our list with the best calorie counter app brought to you by dieticians, Nutritionix Track. Even if the app is already great because there are health experts managing it, it packs other unique features.
What you might also like about Nutritionix Track is that it does not only count your calories. It also monitors your food and water intake, exercise, and weight, and other fitness goals. Moreover, it has speech-to-text functionalities so you can register your meals in a flash. Apart from the food you eat, you can also log recipes on the app.
As regards its food information database, the app supports a wide selection of grocery and restaurant items in the US and Canada. Barcode scanning is also supported for the said products.
Nutritionix Track can be downloaded for free on any mobile device, although it has in-app purchases. You can opt for the paid pro subscription if you want to get more perks from the app.
The Verdict
Counting calories on your own is a difficult task. That’s why having a calorie counter app can be useful in your daily life. If you’re thinking of losing weight, it’s best you try one out. Actually, you can also use calorie counters if you want to gain weight. Even if you want to maintain your weight, you can try them out. They’re perfect for everyone.
While there is no clear-cut best calorie counter app overall, the calorie counters we have stated are all the best in their own right. So why not try one out for yourself and experiment? If you don’t like one app, then you can just try another. Now that we’ve listed down some calorie counters for you to try, the rest is now up to you.
