Customer Reviews (100)

kmccaffrey32890 • 2025-11-14T11:36:57-07:00

A great resource and has helped me to lose weight! Finally connecting CICO to my weightloss journey. Sometimes there are glitches when I try to log food and it is slow. Thats my reasoning for the 4 instead of 5.

Touches me • 2025-11-14T11:02:27-07:00

I used to love using this app, it showed macros and calories, then suddenly one day it told me to pay to see the macros. Very disappointing.

Wendy.24 • 2025-11-14T10:53:37-07:00

I just started using this app today but when I go to track the food I eat it’s not being added to my diary 🤷🏽‍♀️

Summary of Key Insights

MyFitnessPal is a popular app for tracking calories, macros, and fitness activities. While many users find it helpful for weight loss and maintaining a healthy lifestyle, recent updates, particularly around feature paywalls and UI changes, have significantly impacted user sentiment. The app's strengths lie in its ease of use (for some), extensive food database, and ability to track various metrics. However, the shift of previously free features behind a premium subscription is a major source of dissatisfaction. The score distribution reveals a polarized user base, with a substantial number of 1-star reviews offsetting the positive experiences. Overall sentiment is mixed, with increasing frustration regarding the app's monetization strategy and recent performance issues.

Quantitative Metrics:

  • Overall Rating: Based on the provided review breakdown, a calculated average rating would be approximately 2.6 stars.
  • 5-Star Reviews: 30%
  • 4-Star Reviews: 6%
  • 3-Star Reviews: 12%
  • 2-Star Reviews: 15%
  • 1-Star Reviews: 37%

Data & Methodology Overview

  • Data Sample Size: 100 reviews
  • Time Frame: Not explicitly stated, but inferred to be recent based on mentions of "new update" and "iOS 26".
  • Analysis Methods: Manual review and thematic analysis focusing on sentiment, feature requests, pain points, and positive aspects. Keyword extraction was used implicitly to identify recurring themes.

Key User Pain Points

  • Loss of Free Features Behind Paywall: The most significant pain point is the removal of previously free features (especially macro tracking and barcode scanning) and placing them behind a premium subscription. Users feel this is a greedy move and makes the app less valuable.
  • App Instability and Glitches: Many users report freezing, crashing, and syncing issues, particularly after recent updates. This includes problems with account creation, food logging, and syncing with fitness trackers.
  • UI/UX Issues: The new UI is widely criticized for being slower, less intuitive, and requiring more steps to log meals. Users miss the old layout and find the navigation cumbersome.
  • Inaccurate Food Database: The food database contains duplicates and unvalidated data, leading to inaccurate calorie counts and frustration.
  • Poor Customer Support: Users report difficulty getting help from customer support, with AI being the primary point of contact.
  • Subscription Issues: Users report losing access to premium features despite paying for a subscription and difficulty obtaining refunds.

Frequently Requested Features

  • Bring Back Free Macro Tracking: Users overwhelmingly want the ability to track macros (carbs, fat, protein) without a paid subscription.
  • Revert to the Old UI: Many users prefer the old user interface and want the option to switch back.
  • Improved App Stability and Performance: Users want the app to be more reliable and less prone to crashes and glitches.
  • More Accurate Food Database: Users want a cleaner and more accurate food database.
  • Undo Function: An undo button for accidentally deleted entries.
  • More Granular Sugar Tracking: Breakdown of added vs. natural sugars.
  • Copy Individual Food Items Between Days: Easy way to copy frequently eaten items to other days.
  • Time Logged for Water Entries: A timestamp for each water entry.
  • Option to Track Total Carbs, Not Just Net Carbs: Important for users who are not on a keto diet.

Strengths and Positive Aspects

  • Effective for Weight Loss: Many users have successfully lost weight using the app.
  • Easy to Use (For Some): Some users still find the app easy to use, especially for basic calorie tracking.
  • Large Food Database: The extensive food database is a valuable resource for tracking meals.
  • Helpful for Tracking Calories and Exercise: The app is useful for monitoring calorie intake and expenditure.
  • Motivational: The app can be motivating for maintaining fitness goals.
  • Barcode Scanner (Premium): While now behind a paywall, the barcode scanner is still appreciated by those who have access to it.

Prioritized Action Recommendations

  • High Priority:
    • Address App Stability Issues: Fix the freezing, crashing, and syncing problems reported by many users. This is critical for usability.
    • Re-evaluate Paywall Strategy: Consider offering a more affordable subscription tier or restoring some previously free features, particularly macro tracking. The current paywall strategy is alienating users.
    • Improve Customer Support: Provide more human assistance and improve the responsiveness of customer support.
  • Medium Priority:
    • Refine the UI/UX: Address the usability issues with the new UI, potentially offering a "classic" mode for users who prefer the old layout.
    • Clean Up the Food Database: Remove duplicate entries and validate existing data to improve accuracy.
    • Implement Requested Features: Prioritize frequently requested features such as an undo function, more granular sugar tracking, and easier copying of food items.
  • Low Priority:
    • Address iOS 26 Widget Compatibility: Fix the widget display issue for users with iOS 26.

Opportunities for Startup Ideas

  • Affordable Macro Tracking App: Develop a calorie and macro tracking app that offers essential features (including macro tracking) at a reasonable price, without aggressive monetization tactics.
  • AI-Powered Food Database Verification: Create a service that uses AI to identify and remove duplicate or inaccurate entries from food databases.
  • Personalized Nutrition Coaching Platform: Build a platform that integrates with fitness trackers and provides personalized nutrition coaching based on individual needs and goals, with a focus on sustainable habits rather than restrictive dieting.

Trends and Observations

  • Negative Sentiment Trend: There's a clear trend of increasing negative sentiment related to the recent updates and the shift of features behind a paywall.
  • Focus on Macros: Macro tracking is a key feature for many users, and the decision to put it behind a paywall has had a significant negative impact.
  • UI/UX Dissatisfaction: The new UI is not well-received, suggesting a need for user-centered design improvements.

Conclusion

MyFitnessPal faces significant challenges due to its recent monetization strategy and performance issues. While the app has a strong foundation and a loyal user base, the current trajectory could lead to user attrition. Addressing the stability issues, re-evaluating the paywall strategy, and improving the UI/UX are crucial for regaining user trust and maintaining its position in the market. A focus on providing value and a positive user experience is essential for long-term success.

Original App Link

https://apps.apple.com/us/app/myfitnesspal/id341232718