Comparison

FDL vs Built With Science+

Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.

Head to head
About

FDL

Discover a vast collection of low-calorie, high-protein recipes with detailed macro and calorie information. Easily track your favorites, manage ingredient lists, and follow step-by-step video guides. Includes a macro calculator to help you meet your fitness goals.

Highlights
  • Searchable recipe database
  • Macro and calorie information
  • Favorites tab
  • Checkable ingredient lists
  • Step-by-step video instructions
  • Macro calculator
Features
Read full description

You know the moment. It's 6pm, you're starving, and nothing that sounds good fits your macros. So you make the same sad chicken and rice for the fourth time this week. Or you order the pizza and feel bad about it after. That's the whole reason this app exists. I'm Zach. I've spent 12 years turning the food people actually crave (pizza, burgers, tacos, cheesecake, orange chicken ramen, and more) into versions with more protein and fewer calories. Not "healthy" versions. Good ones. The kind you make again because you want to, not because you're supposed to. Open the app, type in whatever's in your fridge, and you get real meals with the macros already figured out. No tracking. No math. No standing there deciding. WHAT'S INSIDE - 823+ macro-friendly recipes, new ones added every week - Full macros and calories on every single recipe - Step-by-step video for each one, so it comes out right the first try - Search by ingredient, filter by calories, protein, or equipment - Meal planner and a grocery list that builds itself - Favorites, folders, and your own private notes on recipes you tweak - Mark what you've made and build your own rotation You don't have to cook separate meals for everyone else either. One dinner, the family's happy, and yours still fits. WHAT IT COSTS Free to download and look around. Full access is $19/month or $149/year, billed through your Apple account and cancelable anytime in Settings. Terms of use: https://recipes.macrofriendly.com/terms-and-conditions Privacy policy: https://recipes.macrofriendly.com/privacy-policy

About

Built With Science+

This intelligent fitness companion offers personalized workout plans and nutrition advice based on scientific insights. It adapts to your progress with real-time feedback, providing guidance for continuous gains and informed health decisions.

Highlights
  • Hyper-Personalized Workouts
  • Progressive Overload Guidance
  • Real-Time Diet Adjustments
  • AI-Powered Meal Scanner
  • 250+ Exercise Tutorials
  • Daily Knowledge Boosters
  • AI Fitness & Nutrition Assistant
Features
Read full description

Reach your goals faster with BWS+ all-in-one fitness coach. Frustrated with cookie-cutter workout plans and confusing nutrition advice? BWS+ is your intelligent coach and complete fitness companion for achieving the body you've always wanted. The app integrates insights from leading fitness scientists, coaches, and dietitians, offering personalized advice based on your unique body and goals. It evolves with you, adapting your workouts and nutrition based on real-time feedback, encapsulating decades of experience into a dynamic coach that tailors itself to your needs. The latest science, personalized to you - Hyper-Personalized Workouts: Built with Science's advanced algorithm creates a workout plan specifically for your body, goals, and schedule. Whether you're hitting the gym or training at home, we've got you covered. - Progressive Overload Guidance: Never plateau again. BWS+ tells you exactly how to adjust your weights and reps each session for continuous gains. - Real-Time Diet Adjustments: As your body changes, so do your nutritional needs. Our app adapts your meal plan weekly, ensuring you're always on track. All-in-One Fitness and Nutrition Solution - 250+ In-Depth Exercise Tutorials: Master proper form with our detailed video guides, packed with science-based insights. - AI-Powered Meal Scanner: Say goodbye to tedious calorie counting. Simply snap a photo of your meal, and our AI does the rest, accurately tracking your nutrition in seconds. - Daily Knowledge Boosters: Unlock 200+ bite-sized lessons to build your fitness IQ and make informed decisions about your health. One App is All You Need - AI Fitness & Nutrition Assistant: Get personalized answers to your fitness and nutrition questions, as if you're talking directly to Jeremy Ethier. - Muscle Group Prioritizer: Focus on specific muscles that need extra attention for balanced development. - Recomp Detector: Track simultaneous fat loss and muscle gain with our advanced body composition analysis. - Step Tracking and Daily Activity Goals: Seamlessly integrate with Apple Health and Google Fit to optimize your overall activity levels. We've combined cutting-edge technology with years of scientific research to create an app that delivers real, lasting transformations. No more guesswork, no more wasted time in the gym. BWS+ provides the structure and guidance you need to finally achieve the body you deserve. Download now and take the first step towards the best version of yourself! This app requires an active BuiltWithScience+ membership or an in-app subscription purchased through the App Store to access its features and content. Subscription details and terms are available within the app.

Screenshots

FDL4 screens
Built With Science+4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is monetization model: FDL at free against Built With Science+'s subscription. Built With Science+'s advantage is ratings volume (5K vs 641). On price, rating, review sentiment and update cadence there is nothing between them.

Scored on Price · Rating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings · Update frequency · Ads · In-app purchases · Monetization · Best chart rank · Devices · Requires iOS

CostPrice · In-app purchases · Ads · Monetization

Both are free to download. FDL sells 2 in-app purchases, starting at $19.00 per month and Built With Science+ sells 4 in-app purchases, starting at $29.99 per month. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

ReceptionRating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings

On the App Store both sit at effectively the same score — 4.8 for FDL against 4.8 for Built With Science+. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Built With Science+ has 5K ratings behind it against 641, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews are what separate them: 73% of FDL's written reviews are positive against 80% of Built With Science+'s.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

FDL ships an update every 3 weeks, Built With Science+ fortnightly. The most recent releases landed on October 26, 2026 and October 29, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard2 real differences · 8 level
FDL versus Built With Science+: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterFDLBuilt With Science+
PriceFreeFree
Rating4.8 (641 ratings)4.8 (5K ratings) — better
Positive reviews72.5% of reviews79.8% of reviews — better
Number of ratings6415K — better
Update frequencyEvery 3 weeksFortnightly — better
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesYesYes
MonetizationFree — betterSubscription
DevicesiPhone, iPad, iPodiPhone, iPad, Apple Watch
Requires iOS15.6 — better16.2
Further details — not scored
Size93 MB235 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperFlexible Dieting Lifestyle LLCBuilt With Science Holdings Corp

Customer experience

FDL

All ratings633 ratings
Positive95.4%
Neutral1.3%
Negative3.3%
Written reviews102 reviews
Positive72.5%
Neutral5.9%
Negative21.6%

Built With Science+

All ratings4,719 ratings
Positive96.1%
Neutral1.8%
Negative2.2%
Written reviews873 reviews
Positive79.8%
Neutral6.3%
Negative13.9%

User reviews

FDL

From 641 App Store ratings

What we love

  • 👍 Beautiful, intuitive, user-friendly interface
  • 🚀 Fast loading and smooth performance (v2 update)
  • 📚 Comprehensive recipe library with search functionality
  • 🎯 Macro calculator and customizable serving sizes
  • 🍽️ Delicious, high-protein recipes that taste great

Room to improve

  • 🐛 App crashes and freezes frequently
  • ⏳ Slow loading times (older versions)
  • 🔍 Search function limited to exact title matches
  • 💳 Difficult cancellation process and unresponsive support
  • 🎥 Videos require Wi-Fi connection to watch

Built With Science+

From 5K App Store ratings

What we love

  • 👍 Comprehensive fitness and nutrition tracking
  • 🚀 Convenient all-in-one app
  • 📚 Helpful educational lessons
  • 💪 Science-backed program
  • 🎯 Customized and adaptive workouts

Room to improve

  • 🐛 Occasional performance issues and bugs
  • 🔍 Limited food database and recipe options
  • 📱 Lack of integration with other fitness apps and devices
  • 🕰️ Inflexible workout scheduling
  • 💬 Limited human interaction and coaching support

Bugs and requests

FDL

Reported bugs

12 issues
  • App fails to load or opens to white screen
  • Login authentication issues and password reset codes not working
  • Recipes missing ingredients or have duplicate instruction sections
  • Favorites tab displays only gray lines with zero recipes
  • App crashes when clicking on new recipes
Show 7 more
  • Back button inconsistency requiring app restart
  • Scrolling issues forcing users to scroll back down after selecting recipes
  • App freezes and shuts down unexpectedly
  • Search function not working properly
  • Incompatibility with older recipe book versions (4.0)
  • Inconsistent category filtering on main page
  • Long load times and performance lag

Requested features

12 requests
  • No-cook recipe filter option
  • Video tutorial links within recipes
  • Ability to input custom serving sizes with auto-adjusted ingredients
  • Better recipe categorization (meat category, etc.)
  • User-submitted recipe variations and substitutions
Show 7 more
  • Recipe completion tracking and feedback history
  • More active community forum or discussion board
  • Substitute ingredient suggestions for recipes
  • Direct product links (protein powder, cookie butter) within recipes
  • Table of contents for digital cookbooks
  • Dark mode option
  • Offline recipe access

Built With Science+

Reported bugs

4 issues
  • Workout data sometimes gets lost or marked incomplete
  • App takes a long time to open
  • Login and sign-up issues for existing customers
  • Inconsistent exercise recommendations and adjustments

Requested features

5 requests
  • Add ability to create and save custom recipes
  • Integrate with Apple Health and other fitness platforms
  • Provide more flexibility in workout scheduling
  • Enhance human coaching and support features
  • Improve performance and stability

In-app purchases

2 purchases

FDL

Subscriptions2
  • Monthly Subscription7 Days trial$19.001 Month
  • Annual Subscription7 Days trial$149.001 Year
4 purchases

Built With Science+

Subscriptions2
  • Monthly Membership14 Days trial$29.991 Month
  • Annual Membership14 Days trial$189.001 Year
One-time2
  • Intermediate Program Unlock$49.00
  • Beginner Program Unlock$49.00

Questions

Is FDL free?
FDL is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Is Built With Science+ free?
Built With Science+ is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Which has better reviews, FDL or Built With Science+?
Built With Science+ is rated higher. FDL averages 4.8 out of 5 from 641 ratings, while Built With Science+ averages 4.8 from 5K ratings.
Do FDL or Built With Science+ have ads?
Neither FDL nor Built With Science+ shows ads.
Which is updated more often, FDL or Built With Science+?
FDL ships an update every 3 weeks, and Built With Science+ fortnightly. Most recently, FDL was updated on October 26, 2026 and Built With Science+ on October 29, 2026.

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