AI has wormed its way into just about every corner of the health and fitness world. Your phone can now scan a plate of food and tell you the macros, adjust your calorie targets based on how your weight is trending, and even coach you through tough days when motivation disappears.
But which apps actually use AI in ways that help you lose weight, versus just slapping "AI-powered" on their marketing page? I spent weeks testing the major players. Here are the seven that stood out.
What makes a weight loss app "AI" anyway?
Before the list, a quick reality check. Most apps claiming AI features fall into a few categories: photo-based food recognition, adaptive calorie/macro adjustments based on your progress, AI chatbots for coaching, and algorithm-driven meal planning. Some do one of these well. A few do several. I weighted my picks toward apps where the AI actually changes your experience rather than just sitting in the background.
1. MacroFactor - best for adaptive macro tracking
MacroFactor is the app nerdy dieters have been waiting for. Its core AI feature is what they call an "expenditure algorithm" that watches your weight trend and food intake, then recalculates your actual total daily energy expenditure every week. No more guessing whether your TDEE calculator was right. The app just watches the data and adjusts.
The food logging is fast too. Their search works well and remembers your habits. It was built by the team behind Stronger By Science, so the nutrition science is solid.
Pros: genuinely adaptive calorie targets, excellent food database, no ads. Cons: no free tier ($6/month), the interface takes a minute to learn, no coaching or community features. If you just want smart tracking without hand-holding, this is the one.
2. Noom - best for psychology-based AI coaching
Noom has been around long enough that most people have seen the ads. The AI component lives in their daily lessons and their coaching system, which uses a mix of automated AI responses and human coaches. The app builds a psychological profile over time and tailors content to your specific behavior patterns.
The color-coded food system (green, yellow, red) is divisive. Some people love the simplicity. Others find it overly restrictive. The bigger issue is price: Noom runs about $60/month on a monthly plan, though longer commitments bring it down.
Pros: behavior change focus, structured daily curriculum, large community. Cons: expensive, the coaching can feel generic, calorie targets sometimes run very low (1,200 calories is too aggressive for most people). Noom works best if you want a structured program rather than a flexible tool.
3. MyFitnessPal - best AI food logging
MyFitnessPal recently added voice logging and improved their barcode scanner, both powered by AI. You can literally say "I had two eggs and toast with peanut butter" and it logs everything. Their food database is still the biggest in the industry at over 20 million items.
The free version is usable but limited. Premium ($20/month or $80/year) unlocks macro goals, meal plans, and ad-free tracking. MFP is not really a coaching app though. It tracks. That's what it does, and it does it well.
Pros: massive food database, voice logging, barcode scanner, device integrations with 35+ apps. Cons: premium is pricey for a tracker, no coaching, the social features feel dated, ads on free tier are aggressive.
4. Lose It! - best free AI food recognition
Lose It! has a feature called Snap It that uses your camera to identify food and estimate portions. It is not perfect (it once thought my burrito was a wrap, which I suppose is technically debatable), but it gets you in the ballpark fast. The app also provides weekly reports on your patterns.
The free version of Lose It! is genuinely generous. You get calorie tracking, goal setting, and the basic Snap It feature without paying. Premium ($40/year) adds meal planning, macros, and more detailed insights.
Pros: solid free tier, photo food logging, clean interface, affordable premium. Cons: food database is smaller than MFP, AI features are limited to recognition (no adaptive targets), no coaching.
5. Eat This Much - best AI meal planning
Eat This Much takes a different approach. Instead of tracking what you ate, it tells you what to eat. You plug in your calorie target, dietary preferences (vegan, keto, paleo, whatever), budget, and time constraints, and the AI generates a full meal plan with recipes and a grocery list.
This is great if your problem is not knowing what to cook. It takes decision fatigue out of the equation entirely. The Instacart and AmazonFresh integrations mean you can go from meal plan to grocery delivery in minutes.
Pros: automatic meal plans, grocery list generation, supports many diets, reduces food waste. Cons: the free version is very limited (one meal per day), premium is $9/month, the recipes can be repetitive, no tracking or coaching.
6. Yazio - best all-around AI food tracker
Yazio is a German-made app that has quietly built a strong following. It combines calorie tracking with AI-generated meal plans, fasting timers, and progress analytics. The AI meal suggestions adapt based on what you have been eating and your nutritional gaps.
The interface is clean and modern. The free version covers basic tracking. Pro ($7/month or $45/year) adds meal plans, sugar and fiber tracking, and more detailed nutrient breakdowns.
Pros: good balance of tracking and meal planning, intermittent fasting support, affordable, nice design. Cons: food database skews European (some US brands are missing), no coaching, AI features are subtle rather than front-and-center.
7. BodyBuddy - best AI coaching via text message
BodyBuddy takes a completely different approach from everything else on this list. There is no app to download. Instead, you get a fully AI-powered coach that texts you directly through iMessage. It sends daily check-ins, responds to your questions about food and fitness, and tracks your meals through photos you text back.
The idea is simple: you already check your texts dozens of times a day. By meeting you where you already are, BodyBuddy removes the friction of opening yet another app. You snap a photo of your lunch, text it over, and your AI coach responds with the calorie and macro breakdown plus feedback on your choices.
What I liked most: the accountability feels natural. Getting a morning text asking how yesterday went is more motivating than a push notification from an app I might ignore. The AI remembers your patterns and adjusts its coaching over time. If you keep skipping breakfast, it will notice and talk to you about it.
Pros: zero app fatigue (it lives in iMessage), photo-based meal tracking, daily AI check-ins, personalized coaching that adapts, very low friction. Cons: iPhone only for now, no barcode scanning, less granular data than dedicated trackers like MacroFactor. Try it at bodybuddy.app.
Quick comparison table
Here is how these seven apps stack up on the features that matter most:
App | AI coaching | Photo food log | Adaptive targets | Price |
MacroFactor | No | No | Yes | $6/mo |
Noom | Yes (AI + human) | Yes | No | $60/mo |
MyFitnessPal | No | Yes | No | Free / $20/mo |
Lose It! | No | Yes | No | Free / $40/yr |
Eat This Much | No | No | No | Free / $9/mo |
Yazio | No | Yes | No | Free / $7/mo |
BodyBuddy | Yes (fully AI) | Yes | Yes | Free trial |
How to pick the right one for you
The honest answer is that it depends on what you actually need. If you want to geek out on macros and have your targets automatically adjust, MacroFactor is hard to beat. If you want a structured program that teaches you about your eating psychology, Noom does that (at a price). If you just need a solid food tracker, MyFitnessPal and Lose It! both work.
If your real problem is not tracking but accountability, that is where something like BodyBuddy makes sense. Most people do not fail because they lack data. They fail because nobody checks in on them. Having an AI coach that texts you every day puts gentle pressure on you to stay consistent, and consistency is the only thing that actually matters for weight loss.
My suggestion: try two or three from this list. Most have free versions or free trials. Use them for a week each and see which one you actually keep opening. The best app is the one you will use.
Frequently asked questions
Can AI really help you lose weight?
Yes, but not by magic. AI helps in two practical ways: it reduces the effort of tracking (photo recognition, voice logging, adaptive targets) and it provides consistent accountability (daily check-ins, pattern recognition, personalized nudges). A 2024 study in Nature Digital Medicine found that AI-based coaching interventions led to 4-8% greater weight loss compared to self-directed approaches over 12 months.
Are free AI weight loss apps worth it?
The free tiers of Lose It! and MyFitnessPal give you functional calorie tracking. You can absolutely lose weight with them. The paid features (adaptive macros, coaching, meal planning) make things easier but are not strictly necessary. If you are on a tight budget, start free and upgrade only if you hit a wall.
What is the difference between AI coaching and a human coach?
An AI coach is available 24/7, responds instantly, and costs a fraction of what a human coach charges ($150-400/month is typical for a real coach). The tradeoff is empathy and nuance. AI coaches like BodyBuddy are getting better at personalization, but they will not pick up on emotional cues the way a human would. For most people who just need consistent accountability and solid nutrition guidance, AI coaching is more than enough.
Do I need to track calories to lose weight?
No. Some of the apps on this list (BodyBuddy, Eat This Much) focus more on habits, coaching, and meal planning than strict calorie counting. That said, having at least a rough awareness of your intake helps. Photo-based tracking is a good middle ground: you log your meals visually without weighing every gram.
The bottom line
AI weight loss apps have moved past the gimmick stage. The best ones save you time on tracking, adjust to your body's actual needs, and keep you accountable when motivation runs thin. Whether you want a data-driven tracker like MacroFactor, a structured program like Noom, or an AI coach that meets you in your text messages like BodyBuddy, there is something on this list that fits.
The app matters less than the consistency. Pick one, give it a real shot for a few weeks, and pay attention to whether it actually changes your daily behavior. That is the only metric that counts.
Want to try AI coaching through your text messages? BodyBuddy is free to start. No app download needed. Just text and go.