LOWIS vs MyFitnessPal: Complete Comparison 2026

MyFitnessPal. The app everyone knows. With over 200 million users, it’s the undisputed giant of calorie counting.

But after years of controversial changes — features going behind paywalls, invasive advertising, personal data being sold — more and more users are looking for an alternative.

In this article, we honestly compare LOWIS and MyFitnessPal to help you choose the app that will actually help you reach your goals.

The 30-Second Summary

Criteria	LOWIS	MyFitnessPal
Price	7 days free, then $149 (6-week program)	Limited free, Premium ~$90/year
AI Photo Scan	✅ Recognizes complete meals	❌ Not available
Barcode Scanner	✅ Free	⚠️ Paid since 2022
Indicators Tracked	40+ (sleep, stress, cycle…)	Calories + macros only
Personalized Coaching	✅ Active AI + nutritionists	❌ Generic advice
Local Food Database	✅ 500+ regional recipes	⚠️ User-generated (errors)
Personal Data	✅ Protected	⚠️ Sold to third parties

The MyFitnessPal Story: From Innovation to Frustration

MyFitnessPal revolutionized calorie counting in 2005. Its huge database and active community made it the go-to app.

But since its acquisition by Under Armour in 2015 (then sold to Francisco Partners in 2020), things have changed:

What Has Frustrated Users

2022: Barcode scanner becomes paid

“That was THE free feature. Now you have to pay to scan a yogurt.” — TrustPilot Review

Ads everywhere

“The app has become unusable with all these ads. I lose 30 seconds closing pop-ups before every entry.” — Reddit r/loseit

Personal data sold

“I found out MFP sells my data to insurers and brands. Makes you think.” — Health Forum

Generic advice

“After 3 years of use, the app gives me the same advice. It doesn’t know me.” — User Review

If you recognize yourself in these frustrations, you’re not alone. That’s why so many people are looking for an effective alternative.

The Real Difference: Diary vs Coach

MyFitnessPal: A (Very) Detailed Food Diary

MyFitnessPal does well what it was created for: recording what you eat.

The typical process:

1. You search for each food in the database
2. You manually adjust portions
3. The app calculates your calories and macros
4. You see if you’re meeting your goals
5. That’s it.

The app never tells you:

• Why you’re not losing weight despite a calorie deficit
• How to adapt your diet to your stress level
• What impact your poor sleep has on your metabolism
• What to eat tomorrow to reach your goals

You do the work. The app takes notes.

LOWIS: A Coach That Works for You

LOWIS takes a radically different approach:

1. You scan — One photo, 2 seconds, even a complete tagine
2. The AI analyzes — Not just calories, but 40+ health indicators
3. The coach recommends — “You slept poorly, here’s how to adapt your diet today”
4. The system learns — Your corrections improve future analyses
5. Nutritionists validate — Your plan is verified weekly by experts

The AI works for you. Not the other way around.

The Real Cost: Time + Money + Results

The Calculation Nobody Makes

MyFitnessPal Premium costs ~$90/year. LOWIS costs $149 for the complete 6-week program. On the surface, MyFitnessPal wins.

But let’s calculate the real cost:

Time Spent with MyFitnessPal

Activity	Time/Day	Time/Month
Food searching	10-15 min	5-7h
Portion correction	5 min	2.5h
Macro verification	5 min	2.5h
Total	20-25 min	10-12h

If your time is worth $15/hour, that’s $150-180 of time lost per month.

Time Spent with LOWIS

Activity	Time/Day	Time/Month
Photo scan	30 sec × 3 meals	45 min
Reading recommendations	3-5 min	2-3h
Total	5-7 min	3-4h

Monthly savings: 6-8 hours of your life.

The Hidden Cost of “Free” MyFitnessPal

MyFitnessPal’s free version has hidden costs:

1. Advertising — Time lost + stress from pop-ups
2. Sold data — Your health information with third parties
3. Missing features — No barcode scanner, limited analysis
4. Frustration — The app constantly reminds you to upgrade

Detailed Feature Comparison

Food Entry Method

Method	LOWIS	MyFitnessPal
AI Photo scan	✅ Recognizes complete plates	❌ Not available
Barcode scanner	✅ Free	⚠️ Premium only
Manual search	✅ Yes	✅ Yes (database with errors)
Voice description	✅ Yes	❌ No
Recipe creation	✅ Automatic by scan	⚠️ Manual, tedious
Learning	✅ AI improves with your corrections	❌ No

Average time per meal:

• MyFitnessPal: 5-10 minutes
• LOWIS: 30 seconds to 1 minute

Health Indicators Tracked

Indicator	LOWIS	MyFitnessPal
Calories	✅	✅
Macronutrients (P/F/C)	✅	✅
22 micronutrients	✅	⚠️ Limited Premium
Hydration	✅	✅
Sleep quality	✅	❌
Energy level	✅	❌
Stress & mood	✅	❌
Digestion (5 metrics)	✅	❌
Menstrual cycle	✅	❌
Weight & measurements	✅	✅

Why this matters: Your weight can plateau even in a calorie deficit if your sleep is disrupted or your stress is high. MyFitnessPal doesn’t see these factors.

Coaching and Personalization

Aspect	LOWIS	MyFitnessPal
Daily recommendations	✅ Based on 40+ factors	❌ None
Real-time adaptation	✅ Based on your results	❌ Fixed goals
Stress-based advice	✅	❌
Sleep-based advice	✅	❌
Cycle-based advice	✅	❌
Slip-up management	✅ Coach to bounce back	❌ Simple observation
Expert validation	✅ Nutritionists	❌ No
Audio Program (mindset)	✅	❌

Food Database

Food Type	LOWIS	MyFitnessPal
International products	✅	✅
French cuisine	✅ Expert-validated	⚠️ User-generated
Moroccan cuisine	✅ 500+ recipes	❌ Very limited, frequent errors
Homemade dishes	✅ Photo scan	⚠️ Manual creation
Local fast food	✅	⚠️ Mainly US
Data reliability	✅ Verified	⚠️ Many user errors

Data Protection

Aspect	LOWIS	MyFitnessPal
Third-party sales	❌ Never	⚠️ Yes (insurers, brands)
Targeted ads	❌ No	✅ Yes (free version)
Data deletion	✅ On request	⚠️ Complex process

Who Is Each App For?

Choose MyFitnessPal if:

• You have lots of time for manual entry
• You mainly eat products with barcodes
• You’re comfortable with an unverified database
• You accept ads and having your data sold
• You don’t need to understand why you’re not losing weight
• Minimum price is your only priority

Choose LOWIS if:

• You want results without spending hours
• You eat regional, local or homemade dishes
• You need to understand the impact of your sleep and stress
• You want a coach that adapts to your life
• You prefer your data stays private
• You want to try free before committing

What Users Who Switched Say

“After 5 years on MyFitnessPal, I was spending more time entering data than eating. LOWIS saved me 1 hour a day.” — Sophie, 38, Paris

“The day the barcode scanner became paid, I looked for an alternative. LOWIS does it better with photo scanning.” — Ahmed, 45, Casablanca

“MyFitnessPal told me my calories but never why I wasn’t losing weight. LOWIS showed me it was my sleep.” — Nadia, 32, London

“I couldn’t take the ads anymore. And when I learned MFP was selling my health data… I switched that same day.” — Marc, 41, Toronto

Our Honest Verdict

MyFitnessPal remains a functional food diary with a huge database. If you just want to log what you eat and time and privacy aren’t priorities, it’s an option that can work.

LOWIS is for those who want to actually lose weight, not just count calories. AI photo scanning, personalized coaching based on 40+ indicators, and respect for your data make it a modern solution adapted to your real needs.

The question isn’t “which app is cheapest?” but “which app will help me reach my goals?”

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Ready to Discover the Difference?

If you’re reading this article, you’re looking for something better. Something that actually works.

Try LOWIS free for 7 days, no credit card required. In 2 minutes, you’ll have your personalized plan based on your 40+ health indicators.

No ads. No data selling. Just an AI coach that works for you.

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This article compares features at the time of publication. Prices and features may change. Sources: official websites, TrustPilot reviews, Reddit r/loseit, internal testing.

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Continue Reading

In the category Comparisons — All our app comparisons

Other app comparisons:

• LOWIS vs Cal AI — AI scanning comparison
• LOWIS vs Yazio — Popular in Europe
• LOWIS vs Lose It! — US favorite
• Why free apps fail — The real cost
• How to choose a nutrition app — The 7 essential criteria

Key factors MFP ignores:

• Sleep and weight loss — Why 7h changes everything
• Stress blocks your weight loss — Cortisol and its effects
• Menstrual cycle and weight loss — For women

Essential guides:

• Complete smart weight loss guide — The approach that works
• Why diets fail — The science behind failure
• How to avoid weight rebound — Keep your results