MyFitnessPal regressive upgrade

In October 2025, MyFitnessPal began rolling out a mandatory update for its mobile application, marketed as the "brand new Today tab." The update was met with widespread criticism from users, who reported that the new version was slow, difficult to use, and missing core functionality. The company also used the update to move a previously free feature behind its Premium subscription tier.

Background

MyFitnessPal is a popular application for tracking diet and exercise. For years, paying subscribers used a stable version of the app with a consistent feature set. Many users integrated the app into their daily health routines.

On August 27, 2025, MyFitnessPal staff announced a "brand-new Food Diary page" and invited users to test the new design. User feedback on the announcement thread was overwhelmingly negative. Users criticized the inefficient design, with one commenting that it was a "terrible UI design that makes it harder to track" due to excessive scrolling. Another noted that positive features like "good visual separation between meals... have all been removed from the new layout."

During this test phase, users discovered that the macro percentage pie chart, a core free feature, had been removed. After contacting support, one user confirmed the company's intention was to "[remove] this FREE feature and will allow you to hover over the new macro bar to see the macro percentage with a PAID subscription."

Despite the feedback, MyFitnessPal staff indicated they would proceed with the changes, posting on October 3 that they would "be making changes over the next few weeks" based on feedback, just before the full rollout began.

Incident

Starting around October 3, 2025, MyFitnessPal began forcing the update on its user base. The official announcement on October 15 described the update as a "thoughtfully reorganized for a better user experience" and a response to a "long standing feature request." The comments section for this announcement was closed, preventing public discussion.

The update removed several key features, including:

• Copying meals from previous days
• Intermittent Fasting tracking
• Custom Nutrient goals
• Diary Notes

To compound user frustration, the new interface for paying subscribers included a persistent advertisement to upgrade to a new "Premium+" subscription tier. The company also moved the ability to view macronutrient percentages, a previously free feature, behind its Premium paywall. Users have reported that the update is "very sluggish" and that "switching days takes seconds, adding food takes seconds, etc."

MyFitnessPal's Response

MyFitnessPal's official communications framed the update as an improvement based on user feedback, despite the negative reception during the public testing period. The company acknowledged the removal of features but offered only vague promises for their return, stating they were "being rebuilt" or "will be available again soon." For the removed "Copy Meals" feature, the company suggested a cumbersome workaround that did not replicate the original functionality.

The company has been definitive that it will not roll back the change. In response to the question "Can I go back to the old design?", the official FAQ states, "The new Today interface is our path forward... We encourage you to give it some time."

Contradicting the significance of the changes, the official App Store release notes for the update (version 25.10.2) stated, "No big fixes or changes to report!" This led users to question the company's transparency regarding the disruptive rollout.

MyFitnessPal has offered refunds to some recently subscribed users but has denied them to long-term annual subscribers, citing a policy that limits refunds to the current billing period. However, some users have reported successfully obtaining refunds by requesting them through their device's app store, such as Google Play.

Technical Rollback Capability

Users have observed that the previous, functional user interface still exists within the application's code, controlled by a feature flag. Some have reported that unsubscribing from the paid service causes the app to revert to the old interface. This suggests that a rollback for all users would be technically straightforward, but the company has chosen not to do so.

Consumer Response

During the test phase, users expressed frustration that their feedback was being ignored, with one user asking, "Why go ahead with this change when you've had quite literally no positive feedback so far?" Another noted that the company had attempted a similar unpopular redesign in the past and had to revert it, asking, "Did they not read the forum from the last time they tried to change it and had to change it back because it was so bad??!!"

Following the mandatory rollout, the consumer backlash intensified on social media platforms. Many users, some of whom have used the app for several years, feel that critical functionality was removed without warning, disrupting their health management routines. The company's response has been described by some as "gaslighting," as support channels allegedly blame user devices or deflect criticism by creating support tickets that go unresolved.

The company's official "Known Issues" pages for its Android and iOS apps make no mention of the widespread complaints regarding removed features or poor usability.

Due to the perceived decline in usability and the company's refusal to roll back the update, users began actively seeking and recommending alternative food tracking applications. One user, after receiving a refund, noted the end of their "700+ day logging streak" and recommended "Chronometer" as a free alternative.