5 Fitness Apps You Should Try Instead Of Google Health

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The Fitbit app has gone through some major overhauls since Google acquired it in 2021. Google has now folded the app into Google Health, a broader platform built around Gemini AI. The new app can handle everything from workouts to sleep to nutrition, all in one place. But the switch wasn’t optional for existing users, and it’s changed the daily experience for those who once regularly used the Fitbit app with a smartwatch or other wellness gadgets.

Many Fitbit users who now find themselves under the Google Health umbrella may be considering a move away from the platform entirely. The redesign has reorganized the interface around a heavier AI presence, and some popular metrics now take several taps to reach. The dietary aspects of Google Health have received some criticism as well, with food logging being one of its weakest aspects. More generally, the app feels unfinished and rushed to release.

Of course, the Android smartwatch app ecosystem is massive. There are plenty of fitness apps that can stand in for, or outright replace, Google Health. We’ve got some experience with such apps, and we’ve scoured the Google Play Store for some others. This has left us with some Android fitness apps that not only focus on two or three main features, but also compete with Google Health as an all-encompassing health app. Some can be used in tandem, while others may be enough to suit your fitness tracking needs all on their own.

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Strava is one of the most popular health and fitness apps among Android users. It has more than 100 million downloads in the Google Play Store, and more than 1.15 million reviewers combine to give it an overall rating of 4.6-out-of-5 stars. The app is built around GPS-based activity tracking, which makes it a good option for hikers, cyclists, and evening walkers. It provides support for more than 50 different sport types overall. It’s capable of syncing with a wide range of devices that include smartwatches and fitness trackers by Garmin, Fitbit, and Peloton, so moving to Strava from Google Health shouldn’t come with hardware concerns.

Strava’s free version gives users access to most of the basics and does them well. This includes a lite social component that features segment leaderboards and clubs in addition to activity tracking. But as is the case with most health apps, Strava reserves some of its more unique features — like Athlete Intelligence insights, detailed training logs, and custom route planning — for paid subscribers. This isn’t likely to matter much to casual users, however, and Strava comes highly regarded across multiple platforms, as it was chosen as the Best Apple Watch app in the 2025 App Store Awards.

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While apps like Google Health and Strava are nearly synonymous with fitness tracking, a smaller, more independent option is Fitotrack. It’s open-source, totally ad-free, and built specifically around privacy. For those who prefer to keep their health and fitness data away from the prying eyes of big tech, one of Fitotrack’s most enticing features is that it requires no account in order to use it. When it comes to health and fitness tracking capabilities, the app can record data for activities like running, cycling, and hiking through GPS. It displays route maps, pace, distance, and speed for each workout, and even provides detailed charts that break down a user’s performance over time.

But the things that make Fitotrack great could also be seen as reasons to seek out more popular fitness tracking apps. The privacy-first nature of Fitotrack leaves it with no social implementation, so you won’t be able to compete with other fitness nuts or measure yourself against leaderboards. And while it does have the ability to track numerous activities, Fitotrack is lacking when it comes to more health-minded features like sleep tracking. But for those who value privacy, simplicity, and a truly ad-free experience, Fitotrack is an alternative to Google Health that’s worth taking a look at.

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Samsung is one of the largest tech companies and electronics manufacturers in the world. It makes some of the best wearables for sleep tracking, and its Galaxy S lineup is among the most popular smartphones. The company has made Samsung Health for fitness enthusiasts entrenched in its device ecosystem, though the app will work with devices across the Android platform. For Samsung users, it’s perhaps the most attractive alternative to Google Health, as it’s meant to be an all-in-one health and fitness solution.

For Android users in general, Samsung Health can also function as a health and fitness command center. It automatically tracks steps, workout intensity, heart rate, stress levels, and even blood oxygen levels, and it requires no other apps in order to do so. Food and weight logging are built-in features. While certain aspects of Samsung Health are reserved for Samsung users — such as syncing across devices — the app has more than a billion downloads from the Google Play Store.

Beyond core tracking, the app includes guided workout videos and structured programs that can be tapped into by users of all levels. For those looking to integrate a meditation or general mindfulness routine into their lives, Samsung Health includes guided breathing exercises and access to the Calm app, where you can find even more meditations, stories, and even relaxing music.

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The Google Play Store offers a wide variety of Google Health alternatives that are focused primarily on fitness tracking, but Yazio focuses on nutrition. It’s built around AI-assisted food logging, and lets users snap a picture of a meal for instant calorie and nutrition estimates. There’s a lot users can do with Yazio when trying to establish new eating routines or to better understand nutrition. It can provide water intake reminders and even has built-in fasting plans. More than 3,000 recipes are also available and can be filtered by preference in order to find a quality meal to make at any time of the day.

One downside to Yazio is that, like many food and nutrition tracking apps, it can be somewhat tedious to use. Some reviewers in the Google Play Store note that there’s a lot of input you have to provide, both to get started with the app and when logging meals. But AI integrations are meant to help with a lot of that, and Yazio has more than 50 million total downloads and an overall rating of 4.4-out-of-5 stars. With the dietary aspect of Google Health being one of its largest complaints, Yazio is worth considering until Google improves the app or if you want to move away from it entirely.

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Google Health and other health and fitness apps offer robust tracking features, but Sweatcoin is designed for users who prefer to keep their fitness routine simple. This isn’t the kind of app to pair with sports-focused smartwatches, or for those trying to meet certain performance goals. Sweatcoin is basically just a pedometer, with no tracking of calories and no logging of workouts. It’s an incredibly basic app in terms of fitness tracking, made for users who are trying to develop a habit of walking daily or who simply want to know how much they already move throughout the day.

But where Sweatcoin stands apart from other health and fitness apps is when it comes to motivation. It essentially gamifies your daily step count, creating a virtual currency called Sweatcoins. The more you walk, the more Sweatcoins you earn, and these can be redeemed in real-world ways. Redeemable rewards include things like gift cards and Sweatcoin partner discounts. While some reviewers in the Google Play Store have commented that the process of cashing in Sweatcoins can be disappointing, the habit-forming functionality of the app can still be worth tapping into.

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Since Google Health is free to use, we made a point of sticking to apps that offer their features, at least to a certain extent, at no cost. Fully functional, entirely free apps are getting more difficult to find, as are free apps with no ad intrusion. We focused our research on options that at least minimize the inconvenience of advertisements, and that provide a broad feature set without requiring in-app purchases or a hefty subscription.

Beyond cost, we focused on apps that offer something distinct rather than just being a smaller version of Google Health. Our selections span different approaches to fitness and health tracking, from Strava’s social element to FitoTrack’s privacy-first design, and from Sweatcoin’s gamification to Samsung Health’s all-in-one interface.

We combined our hands-on experience and customer reviews across the Google Play Store to curate this selection of apps. We also applied our general tech expertise and understanding of what other fitness enthusiasts may be looking for in an alternative to Google Health.