MyFitnessPal vs YAZIO
MyFitnessPal vs YAZIO: Which App Fits You?
MyFitnessPal is a fit for structured food and activity records; YAZIO is a fit for a structured food diary with recipes and guided tools. How It Felt is a reflection-led journal for noticing hunger, fullness, feelings and sensory details. Choose the kind of support you want from your app.
What each app optimises for
MyFitnessPal vs YAZIO
MyFitnessPal centres food and activity records. YAZIO centres a structured food diary with recipes and guided tools. Choose between them based on the workflow that feels more supportive to you, and check each app's current product and privacy pages for details.
How It Felt
A reflection approach: noticing hunger, fullness, feelings and sensory details without making an external target the focus.
Side-by-side
| Feature | MyFitnessPal | YAZIO | How It Felt |
|---|---|---|---|
| Primary approach | MyFitnessPal Structured food tracking, as described in its current App Store listing. | YAZIO Structured food tracking, as described in its current product and help pages. | How It Felt A reflection-led approach to the experience of eating. |
| Food entry | MyFitnessPal See the current MyFitnessPal listing for its available entry tools. | YAZIO See the current YAZIO product and help pages for its available entry tools. | How It Felt Reflect on hunger, fullness, emotions or sensory details if that feels useful to you. |
| Plans and progress | MyFitnessPal Review the current MyFitnessPal listing for plan and progress details. | YAZIO Review the current YAZIO product page for plan and progress details. | How It Felt No external outcome is the focus of the reflection approach described here. |
| Reflection on the eating experience | MyFitnessPal Check the current MyFitnessPal materials for reflection features beyond tracking. | YAZIO Check the current YAZIO materials for reflection features beyond tracking. | How It Felt Make room for hunger, fullness, emotions and sensory details if you choose. |
| Privacy and account model | MyFitnessPal Review MyFitnessPal's privacy policy before signing up. | YAZIO Review YAZIO's privacy information before signing up. | How It Felt Entries are stored in a local database on your phone. Optional backup goes to your own iCloud or Google Drive; How It Felt has no cloud of its own. |
| Cost and access | MyFitnessPal Review the current MyFitnessPal listing for access and subscription details. | YAZIO Review the current YAZIO product page for access and subscription details. | How It Felt The free tier shows Google AdMob ads; the Supporter subscription removes them. |
When to pick which
Pick MyFitnessPal vs YAZIO if…
- You want structured food tracking and the current product details meet your needs.
- You have checked the current privacy and access details before signing up.
- You have noticed that structured tracking feels supportive for you.
Pick How It Felt if…
- You want a reflection-led journal rather than a programme to follow.
- You want to notice how eating feels without making targets or scores the focus.
- You prefer a quieter tool with no external outcome to maintain.
Verdict
MyFitnessPal and YAZIO are the structured-tracking options in this comparison. How It Felt is the reflection-led option: entries, including photos, notes, meal details, hunger, fullness and feelings, stay in a local phone database unless you turn on your own cloud backup. Choose the approach that leaves you feeling more supported. If tracking makes eating feel harder or more mentally consuming, pause and speak with an eating-disorder-informed clinician. If tracking is part of a clinician-directed care plan, check with that clinician before changing it.
Frequently asked
Is How It Felt a replacement for MyFitnessPal or YAZIO?
No. They serve different purposes. MyFitnessPal and YAZIO are structured food-tracking apps; How It Felt is a reflection-led journal, not a replacement for clinical care or a care plan.
Does How It Felt include a food database or barcode scanner?
This comparison does not use a food database or barcode scanner as a deciding feature. How It Felt entries can include meal details, hunger, fullness, feelings, notes and photos.
Does How It Felt include plans or fasting timers?
This comparison is about tracking and reflection, not plan or timer features. If self-directed or commercial tracking feels upsetting, pause and ask an eating-disorder-informed clinician what support is safe for you. If tracking is part of a clinician-directed care plan, check with that clinician before changing it.
Which app is the most private?
There is no single privacy winner here. Review each service's current privacy disclosures for your region. How It Felt has no account; entries stay in a local phone database, optional backup goes to your own iCloud or Google Drive, and photos, notes and entry contents are not sent in its anonymous analytics or crash reports.
Can I use a structured app and How It Felt together?
You can, but notice how each one affects you. If self-directed or commercial tracking starts to feel stressful or takes up more mental space, pausing and discussing it with an eating-disorder-informed clinician may be a kinder next step. If tracking is part of a clinician-directed care plan, check with that clinician before changing it.
Sources and review date
The official pages linked below describe the current products and How It Felt's data handling. Features, access and pricing can change, so check those pages before choosing.
- How It Felt product page
- MyFitnessPal official site
- YAZIO official site
- MyFitnessPal App Store listing: MyFitnessPal
- YAZIO product page: Healthy Weight Loss & Eating: YAZIO
- YAZIO Help Center tutorial: Tutorial of the YAZIO app
- MyFitnessPal privacy policy: Privacy policy
- How It Felt privacy policy: Privacy policy
- Anderberg I. et al. (2025): The link between the use of diet and fitness monitoring apps, body image and disordered eating symptomology: A systematic review
- Moody S. et al. (2025): Associations Between the Use of Fitness and Diet Tracking Technology and Disordered Eating Behaviour: A Systematic Review
- The current listing is the source for MyFitnessPal's product details on its platform and region. [MyFitnessPal App Store listing]
- The current product page is the source for YAZIO's product details. [YAZIO product page]
- The current help tutorial is the source for YAZIO's described food-diary workflow. [YAZIO Help Center tutorial]
- MyFitnessPal's privacy policy is the source for its current data-handling disclosures. [MyFitnessPal privacy policy]
- How It Felt stores entries locally on the phone. Optional backup goes to the user's own iCloud or Google Drive; anonymous analytics and crash reports do not include photos, notes or entry contents. The free tier has Google AdMob ads, Supporter removes them, subscriptions are verified by RevenueCat, and entries can be exported or deleted in the app. [How It Felt privacy policy]
- A systematic review examined links between diet and fitness monitoring apps, body image and disordered-eating symptomology. [Anderberg I. et al. (2025)]
- A systematic review examined associations between fitness and diet-tracking technology and disordered-eating behaviour. [Moody S. et al. (2025)]
Last reviewed: October 30, 2026.
Learn the concepts
Plain-language explainers behind the comparison.
Try How It Felt
A calmer way to be with food.
A reflection-led journal for noticing how eating feels.