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Our Top 10 Calorie Counting Apps
- Lose It! Calorie Counter
- MyFitnessPal
- YAZIO Calorie Counter & Diet
- Nutritionix Track
- Calory
- Calorie Counter by MyNetDiary
- Calorie Counter by FatSecret
- Carb Manager Keto Diet Tracker
- Autopilot Diet Calorie Counter
Best Calorie Counting Apps of 2024
Lose It! Calorie Counter
5.0
All ratings are determined solely by our editorial team.
- Available on iOS and Android
- Free for basic, $39.99 annually for premium
Why We Picked It
Pros & Cons
MyFitnessPal
4.4
All ratings are determined solely by our editorial team.
- Available on iOS and Android
- Free for basic, $19.99 per month for premium
Why We Picked It
Pros & Cons
YAZIO Calorie Counter & Diet
4.1
All ratings are determined solely by our editorial team.
- Available on iOS and Android
- Free for basic, $47.90 annually for premium
On YAZIO's Website
Why We Picked It
Pros & Cons
Nutritionix Track
4.1
All ratings are determined solely by our editorial team.
- Available on iOS and Android
- Free for basic, $5.99 per month for premium
Why We Picked It
Pros & Cons
Calory
4.1
All ratings are determined solely by our editorial team.
- Available on iOS and Android
- Free for basic, $4.99 per month for premium
Why We Picked It
Pros & Cons
Calorie Counter by MyNetDiary
4.0
All ratings are determined solely by our editorial team.
- Available on iOS and Android
- Free for basic, $8.99 per month for premium
Why We Picked It
Pros & Cons
Calorie Counter by FatSecret
3.7
All ratings are determined solely by our editorial team.
- Available on iOS and Android
- Free for basic, $6.49 per month for premium
Why We Picked It
Pros & Cons
Lifesum Food Tracker & Fasting
3.4
All ratings are determined solely by our editorial team.
- Available on iOS and Android
- Free for basic, $99.99 annually for premium
Why We Picked It
Pros & Cons
Carb Manager Keto Diet Tracker
3.4
All ratings are determined solely by our editorial team.
- Available on iOS and Android
- Free for basic, $39.99 annually for premium
Why We Picked It
Pros & Cons
Autopilot Diet Calorie Counter
3.3
All ratings are determined solely by our editorial team.
- Available on iOS and Android
- Free for basic, $8.99 per month for premium
Why We Picked It
Pros & Cons
Methodology: How We Picked the Best Calorie Counting Apps of 2024
For our Best Calorie Counting Apps of 2024 ranking, the Forbes Health editorial team analyzed data on the top calorie counting apps available from the iOS and Google Play app stores. Star ratings were assigned based on cost and average user rating, as well as the inclusion of features like the types of metrics it allows users to track, the level of personalization available, compatibility with other tracking devices, barcode scanners, social media integrations and more.
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What Is a Calorie?
A calorie is the unit of energy available in a food or drink. Your body needs the energy from calories to be able to carry out daily functions. When you consume food and beverages, calories are broken down in the body to release energy immediately, or are stored in the body as fat for later use.
The body uses calories in a variety of ways, including during exercise and even while sleeping. Your basal metabolic rate (BMR) is the amount of energy your body uses to maintain basic bodily functions—like body temperature regulation, breathing and keeping your heart beating—while your body is at rest. BMR accounts for approximately 60% to 70% of calories burned within a 24-hour period. How much energy your body uses while at rest depends on a number of factors, including your height, weight, age and sex. Meanwhile, the amount of energy your body uses while in motion depends on factors like body weight and your state of physical fitness.
Getting regular physical activity (about 150 minutes per week) will increase not only the amount of energy you use while exercising, but also your resting energy expenditure.
How Many Calories Do I Need?
The amount of calories you need daily varies based on your age, sex, height and activity level. That being said, calorie needs for adult men range from 2,000 to 3,200 a day and adult women need 1,800 to 2,400 calories a day, according to the 2020-2025 Dietary Guidelines for Americans.
To maintain your current weight, aim to consume approximately the same amount of calories that your body uses each day, based on your BMR and calories used during physical activity. Consuming fewer calories than your body uses each day may lead to weight loss, as your body will use its stored fat for energy. Meanwhile, eating and drinking more calories than your body uses may lead to weight gain, as your body stores the excess energy as fat.
Do I Need to Count Calories?
Most people do not have to count calories, and many experts recommend focusing more on food quality and implementing healthy lifestyle habits in order to lose weight or maintain a healthy weight. However, creating a calorie deficit—when you burn more calories than you consume—can be an effective weight loss strategy. To do so, you typically want to count calories to get an idea of how many calories you’re consuming versus how many you’re burning.
How Do I Calculate My Calorie Intake?
You can track how many calories you consume in a day by checking labels on store-bought foods, weighing portions, keeping a food diary or using a calorie counting app.
Many food nutrition labels include information on calorie content per serving or per pack. Keep in mind, though, that you may consume more or fewer calories than indicated depending on the portion size you consume. However, weighing your portions with a food scale can give you insight into how much you’re eating and if you need to adjust portion sizes.
Meanwhile, keeping a food diary or using a calorie counting app can help you keep a daily record of everything you eat and drink as well as the calorie content of the foods you consume. It’s important to include information about ingredients like oils, toppings or condiments you use while cooking or eating to ensure your food log is as accurate as possible.
Our calorie calculator can help you determine the amount of calories you need to consume each day to reach your weight loss goals—but always talk to your doctor before implementing any significant diet changes.
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How to Choose the Best Calorie Counting App for You
When it comes to choosing the best calorie counting app for you, consider factors like monthly or yearly cost, if the app has a free version and how many foods are included in its database. Additionally, it may be beneficial to consider whether the app offers features like recipes, community interaction or label barcode scanning. Once you’ve decided on the factors that are important to you in a calorie counting app, you can narrow down your choices and pick the best app for your needs.
Calorie Calculator To Maintain And Lose Weight
Summary: Best Calorie Counting Apps
Product | company_logo | Forbes Health Ratings | forbes_advisor_rating_image | View More | learn_more_cta_below_text | Learn More |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Lose It! Calorie Counter | 5.0 | View More | #lose_it_calorie_counter_section | |||
MyFitnessPal | 4.4 | View More | #myfitnesspal_section | |||
YAZIO Fasting and Food Tracker | 4.1 | Learn More | On YAZIO's Website | https://yazio.me/forbes | ||
Nutritionix Track | 4.1 | View More | #nutritionix_track_section | |||
Calory | 4.1 | View More | #calory_section | |||
Calorie Counter by MyNetDiary | 4.0 | View More | #calorie_counter_by_mynetdiary_section | |||
Calorie Counter by FatSecret | 3.7 | View More | #calorie_counter_by_fatsecret_section | |||
Lifesum: Health and Nutrition | 3.4 | View More | #lifesum_health_and_nutrition_section | |||
Carb Manager Keto Diet Tracker | 3.4 | View More | #carb_manager_keto_diet_tracker_section | |||
Autopilot Diet Calorie Counter | 3.3 | View More | #autopilot_diet_calorie_counter_section |
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
Is there a completely free calorie counting app?
Many calorie counting apps (including all of the apps that made our list) offer free versions. Keep in mind, though, that free versions of calorie counting apps may only include basic features and may not include features like community support or access to recipes.
Is there an app that takes a picture of food and calculates calories?
Several calorie counting apps, including the Calorie Counter by FatSecret and Carb Manager Keto Diet Tracker, use image recognition technology to identify foods and provide information about calorie content. However, food image recognition features may only be available with a premium subscription.
How accurate are calorie counting apps?
Research indicates that calorie counting apps provide information regarding calorie content that is consistent with USDA food databases. However, it’s important to include information about all of the ingredients you eat—like condiments, toppings and oils—to accurately track the amount of calories you consume each day.
Sources
References
- Calorie. National Cancer Institute. Accessed 12/01/2021.
- Champagne CM, Broyles ST, Moran LD, et al. Dietary intakes associated with successful weight loss and maintenance during the Weight Loss Maintenance trial. J Am Diet Assoc. 2011;111(12):1826-1835.
- Dietary Guidelines for Americans 2020-2025. USDA. Accessed 12/01/2021.
- Calories. StatPearls. Accessed 10/6/2023.
- Exercise and weight loss: the importance of resting energy expenditure. Harvard Health Publishing. Accessed 10/6/2023.
- Burning calories without exercise. Harvard Health Publishing. Accessed 10/6/2023.
- How much physical activity do adults need?. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Accessed 10/6/2023.
- Understanding calories. NHS. Accessed 10/6/2023.
- Calorie counting. NHS. Accessed 10/6/2023.
- Ferrara G, Kim J, Lin S, Hua J, Seto E. A Focused Review of Smartphone Diet-Tracking Apps: Usability, Functionality, Coherence With Behavior Change Theory, and Comparative Validity of Nutrient Intake and Energy Estimates. JMIR Mhealth Uhealth. 2019;7(5):e9232.
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Information provided on Forbes Health is for educational purposes only. Your health and wellness is unique to you, and the products and services we review may not be right for your circ*mstances. We do not offer individual medical advice, diagnosis or treatment plans. For personal advice, please consult with a medical professional.
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Sarah DavisEditor
Sarah is an experienced writer and editor enthusiastic about helping readers live their healthiest and happiest lives. Before joining Forbes Health, Sarah worked as a writer for various digital publications including LendingTree, theSkimm, CNBC and Bankrate. When she isn’t writing or editing, you can find Sarah with her nose in a book or enjoying the outdoors with her French bulldog, Honey.
Alena HallEditor
Alena is a professional writer, editor and manager with a lifelong passion for helping others live well. She is also a registered yoga teacher (RYT-200) and a functional medicine certified health coach. She brings more than a decade of media experience to Forbes Health, with a keen focus on building content strategy, ensuring top content quality and empowering readers to make the best health and wellness decisions for themselves.
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