HealthifyMe launches Android app; iOS and Windows soon to follow
Bangalore based HealthifyMe has launched a smartphone app for the Android platform. According to links on their website, it seems like Windows and iOS apps will follow. Founded by Tushar Vashisht and Matthew Cherian, the web version of HealthifyMe went from private beta to public late last year and in a span of a few short months, the company is out with smartphone apps for three platforms. The diet tracking service is powered by a database which contains nutritional values of Indian foods. Furthermore, the measurements are also done in conventional Indian terms; Katoris, Plates, etc.
On the business end, the app follows a freemium model; while the app is free, quite a few interesting features are paid services. The app offers a monthly, yearly and lifetime pricing plans, costed at Rs. 299, Rs.1799 and Rs.2999 respectively.
The app itself brings all of HealthifyMe's website's cool features. Here are some things that make the free app really cool -
1) Based on the weight and height that you inputted as a first time user, the app allots a daily quota of calories that you can consume. The calorie count of food items that you've eaten is measured against it. This is depicted in a circular form, which I personally like (see screenshot). This view is constant.
2) The section below this circle has two pages which you can swipe to navigate between. The first page provides you with advice on what you should eat next, based on the nutritional deficiencies in what you've already eaten (what you've entered).
The second page is again a circular representation of the nutrients in the food, namely, proteins, carbohydrates, fats and fiber (See screenshot). The total value for these is broken down from the daily allotted calories and nutrition values from the inputted food is plotted against it.
3) The tracking food section is very well laid out. Breakfast, lunch, snack and dinner are separate tabs that can be navigated by swiping sideways. You can either enter the foods that you've eaten using the search bar, or choose from a left to right sliding menu which lists out frequently eaten food items.
It also suggests how many calories each of your meals should consist, which again is very thoughtful. There is a calendar functionality which can show your food logs for the day of your choice.
In-app purchases for features and services
While an in-app purchase unlocks features like Photo Tracking and Micro nutrient details, a paying user also gets customized advice from dietitians and advice from experts on health and exercise (web only). This, in a way, justifies the cost of the long-term subscription charges that HealthifyMe charges, as this is more than an app. When compared to consulting a real dietitian this might work out cheaper. The effectiveness however, is yet to be seen as I haven't used any of the paid services yet.
Download the app and tell us what you think.