Healthi (Formerly iTrackBites) App Review: Better than Noom?

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There are lots of food tracking and wellness apps available. Some track calories, some give you personalized meal plans and some monitor steps and activity. Others, like the Healthi app, do all the above.

Healthi (formerly called iTrackBites) has been around for several years, but it got a major rebranding in the last couple. While the name changed, many of the features—and the general approach to food tracking—stayed the same.

In this Healthi app review, we’ll discuss everything the app can do (and some things it can’t), highlight the pros and cons and provide recommendations on who might want to use it. We’ll also go over the differences between the free and Pro versions, and compare it to other popular options, like Noom and the WeightWatchers app.

This content is meant to be informative, but should not be taken as medical advice. It is not intended for use as diagnosis, prevention or treatment of health problems. Always speak with your doctor before starting any new supplement or exercise regimen.

What is Healthi (Formerly iTrackBites)?

Healthi is a calorie-counting and weight loss app that can help with healthy eating. At its core, it’s a food tracker. You input everything you need for all your meals and snacks, and compare that to a daily allotment that’s based on your current weight and future goals. In addition to food tracking, it also has an activity monitor and a healthy habit check, where you can monitor how much water you’re drinking or whether or not you’ve taken your supplements for the day.

While it’s not a social network per se, there is a social aspect to it. Signing up for the app gives you access to community forums where you can connect with other users and coaches. The forums are built around common interests or characteristics, so you might see one that’s just for 30-year-olds or “Motivated Moms.” You can also post to a general feed, where other users can comment or “like” your posts.

How Healthi Works

Healthi is a pretty straightforward app. When you sign up, there are prompts that walk you through the initial registration. From there, you choose a plan and then start tracking.

Choosing a plan

When you sign up for the first time, the app asks for some personal information, like your height, weight and goal weight. It then asks you to choose from a list of things that are “standing in your way,” such as junk food, social pressure and/or emotional eating. You can choose as many as you want, and then the app will recommend a personalized weight loss plan for you, based on those answers.

There are six different plans: Carb Conscious, Conquer Cravings, Sugar Smart, Better Balance, Calorie Command and Keeping Keto. Depending on your plan, you’ll be tracking food items in different ways. For example, Calorie Command tracks calories, while Keeping Keto looks at net carbs. The others use a point system called “bites.”

You can change your plan at any time, but the Keeping Keto and Better Balance diet plans are only part of the Healthi Pro version.

How to track

For most plans, Healthi uses a points system to help with portion control and weight loss. To utilize this system, different foods are assigned a certain value, called “bites.” For example, a cup of broccoli may count as one “bite,” while a piece of pizza may count as six. You get a daily bite value, and then as you track your food, the apps will tell you how many bites you have left for the day. If you’re on the Calorie Command program, you’ll track exact calories instead of bites. If you’re doing the low-carb keto program, you’ll look at net carbs instead.

To actually track your intake, you’ll sign onto the app and choose the foods you ate for your last meal. You search the online food database, choose the specific food and then adjust the serving size for accuracy. There’s also a recipe database (only available in the Pro version). If you use a recipe from the app, you can input the whole thing at once, rather than each ingredient individually.

Once you’ve added everything you’ve eaten, you’ll see your daily remaining calories, carbs or bites (depending on which plan you’re on). You can make adjustments throughout the day if needed, or mark certain foods as “zero bite foods”—foods that don’t count against your calorie or bites goals.

You can also enter your workouts throughout the day for extra activity points. For example, 25 minutes of playing basketball will give you back three bites.

There’s a healthy habit tracker, too. As you go through your day, you can check off servings of water, fruits, vegetables, dairy, lean protein, oil and whole grains to make sure you’re hitting your goals. There’s also an option to track multivitamins if you need help remembering to take them.

Once you’ve added enough data, the app will also create bar charts that allow you to track your progress throughout the week, month, quarter and year.

Coaches

Coaches are available to help you with your weight loss goals, but you don’t get one-on-one time like you do with Noom or the upgraded WeightWatchers program. Instead, Healthi coaches contribute to chats and discussions in the community forums. There are also meeting leaders that initiate weekly member meetings to help with current issues and roadblocks.

Free vs Pro

The Healthi app is free to download and use, but the free version has limited features. It allows you to track your food and calorie intake, as well as your activity, but nothing beyond that.

The Pro version is a yearly subscription. In addition to food and activity tracking, it has macronutrient tracking, premium weight loss plans and access to coaches and a support community where you can connect with other people using the app.

The Pro version also makes meal tracking and macro counting easier by giving you access to a food database of more than one million foods and brands. There’s a recipe builder that allows you to browse over 500,000 recipes and create your own within the app for easier logging. There are also restaurant guides, snack and beer guides and specialized meals plans, like the Better Balance Plan and a Keeping Keto plan, that aren’t included in the free version.

Pros and Cons

Pros:

• Personalized recommendations based on your goals
• Ability connect with other users
• Habit and activity tracking
• Barcode scanner for easier food tracking
• Available on Android and iOS
• Syncs with Apple Watch and Fitbit

Cons:

• Free version is very limited
• Apple Watch syncing can’t count steps (yet)

Who the Healthi App Is Best For?

• Anyone trying to change their eating habits or follow a better diet
• Those on a weight loss journey
• People who want an easy way to track macros or calories
• Anyone who prefers to work on a point system, rather than track individual calories

Healthi App vs WeightWatchers (WW)

The Healthi App and WW work on a similar “point” system. Healthi gives you a daily “bites'' allowance, while WW calls them Smart Points. Both apps have food tracking, access to coaches, recipes and community support. However, while the WW app does offer a 30-day free trial, you have to pay to use any of its features after that. You can choose a digital-only membership where you go through the program largely on your own (with the help of the app’s food tracking), or workshops or coaching options that offer a little more support.

Related: WeightWatchers (WW) Review: Does It Work?

Healthi App vs Noom

Noom also offers food tracking, but it emphasizes coaching and psychological support more than the Healthi app. While Healthi does give you a coaching option, the Noom program is built around it. When you sign up, your coach will check in with you weekly, and you can sign up for video calls to chat through your progress and/or any roadblocks. The Noom app also offers more educational content, including weekly challenges and informational sessions around nutrition, stress management, goal setting and forming healthy habits.

Related: Noom Diet Review: Is Noom The Right Weight Loss App for You?

Healthi App FAQs

What are zero bite foods?

Zero bite foods are foods that aren’t assigned any bite value. These foods are low in calories, high in water content and “extra good for you,” according to Healthi. Because of this, you can eat these foods freely, without counting them against your daily bite allowance. Asparagus, broccoli, lettuce, pumpkin, berries, melons and zucchini are all examples of zero bite foods.

How much does Healthi cost?

There are two versions of the app: a free version and an upgraded Pro version. The free version isn’t a trial—it’s always free—but the features are very limited. The Pro version is fully functional and includes extras like specialized meal plans, step tracking, restaurant guides, snack and beer guides and meal plans. It costs $24.99 for a six-month subscription, or $29.99 per year.

How does the Healthi app show calories?

It depends on your plan. Four out of six of the plans convert calories to “bites.” Each food is assigned a bite value based on its calorie content and overall nutritional value. One plan—Calorie Command—tracks calories directly. Each food you log will show exact calories, and you can track your daily calorie progress on the home screen.

Is Healthi the same as iTrackBites?

Healthi is the same as iTrackBites—just under a new name. The app was rebranded in 2019, but has the same features and functionality as the original.

Final Thoughts

Healthi is a food tracking app that also functions like a social network. If you like the idea of counting calories or tracking points, and want to connect with others who are doing the same, it’s likely a good option for you. Because the free version is quite limited, you’ll likely have to upgrade to the Pro version to get the most out of the app.

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