The Honest Read
This is the comparison that actually matters for serious cyclists thinking about periodised nutrition. MyFitnessPal doesn't belong in this conversation — it's a calorie tracker. Hexis and Fuelin are both doing the real work: adjusting your daily macros based on what training you're doing. The question is which does it better, and for whom.
Where Hexis goes deeper. Hexis's methodology comes from Dr Sam Impey and Professor James Morton's FFTWR research at Liverpool John Moores University — the same work that underpins nutrition at Ineos Grenadiers, EF Education-EasyPost, Tudor Pro Cycling, and half a dozen other WorldTour teams. The engine runs seven fuel categories from REST through to VERY_HIGH, each with specific carb-scaling factors and exercise-calorie restoration rates. On a rest day, an 82kg rider gets around 1,750 kcal with 123g of carbs. On a moderate training day, that shifts to 1,953 kcal and 157g of carbs — with 77% of exercise calories restored and 67% of those restored calories allocated to carbohydrates. On a competition day, restoration rises to near 100% with an additional 40g carb-loading bonus, pushing totals to 2,309 kcal and 219g of carbs. That level of granularity is where the FFTWR methodology earns its keep.
Where Fuelin goes wider. Fuelin covers cycling, running, swimming and gym work inside one app — built by sports dietitian Scott Tindal with a multi-sport athlete in mind. If you're a triathlete or a cyclist who also runs seriously, Fuelin's broader coverage matters. The food logging uses AI-powered natural language input (Scooter), which is faster than barcode scanning for most meals. The premium tier includes access to Fuelin's coaching team with 1:1 messaging and bi-weekly live sessions — a meaningful add for athletes who want a human checking their work.
The methodology difference, plainly. Both platforms periodise. The distinction is precision. Hexis runs fuel categories with published restoration factors and carb-scaling coefficients — the same system verified against live athlete accounts. Fuelin uses a traffic-light system (higher carbs, lower carbs) that's easier to understand but less granular. For a cyclist whose events require precise competition fuelling — carb-loading protocols, in-ride carb targets by intensity, race-day restoration — Hexis's specificity pulls ahead. For a cyclist who wants sensible daily nutrition that moves with training without needing to understand fuel categories, Fuelin's simpler framing works.
On cost. Hexis is around $20/month. Fuelin is $29.99/month or $119/year (roughly $10/month annually). The annual Fuelin plan is significantly cheaper per month than Hexis. The monthly Fuelin plan is significantly more expensive. If you commit annually and want multi-sport coverage, Fuelin's pricing works in your favour. If you want the deepest cycling-specific periodisation month-to-month, Hexis offers more methodology per dollar.
The practical recommendation. Pure cyclist, structured training plan, events on the calendar, cares about the FFTWR science: Hexis. Multi-sport athlete, wants coaching access, prefers simpler daily guidance across disciplines: Fuelin. Both are credible — this isn't MFP versus either of them. The gap between Hexis and Fuelin is a gap of specificity and scope, not quality. If you want to try the periodised approach before paying for either, the fuelling calculator runs the same FFTWR methodology for free.
Going with Hexis? Roadman readers get 25% off with code CARBS25 — start here.
FAQ
Is Fuelin as good as Hexis for cycling?
Fuelin is a credible periodised nutrition platform, but Hexis goes deeper on cycling-specific methodology. Hexis's fuel-category system, competition carb-loading protocol, and FFTWR research base were built for and adopted by WorldTour cycling teams. Fuelin covers cycling well inside a broader multi-sport framework. For pure cycling specificity, Hexis has the edge.
Do both integrate with TrainingPeaks?
Yes. Hexis syncs with TrainingPeaks, Garmin and Strava. Fuelin syncs with TrainingPeaks, TriDot, Humango and Final Surge. Both read your training data to adjust daily nutrition. The integration quality is comparable — the difference is in what each platform does with that training data once it has it.
Which is cheaper?
Fuelin is cheaper on an annual plan — $119/year works out to roughly $10/month versus Hexis at around $20/month. Fuelin's monthly price ($29.99) is more expensive than Hexis. If you commit annually and Fuelin's methodology suits you, it's the better-value option. If you want the deeper cycling-specific periodisation, Hexis's monthly rate is still reasonable for what it delivers.
Can I get the same results from either?
Both will improve your nutrition relative to a static calorie tracker. The difference shows up in the specifics — competition fuelling, precise carb scaling by session intensity, race-day protocols. A cyclist following either platform properly will eat better than a cyclist winging it. The edge cases where Hexis pulls ahead are event-specific: carb-loading precision, fuel-category granularity, and the competition-day restoration logic that WorldTour teams rely on.
What if I'm a triathlete who also cycles seriously?
Fuelin is the better fit. It handles cycling, running and swimming nutrition inside one platform, which means your daily macros account for a brick session the same way they account for a pure bike day. Hexis is cycling-first and doesn't cover multi-sport periodisation with the same depth. Triathletes whose bike leg is the primary limiter might still benefit from Hexis's cycling specificity, but most age-group triathletes are better served by one app across all three disciplines.