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Best macro tracking apps of 2024
This content should not be considered medical advice. The information provided is not meant to diagnose or treat any health conditions. Consult with your doctor before beginning a new exercise routine or taking any new supplements.
Macronutrients (“macros” for short) are the nutritional building blocks of everything we eat. No matter what you put on your plate, it’s guaranteed to be made up of three primary components: fat, protein and carbohydrates. For weight loss, carb counting and other health purposes, it’s often helpful to keep track of how many of each of these nutrients you eat each day.
But tracking your macros in your head or on paper can be a real slog. Doing so is easier — a lot easier — with an app. Apps keep a digital record of your food intake, separating everything from burritos to chocolate cake into percentages of fat, protein and carbs so you don’t have to do it yourself. Still, not every macro tracker is ideal for every purpose. To help you make the best decision for your needs, we’ve rounded up the best macro-tracking apps of the year.
Macro tracking app overview
If you’re looking to track your macros, you’re probably not just doing it for laughs — most people want to assess these big-picture nutrients for health reasons. Weight loss is one of the most common goals. Diets like keto and Atkins, for example, require certain percentage ranges of macronutrients each day. Fortunately, a macro tracker can point you in the right direction. According to a 2017 study, people who tracked their diets had higher chances of weight loss success in the long term.
Of course, weight loss isn’t the only use for macro-tracking apps. Perhaps you’d like to tease apart the number of carbs you take in for better blood sugar management, or maybe you’d like to make nutrient tweaks for muscle growth. Whatever your reason, a macro tracker could mean the difference between hitting and missing your goals.
How we chose the best macro tracking apps
- Cost: We get it — cost matters. We looked for apps that won’t break the bank.
- Ease of use: The best apps for macro tracking are simple, not confusing, to use.
- Extensive food library: This is a must to track the wide variety of foods you may eat.
Top macro tracking apps
- Best overall: Cronometer
- Best free macro tracker app: MyFitnessPal
- Best for nutrition coaching: My Macros+
- Best for foodies: LifeSum
- Best for weight loss: Lose It!
Best overall: Cronometer
- Logs macros and up to 84 additional nutrients
- Features community forums for discussion with other users
- Creates customized health reports and charts
About Cronometer
Cronometer is a one-stop shop for all things food tracking. Not only does this app let you log your macros and calories, but it also identifies up to 84 additional nutrients and compounds. If you’re looking to boost your intake of antioxidants or vitamins and minerals like calcium or potassium, for example, Cronometer is a handy tool.
Besides these basics, Cronometer offers tons of other useful features, such as access to community forums and a Facebook group, personalized health reports and the ability to log exercise. The best part is that the introductory version is free! Then again, if you’d like even more perks (like zero ads and nutrition scores of foods), pay just $4.58 per year for a Cronometer Gold subscription.
Why we like it
- Basic version is free
- Tracks micronutrients as well as macros
- Community support to help you reach your goals
What to consider
- Free version comes with ads
- Long lists of food options may be tedious
- Some users say serving sizes are confusing
Best free macro tracker: MyFitnessPal
- Offers a library of over 18 million food choices
- Tracks food intake as well as workouts and fasting
- Incorporates customized health plans
About MyFitnessPal
If you’ve heard of any macro tracker, it’s probably MyFitnessPal. This app is the most downloaded one of its kind — and it’s not hard to see why so many people are happy with it. For starters, it’s free! (Though you can pay $79.99 annually for a MyFitnessPal Premium membership, which doesn’t have ads and offers a more customized experience.) Since this tracker lets you log not only your diet choices but also your workouts and fasting times, it’s great for anyone from beginners to more seasoned macro trackers. And with a straightforward, easy-to-use interface, it won’t leave you confused about whether you’re using it right.
Why we like it
- Free version offers plenty of features to satisfy most users’ needs
- Simple and easy to use
- Tracks workouts and fasting times
What to consider
- Some say they’ve encountered incorrect macro data from user-added foods
- Free version has ads
- Doesn’t track as many nutrients as some other apps
Best for nutrition coaching: My Macros+
- “Macro coach” gives you personalized guidance and goals, then tracks your progress
- Clear, easy-to-use interface
- Library of over 5 million foods
About MyMacros+
Created by a fitness professional, MyMacros+ shines for its more in-depth approach to macronutrient tracking. For $9.99 per month (in addition to your initial $2.99 download), you’ll have access to a “macro coach” feature that provides personalized guidance for your fitness goals and then monitors how you progress toward them. It’s a nice touch for people who want some guidance without having to shell out the cash for an in-person nutrition coach. Not surprisingly, the site’s homepage features multiple glowing reviews from athletes — but this comprehensive app can be useful for just about anyone.
If you’re on a non-traditional eating schedule, MyMacros+ might also be your top macro tracking choice. Unlike some apps that force you to categorize your eating occasions into breakfast, lunch, dinner, and snacks, MyMacros+ allows you to set your own schedule. Whether you’re a shift worker or just more of a grazer than a meal eater, you might find this suits you well.
Why we like it
- Built-in nutrition coaching
- Tracks body weight as well as food intake
- Doesn’t restrict meal occasions to breakfast, lunch, dinner, and snacks
What to consider
- App is for purchase only (no free version)
- Food library isn’t as extensive as in some apps
- Doesn’t track workouts
Best for foodies: LifeSum
- Paid version includes 21-day meal plans for a variety of diets
- Meal plans come with recipes and shopping lists
- Barcode scanner lets you input millions of foods
About LifeSum
Like trying out new foods and recipes? You may like LifeSum. This app gets our vote as the top macro tracker for foodies, as it offers 21-day meal plans to suit multiple diets, from keto to Mediterranean to hormone balancing. Beyond giving you each and every recipe, the app even supplies shopping lists! If you enjoy getting in the kitchen to make your own culinary magic, it’s a great companion to have in your back pocket.
Of course, LifeSum also tracks your macros as well, no matter whether you eat at home or on the go. A library of millions of foods (complete with a barcode scanner) lets you enter your day’s eating with ease. In addition to logging protein, carbs and fats, it also keeps track of your intake of water, fruits and vegetables.
Why we like it
- Has a free version
- Includes recipes and shopping lists
- Tracks water, fruit and vegetable intake
What to consider
- No personal coaching
- No community with other users
- No desktop version
Best for weight loss: Lose It!
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- Intended specifically for weight loss
- Offers a free version or a low-cost $39.99 yearlong subscription
- Syncs with lots of other health apps
About Lose It!
As its name implies, Lose It! is all about weight loss. If you’re tracking your macros with the goal of slimming down, this clean-looking, user-friendly app may be your best bet. While it keeps you on track for weight loss by reporting on your calories and macros, it’s also intuitive enough to know that, some days, a tough workout will make you hungrier. With Lose It! you can earn bonus calories by hitting certain exercise targets. (Helloooo, snack!)
Users also report that Lose It! is easy to sync with other apps and devices. Since many of us toggle back and forth between a variety of technologies, it’s nice to know this app doesn’t make that difficult. That said, Lose It! doesn’t connect you with a community of other users or provide customized nutrition coaching.
Why we like it
- Easily connects with other health and fitness apps
- Lets you “earn” bonus calories by hitting exercise targets
- Offers emailed insight reports into your eating habits
What to consider
- Doesn’t include user community or nutrition coaching
- Some users say calories sometimes get logged incorrectly
- Free version has ads
How to choose a macro tracking app
Finding the right macro tracking app for you is a matter of your needs, preferences, and budget. Consider the following as you make your decision:
- Your health purpose: Are you looking to lose weight, count carbs, or just assess your overall eating patterns? Different apps may suit each purpose.
- Your desired features: Maybe you’d like an app to offer meal plans, sync with an activity tracker, or offer interaction with a community of other users. Let your desired features guide your choice.
- Your budget: Free apps let you dip a toe into macro tracking without financial investment — but if you’re prepared to pay for upgraded extras, you may have a more satisfying experience.
Methodology
To compile this list, our writers and editors reviewed top products on the market, compared specs and features and created a short list of the top macro tracking apps. Then, we used product descriptions, reviews and user ratings to find the best apps for each category. Note that we do not test every product but base our lists on our research, user reviews and expert opinions.
FAQ
Is there a free macro tracker app?
Absolutely! Multiple macro tracking apps (at least in their most basic form) are free. Examples include MyFitnessPal, LifeSum, and LoseIt!. Just note that these may not offer as many features as paid versions.
Is it more important to track calories or macros?
Counting calories versus counting macros all depends on your goals and how you’d like to achieve them. Both macro tracking and calorie counting have been shown to be effective methods for weight loss. If you’re following a diet that requires specific ranges of daily macros, such as keto or other low-carb eating plans, macro tracking will be more important to you. On the other hand, if you’re on a reduced-calorie diet, tracking calories makes more sense.
Can Noom track macros?
Noom is a popular app for weight loss, but it does not track macros. Instead, Noom focuses on the caloric density of foods.
References
- Fogelholm M, Anderssen S, Gunnarsdottir I, Lahti-Koski M. Dietary macronutrients and food consumption as determinants of long-term weight change in adult populations: a systematic literature review. Food Nutr Res. 2012;56. doi: 10.3402/fnr.v56i0.19103. Epub 2012 Aug 13. PMID: 22893781; PMCID: PMC3418611. Retrieved from https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3418611/
- Hartmann-Boyce J, Johns DJ, Jebb SA, Aveyard P; Behavioural Weight Management Review Group. Effect of behavioural techniques and delivery mode on effectiveness of weight management: systematic review, meta-analysis and meta-regression. Obes Rev. 2014 Jul;15(7):598-609. doi: 10.1111/obr.12165. Epub 2014 Mar 18. PMID: 24636238; PMCID: PMC4237119. Retrieved from https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4237119/
- Ingels JS, Misra R, Stewart J, Lucke-Wold B, Shawley-Brzoska S. The Effect of Adherence to Dietary Tracking on Weight Loss: Using HLM to Model Weight Loss over Time. J Diabetes Res. 2017;2017:6951495. doi: 10.1155/2017/6951495. Epub 2017 Aug 9. PMID: 28852651; PMCID: PMC5568610. Retrieved from https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5568610/
