# FDL vs Built With Science+

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 646). On price, rating, review sentiment and update cadence there is nothing between them.

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.

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 646, 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.

FDL ships an update every 3 weeks, Built With Science+ fortnightly. Both last shipped on October 29, 2026.

## The numbers

| Metric | FDL | Built With Science+ |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [4.8 (646 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/fdl-macro-friendly-recipes/id1338879783/reviews) | **[4.8 (5K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/built-with-science-plus/id6446000532/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | 646 | **5K** |
| Positive reviews | 72.5% of reviews | **79.8% of reviews** |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Every 3 weeks | **Fortnightly** |
| Monetization | **Free** | Subscription |
| Size | 93 MB | 235 MB |
| Requires iOS | **15.6** | 16.2 |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod | iPhone, iPad, Apple Watch |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Flexible Dieting Lifestyle LLC](https://appshunter.io/developer/1679825804) | [Built With Science Holdings Corp](https://appshunter.io/developer/1559732895) |

## What reviewers say

### FDL

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/fdl-macro-friendly-recipes/id1338879783)

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:** Family Sharing, Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases (2)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Monthly Subscription | $19.00 | per month |
| Annual Subscription | $149.00 | per year |

**What reviewers like**

- 👍 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

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 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

**Reported bugs**

- 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

**Requested features**

- 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


### Built With Science+

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/built-with-science-plus/id6446000532)

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:** macOS Compatibility, Apple Watch app, Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases (4)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Monthly Membership | $29.99 | per month |
| Annual Membership | $189.00 | per year |
| Intermediate Program Unlock | $49.00 | one-time |
| Beginner Program Unlock | $49.00 | one-time |

**What reviewers like**

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

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 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

**Reported bugs**

- 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**

- 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


## Frequently asked 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 646 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 29, 2026 and Built With Science+ on October 29, 2026.

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*Compared by [AppsHunter](https://appshunter.io/) from daily US App Store data. Review summaries are generated from verbatim App Store reviews.*