Last tested: April 2026 | Independent review — not sponsored | We tested this ourselves so you don’t have to

Lose It Review: 5 Things Nobody Tells You

Most people who fail at dieting don’t fail because they lack willpower. They fail because they have absolutely no idea how many calories they’re actually eating. A homemade curry, a splash of olive oil, a handful of nuts — it all adds up faster than you’d think, and without tracking it properly, you’re essentially trying to manage your finances without ever checking your bank balance. Lose It promises to fix that problem, and after putting it through its paces, we’re here to give you the unfiltered truth.

There’s no shortage of calorie-tracking apps on the market right now. The question isn’t whether you need one — if weight management is your goal, you almost certainly do — it’s whether Lose It is the right one for you specifically. Because not every app suits every person, and the wrong tool wastes your time and money just as surely as no tool at all. We tested this ourselves so you don’t have to waste weeks figuring it out the hard way.

What stood out during testing wasn’t the glossy marketing claims. It was the small things: how fast the barcode scanner works, how complete the UK food database actually is, and whether the premium features are genuinely worth unlocking. Some of the answers surprised us. A few things nobody talks about when reviewing this app could actually change whether you download it at all. Let’s get into it.

What Is Lose It?

Lose It is a calorie counter and food diary app developed by FitNow, Inc., a Boston-based company that has been building nutrition and fitness software since 2008. That longevity matters more than it sounds. A lot of newer apps come in with slick design and then fall apart the moment you try to find a specific UK supermarket product or a brand-name snack that isn’t sold in the United States. Lose It has had nearly two decades to build and refine its food database, and that shows in day-to-day use.

Available on both iOS and Android, the app covers the fundamentals — calorie logging, macro tracking, exercise logging, and goal setting — but also includes more advanced features like intermittent fasting timers, meal planning tools, and a barcode scanner that is genuinely one of the faster ones we’ve tested. It’s designed for people who want structure without complexity, and it largely delivers on that. If you’ve been overwhelmed by apps that throw seventeen different graphs at you before you’ve even logged breakfast, Lose It’s cleaner approach will feel like a breath of fresh air. That said, if you want a genuinely hands-off, AI-driven coaching experience, you’d be better served looking at something like the Future App, which we tested for 8 weeks and breaks down the AI personal training model in detail.

The app operates on a freemium model. The free tier is functional enough for basic calorie counting, but premium unlocks the features that make it genuinely useful for anyone serious about their nutrition. We’ll break down exactly what you get at each tier in the pricing section below, because the distinction matters more than most reviews let on.

Key Features

Food Logging and Barcode Scanning

The core of Lose It is its food logging system, and it is — for the most part — excellent. The database contains millions of entries including branded UK and international products, restaurant chains, and generic ingredients. In testing, we were able to find the vast majority of everyday UK products without issue: major supermarket own-brand items, popular snack foods, and common cooking ingredients all came up quickly. The barcode scanner in particular is fast and accurate, registering most products within one to two seconds of scanning. This is not a given — some competing apps have barcode scanners that make you want to throw your phone out of a window.

Where it occasionally stumbles is with more niche UK regional products or smaller independent brands. In those cases, you’ll need to log manually using the nutritional information from the packaging, which takes perhaps thirty seconds but isn’t the seamless experience the scanner delivers. The ability to save custom meals and favourite foods makes repeat logging genuinely quick once you’re past the first week of setup.

Intermittent Fasting Tracker

This is one of Lose It’s genuine differentiators compared to basic calorie counters. The app includes a built-in intermittent fasting timer that supports popular protocols including 16:8, 18:6, and 5:2, as well as custom fasting windows. You can set your eating and fasting windows, and the app will track your progress in real time, sending reminders when your eating window opens or closes. It’s a small feature in isolation but genuinely useful if intermittent fasting is part of your approach — you’re not having to toggle between a fasting app and a calorie-tracking app, which removes friction from the process.

The fasting tracker integrates with your daily calorie budget, so your food logs and fasting schedule are aligned in one place. For anyone running a 16:8 protocol alongside a calorie deficit, this joined-up approach is more valuable than it might seem at first glance.

Macro and Nutrient Tracking

Beyond calories, Lose It tracks your macronutrients — protein, carbohydrates, and fat — as standard, even on the free tier. Premium users get access to a more granular breakdown including fibre, sugar, sodium, cholesterol, and a range of micronutrients. For general weight loss or body composition goals, the free macro tracking is sufficient for most people. If you’re managing a specific health condition, following a therapeutic diet, or working with a nutritionist who wants detailed micronutrient data, the premium breakdown becomes more relevant.

One thing worth noting: the accuracy of your nutrient data is only as good as the database entries being used. User-submitted entries, which exist in large numbers, can occasionally have errors. Where possible, stick to verified entries or scan barcodes directly from the product to get accurate manufacturer data.

Exercise Logging and Activity Integration

Lose It allows you to log exercise and have the calories burned added back into your daily budget. It includes a library of activities ranging from running and cycling to strength training and swimming. The calorie burn estimates are based on standard metabolic equivalents, which are broadly accurate at a population level but will vary for individuals — don’t treat the numbers as gospel, particularly for high-intensity or complex movements.

The app integrates with a solid range of third-party platforms including Apple Health, Google Fit, Fitbit, and Garmin. If you’re already wearing a fitness tracker, your step count and active calories can sync automatically, which reduces the manual logging burden considerably. The integration is reliable in our testing — we didn’t experience significant data gaps or sync failures over an extended period of use.

Meal Scanning (Premium)

One of the more headline-grabbing premium features is the ability to photograph a meal and have the app attempt to identify the foods and estimate the calories. In practice, this works well for simple, clearly separated foods — a plate with a chicken breast, some rice, and broccoli, for example. It struggles more with mixed dishes, sauces, or anything where portion estimation is inherently difficult. Think of it as a useful starting point rather than a precise measurement tool. It can save time in casual logging scenarios but shouldn’t be your primary method if accuracy is a priority.

Weight Tracking and Progress Insights

Lose It includes a weight logging feature with a visual progress chart that gives you a clear picture of your trajectory over days, weeks, and months. It also calculates your projected goal completion date based on your current deficit, which is a simple but motivating feature. The app doesn’t overcomplicate this with excessive data visualisation — you get the charts you actually need rather than a dashboard that requires a data science degree to interpret. Progress is broken down into streaks, weekly summaries, and goal milestones that provide low-key accountability without being patronising about it.

How Lose It Compares to the Competition

We tested Lose It against its two closest rivals — MyFitnessPal and Cronometer — across the features that matter most for everyday use:

Feature	Lose It	MyFitnessPal	Cronometer
Free Tier Available	✅	✅	✅
Barcode Scanner	✅ Fast and accurate	✅ Good	✅ Adequate
Intermittent Fasting Timer	✅ Built-in	❌ Not native	✅ Basic
Meal Photo Scanning	✅ Premium only	✅ Premium only	❌
Micronutrient Tracking	✅ Premium	✅ Premium	✅ Free (very detailed)
UK Food Database Coverage	Good	Excellent	Moderate
Apple Health / Google Fit Sync	✅	✅	✅
Premium Annual Price (approx.)	~£27/year	~£79/year	~£30/year
Ads on Free Tier	Minimal	Noticeable	Minimal
Ease of Use for Beginners	⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐	⭐⭐⭐⭐	⭐⭐⭐

The headline finding from that comparison: Lose It sits in a strong middle ground. MyFitnessPal has a larger UK food database and a bigger community, but charges nearly three times as much for premium — a gap that’s hard to justify given the feature overlap. For a more detailed breakdown of how MyFitnessPal holds up on its own terms, read our MyFitnessPal Review: 5 Things Nobody Tells You. Cronometer beats Lose It on micronutrient depth but has a steeper learning curve and a less intuitive interface. For straightforward calorie tracking at a fair price, Lose It comes out ahead of both for most everyday users.

Pros and Cons

Pricing

Lose It operates on a freemium model with a clear distinction between what you get for free and what requires a paid subscription. Here’s the honest breakdown:

Free Plan

The free tier covers the fundamentals: calorie goal setting, food logging, barcode scanning, exercise logging, and basic macro tracking (protein, carbs, fat). For someone who simply wants to get a handle on their calorie intake without spending anything, this is genuinely usable. It’s not a crippled demo — it’s a functional calorie tracker. The main limitations are the absence of advanced nutrient tracking, meal planning tools, and premium features like meal photo scanning and detailed fasting analytics.

Premium Plan

Premium is priced at approximately £3.99 per month on a monthly basis, or around £27 per year if you pay annually — which works out to roughly £2.25 per month. That annual price point is one of the most competitive in the category. For context, MyFitnessPal Premium currently runs at approximately £79 per year in the UK, which is nearly three times the cost for a feature set that isn’t three times better.

Premium unlocks: detailed nutrient tracking (fibre, sugar, sodium, vitamins, minerals), meal planning and recipe import, advanced fasting analytics, meal photo scanning, hydration tracking, priority customer support, and no adverts. The 7-day free trial of premium is available without needing a credit card upfront on some platforms — worth checking the current terms when you sign up.

Is Premium Worth It?

At roughly £2.25 a month on the annual plan, the honest answer is yes for most people who are serious about their nutrition. The intermittent fasting analytics alone justify the cost if IF is part of your routine. If you’re a casual user just dipping your toe in, start with the free tier and upgrade if you find yourself wanting more. Don’t pay monthly — the annual saving is significant and the app is proven enough that committing for a year is a reasonable call.

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Who Is Lose It Best For?

Our Verdict

Lose It does what it says on the tin, and it does it better than most. The barcode scanner is genuinely excellent, the interface is clean without being simplistic, and the built-in intermittent fasting tracker is a feature that competing apps have been slow to properly integrate. For anyone who’s been trying to manage their weight without really knowing what they’re eating, this app provides the structure and accountability to change that — and it does so without making the whole thing feel like homework.

The pricing is where Lose It genuinely pulls ahead of the competition. At roughly £27 a year for premium, it’s hard to argue against when you compare it to the £79 MyFitnessPal charges for broadly similar functionality. The free tier is honest — it’s not stripped back to the point of uselessness, and it gives you a genuine feel for how the app works before committing. If you’re currently paying full price for a rival app and not using anything beyond basic calorie logging, switching to Lose It Premium would save you money without meaningful sacrifice.

Where it falls short is in the detail. The UK food database has gaps that more experienced trackers will notice, particularly if you eat adventurously or shop outside major supermarket chains. Micronutrient tracking is paywalled in a way that feels slightly arbitrary given what competitors offer for free. And the exercise calorie burn estimates err on the generous side — a minor but important note if you’re in a serious deficit and relying on those numbers to set your daily budget. These are real limitations, not dealbreakers, but you should go in with realistic expectations about what you’re getting. For a complete picture of the app landscape, it’s also worth checking our Runkeeper Review: The Unfiltered Truth After 6 Months if exercise tracking is a priority alongside your nutrition.

Category	Score
Value for Money	9/10
Features	8/10
Ease of Use	9/10
UK Availability	7/10
Overall	8.2/10

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Frequently Asked Questions

Is Lose It free to use?

Yes, Lose It has a genuinely functional free tier that covers calorie logging, basic macro tracking, barcode scanning, and exercise logging. Premium, which unlocks advanced features like detailed micronutrient tracking, meal photo scanning, and the full intermittent fasting toolkit, starts at approximately £3.99 per month or around £27 per year. A 7-day free trial of Premium is available.

Is Lose It available in the UK?

Yes, Lose It is fully available in the UK on both iOS (App Store) and Android (Google Play). The app has a reasonable UK food database covering major supermarket brands and popular products, though coverage of very niche or regional UK foods can be inconsistent. You can manually log foods from the nutrition label if a product isn’t in the database.

How does Lose It compare to MyFitnessPal?

Both apps are solid calorie trackers, but there are meaningful differences. MyFitnessPal has a larger overall food database with slightly better UK coverage, and a bigger community for social accountability. However, Lose It’s Premium costs significantly less — roughly £27 per year versus MyFitnessPal’s approximately £79 — and Lose It includes a native intermittent fasting timer that MyFitnessPal doesn’t offer. For most users focused on calorie and macro tracking without community features, Lose It offers better value.

Does Lose It work with intermittent fasting?

Yes, and this is one of Lose It’s genuine strengths. The app includes a built-in intermittent fasting timer that supports common protocols including 16:8, 18:6, and 5:2, as well as fully custom fasting windows. The timer integrates directly with your food log and daily calorie budget, so you’re not managing two separate apps. Notifications can remind you when your eating window opens and closes.

Is Lose It Premium worth the money?

At approximately £27 per year on the annual plan — around £2.25 per month — Lose It Premium is one of the better value upgrades in the calorie-tracking app category. The key additions are detailed micronutrient tracking, meal photo scanning, advanced fasting analytics, and an ad-free experience. If you’re serious about nutrition tracking and use the app daily, the annual cost is negligible relative to the benefit. Casual users may find the free tier sufficient for their needs.