If you are looking for the best macro tracking app, then you are in the right place. We are here to give you a rundown of the best macro tracking apps so that you don't waste any time shopping around. But first of all, we wanted to have a quick word.
Within the world of wellness social media, macro tracking is often met with mixed reactions. Understandably. You have the camp that push calorie tracking for all, then you have the camp that will strongly discourage anyone from using such tools. We like to park ourselves in the middle of both camps. We appreciate that it can be both an educational tool to learn more about the foods that they regularly eat, whilst we also acknowledge that it is often used as a tool for over-restriction and can lead many down the path of disordered eating habits.
We do not recommend that everyone tracks their macros.
Our relationship with food is unique. We all need to assess whether a certain tool is good for us to have in our toolbox.
If you believe that macro tracking is a tool that you can use safely and responsibly, then we are here to provide some words of wisdom and guidance of use. But we would never encourage calorie tracking to be a long-term solution for any of our clients. We recommend it to be used for a short period of analysis, before transitioning away from the practice. We take the knowledge, then we move down a path of intuition.
So, with that in mind, let's take a look and see which is the best macro tracking app...
If you'd first like to learn more about macros and why you might want to track them, click here to read our blog post on the topic.
Which is the best macro tracking app?
With their built-in lessons, rich libraries, automatic calorie and macronutrient calculations, and other smart features, you could argue that nutrition apps have made healthy eating easier and more accessible.
That said, there are a lot of options on the market, which begs the question:
Which is the best macro tracking app today? We couldn’t narrow it down to one option, so we’ll review four. Let’s dive in.
1. Cronometer
Cronometer is a user-friendly macro-tracking app that allows users to monitor their calories, protein, fats, carbs, fibre, and micronutrients (vitamins and minerals).
Unlike other apps primarily focusing on macronutrients, Cronometer offers additional features that are useful for people on a specialised diet (for example, low sodium) and health professionals working with patients.
Users can log their lab test results and monitor various biomarkers, such as sleep, body temperature, heart rate, and heart rate variability. The app supports multiple integrations and can pull data from an Oura Ring, Health Connect, Apple Health, Google Fit, and more.
That said, the app can still be used as a traditional macro-tracker thanks to its rich and verified food database, user-friendly interface, and nutritional targets you can set (or let the app calculate for you).
Pros:
Extensive food database with only verified entries
You can customise your calorie, macronutrient, and micronutrient targets
Track health-related metrics like blood pressure, sleep quality, and temperature
There’s an active community you can engage with
The app has a free version
Cons:
The free version is somewhat limited
Calorie and macronutrient targets are not calculated automatically
2. Carbon Diet Coach
Carbon Diet Coach (CDC) instantly set itself apart when it came out because of its creator, Dr. Layne Norton.
Norton is a competitive bodybuilder and IPF champion known and praised for his no-BS approach to training and nutrition.
Like MacroFactor, CDC is based on the latest nutritional science and has built-in coaching capabilities. The app helps you track your calories and macronutrients by asking questions to get to know you and providing initial dietary targets. Then, based on your progress, your targets are adjusted every week.
One cool touch is that the app asks if you’ve adhered to your nutritional targets. This helps it more accurately determine your trajectory and whether it needs to update your diet.
What makes CDC one of the best macro tracking apps is that it also has a rich and accurate food database.
Pros:
Rich food database, including items from specific brands
You can track body weight, body fat, lean body mass, and other metrics
You can modify and update your calorie and macro targets
Cons:
No free trial
It doesn’t update its recommendations unless you’re 100% adherent to your diet
3. MacroFactor
MacroFactor is a macro-tracking app created by a well-known figure in the fitness industry, Greg Nuckols.
It has built-in coaching capabilities and examines your body fat percentage and weight to adjust your calorie and macronutrient targets based on your goals and how quickly you want results.
To start, you must fill out a basic questionnaire that tells the app who you are, what your activity level is, and what goals you hope to achieve. The app then provides initial nutritional targets and allows you to easily log your diet day-to-day.
What makes the app special is that you must input metrics like body weight and body fat for the app to study trends and determine if your nutrition intake is correct. This is the built-in coaching within the app.
It reviews your weekly progress and offers recommendations for new targets, which you can accept or decline.
MacroFactor also has some fantastic features, like program styles (how quickly you want to gain or lose weight), an extensive and verified food database, dietary preferences (for example, high or low-fat), and whether you’d like an even calorie and macro distribution on each day, or you prefer to have low and high days.
Pros:
There’s a barcode and label scanner
The app updates your nutritional targets
You can set a slower or quicker pace for your goals
The app has a rich and accurate food library
You can save recipes
You can use saved recipes as ingredients for other recipes
Cons:
There’s no free version, only a seven-day trial
There is no recipe database
4. MyFitnessPal
MyFitnessPal is the original nutrition app and is regarded by many as the best macro tracking app even today. It came out in 2009 and it changed the game for those people looking to learn about flexible dieting and to start tracking their intake for better health and fitness results.
Like the previous three apps on our list, MyFitnessPal starts by asking various questions to learn who you are. These include age, gender, fitness goals, and activity level. It then provides initial nutritional targets, which you are free to change.
Similarly, the app has a clean and intuitive interface that’s easy to navigate and figure out. It has an enormous food database with many items from various brands. This means you can always find the item you want to log, even when eating outside.
That said, one drawback of MyFitnessPal is that the database contains some inaccurate food entries. This means you must be careful with what food item you decide to log because its nutritional information may not be accurate.
If unsure, double-check the nutritional information online to see which entry is the most accurate, then add it to your favourites.
Additionally, MyFitnessPal supports various integrations and can pull data from devices like Fitbit, Garmin, and Polar. This means it can get data regarding your energy expenditure and help you more accurately estimate your calorie needs.
Pros:
A huge food database with many good entries
It allows you to track body weight, steps taken, activity level, and body measurements
It has a free, though somewhat limited version
It has a large recipe database with instructions and nutritional information
Cons:
MyFitnessPal doesn’t update nutritional recommendations like MacroFactor and CDC.
Its calorie recommendations can often be wildly inaccurate (often providing very low calorie targets, encouraging people to exercise to "earn" more food. We recommend disabling this feature).
Conclusion
So, here we are. These are four of the best macro-tracking apps in 2024.
MyFitnessPal used to be the top dog for a long time, but it now has a fair amount of competition from MacroFactor, Cronometer, and Carbon Diet Coach.
Each app offers unique benefits, so it’s worth experimenting to see which fits your needs best. MacroFactor has a seven-day free trial, and Cronometer and MyFitnessPal have free versions. The only app you’d have to pay for to test would be Carbon Diet Coach.
Which is your best macro tracking app? Let us know in the comments below!
Frequently asked questions:
What is the best app to track macros for beginners?
MyFitnessPal get's our vote here simply because of its vast food database. Also, its free version provides users with more than enough features to get started. The barcode scanner is a handy addition, but it is only available for paid users.
Best free macro tracking app for iPhone/Android
Our online personal training clients give the most positive feedback for Cronometer and MyFitnessPal.
Best macro tracking app with barcode scanner
MyFitnessPal has the largest food database but we were also really impressed with the barcode scanner of Carbon Diet Coach.
Best macro and calorie tracking app for fitness enthusiasts
All of the apps listed above would be good options for fitness enthusiasts and newbies alike. Individual preferences will of course vary.
If you would like help getting started on your nutrition journey, click here to see how online personal training could work for you. Or if you have any specific questions, or would like to book in for a call with one of our coaches, click here to get in touch.
If you enjoyed this post and would like some more free advice, head on over to our free resources page to see what we have to offer!
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