§ · BiteDeck vs. Foodnoms
Where two local-firsttrackers diverge.
Foodnoms and BiteDeck share a foundation — your data on your device, no ads, no signup. The differences are in what gets built on top.
§ 01 · TL;DR
Both are local-first, both are iPhone-friendly, both work without an account. Pick by what you log most:
Foodnomsif you want broader Apple-platform reach (iPad, Mac), prefer its design polish, or you're already a few years into using it.
BiteDeck if you eat out a lot (179 restaurant chains with deep menus), want the 5-state weight forecast, or want fasting + body-fat + Coach inside the same app.
§ 02 · The comparison
| Dimension | Foodnoms | BiteDeck |
|---|---|---|
| Platforms | iPhone, iPad, Mac (verify) | iPhone (iOS 17+) only |
| Account required | No | No |
| Pricing | Free + subscription (verify current price) | Free tier + paid tier (price TBD) |
| Ads | None | None, in any tier |
| Photo scan | Verify current support | Yes — Gemini Vision proxy, no retention |
| Barcode scan | Yes | Yes |
| Restaurant chain coverage | Limited | 179 chains, full menus, section-sorted |
| Apple Health | Yes (verify metric count) | 5 reads / 10 writes / per-metric toggles |
| Weight forecasting | Simpler trend chart | 5-state forecast, reversed-trend detection |
| Body fat methods | Verify | US Navy · Deurenberg · manual · HK import |
| Intermittent fasting | Verify built-in support | 16:8 / 18:6 / 20:4 / OMAD + custom |
| AI Coach / chat | No | On-device context Coach, no training on meals |
| Local-first | Yes | Yes |
| Data export | CSV (verify format) | CSV + PDF |
Rows marked "verify" are candidates for a quick check against foodnoms.com before you make the call — feature sets shift between releases.
§ 03 · Where Foodnoms wins
Apple-platform spread. Foodnoms covers iPhone, iPad, and Mac (verify current support). BiteDeck is iPhone-only by design — the entire UI is built on iOS 17+ primitives.
Design polish and longevity. Foodnoms has been refining its interface for years. The gravity of a well-trodden codebase shows in small interactions.
Existing history.If you have years of Foodnoms logs, that history doesn't come with you to BiteDeck. Starting fresh is the path.
§ 04 · Where BiteDeck wins
Restaurant chain depth. 179 chains with section-sorted menus, scoped search inside each menu, and multi-add for build-your-own bowls. If half your meals come from a restaurant, this is the lever.
5-state weight forecast. Locked, unlocked, goal-reached, maintaining, reversed. 14-day lookback, 7-day rolling average, body-fat-aware. On-device. See On-device weight forecasting.
Fasting + body-fat + Coach in one app. Built-in 16:8 through OMAD timers with streak-day protection, four body-fat estimation methods, and an on-device Coach. Fewer apps to juggle.
HealthKit surface. 5 reads, 10 writes, every metric on its own toggle. See Apple Health & HealthKit Sync.
§ 05 · Privacy
Both score high on privacy — that's the shared substrate. Both keep your logs local. Neither runs ads. Pick on the feature side, not on this one.
For BiteDeck's exact off-device exceptions (photo scan, exercise/ingredient parsing, Coach), see what local-first means.
§ 06 · FAQ
Can I migrate from Foodnoms to BiteDeck?
Foodnoms exports CSV; BiteDeck doesn't have a direct importer for that file today. Most people who switch start fresh — within a week the pattern is back, and starting fresh is often the cleanest way to recalibrate macros anyway.
Do both apps work without an account?
Yes. Both Foodnoms and BiteDeck are local-first — your data lives on your phone, not on a server. Neither requires a signup to start logging.
Which has the better photo scan?
Different approaches. BiteDeck routes photos through Google Gemini Vision for whole-plate recognition; the result list is editable per item. Verify Foodnoms's current photo flow on their site — the implementation has changed across recent releases.
§ · Get it
Local-first. No account. iPhone only. Free tier.
Download on App StoreAlso evaluating MyFitnessPal? See BiteDeck vs. MyFitnessPal →