MacroFactor vs Lifesum: My Honest Take

Summary

In this video, the creator compares two popular diet tracking apps, MacroFactor and Lifesum, based on their features and functionalities. MacroFactor excels with its deep customization options, smart adjustments based on progress, and comprehensive tracking capabilities, making it ideal for fitness enthusiasts and those focused on body composition. On the other hand, Lifesum takes a more lifestyle approach with a focus on habit-building, beginner-friendly features, and helpful educational tools. Ultimately, MacroFactor is recommended for serious athletes, while Lifesum is better suited for those looking to improve general health and build sustainable habits.

Takeaways

• 😀 MacroFactor provides highly personalized, data-driven tracking, adjusting based on your weight and body fat trends.
• 😀 Lifum offers a more lifestyle-oriented approach, focusing on habit building with features like the Life Score and diet quizzes.
• 😀 MacroFactor is ideal for those serious about body composition, offering detailed tracking of calories, macros, micronutrients, and progress photos.
• 😀 Lifum provides easy meal logging with a food database, barcode scanner, and voice/text meal descriptions, but is less detailed than MacroFactor.
• 😀 MacroFactor stands out with its customizable targets, including options for low carb, keto, calorie cycling, and protein intake preferences.
• 😀 Lifum excels in offering lifestyle-based tips and meal plans like Mediterranean or high-protein muscle-building diets, making it beginner-friendly.
• 😀 The unique calorie floor feature in MacroFactor helps prevent dangerously low calorie intake during fat loss phases.
• 😀 Lifum can overestimate calories burned during exercise and adjusts calorie goals based on that, which might promote unhealthy food-earning habits.
• 😀 MacroFactor avoids adding exercise calories back into the daily total, focusing on long-term trends instead of temporary activity changes.
• 😀 MacroFactor's food database is more comprehensive, including detailed nutrient breakdowns, especially useful for plant-based eaters, while Lifum has a more basic database.
• 😀 MacroFactor offers a tiered coaching system (coached, collaborative, and manual) for various levels of support, while Lifum lacks automatic target updates and is more static in its approach.

Q & A

What is the main difference between MacroFactor and Lifum in terms of customization?

MacroFactor stands out for its high level of customization. It allows users to adjust their calorie targets, macronutrient distribution, and even set a calorie floor. Lifum, on the other hand, offers limited customization options, with fewer ways to tailor the app's settings to individual preferences.

Which app is more focused on general health and building habits?

Lifum is more focused on general health and building habits. It offers features like the 'life score' quiz and habit-building tips, making it easier for beginners to form better dietary and lifestyle habits.

How does MacroFactor's approach to exercise calories differ from Lifum's?

MacroFactor does not add exercise calories back into your daily target, focusing instead on overall activity levels and body composition changes. This ensures that users don't mistakenly 'earn' food based on exercise. In contrast, Lifum adds exercise calories back into your daily total, which could lead to overeating if calorie burns are overestimated.

Which app is better for people who want a more data-driven approach to dieting?

MacroFactor is the better option for users seeking a data-driven approach. It continually refines your calorie and macronutrient targets based on trends in your weight and body fat percentage, offering a more precise and adaptive experience.

What unique feature does Lifum offer for assessing lifestyle habits?

Lifum offers the 'life score,' a feature that scores your habits based on answers to 41 lifestyle and diet-related questions. It provides actionable tips for improvement based on this score, making it an excellent tool for developing better habits.

Which app has a better food database?

MacroFactor wins in the food database category. It has a more detailed and comprehensive database, including amino acid breakdowns, which is especially beneficial for plant-based eaters. Lifum's food database is solid but less detailed.

Can users of MacroFactor and Lifum track their food in a similar way?

Yes, both apps allow users to log food via barcode scanning, searching their food database, and adding favorite or recently used items. However, MacroFactor offers a more seamless experience with features like saved meals and building recipes, whereas Lifum also allows for meal descriptions via text or voice.

Which app is better for someone new to dieting or tracking food?

Lifum is better for beginners. Its approach is more user-friendly, with simple features like the 'life score' and meal tracking by voice or text. It’s ideal for those who want a straightforward introduction to tracking food and improving habits.

What is a key disadvantage of Lifum in terms of calorie and protein recommendations?

A key disadvantage of Lifum is that its calorie and protein recommendations often feel too low for active users, especially those who train regularly. While users can manually adjust their numbers with a paid subscription, beginners might end up undereating without realizing it.

How does the pricing of MacroFactor and Lifum compare?

MacroFactor does not offer a free version but provides a trial period. After that, it costs $11.99 per month, $47.99 for 6 months, or $71.99 per year. Lifum offers a free version with limited features, and its paid version costs between $60 and $120 per year depending on the platform and region.