How to Switch from Lifesum to MyFitnessPal (2026 Guide)

Why People Switch from Lifesum to MyFitnessPal

The driver in our reader survey is usually database breadth, particularly for US/UK chain restaurant coverage. Lifesum’s database is European-strong with shallower North American coverage. Users who travel to or move to the US/UK find the gaps quickly.

Other drivers:

• Wanting AI photo logging (Lifesum has none; MyFitnessPal Premium has Meal Scan).
• Frustration with Lifesum’s diet-plan framing as more marketing than measurement.
• Family pricing (MyFitnessPal supports family plans; Lifesum does not).
• Returning from a hiatus and finding old MyFitnessPal credentials still active.

This is a sideways move within the same accuracy tier — both apps are mid-pack — so make sure the breadth or feature gain actually solves your problem.

Before You Migrate: What to Know

Lifesum and MyFitnessPal are similar-tier mid-pack trackers with similar accuracy bands (estimated ±15-20% MAPE for both). The differences are at the margins:

• Database breadth: MyFitnessPal wins (14M vs 3M).
• US/UK chain coverage: MyFitnessPal wins.
• EU packaged-goods coverage: Lifesum wins.
• Diet plans: Lifesum has them; MyFitnessPal does not.
• Photo AI: MyFitnessPal has it on Premium; Lifesum does not.
• Visual design: Lifesum wins.
• Habit-coaching layer: Lifesum wins.
• Pricing: Lifesum is cheaper at $44.99/yr vs $79.99/yr Premium.

If your reason to leave Lifesum is accuracy, neither app solves that. Look at Cronometer or PlateLens instead.

Step 1: Export Your Data from Lifesum

1. Open lifesum.com on web.
2. Settings → Privacy → Export Data.
3. Submit the request.
4. Email arrives in 24-72 hours.
5. Download the ZIP — relevant files: food log CSV, weight history.

Lifesum Premium is required for full export.

Step 2: Import to MyFitnessPal

1. Run lifesum-to-mfp from github.com/calorie-tools/lifesum-to-mfp on the Lifesum CSV.
2. Sign in to myfitnesspal.com → Settings → Import.
3. Upload the converted CSV.
4. Review the Pending folder.

EU users will see a larger Pending folder than typical because European packaged-goods entries often lack clean MyFitnessPal equivalents.

MyFitnessPal Premium is required for CSV import.

What You’ll Lose

• Lifesum’s diet plans (keto, Mediterranean, paleo, etc.).
• Habit-coaching lesson history.
• EU packaged-goods entries that have no MyFitnessPal equivalent.
• Visual polish: MyFitnessPal is more cluttered.
• Lifesum’s recipe library.
• Streaks.

What’s Better in MyFitnessPal

• Database breadth: 14M entries.
• US/UK chain coverage: Best in the category.
• Photo AI: Meal Scan on Premium.
• Family plans: Available.
• Community features: Active.
• Free tier value: Comparable to Lifesum but without diet-plan upsells.

What’s Worse in MyFitnessPal

• Premium price: Nearly double ($79.99 vs $44.99).
• Visual design: More cluttered.
• No diet plans: If structure helped you, this is missing.
• Ad load on free: More aggressive.
• EU packaged-goods coverage: Shallower than Lifesum.

First-Week Setup in MyFitnessPal

1. Set goals under Goals.
2. Resolve the Pending folder for top 30 imports.
3. Build custom foods for your top-20 EU packaged products if relevant.
4. Pin favorites.
5. Connect integrations.
6. Try Meal Scan on Premium with realistic accuracy expectations.

Bottom Line

Lifesum-to-MyFitnessPal is a sideways move that gains breadth and photo AI at the cost of design polish, diet-plan structure, and EU coverage. For users whose problem is specifically chain restaurant coverage or photo AI, this works. For users whose problem is accuracy, neither app is the right answer.

If accuracy is the issue, look at Cronometer (±5.2% MAPE, $54.95/yr Gold, free tier excellent) or PlateLens (±1.1% MAPE, $59.99/yr Premium with a generous free tier and 35+ free micros). Both materially outperform either Lifesum or MyFitnessPal on measurement.

Step 1: Export from Lifesum

1. Open Lifesum on web at lifesum.com (export is web-only).
2. Sign in and go to Settings → Privacy → Export Data.
3. Submit the export request.
4. Email arrives within 24-72 hours with the download link.
5. The export includes food log CSV, weight history, and any active diet-plan history.
6. Lifesum Premium is required for full export. Free tier export is limited to 30 days.

Step 2: Import to MyFitnessPal

1. MyFitnessPal does not have a guided Lifesum importer.
2. Use the community converter 'lifesum-to-mfp' at github.com/calorie-tools/lifesum-to-mfp to reformat the CSV.
3. Sign in to myfitnesspal.com → Settings → Import.
4. Upload the converted CSV.
5. Review the Pending folder.
6. European packaged goods often need manual mapping in MyFitnessPal — coverage shifts toward US/UK after migration.
7. MyFitnessPal Premium is required for CSV import.

What you'll lose in migration

• Lifesum's diet-plan structure (keto, Mediterranean, paleo, etc.) does not transfer — MyFitnessPal does not have built-in diet plans.
• Habit-coaching content and lesson history do not migrate.
• European packaged-goods coverage drops; many regional EU brands need manual entry in MyFitnessPal.
• Custom foods will need adjustment for MyFitnessPal's serving size formats.
• Recipe history does not transfer cleanly — rebuild.
• Streaks reset.