Simple has carved out an interesting niche in the health app world. They're all-in on intermittent fasting, with a clean app and straightforward approach. If you're specifically looking for a fasting tracker, they've built a good one.
But here's the limitation: fasting is just one tool. One piece of the puzzle. And for many people, it's not even the most important piece.
Let me show you how BodyBuddy and Simple compare, and why a more comprehensive approach might serve you better.
What Is Simple?
Simple is an intermittent fasting app. You set your fasting window (16:8, 18:6, etc.), track when you eat and when you fast, and the app helps you stay consistent.
They've added some additional features like water tracking, step counting, and basic meal logging, but the core is really about fasting windows.
What Is BodyBuddy?
BodyBuddy takes a holistic approach to health habits. Instead of focusing on one specific method (like fasting), we help you build consistent habits across everything that matters: what you eat, when you eat, how you move, how you sleep, how you manage stress.
The focus is on daily accountability and building sustainable habits that work with your life, not forcing your life to fit one specific approach.
Feature Comparison
Feature | Simple | BodyBuddy |
Fasting tracking | ✅ Core feature | Optional/flexible |
Meal tracking | ✅ Basic (in/out of window) | ✅ Detailed (photos, descriptions) |
Nutrition focus | Limited (timing-focused) | ✅ Comprehensive |
Notifications | app notifications | ✅ imessage conversations |
Daily check-ins | Automatic (fasting timer) | ✅ Conversational |
Personalized coaching | Yes - pretty robotic | ✅ AI coach - human |
Habit building | Fasting habit only | ✅ Multiple habits |
Flexibility | Rigid (fasting windows) | ✅ Highly flexible |
What you eat | Not emphasized | ✅ Primary focus |
Movement/exercise | Basic step tracking | ✅ specific exercise tracking |
Sleep tracking | No | Yes |
Stress management | No | Yes |
Accountability | Timer-based | ✅ Daily conversation |
Cost per month | $30-45 | $20-40 |
Simple Pros
Easy Fasting Tracking
If you want to do intermittent fasting, Simple makes it dead simple (pun intended). Start your timer, get notified when your eating window opens.
Clean Interface
The app is well-designed and easy to navigate. No complexity or confusion.
Fasting Education
They provide articles and information about intermittent fasting and its benefits.
Multiple Fasting Protocols
Whether you want 16:8, 18:6, OMAD, or custom windows, they support it.
Water Tracking
Built-in water logging helps you stay hydrated, especially important during fasting.
Simple Cons
One-Trick Pony
Simple is really just about fasting. If fasting doesn't work for your body or lifestyle, the app has limited value.
No Focus on Food Quality
You can eat absolute garbage during your eating window and Simple won't care. It only tracks timing, not what you're actually eating.
No Personal Accountability
The app is a timer. There's no coach, no check-ins, no one helping you problem-solve when you're struggling.
Fasting Isn't for Everyone
Intermittent fasting doesn't work well for everyone. Some people get headaches, energy crashes, or binge during eating windows.
Ignores Other Important Factors
Sleep, stress, exercise quality, food choices... Simple doesn't really address any of these.
Can Encourage Unhealthy Patterns
For some people, restrictive eating windows can lead to binging or an unhealthy relationship with food timing.
Why BodyBuddy Is Different
Food Quality Over Timing
While fasting can be useful, what you eat matters way more than when you eat for most people. BodyBuddy focuses on helping you make better food choices consistently.
Comprehensive Approach
We look at nutrition, movement, sleep, stress, and how they all interact. Because health is about more than just eating windows.
Real Accountability
Every day, you check in with your BodyBuddy coach. Share what's working, what's hard, where you need support. It's actual accountability, not just a timer.
Flexible to Your Life
Want to do intermittent fasting? Cool, we support that. Don't want to fast? That's fine too. BodyBuddy adapts to what works for YOU.
Learns Your Patterns
The AI coach learns what works for your body, your schedule, your preferences. The coaching gets better over time.
Sustainable Long-Term
BodyBuddy helps you build habits you can maintain forever, not just follow a strict fasting protocol.
The Fasting Question
Let's be honest about intermittent fasting: it works really well for some people and not at all for others.
For some, fasting naturally reduces calorie intake, improves energy, and fits their lifestyle perfectly. For others, it leads to low energy, poor workout performance, and evening binges.
The problem with Simple is it assumes fasting is THE answer for everyone. BodyBuddy recognizes that what matters is finding an eating pattern that:
- You can stick with long-term
- Includes nutritious foods
- Gives you energy
- Helps you reach your goals
- Doesn't make you miserable
For some people, that includes intermittent fasting. For others, it doesn't. And that's okay.
Who Should Choose BodyBuddy?
BodyBuddy is perfect if you:
- Want comprehensive health coaching, not just fasting tracking
- Need help with WHAT you eat, not just WHEN
- Want daily accountability and support
- Need flexibility in your approach
- Care about sleep, stress, and movement too
- Want coaching that adapts to your needs
- Aren't sure if fasting is right for you
- Want to build sustainable habits long-term
Who Should Choose Simple?
Simple might be better if you:
- Already know intermittent fasting works great for your body
- Just need a timer and basic tracking
- Don't want or need coaching
- Have your food choices already dialed in
- Only care about fasting, not other health factors
- Prefer a minimalist, single-focus app
- Don't need personal accountability
The Bottom Line
Simple is a good fasting timer. BodyBuddy is a comprehensive health accountability system.
If you're certain that intermittent fasting is your path and you just need help tracking it, Simple does that job well. But if you're looking for actual support in building better health habits across the board, BodyBuddy offers so much more.
Most people need help with food quality, consistency, accountability, and building multiple healthy habits. A fasting timer doesn't solve those challenges.
BodyBuddy recognizes that sustainable health comes from daily consistency across multiple areas of your life, not from rigidly following one specific eating window.
Can You Use Both?
Sure, if you want to use Simple to track your fasting window and BodyBuddy for comprehensive accountability, that could work. But honestly, BodyBuddy can track your eating timing too if that's important to you.
Most people find that once they have true daily accountability and coaching with BodyBuddy, they don't need separate single-purpose apps.
Ready for Comprehensive Health Support?
If you want more than just a fasting timer, if you want real daily accountability that helps you build sustainable healthy habits across all areas of your life, BodyBuddy is built for exactly that.
Start your free trial at bodybuddy.app today.
Because health is about more than just when you eat.