Noom vs. WW
(formerly Weight Watchers®):
How do they compare?

If you’re in the market for an effective weight-loss program, both Noom and WW: Weight Watchers reimagined may have surfaced. While both programs are designed to foster weight loss, the differences between Noom and WW are plentiful. For one: WW has been helping people lose weight for more than 55 years, thanks to decades of research and constant innovation designed to meet the needs of members at every life stage. Read on to learn more about how Noom and WW compare:

The main differences between Noom and WW: Weight Watchers reimagined

While both Noom and WW are designed to foster weight loss, Noom relies on calorie counting and assigns a red, yellow, or green color to each food. WW provides the groundbreaking SmartPoints® system, which takes a food’s complete nutritional profile into account by boiling down calories, saturated fat, sugar, and protein into one easy-to-use SmartPoints value. 

On WW, every member gets a personalized SmartPoints Budget based on height, age, weight, and sex that consists of daily SmartPoints, weekly SmartPoints, and rollovers for added flexibility, plus a list of ZeroPoint™ foods you don’t have to track or measure.

Noom vs. WW: program philosophy

The WW program is based on proven principles of nutrition and behavior-change science to help you build healthy habits around food, activity, and mindset. Developed by a highly credentialed, dedicated science team that partners with preeminent researchers around the world, WW recognizes members’ achievements with Wins that can be redeemed for real rewards like products, services, and experiences. 

WW also provides in-person support: There are tens of thousands of expertly trained WW Coaches and Guides who share science-backed techniques for weight loss at live Workshops and via 24/7 Live Coaching chat on the WW app and website, plus millions of WW members who attend local Workshops and/or post on Connect, WW’s exclusive, members-only social platform. 

When following Noom, you get a personalized calorie budget, checklists, worksheets, and digital messaging to help you manage mental and emotional barriers to weight loss.

Noom vs. WW: food

No foods are off-limits with either program. Noom has 3.7 million food options to track, with foods grouped into a traffic-light system of green, yellow, and red to guide your food choices within a calorie budget. 

The science behind the WW SmartPoints system stems from the proven theory that not all calories are equal—some foods leave you feeling extra satisfied, while others may stoke your appetite for more. So while you can spend your SmartPoints Budget on whatever foods you’d like, members tend to naturally gravitate toward whole foods with higher protein and away from processed foods with higher sugar and saturated fat content—and they achieve sustainable weight loss without deprivation. Everything is on the table: WW’s database has 86,000 meals, including options from nearly 400 popular restaurants, 196,000 grocery items, over 8,600 foods, and 8,000+ WW-tested recipes. 

On myWW™, WW’s most customized weight-loss program ever, members take a science-backed personal assessment on their food preferences, lifestyle, and preferred approach to weight loss. Then, they’re matched with a SmartPoints Budget and a list of ZeroPoint™ foods that may include fruits and non-starchy veggies, lean proteins, and/or whole grains, depending on the myWW color they’re matched with.

Noom vs. WW: support and personal coaching

There are no in-person meetings or groups on Noom, which offers digital personal coaching through its app. After two weeks on the program, you are put into a digital support group with other members. 

WW offers several modes of support to fit your lifestyle, schedule, and learning style: Digital members can participate in 24/7 Live Coaching via chat and a members-only Connect social network, where you can find inspiration and get real-time advice. Both are available in our award-winning app.

For even more support, you can also visit a WW Studio and join in weekly Workshops, which are led by expertly trained WW Coaches and Guides; upgrade to one-on-one Personal Coaching, with weekly phone calls and unlimited messaging; or try out Virtual Group Coaching. 

WW delivers a curriculum of weekly topics that are covered in Workshops and in our digital tools to make creating healthy habits simpler and fun through science-backed techniques. By tracking activity along with your food, you earn FitPoints® so you can celebrate your progress toward your goals. To remind you of the strides you’re making in building healthy habits, as you track these along with weight, you earn Wins through our WellnessWins™ rewards program, which you can redeem for real rewards that will motivate you along the journey.

How much does Noom cost?

Noom’s app costs $49.50 per month. A WW Digital membership—which includes access to our award-winning app featuring our digital food database and tracker, 24/7 Live Coaching via chat, a food barcode scanner, a members-only social network, and more—costs $19.95** per month. Studio memberships with Workshops cost $44.95** per month, and one-on-one Personal Coaching costs $54.95** per month.

**This price represents standard pricing. WW may run promotional offers that can lower costs.

RELATED: 19 perks included in your WW membership

Learn more about the differences between Noom and WW

KEY FEATURES
U.S. News & World Report Rankings*	In 2020, WW was ranked #1 Best Diet for Weight Loss for the 10th consecutive year.	No 2020 ranking.
What can I eat?	Everything’s on the menu! There are different ways to follow myWW that provide varying SmartPoints Budgets to spend on any food or drink you like, balanced with 100+ (fruits and non-starchy veggies), 200+ (fruits, veggies, and lean proteins), or 300+ (fruits, veggies, lean proteins, and whole grains) ZeroPoint foods. Members will take a science-backed personal assessment on their food preferences, lifestyle, and approach to weight loss. Based on their answers and the latest behavior change and nutritional science, WW will guide you to a plan that fits you best.	No foods are off-limits. You will still count calories, but foods are grouped into a traffic-light system of green, yellow, and red to guide your food choices.
How it works	The program has been developed based on principles of nutrition and behavior-change science to build healthy habits around food, activity, and mindset. Our easy-to-use tools help guide members towards smarter food choices, moving more, and helpful ways of thinking.	In addition to a personalized daily calorie budget, the Noom app includes checklists, worksheets, and digital messaging to help their members manage mental and emotional barriers to weight loss.
Rewards	WellnessWins, our brand-new, one-of-a-kind rewards program, inspires and recognizes you for all of your daily healthy habits. You earn Wins for doing everyday things (like tracking your meals and activity) and then you get to redeem them for FREE exclusive products and experiences.	No rewards program.
Community & support	WW meets you where you are: With our app, website, and in-person WW Workshops or Personal Coaching, you can choose the level of support that fits your life. Plus, all members have 24/7 access to Live Coaching and Connect, our exclusive members-only social network, where you can find inspiration—and get real-time advice.	Support is digital through a digital coach. After two weeks on the program, you are put into a digital support group with other members.
History	WW has over 55 years of experience in the science of behavior change, and we’re using it to give people the proven tools they need to achieve their wellness and weight-loss goals.	Noom was founded about 11 years ago and launched the Noom app in 2010.
Plus, WW was named the #1 doctor-recommended weight-loss program based on a 2019 survey by Kantar Health of 500 doctors who recommend weight-loss programs to patients!

*WW is the #1 Best Diet for Weight Loss 10 years in a row! Learn more here.