After years of trying many calorie counting apps I wanted to answer the question “What is the best app for counting calories?”
The answer: Cronometer!
This is purely my opinion, but in this post I will break down for you exactly why I feel it is the best option!
If you want to learn more about the app check out this article: What is the Cronometer App? Everything You Need to Know
How do I Calculate my Calorie Intake?
There are a few ways to do this but here are the two easiest ways!
- Read labels and manually keep track of what you are eating throughout the day.
- Use an app like the one I talk about in this article.
Both of these methods are going to give you a fairly accurate number!
Accuracy
When it comes to tracking food, I want to know that what I am using is accurate. Cronometer pulls data from trusted and reputable sources. It is almost always accurate. In a test between Cronometer and MyFitnessPal (one of the most popular apps) one user found a 68 calorie discrepancy in JUST ONE INGREDIENT.
Those kinds of numbers add up fast, and when I’m not on a meal plan I am not willing to let my food numbers be a guess.
In fact, the only way I have found to track food that is more accurate is using pen and paper. Not exactly my favorite way to spend my time.
If you want to track this way though, I would first recommend finding out how many calories you should be taking in based on your goals. You can use our calorie calculator here to get started.
Goals
Although most calorie counting apps allow you to track goals, I have found that Cronometer allows for the most unique inputs. This essentially means you have more control over what you want to track. For instance, if you are following a keto diet you can set the exact number of carbs you need to be at, rather than just choosing a percentage. (Of course, you can choose a percentage too if you want!)
Even the micronutrients section allows you to choose specific goals if you want to get that granular.
Beyond that, Cronomoter comes with a built in calorie calculator and will suggest your intakes based on the goals that you want to reach. If you want to adjust from there it is incredibly simple to do so.
Trends
Daily
Cronometer provides a detailed nutritional breakdown of your macronutrients (fats, proteins, and carbohydrates) but also provides detailed breakdowns of vitamins, minerals, and amino acids.
One thing that I found incredibly helpful as well was the net carbs tracking. This is super useful for competitive athletes as well as people following a keto style diet.
Weekly
Once again Cronometer beats out the competition by making their trending data easy to understand. Of course, it also provides the same in-depth information on a weekly basis as it did on the daily reports.
How Does Cronometer Work?
Before you can start using the app, you will need to sign up and create an account. You will be asked to provide basic information like name, gender, and age. You will also provide information about your goals.
The app will then help you calculate your goal calories and macros. If you already know what you need to be consuming because you are working with a coach (or any other reason really) you can also update them.
After creating an account, you add foods by searching for them or scanning them in. The top of the app and website will show you how close you are to your daily goal!
Conclusion: What is the Best App for Counting Calories
Realistically, you should try some of the apps yourself, because my criteria might be different from yours.
However, my strong opinion is that Cronometer is the way to go for accuracy, ease of use, and goal tracking. You can try the app here if you want to!
What app do you prefer? Let me know in the comments!
