Zoe app review: Is it worth it? Our expert nutritionist gives her verdict

Nutrition brand Zoe completely overhauled its gut health app and test kit offering in September 2025.  I reviewed it then, but it's since released a series of updates to the app, so I've taken a fresh look a year on and updated my review and verdict.

You can buy the Zoe app as a standalone nutrition aid, or in a bundle with a microbiome test kit. The app allows you to scan meals and products to get a verdict on how healthy they are and advice on improving your daily diet.

As Which?'s resident nutritionist and lead food and health researcher, Zoe is one of the topics I've been asked the most about in all the years that I've worked here. I've tried several versions of it over the years, talked to relevant health experts for a fuller view, and also asked hundreds of Which? members who've used Zoe about their experiences.

I've also tested out the updated version and gathered fresh insights from other users and experts. Find out what's changed, and my verdict on whether the new version is worth it, below.

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How much does the Zoe app cost?

You can buy either a bundle which includes the gut test kit and a year's subscription, or app-only subscriptions of different lengths:

• Bundle: Gut health test kit (£149) and 12-month app subscription (£9.99 per month) - £268.88
• App only (12 months): £9.99 per month - £119.88
• App only (3 months): £24.99 per month - £74.97
  

There is also an app-only 7-day trial for £2.30 (33p per day). This renews at the end of the trial to a 12-month subscription.

All memberships are billed in advance and automatically renew unless cancelled.

If you want to join Zoe, you can do so on the Zoe website.

Zoe won't be suitable for everyone. It advises that it isn't suitable if you have an eating disorder, have undergone an ileostomy or colostomy, or are undergoing chemotherapy. 

If you have a gut disease, you can use the app but need to be aware that some of the advice around increasing fibre could trigger adverse gut reactions. See the ZOE FAQs for the full list of medical conditions it's not suitable for.

My experience of using Zoe as a nutritionist and Which? food expert

I was intrigued to try the original Zoe app in 2024, but after six months using it, comparing my results with others, and discussing my findings with dietitians and gut health experts, I wasn't convinced it offered truly personalised nutrition advice as claimed. 

In September 2025, Zoe launched an updated version that included big changes. No more glucose monitor arm patch, no blue cookie test – just the gut microbiome test remains, but even that is no longer an essential prerequisite to use the nutrition app (a welcome change).

How it works

The app includes AI-powered nutrition advice and meal scanning, a 'processed-food risk' analyser and expert 'tutorials' on nutrition and healthy eating. 

Each day you log your meals and snacks and are given a running tally of your macros (protein, carbs and fat intake), as well as how much fibre and how many different plants you've consumed. 

You're also told how many fermented foods and gut boosters you've eaten, and how much of your diet came from processed foods. There's plant diversity tracker too, to help you hit a 30-plants-a-week target. 

This version shifts the focus from highly personalised nutrition advice. It's more about eating 'mindfully' and healthily.

Meals are rated on a scale of 0-100 and colour-coded red, yellow, light green and dark green (from enjoy occasionally to eat freely).

You're also given a daily 'Diet quality' score, which rates your food choices from the previous day on a similar scale to indicate how it's set you up for the day ahead, energy-wise. You also get a tally of the quality of your protein, fat and carbs intake. 

Each meal and drink you log also earns a number of 'beans' for plant diversity, fibre, healthy proteins, healthy fats and whether it's fermented. The idea is to aim for 1,000 beans a day, which roughly amounts to three balanced meals. 

When you log a meal the app gives you ideas on how to improve your meal score. 

The Zoe gut health test

The main Zoe bundle still includes a gut microbiome test, which you can do when you join up to personalise your meal scores, and you are then encouraged to repeat it down the line to see if it's improved. 

I was especially interested in doing a repeat test because of my poor result on the first gut test I did with the original Zoe app.

But having used the updated app, digested my gut health insights, and compared them with other users and experts, has my overall opinion changed? Which? members can find out in the member-exclusive section below.

Why you can trust our Zoe nutrition app review

We purchased the Zoe app and kits independently, so there was no outside influence on our review. 

• I trialled the original Zoe app for six months in 2024, analysing the process and information provided, and using the app and its recommendations for my daily meals. 
• I then trialled the new version between October and December 2025, alongside our health and wellbeing editor, Jessica Carson, for comparison. 
• We've both tried out the latest updates in September 2026 too and discussed our verdict on them.
• Jess has also tried the Daily30+ gut supplement as part of her review.

I've followed up with Zoe for further insights on the results, and talked to independent experts including a gut health dietitian and microbiome research expert for additional perspective. 

Is Zoe really worth it? Our expert verdict

To sign up for Zoe, head to the Zoe website

More about Which? experts and our Zoe app research

Shefalee Loth, Which? principal researcher and nutritionist

Shefalee is a public health nutritionist with 20 years' experience, and has worked for the NHS, The London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine and World Cancer Research Fund

At Which? Shefalee is a principal researcher, researching and writing food and nutrition content for our magazine and website and is a media spokesperson. She is also a trustee at Sustain, the food and farming alliance.

She focuses on cutting through the hype to explain what you need to know about nutrition and healthy eating. From How bad is ultra-processed food? to the Top gut health myths you need to know about and What really works to cut cholesterol, Shefalee gives no-nonsense advice to help you make healthier choices and save money.

Our Zoe user research

In October 2024, our consumer research and analysis team surveyed 241 Which? members from our Connect research panel who told us they'd used Zoe in the past two years. 

We asked users a series of questions about their experiences to find out how useful people found it overall (and to be able to put numbers to it), and also gave people space to send us free-form responses with additional detail and their verdict on its impact on their life and eating habits. 

Shefalee followed up with some survey respondents for extra insights.

Our surveys are run and checked by our in-house Market Research Society qualified statisticians. For more on how Which? conducts its research see our Which? Testing & research explainer. 

Find out more about how Which? is not influenced by product manufacturers or retailers and how your support helps us to stay editorially independent

Healthy lifestyle changes you can make for free

Plenty of Zoe-advocated diet changes are broadly recommended for health, so you don’t need to sign up to benefit. These include:

• Eating diverse plant foods: The more variety, the better and things like herbs and seeds count. Aim for 30 plant foods a week. Lentils, pulses, legumes and nuts are all good sources of protein and can be used in recipes to reduce meat content. Veg, wholegrains, nuts and seeds contain fibre, which helps gut health.
• Reducing your intake of ultra-processed foods (UPF): While some foods classed as UPFs can still be healthy, such as baked beans and wholemeal bread, it's worth looking at how much of your diet is made up of the less healthy options, such as crisps, sugary drinks and snacks, and aiming to cut back. See more advice in our guide to ultra-processed foods.
• Including fermented foods in your diet: These contain microbes that could be beneficial for your gut. They include kefir, kimchi and kombucha, and everyday foods such as cheese and yoghurt. 
• Lifestyle changes: It’s not just food that affects your gut health. Being active, managing stress, getting enough sleep and managing your mental health also have an impact – so make sure you don’t neglect these areas, either.

You can sign up to Zoe's newsletter for free to get regular advice and healthy eating insights.

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