The cool thing with Wear OS devices is that in many ways, they are like mini smartphones. And the same goes for their apps – which is one of the main reasons we decided to make an article listing the best apps for Wear OS-powered devices!
And since there are many apps to mention, we’ll be splitting them into different categories. So, with all that said, let us get right into it!
Contents
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Best Fitness Trackers for Wear OS Smartwatches
1: Strava
Strava is a fitness tracker that you can use for tracking activities. This includes:
- Cycling
- Running
- Walking
- Swimming
- Surfing
- Indoor cycling or running
- Hiking
- Crossfit
- And more
It tracks things like time and distance while also mapping your route by using GPS. Then there are also calories and monthly challenges to push yourself even further.
You can also connect the app with social media to share your workouts and progress with other people.
Overall, Strava may not be perfect, but it’s no doubt one of the best fitness apps you can grab for a Wear OS smartwatch.
2: Google Fit
Google Fit is Google’s official app for tracking workouts. It’s basically the same thing with Strava, except you also have the option of using your smartphone to integrate other services with it and have everything in one single package.
Like with Strava, you can use Google Fit to track mileage, pace, time, and calories burned. And you can also use it for tracking heart rate.
One additional feature that most other fitness apps don’t offer is the heart points system, which is basically a tool to reward active people and keep them motivated. And it can do that by tracking steps, heart rate, and the intensity of your activities.
So, this is no doubt one of the best apps for Wear OS watches.
3: Zombies, Run!
In many ways, this is a very unusual fitness app. It’s more of a game rather than a fitness tracking tool – which is probably why it’s also that good at motivating people to run.
Instead of just running to hit a certain mileage, this is a game where you run to reach certain positions, collect supplies, and get away from zombies that you can hear on your headphones—bonus points for those who play this during Halloween.
So, this is indeed a fitness tracker – but more fun! There are also customized story missions and dramatic music to keep you going. And at the end of the day, you still get mileage tracking, pacing, and a step-tracker as well.
4: Runtastic
Adidas Runtastic is one of the most popular fitness apps that one can get in 2022. And while it obviously comes with most of the standard features that you can expect to find in other fitness tracking apps, it also introduces a couple of somewhat unusual options.
One of the interesting things about Runtastic, apart from all the tracking stats and info, is shoe track.
Shoe tracking allows you to track distance, activities, and usage time for each pair of Adidas shoes that you have. And while that’s certainly nothing insane, it is one option that can’t be found in other apps.
Then there are also challenges to partake in with literally hundreds of thousands of other people and see where you stand among them.
5: GymRun Workout
Unlike most of our other fitness tracker picks that can mostly be used for outdoor workouts, GymRun Workout, as the name suggests, is made with gym usage in mind.
You can use GymRun Workout to track various exercises for chest and biceps, triceps, legs, cardio, and more. We are talking about planks, bench presses, and other things like that. Then there are also body measurements to track progress over time.
So, if you want something specifically made for the gym, we can hardly think of any better apps for Wear OS.
Health and Wellbeing Wear OS apps
6: Calm
If you have trouble sleeping or getting rid of anxiety and stress, Calm may be just what you need.
Calm can assist with meditation, listen to sleep stories, music, take classes that teach you how to sleep better and calm down, and more.
Of course, the Wear OS version is rather limited compared to the full-fledged smartphone app. But it’s still great.
The actual app is free to use. But if you want access to all of the content that Calm offers, it’s going to cost you a monthly or yearly subscription.
7: Lifesum
People who are following a serious diet can definitely take advantage of a good calorie counter. And as far as dietary apps are concerned, Lifesum is one of the best apps for Wear OS.
You can use Lifesum to get nutrition tips, track your calories and nutrition intake, create a dietary plan, and more.
Of course, the only way to take full advantage of this app is by also using its mobile counterpart.
8: Sleep as Android
As the name suggests, this is another app you can use to track and improve sleep quality.
However, unlike most smartwatches’ traditional sleep tracking features, this one also requires a smartphone.
That’s because it uses many applications to make sure that you are sleeping properly and waking up properly.
There is oversleeping prevention which forces you to solve a puzzle when the alarm rings, lullabies to help you fall asleep, sonar tracking for sleep quality tracking, and more.
So, basically, you only use the Wear OS app to remotely activate the mobile one.
9: Healthy Recipes
Some of us here at MyHealthyApple used to run marathons competitively. One of the interesting things we learned was that our eating habits make a bigger difference than workout sessions.
And as far as healthy recipes are concerned, we can hardly think of anything better than, well, Healthy Recipes.
As the name suggests, this is nothing more than a list of recipes and a system that allows you to manage everything neatly. Simple, straight to the point, and healthy!
10: Cardiogram
A cardiogram is more than a heart rate tracker. This is an app that you can use to track your fitness levels over time and maybe even discover a heart anomaly before the problem announces itself to you in a more dangerous manner.
This is possible by tracking your heart rate before a workout, during a workout, and after a workout – as well as during the day.
Sudden spikes may indicate stress, bad diet, bad fitness levels, or even potential danger to look out for.
Of course, this is nothing more than an app. You should still refer to a health expert for any worries you may have about heart conditions.
11: Google Maps
Google Maps is Google’s app for navigation and finding local shops, businesses, and other things like that.
No doubt one of the best, if not the best, when it comes to digital maps. So, as far as navigation apps are concerned, Google Maps is one of the best apps for Wear OS.
Apart from getting access to the worldwide map, you can also use Google Maps to get traffic info, transit info, navigation for walking and driving, find local restaurants and hotels, locations, and more!
So, when it comes to navigation apps, you’d be hard-pressed to find anything better.
12: Citimapper
Citimapper is another navigation app with the main difference that it’s specifically focused on transport. Be it with using the bus, train, car, etc.
You can use it to find the best route, find bus times, compare cab fares, see live arrival times, delay alerts, share your trips with friends and family, and more.
Of course, this kind of detail is currently only possible in some of the world’s most popular cities.
At the moment of writing this article, Citymapper provides coverage for:
- London
- Birmingham
- Manchester
- Paris
- New York City
- Hong Kong
- Singapore
- Barcelona
- Moscow
- Los Angeles
- Berlin
- Rome
- Madrid
- Hamburg
- Milan
- Stockholm
- Chicago
- Toronto
- And Sydney
13: Foursquare City Guide
Foursquare is a sort of navigation app with the twist that it’s specifically made to find the perfect spot. Be it a bar, a cafeteria, an attraction, or anything else.
And you don’t necessarily have to discover everything on your own. Foursquare has a social network that allows you to follow recommendations from other people – be it friends, family, or influencers.
14: App in the Air
As the name suggests, this isn’t entirely a navigational app. Instead, it’s more about assisting with anything that has to do with air travel.
You can use App in the Air to find the best pricing on tickets, book flights, and hotels, discover other people traveling simultaneously, and more.
And the great thing about it is that it also covers all U.S airports and more than 1,000 airlines worldwide. So, as far as flying is concerned, it’s hard to go wrong with this one.
15: Uber
We may have placed Uber under “navigation.” But, in reality, Uber is much more about letting others do the navigation for you.
If you don’t already know about it, Uber is a sort of app that allows you to call for a taxi. Except it’s not a real taxi but an everyday driver like you who’s been allowed to use his everyday vehicle as a taxi.
Before calling for an Uber, you get to choose your destination and vehicle, and depending on your pick, that will also change the final pricing of the trip. For example, luxury vehicles or cars with more seats tend to be pricier.
Music Apps for your Smartwatch
16: Spotify
Spotify is no doubt the most popular music app there is. So, it goes without saying that we’d mention it as one of our top picks when it comes to the best music apps for Wear OS smartwatches.
The bad thing about Spotify on Wear OS is that it only acts as a remote controller. Not a stand-alone app.
And what makes it even worse is the fact that it only works with specific smartwatches. At the moment of writing this article, we are talking about the:
► HUAWEI Watch
► Moto 360 Gen 2 (2015)
► Moto 360 Gen 1 (2014)
► Asus Zenwatch
► LG G Watch
► LG G Watch R
► LG G Watch Urbane (Android Wear version)
► Samsung Gear Live
► And Sony SmartWatch 3
17: Shazam
Shazam is one of the easiest ways, if not the easiest, to find a song that you don’t know the title of. And you can use it just as easily on a Wear OS smartwatch as you would on a smartphone.
All you have to do is launch it, press the Shazam button, let it listen to the song you are trying to find, and that should be enough to help you find the title.
Needless to say, this is one of the few Wear OS apps that are as good as the smartphone version.
As we’ve probably already mentioned before, in many ways, smartwatches are like smartphones.
Premium models can do almost everything that a phone can do – such as playing music offline. And one of the ways to do that is by using an offline player such as NavMusic!
And it basically works like any other music app. All you have to do is scan for songs already on your local storage, then browse and play them through the app.
This can be done through folders, custom playlists, sorted by artists, song titles, albums, etc.
Also, if your Wear OS app doesn’t come with Google Play, there is the option of sideloading NavMusic by looking for its APK file.
Best Productivity and Miscellaneous Apps for Wear OS Smartwatches
19: Todoist
Setting a few tasks and sticking to them throughout the day is one of the best ways to boost productivity. And as far as task managers are concerned, Todoist is undoubtedly one of the best apps to get on Wear OS smartwatches!
There’s a lot to do with Todoist. But, in the end, it all comes down to creating tasks, setting a time and date for them, and completing when they are due.
You can also sync your tasks with other devices such as Windows phones, Windows computers, and more.
20: Mail Client
Nowadays, emails are a daily part of every adult’s life. And while you won’t be able to craft your next business proposal through a smartwatch, you can at least go through your inbox and see if there’s anything important going on.
One of the best apps to do that at the moment is “Mail Client.”
Mail Client can be used for multiple kinds of mail accounts. This includes Gmail, Outlook, and Yahoo as well.
One of the few downsides we found is that it’s still quite buggy. But, this will hopefully be fixed in the future.
21: Bring! Grocery Shopping List
Shopping is an extremely simple task. You go out, get whatever you want, and you are done. Except it’s also somehow extremely easy to forget exactly what it is that we are after – which is where Bring comes in!
As its name suggests, Bring is an app for creating and managing shopping lists. But it’s also more than that. You can use it to create specific lists for different occasions, look for recipes, add pictures to products, and more.
It’s also completely free to use. So, give it a try.
22: Weather for Wear OS
Nowadays, no smart device is complete without a weather app. So, why not get one for your Wear OS smartwatch as well?
As with most weather apps, you can use this to see the daily and weekly forecasts along with hourly predictions. And there is also the option of tracking the forecast in multiple locations along with humidity and wind.
However, one thing to keep in mind is that despite the developers claiming that this should work on every Wear OS smartwatch, plenty of people still complain about it not launching on theirs.
23: UV Index Now
This may be an inappropriate time to post this, seeing how Summer just ended. But it never hurts to be prepared. After all, UV Index Now is an app that can help you prepare for heat waves when out and about.
In case you are not familiar with them, UV rays are the harmful light rays that the sun produces. The higher the frequency, the higher the damage.
So, it’s not just a matter of heat. And UV Index Now is basically a weather forecast app that specifically focuses on the intensity of UV rays.
With that said, it’s advisable always to use sunscreen when sunbathing, no matter the UV rating. To be safe.
Best Apps for Wear OS Wrapping Up
These are our best apps for Wear OS right now. While there are still tons of other options out there, these are the best for us in terms of fitness, productivity, music, and wellbeing as well.
We understand that some of these have very low ratings due to bugs and lack of compatibility. But there’s nothing we can do about that, and, at the time of writing this article, there aren’t any better alternatives either (Ex. Spotify).
That’s all for now. If you have any other suggestions to make, feel free to let us and everyone else know about them in the comments section.
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