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The best apps for the Google Pixel Watch and Pixel Watch 2
There was a lot to like about Google’s first-ever smartwatch, and the follow-up Google Pixel Watch 2 offers an ever more refined experience that’s difficult to fault. Running the latest Wear OS, both devices boast excellent third-party app support. Below, we detail the best Google Pixel Watch apps to make the most of your wearable.
Added and upgraded advanced health sensors
Fast charging alleviates battery woes
The best Google Pixel Watch apps
Out of the box, the Google Pixel Watch and Pixel Watch 2 are stacked with useful tools and apps. The watches pack thorough Fitbit integration, plus the best of Google’s suite, including Google Maps, Google Home, Google Assistant, and much more. However, the best smartwatches offer room to expand, and the Pixel Watch duo is no exception. With thousands of Wear OS apps available through the Google Play Store, you can curate an app library to your needs for an ever more powerful wearable. Below are our picks for the best Pixel Watch apps to round out your experience.
Accuweather
Price: Free / $1.99 per month / $19.99 per year
There are few safer conversation topics than the weather. Stay in the know with Accuweather by Accuweather.com. The app features everything from hourly and extended forecasts to radar and MinuteCast for timely updates. It also offers a user-friendly interface, so you don’t have to be a meteorologist to determine what conditions to expect. Unfortunately, some users find the notification settings on this app frustrating, and ads can be a bit pesky. However, if accurate weather information is what you are after, Accuweather is worth downloading.
Strava
Price: Free / $7.99 per month / $59.99 per year
The world’s largest fitness social app for tracking exercise, Strava, is one of the most popular apps for runners and cyclists. Log GPS-based workouts on your personal heatmap, compete in segments, connect with a global community, and much more. You can even post your workouts or send kudos to friends on the app when they complete a route. Strava offers a unique experience to help users cover new ground on their fitness journey. Read our guide if you need help connecting your Pixel Watch to Strava.
Facer
Price: Free with in-app purchases
One of the most popular apps for custom Pixel watch faces, Facer offers endless possibilities for personalizing your device. Shop thousands of premade options or create a watch face using the platform’s web-based editor. The app is free to download, as are some of its most popular faces; however, others require an in-app purchase.
Calm
Price: Free /$14.99 per month / $69.99 per year
Calm is our pick for anyone looking to incorporate more mindfulness and meditation into their daily lives. The app boasts tons of content, including highly-rated meditation sessions. Tap into a 25-minute guided session to start your day, or squeeze in one of Calm’s three-minute sessions on the go. Calm also offers sleep content, music, and progress tracking. It does, however, come at a steep price. Calm is one of the most expensive apps on this list at $14.99 per month. Download the free version to see if the app is a good fit for you before committing.
Spotify
Price: Free /$9.99 per month
Before we get ahead of ourselves, it’s worth noting that each Pixel Watch comes packaged with three free months of YouTube Music Premium access. However, if Spotify is your preferred music streaming service, it’s a no-brainer addition to your Pixel Watch. Spotify offers instant access to all your favorite artists, tailored playlists, and tons of podcasts (and who doesn’t love their annual Spotify Wrapped?). Once downloaded, you can listen to music from your Pixel Watch by pairing Bluetooth headphones.
Google Keep
Price: Free
Linked directly to your Google Drive, Google Keep is the best note-taking app to add to your Pixel Watch. Despite the simplicity of such a simple task, the app pulls out all the stops, elevating your note-taking experience into an organized, efficient endeavor. Keep lists, color code notes, add collaborators, and much, much more.
MyFitnessPal
Price: Free / $19.99 per month / $79.99 per year
For the best calorie-counting app, in our opinion, MyFitnessPal does it all. Log foods, dig into macros, track exercise, and sync all your fitness devices. MyFitnessPal offers a well-rounded diet and nutrition platform with all the tools you need to manage your weight. Most importantly, it keeps calorie-tracking in context, with a fitness focus encouraging users to stay active alongside healthy eating. It’s the best Pixel Watch app for a holistic approach.
Komoot
Price: Free / One-time fee starting from $3.99
If you intend to take your Pixel Watch out on the trail, Komoot is a fantastic pick for hikers and cyclists. A user-generated navigation tool, Komoot features routes uploaded from athletes worldwide. Download offline maps for going off the grid and access all the stats you need for a successful (and safe) outdoor adventure. It’s a great pick for multiday trips and can even generate routes based on your personal ability and preferred surfaces. All this and more make it the best cycling app for tracking Pixel Watch workouts.
Honorable mentions
That’s it for our list of the best Google Pixel Watch apps, but it’s only a fraction of what’s out there. We also want to give an honorable mention to the following products:
- FatFinger Scribble Calculator: For math you don’t want to do in your head, this calculator app is one of the few options for smartwatches that works well.
- Hole 19: One of our favorite golf apps, Hole 19 offers a digital scorecard, GPS rangefinder, and content for more than 40,000 courses to support your game. That’s not to say you won’t still end up in the sand, though.
FAQs
To set up your Google Pixel Watch and Pixel Watch 2, download the companion app, the Google Pixel Watch app. You can also control settings, customize watch faces, and more from there.
The Google Pixel Watch and Pixel Watch 2 are only compatible with Android phones. For an iOS-compatible smartwatch with robust third-party app support, we suggest the Apple Watch Series 8 or Apple Watch SE 2.
Yes. The Pixel Watch and Pixel Watch 2 rely on Fitbit’s companion app for fitness tracking, sleep tracking, and collecting health stats. You will need a Fitbit account to use your Pixel Watch.
The Google Pixel Watch and Pixel Watch 2 are water resistant, though not waterproof. It is designed to withstand the pressure of up to 50 meters (5 ATM) of water, making it safe for swimming.