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Google Health and Fitbit are no longer two competing apps. Google says the Fitbit app became the Google Health app starting May 19, 2026. Fitbit wearables and Google Pixel Watch devices remain the hardware that collect workouts, sleep and vital-sign data, while the redesigned Google Health app presents that information.
That means the practical comparison is not “which app should I install?” It is whether your particular Fitbit or Pixel Watch supports the exercise modes, sleep stages and health metrics you want, and whether your connected apps can share their data with Google Health.
The short answer: the app changed, but device capabilities still decide what you can track
Google’s Help Center describes a name and design change: starting May 19, 2026, the Fitbit app became the Google Health app. Fitbit is still relevant because Fitbit-branded devices remain supported hardware. Google Pixel Watch models are also part of the supported ecosystem.
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Google Health is therefore the current software destination for data generated by compatible wearables. It does not give every user the same workout controls, sleep measurements or vital-sign list. Those depend on the exact device, its sensors, whether you wear it at the relevant time and the data-sharing connections you authorize.
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- Workouts: supported Fitbit devices and Pixel Watch series can record exercise, but available exercise types, shortcuts and controls vary by model.
- Sleep: wrist-worn Fitbit devices and Pixel Watch series can automatically detect sleep when worn to bed. Sleep Score requires sleep-stage data.
- Health metrics: breathing rate, heart-rate variability, skin temperature, oxygen saturation and resting heart rate are listed by Google, but a compatible device is required for each metric.
- Other apps: Google Health can receive data through Health Connect, Apple Health and some direct app connections. Shared metrics and calculations may differ between services.
The most important implication is that changing from the old Fitbit app to Google Health does not turn an entry-level tracker into a device with additional sensors. Check the model-specific support information before relying on a particular metric.
What changed on May 19, 2026
Google’s official wording is that “the Fitbit app will become the Google Health app” on that date. The redesign changes the app’s name and presentation; it does not describe Google Health and Fitbit as separate apps competing for the same wearable data.
For readers, “Fitbit” can now mean two different things:
- The former Fitbit app: this is the software that was renamed and redesigned as Google Health.
- Fitbit hardware: trackers and watches that remain supported devices, subject to each model’s capabilities.
Use the Google Health app documentation when you need current instructions, even if the device on your wrist still carries a Fitbit logo. A device’s supported features are not implied by the app’s new name. Google lists supported hardware separately for workouts, goals, sleep and vitals.
Workout tracking: what you can expect
Google documents workout tracking for certain Fitbit devices and Google Pixel Watch series. The wearable performs the exercise recording; Google Health’s Fitness area displays activities and fitness metrics. Exercise choices, quick-start shortcuts, controls and summaries are not identical across models.
| Workout question | What the documentation establishes | What you must verify |
|---|---|---|
| Can it record an exercise? | Certain Fitbit devices and Pixel Watch series support exercise tracking. | The exact model and the exercise type you want. |
| Can I start an exercise quickly? | Some devices provide exercise shortcuts or controls. | Whether your model offers the shortcut and where its control appears. |
| Where are activities shown? | The Google Health Fitness tab presents activities and fitness metrics. | Which summaries and metrics your device sends. |
| Will every Fitbit and Pixel Watch behave the same way? | No. Google’s support lists and workout guidance vary by device. | Model-specific instructions before you depend on a feature. |
How to check workout support
- Identify the exact wearable model, not just the brand name. “Fitbit” covers multiple trackers and watches, and “Pixel Watch” covers several generations.
- Open Google’s workout-tracking guidance and compare your model with the supported-device information.
- Look for the exercise mode you actually use. Support for one activity does not establish support for every other activity.
- Check the device’s exercise shortcut or start control. The presence, order and behavior of these controls can vary by model.
- After recording an activity, review the Fitness tab in Google Health and confirm that the duration and available metrics match what you need.
Fitbit Charge 6 appears in Google’s supported activity-goal and workout documentation. It is an example of compatible hardware, not evidence that every Fitbit model offers the same controls or measurements.
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What the app change means during a workout
The app rename does not make a workout phone-only. If your device does not contain the sensor or software support for an activity, Google Health cannot add that capability after the recording. Conversely, a compatible wearable can continue to be the source of the activity while the redesigned app is where you inspect the result.
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Sleep tracking and Sleep Score
Wrist-based Fitbit devices and Google Pixel Watch series can automatically detect sleep when you wear them to bed. The sleep result is therefore device-based: the wearable must be worn overnight and must support the required sleep measurements.
When Sleep Score is available
Google says Sleep Score combines multiple sleep metrics and requires the device to track sleep stages. If your model does not provide sleep-stage data, you should not assume that a Sleep Score will appear simply because the device detected time in bed.
Google reports that most users see an average Sleep Score from 72 to 83. Its categories are:
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| Score | Google’s label |
|---|---|
| 90–100 | Excellent |
| 80–89 | Good |
| 60–79 | Fair |
| Below 60 | Poor |
These ranges are Google’s app categories, not independent clinical thresholds. Google describes the score as personalized, so a single night should be less important than your own pattern over time. The score is a tracking aid, not a diagnosis, and the help documentation advises consulting a healthcare professional about health concerns.
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- Fitbit Charge 6 tracks key metrics from calories and Active Zone Minutes to Daily Readiness and sleep; move more with 40+ exercise modes, built-in GPS, all-day activity tracking, 24/7 heart rate, automatic exercising tracking, and more[1]
- See your heart rate in real time: Just link your Charge 6 to compatible exercise machines, like treadmills, ellipticals, and more[2]; and stay connected with YouTube Music controls[3]
- Tune into your body: Track your response to stress with a stress management score; learn about the quality of your sleep with a personalized nightly Sleep Score; and wake up more naturally with the Smart Wake alarm
- Run your routine with Google essentials: Find your way seamlessly during runs or rides with turn-by-turn directions from Google Maps on Fitbit Charge 6; and when you need a snack break on the go, just tap to pay with Google Wallet[1,4]
- Unlock more with Google Health Premium: With a premium membership, get personalized coaching that’s built with Gemini and adapts to your life[7]; get a 3-month trial at no cost to you[5] (Google Health Premium subscription sold separately)
Basic sleep tracking versus premium insights
The cited Google Health sleep documentation distinguishes ordinary sleep tracking from extra features. Additional sleep insights and sleep-coach chat are associated with Google Health Premium. That does not mean a Premium subscription is required for every sleep measurement or for every Sleep Score; the wearable’s support for sleep stages remains the fundamental requirement.
A practical overnight checklist
- Wear the compatible Fitbit device or Pixel Watch while sleeping.
- Check that the device is charged enough to record the night.
- Confirm that the model supports sleep stages if Sleep Score is important to you.
- Review the resulting sleep metrics in Google Health rather than interpreting the category as a medical conclusion.
- Use repeated nights and personal trends when deciding whether a change in routine is helping.
If a score is missing, the cause may be that the device did not record enough overnight data or does not support the required stages. The app name alone does not resolve either limitation.
Health metrics: the device determines the list
Google lists breathing rate, heart-rate variability, skin temperature, oxygen saturation and resting heart rate among the vitals that Google Health can display. A compatible Fitbit device or Pixel Watch is required, and Google notes that missing data can simply mean the device does not support that metric.
| Metric | Availability according to Google | How to interpret the limitation |
|---|---|---|
| Breathing rate | Available with a compatible Fitbit device or Pixel Watch. | Not every model has the necessary support; absence is not necessarily an app error. |
| Heart-rate variability | Available with a compatible Fitbit device or Pixel Watch. | Confirm model support and the conditions under which the wearable records it. |
| Skin temperature | Available with a compatible Fitbit device or Pixel Watch. | A sensor-capable model is required; the app cannot create the reading without device data. |
| Oxygen saturation | Available with a compatible Fitbit device or Pixel Watch. | Check the exact device and any stated recording conditions before relying on it. |
| Resting heart rate | Available with a compatible Fitbit device or Pixel Watch. | Availability and timing depend on the wearable’s support and recorded data. |
Google’s vitals guidance does not establish that every listed metric is present on every Fitbit or Pixel Watch. It also does not turn these readings into a diagnosis. Treat them as wellness information and seek medical advice for symptoms or health decisions.
Why a metric may be missing
- Unsupported hardware: the model does not include the sensor or feature required for that metric.
- Insufficient recording: the wearable did not collect the relevant data during the period needed for the calculation.
- Different data sources: a connected app may share some fields but not others.
- Calculation differences: a source app and Google Health may process or summarize the same underlying data differently.
Do not compare two apps as if their numbers must match exactly. Google explicitly cautions that metric sharing and calculations can vary when data comes from third-party connections.
Connecting other apps and moving data
Google Health accepts data through Health Connect, Apple Health and some direct app connections. The available metrics, permissions and calculations depend on the specific connection. A connection that transfers steps, for example, should not be assumed to transfer every sleep or vital-sign field.
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- Fitbit Charge 6 tracks key metrics from calories and Active Zone Minutes to Daily Readiness and sleep; move more with 40+ exercise modes, built-in GPS, all-day activity tracking, 24/7 heart rate, automatic exercising tracking, and more[1]
- See your heart rate in real time: Just link your Charge 6 to compatible exercise machines, like treadmills, ellipticals, and more[2]; and stay connected with YouTube Music controls[3]
- Tune into your body: Track your response to stress with a stress management score; learn about the quality of your sleep with a personalized nightly Sleep Score; and wake up more naturally with the Smart Wake alarm
- Run your routine with Google essentials: Find your way seamlessly during runs or rides with turn-by-turn directions from Google Maps on Fitbit Charge 6; and when you need a snack break on the go, just tap to pay with Google Wallet[1,4]
- Unlock more with Google Health Premium: With a premium membership, get personalized coaching that’s built with Gemini and adapts to your life[7]; get a 3-month trial at no cost to you[5] (Google Health Premium subscription sold separately)
Google’s third-party connection documentation also states that Fitbit Web APIs will no longer be supported starting October 30, 2026. If a partner app currently obtains Fitbit data through those APIs, its developer may need to provide reconnection instructions or another supported route.
What to do before the Fitbit Web API deadline
- List the partner apps that currently use Fitbit data.
- Check each partner’s current instructions for Google Health, Health Connect, Apple Health or another supported connection.
- Reconnect or reauthorize the app when instructed, and review which metrics it requests.
- Verify a recent workout, sleep record or vital is appearing in the destination app.
- If one metric is absent, check whether that field is supported by both the source device and the connection.
Do this on a per-app basis. Google’s statement about the API date does not guarantee that every partner will offer identical replacement support or that all historical fields will transfer.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.How the main user scenarios differ
You already own a Fitbit wearable
The immediate change is the software name and design. Continue checking your model’s support information in Google Health, especially if you depend on a particular workout mode, sleep-stage measurement or vital. The rename alone is not a reason to assume that the device has gained or lost a sensor.
You use a Google Pixel Watch
Pixel Watch series devices are included in Google’s workout, sleep and vitals documentation, but the exact series and feature support still matter. Review the specific exercise controls and metrics for your model instead of applying capabilities from another Pixel Watch generation.
You are choosing between compatible wearables
Start with a requirements list: exercise types, overnight sleep stages, Sleep Score, and the particular vitals you want. Then compare the models’ supported-device documentation. The deciding factor is the sensor and software capability of the wearable, not whether the app is called Fitbit or Google Health.
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Map the direction of each data flow. Determine whether the source writes to Health Connect or Apple Health, whether Google Health reads that category, and whether the receiving app applies its own calculation. Expect some fields to be unavailable or numerically different when they pass through multiple services.
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- Fitbit Charge 6 tracks key metrics from calories and Active Zone Minutes to Daily Readiness and sleep; move more with 40+ exercise modes, built-in GPS, all-day activity tracking, 24/7 heart rate, automatic exercising tracking, and more[1]
- See your heart rate in real time: Just link your Charge 6 to compatible exercise machines, like treadmills, ellipticals, and more[2]; and stay connected with YouTube Music controls[3]
- Tune into your body: Track your response to stress with a stress management score; learn about the quality of your sleep with a personalized nightly Sleep Score; and wake up more naturally with the Smart Wake alarm
- Run your routine with Google essentials: Find your way seamlessly during runs or rides with turn-by-turn directions from Google Maps on Fitbit Charge 6; and when you need a snack break on the go, just tap to pay with Google Wallet[1,4]
- Unlock more with Google Health Premium: With a premium membership, get personalized coaching that’s built with Gemini and adapts to your life[7]; get a 3-month trial at no cost to you[5] (Google Health Premium subscription sold separately)
A model-by-model verification method
Because Google’s support pages use different device lists for different functions, use this method whenever you add or replace hardware:
- Write down the outcome: for example, “record outdoor walking,” “receive a Sleep Score,” or “see overnight oxygen saturation.”
- Open the relevant Google page: use the workout page for exercise support, the goals page for activity capabilities, the sleep page for Sleep Score requirements and the vitals page for health metrics.
- Match the exact model: do not rely on a family name when the page distinguishes models or series.
- Check the data path: determine whether the value is recorded directly by the wearable or imported from another app.
- Test one complete cycle: record one workout, wear the device overnight or collect the relevant vital, then confirm that the result appears in Google Health.
Google’s health-and-fitness-goals documentation is available at Track your health and fitness goals with Google Health. Use it alongside the workout and vitals pages because a device can appear in one supported list without offering every feature described on another page.
Troubleshooting by symptom
The workout is not listed
- Confirm that the wearable is a model covered by Google’s workout guidance.
- Check whether the activity type is supported, rather than assuming that all exercises share one mode.
- Review the device’s exercise shortcut or start control; model-specific controls can affect whether a session is recorded as intended.
- Look in the Google Health Fitness tab after the session and allow for the device to synchronize.
Sleep was detected but there is no Sleep Score
- Verify that the device supports sleep stages, because Google says Sleep Score requires them.
- Check whether the device was worn for enough of the night to produce stage data.
- Confirm that the overnight record reached Google Health.
- Do not substitute a different app’s sleep number for Google’s score; the calculations may not be equivalent.
A vital is missing
- Check the exact model against Google’s vitals support information.
- Confirm that the wearable recorded the relevant period and that the device was worn as required.
- If the value comes from another app, review the connection permissions and supported metric categories.
- Do not interpret a missing value as a medical result or as proof that the measurement is normal.
A partner app stopped receiving Fitbit data
Check whether the app relied on Fitbit Web APIs and whether it has published reconnection instructions before the October 30, 2026 support cutoff. Reauthorize the supported connection and verify individual metrics afterward; a successful account connection does not prove that every field has transferred.
What Google Health versus Fitbit does not tell you
The available documentation does not establish one universal accuracy ranking between Google Health and Fitbit, because the app is now the renamed Fitbit software and the readings originate from different hardware models. It also does not provide an independent clinical validation study for Sleep Score or the listed wellness metrics. The score bands of Excellent, Good, Fair and Poor are Google’s product categories, not diagnostic thresholds.
Likewise, the app rename does not establish that all historical records, third-party calculations or partner integrations behave identically after the transition. Those details can depend on the device, account, source app and connection method. Verify the records and metrics you actually use rather than assuming a blanket migration.
Bottom line
Google Health is the redesigned successor to the Fitbit app, while Fitbit devices and Pixel Watch series remain the sources of most workout, sleep and vital data. Choose or evaluate hardware by its model-specific sensors and exercise support, use Sleep Score as a personalized trend rather than a diagnosis, and audit third-party connections before the Fitbit Web API support cutoff on October 30, 2026.
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