Best Nutrition Apps for Coaches in 2025 (Ranked & Reviewed)

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Testing nutrition apps while juggling check-ins, updates, and client emotions is… not why you got into coaching. And yet, the tools you pick can make or break your client experience, their results, and your sanity.

So in this guide, I’ve ranked the best nutrition apps for coaches in 2025 and broken down exactly who each one is best for. If you just want the short answer:

MacroFactor is my top pick for most coaches because it keeps clients consistent without making logging feel like homework.

From there, you can pair the app with a coaching platform and focus on coaching, not troubleshooting tech.

Key Takeaways

• MacroFactor is ideal for clients who struggle with adherence thanks to its simple, consistency-focused interface, but you’ll still want a separate coaching platform for dashboards, messaging, and data management.

• Cronometer Pro is a complete option with a client app and coaching section. It provides a detailed nutritional view and is the perfect option for registered dietitians who need micronutrient tracking precision and biomarker data.

• MyNetDiary has a smooth client-management setup thanks to Professional Connect. FatSecret is a great free option, valuable for coaches just getting started. MyFitnessPal is a great minimalist option that can work in combination with a coaching platform or spreadsheets.

Quick Picks 

• Best Overall: MacroFactor

• Best for RDs/Micros: Cronometer Pro

• Best for Client Management: MyNetDiary Professional

• Best Free Coaching Tools: FatSecret Professional

• Best Minimalist Solution: MyFitnessPal for Coaches

How We Chose

We’ve focused on five key criteria when evaluating nutrition apps on their usefulness for coaches: 

• Client management – we gave more favorable rankings to apps that allow coaches to see client data, adjust the nutrition plan, and provide feedback. Bonus points if the app has a dedicated dashboard section for these tasks.

• Tracking depth – each app needs to go beyond basic calorie tracking to make our list. The more client metrics you can track and the more options you have for choosing what data to track, the better.

• Coaching workflows – apps that make our list come with decent options to do client check-ins, communicate easily, and even provide automated feedback to clients.

• Integrations/exports – apps that offer sync options with wearables and other platforms and allow for client report exports make for a more intuitive and efficient coaching experience.

• Price – lastly, we can’t forget about the cost, especially for nutrition coaches just starting and needing to work on a tight budget. We’ve looked at apps that come with a reasonable monthly subscription and no hidden fees or taxes.

Top Apps (Mini Reviews)

1. MacroFactor: Best Overall

MacroFactor has a sophisticated algorithm that considers progress when evaluating and updating nutritional targets.

Its clean and intuitive interface, science-backed approach, and coaching recommendations make it one of the best apps for people who want to put their nutrition on autopilot and not worry about when to make adjustments to their diet.

The adherence metrics and detailed progress trends help make check-ins easier and more accurate.

Logging meals or body metrics is simple, and MacroFactor doesn’t judge users if they’re not always perfect. It encourages consistency by positioning food logging and weigh-in front and center. As such, users are reminded to log important metrics, but not scolded if they miss or forget. 

That said, while MacroFactor has sophisticated coaching capabilities, it doesn’t replace the human element of coaching or even the nuanced problem-solving skills of a real expert. As a nutrition coach, you can review the client’s data and progress to determine whether the app’s nutritional targets fully align with the person’s needs.

Also, as a coach, you can keep clients far more accountable than an app could. This alone can play a major role in the client’s consistency and long-term success.

A good bet is to use MacroFactor with clients to:

• Make it easier for them to log their nutrition and metrics
• Look at their data and trends
• Pair the app with a coaching platform (like TrueCoach or MyPTHub) for easier communication, goal setting, and client management

Use code FEASTGOOD when signing up to get an extra week on your free trial (2 weeks total).

2. Cronometer Pro: Best for RDs

Cronometer is our pick for the best app for registered dietitians because it isn’t just a simple calorie or macro tracker, but a clinical-grade nutrition platform. It works incredibly well for dietitians because it offers precision and a level of detail not found in most other apps. 

As a coach, you can track each client’s calories and macronutrients, as well as their intake of 80+ vitamins, minerals, fatty acids, amino acids, and more. 

This level of granularity is particularly valuable if you work with clients who have health conditions, particularly those that may predispose them to nutrient deficiencies. An example would be celiac disease.

Having access to all of that information can make it easier to adjust the client’s diet and provide actionable tips. 

Additionally, Cronometer allows users to record biometrics, which can be useful for medical nutrition therapy, metabolic assessments, and even for optimizing exercise performance. These include, but are not limited to:

• Body weight, BMI, BF%, and waist/hip ratio
• Blood pressure, resting heart rate, and body temperature
• Water intake

Cronometer users can upload blood test results, including blood glucose, cholesterol, triglycerides, vitamin D levels, and more. 

The best part is that Cronometer’s dashboard organizes all of that client information and offers useful summaries, so you never feel like you’re behind on progress or health tracking. You can also export detailed reports with the most relevant information.

That said, while Cronometer is fantastic for RDs, the interface can feel a bit overwhelming for beginners. The app comes with a detailed dashboard, multiple menus, detailed food breakdowns, and various logging categories that can take some time to get used to.

Use this link for 10% off when subscribing to Cronometer Gold. *Discount automatically applies*

3. MyNetDiary: Best for Client Management

MyNetDiary is another good nutrition tracker worth considering for your clients. It has a user-friendly interface, a rich food library with many verified entries, and even a decent free version with a barcode scanner available. 

The app’s interface is simple and easy to get started with, making it a great option for clients who haven’t used a nutrition tracker before. Calories and macronutrients are shown all the time, so clients can see where they are at a glance. 

Another neat thing about MyNetDiary is that foods are graded from A to D. The healthiest foods have an A grade, whereas the least healthy ones fall in the D grade. This system can help your clients make better food choices day to day without needing your guidance for every meal or snack.

From your side, Professional Connect is a platform that integrates with MyNetDiary and allows you to track your clients’ nutrition and biometric data. Instead of relying on a weekly progress report, you can check in any time you want and see what your client has logged, how much water they’ve had, and more.

This is great because:

1. You don’t have to rely on your client to send you progress updates (which can sometimes be frustrating)
2. You can quickly see if a client is deviating from their plan, be it by not eating what they are supposed to or not logging at all
3. You can follow up with them, offer tips, and adjust their nutrition plan

What’s great about MyNetDiary is that it combines a simple user experience for your clients to improve adherence with detailed reports to help you make more informed decisions.

4. FatSecret: Best Free Coaching Tools

FatSecret is a nutrition tracker with a decent free version. Clients can log their meals, snacks, water intake, sleep, and physical activity. It works great for specific diets and even includes time-restricted feeding options. 

The calendar feature allows clients to set calorie and macronutrient targets for specific days in advance. This eliminates guesswork and works great for clients who want to practice calorie or carbohydrate cycling. 

Clients will also find meal logging relatively easy thanks to the rich food library, intuitive search bar, and a good barcode scanner. 

That said, the app’s interface can feel a bit cluttered and may be somewhat overwhelming for clients with no experience. Also, the food library could use some improvements since it’s unclear which entries are verified and which aren’t. So expect clients to ask you about some food entries. 

Despite its drawbacks, this is a decent, free starter app. Plus, it comes with an online platform, FatSecret Professional, where you can access all of your clients’ information and nutrition.

The dashboard presents client information cleanly and offers a detailed analysis of meal patterns, nutritional intake, and daily calorie and macronutrient goals. You can message clients directly, see how each client is doing at a glance, and set up email reports as nice summaries for the day. 

Like the client app, the platform is 100% free to use and accessible on desktop, mobile, and tablet.

5. MyFitnessPal: Best Minimalist Solution

MyFitnessPal hardly needs an introduction since it’s the oldest and arguably the most popular macro tracker out there. 

Like some of the previously discussed apps, MFP has a free version that offers a decent range of useful features. These include the ability to:

• Track calories and macronutrients
• Create custom foods, meals, and recipes
• Log exercise
• Log body weight and circumference measurements
• Share a food diary summary with others (for example, you)

That said, there are a couple of drawbacks that may affect your clients’ experience and overall adherence to food logging. 

First, the food database is huge and unverified, which can create some confusion and push your clients to ask about the correct food to log. This may lead you to invest more time in coaching and to answer more questions throughout the day.

Second, the barcode scanner is only available with a paid subscription. Not having it can make food logging somewhat more tedious. 

Third, MFP’s free version serves a fair amount of ads, which can contribute to a more frustrating and laggy experience. 

Lastly, clients with a free MFP account can only track macros to the nearest 5% rather than setting specific gram targets.

However, despite these drawbacks, MFP is relatively easy to use, and clients can automatically share their food diary with you. 

Quick Comparison

	MacroFactor	Cronometer	MyNetDiary	FatSecret	MyFitnessPal
Pricing	$5.99 monthly (on a yearly plan); no free version available	$4.99 monthly (on a yearly plan); free version available	$4.99 monthly (on a yearly plan; cost may vary based on region); free version available	$4.99 monthly (on a yearly plan; cost may vary based on region); free version available	$8.34 monthly (on a yearly plan); free version available
Client Dashboard	As of now, it doesn’t have a coach dashboard in the sense of a multi-client interface.	Cronometer Pro offers a client view where coaches can see the client’s diary, biometrics, charts, and nutrition reports.	MyNetDiary’s Professional Connect gives coaches access to client logs, metrics, food, exercise, sleep, and hydration.	FatSecret Professional provides a client management dashboard. Coaches can track weight history, calorie and macro summaries, and more.	There’s no fully featured coach account or client dashboard.
Micronutrient Depth	Great. MacroFactor has a “Nutrient Explorer” that allows tracking of micronutrients.	Excellent. Cronometer tracks up to 84 nutrients.	Excellent. MyNetDiary supports up to 106 nutrients.	Quite limited. FatSecret primarily reports sodium among micronutrients.	Quite limited. MFP tracks a few micronutrients: vitamin A, C, calcium, iron, and potassium.
Meal Plans	There is no built-in meal plan builder with curated recipes from a coach. However, you can send recipes to clients for them to import and use in their daily meals.	Supports custom recipes; professionals can share recipes and food entries with clients.	MyNetDiary Professional allows you to set nutrition targets, but it isn’t a meal plan builder.	Clients can log meals and snacks in the app, but there’s no built-in meal plan builder.	Clients can create custom meals, recipes, and log their food. MFP supports recipe builder, but there’s no dedicated meal plan builder for coaches.
Check-ins/Habits	Check-ins come from logging, not a formal coach check-in module. Coaches rely on client diary sharing or report exports.	Clients can log biometrics (weight, BMI, blood pressure, etc.). The coach can view and comment.	Coaches can see clients’ long-term trends, set check-ins, and send feedback.	Coaches can monitor clients’ logging habits, food intake, and weight; they can message clients in-app.	Check-ins come via logging, similar to MacroFactor.
Integrations	MacroFactor integrates with Apple Health, Google Health Connect, and Fitbit.	Cronometer integrates with Apple Health, Google Health Connext, Fitbit, Garmin, Oura, Polar, and more.	MyNetDiary integrates with Apple Health, Google Fit, Fitbit, and Garmin.	FatSecret integrates with Apple Health and Google Fit.	MFP integrates with Apple Health, Google Fit, Fitbit, Garmin, Polar, Strava, and more.
Exports	Exporting detailed food logs (what was eaten, timing) is not well supported.	Coaches can export client data and reports as PDF or CSV.	Coaches can generate reports and trend summaries (nutrition,  exercise, and more).	Coaches can export summary data. Reports and summaries are available on the platform.	Premium users can export their data via “Printable Report” on the website.

Which One Should You Use?

If your coaching depends on clinical details, go with Cronometer Pro. Nothing comes close to its nutrient depth, biomarker tracking, and export quality. 

It’s the best option for registered dietitians, performance nutritionists, and those who need micronutrient precision or medical data (blood pressure, resting heart rate, blood test results, etc.).

That said, if you’re looking for the best overall client experience and you don’t mind pairing the client app with a coaching platform (say, TrueCoach or MyPTHub), MacroFactor is the clear choice. 

Using the code FEASTGOOD will get you a 2 week free trial.

It has an intuitive interface, a gentle learning curve, and all the nutrition data you’ll need. Most of all, MacroFactor is forgiving and encourages consistency, which helps you get clients to their goals.

For simple onboarding and habits tracking, MyNetDiary is a good option. It has a clean UI, decent nutritional data depth, and a proper coaching dashboard. This makes it easier to manage a larger client roster and not get lost in the data.

FatSecret, coupled with FatSecret Professional, is another great option, particularly if you’re looking for a free solution. The client app is free, and the coaching platform offers a decent range of features for you to guide clients and stay on top of everything.

Lastly, if you’re getting started and looking for a simple solution that won’t cost you or your clients anything, MyFitnessPal can be a good option. Clients can share their food diary, and you can use a third-party tool or platform to communicate.

It’s not the perfect solution if you work with many clients, but it can be a good choice to get started and gain some coaching experience.

Coach Workflow Tips

1. Standardize What You Track

Regardless of the app (or combination of tools) you choose, decide on what metrics you want to track. These can include, but are not limited to:

• Calories and macronutrients
• Micronutrients
• Non-negotiable dietary constraints (allergies, intolerances, moral reasons, and more)
• Meal patterns

Being clear on this can help you find the most effective tool for the job and make it easier to onboard and manage each new client.

2. Choose an App Based on Client Behavior

This can be a bit trickier, but the point here is to first think about your client and then work your way back to the product that would make the most sense.

For example, if you often work with clients who:

• Lack discipline ⇒ MacroFactor may be better because it encourages consistency
• Medical cases ⇒ Cronometer Pro would be a good fit
• Clients who want something simple ⇒ MyNetDiary could be a great fit
• Financially constrained clients ⇒ FatSecret and MFP have free versions

3. Keep Coaching Outside the Tracking App

While it would be awesome to find that one app that covers all your needs, it might be best to choose a client app and a coaching platform. 

Having desktop access to client data makes it easier to see all the details, set up weekly check-ins, assign habits, message back and forth, upload forms and documents, and track goals.

As an added benefit, this helps keep things on track if a client decides to switch apps because the tool you use doesn’t change.

4. Automate Accountability

Similar to the first tip above, setting accountability rules is a good way to keep clients motivated and spend less time following up. 

First, decide on clear rules clients must follow to work with you. This includes how and when to reach out, when to update you on their diet, what information to share, and even how to structure their messages so you can quickly get to the bottom of any problem.

Second, be clear on when clients should update you and what each update should include. Coaching platforms also let you set automatic reminders, which can be helpful.

FAQ

Can I coach fully inside MacroFactor or Carbon?

No. MacroFactor and Carbon Diet Coach are designed to help people track their nutrition, but neither has built-in coaching features. 

Clients can use them to track their nutrition, but you’ll need an external platform (like TrueCoach) to make it work.

Do I need HIPAA tools if I don’t bill insurance?

No, if you only collect basic client information like body weight, calories, macronutrients, food logs, check-in notes, and progress photos. However, if you collect and store information such as medical diagnoses, lab reports, or treatment-related data, you should use HIPAA tools.

How do I migrate clients without losing food history?

Most nutrition apps don’t support cross-app data transfer, so the most straightforward option is to keep clients on the same app they’ve used and integrate it into your new workflow. 

If you must move a client from one app to another, you can do the following:

1. Export as much data as possible
2. Save the data in your client’s file (for example, on Google Drive)
3. Create a summary of their nutrition from the last few weeks (e.g., weekly averages of calories, protein, carbs, fats, and weight trends)
4. Use that information moving forward, but tell the client that you’re starting on a clean slate and focusing on consistency with the new approach