The Best Weight Loss Apps of

Top Pick Checklist: The Criteria that Drove Our Choices 

With instant access to tools, guidance, accountability and 24/7 support in the palm of your hand, Diet and Nutrition apps have transformed the weight loss industry by making adapting healthier eating and lifestyle habits easier and more accessible than ever before. 

With a reported 1.4 billion users worldwide turning to diet and nutrition apps in 2022 (up from one billion in 2020), this impressive surge in popularity continues to fuel the demand for health-centric mobile solutions. To meet this demand, a seemingly endless supply of weight loss and fitness apps continue to flood the Google Play and App stores, many touting unrealistically quick results and unsubstantiated promises. 

So, how do you know which weight loss apps actually work? 

Our team has meticulously combed through the features, research, reviews and more to narrow down our top recommendations for best weight loss apps that meet a stringent set of criteria that separates the good from the fad. And we’re walking you through exactly what we considered when compiling our top choices to help drive your decision, too. 

What to Look For in a Weight Loss App

From counting calories and meal planning to one-on-one health coaching and structured exercise routines, there is likely a weight loss app that meets your specific needs and goals. Some apps are more tailored to mastering the basics while others focus on implementing healthier habits and behavior modification principles for long-term success. 

Our top recommendations tend to be built around a combination of both, focusing on key features that are widely regarded as promoting sustained weight loss success, like: 

Easy-To-Use Tracking

A hallmark of virtually any worthwhile weight loss app, being able to easily track your daily calorie intake, physical exercise, steps, progress and more is essential to long-term success. Understanding how critical tracking is to weight loss, many apps even integrate built-in food and calorie databases so you can easily account for your meals without having to add in each item, saving you time—and your sanity. Some on our list have even added an element of gamification to their tracking features to encourage consistent participation in a fun and rewarding way. 

Goal Setting 

While it’s natural to focus on that finish line, setting realistic goals from the start can make or break your weight loss journey. Many apps include features that will help you determine a healthy target weight based on your specific stats and lifestyle, as well as provide a timeline to help you understand a realistic road ahead. Starting out with a solid understanding of where you want to go and what it will take to get there can help set you up for success and provide the motivation you need to celebrate every win along the way. 

Meal Planning

Along with tracking, planning your meals is another incredibly important yet often tedious facet of losing weight. The apps on our list are all aimed at making meal planning as pain free as possible, whether by providing personalized recommendations per day, vast databases of nutritious and delicious recipes to try (with some even accounting for specific dietary preferences), or even supplying prepacked meals to take the work off the table completely. Planning your meals not only helps you stay on track, but also allows you to put those healthier habits into practice so you can not only lose weight, but keep it off long-term. 

Social Support 

Weight loss can be a deeply personal journey, but that doesn’t necessarily mean you have to go it alone. Having a solid support system on your side can help keep you motivated, accountable and determined during both the trials and triumphs. Our top recommended weight loss apps understand how important having a community of support can be, so they provide things like dedicated coaches, community forums, social media groups, motivational messages, educational resources and more to help you keep engaged and inspired by people sharing a similar experience.

Real Results 

As with many facets of life, if it sounds too good to be true it often is. It’s generally accepted that losing about a pound or two a week is a realistic, sustainable goal, so be cautious of apps promising large amounts of weight loss in a short period of time. Many of the best weight loss apps will also encourage users to focus on things beyond the number on the scale, like inches, muscle mass or body fat percentage, and mental health as positive measurements of success. And while seeing the results of the real people touting their experience with a certain app can be a major motivator, it’s important to remember that your weight loss journey may look a little different, and so can your successes. 

The Bottom Line

All of the weight loss programs and apps on our list have helped millions of people lose weight in some way, but you want to focus on finding something that works for you and your lifestyle. For example, if tracking and cooking each meal is not your thing, going with pre-portioned meals is probably the smartest way to set yourself up for success—and vice versa. Many apps offer free trials or a free version of their features so you can try them first before fully committing to find the right one that fits your needs. The key is to choose something that you can enjoy and maintain, shifting your mindset from losing to simply living. 

FAQ

What is the most effective weight loss app? 

There is not one clear-cut winner when it comes to weight loss apps as everyone’s needs and lifestyles are different and affect individual success. Most experts agree that implementing some type of behavior modification principles that focus on changing your mindset as well as interactive tools and trackers is the best way to achieve sustainable weight loss. Features such as calorie, food and fitness trackers, meal planners, personalized coaching and community support, plus educational and motivational content are all considered important aspects of successful weight loss strategies. 

How many calories a day should I eat to lose weight? 

When you’re trying to lose weight, eating in a calorie deficit is still the most tried and true way to see results. Experts recommend shooting for reducing your daily intake by at least 500 calories a day to start, in addition to incorporating at least 30 minutes of physical activity a day. But they also caution against going below 1,200 calories a day for women or 1,500 a day for men unless under the supervision of a health professional.