GoKawiilBrady Snyder / Android Authority
The Google Fitbit Air already caught my eye with its minimal design and subscription-free tracking. I wanted an alternative to smartwatches for sleep tracking and everyday activity detection — the $99 screenless wearable had everything I needed and nothing I didn’t. When I learned that the optional Google Health Premium subscription comes with the Google AI Pro plan I already pay for, that sealed the deal.
Or so I thought. I’ve been using the Fitbit Air and Health Premium for over a month, and I wish I could give this “free upgrade” back to Google. The Google Health app clearly needs work, but it’s somehow worse for subscribers than it is for free users.
Google should take the Gemini-powered Health Coach back to the drawing board, or at least give me a way to customize it.
Does Health Coach make Google Health better or worse? 12 votes Better 17 % Worse 8 % Sometimes better, sometimes worse 42 % I don't use it 33 %
The Google Health app is actually worse for subscribers
Brady Snyder / Android Authority
When Google first unveiled the new Health app, the Today page might’ve been the most controversial change. It crams a few tiles displaying health metrics in the top third of the screen. The rest of the screen displays a scrollable feed of activity and sleep data, manually logged data, and Health Coach entries. I’d see a new Health Coach entry every few hours, leading me to believe the free version would be barren.
Google’s Health Coach and its related AI features are the key selling points of the premium subscription, which costs $9.99 per month or $99.99 per year. All the basics, like activity tracking, sleep tracking, health tracking, and wellness logging, are free for any Google Health user. These essential data points are exactly what I want to see when I open the Google Health app, and they’re exactly what the free users get.
I don't need a daily reminder from Health Coach to sleep or drink water, so the streamlined experience of the free app is preferable to me.
... continue reading