2026 comparison
The best low-FODMAP apps for IBS
There’s no single “best” app — there’s the best one for yoursticking point. Some nail the data, some the grocery aisle, some the gut-brain side. Here’s an honest look at the leading options and where each one wins.
Phase — best for actually running the protocol
Phase is built around the three phases the FODMAP diet is supposed to be: Eliminate, Reintroduce, Personalise. Instead of a simple safe/unsafe label, every food has a serving threshold with the research behind it, and meal + symptom logging turns your own history into a personal map of what you tolerate. It’s the app for people who don’t just want data — they want to be guided through the whole journey and come out with a varied, personalised diet.
The other apps, compared honestly
Monash University FODMAP Diet app
Best for: Purists who want the raw, authoritative data and are happy to run the protocol and track their own results.
Spoonful
Best for: People who eat a lot of packaged/branded groceries and want quick in-aisle answers.
Fig
Best for: People managing multiple diets or allergies who want one scanner for all of them.
Nerva
Best for: People whose symptoms are strongly stress-driven, or who want a non-diet approach alongside their eating changes.
Cara Care
Best for: People who want general gut-health tracking and coaching across more than just FODMAP.
How to choose
- Want to be guided through the whole diet? Choose a protocol app like Phase.
- Just want the authoritative numbers? The Monash app is the source.
- Struggle most in the supermarket? A scanner like Spoonful or Fig helps in the aisle.
- Symptoms feel stress-driven? A gut-brain approach like Nerva may be the missing piece.
Frequently asked questions
What is the best app for the low-FODMAP diet?
It depends on what you need. The Monash app is the authoritative data reference. Phase is best if you want a guided walk through the full three-phase protocol with meal and symptom logging. Spoonful and Fig are strongest for scanning packaged groceries. Nerva takes a diet-free, gut-brain approach. Most people are best served by the app that matches their specific sticking point.
Is there a free low-FODMAP app?
Many offer free features or trials. Phase's food database — with serving thresholds for hundreds of foods — is free to browse on the web with no signup. The Monash app is a one-time paid purchase. Check each app's current pricing on its own site.
Do I need an app to do the low-FODMAP diet?
No, but it helps enormously. The hard parts — knowing safe serving sizes, spotting hidden FODMAPs, running a structured reintroduction, and remembering which foods triggered you — are exactly what a good app removes the guesswork from.
Comparisons are based on each app’s publicly described features; details and pricing change over time — check each app’s own site before buying. Not medical advice.