Noom vs. MyFitnessPal: Which Weight Management App Does It Best?
*Individual results may vary. Disclaimer: The woman featured in this image is not the author of this article, but a real Noom customer.
If people come in all shapes and sizes (and we do), so do the reasons for having goals around weight loss, gain, or management. When it comes to accountability, there are numerous tools at our fingertips.
Two such tools are Noom and MyFitnessPal. Each is an app that allows you to track and log the food you consume in an effort to work toward long-term results. Each app has registered millions of users, but how do you decide which is best for you?
Let’s compare the two:
The one that’s psychologist-backed… Noom
Put simply, calorie restriction leads to weight loss. But it’s not that simple. There is psychology to making the decisions that lead to sustainable, long-term weight loss, and that was all taken into consideration with the creation of Noom.
In Noom world, there are no forbidden foods, no unrealistic workout expectations, and you really only have to spend about 10 minutes per day on the app to reap the benefits.
Since Noom is the only app that takes this approach, no other resource—MyFitnessPal included—quite compares.
The one that really gets to know your needs… Noom
Once you’ve got MyFitnessPal downloaded, you select your goals, gender, age, current height & weight, and are then prompted to create an account. Then it creates target calories – that’s it. I don’t know about you, but it felt like a zero-to-calorie-deficit REAL fast. At least get to know me first…
Noom, on the other hand, actually took the time to understand my holistic needs. They start things off with a 5-minute quiz that serves to understand your specs, plus any current exercise patterns, dietary stuff, and habits that you have going on. Then it generates a date for you to reach your goal weight.
We have sorted through tons of reviews (with 3,627,000+ successful Noom weight loss stories, there are a lot of reviews to pull from) and seen a trend of subscribers having skepticism that they’d meet their goal, but giving it an honest effort. And then surpassing their goal.
The one that offers support to keep you committed… Noom
Support is everything, and Noom offers not one but two support features: personal coaching and “Noom Circles,” which are community groups with other Noomers.
Your coach checks in once a week, and you don’t want to let them down, right? Knowing they’re rooting for you encourages you to press on. And the Noom Circle communities don’t even have to be weight-loss related: get creative with new recipe inspiration (“I swapped bagels for rice cakes in my afternoon snack today—it was so good!”), or bond over your love for tennis—support comes in many forms!
The one that’s cheaper… MyFitnessPal
MyFitnessPal has a free version that may seem enticing to those trying a weight-loss app, but there are caveats.
The first: studies have shown a lower level of commitment (and therefore lower success rate) when there is no compelling buy-in. The second is that the free version of MyFitnessPal is really limited. For instance, it doesn’t include a barcode scanner for quick food entry. It also doesn’t share insights that might help your new habits stick.
MyFitnessPal’s premium membership costs $19.99 per month or $79.99 per year. That’s a lower cost than Noom’s $70 per month or $209 per year, but when you consider the support, the means to success, and the investment in a happier, healthier lifestyle, it’s beyond worthwhile.
The one that adds new features so you don’t hit a dead end…. Noom
Noom recently introduced new features that are making the subscription all the more worth it. Their Aging & Metabolism 5-day course covers nutrition, exercise, and metabolism as you age. Noom Med connects you with doctors, and many activities teach you ways of overcoming stress and cravings. There are workout plans, custom meals, and so much more.
MyFitnessPal’s additional content includes recipes and short, 2-3 minute workout videos. There are some articles about weight loss and movement, but to be honest, it struck us as “content” rather than being actual, useful resources.
Noom is my sidekick from now on
With a mindful, user-friendly approach, a quiz that sets you off on the right foot, and a wide variety of resources, Noom is here to support your weight loss goals. For those who are remarkably driven and knowledgeable in this field, MyFitnessPal might be all they need. But for the majority of weight loss journeyers, the thorough support of Noom is where the magic happens.