Comparisons
Lose It! vs MyFitnessPal vs Countwell
Lose It! vs MyFitnessPal is a choice between a calm, beginner-friendly weight-loss app and the biggest name in calorie counting. Both share a catch, though: they run ads on the free tier, and each locks something useful behind Premium. Countwell is the third option that keeps the basics free and adds what neither does, and for most people it is the better everyday pick. Here is how all three line up.
Lose It! vs MyFitnessPal vs Countwell: which should you use?
For most people, Countwell. It keeps custom macros, itemized restaurant meals, and a full ad-free web app free. Barcode scanning, coach sharing, and AI-assistant logging are part of Countwell Premium. Choose Lose It! if you want the simplest possible on-ramp to weight loss and do not need a web app. Choose MyFitnessPal if the largest food database matters most, keeping in mind its barcode scanner and custom macros are Premium and the free app shows ads.
The gaps decide it. Lose It! has no strong web app and puts advanced macros and photo logging behind Premium. MyFitnessPal paywalls its barcode scanner. Countwell keeps its core log and custom macros free, with barcode scanning available through Countwell Premium.
How do the features compare side by side?
Here is what each app includes today, free versus paid, with Countwell in the first column. Details change often, so confirm on each app before you switch.
| Feature | Countwell | Lose It! | MyFitnessPal |
|---|---|---|---|
| Free plan | |||
| Food log + calorie tracking | |||
| Barcode scanning | Premium | Premium | |
| Custom macro goals | Basic | Premium | |
| No ads | not included | not included | |
| Full web app | not included | ||
| Itemized restaurant meals | not included | not included | |
| Share your log with a coach | Premium | not included | not included |
| Log via an AI assistant | Premium | not included | not included |
| AI photo food scan | Premium | Premium | Premium |
| Micronutrient detail (80+) | not included | not included | not included |
| Adaptive TDEE coaching | not included | not included | not included |
Lose It! is the calmest on-ramp and MyFitnessPal is the biggest catalog. Countwell keeps the useful parts free.
Each app, up close
Countwell: for free macros and eating out
Countwell keeps custom macro goals and a full ad-free web app free, so you get MyFitnessPal-style flexibility and Lose It!-style simplicity with a real web app. Barcode scanning is part of Countwell Premium. On top of that it itemizes restaurant and takeout meals instead of logging one lumped total, lets you share your log with a coach through a private link, and lets you log from an AI assistant like Claude or ChatGPT. Those extras plus AI photo scan are Premium; the core log stays free. Our MyFitnessPal alternatives guide lines it up against the whole field.
Lose It!: for simple weight-loss tracking
Lose It! keeps things clean and beginner-friendly, built around one straightforward weight-loss goal. The free tier covers logging and basic macros, and barcode scanning is included, which makes it a genuinely usable free tracker. The paid features are the ones you grow into: advanced macro targets and its Snap It photo logging are Premium. Its main weakness is the lack of a strong web app, so it is really a phone-first tool. If MyFitnessPal always felt cluttered to you, Lose It! is the calmer version of the same idea.
MyFitnessPal: for the biggest database
MyFitnessPal still has the largest food database in the category, which is its real advantage. What changed is the free tier: barcode scanning, custom macro goals, and meal scanning all moved to Premium, and the free app shows ads. It does have a full web app, which Lose It! lacks. But if the barcode scanner was the reason you logged at all, paying to get it back is the moment most people go looking for an alternative.
How should you choose between them?
- Want free custom macros without ads? Countwell keeps custom macros free and shows no ads; the other two charge or interrupt.
- Eat out a lot or work with a coach? Countwell itemizes restaurant meals and shares your log through a link; neither other app does.
- Log from a laptop too? Countwell and MyFitnessPal have full web apps; Lose It! does not.
- New to tracking and want it simple? Lose It! is the calmest on-ramp, with a clear weight-loss goal.
- Want the largest food database? MyFitnessPal, if you accept the ads and the paywalled barcode scanner.
Frequently asked questions
- Lose It! vs MyFitnessPal vs Countwell: which is best?
- It depends on your priority. For free everyday tracking with no ads, itemized restaurant meals, and coach sharing, Countwell. For the simplest weight-loss on-ramp, Lose It!. For the largest food database, MyFitnessPal, though it paywalls barcode scanning and custom macros.
- Does Lose It! or MyFitnessPal have a free barcode scanner?
- Lose It! includes barcode scanning on its free tier. MyFitnessPal moved barcode scanning to Premium, along with custom macros and meal scanning, so its free app no longer scans barcodes. Countwell barcode scanning is part of Countwell Premium.
- Which app is better for weight loss specifically?
- All three work for weight loss, since it comes down to logging consistently in a calorie deficit. Lose It! is designed tightly around a single weight-loss goal, which some people find more motivating. Countwell adds itemized restaurant meals and weight-trend tracking for people who eat out often.
- Does Lose It! have a web app?
- Lose It! is mainly a phone-first app without a strong web experience. If logging from a laptop matters to you, MyFitnessPal and Countwell both offer full web apps, and Countwell keeps its web app free and ad-free.