Choosing the Best Health Tracker App for Mobile
Why Do You Need a Health Tracker App?
Nowadays real-time health monitoring is not a matter of choice but a must-do thing. Such a necessity explains the growing popularity of innovative home-ready medical devices and health-tracking apps. The use of these tools can significantly improve the quality of life, especially if you have chronic health issues. But how to choose the best health tracker app for daily use? The following guide will focus on such recommendations.
But the first question is – do you actually need a health tracker app? Health apps can offer monitoring biodata about many things related to your health that are constantly changing such as heart rate or sleep patterns. Such monitoring might help to reveal certain health problems early before they become serious. It is like “having” a diagnosis specialist in your pocket.
Additionally, health tracker apps can give healthcare recommendations based on the monitored data. With the help of professional experts and AI, these apps can study your health routines and offer what you can improve in your lifestyle for daily well-being. For example, the app can motivate and remind you to walk more, drink more water, sleep longer, etc.
Also, a reliable health tracker app can keep you motivated. When you have the goals you aim to achieve, it becomes simpler to stay dedicated to a healthier lifestyle. Many health apps have options such as participating in contests or competing in achieving health goals to motivate the fitness app’s users.
Another benefit of using a health tracker journal app is the quick and simple sharing of your medical story with healthcare specialists. Instead of trying hard to recall the important information during regular checkups, you can show the real-time and historical biodata from the app. Your doctor gets correct and complete details about your current health situation which results in the smart diagnosis and treatment.
Nowadays it is hard to overestimate the importance of using the best apps for tracking health on mobile devices. No matter if you need to monitor your sleep while using a CPAP machine or your blood pressure during a morning jogging, you need a reliable fitness bracelet or watch with a health tracker app installed on it.
The Role of Smartphones and Smart Watches for Health Monitoring
Smartphones and smartwatches are not just for communication or fashion accessories, they have become a part of our everyday health habits as well.
Smartphones on Android and iOS with countless health apps work as powerful real-time health monitors. They keep tabs on things like how much you move around (activity), the amount of calories consumed and even your sleep patterns.
Using AI, in-built sensors, and GPS, these devices track your steps, traveled/walked distance, and walking/running speed. They show a full picture of your physical activity to help you lose weight or gain muscles faster. Smartphones can also keep track of data over time for analysis, giving you an understanding about your health trends and progress.
Additionally, smartwatches are hands-free wearable devices that can provide constant and immediate tracking of important signs like heart rate, levels of oxygen in the blood, and even ECG readings (electrocardiograms). These devices can be smoothly connected with smartphones for simultaneous data tracking and analysis.
For example, when the Apple Watch detects a human’s falling, it may alert emergency services. This feature can literally save lives.
Another user case – popular Fitbit bracelets (considered as the best health tracker wearable devices in the U.S.) give in-depth sleep analysis that can assist users in enhancing their sleep quality and regulations.
Main Types of a Health Tracker App
- Activity and Fitness Tracking Apps
These special apps are designed to keep an eye on physical activities like walking, running, cycling, and so on. They use GPS and sensors for tracking your movement, distance covered, speed as well as calories burnt. These apps often offer training plans, challenges, and community features to keep users motivated.
- Sleep Tracking Apps
Any health tracker app under this category helps to monitor your sleeping patterns to assist you in understanding and improving your sleep routine. They record how long and well you sleep, giving tips about the various phases of sleep and awakening. Some apps in this category also offer following meditation practices or bedtime stories/podcasts/sounds for better sleep.
- Nutrition and Diet Tracking Apps
These apps assist you in monitoring your diet, counting calories, and achieving nutritional goals. They help to log meals, scan barcodes, and access the vast food databases. For example, the app MyFitnessPal offers a wide range of features to monitor nutrition intake and keep a balanced diet. Such apps are exceptionally popular on different smart fitness bracelets and wearable watches – think of the Fitbit bracelet, Apple Watch, or Medibio health and fitness tracker.
- Mental Health and Meditation Apps
Mental health apps concentrate on boosting your psychological condition with meditation, mindfulness actions, stress-minimizing methods, and mood monitoring. They usually present guided sessions and informative material to assist users in handling tension, unease, and sleeping complexities.
- Ultimate Health Monitoring Apps
This group of apps is an all-in-one app with different health measurements like fitness activity, sleep routine, heart rate, blood pressure, sugar levels in the blood, and more. They usually connect with wearable gadgets and remind when to take medicine or store health records along with emergency details.
- Specialized Health Condition Apps
These apps for Android and iOS are made to manage certain health conditions like diabetes, hypertension, or asthma. They have dedicated features that help track and handle these issues. This mobile health tracker helps to analyze and store sugar logging, remind to take medicine and track down the early symptoms.
- Women’s Health and Wellness Apps
These apps are made especially for women. They offer such must-have features as tracking a woman’s menstrual cycle, and fertility, keeping a record of pregnancy, and managing menopause. They can become a great addition to any ultimate health tracker app.
What Features to Look for in a Health Tracker App on Mobile?
If you need to pick the best health-tracking apps on Android and iOS, then we recommend checking if the app has such necessary features:
- Tracking of different health measurements and biodata;
- Simple navigation, easy interface, large buttons, and understandable menus;
- Quick performance and regular updates;
- The synchronization between multiple mobile devices at the same time;
- Free trials or freemium model for a testing period;
- An option to set fitness/sleep/health goals and monitor how well a user works on achieving them;
- Safety and privacy of personal data;
- Customized recommendations and health advice in addition to the user’s medical checkups;
- Real-time updates, notifications, and important reminders;
- Large community and Customer support are preferable as well;
Also, it can be a great option if a health tracker app you use supports the voice-to-text option, especially for disabled or elderly people. We have already covered the benefits the voice-to-text software can bring on the example of the Easy Speech2Text tool.
The Best Health Tracker App for Any Wellness Case
First things first – there is no ultimate health tracker app that may suit every user’s needs because all of us have different health issues. Most young users will require a few feature-stuffed health apps that may track their body’s and mind’s condition during various activities. While most elderly users of smartphones and smartwatches will need specific health-monitoring apps, according to their medical diagnoses. It is strongly recommended to consult a doctor before installing and using a new health tracker app.
Due to such specifics, we decided to pick the best health tracker app for different occasions and user cases. Feel free to add your favorite health tracking and monitoring applications!
- Strava: The Best App for Runners and Cyclists
Strava is liked by many athletes and fitness lovers. It is an interactive application to monitor activities, display accomplishments, and connect with people from around the globe. Whether you run, ride a bike, or do a triathlon – Strava adds to your regular workouts some competition.
Strava’s outstanding characteristic is its exact GPS tracking for runs, rides, and swims. This lets users examine their performance with accuracy. It helps in improving motivation and team spirit. Personalized training plans it offers are also very good, because they assist users in reaching certain fitness targets by offering guided programs that match their requirements.
Strava can be used on iOS and Android. Strava uses a freemium model, giving basic features free, while advanced options like detailed examination and customized training plans only as its premium subscription that costs $ 7.99 each month or $ 59.99 per year.
- Alo Moves: The Best App for Yoga and Fitness Routine
Alo Moves gives a total wellness experience, not only focusing on yoga but also providing different programs of daily workouts. The smooth design and famous trainers of Alo Moves make it feel like you are inside the professional gym without leaving your home.
The app includes different classes – from yoga practices to fitness/core strength training programs. You can follow special programs made by famous trainers who will motivate you to achieve fitness goals. A key characteristic of this app is offline access to all the classes. People can download customized individual classes and then practice them anywhere.
Alo Moves can be accessed from iOS and Android devices. It offers a 14-day free trial, and once this period is over you can choose to subscribe at $ 20 monthly or $ 199 annually.
- Headspace: The Best App for Mental Health Monitoring
Headspace is an excellent option for keeping track of your mental health because it has a simple interface and many practices to follow. The app smoothly mixes meditation with better sleep quality.
Many scientific studies have indicated the effectiveness of this app in dealing with stress, depression as well as other mental health issues that underlines its dedication to promoting user’s good health.
The app can be accessed through Android and iOS platforms, offering a 30-day free usage trial. For non-students, yearly subscriptions are priced at $ 69.99 while each month’s plan costs $ 12.99. Students in some countries can expect reduced rates with an annual plan being offered for only $ 9.99 and a monthly fee costing merely $ 0.83 per month.
- Sleep Cycle: Best App for Learning About and Tracking Sleep
Sleep Cycle is the best app for anyone who wants to enhance their sleep quality. It gives a thorough summary of your sleeping habits by tracking how much time you spend in bed and the noise level surrounding you during sleep.
Sleep Cycle also offers sophisticated practices of meditation, breathing exercises, soothing sounds, and podcasts for better sleep patterns. Many users value the custom tips from the app. For example, the app may recommend buying a bed of a different size or reducing the noise level.
It is one of the best health apps for iPhone and Android. In addition, it uses a freemium model. You can access basic features at no cost, while the yearly premium subscription has a price tag of $ 39.99. Although it has some restrictions, the Sleep Cycle is recommended for its all-encompassing method of improving sleep habits.
- Apple Health: The Best Free iOS App
Apple Health is a simple-to-use health tracker built in the iOS environment. It provides full health tracking for those using an iPhone, iPad, or Apple Watch.
One of the most notable parts is the Medical ID feature, making sure the important details are available during health emergencies and improving user safety. Also, notifications for medications assist in keeping track of schedules even when you are away from home. Apple Health keeps an eye on your health progress over time, using the monitored data from different body functions such as blood oxygen levels, heart rate, and sleep patterns. These options can be good for Apple Watch users.
The app is available only for iOS, but it is completely free. The way it combines and links data inside the Apple world is exceptionally good. However, if you don’t have an Apple device or an Apple Watch to provide detailed metrics, then this could be a disadvantage.
Definitely, Apple Health is one of the best health-tracking apps for Apple Watch and iOS devices. Just check this video explaining all the benefits you may get with this free iOS application.
- Me+: The Best App for Building Healthy Habits
Me+ works like a personal coach for creating and keeping up good routines. It gives you a plan of daily schedule, helps to track your habits, and records your mood (!) – is focused on self-care and wellness.
Me+ helps in building good habits by offering a complete set of features. You can set up and achieve goals that match well with healthy living, even if some users mention problems related to its notifications (which are important for keeping up with daily routines).
Me+ is accessible for downloading on iOS and Android. It gives a free version with basic services, as well as a monthly subscription at $ 9.99 per month and a yearly plan for $ 39.99 per year. Although it has some limitations, Me+ can be very useful to people who want to improve their overall health and build healthy habits.
- Fitbit: The Health Monitoring App on a Bracelet
The wearable devices from Fitbit, along with their health tracker app, are very popular because they offer detailed tracking of activity, sleep patterns, and heart rate among other things. This makes it a comprehensive method for monitoring the user’s overall health.
Fitbit stands out because it gives an in-depth understanding of many health measurements, keeps users motivated with challenges and rewards, and also promotes support from a user community. The app is very well connected to Fitbit devices which helps in accurate tracking and syncing of data.
The Fitbit app is ready to be used on iOS and Android. There’s a basic version of Fitbit that’s free to use, without ads. But if you want more advanced features like detailed sleep analysis or workout videos from trainers – then go for the premium subscription at $ 9.99/month or $ 79.99/year.
- Calm: Mental Well-Being and Stress Management
Calm isn’t only a meditation application. It can track your mood, sleep habits, and stress levels to improve the overall mental health picture.
The special feature of Calm is its soothing meditation sessions, sleep-friendly stories, and podcasts, along with relaxation techniques. The easy-to-use interface and customization make it perfect for managing stress and enhancing sleep quality.
The app is accessible on iOS and Android. Calm has a free version with limited access to basic features. A premium subscription gives you full access and costs $ 14.99 monthly or $ 69.99 annually.
- Nike Training Club: The Best for the Fitness Progress
Nike Training Club gives entry to various guided workout routines and training plans. Users can choose between different fitness levels and goals.
The app offers top-level workout content guided by Nike Master Trainers and professional athletes. It includes custom training plans, with unique fitness goals and likes of each person for productive yet diverse exercises.
Nike Training Club can be used on both iOS and Android, and it is free. This makes it helpful to anyone who wants professional direction and a variety of workouts in their fitness routine.
- MyFitnessPal: Best Health Tracker App Aggregator
MyFitnessPal is an adaptable application that helps in tracking calories, weight loss plans, hydration, exercise, and other health-related activities. It can be connected with more than 35 different fitness trackers and smartwatches making its compatibility very diverse.
It also includes a large food library and the option to set up personal goals. It can also incorporate sleep data from the linked devices. Yet, the free version has ads and quick food logging using a barcode scanner is only for premium subscribers.
The main feature of this app is to aggregate a few other popular applications on mobile iOS/Android devices and smart wearables like Fitbit bracelet.
iOS and Android users can download this app from the corresponding mobile app stores. The app has a free version that has basic features and no ads. The premium one costs $ 19.99 per month.
Check the comparison table of all the mentioned health tracker apps on mobile devices:
| The Health Tracker App | Main Features | Devices Availability | Pricing Plan |
| Strava | GPS tracking, fitness challenges, community, training plans | iOS, Android | Free and Premium |
| Alo Moves | Yoga and fitness classes, personal programs, offline access | iOS, Android | 14-day free trial and Premium |
| Headspace | Meditation, sleep improvement, stress reduction, mindfulness exercises | iOS, Android | Free 30-day trial and Premium |
| Sleep Cycle | Sleep tracking, personalized tips, meditations | iOS, Android | Freemium |
| Apple Health | Health metrics, Medical ID, notifications, integration with Apple Watch | iOS | Free |
| Me+ | Daily routine planner, habit tracker, mood and progress tracker | iOS, Android | Free and Premium |
| Fitbit | Activity, sleep, heart rate tracking, challenges, community support | iOS, Android | Free and Premium |
| Calm | Meditation sessions, relaxation techniques, mood tracking | iOS, Android | Free and Premium |
| Nike Training Club | The workout routines, training plans, personalized recommendations | iOS, Android | Free |
| MyFitnessPal | Calorie counting, nutrition tracking, weight loss goals, hydration tracking | iOS, Android | Free and Premium |
Yes, we can’t review all the good health-tracking apps for smartphones and smartwatches because there are literally hundreds of them. If you seek something more specific, we advise reading some additional sources like this Reddit thread related to the real experience of using health-monitoring applications.
Frequently Asked Questions
Are health tracker apps safe to use daily?
Usually, a health tracker app can be used daily if you get it from trusted places like the App Store or Google Play. They are made to assist with monitoring and enhancing your health by keeping track of activities, sleep patterns, heart rate, etc. However, it is very important to consider privacy issues. Check the app’s privacy policy to know how they gather, keep, and share your personal medical information. Keep the health tracking app updated and also update your device’s OS to prevent security breaches.
What device to use for a health tracker app – a smartwatch or smartphone?
Smartwatches and smartphones are both good choices for using health tracker apps.
A smartwatch can give ongoing, immediate updates on your activities, heart rate, and sleep patterns. It is good for hands-free health tracking. Smartwatches also offer quick notifications about taking pills or drinking water. On the other hand, the bigger screen on smartphones is more beneficial for detailed health and biodata analysis. If possible, use both devices to monitor your health with maximum benefits.
Can my doctor track my health condition through the tracker app on my smartwatch?
Certainly, your doctor can follow your health status from a health tracker app on your smartwatch or smartphone. Numerous health tracker apps have features that let users share their data with healthcare providers in real-time and in sync. But, at first, you need to provide consent for your doctor to receive access permissions for viewing and analyzing the data related to your health.
How accurate are health tracker apps in monitoring health metrics?
All the apps we have covered earlier have great user reviews about the accuracy of monitored and stored health data. Surely, you can’t replace your medical checkups fully even with the greatest health monitoring applications.
Conclusion
Hopefully, our guide helped you to pick the best health tracker app for your daily needs. Use your smartphone and smartwatch to monitor biodata for a high-quality lifestyle. You won’t even believe at first how a single health-monitoring application can change your life for the better. Just trust the process and let the smart app do the job of controlling your health condition. Also, do not forget that even great health-tracking apps won’t be able to replace regular medical checkups. Stay healthy!
