How It Felt vs
How It Felt vs Ate (AteMate).
AteMate's current product and help pages describe a photo-led journal with an optional AI Coach. How It Felt is a reflection journal without an account or assigned target. Its privacy policy says your photo, note text and full entry content stay on your device, while Firebase receives usage details such as meal category, feeling, hunger level, photo attachment and note length, plus screen views, crash data, an installation identifier, language, device model and approximate region. The useful difference is what each service asks you to notice.
What each app optimises for
AteMate (Ate)
A photo-led record with broader daily context, an optional AI Coach, and structured feedback features described in current AteMate materials.
How It Felt
One meal or moment at a time, with space to notice how eating felt and no automated interpretation. Your photo, note text and full entry content stay on the device; Firebase receives selected fields such as meal category, feeling, hunger level, photo attachment and note length, plus identifiers and approximate region. The free tier uses AdMob and RevenueCat processes subscription status.
Side-by-side
| Feature | AteMate (Ate) | How It Felt |
|---|---|---|
| Journal format | AteMate (Ate) Photo-led journaling with broader daily context | How It Felt Reflection prompts with optional notes or photos |
| Guidance | AteMate (Ate) Optional AI Coach described in current product materials | How It Felt No coach or automated interpretation |
| What you can notice | AteMate (Ate) Food and other daily context, depending on the current service | How It Felt How eating felt, including hunger, fullness and emotion |
| Account / data location | AteMate (Ate) Account-based service. Its policy names Anthropic and OpenAI for AI Coach processing and Firebase for service data; journal entries, photos, coach messages and related context can be sent for those features | How It Felt No account; photos, note text and full entry content stay on the device, while Firebase receives selected fields such as meal category, feeling, hunger level, photo attachment and note length, plus identifiers and approximate region |
| Structure and feedback | AteMate (Ate) Current materials describe structured feedback, labels, prompts and food recognition; check whether that level of structure suits you | How It Felt No coach, assigned programme or automated feedback |
When to pick which
Pick AteMate (Ate) if…
- You want a photo-led journal with more context than the meal itself.
- An optional AI Coach sounds useful and comfortable for you.
- You have considered whether a more structured journal with prompts and automated feedback would suit you.
- You prefer a service that can bring patterns or context back into view.
- You have read its current privacy details, including the Anthropic, OpenAI and Firebase processing it describes, and are comfortable with an account-based service.
Pick How It Felt if…
- You want a meal-focused place to reflect without a coach or programme.
- You would rather keep interpretation in your own hands.
- You want photos, note text and full entry content stored on the device, and have read the privacy policy's explanation of the selected entry details sent to Firebase, plus AdMob and RevenueCat processing.
- You want to pause, write briefly, or leave an entry blank without falling behind.
Verdict
AteMate is the broader, photo-led service, with an optional AI Coach and structured feedback described in its current materials. Its privacy policy also describes processing by Anthropic, OpenAI and Firebase. How It Felt is the quieter option: your photos, note text and full entries stay on the device, while Firebase receives selected fields such as meal category, feeling, hunger level, photo attachment and note length, along with identifiers and approximate region; the free tier uses AdMob and RevenueCat processes subscription status. It has no account or automated interpretation. Choose the one that leaves you with more room to notice what you experienced.
Frequently asked
What is the relationship between Ate and AteMate?
AteMate's current product materials present it as the service formerly known as Ate. Check the current product page and help centre for the features and access available to you.
Does AteMate have an AI Coach?
Yes, an optional AI Coach is described in AteMate's current product materials. Availability and the way it works can change, so check the official product and help pages.
How do the journals differ?
AteMate centres photo-led journaling and broader daily context, with structured feedback described in its current materials. How It Felt centres reflection on how eating felt, with optional notes or photos and no automated interpretation.
Where is my journal data kept?
How It Felt stores photos, note text and full entries on the device, but sends Firebase selected fields such as meal category, feeling, hunger level, photo attachment and note length, plus screen views, crash data, an installation identifier, language, device model and approximate region. The free tier also uses Google AdMob, and RevenueCat receives an anonymous app-generated ID, purchased product and basic device information for subscriptions. AteMate's policy names Anthropic and OpenAI for AI Coach processing and Firebase for service data; journal entries, photos, coach messages and related context can be sent. Read both current policies before recording sensitive information.
Can either app replace professional care?
No. These are journaling tools, not diagnosis or treatment. If eating, hunger or fullness is causing distress, consider talking with a doctor, therapist or registered dietitian.
Sources and review date
Official product, help and privacy pages are the source of truth for current features and data handling. Details can change by plan, platform or region.
- How It Felt product page
- AteMate (Ate) official site
- AteMate product page
- AteMate help centre
- AteMate privacy policy
- How It Felt privacy policy
- AteMate product page: AteMate
- AteMate help centre: Getting started with AteMate
- AteMate privacy policy: Privacy policy
- How It Felt privacy policy: Privacy policy
- AteMate's product page describes its current photo-led journal and optional AI Coach; confirm current availability on the official page. [AteMate product page]
- The help centre is the current source for getting-started and feature details; these can vary by plan or platform. [AteMate help centre]
- AteMate's policy names Anthropic and OpenAI for AI Coach processing and Firebase for service data; journal entries, photos, coach messages and related context can be sent for those features. [AteMate privacy policy]
- How It Felt keeps photos, note text and full entries on-device but sends Firebase selected fields, identifiers, device details and approximate region; Google AdMob and RevenueCat also process the data described in the policy. [How It Felt privacy policy]
Last reviewed: October 29, 2026.
Learn the concepts
Plain-language explainers behind the comparison.
Try How It Felt
A calmer way to be with food.
No account; photos, note text and full entries stay on your device, while Firebase receives selected fields and service telemetry, including identifiers and approximate region. The free tier uses Google AdMob, and RevenueCat processes an anonymous app ID, product and basic device information for subscriptions.