The 8 Best Calorie Counter Apps

A quick look at the best calorie counter apps

For some people, tracking food and calorie intake can be helpful for promoting weight loss or management.

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. Many websites and apps can help you log your meals and track your intake.

Most are accessible online, and signing up takes less than a minute. All these apps are available for:

• iPhone
• iPad
• Android

Plus, most offer at least a basic version for free.

This article reviews the 8 best calorie counters available today.

Healthline’s picks of the best calorie counter apps

A comparison of the best calorie counter websites and apps

A word of caution

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 help you avoid unwanted surprises on your calorie-tracking journey.
• User reviews: We focused on highly rated apps with user reviews no more than a few months old.
• User-friendliness: We did our best to choose the most user-friendly apps to ensure that 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 that offer the best possible features in their free versions or have 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 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.

How to choose

Here are some important factors to consider when choosing a calorie counter app:

• Preferences: Every calorie counter app is different. Some are more individualistic and straightforward, while others connect you with a community of users. Be sure to choose the app that best suits your needs.
• Dietary requirements: Some apps can help you reach your dietary goals when following a specific dietary pattern, such as keto, vegan, vegetarian, paleo, or low carb.
• Membership billing: Take the app’s billing method into account if you decide to upgrade to a premium version. While most apps list their monthly fees, some may charge you annually.
• Compatibility: Some apps automatically integrate data from other devices or apps, which can further help you achieve your goals.

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 for weight loss, some studies also point out other highly valuable benefits.

For instance, food logging may also encourage behavior changes that help modify unwanted habits — one of the main goals of nutrition interventions.

In addition, just as it recommends a maximum number of calories to consume to reach your target weight, a calorie monitor can help you find out whether you’re eating too little. This could cause your resting metabolic rate (RMR) to slow down after weight loss, as noted in a small 2016 study.

Your RMR is the number of calories your body burns at rest. A slowing of this rate helps prevents excessive weight loss, which may lead to weight regain.

Lastly, some apps also provide accountabilityTrusted Source, which is key when aiming for consistency, a determining factor for weight loss success.

It’s worth keeping in mind that if weight loss is your goal, sustainable weight management often includes a balance of good nutrition and regular physical activityTrusted Source.

Summary

Aside from helping you reach your weight goals, calorie-counting apps are a great tool to help you modify unwanted habits and find out whether you’re eating too little or too much. They also provide accountability, which helps with consistency.

Frequently asked questions about calorie counter apps

What even is a calorie?

Most people have a negative perception of the word “calorie,” but a calorie is simply a unit of measure for energy.

A splash of milk in your coffee might have 5 calories — that’s 5 energies, in other words. If you consume enough energy, your body uses it as fuel. If you consume more energy than your body needs, your body stores the extra.

Scientifically, a calorieTrusted Source is an estimate of the amount of energy required to raise the temperature of 1 gram of water by 1 degree Celsius. You consume calories through food, and they provide you with energy to maintain life and fuel physical work.

The calories you consume each day make up your calorie intakeTrusted Source, while the ones your body burns through physical activity, digestion, or basal metabolic rate are your calorie expenditure.

“Energy balance” is a term used to indicate that your calorie intake matches your expenditure. According to the “calories in, calories out” paradigm, energy balance helps maintain your body weight.

But weight loss is sometimes difficult because your body has mechanisms to protect you from losing weight.

A calorie deficit can lead to weight loss, while a calorie excess or surplus leads to weight gain.

You can reach a calorie deficit by reducing your calorie intake or increasing your expenditure — or both. In contrast, you can create a calorie surplus by increasing intake, reducing expenditure, or both.

Is it safe to count calories for weight loss?

ResearchTrusted Source shows that calorie counting by logging your food intake may be a helpful weight loss strategy because it increases awareness of current and desired eating behaviors.

However, studies also note that people who use apps to self-monitor diet and physical activity are more likely to engage in disordered eating behaviors.

Counting calories may be especially unsafe for people with a history of disordered eating.

In fact, one study found that calorie-counting apps may increase the desire to be underweight, and some users even acknowledge the apps’ role in worsening their disordered eating behaviors.

If you’re concerned about safety, shifting the focus from counting calories for weight loss to eating intuitively to improve well-being may be a healthier and more beneficial approach in the long run.

Among weight management apps, one such as Noom may be preferred because it focuses on the psychology behind personal food consumption and making lifestyle changes. However, some people may prefer to take a non-diet approach altogether and look at weight management more holistically.

How accurate are calorie counter apps?

Calorie counter apps often have millions of foods to choose from, with different available serving sizes to match what’s on your plate. But they are not 100% accurate for multiple reasons.

Food logging requires time and effort. While technology has made it easier, the process still relies on users’ discipline — and even their memory, if they log their intake afterward.

Users may also incorrectly track their food intake, either by inaccurately logging or estimating amounts or by neglecting to track some ingredients, which may add or subtract calories from their calorie budget.

Restaurant food preparation methods can vary greatly as well. Chain restaurants will often have calorie and nutrition information on their websites and on actual menus.

How can you count calories without an app?

Before calorie counter apps existed, people used multiple techniques or tools to account for a day’s worth of calories. You may want to try one of these if you find calorie-counting apps too tedious or burdensome.

Common tools includeTrusted Source:

• food photos
• portion lists
• measuring tools such as tablespoons and measuring cups
• food scales
• hand measures such as the size of your palm or fist or the width of your fingers
• food models that help compare food with different-sized objects such as golf balls or decks of cards

Still, keep in mind that whether you rely on an app or not, calorie counting is more of an estimation than an exact measurement. In either case, it will take practice and patience to improve your estimates.

Summary

Calorie counting apps may be safe for some people but are not recommended for those with a history of disordered eating. They’re also not 100% accurate, primarily due to human error. You can always try other tools to estimate your calorie intake if this aligns with your health goals.

The bottom line

Calorie counters and nutrient trackers are incredibly useful if you’re trying to lose, maintain, or even gain weight.

They can also help you make specific changes to your diet, such as eating more protein or fewer carbs.

However, there’s no need to track your intake constantly.

You can try tracking it occasionally or for a few days or weeks to get a more nuanced view of your diet.

That way, you’ll know exactly where to make adjustments to achieve your goals.