Noom had a good run. For a while it was the go-to recommendation when someone asked about weight loss apps, and for good reason -- the psychology-based approach felt fresh compared to calorie counting apps that had been around forever.
But Noom has changed a lot since its early days. Prices have gone up, the coaching feels less personal than it used to, and plenty of users report that the daily lessons start to feel repetitive after a few weeks. If you've tried Noom and it didn't stick, or you're looking at alternatives before committing, you're not alone.
I spent time digging into what's actually out there right now. Here are seven alternatives worth considering, with honest takes on what each one does well and where it falls short.
1. BodyBuddy -- best for real accountability via text
What it is: An AI-powered weight loss coaching app that works through iMessage. You text back and forth with your coach like you would a friend, and it holds you accountable day by day.
What's good: The texting format is what sets BodyBuddy apart. There's no app to open, no daily lessons to click through. Your coach checks in with you, asks about meals, and helps you work through the moments where you'd normally fall off track. It feels more like having a supportive friend than using an app. The AI is surprisingly good at understanding context -- if you tell it you had a rough day, it doesn't just spit out a generic response.
What's not: It's newer than some of the bigger names on this list, so the community features aren't as built out. If you want group challenges or forums, you'll need to look elsewhere.
Price: Free to start, with a paid tier for daily coaching.
Best for: People who've tried apps before and stopped opening them. The text-based approach removes the friction that kills most app-based habits.
2. MyFitnessPal -- best for calorie and macro tracking
What it is: The original food logging app. MyFitnessPal has been around since 2005 and has the largest food database of any tracking app, with over 14 million foods.
What's good: If you want detailed nutritional data, nothing beats it. The barcode scanner works on almost everything, and the database is massive. The free version is genuinely useful, which is rare these days.
What's not: It's a tracker, not a coach. MyFitnessPal won't ask you why you skipped lunch or help you navigate a stressful week. You get the data, but you're on your own figuring out what to do with it. The premium version costs $80/year and the ads on free are aggressive.
Price: Free with ads, $79.99/year for premium.
Best for: People who are self-motivated and want detailed nutrition data. Not great if you need guidance or accountability.
3. WW (Weight Watchers) -- best for in-person community support
What it is: The decades-old weight loss program that rebranded to WW. They've added an app and digital tools, but the core is still their points system and group workshops.
What's good: The community aspect is real. Weekly workshops (in-person or virtual) give you a level of social accountability that purely digital apps can't match. The points system simplifies food choices without requiring you to count every calorie. WW has also added a clinical track with GLP-1 medication support.
What's not: The points system can feel arbitrary. Some users find it frustrating when healthy foods get assigned more points than expected. Monthly costs add up fast, especially for plans that include workshops. And the app itself feels cluttered compared to newer options.
Price: $23-$45/month depending on the plan.
Best for: People who thrive with group support and don't mind a structured system. The in-person option is a genuine differentiator.
4. Lose It! -- best free calorie counter
What it is: A calorie tracking app that competes directly with MyFitnessPal but with a cleaner interface and a more generous free tier.
What's good: The snap-it feature lets you photograph meals for quick logging. The interface is less cluttered than MyFitnessPal, and the free version includes more features than you'd expect. Their food database has grown substantially and covers most common items.
What's not: The social features feel tacked on. The AI meal recognition (snap-it) is decent but not perfect -- it works well for simple meals and struggles with complex dishes. Like MyFitnessPal, it's a tracker without coaching, so you need to bring your own motivation.
Price: Free with basic tracking, $39.99/year for premium.
Best for: Budget-conscious people who want a cleaner tracking experience than MyFitnessPal.
5. Caliber -- best for strength training focus
What it is: A fitness app that pairs you with a human coach for workout programming. While not exclusively a weight loss app, many users come to it for body composition goals.
What's good: You get a real human coach who writes your workouts and adjusts them based on your progress. The exercise library is thorough, and the progress tracking (including body measurements and photos) is well designed. If your weight loss plan involves building muscle -- and it probably should -- Caliber takes that side seriously.
What's not: The nutrition guidance is secondary to the training focus. You'll get general advice on eating, but it's not the detailed meal planning or daily food coaching you'd get from a dedicated nutrition app. The coaching plans start around $200/month, which prices out a lot of people.
Price: Free for self-guided, $200+/month for coaching.
Best for: People whose weight loss strategy centers on building muscle and strength training.
6. MacroFactor -- best for flexible dieters
What it is: A nutrition tracking app built by the team behind Stronger By Science. It uses an algorithm that adjusts your calorie and macro targets based on your actual results over time.
What's good: The adaptive algorithm is genuinely smart. Instead of giving you a static calorie target, it watches your weight trend and adjusts recommendations. The food logging is fast (they focused heavily on reducing the number of taps to log a meal). The educational content is science-based without being preachy.
What's not: There's no coaching component at all. It's a self-serve tool for people who already understand the basics of nutrition. The interface has a learning curve, and it's overkill if you just want something simple. No free tier.
Price: $71.99/year.
Best for: Data-driven people who want smart tracking that adapts. You should already have a basic understanding of nutrition.
7. Future -- best for premium personal training
What it is: A personal training app that matches you with a real human coach. They build custom workout plans delivered through an Apple Watch-integrated app.
What's good: The coaching is genuinely personal. Your trainer watches your workout data, adjusts your plan, and messages you regularly. The Apple Watch integration means you get real-time guidance during workouts. If budget isn't a constraint, the experience is polished.
What's not: At $149/month, it's one of the most expensive options. The focus is on fitness, not nutrition, so weight loss guidance is limited to what your trainer knows about food (which varies). No Android support for the full experience.
Price: $149/month.
Best for: People who want high-touch personal training and are willing to pay for it. Less useful if nutrition is your primary concern.
How to pick the right Noom alternative
The "best" app depends on what specifically didn't work about Noom for you:
- If the lessons felt repetitive: Try something coaching-based like BodyBuddy or Caliber, where the interaction adapts to you rather than following a curriculum.
- If it was too expensive: Lose It! and MyFitnessPal both have solid free tiers. MacroFactor is affordable if you want something more advanced.
- If you wanted more human connection: WW's workshops or Future's personal training offer real human interaction. BodyBuddy's text-based coaching splits the difference -- it's AI, but the conversational format feels more personal than tapping through lessons.
- If you need more structure around food: MacroFactor's adaptive algorithm or MyFitnessPal's detailed tracking give you more nutritional depth.
A few things worth knowing
No app will do the work for you. That's true of Noom and it's true of everything on this list. What the right app can do is reduce friction and keep you engaged long enough for habits to form.
The apps that tend to work best are the ones you actually use. That sounds obvious, but it's the main reason most weight loss apps fail -- people download them, use them for two weeks, and forget they exist. Whatever you choose, pick the one that fits into your life with the least effort.
If you've been through the cycle of downloading apps, using them briefly, and moving on, it might be worth trying something that doesn't require you to open an app at all. That's the idea behind BodyBuddy's text-based approach -- your coaching comes to you, so there's one less barrier between you and staying on track.
Frequently asked questions
Is Noom worth the money in 2026?
Noom works for some people, but at $60+/month with auto-renewal, many users feel the cost doesn't match the experience after the initial novelty wears off. The lessons become repetitive, and the group coaching isn't as personal as the marketing suggests. If you've already tried it and it didn't click, that's a signal to try a different approach, not to try harder.
What's the cheapest alternative to Noom?
Lose It! and MyFitnessPal both offer genuinely useful free tiers. If you want coaching along with tracking, BodyBuddy's free tier gives you AI-powered check-ins through text at no cost.
Do weight loss apps actually work?
Some do, for some people, for some period of time. The research generally shows that app-based interventions can help with short-term weight loss, but long-term success depends on sustained behavior change. Apps that focus on accountability and habit formation tend to have better retention than pure tracking apps.
What's the difference between a weight loss app and a weight loss coach?
Most apps give you tools -- calorie counters, meal plans, educational content. A coach (human or AI) gives you personalized guidance and holds you accountable. The distinction matters because tools are passive. You have to go to them. Coaching is active. It comes to you.