Lose It! suits people who want a simple, guided weight loss plan with a daily calorie target and a friendly community. MyFitnessPal suits people who want a big food database, an AI Coach and detailed macro and workout tracking across 40+ connected apps and devices. If losing weight is your one goal, start with Lose It!; if you're tracking nutrition for training or health, start with MyFitnessPal.
Here's a detail neither app shouts about: on both of them, scanning a barcode is a Premium feature, so the free versions are closer than you'd think. I read Lose It!'s site, MyFitnessPal's site and both App Store listings.
Lose It! and MyFitnessPal side by side
| Lose It! | MyFitnessPal | |
|---|---|---|
| Free plan | Yes, free basic features | Yes, start for free |
| Food database | 56+ million items and recipes | 20.5M+ foods, including restaurant dishes |
| Barcode scanning | A Premium feature | Part of the Premium tier |
| AI help | Photo and AI voice meal logging | AI Coach, meal scan and voice logging |
| GLP-1 support | Log medication, see estimated GLP-1 levels | Log doses, set reminders, note how you feel |
| Connects with | Fitbit, Garmin, Withings, Google Fit, HealthKit | 40+ trackers, smartwatches and apps, Wear OS |
The barcode detail both free versions share
Lose It!'s listing splits its features neatly. The free basics are calorie tracking, a weight loss plan built around you, and community support with friends and groups. The barcode scanner sits in its Premium list, alongside photo logging, AI voice logging and advanced tracking.
MyFitnessPal does the same. Its Premium tier is where you'll find barcode scan, meal scan and voice logging, custom macro goals, ad-free logging and a Net Carbs Mode for low-carb diets. So if quick scanning in the kitchen is what you're after, plan on an upgrade with either app, or be ready to search and tap instead.
How Lose It! plans your weight loss
Lose It! starts with the goal. Complete your profile and it works out a personalised daily calorie target and a schedule for reaching your goal weight, then helps you log food, exercise, weight and intermittent fasting in one place. It offers more than 25 health goals to pick from, and has been around since 2008.
On Premium, you can log a meal by saying something like two eggs and toast, or by taking a photo. Advanced tracking adds macros, blood pressure, glucose, cholesterol, sleep and body measurements.
How MyFitnessPal tracks the bigger picture
MyFitnessPal is built for detail. Its listing says users have created over 100 billion food logs, and its database of 20.5M+ foods includes restaurant dishes, which helps when you eat out for work. A built-in AI Coach answers questions about your nutrition, macros and workouts using your own history, and there's a water tracker and a meal planner.
It's strong on fitness, too: log workouts and steps, connect 40+ fitness trackers, smartwatches and health apps, and use it on a Wear OS watch. Premium Plus adds full meal planning with 1500+ recipes.
If you're on a GLP-1 medicine
Both apps have added support for people on GLP-1 medicines. Lose It! lets you log your medication, view estimated GLP-1 levels and see how each phase may line up with your hunger. MyFitnessPal lets you log doses, set medication reminders and record how you feel, so you can spot patterns in side effects. Talk to your doctor about what to track.
Who each tracker suits
Lose It! suits people who want a clear plan and a daily number to hit, and who like the encouragement of a group. MyFitnessPal suits gym-goers, runners and anyone counting protein or macros, especially if they already wear a fitness tracker. If you're building a routine alongside your tracking, this calisthenics workout plan for beginners and these back workouts you can do at home are good places to start.
Want AI doing the heavy lifting in your marketing?
I build the systems that handle the boring 80 percent, so you get your week back. Done properly, with the human kept in.
My advice on Lose It or MyFitnessPal
Log every meal for one week on the free version of the app that matches your goal, and don't judge it before day seven, because the first few days are always fiddly. If you're mainly losing weight, Lose It!'s plan and community make the habit easier. If you're training, eating out a lot or tracking macros, MyFitnessPal's database and AI Coach are worth having.
Do you make health or fitness apps? Tool makers can ask to be considered for a featured place in comparisons like this one.
Frequently asked questions
Is Lose It! free?
Yes. Lose It!'s App Store listing lists free basic features: calorie tracking, a weight loss plan and community support.
Does MyFitnessPal have a free version?
Yes. MyFitnessPal's site invites you to start for free, with Premium and Premium Plus as upgrades.
Can I scan barcodes for free on either app?
No. Both apps list barcode scanning as a Premium feature.
Does MyFitnessPal work on a smartwatch?
Yes. Its listing mentions Wear OS support, with calorie, workout, water and macro tracking on your wrist.
Can Lose It! log a meal from a photo?
Yes, on Premium. Lose It! lists photo meal logging and AI voice logging among its Premium features.
