The 16 Best Health and Wellness Apps of 2021, According to Experts
These downloads can help you learn yoga, get to sleep, and eat healthier.
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You know the saying: There’s an app for that. It’s so popular because, well, you really can find an app for almost everything these days. In a time of continued unprecedented stress for so many of us, health apps have never been more useful in managing and reshaping our lives. Whether you want to track your steps pedometer-style, nail a new skincare routine, develop better eating habits, or find a moment of peace, the best health apps will help you reach your goals.
To help you figure out the ones that are worth the download, we turned to doctors, registered dietitians, and other experts to share some top-notch options. If you're looking to up your walking game, you'll love the app we're sharing. It features guided walks from celebrities and trainers alike. Because who wouldn't want to listen to an anecdote from the Queen of Country herself, Dolly Parton, while taking a walk? If you're more interested in fitness data than apps with exercises or workouts, we've got you covered. We're sharing incredibly helpful ones that do everything from track your REM sleep to stay on top of your monthly cycle to help you stay hydrated with water intake reminders.
And while some of these options have monthly subscriptions, others offer in-app purchases or are completely free. There's something here for every price point and health goal.
What are you waiting for? Meet your new favorite health tool below.
Best Meditation App: Headspace
When you want to get into a calmer or happier mindset, this app should get a tap. It’s full of meditations that give your mental game a push in the productive direction and help gear down into a de-stressing mode. Adeeti Gupta, M.D., founder of Walk In GYN Care, says, “It takes the pain out of ‘taking the time out’ to meditate or the work out of ‘clearing your mind’ for meditation.” Because they’re all guided sessions, you just have to tune in and feel good.
Free with in-app purchases
Best Workout App: All Out Studio
This app collects the best on-demand workouts from Prevention, Women’s Health, and other trusted titles and puts them in one easy-to-access place. Users can choose from expert-created workouts that cover every discipline and experience level, including pilates, strength training, and cardio.
Free with in-app purchases
Best Period Tracking App: Clue
This is the period tracker that makes getting in tune with your body a little easier. “In addition to the basics—like giving a relative sense of when you’re likely to ovulate and when you’ll probably get your period—Clue allows you to enter data that tracks your mood and sleep,” says Honore Lansen, M.D., a family medicine physician at One Medical. “This may help you feel better prepared to combat PMS symptoms and other cyclic fluctuations in your hormones.”
Free with in-app purchases
Best App for Walkers: Apple Fitness+
We at Prevention know the benefits of walking, and so does Apple Fitness+. You'll need an Apple Watch Series 3 or higher and an iPhone to use this app. With a slew of walks guided by some of the most beloved celebrities (like Dolly Parton and Naomi Campbell), it's a must-have for those looking to get lost in a good story while also being guided on a walk.
$9.99 a month or up to three free months when you update your Apple Watch iOS.
Best App for Runners: Runkeeper
If you’re into running and tracking how many miles you’ve racked up or how your pace has improved, this app keeps it simple and it comes with a strong community of fellow pavement pounders. It also comes with personalized training plans to fit your schedule and help you reach your goal. “I use Runkeeper to track my runs when I’m outside and log when I’ve run on the treadmill. I also love to use it to keep track of (and cheer on!) my best friend, whose account is also linked to mine,” says Darria Long Gillespie, M.D., an emergency room physician and author of Mom Hacks.
Free
Best App for Swimmers: MySwimPro
Whether you’re looking to switch up your cardio workout for a lower impact option or are already an avid swimmer, start using MySwimPro ASAP. Nate Watson, M.D., director of the University of Washington Medicine Sleep Center and professor of neurology says it helps him plan custom workouts and choose from personalized training plans. “It also provides instructional videos to help me improve my stroke technique,” he says. Even better, it pairs with the Apple Watch, Garmin, Google wearables, as well as Fitbit and Strava, so you can easily store all your stats.
Free with in-app purchases
Best Mental Health App: Talkspace
Therapy in 2021 doesn't have to involve going into an office. In fact, it doesn't have to be involved at all. Talkspace is a one-stop shop for finding all-things therapy. Get matched with a licensed therapist in your state from the comfort of the app, and message via text, audio, and video.
Monthly subscription prices vary
Best Hydration Tracking App: Waterlogged
Do you drink enough H2O? You can easily find out by downloading this app, a go-to for Dr. Gillespie. (She says it’s especially helpful during pregnancy.) Add your favorite bottles and glasses to drink from and enter how much water you’ve drank. Then, sign up for reminders to keep sipping throughout the day.
Free with in-app purchases
Best Sleep App: SleepScore
You’ll not only see the hours you caught quality shut-eye with this app, but it also gives advice on how to improve those Zs (in the premium version). “It shows me the impact that positive behavior change has on my sleep health,” says Dr. Watson, who loves the personalized pointers for getting more rest.
Free with in-app purchases
Best Skincare App: Skincare Routine
Skincare is an essential part of the self-care journey for many of us. That’s why dermatologists and skincare fanatics alike love this app, which helps users list the products they use, create detailed routines, and track their skin’s progress as the weeks and months go on.
$3.99
Best All-In-One App: Fitbit
When you pair a Fitbit device with the app, you get all of your readings in one place, including your steps, exercise, sleep and calorie consumption. Lemond says she likes these daily recording apps for that reason: You can see everything in one place. She especially likes that Fitbit’s sleep tracking lets you see exactly how much rest you’re snagging each night and whether or not you need to get more snooze time.
Free with Fitbit device
Best Integrated Health App: Apple Health
If you're not looking for workout options, and don’t feel like actually downloading an app, this one is already waiting for you—if you own an iPhone. Lemond recommends it because it syncs up with most wearables, but also independently counts your steps, distance traveled, resting energy expenditure, the number of calories burned during a workout, standing hours, and exercise minutes. You can even add in your own data like blood sugar readings and your period cycle! Pair it with an Apple Watch and you can also see heart rate data.
Free
Best Nutrition Tracking App: MyFitnessPal
Most experts will suggest this app for tracking your food intake. It makes keeping record of everything you eat a little easier, so you can see your calories, courtesy of its large database of foods. Plus, you can track your carb, protein, and fat intake. “It makes you accountable without making you feel guilty,” says Dr. Gupta.
Free with in-app purchases
Best Meal Planning App: Lifesum
Whether you're following the keto diet, intermittent fasting, or the Mediterranean diet, Lifesum helps you track your calories based on your diet plan. You also get access to more than 1,000 healthy recipes to help you eat right. Dr. Watson uses this as his go-to virtual food diary and meal planner.
Free with in-app purchases
Best Yoga App: Yoga | Down Dog
This is the top-rated yoga app for a reason—it works. Users choose their experience level, style of yoga, and class duration, then enjoy customized routines that never repeat. It's like having a yoga instructor on your phone.
Free with in-app purchases
Best COVID-19 App: Apple COVID-19
The COVID-19 pandemic is far from over. Thankfully, iPhone users can turn to this free app, developed by Apple in tandem with the CDC, to track their symptoms and figure out if they should self-isolate. It’s also a great resource for information about the coronavirus, local guidance, and prevention measures.
Free
Mallory Creveling, an ACE-certified personal trainer and RRCA-certified run coach, joined the Runner's World and Bicycling team in August 2021. She has more than a decade of experience covering fitness, health, and nutrition. As a freelance writer, her work appeared in Women's Health, Self, Men's Journal, Reader's Digest, and more. She has also held staff editorial positions at Family Circle and Shape magazines, as well as DailyBurn.com. A former New Yorker/Brooklynite, she's now based in Easton, PA.
Emily Goldman is the deputy editor at Prevention. She’s spent her career editing and writing about health, wellness, beauty, fashion, and food for Martha Stewart Living, Martha Stewart Weddings, Bridal Guide, Good Housekeeping, and more. She’s loved all things health and wellness since starting her bi-weekly podcast Pancreas Pals—a series all about the highs and lows of living life with type 1 diabetes. When not podcasting, she spends most of her time curled up with a good book or watching a period piece on BBC.
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