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UPDATED: AlterMe Will Definitely Alter Your Wallet, but There May Be Better Ways to Alter Your Body

Zek
UPDATED: AlterMe Will Definitely Alter Your Wallet, but There May Be Better Ways to Alter Your Body
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I’m a firm believer that if someone finds a fitness routine that works for them, that’s what matters. I like lifting heavy items; I have friends who prefer to run marathons, but there’s more than one way to get healthy. However, I do draw the line at taking advantage of people who are struggling to get healthy, and when we got this pitch for AlterMe, my jaw dropped.

AlterMe offers a lot. Specifically, their email pitched us on the following:

What’s the price for all this insight? Oh, just a modest $99 to start and only $66 a month (or $1,699 for 3 years if you pay it all up front). However, it seems like you’d be far, far better off putting together your own plan and cutting AlterMe out of it entirely. Let’s break down what they offer.

AlterMe Biometrics tracking

Let’s quickly cover the smart ring. I hate smart rings for fitness, because there’s a LOT of workouts where a ring is not only uncomfortable, it’s downright dangerous. [If you’re feeling brave, go ahead and Google “degloving”]. But let’s say you pick an Oura Ring. It’s $349 for the ring and then $5.99 a month or $69.99 per year. Definitely cheaper than AlterMe, but what about everything else AlterMe offers?

AlterMe Genetric Profile

DNA fitness tests have become a big thing, and AlterMe isn’t the only company out there offering to unlock the secrets of your ideal fitness via a sample of your spit. But the problem here is that DNA science is not set and done. It’s continually being studied, and things can be shifted or clarified, as anyone who has seen their “AncestryDNA” results change with more information knows.

And even if you get results, you still need to interpret them and then put in the work to implement what you think they’re telling you. That, of course, assumes you trust the DNA results you get.

AlterMe isn’t close to the only company offering this sort of testing, and the $99 they’re charging for the DNA test is right in line with EverlyWell and other competitors. But there’s zero information available on how AlterMe developed their program, or any studies on their website showing how they’ve assessed accuracy. AlterMe does get points for offering the DNA test as a standalone purchase, though they’d obviously prefer to upsell you on their expensive monthly program.

AlterMe Meal Tracking

AlterMe is similarly opaque about exactly how its AI determines your nutrition. Are you sending photos of your takeout to an app? Asking ChatGPT for a meal plan? The theoretical idea of an LLM AI creating a meal plan is not a bad one, and in fact has even been broken down by actual scientific studies. However, I had to go hunting for this study; it’s not featured on AlterMe’s site, and without knowing what the AI is doing, it’s hard to say if that’s a benefit or not.

Incidentally, if your insurance covers a nutritionist, you can meet with a real, actual person. And if you’re not covered or not interested in that, there are tried and true options like Weight Watchers and MyFitnessPal, which all offer ways to track what you eat for significantly less than AlterMe’s $66 per month.

AlterMe Movement

20-minute adaptive workouts are not worth $66 a month. Yes, you can absolutely get a good workout in 20 minutes, especially if it’s a high-intensity interval workout (HIIT). But HIIT is not enough for well-rounded fitness! And yes, AlterMe offers “guided breathwork” and yoga, but none of that is special or unique. Also, you can pay for a year of Apple Fitness AND a year of Headspace for less than 2.5 months’ worth of AlterMe.

AlterMe - become your best self

Apparently, it’s very possible to get an accurate body scan from a phone camera. There have even been studies to highlight the accuracy of apps. So, again, my sticking point is the cost. Prior to doing the research for this post, I assumed DEXA scans were prohibitively expensive. As it turns out, a basic DEXA body composition scan can be as low as $75 or as high as $300, depending on your area.

That’s really my sticking point on AlterMe; it’s eye-poppingly expensive, and there’s no clarity about why. Their website is super light on the details, while some combination of everything they offer can be put together by yourself for significantly less. Nowhere is there information on how the “health experts” or “fitness experts” who are endorsing or are involved with this program are actually involved. There are no real biographies (beyond short blurbs) of their experts and no links to studies explaining how and why their particular spin on DNA testing, fitness, or nutrition is better than what’s already out there.

And if you’re going to charge $792 per year, your users definitely deserve a lot more transparency! Realistically, you could do some combination of signing up for a DNA test, finding a local DEXA scan place, picking your favorite fitness workout app, and even throw in a fitness tracker, and STILL SPEND LESS. Yes, for some people it’s worth having an all-in-one solution, but if you’re going to offer one that’s more expensive than buying separately, at least offer a program that improves on each of the components!

Have you used AlterMe? Have you looked into their program? Are we way off base with this take? Let us know in the comments!

10/22/2025 UPDATE

AlterMe has provided the following corrections and clarifications to our article for your consideration:

1. “Zero information available on how AlterMe developed their program or any studies on their website showing how they’ve assessed accuracy.”

Correction: AlterMe’s methodology is built on peer-reviewed scientific research, including studies published in PLOS ONE, Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research, and Journal of Applied Physiology. Our system analyzes over 60 validated genetic markers (SNPs) tied to traits like fat loss, inflammation, stress tolerance, and exercise response. Research summaries and references are accessible via our DNA Portal and available to reviewers upon request.

2. “There’s no clarity about how the fitness programming is tailored…”

Correction: Our adaptive programming is guided by three personalized data layers:

This enables workouts to shift daily, unlike static app workouts, based on what your body is ready for. No other program currently integrates genetics + real-time biometrics + adaptive programming in this way.

3. “You’d be far, far better off putting together your own plan…”

Clarification: DIY fitness works for some, but AlterMe exists for those who have already tried piecing together solutions and still haven’t found sustainable success. We combine:

4. “Body scans that measure your body fat with your phone camera.”

Clarification: AlterMe does offer smartphone-based body composition scanning as an optional feature within the app. It’s designed for trend tracking and motivation, not as a standalone diagnostic. It complements our biometric and DNA-based progress tools for a more complete user experience.

5. “It’s eye-poppingly expensive and there’s no clarity why.”

Correction: AlterMe pricing includes:

Bundled separately, these services would easily exceed our current pricing. AlterMe is intentionally designed as an integrated, premium health solution, competitively priced against comparable offerings that lack personalization or adaptation.

6. “No clarity about who the fitness and health experts behind the app are.”

Correction: AlterMe is backed by a distinguished Performance Council that includes top-tier scientists and performance experts. The team includes:

Their full bios and affiliations are published on our “Who?We?Are” page.

7. “No improvement over other free or lower-cost tools.”

Correction: AlterMe isn’t a replacement for individual tools—it’s the first system that integrates them all into a single adaptive experience, aligned to your biology. Unlike static apps or wearables, we offer:

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