Free vs Paid: Weight Loss Apps

Losing weight with the help of an app is easy and convenient – you can keep track of exercise and calorie intake in the palm of your hand. There are so many to choose from, whether you are looking for meal planning or personal training, some you must pay for membership and others are free. But how do you decide which is best? Read on as we look at how to choose between paid or free weight loss apps.

Benefits of weight loss apps

Weight loss apps are particularly useful for those of us that are trying to lose weight and be healthier. Some do get a bad reputation, but if you choose the right app for the right reasons, you can benefit from all that they have to offer. Some of the benefits of weight loss apps include the ability to monitor your diet more easily. You can log your daily intake into an app to keep track of how many calories you’ve consumed, so you can stay on plan. Some also give you access to meal plans to help you achieve your goals and provide coaches that can help with any queries you may have. There are tonnes of weight loss apps to choose from, so you’ll have to do a bit of research, but taking the time to find an app that suits you means you can stay motivated and reach your targets.

What to look for when choosing your app

So, you’ve decided that you’d like to give a weight loss app a go – how do you choose which is best? Here are a few considerations that you should think about when choosing your app:

• Think about your goals: Consider what you are hoping to achieve with your app – is it mainly weight loss, or do you need an app that incorporates exercise? Think about what you want to achieve and keep this in mind when looking for the best app to suit you. 
• Features: What features would you like to see in your weight loss app? Would you like a meal plan, a coach, or the ability to track your meals? Keep in mind what you think would help you and find an app that offers these options.
• Time: You should consider the time frame that you would like to lose weight. Some apps are geared towards creating an entirely new, healthy lifestyle, and others may be better for a short time, to get you started.
• Reviews: Before you commit to a new weight loss app, especially if you are paying a subscription, you should check reviews from other users to get a better idea of what it is like to use – these reviews are great for getting an honest opinion before you make your decision.

Which is best: Free or paid?

With a range of weight loss apps to choose from to suit everyone, it can be difficult to choose which is best. This decision can be made even harder by trying to decide whether you should choose a paid app or a free app. Generally, free apps don’t offer as many features as paid apps do. For example, if you are looking for a relatively simple solution like an app to track your calories, a free app would be fine for this. However, if you are looking for an app that offers coaching, meal planning and access to in-depth tracking, a paid app may be a better option. It all depends on what you’re hoping to get from your app! Read on and we’ll compare a couple of free and paid weight loss apps.

MyFitnessPal: Free app

Many of us will be familiar with this app. The basic, free version allows us access to a dashboard where we can set goals, and the app will calculate how many calories we should stick to each day. You can add your meals into the planner, and it will calculate how many calories you have eaten within the day. This app could be a good choice if your main goal is to manage your weight, and if you’re looking for an easy way to track your diet. You can log food, exercise, and water but if you are looking for a structured diet plan, you should choose a different app to help you.

Future: Paid weight loss app

In comparison to MyFitnessPal, Future is a paid weight loss app that offers a $19 payment in the first month, followed by a $149 thereafter. This is one of the best, and most advanced weight loss apps on the market – it pairs you with a personal trainer that helps you to create a workout plan, offers support and tracks your progress. Unlike MyFitnessPal, Future is perfect for those that would benefit from a more personal and in-depth approach to health. If you struggle to fit in a workout in the gym, the Future app gives you access to a coach that supplies you with new workouts every week, adapted specifically to your needs. This app is different to MyFitnessPal as it is mostly based on exercise, but you could pair it with a tracking app to get the best of both worlds.

Which should you choose?

Future’s monthly payment may seem steep; however, it is still less than what you would pay to have access to a coach in the gym. As you can see, these apps are on opposite ends of the spectrum, but they both offer different benefits. MyFitnessPal offers a free app that can help you to track your food to lose weight in a certain amount of time. Future focuses more on exercise and offers an in-depth and personalised service. If you are looking for something quick and simple, a free app may be beneficial, if you are looking for an app that can give you great service with results, spending a bit of cash could help you to reach your goals and improve your lifestyle.