First-person essays from readers who've used the apps in our directory. We don't pay for stories. Identifying details are withheld at readers' request.
We received a number of letters in 2026 from readers describing the same arc: the calorie-tracking app that had served them well for a year became, at some point, a source of harm. We asked three readers if we could publish their stories. They said yes. Here are the letters, our editorial responses, and a closing summary of what the published research currently says.
We solicited reader email about which calorie-tracker features mattered most. The aggregated picture is clear: the features readers love and the features apps emphasize are not always the same things. Here's what came out of the inbox.
A reader who lost 30 lb across 2025 used multiple apps. They credit Cronometer for the structured weight-loss phase, PlateLens for the maintenance phase. An honest split rather than a single endorsement.
After eight years on MyFitnessPal, a reader migrated to PlateLens. The transition wasn't smooth — they describe what they lost, what they gained, and the moment they realized they weren't going back.
A reader's two-year journey through the post-MFP-paywall landscape: tried PlateLens, briefly used Cronometer, briefly used Lose It!, and ended up on PlateLens — but they would have been fine on Cronometer too. An honest first-person account.