MyFitnessPal

MyFitnessPal is a food, exercise and nutrition-goal tracker for Android, iOS and web. It suits individuals who want to keep a personal log, with more detailed nutrition controls and meal planning available on paid tiers. It is a weaker fit for coaches who need client goals or a client mobile app.

Overview

The Today tab opens a public food database of 22 million items. Free users can log food and exercise, use recipes and measurements, connect partner apps and track progress. That makes the free tier a practical starting point for routine tracking, though the more varied logging methods and customizable nutrition goals are reserved for Premium.

Accounts sync across supported platforms when users sign in with the same login and have an internet connection. With relevant sharing permissions enabled, MyFitnessPal can sync food, exercise, weight and sleep data with Apple Health. Connected devices and services include Google Health (formerly Fitbit), Apple Watch, Health Connect, Garmin Connect and Samsung Health.

Key features

Logging and nutrition controls

Premium adds barcode scanning, Meal Scan, voice logging and multi-day food logging. These options suit people who want alternatives to entering foods one at a time, but they are not part of the free plan. Premium also offers nutrition analysis and macro goals set by grams or percentage, including different goals on different days. That is useful for users who want finer control than basic calorie and food logging.

Meal planning

Premium+ adds customized weekly meal plans, more than 1,500 recipes, automated logging, grocery lists and recipe sharing. The Meal Planner is available to Premium+ users in the United States, United Kingdom, Canada, Ireland, New Zealand and Australia, and is not available on the website. The regional and platform limits matter: subscribers outside those countries, or those who want to plan on the web, should not pay for Premium+ expecting to use its Meal Planner.

Connections and support

Apple Health syncing depends on the user's sharing permissions. Premium subscribers receive priority customer support. MyFitnessPal says it uses technical, organizational and administrative safeguards to protect personal information, while cautioning that no security measures can guarantee security. Its services are intended for people aged 18 and older.

Pricing

MyFitnessPal is freemium, with a 7-day trial. The free plan costs nothing and includes food and exercise logging, recipes, measurements and partner app connections. It is the sensible choice for users who need a basic personal record and do not need Premium's additional logging methods or nutrition controls.

Premium (monthly) costs $19.99 a month, billed $19.99 per month. It includes barcode and voice logging, custom nutrition goals, an ad-free experience and priority support. Premium+ (monthly) costs $24.99 a month., billed monthly, and adds weekly meal plans, recipes and automated grocery lists to Premium features. The monthly tiers suit users who want flexibility, but the monthly Premium price is a substantial step up from free for logging conveniences alone.

Premium (annual) costs $79.99 a year, billed $79.99 billed annually, and includes barcode and voice logging, custom nutrition goals, ad-free use and priority support. Premium+ (annual) costs $99.99 a year, billed $99.99 billed annually, and adds weekly meal plans, recipes and automated grocery lists to Premium features. Annual billing costs less than paying the corresponding monthly rate for a full year, but commits users to annual billing. Choose Premium+ only if its planning tools fit your location and platform; otherwise Premium avoids paying for planning features you cannot use.

Platforms

MyFitnessPal is available on Android, iOS and web, with automatic account syncing across supported platforms when the same login and an internet connection are used. The Meal Planner is the exception: it is not available on the website.

Who it's for

MyFitnessPal is best for adults who want to track food, exercise, calories and nutrition goals across devices, particularly those who value a large food database or want Premium's logging and macro-goal options. Premium+ is a better fit for eligible users who want meal plans and grocery lists alongside tracking. It is not the right choice for practitioners seeking client goals or a client mobile app.

Pros and cons

• Pro: The public database has 22 million food items, giving personal trackers a broad pool of foods to log.
• Pro: Free covers food and exercise logging, recipes, measurements, partner connections and progress tracking.
• Pro: Premium offers multiple logging methods and flexible macro goals, while Premium+ adds recipes and weekly planning.
• Con: Barcode scanning, Meal Scan, voice logging and multi-day logging require Premium.
• Con: Meal Planner access is restricted to six countries and unavailable on the website.
• Con: The service lacks client goals and a client mobile app, ruling it out for some coaching workflows.

Alternatives

Cronometer is worth considering for nutrient-focused tracking: its free Basic plan tracks up to 84 nutrients and other compounds, with reports and charts in a 7-day window, while Gold costs $10.99 a month.

Eat This Much is an alternative for users prioritizing meal planning; its Premium plan is $5 a month with an annual subscription and includes weekly meal planning, automatic grocery lists and delivery integration.

CoachVana may suit coaches instead: its free plan covers the first 3 active clients and every coaching feature, while its $29 a month Coach plan supports up to 5 client.

Practice Better, Tyzra, Promealplan, Well&Co and Lifesum are also alternatives to compare.

See the Fitness Nutrition Software and Fitness Workout Tracking Software lists for more options.

Verdict

Choose MyFitnessPal if you want a personal food and exercise log with a large database, cross-platform sync and optional upgrades for detailed nutrition tracking. The free plan handles core tracking; Premium is for users who will make regular use of its added logging and goal tools, and Premium+ is for eligible users who specifically want planning. Look elsewhere if you need coaching-client features or if the Meal Planner's regional and web limits do not suit you.