Quick comparison
| Feature | Helm | MyFitnessPal |
|---|---|---|
| Price | £2.99/mo or £29.99/yr | Free (limited) / $19.99/mo |
| Ads | None | Heavy on free plan |
| Micronutrient tracking | 21 micronutrients | Basic macros (Premium for more) |
| Barcode scanning | ✓ Always included | ✓ Free (limited scans/day) |
| Food database | USDA database | Massive user-submitted DB |
| Strength training | ✓ Full logging + PR detection | Basic exercise logging |
| GPS cardio tracking | ✓ Kalman-filtered | ✗ |
| Progress photos | ✓ 8 poses | ✗ |
| Meet simulator | ✓ | ✗ |
| Recipe import | ✗ | ✓ |
| Data import | 8 apps supported | Limited |
Where MyFitnessPal excels
MyFitnessPal has been around since 2005 and has built advantages that come from sheer scale. We respect what they've done for nutrition awareness.
MyFitnessPal's strengths
- Massive food database - With millions of user-submitted entries, MFP has one of the largest food databases in existence. Niche brands, local restaurants, and international products are often already logged.
- Brand recognition - MFP is the default recommendation for calorie counting. If you ask someone where to start, they'll likely say MyFitnessPal. That familiarity counts.
- Recipe import - MFP can scan recipe URLs from popular cooking websites and calculate the nutritional breakdown automatically. Useful for people who cook from recipes often.
Where Helm excels
Helm is built on a simple premise: you shouldn't need to watch ads or pay $20/month to track what you eat and how you train. At £2.99/month, you get everything MFP charges $19.99/month for - and a full workout tracker on top.
Helm's advantages
- Zero ads - As of April 2026, MyFitnessPal's free tier displays advertising (banner ads and sponsored content). Helm has no ads at any tier. Open the app, log your food, move on.
- 21 micronutrients vs. basic macros - MFP's free plan tracks calories, protein, carbs, and fat. Helm tracks 21 micronutrients - iron, zinc, vitamin D, magnesium, and more - included at every tier.
- Full workout + cardio tracking - MyFitnessPal includes basic exercise logging. Helm includes a full strength tracker with PR detection, workout templates, and GPS-tracked cardio with route mapping.
- Barcode scanning always included - As of April 2026, MyFitnessPal applies daily scan limits to its free barcode scanning. In Helm, barcode scanning is unlimited at every tier.
- A fraction of the price - As of April 2026, MyFitnessPal Premium is advertised at $19.99/month ($79.99/year) in the US, with features like macronutrient goals, food analysis, and an ad-free experience reserved for that tier. Helm is £2.99/month with everything included - no locked features.
- Clean, focused UI - No sponsored articles, no social feed, no push-notification prompts. Helm's interface is designed for efficiency, not engagement metrics.
How to switch from MyFitnessPal to Helm
Your food diary history doesn't have to stay locked inside MFP. Here's how to bring it over.
- Log into MyFitnessPal on the web. Go to Settings → Download Your Data and request a food diary export.
- Download the CSV file when MyFitnessPal emails you the export link.
- In Helm, go to Settings → Import Data, select MyFitnessPal, and pick the CSV.
- Helm imports your food diary including meals, calories, and macros. Review and tap Import.
Need more detail? Check out the full import guide.