Noom vs. Weight Watchers 2024: Choosing Your Path to Sustainable Weight Loss

As 2024 begins, many of us are setting ambitious New Year’s Resolutions, with health and weight loss often topping the list. A new year offers a fresh start, an ideal time for a complete body and lifestyle reset. When selecting a weight loss program, the key is to find one that promises success without demanding unsustainable, drastic changes. In 2024, Noom and Weight Watchers (WW) stand out as two of the most popular and effective weight loss programs available. While they share some foundational similarities, their approaches feature distinct differences that cater to various needs and preferences. This comprehensive article will delve into a detailed comparison, exploring the unique aspects, benefits, and drawbacks of each program. Our goal is to equip you with all the necessary information to make an informed decision, ensuring you choose the best fit for your health journey in 2024 and beyond. Get it right, and this could truly be your healthiest year yet!

woman running on treadmill, next to fruit and vegetables

Weight Watchers vs. Noom 2024: A Quick Overview

Noom focuses on fostering long-term results by cultivating healthy habits and sustainable behavior change, rather than promoting restrictive dieting. Its core philosophy revolves around addressing the psychological aspects of eating and daily routines, aiming to help users transition from a diet mindset to a healthy lifestyle. While Noom does incorporate dietary guidance, its primary objective is to educate individuals on why they make certain food choices and how to modify these behaviors for lasting improvement. If your 2024 goal is to deeply understand and improve your daily habits, Noom offers a compelling solution.

Weight Watchers, conversely, places a more direct emphasis on food choices, yet famously maintains that no foods are strictly off-limits. Developed by a team of doctors and dietitians, WW utilizes a unique points system to track food consumption. This system cleverly steers members towards healthier, nutrient-dense options over calorie-dense foods, all without the need for explicit calorie counting. Although calories contribute to the points value, members interact with a daily points budget rather than a calorie total. By leveraging this intuitive points system, Weight Watchers empowers members to make better food decisions, facilitating effective weight loss and sustained management.

Program Features and Support: What You Get

Both Noom and Weight Watchers are primarily app-based programs, offering a streamlined experience through their respective mobile applications. Noom’s app serves as the central hub for all program activities. Here, users meticulously track food intake, physical activity, blood pressure, weight, and daily habits. The app also provides access to a personal coach and a structured curriculum of “lessons” designed by Noom. Your dedicated coach actively checks in twice a week, providing proactive support that can be particularly valuable for those seeking consistent guidance. Additionally, members are placed into a group chat with peers, moderated by a group coach who can answer general questions and foster a sense of community. While the group chat offers a shared experience, your personal profile, lessons, and diet plans remain private and tailored specifically to you.

Noom offers several optional add-ons for an additional fee, allowing users to further customize their journey. These include personalized meal plans, custom workout routines, a metabolism test kit, a mental wellness course, and enhanced behavior change coaching. While standard coaching is included, the behavior change coach add-on provides more intensive support through phone calls, email, and expanded in-app messaging. These valuable add-ons typically range from $50 to $150, supplementing the monthly program cost.

Weight Watchers’ app shares a similar food tracking functionality, enabling users to easily log meals. Its standout features include the ability to effortlessly create custom recipes and a convenient barcode scanner for tracking packaged food items. A significant advantage for members is the WW meal planning feature, which allows you to strategically plan your meals for the week, ensuring you stay on track with your points budget. The app also provides 24/7 live coaching, connecting you with real human coaches, not automated bots. Furthermore, a library of audio coaching files offers quick tips and motivation on demand. Like Noom, WW offers in-app groups, but these are often highly specialized, catering to specific demographics or interests like “working moms” or “people who travel for work,” fostering a highly relevant and supportive community.

A distinctive feature of Weight Watchers, setting it apart from Noom, is its provision of workshops. These workshops can be attended either in person or online, depending on your location and preference. While not mandatory—users can opt to solely utilize the app—these workshops are strongly encouraged due to their powerful role in building community and accountability. Participants connect with coaches and fellow members who understand the challenges of weight loss, offering invaluable support and shared experiences. Weight Watchers highlights that members who consistently attend workshops lose significantly more weight than those who follow the program independently, underscoring the impact of face-to-face accountability.

Both applications are robust and feature-rich, offering a comprehensive suite of tools designed to support your weight loss journey. Each program includes the following core functionalities:

Intuitive food tracker
Convenient barcode scanner for packaged foods
Access to pre-made recipes and the ability to create your own
Integrated activity tracker
Compatibility and sync with various fitness wearables
Sleep tracking capabilities
Direct access to live coaching support
Entry to an exclusive community network
Comprehensive weight tracker

Weight Watchers vs. Noom 2024: Cost Comparison

When comparing Weight Watchers and Noom in 2024, pricing structures present a notable difference. Both programs incentivize longer commitments by offering reduced rates for extended subscription periods. Counter-intuitively, given the availability of in-person workshops, Noom often emerges as the more expensive option overall. Both providers encourage users to commit long-term, with yearly subscriptions providing the most cost-effective monthly rates.

Current Noom prices for 2024 are structured as follows:

Monthly auto-renewing plan: $70
2-month auto-renewing plan: $129
3-month auto-renewing plan: $159
4-month auto-renewing plan: $169
5-month auto-renewing plan: $174
6-month auto-renewing plan: $179
7-month auto-renewing plan: $184
8-month auto-renewing plan: $189
9-month auto-renewing plan: $195
10-month auto-renewing plan: $199
11-month auto-renewing plan: $205
Annual auto-renewing plan: $209 USD (approximately $17.42/month)

Committing to an annual subscription with Noom brings the effective monthly cost down to approximately $17.42. Considering the personalized coaching and comprehensive app features, this represents significant value. Weight Watchers, on the other hand, can be significantly more affordable, with monthly rates potentially as low as $10-12, depending on current promotions. For those desiring the added benefit of workshops, the cheapest annual subscription for WW averages around $24 per month. Without workshops, a yearly commitment to WW can be as low as $12 per month, while a month-to-month plan without workshops can go up to $23 per month.

Current 2024 WW Points Program (app-only, no workshops) prices:

12-month auto-renewing plan: $11/month
6-month auto-renewing plan: $15/month
Monthly auto-renewing plan: $23/month

Current 2024 WW Points Program + Workshops prices:

12-month auto-renewing plan: $22/month
6-month auto-renewing plan: $30/month
Monthly auto-renewing plan: $45/month

Accountability and Support: Staying on Track

While both Noom and Weight Watchers integrate coaching and community aspects into their programs, their approaches to accountability differ. Noom provides a more proactive and built-in accountability structure. Its personal coaches initiate contact and check in with you at least twice a week, ensuring consistent engagement and support. In contrast, Weight Watchers offers access to coaches, but the onus is generally on the member to reach out for support. For individuals who might hesitate to proactively ask questions or seek help, this distinction could be significant. Noom further embeds accountability through its structured “lessons,” which users are encouraged to complete during the initial 16 weeks to ensure active participation. These lessons are flexible, requiring anywhere from 5 to 16 minutes of daily engagement. While Weight Watchers’ workshops offer exceptional, peer-driven accountability and support through real-person connections, their optional nature means that some members might miss out on this crucial aspect if they choose an app-only plan.

Weight Watchers vs. Noom 2024: The Program Journey

Embarking on either program begins with a comprehensive questionnaire on their respective websites. This initial assessment gathers vital information about your lifestyle, activity levels, diet history, age, current weight, and personal goals. This data feeds into an algorithm that generates a personalized weight loss plan. By default, these plans are typically calibrated to promote a healthy and sustainable weight loss of 1-2 pounds per week, though users often have the flexibility to adjust this pace to be more aggressive or slightly slower, depending on their individual preferences and health considerations.

With Weight Watchers, members can immediately dive into tracking their food and activity. Noom, however, integrates a foundational learning phase; users are guided to complete approximately 10 interactive lessons over their first 16 weeks. These integral lessons delve into the psychological underpinnings of lifestyle behaviors, providing insights and strategies for transforming them into sustainable, healthy habits.

The core of each program’s dietary approach also varies significantly. Weight Watchers employs a well-established points system for food tracking. Each food item is assigned a specific point value, and members are allocated a daily points budget. The flexibility of this system allows individuals to eat whatever they desire, provided they remain within their allotted daily points. A cornerstone of the WW program is its extensive ZeroPoint food list, comprising over 200 items. These foods—which include lean proteins, non-fat dairy, and most fruits and vegetables—carry zero points, actively encouraging healthier choices because they are inherently difficult to overeat. By prioritizing ZeroPoint foods, members can significantly simplify their weight loss journey, benefiting from reduced hunger and a wealth of essential nutrients.

Noom, on the other hand, utilizes a color-coded system to guide food choices, categorizing foods into green, yellow, and orange. Users are encouraged to consume green foods in abundance while limiting orange foods. Green foods are typically low in calories and highly nutrient-dense, encompassing items like most vegetables, fruits, egg whites, tofu, and lean seafood. Orange foods are often higher in calories and sometimes less nutrient-dense, such as full-fat dairy and nut butter. This visual system subtly encourages healthier eating habits by making it easy to identify foods that support satiety and nutritional goals.

Weight Watchers vs. Noom 2024: Achieving Long-Term Success

Both Noom and Weight Watchers can be highly effective in 2024, provided that users actively engage with and consistently follow their respective programs. Noom’s structured program is typically designed for a 16-week duration. Historically, Noom has faced criticism from dietitians for sometimes setting calorie goals at very low levels (e.g., 1100-1200 calories) irrespective of an individual’s size or activity level. A potential drawback of this approach is the risk of weight regain; such restrictive calorie targets can be challenging to sustain beyond 2-3 months. Once the initial weight loss phase is complete and users transition off the app, there’s a possibility of reverting to old habits.

Weight Watchers excels in its focus on long-term sustainability by incorporating a dedicated “maintenance” phase once members achieve their goal weight. This makes it a smart consideration for those planning a comprehensive year of health management in 2024, including both active weight loss and maintenance. During this phase, the WW app guides users in gradually reintroducing calories into their diet, allowing their metabolism to adjust effectively without regaining fat. This proactive approach significantly aids members in keeping the weight off for the long haul. Many WW members report successfully maintaining their weight for over two years, indicating the program’s efficacy beyond just the initial dieting period.

Both Noom and Weight Watchers aim to help individuals lose 1-2 pounds per week, assuming consistent and accurate program adherence. Statistically, only about 11% of individuals achieve long-term weight maintenance on any diet. In this context, Weight Watchers’ thoughtfully designed maintenance plan stands out as a fantastic option for those prioritizing sustained success.

Weight Watchers vs. Noom 2024: Program Duration

Noom offers flexible monthly contracts, yet it strongly recommends a commitment of at least 16 weeks. This suggested duration allows users to fully engage with all the habit-changing lessons and comfortably integrate their newly acquired healthy lifestyle practices. The 16-week period is considered foundational for embedding the psychological shifts central to Noom’s philosophy.

Weight Watchers, conversely, places no fixed time frame on its membership. Its philosophy encourages members to stay for as long as they need, even after reaching their target weight. The program is designed with continuous support and accountability in mind, offering dedicated maintenance phases for those who benefit from ongoing guidance and community engagement.

Weight Watchers vs. Noom 2024: Dietary Guidelines

The core food philosophies of Weight Watchers’ ZeroPoint Foods and Noom’s Green food list exhibit striking similarities, both emphasizing lean proteins, non-fat dairy, a wide array of vegetables, and fruits. These programs steer users towards highly nutritious, low-calorie options. Examples of encouraged foods include:

Protein: Chicken breast, lean ground turkey, eggs/egg whites, tofu, white fish, shrimp
Carbohydrates: Oats, sweet potatoes, quinoa
Fats: Minimal direct fat sources, focusing on those naturally present in lean proteins
Vegetables: Broccoli, spinach, Brussels sprouts, green beans, and most other non-starchy vegetables
Fruits: Berries, apples, bananas, citrus fruits, and most other whole fruits
Dairy: Non-fat Greek yogurt, non-fat cottage cheese, fat-free cheese

Conversely, foods that accumulate higher Weight Watchers points or fall into Noom’s Orange food category are generally those that are higher in calories or less nutrient-dense. While not explicitly “forbidden,” their consumption is encouraged in moderation due to their impact on daily budgets. Examples of foods to limit include:

Protein: Processed meats like sausage and bacon, fried options, high-fat cuts of meat like many hamburgers
Carbohydrates: Highly processed foods such as cookies, crackers, pastries, pizza, and cakes
Fats: Butter, oils (in large quantities), nuts, and seeds (due to high caloric density, even if healthy)
Vegetables: Any fried vegetables, often prepared with significant added fats
Fruits: Fruit juice (due to concentrated sugars and lack of fiber), dried fruit (calorically dense), jelly
Dairy: Full-fat yogurt, heavy whipping cream, ice cream

Neither program enforces a strict “off-limits” list, promoting flexibility and mindful eating. However, both systems are meticulously designed to guide users towards healthier choices. Opting for too many high-calorie, low-nutrient foods will quickly exhaust your daily points or fill your orange food quota, leaving you feeling hungry and lethargic. Conversely, prioritizing healthier, nutrient-rich options ensures satisfaction, sustained energy, and ultimately, more effective weight management.

Weight Watchers vs. Noom 2024: User Feedback and Expert Opinions

Overall, Weight Watchers consistently garners higher ratings and more favorable reviews than Noom. A significant number of users praise the Weight Watchers program for its effectiveness in facilitating substantial weight loss and, crucially, for helping them maintain it long-term. The primary negative feedback often relates to the perceived difficulty in canceling subscriptions, though Weight Watchers transparently outlines its cancellation policies at the bottom of its pricing page for all commitment durations and provides a dedicated phone number for cancellations.

Noom generally enjoys a good reputation for promoting gradual, steady weight loss, delivering helpful educational lessons, and featuring an intuitive, user-friendly app. However, it also faces criticism from some users who report minimal or no weight loss. Dietitians, in particular, have raised concerns regarding certain aspects of Noom’s nutritional guidance. For instance, Noom has previously classified some highly healthy and nutrient-dense foods as “Orange” or “Red” simply due to their calorie density, which can be misleading. Additionally, the program has been criticized for sometimes setting excessively low-calorie targets (e.g., 1100-1200 calories), which many dietitians deem unhealthy and unsustainable for long-term weight management. Despite these criticisms, Noom’s behavioral psychology lessons consistently receive high praise from both users and dietitians for their effectiveness in driving genuine, lasting lifestyle changes.

The Newest 2024 Updates: Evolving Programs

Noom has introduced “Noom for Work,” a new initiative aimed at large corporations. Companies can now offer Noom for Work as a wellness benefit to their employees. Noom asserts that this program can boost a company’s ROI (even offering an ROI toolkit on its website) and help reduce healthcare costs. The website also teases the imminent launch of Noom Med, a clinical solution specifically designed to address obesity. This expansion is likely a strategic move, partly influenced by Weight Watchers’ earlier announcement of its own clinical obesity weight loss program. While Noom initially gained prominence as a weight management platform, it is significantly broadening its scope in 2024 to become a comprehensive behavior change platform, aiming to assist individuals with both chronic and non-chronic conditions, including stress, anxiety, hypertension, and diabetes. Noom’s vision is to tackle multiple facets of health, extending beyond just weight.

Weight Watchers has also adapted to the increasing popularity of prescription weight loss medications. As of 2024, members now have the option to apply for the WW prescription medication program. The core objective of this innovative program is to provide access to effective weight loss medications for qualifying members. Weight Watchers emphasizes that a combination of healthy habits and appropriate medication can form a potent, long-term solution to the obesity epidemic. A quick quiz on the WW website can help you determine if you qualify for their new GLP-1 program, integrating these medications with their established support system.

Mirroring the trend, Noom has also joined the ranks of weight loss programs offering medication support through the introduction of Noom Med. Clinicians associated with Noom Med can now prescribe popular weight loss medications such as Wegovy, Zepbound, and Contrave. Eligibility for this program typically requires meeting specific criteria, which generally include a BMI of 30 or more (obesity) or a BMI of 27 or more (overweight) accompanied by at least one weight-related health condition, such as high blood pressure or diabetes.

Comparison Factor	Noom	Weight Watchers
Price Range	$17.50-$70/month	$11-$45/month
Accountability & Support	Proactive 2x weekly check-ins with a personal coach and a group chat with a group coach	On-demand chat access to a coach; optional paid in-person or online support groups (workshops)
Educational Approach	Daily in-app lessons focusing on behavioral psychology and habit change	In-app videos and website resources providing tips and guidance
Food Philosophy	Color-coded system (Green, Yellow, Orange) encouraging healthy choices; all foods in moderation	Points system with a generous ZeroPoint food list; no foods are strictly off-limits
Long-term Success Focus	Focus on habit change for sustainability; potential for weight regain if not maintained post-program	Offers a structured maintenance phase for sustained weight loss; emphasis on long-term adherence
Food Tracking Method	Color-coded system	Points system
Access to Clinical Weight Loss Medications	Offered via Noom Med if specific medical criteria are met	Offered via WW prescription medication program if specific medical criteria are met

Weight Watchers vs. Noom 2024: Finding Your Best Fit

Both Noom and Weight Watchers present viable and effective pathways for weight loss in 2024. The optimal choice ultimately hinges on your individual needs and the specific challenges you aim to address. If your primary obstacle lies in deeply ingrained behavioral patterns and psychological habits around food, Noom’s daily lessons and cognitive behavioral therapy-inspired approach are highly effective. Noom reports that its focus on the psychology of eating has helped over 50% of its members reduce binge eating. However, it’s crucial to note that if you have a history of or are currently struggling with an eating disorder, Noom may not be the appropriate program. While Noom coaches possess valuable wellness coaching experience, they are not registered dietitians or licensed therapists and are not equipped to manage diagnosed eating disorders.

Conversely, if your goal is primarily to find a well-structured, flexible diet plan that seamlessly guides you through both an active weight loss phase and a sustainable maintenance phase, Weight Watchers is an excellent choice. Its program offers a customizable level of support, from the comprehensive app and 24/7 coaching access to optional in-person or online workshops. Furthermore, WW’s innovative clinical program now offers a promising avenue for those who meet the criteria for prescription weight loss medications and have explored other options. Both programs offer unique strengths, making it essential to align your personal needs with their core offerings for the most successful health journey in the new year.

Weight Watchers or Noom: Finding Your Ideal 2024 Weight Loss Program