Best Calorie Counting Apps Of 2024 (2024)

For our Best Calorie Counting Apps of 2024 ranking, the Forbes Health editorial team analyzed data on the top calorie counting apps available from the iOS and Google Play app stores. Star ratings were assigned based on cost and average user rating, as well as the inclusion of features like the types of metrics it allows users to track, the level of personalization available, compatibility with other tracking devices, barcode scanners, social media integrations and more.

A calorie is the unit of energy available in a food or drink. Your body needs the energy from calories to be able to carry out daily functions. When you consume food and beverages, calories are broken down in the body to release energy immediately, or are stored in the body as fat for later use.

The body uses calories in a variety of ways, including during exercise and even while sleeping. Your basal metabolic rate (BMR) is the amount of energy your body uses to maintain basic bodily functions—like body temperature regulation, breathing and keeping your heart beating—while your body is at rest. BMR accounts for approximately 60% to 70% of calories burned within a 24-hour period. How much energy your body uses while at rest depends on a number of factors, including your height, weight, age and sex. Meanwhile, the amount of energy your body uses while in motion depends on factors like body weight and your state of physical fitness.

Getting regular physical activity (about 150 minutes per week) will increase not only the amount of energy you use while exercising, but also your resting energy expenditure.

The amount of calories you need daily varies based on your age, sex, height and activity level. That being said, calorie needs for adult men range from 2,000 to 3,200 a day and adult women need 1,800 to 2,400 calories a day, according to the 2020-2025 Dietary Guidelines for Americans.

To maintain your current weight, aim to consume approximately the same amount of calories that your body uses each day, based on your BMR and calories used during physical activity. Consuming fewer calories than your body uses each day may lead to weight loss, as your body will use its stored fat for energy. Meanwhile, eating and drinking more calories than your body uses may lead to weight gain, as your body stores the excess energy as fat.

Most people do not have to count calories, and many experts recommend focusing more on food quality and implementing healthy lifestyle habits in order to lose weight or maintain a healthy weight. However, creating a calorie deficit—when you burn more calories than you consume—can be an effective weight loss strategy. To do so, you typically want to count calories to get an idea of how many calories you’re consuming versus how many you’re burning.

How Do I Calculate My Calorie Intake?

You can track how many calories you consume in a day by checking labels on store-bought foods, weighing portions, keeping a food diary or using a calorie counting app.

Many food nutrition labels include information on calorie content per serving or per pack. Keep in mind, though, that you may consume more or fewer calories than indicated depending on the portion size you consume. However, weighing your portions with a food scale can give you insight into how much you’re eating and if you need to adjust portion sizes.

Meanwhile, keeping a food diary or using a calorie counting app can help you keep a daily record of everything you eat and drink as well as the calorie content of the foods you consume. It’s important to include information about ingredients like oils, toppings or condiments you use while cooking or eating to ensure your food log is as accurate as possible.

Our calorie calculator can help you determine the amount of calories you need to consume each day to reach your weight loss goals—but always talk to your doctor before implementing any significant diet changes.