PKU vs. HCU
AccuGo ships as two separate apps in the App Store — AccuGo for PKU and AccuGo for HCU. They share the same code base and core feature set; what differs is which nutrient is the focus, which settings exist, and a few platform features.
Conditions, briefly
Phenylketonuria (PKU) is a genetic condition where the body can't break down the amino acid phenylalanine. The diet limits phenylalanine; protein and exchanges (10–50 mg of phenylalanine each, by convention) are common ways of expressing the daily allowance.
Homocystinuria (HCU) is a related but distinct condition affecting the body's processing of methionine. The diet limits methionine instead; protein is the most commonly tracked surrogate.
AccuGo doesn't make medical recommendations — it just records what you eat in the units your dietitian uses.
Feature differences
| Feature | PKU | HCU |
|---|---|---|
| Primary nutrient | Phenylalanine (mg) | Methionine (mg) |
| Default tracking mode | Phenylalanine, Exchanges, Calories | Protein, Calories |
| Exchanges | Yes (default size 15 mg) | Not available |
| Simplified diet option | Yes | Not available |
| Daily target notification | Yes | Not available |
| Background refresh | Yes | Not available |
| External resource link in More | Not shown | HCU Network Australia |
| Community filter | Foods with phe or protein values | Foods with met or protein values |
| Bundle identifier prefix | com.accugo.pku | com.accugo (hcu target) |
What's the same
- The community database — same shared pool, just filtered differently.
- Your account — there's one AccuGo account system; both variants sign in to the same server.
- The Today / Search / History / More tab structure.
- Multiple-individual support (up to four per account).
- Settings that are shared: Time Grouping, Display More Precision, Show Tabs.
Can one person use both?
Technically yes — you can install both apps and sign in to the same account on each. But the tracking mode is a per-account setting that affects both, and the daily summary differs by app, so you'd be looking at the same data through two different lenses. In practice, families pick the variant that matches their condition and stick with it.