Carby vs WeightWatchers: Points, or a grocery dinner list?
WeightWatchers is a Points program, with workshops and an optional Med+ path. Carby is a dinner planner for a grocery budget. If you asked for WW, you wanted Points. If you asked for cheap dinners at your store, you wanted Carby.
Side by side
| Criterion | Carby | WeightWatchers |
|---|---|---|
| What it does | Weekly dinners built around a named US grocery store and a budget you type first, with estimated ingredient costs and one aisle-grouped list. | A Points® weight-loss program with recipes, photo food tracking, barcode scan, automatic macro tracking and optional workshops. Core, Core+ and Med+ are the public plan names. GLP-1 meds are a separate clinical path. |
| Starter price | $39.99/year after a 3-day trial on web yearly checkout | Core starting at $12 a month on a 12-month commitment, auto-renewing at $12 a month unless canceled, on WeightWatchers plan pages. Month-to-month Core is listed at $24 a month on the how-it-works plan picker. Core+ from $22 a month on a 12-month term. Med+ from $25 the first month, then $74 a month on a 12-month plan; medication cost not included. |
| Cost if you stay a year | $39.99 if you stay on the web yearly plan after the 3-day trial | $144 if Core stays at $12 a month for 12 months on that commitment. $288 at the $24 month-to-month Core rate. Med+ at $74 a month after the first month is much higher; meds are extra. |
| Trial | 3-day trial on the web yearly offer visitors actually see. Monthly ($9.99) and weekly ($4.99) plans also exist. Read the checkout. | Core includes two free weeks of Coaching and Workshops on the plans comparison table. Digital Core itself is a paid membership; read the checkout. |
| Refunds | Web Stripe charges: email within 30 days of the charge for a refund. App Store charges go through Apple. Cancel during the trial and you are not charged. | Plans auto-renew at the end of the term unless canceled. App Store purchases of the WW app follow Apple. Clinical Med+ services go through WeightWatchers Clinic. |
| Grocery list | One shopping list for the week, grouped by aisle. You shop it yourself. | 12,000 recipes and Points tracking. Not a Carby-style estimated-cost list for a named US grocery store. |
| Store cost estimates | Yes | No |
| Food diary / calorie log | No. Carby does not log calories, carbs or photos of food you already ate. | A Points® weight-loss program with recipes, photo food tracking, barcode scan, automatic macro tracking and optional workshops. Core, Core+ and Med+ are the public plan names. GLP-1 meds are a separate clinical path. |
| App Store rating | 4.0 from 29 ratings (small sample) | 4.8 from 2,364,494 ratings |
Cost if you actually stay
Carby: $39.99 if you stay on the web yearly plan after the 3-day trial
WeightWatchers: $144 if Core stays at $12 a month for 12 months on that commitment. $288 at the $24 month-to-month Core rate. Med+ at $74 a month after the first month is much higher; meds are extra.
WeightWatchers facts are from its public site and US iTunes Lookup, checked October 20, 2026. Missing dollar amounts were omitted, not guessed. Carby web yearly is $39.99 after a 3-day trial, with a 30-day web refund. Grocery purchases are extra on both sides. Carby does not replace a food diary.
Where they win
- Points, ZeroPoint foods, photo tracking and barcode scan.
- Workshops and coaches. Core includes two free weeks of Coaching and Workshops on their plan table.
- Med+ clinical care if you want a WW GLP-1 path. Medication cost is extra.
Where we win
- Dinners priced with catalog estimates for a named store, not Points.
- One aisle list for the week.
- No workshops, no Points learning curve, and a flat $39.99 web year after trial.
Choose us if / pick them if
Choose Carby if: Choose Carby if Points are not how you shop, and a dollar cap at Walmart or Aldi is.
Pick WeightWatchers if: Pick WeightWatchers if you want Points, community workshops, or their clinical program. Read the plan you are quoted; Core, Core+ and Med+ are different prices.
WeightWatchers alternatives by jobFrequently asked questions
How much is WeightWatchers vs Carby?
WW Core is listed from $12 a month on a 12-month commitment, or $24 month-to-month on their how-it-works picker. Carby web yearly is $39.99 after a 3-day trial. WW Med+ is $25 the first month then $74 a month on a 12-month plan, medication not included.
Does Carby use Points?
No. Carby uses a grocery dollar budget you type.
Does WeightWatchers plan cheap store dinners?
WW has thousands of recipes and macro tracking. It does not publish Carby-style catalog estimates for a named US grocery store on the plan.
Sources checked October 20, 2026: App Store listing · iTunes Lookup id 6779585429 · Carby billing policy · Carby refund help · WeightWatchers US homepage · WeightWatchers plans · WeightWatchers how it works / plans · App Store listing · iTunes Lookup id 331308914. Competitor facts come from those public pages and US iTunes Lookup. Missing cells were omitted, not guessed.