When selecting a nutrition app to download, it’s important to consider your goals and which features are most important to you.
For example, many apps focus on calorie counting or weight loss, while others prioritize mindful eating or nutrition education.
There are also options created specifically for people who are pregnant, those with food allergies, or people with certain dietary restrictions or food preferences.
Ideally, look for apps that are highly rated and backed by healthcare professionals, such as doctors or dietitians.
Also, consider the cost to use the app. While some may apps be free to download and use, others may require a subscription or offer in-app purchases.
Best overall nutrition app
MyPlate Calorie Counter
Whether you’re a health enthusiast or a nutrition newbie, the MyPlate Calorie Counter app from Livestrong is well worth the download.
Besides tracking your nutrient intake and exercise, the app also offers a range of recipes, meal plans, and workouts. Plus, there’s a community section, which provides peer support, motivation, and tips and tricks from members.
Although the app is free, for $3.75 per month, you can upgrade your account for access to premium features, including custom nutrition labels, daily averages, and advanced statistics on your nutrient intake and overall progress.
Best meal planning app
PlateJoy
- iPhone rating: 4.7 stars
- Android rating: 4.5 stars
- Price: $4.99 per year for Healthline readers; otherwise $12.99 per month, $69 for 6 months, or $99 for 1 year.
Highly recommended by my sister, a new mom and full-time grad student who is always on the go, PlateJoy is an app designed to help you save time while still eating healthy.
It uses a questionnaire to collect details about your lifestyle, cooking habits, and dietary preferences and then creates a custom meal plan and shopping list for your household.
In addition to choosing your meal plan, you can also select specific ingredients that you’d like to avoid, the amount of variety you prefer, and your desired portion sizes.
To access all of the meal planning features, PlateJoy offer a monthly subscription for $12.99, a 6-month membership for $69, or an annual membership for $99.
However, Healthline readers can access the app for just $4.99 per month.
Best food tracking app
MyFitnessPal
MyFitnessPal is a powerhouse app, with an enormous food database, barcode scanner, recipe importer, restaurant logger, food insights, calorie counter, and so much more.
Whether you’re monitoring your nutrition to lose weight, switch up your eating habits, or simply hold yourself accountable, MyFitnessPal makes it easy.
Though the app is free, you can purchase a premium membership for $9.99 per month or $49.99 per year to unlock additional features, including detailed food analyses, workout routines, and more customization options.
Best healthy recipe app
Yummly Recipes & Cooking Tools
With more than 2 million recipes to choose from and a variety of options tailored to your tastes, needs, and preferences, Yummly is my go-to app for healthy cooking.
Recipes are sorted and organized by cuisine, course, diet, and required ingredients, making it easy to find something that works for you.
You can also add ingredients to your shopping list, connect smart appliances to the app, and create custom collections with your favorite recipes.
While the app is free to use, for $4.99 per month, you can access premium features, including detailed cooking guides, nutritional information for each recipe, recommended recipes based on your goals, and additional tools to streamline meal planning.
Best weight loss app
Lifesum: Healthy Eating
Lifesum is a popular app that helps simplify weight loss with tools like a recipe library, food log, and calorie counter.
When signing up, the app collects information about your height, weight, age, and specific goals to provide a personalized plan based on your needs.
It also has a weekly health test, which includes insights on your habits and identifies potential areas for improvement.
The food and exercise diary is free to use, but the app also offers a premium subscription starting at $4.17 per month for access to body composition tracking, macro counting, and custom diet plans and recipes.
Best mindful eating app
Ate Food Journal
Advertised as a mindful food journaling app that doesn’t count calories, Ate Food Journal aims to help you understand why you eat certain foods and how they make you feel.
The app enables you to take photos of your meals and activities to create a visual timeline of your day.
It also allows you to participate in experiments, such as eating with your nondominant hand, and add details about each meal, including who you ate with, how it was made, and how it tasted.
The app offers a 7-day free trial to see if it’s a good fit for you. After that, subscriptions cost $9.99 per month or $49.99 per year.
Best macro counting app
MyNet Diary Calorie Counter
Whether you’re trying to cut carbs, increase your protein intake, or get a better grasp of the macronutrient breakdown of your diet, MyNet Diary Calorie Counter is a great tool for on-the-go food logging.
The app helps you set goals, monitor your weight trends, and track your intake based on the specific diet plan you select. It also offers detailed nutrient information for each ingredient in your food log and a daily analysis to help keep you on track.
Though several of the features are free, you can also purchase a premium membership for $8.99 per month or $59.99 per year.
A premium membership provides access to specific diet plans, recipes, and tracking tools, along with more in-depth nutrient analyses for foods.
Best nutrition education app
Noom
Price: $60 per month or $199 per year
Offering custom meal plans, weekly challenges, and access to a virtual coaching team, Noom is popular among dieters all over the world — including my mom, who notes that the short, simple lesson plans helped her understand how her food choices were affecting her health.
In addition to providing educational info, Noom also includes tools to track your progress and workout plans to add more activity to your daily routine.
Noom usually offers a free trial when you sign up, but it requires a membership to use the app, which costs $60 per month or $199 per year.
Best food allergy app
Spokin
- iPhone rating: 4.7 stars
- Price: free
For families with food allergies, Spokin can be a convenient tool to have on hand.
It allows you to select the specific ingredients that you need to avoid and provides information on whether food products are safe and allergen-free.
You can also view reviews from other users for restaurants and hotels around the world to find allergy-safe options.
Though the app can currently only be downloaded on the App Store for iPhone, the developers note that it will be available soon for Android devices as well.
Best pregnancy nutrition app
Ovia Pregnancy Tracker
Nutritional needs change quite a bit during pregnancy, which can be overwhelming when you’re expecting. Fortunately, Ovia makes it easier than ever to ensure that you’re getting the nourishment that you need for a healthy pregnancy.
Specifically, the app includes a food and activity log, recipe collection, medication reminders, and a guide to food safety.
It also provides helpful resources, tips, and detailed information about the progress of your pregnancy.
Best of all, it’s completely free.