If you're living with diabetes, prioritizing your health has never been more important. People with an underlying health condition, including diabetes (whether it's type 1 or type 2), are at a higher risk for complications from COVID-19, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
Research shows that using a diabetes app can improve your health. For example, a review published online in March 2018 in the journal Diabetes, Obesity, and Metabolism combined the results of 16 trials of type 2 diabetes apps and found that, on average, using one led to a 0.57 percent drop in hemoglobin A1C, the average blood sugar levels over the span of three months.
Furthermore, a meta-analysis of 14 randomized, controlled trials that was published in March 2020 in Obesity reveals that apps really can help people with type 2 diabetes lower their body weight and waist circumference.
Lucille Hughes, CDCES, owner of the corporate communications company Creative Teamwork Services, has found that diabetes apps are helpful for her patients. “My patients are more in touch with their diabetes. They’re more engaged with their diabetes, and that’s the ultimate goal," she says.
Baton Rouge, Louisiana–based Kristen F. Gradney, RDN, spokesperson for the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics, agrees: “[They] provide great tracking to help you predict your A1C, and that’s important so you can make real-time changes and improve your outcomes.” Apps can be a good way to share how you’re doing with your healthcare team, too, says Gradney, who specializes in diabetes and is also a senior director of healthcare centers in schools at Our Lady of the Lake Children’s Health.
The market for diabetes and other health apps has exploded. According to a survey published in April 2019 in Frontiers in Endocrinology, about one-third of people with type 2 diabetes and about half of people with type 1 diabetes said they used apps to manage life with their condition. The survey included 1,052 respondents with type 1 diabetes and 630 people with type 2 diabetes. The authors wrote that these apps were linked with better self-care and improved blood sugar control.
The benefits are clear. But with so many apps available, how can you choose one that is right for you?
If you’re newly diagnosed, a CDCES can help you prioritize which areas to focus on and can recommend a simple app for just that purpose, says Hughes. They have access to a website known as Danatech that includes rigorous reviews of diabetes apps, and they can use this resource to help you identify useful options for your individual health.
You’ll also want to consider your overall comfort level with technology. Many apps are rich with features, but for some people, this can feel overwhelming. On the other hand, if you’re the kind of person who loves data and technology, one of the more comprehensive apps might be an ideal way for you to tackle diabetes management.
Many diabetes devices, from glucose meters to continuous glucose monitors (CGMs) and insulin pumps, come with an integrated app that syncs the device to your phone. These will most likely work well with your devices, and your diabetes educator can show you how they work.
Still, these choices are just the beginning, and there are lots of other options to explore. We’ve listed our top picks for several types of apps, focusing on those that have numerous and consistent good reviews from users and have been updated recently. Many offer similar features, so you may want to download a few and see which is easiest for you to use.
Android Rating: 4.6 stars
Free
Sometimes the simplest technology is the most important. “Everyone should use either an app or phone functionality that will provide medical information in the event of an emergency,” Gradney says. The Medical ID app does just that. Create a medical profile that includes any vital information that first responders might need to know to treat you in an emergency situation (e.g., allergies, blood type, medications, medical contacts), and make that information accessible from the lock screen on your phone (you can do this in the app). A medical profile is part of the Health app that comes standard on iPhones (therefore, there's no rating on the App Store), and it’s simple to set up. If you have an Android device, you’ll have to download it from Google Play.
Apple Rating: 4.7
Android Rating: 4.4
Price: Free, with in-app upgrades available
MyFitnessPal is one of the most popular health apps around. “[It] offers significant functionality for tracking, so you’re able to locate lots of products with accurate nutrition info,” Gradney says. With MyFitnessPal, you can log many restaurant foods or even use a bar code scanner to quickly look up foods at a store or in your pantry. It also doubles as an exercise tracker, giving you space to log your physical activity and syncing with many exercise-tracking devices. Upgrade to MyFitnessPal Premium and you’ll unlock more features, such as a food analysis tool that reveals which foods rank highest in nutrients you want to keep an eye on and setting calorie goals by meal and workout session. (The current premium subscription price is $9.99 per month or $49.99 per year, but you can try it free for one month.) A similar option is CalorieKing, which is free on Google Play and at the App Store (though it has lower ratings).
Apple Rating: 4.8
Android Rating: 4.6
Price: Free, with in-app upgrades available
This app focuses on tracking carbs, as well protein, fat, and calories, with a database of foods and a bar code scanner. You can also log your meals with photos and voice memos. It lets you set and track a weight loss goal, as well as log exercise, though syncing with fitness trackers requires an upgrade to the subscription service. Note that this app includes features for those following a low-carbohydrate diet or the ketogenic diet. Jeniece Ilkowitz, CDCES, a research nurse at New York University Langone Health in New York City, notes that these diets aren’t appropriate for everyone. Therefore, be cautious about taking dietary advice from an app and check with your primary care doctor, endocrinologist, RDN, or CDCES before making changes to your diet.
The free version offers a food diary, macro tracker, calorie counter, weight log (charting both weight loss and body mass index), and exercise tracker, but adding the subscription service allows you to also track blood glucose and insulin values. (The current subscription price is $8.49 per month or $39.99 per year.)
Apple Rating: 4.6
Android Rating: 4.4
Price: Free, with in-app upgrades available
SparkPeople bills itself as “your personal diet and lifestyle coach,” helping you track small details but also offering a bird's-eye view of your wellness. You track your data using its food database, bar code scanner, and exercise logs. It will sync with many fitness trackers and has built-in videos with exercise demonstrations, as well as a meal-planning function.
The app calls itself “diet program agnostic,” so you can set your own goals based on the plan you’ve made with your diabetes team. The premium version eliminates ads and gives you access to an email coaching service. (The current premium price is $4.99 per month.)
Apple Rating: 3.9
Android Rating: 3.0
Price: Free, with in-app upgrades available
Do you know what standard portion sizes look like? Unless you measure your meals, chances are you’re logging inaccurate portion sizes. Figwee takes the guesswork out of logging your meals by allowing you to view photos of incremental portion sizes. This way, you can log your food more accurately. Just search for the food you want to log, pick the photo that matches what you ate, and move the slider on the photo up or down to adjust the portion until you see the amount that you ate. Then tap to add it to your food diary.
You’ll also see nutrition info (calories, fat, carbs, cholesterol, etc.) for the portion you ate. “This can help many patients when they’re out eating in a restaurant to understand how many carbohydrates they’re eating based on what’s been served,” says Miami-based registered dietitian Amy Kimberlain, CDCES, a national spokesperson for the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics.
Upgrade to the paid version for more features, like an activity tracker, custom food builder (if you can’t find your food in their database), desktop integration, and zero ads. (The current subscription cost is $3.99 per month.)
Apple Rating: 4.7
Android Rating: 4.7
Price: Free, with in-app upgrades available
The food tracking app from FatSecret is the one that Kimberlain uses most often with her patients. “I don’t recommend the name, but the capability is why I use it,” she says. It enables you to track your food (use a bar code scanner, input foods manually, or snap a photo), exercise, and weight, and share that info with your healthcare provider with a link via email. “[Then] I can make comments and suggestions based on what is entered,” Kimberlain says. The app also includes a journal feature so you can keep tabs on your progress, as well as a recipe library so you can find plenty of healthy meal ideas.
For even more features, like advanced meal planning and dietitian-crafted meal plans to suit a variety of diet preferences, upgrade to the premium version ($6.99 per month).
Apple Rating: 4.7 stars
Android Rating: 4.6 stars
Price: Free, with in-app upgrades available
With a cheeky logo (“We make diabetes suck less”) and a cute cartoon monster to greet you in the app, mySugr almost makes logging your diabetes data fun. “It’s aesthetically pleasing [and] easy to use, and has handy features like a three-month overview of your last blood glucose levels to help you track how your A1C might be,” Gradney says. You can also input and track meds, meals, and carb intake, and it syncs with the Apple Health app to collect physical activity and step data points. What’s more, if you use a CGM, depending on the model, you may be able to link it to the app to better track blood glucose trends.
Upgrade to the pro subscription and you can calculate insulin doses, corrections, and meal shots, as well as set reminders to check and log blood sugar levels. ”You can also download and send reports directly to your doctors or diabetes educators,” Gradney says. (The current pro subscription costs $2.99 a month or $27.99 a year.)
Apple Rating: 4.7
Android Rating: 4.5
Price: Free, with in-app upgrades available
You can manually enter your blood glucose values or buy a special cable to upload your glucometer readings to the app. For every glucose entry, add notes about medications, mood, exercise, and meals (you can even add a photo of your meal for a quick record), and then track your trends over the course of the day and long term. This app also has features for tracking blood pressure, weight, and A1C.
Apple Rating: 4.7
Android Rating: 4.4
Price: Free, with in-app upgrades available
In this simple app, you can record your blood sugar, meals, insulin, and medications. If there’s a feature in the app you don’t need, you can switch it off to keep the interface as clean as possible. The app syncs across multiple devices and creates clear graphs and reports so you can see the big picture of your data. If simplicity is your goal, this may be the right app for you.
Apple Rating: 4.7
Android Rating: 4.1
Price: Free
This diabetes management app pairs with the OneTouch Verio Flex and the OneTouch Verio Reflect blood glucose meter to track your readings over time. The app will notify you about any recurring patterns (e.g., times when your blood glucose is too high or too low) so you know to take action, and it pulls your data into 14-, 30-, and 90-day summaries that you can share with your doctor or diabetes educator. OneTouch Reveal also integrates with the Apple Health app, so you can track your blood glucose, steps, weight, heart rate, and more all in one place.
These apps organize all your data, from blood glucose to diet and exercise. Putting all that information in one place may be convenient, but these apps tend to be more expensive — at least if you want to access all their features.
Apple Rating: 4.8
Android Rating: 4.0
Price: Free, with in-app upgrades available
Like other glucose trackers, Glucose Buddy lets you input blood glucose, medication, and meals, and track trends over time. But it also includes an extensive food database, and it lets you scan bar codes to grab nutrition information from food products. It syncs to the Dexcom Continuous Blood Glucose Monitoring system, as well as the Apple Health app to track your steps and other physical activity. All that data can be exported to printable reports you can bring to your medical visits. It also includes a 12-week diabetes education plan that features five-minute lessons to help you better manage your diabetes. You’ll need to subscribe to the premium version to access the A1C calculator and get rid of the ads. (The current premium cost is $14.99 per month or $39.99 per year.)
Apple Rating: 4.7
Android Rating: 4.6
Price: $9.99
You’ll find just about everything you might want to track in this app: blood glucose, insulin, medication, meals, water intake, and physical activity. It comes with a built-in bar code scanner and a food database to tally up your nutrient intake. Also included is a GPS tracker to log distances for walking, running, or bicycling.
It will remind you to check your blood sugar, and it will give you summary reports to help you understand the relationships between blood sugar, diet, and exercise. Add the app’s subscription for a few premium features, including syncing with fitness trackers and smart scales. (The current subscription cost is $8.99 per month or $59.99 per year.)
Apple Rating: 4.6
Android Rating: 4.4
Price: Free, with in-app upgrades available
On top of tracking your blood glucose and meals (with a nutrition database and bar code scanner), the Diabetes:M app will calculate insulin boluses for you. Through the Apple Health app, Diabetes:M will sync with other devices, including glucose meters, Fitbit, Garmin, and many others. You’ll need to pay extra for the subscription to access the full food database, sync multiple devices, and get rid of the ads. (The current subscription cost is $4.99 per month or $49.99 per year.)
Apple Rating: 4.5
Android Rating: 3.9
Price: Free, with in-app upgrades available
Not only does the free One Drop app track your blood glucose, medications, food (search the library, scan barcodes, or build and save your favorite meals), weight, blood pressure, and activity, it also offers a Bluetooth-enabled glucose meter that sends readings directly to the app. Plus, you can order test strips right from the app when needed.
One Drop includes a helpful coaching component (for a fee), too, Kimberlain says. Pay for a membership to get health forecasting insights that predict your future blood sugar levels, and get matched with a personal coach who can answer your questions, provide feedback, and offer encouragement. You’ll also receive an interactive transformation plan with helpful infographics, quizzes, articles, commitment pledges, and prompts designed to help you create healthy habits. (The current subscription cost is $19.99 per month.)
Apple Rating: 4.7
Android Rating: 4.4
Price: Free, with in-app upgrades available
Noom bills itself as “the last weight loss program you’ll ever need.” (According to Noom, users lose 18 pounds in 16 weeks on average, and over 86 percent of them keep it off longer than a year.)
The app itself is free, but a monthly program starts at $44.99.
Through daily lessons and quizzes, Noom teaches you how to create healthy, sustainable habits that ultimately lead to weight loss. “I like that it offers some behavioral support to truly modify behaviors that may be negative,” Gradney says. Noom may be pricey, but it offers more support than your typical weight loss app. For one thing, you’re partnered online with a live person (called a goal specialist) who’s trained to help you change unhelpful thinking patterns that lead to unhealthy behaviors. You’re also added to a coaching group made up of other Noom users so you can share wins and challenges, and ask for advice.
The app offers a food tracker (with feedback on your food choices), weight log, recipes, interactive challenges, informative articles, as well as the ability to log your blood glucose and blood pressure (you take readings separately and manually input those readings into the app).
Android Rating: 4.8
Price: Free
Created by a team of medical professionals, this app is ideal for anyone with diabetes — especially those who have been recently diagnosed. It offers tips for understanding and managing diabetes, like lists of the best and worst foods for diabetes, advice on controlling blood sugar levels, descriptions of potential diabetes complications to watch for, and an overview of the latest treatment strategies. The only downside: It’s not currently available to iPhone users.
As you explore diabetes apps, keep in mind that your goal is to find the technology solution that will be a good fit for you, Ilkowitz emphasizes. It should help make your life easier, not more complicated. Find apps that are easy to use, sync seamlessly with your devices, and give you useful information.
Also, know that while apps can be incredibly valuable tools, they can’t — and shouldn’t try to — replace individualized medical advice. “It’s still not a person. It’s still not the team,” says Ilkowitz. She advises walking through your apps with your certified diabetes educator to be sure they are appropriate tools for you and that you’re using them correctly.
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