Living with Crohn's disease can be challenging, but technology may be able to help. We looked for the best tools to help you manage symptoms, monitor stress levels, track nutrition, find nearby bathrooms, and much more. Between their solid content, reliability, and enthusiastic reviews, the year's best apps can help you stay well from one day to the next.
iPhone rating: 4.6 stars
Price: Free with optional in-app purchases
The MyPlate Calorie Counter makes it easy to monitor your nutrition. The user-friendly design lets you track food and browse a robust database of more than 2 million foods. Try the eight-week meal plan with balanced macronutrients, get personalized daily calorie goals, review data and stats, and even track your water intake.
iPhone rating: 4.2 stars
Android rating: 3.9 stars
Price: Free
With SitOrSquat, you'll always know the location of the nearest public restroom. Search, view, and rate more than 100,000 public restrooms, and even add public restrooms to the database to help others. You can also filter for things like SitOrSquat rating, baby changing table, handicap accessible, or free for public use.
iPhone rating: 3.9 stars
Android rating: 4.2 stars
Price: Free
The Oshi app was designed with the recognition that everybody living with inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) is different. Tracking how your lifestyle — including things like stress, diet, sleep, and exercise — affects your symptoms and well-being can help you identify patterns and triggers to avoid flare-ups. Plus, the app comes with a magazine's worth of content personalized to your interests.
iPhone rating: 5 stars
Android rating: 4.3 stars
Price: Free
This app helps you record everything from bowel movements and medications to meals, moods, symptoms, and tests — all in just seconds. Features include multiple trackers, a diary, personalized statistics and valuable insights based on your entered data, plus useful charts.
iPhone rating: 3 stars
Android rating: 4 stars
Price: Free
Find support from people who understand exactly what you're going through with Crohn's and Colitis Support, a social network and online support group. In addition to emotional support, you'll find practical tips for day-to-day management and insight about treatments and therapies.
If you want to nominate an app for this list, email us at nominations@healthline.com.
Jessica Timmons has been a freelance writer since 2007. She writes, edits, and consults for a great group of steady accounts and the occasional one-off project, all while juggling the busy lives of her four kids with her ever-accommodating husband. She loves weight lifting, really great lattes, and family time.