Keto diet apps: 7 of the best for 2024

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A quick look at 7 of the best keto apps

• Best comprehensive option: Carb Manager
• Best for beginners: Senza
• Best for shopping list creation: Total Keto Diet
• Best for custom meal creation: Keto.app
• Best for an extensive food database: MyFitnessPal
• Best for offline access: Keto Diet Recipes
• Best for reaching goal weight: MyMacros+

The features of keto apps vary, and a person’s preference will likely depend on their level of experience with the diet and their specific goals.

In this article, we examine some of the best keto diet apps. We also discuss what a keto diet is and what the surrounding research says.

About keto

A ketogenic, or keto, diet is a low carbohydrate diet that some people use for weight loss or to reduce body fat percentage. The diet is high in fats, moderate in proteins, and very low in carbohydrates. People track these macros with the aim of consuming them in the following ratios:

• 55–60% fat
• 30–35% protein
• 5–10% carbohydrate

For an intake of 2,000 calories per day, this would mean consuming 20–50 grams (g) of carbohydrates.

The science behind the approach is to put the body into a state of ketosis.

Glucose is the body’s primary source of energy, and the body will choose this over any other source when it is available. People obtain glucose from carbohydrates in the diet.

When someone eats less than 50 g of carbohydrates per day, the body changes how it sources energy, producing ketone bodies to use as fuel instead. Health experts call this metabolic state ketosis.

In ketosis, the body produces less insulin. As a result, it stores less glucose as fat. In this way, the keto diet can help someone looking to lose weight and body fat.

Experts generally consider it to be safe, because the amount of ketone bodies that the body produces does not alter the blood’s pH levels. This distinguishes ketosis from ketoacidosis — a life threatening condition in which much larger numbers of ketone bodies alter the blood’s pH to make it acidic.

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Below, we look at some of the best keto diet apps for a person to consider.

Best comprehensive option: Carb Manager

• Platforms: iOS and Android
• App Store rating: 4.8 out of 5 stars
• Google Play rating: 4.5 out of 5 stars
• Price: free with an optional subscription
• Subscription: around $40 per year

This app has a wide range of features, and a person can access some of them for free.

Some of the key features include:

• allowing people to track their macros and true net carbohydrates — the number of carbohydrates that the body absorbs — subtracting sugar alcohols and fiber. The app alerts the user if they go over their limits on specific macros.
• the ability to join a keto community and connect with friends to share progress
• an option to track weight, exercise, calories, and water. The app also supports intermittent fasting.
• additional features, such as diet articles, forums, and weekly challenges

The Carb Manager app is available to download for free. However, there is a premium version that a person can pay for that includes many extra features. The premium access costs around $40 per year.

Best for beginners: Senza

• Platforms: iOS and Android
• App Store rating: 4.8 out of 5 stars
• Google Play rating: 4.3 out of 5 stars
• Price: free
• Subscription: no subscription available

Some of the main features of this keto and fasting app from Senza include:

• being suitable for keto diet beginners, as well as those familiar with it
• a “5 days to keto” guide for beginners that helps them transition from a regular diet. Those who already have experience with a keto diet can track their glucose, ketones, and insulin load.
• barcode scanning, with 200,000 food records, restaurant menus, and more than 800 keto recipes. People can monitor their electrolyte intake and get personalized keto recommendations every day.
• live connection to a nutritionist or online coach

It is of note that some reviewers mention difficulty logging foods, and having issues with the functionality of the app.

The Senza app is free to download and use. The company also has an online shop that a person can browse for all their keto needs.

Best for shopping list creation: Total Keto Diet

• Platforms: iOS and Android
• App Store rating: 4.7 out of 5 stars
• Google Play rating: 4.1 out of 5 stars
• Price: free
• Subscription: no subscription available

With theTotal Keto Diet app, an individual can find hundreds of keto recipes and track their macros.

They can also:

• find out the total and net carbohydrates of foods and meals
• add favorites
• create a shopping list

There is a keto diet guide for beginners available to help people understand the concept and get started right away.

Some reviewers note that they had difficulty logging foods and that the app is sometimes unstable or freezes.

The app is free to download and is available via the company website or a person’s mobile device app store.

Best for custom meal creation: Keto.app

• Platforms: iOS and Android
• App Store rating: 4.6 out of 5 stars
• Google Play rating: 4.5 out of 5 stars
• Price: free with an optional subscription
• Subscription: around $30 per year

Some of the app’s features include:

• meal-by-meal macros tracking
• a searchable database containing specific foods, drinks, and restaurant items
• a barcode scanner
• custom meal creation to save for later
• water tracking

As the free version of the app only allows people to add five food items, an individual may prefer to invest in the paid version, if possible. However, the cost is a potential downside.

This app is available for a person to download for free. However, they can also choose a monthly subscription, or they can make a one-time payment of around $30.

Best for an extensive food database: MyFitnessPal

• Platforms: iOS and Android
• App Store rating: 4.7 out of 5 stars
• Google Play rating: 4.2 out of 5 stars
• Price: free with an optional subscription
• Subscription: around $50 per year

MyFitnessPal is a popular app that helps individuals track their nutrition and fitness.

Some features include:

• a database with more than 6 million foods, making the app a great source of nutritional information
• the ability to log meals and exercise. Although the app is not specifically for keto diets, people can tailor their meals to meet their requirements.
• the ability to add photos to weight entries to track visual changes

The app does not calculate net carbohydrates. However, the app creators point out that people can calculate this by subtracting the grams of fiber in their diet from the grams of carbohydrates.

MyFitnessPal is free to use, with a paid premium version available for around $50 per year.

Best for offline access: Keto Diet Recipes

• Platforms: Android
• Google Play rating: 4.2 out of 5 stars
• Price: free
• Subscription: no subscription available

The app features include:

• low carb recipes for all meals and snacks, including vegetarian options
• the number of grams of each macro a meal contains
• a shopping list maker that a person can download directly from the recipes
• a list of favorites
• offline access to more than 1,000 recipes

The recipes do not detail the macros for separate ingredients, so individuals will not have all the necessary information if they swap out ingredients that they do not use.

This app is free to download, but it includes pop-up commercials.

At the time of publication of this article, the app is only available for Android devices.

Best for reaching goal weight: MyMacros+

• Platforms: iOS and Android
• App Store rating: 4.7 out of 5 stars
• Google Play rating: 4.4 out of 5 stars
• Price: $2.99 with an optional subscription
• Subscription: around $20 per year

The app features include:

• a food library with more than 5 million items
• customizable meals
• a barcode scanner
• macro goals
• nutritional information for all food and meals

People can also opt to purchase a monthly or yearly subscription that offers access to macro breakdowns, weekly summaries, and meal timers. This costs around $20 per year.

Positive reviews mention that while the standard features are useful, the barcode and nutritional scanner often return no results.

The following table compares the keto apps in this article.

People may wish to consider the following before downloading a keto app:

• Purpose: Some apps focus on meal planning and finding unique recipes, whereas others only track nutrients.
• Easy food entry: Some apps offer a barcode scanning feature to quickly enter nutritional values.
• Platform: Some apps may only be available on Android or iOS, while others are accessible on both.
• Reviews: Researching others’ experiences may be beneficial. Some apps may work better on one platform or may be more suitable for different needs.
• Cost: Some apps are free, while others have a one-time fee or require a subscription.

Researchers are still studying keto diets to determine their possible benefits and safety issues.

Some research indicates that keto diets are effective for weight loss. However, those who follow a keto diet very strictly may also eat fewer plant foods, which have beneficial properties.

Moreover, some doctors have concerns about the increase in low-density lipoprotein (LDL), or “bad,” cholesterol that these diets cause. In retrospect, this may not be an issue.

A 2020 study stated that there are two sizes of LDL: small-size and large-size, and the total number of small-size LDL is a more potent marker for coronary heart disease.

A 2020 case report shared that it is the small-size or oxidized LDL particles that increase the risk of cardiovascular disease, and not larger LDL particles or the total amount of LDL. Researchers pointed out that the participant, who followed a keto diet, saw a reduction in small and medium-size LDL, and an increase in large-size LDL.

While a doctor following a standard lipid test might recommend abandoning the keto diet, scientists in the case report pointed out that the diet can be very beneficial, especially when people increase their vitamin C intake and reduce the consumption of oxidative polyunsaturated fats.

To prevent oxidation, a person can opt for healthy fat sources, storing them properly, and consuming them before they oxidize or expire.

The above research indicated that doctors who do not yet understand the difference between small-size and large-size LDL in relation to cardiovascular disease may actually be giving the wrong clinical recommendations.

However, more research is necessary to clarify the above with larger and long-term human studies.

Other studies suggest that ketone bodies may be beneficial for healthy aging and help treat some chronic conditions, such as Alzheimer’s disease and cancer. However, many available studies involve animals, and human research is necessary to make firm conclusions about these potential benefits.

Here we answer some common questions about these apps.

How do I calculate my ketogenic diet?

A ketogenic diet is high in fats, moderate in protein, and low in carbohydrates. The average diet will contain 55–60% fat, 30–35% protein, and 5–10% carbohydrates.

Can I drink alcohol on a keto diet?

Yes, people on a keto diet can drink alcohol. However, it is important to choose alcohols that are low in carbohydrates.

What can I not eat on a keto diet?

It is a good idea for people on a keto diet to avoid foods that are high in carbohydrates, such as bread, potatoes, and rice.

Various keto diet apps are available to cater to people’s differing needs and experiences.

Some apps focus on tracking macros and providing recipes, whereas others allow individuals to track their fitness and get advice from professionals and the keto community.

Some people may find apps that detail net rather than total carbohydrates more useful. They may want to consider reading reviews and looking at the interface of an app to see whether it can work for them.

A person can also find information about keto diets on other apps and websites, such as YouTube and Reddit. However, not all of this advice will be from professionals who are qualified to educate an individual about nutrition.

If someone has a health condition or takes medication, it is important for them to consult a doctor before starting a new diet.

Please note: Medical News Today does not imply warranty of fitness for a particular purpose or endorse any of these applications. These apps have not been evaluated for medical accuracy by Medical News Today. The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has not approved them unless otherwise indicated.