Counting Carbs Made Easy: The 6 Best Carb Calculator Apps

Whether you're following a specific diet plan, monitoring your blood sugar, or simply trying to follow a healthier lifestyle, tracking your carbohydrate intake can provide you with useful data you can use to make informed dietary choices. But gathering this information in one place and making sense of it all can be a daunting task.

Luckily, there are convenient apps available that simplify the carb-counting process. In this article, we’ll discuss the benefits of carb calculator apps, give advice on how to choose the right app for your lifestyle, and share our picks for the five best carb calculator apps.

The Benefits of Using a Carb Calculator App

You may be wondering why it can be useful to track your carbohydrate intake in the first place. Carb calculator apps offer the ability to set personalized dietary goals and monitor progress in real-time, which empower you to stay on track with their dietary goals and make informed choices that benefit your health.

These apps offer many benefits that enhance the process of carb counting, making it easier and more accurate than ever. Many of them even eliminate the need for manual calculations, saving valuable time and effort for people who want to track their macronutrient intake. 

Whether your goal is to lose a few pounds, impact blood sugar levels, or optimize athletic performance, carb calculator apps can help you gain better control over your nutrition and foster a healthier and more mindful approach to your overall well-being. With all that said, here are a few of the main benefits of using these apps.

Better Macros Tracking

Maintaining a healthy balance of macronutrients (carbohydrates, protein, and fats) is important for overall health and wellness. This is where tracking macros comes in, which involves measuring the total amounts of each macronutrient you eat during the day and in each meal.

Tracking macros can be helpful for various dietary goals, such as weight management and adherence to specific diet plans. Carb calculator apps can make this process easier by offering precise carbohydrate information for various food items. 

These apps typically have extensive food databases that include a wide range of foods, along with their corresponding macronutrient content, making it easy for you to accurately log your daily intake.

Simplified Meal Planning

Carb-tracking apps can be a game-changer when it comes to simplified meal planning. Many apps go beyond tracking carb intake and actually suggest meal options tailored to your dietary needs and goals.

With these apps, you can explore and select from a wide range of ingredients and recipes, ensuring they stay within your targeted carb limits while still enjoying delicious and diverse meals. You can simply search for a food item or scan its barcode, and the app instantly provides accurate nutrition information.

Increased Nutrition Awareness

Many carb calculator apps provide detailed nutritional information beyond just carbohydrates. While their primary focus may be tracking carb intake, these apps typically offer comprehensive data on other nutrients, offering a more holistic view of your dietary intake. 

Some carb calculator apps also provide portion sizes and serving information, which can help you maintain a healthier balance of nutrients and prevent over- or under-eating.

The 6 Best Carb Calculator Apps

If you’re interested in using an app to track your carb intake, we’ve got you covered. Here is our definitive list of the five carb calculator apps currently available for Android and iOS—chosen for their features and average app store ratings.

1)  Nutrisense

The Nutrisense program allows you to track your glucose levels in real-time using continuous glucose monitoring technology. When you join the program, you gain access to the Nutrisense app, where you can log your meals, view your daily macros, and monitor your glucose levels all in one place.

Top Features

Features of the Nutrisense app include:

• Ability to log meals, exercise, and other activities inside the app
• A barcode scanner and AI food suggestions to help you accurately track your food intake
• Macronutrient and calorie breakdown for each meal and daily totals displayed in helpful graphs to track your progress over time
• Glucose data displayed in a chart so you can uncover what foods and habits affect your blood sugar levels
• One month of complimentary nutritionist support to help you make sense of your data and implement healthier eating habits

Price

The Nutrisense program starts at $225 per month for a 12-month commitment. Other plans are available with different lengths and program prices. The meal logging functionality of the Nutrisense app is free for anyone to use, even if you haven’t purchased a program with Nutrisense.

2) Carb Manager

Carb Manager is a popular carb calculator app designed to help users track their carb intake and achieve their dietary goals. It is designed specifically for the keto diet, with the goal of making this low-carb diet more accessible and convenient. 

Top Features

Carb Manager’s features include:

• Tools to track your macro intake, meals, and physical activity  
• A recipe database that includes more than 50,000 low-carb and keto recipes
• A barcode scanner that enables users to quickly input carb information from packaged foods
• A community forum where users can share their experiences, seek advice, and stay motivated on their health journey

Price

Carb Manager has the option of a free account with limited features or an annual subscription that costs $39.99 per year.

3) MyFitnessPal

MyFitnessPal is a calorie counter app that helps you to keep a food diary and track your progress over time on any health goals you set. With this app, you can track your overall nutrition, exercise, and more. 

Top Features

MyFitnessPal’s features include:

• Tracking tools that allow users to track their meals, water intake, weight, physical activity, steps, and both macro and micronutrients
• A basal metabolic rate (BMR) calculator
• A barcode scanner that enables users to quickly input carb information from packaged foods
• Uses user data to provide nutritional breakdowns for each food and meal, including daily and weekly totals

Price

MyFitnessPal offers a free account with limited features. They also offer a monthly subscription that costs $19.99 per month, and an annual subscription that costs $79.99 per year. They are currently offering a one-month free trial. 

4) KetoDiet 

KetoDiet is a specialized app designed to support people following a keto diet. 

Top Features

KetoDiet’s features include:

• Tracking tools that allow users to track their meals, water intake, weight, physical activity, glucose, macronutrients, and mood
• Over 2,000 healthy recipes developed specifically for the KetoDiet app
• Custom diet plans and a meal planner that allows users to plan their diet in advance
• A complete ketogenic diet guide

Price

KetoDiet offers a free account with limited features. They also offer a monthly subscription that costs $5.99 per month, and an annual subscription that costs $35.99 per year. 

5) MyMacros+

MyMacros+ is a popular nutrition tracking app designed to help users manage their macronutrient intake and achieve their health and fitness goals.

Top Features

MyMacros+ features include:

• Tracking tools that allow users to track their nutrition and body weight
• A library of over five million food items, plus the ability to create custom food items
• Nutritional breakdowns of your meals, with daily calorie and macro totals
• A barcode and nutrition label scanner
• My Circle, a feature that allows users to follow friends on the app and track their progress

Price

MyMacros+ charges a one-time fee of $2.99 upon download. For more features, users can purchase a monthly subscription for $1.99 per month, or an annual subscription for $19.99 per year. 

6) Lifesum

Lifesum is a health and nutrition app that seeks to help users lead healthier lifestyles by providing personalized meal plans, nutrition tracking, and more.

Top Features

Lifesum’s features include:

• Tracking tools that allow users to track their meals, water, and exercise habits
• Weekly personalized diet and nutrition advice based on your food intake and activity
• A barcode scanner that enables users to quickly input nutrition information from packaged foods
• Uses your data to provide a detailed breakdown of macronutrient intake
• Life Score, a feature that gives users the ability to earn points based on their food intake and activity

Price

Lifesum offers a free account with limited features, as well as three premium plans: a 3-month plan that costs $29.99, billed quarterly; a 6-month plan that costs $49.99, billed twice annually; and a 12-month plan that costs $99.99, billed annually.  

Choosing the Right Carb Counting App for You

There are several factors to consider when choosing a carb calculator app for your specific needs and goals. Here are some nutritionist-approved tips to get the most out of your app experience:

• Opt for an app with a user-friendly interface that makes navigating and inputting data simple.
• Ensure that the app is compatible with your smartphone or tablet's operating system.
• Consider apps that can sync with other health and fitness apps or wearable devices.
• Look for an app that aligns with your personal preferences and habits.
• Evaluate how well the app aligns with your specific dietary goals. If you're focused on weight loss, an app that tracks overall calorie intake and macronutrients might be ideal. For muscle building, an app that emphasizes protein intake could be more suitable.

A Note On Counting Calories

Many carb-counter apps include features that allow you to track your calorie intake. It's important to be cautious about fixating solely on counting calories when trying to manage or lose weight. 

Relying too heavily on tracking every calorie can have downsides and limitations that affect your health. For some people, constant monitoring of calories may contribute to disordered eating patterns or the development of eating disorders.

Remember that each person's nutritional needs are unique, and strict adherence to generalized calorie goals might not suit everyone. Many factors need to be taken into account, such as: 

• Age
• Activity level
• Overall health, including any medical conditions

Instead of focusing solely on rigid calorie-counting, aim for a balanced diet that incorporates a variety of nutrient-dense foods, mindful eating practices, and listening to your body's hunger and satiety cues. 

Consulting with a registered dietitian or nutrition expert can also provide personalized guidance tailored to your individual needs and goals, ensuring a healthier and more sustainable approach to nutrition and overall well-being.