Verdict
Basic step, sleep and heart tracking stays free with a Fitbit or Pixel Watch, and the Gemini coach costs £7.99 a month on top. Tech Advisor called the coach the biggest shake-up in fitness apps in years, while a July 2026 user thread was mostly people switching it off. Google says coach chats are not used to train its models unless a user opts into research.
Best for
Fitbit and Pixel Watch owners who want workout plans in a chat
Skip if
Anyone without a Fitbit or Pixel Watch, or who wants a stable, simple app
Key facts
- Category
- Health, fitness & wellbeing
- Made by
- Google LLC
- Based in
- United States
- Launched
- 2026
- Works on
- iPhone, Android, hardware
- In the UK
- Yes
- Price from
- £7.99 a month
- Free plan
- Google Health app is free with a Fitbit or Pixel Watch and covers activity, sleep stages, heart rate, HRV and SpO2; the Health Coach needs Premium
Pricing
| Plan | Price | Billed |
|---|---|---|
| Google Health Premium | £7.99 | month |
| Google Health Premium (annual) | £79.99 | year |
What it does
- builds and adjusts workout plans with an AI health coach
- analyses sleep stages and gives weekly sleep coaching
- tracks menstrual cycles and predicts periods and fertile windows
- answers questions about health and fitness data
- brings data from Fitbit, Pixel Watch and other apps into one place
Ratings
What people say
Long-time Fitbit users in user reviews are largely negative about the 2026 switch to Google Health, citing bugs, lost history and time-zone errors, and many say they turned the coach off. A smaller group, often getting Premium free through Google AI Pro, find it useful for meal logging and workout plans. Google Play's 3.43 from 1.3 million ratings sits closer to user reviews's mood than the App Store's 4.39.
“I don’t miss the AI “Coach” at all. In fact, it seems like the app is quieter and easier without the dumb AI providing useless feedback.”
Individual user review, 27 July 2026 · source
“The AI "coach" in the new app is terrible. Makes unfounded assumptions based on data it doesn't have. Very disappointed in Google.”
Individual user review, 27 July 2026 · source
“I've been using it to track my calories and give me advice on meals for the past six weeks and it's been surprisingly helpful! … I've been more consistent because of it.”
Individual user review, 27 July 2026 · source
“It's been pretty useful at analyzing and giving feedback on the workouts that I track. I do find that I have to remind it about some of the data that it has access to when making comparisons”
Individual user review, 27 July 2026 · source
“The time zone issue is unacceptable. The time zone challenges this app is having are things the software industry has figured out in the 80s but are still confusing”
Individual user review, 6 September 2026 · source
Press reviews
- Tech Advisor 2026-05-26
Calls the Gemini Health Coach 'the single biggest shake-up I've seen in a fitness tracking app in years', though it costs £7.99 a month after the trial.
- TechRadar 2026-06-05
The coach 'will split opinions'; chatbot fans will love it, people who just want numbers will not, and the app layout is chaotic.
- The Independent 2026-08-13
After two months, 'Google Health's AI coach was actually useful'; Premium worth it but not essential, unlike WHOOP's membership.
- TechRadar (opinion) 2026-05-30
Writer not convinced by the coach, found no way to turn it off, and notes the 'Coach is AI and can make mistakes. Not for medical advice' warning.
Privacy
- Trains on your data
- No by default: Google says Health Coach conversations 'are not used for training the underlying generative models' unless the user separately opts into research, where de-identified data is used
- Opt-out
- Research participation is opt-in and can be withdrawn; coach insights can be turned off; data can be downloaded or deleted in Google Account settings. Human reviewers see a conversation only if the user sends feedback or opts into research
- Retention
- No fixed period stated in the Google Health privacy FAQ; users can delete data in Google Account settings
- Incidents
- noyb filed three GDPR complaints (Austria, Netherlands, Italy) in Aug-Sep 2023 over forced consent to data transfers; no decision found. Google's commitment not to use Fitbit health data for ads continues for Google Health. No UK ICO action found in searches.
- Age limit
- 18+ for Google Health Premium and the coach; UK App Store rated 4+, Google Play PEGI 3
Official videos
FAQ
Is the Google Health Coach free?
No. It needs Google Health Premium at £7.99 a month in the UK, after a three-month trial with a new Fitbit or Pixel Watch. It is included in Google AI Pro and Ultra plans.
What happened to the Fitbit app?
Google replaced it with the Google Health app in May 2026, and existing installs switch on update. A Google account is required to sign in.
Does Google use Health Coach chats to train AI?
Google says not by default. Chats are used for training only if a user opts into research, and human reviewers see a chat only if feedback is sent or research consent is given.
Does the Health Coach work in the UK?
Yes. The UK is on Google's list of supported countries, but it needs a Fitbit or Pixel Watch and the user must be 18 or over.
Fitbit Air or WHOOP?
The Fitbit Air costs about £85 once and works without a subscription, with the coach as an optional £7.99 a month. WHOOP needs a yearly membership from £169. Reviewers say WHOOP is more detailed for heavy training.
Scores are based on published evidence, not lab tests. How we score.
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