What bugs me is that the software doesn't have a free trial period. I am testing out some others and I wish I could test this out before paying for it.

I just started trying out their free online version. Too early to tell, but it seems to have a lot of features I find useful. Hopefully I won't even need the software version.

I tried free versions of a lot of different software. I liked CalorieKing the best mainly because it has a 40,000+ food database. Fitday I found hard to use, but I understand others love it.

Yeah, I hear you. I looked into the PC versoin, but decided against it as there is no way to transfer your history from the on-line version to the PC version. This was a "showstopper" for me. Why lose all that history?

I just use their free online version and I love it.I like the free version just as it is.I just need to count cals,that's all.

Suzanne loves the pc version. I haven't used it, but I plan to install it soon based on her enthusiasm. You can read her review here:
http://www.3fatchicks.com/diets/fitday-software.php

I would probably consider the free online version as the free trial. Though I agree that to be competitive, they should offer a time limited trial of the software.

The biggest advantage to the software version is that you don't have to be online to use it. I personally feel safer having my info on my own computer. What if the FitDay server crashes?

I've been using Fitday Online to track my weight, and recently (like, last Friday) I decided to stop being so stubborn and start logging my food as well. I decided that I might as well take the plunge and get the pay version of the program as well. I paid $19.95 for it.

I am happy with it. I think it is easier to enter custom foods than in the online version. I'm a graphs nut, so having more of them is a good thing for me. I was able to "go back in time" and enter my weight ins from the free site, so that data wasn't lost. Finally, it seems to be the general consensus on alt.support.diets that the pay version of the program is more accurate in its guesstimations on basal metabolism calories burned counts.

If I come across a piece of software that I could use for free, but also have the option of paying for, I often will opt to register it if I use the program frequently. It just feels, I dunno, appropiate to me (but I fully understand why someone might not want to upgrade to a pay program if the free version is working just fine for them).

I used the free version for over a year and finally biught the software. I love it because I don't need to get onto the net to use it!

My problem is that I want to compare it to other software that is similar. I work for a comapny that reviews software and offers downloads of trialware so I am a big fan of the free trial.

Oh well. I guess I need to use the online version if that's the closest I am going to get to a trial. *sigh*

For people who have it:
Can you run this on two computers and move your profiles back and forth to keep them up to date?

I don't know. But you can with the software that I use and love, DietPower, which also offers a free trial. It beats the pants off of fitday, it really does. Many, many more features, much more comprehensive nutritional analysis, huge exercise database and the ability to add not only custom foods but custom exercises, graphs, calendar/journal functions, BMR tracking, recipe building, and so much more....

How on EARTH, though, do you convince that Dietpower site to allow you to input your water intake? Grr...

I input my water every day!! What difficulty are you having?

You enter it like any other thing you consume. Just select, click, and drop! I keep both distilled and carbonated water in my favorites box so I can just drag and drop them every day.

If you need any help with it, I'm happy to lend a hand -- just let me know!

And, for the purposes of this discussion, it totally doesn't matter -- but just so it's clear to folks who don't have DP, you don't have to go to a "site" to use it -- it's software installed on your computer, so being online is not required.

Good luck, Shalia -- and seriously, let me know if you have any questions at all.

Thanks. I'm on the 15 day trial. Thought I'd give it a shot. I'm so used to fitday that it's hard to remember to go somewhere else to enter.

Although Fitday says I can have up to 2700 calories per day <yeah right!> and DP says 1675 <more likely>. Wow, what a difference!!