# Is Google Fit Shutting Down? Best Step Tracker Alternatives for Android (2026)

**Published:** 2026-10-20
**Updated:** 2026-10-20
**Author:** The Outstep team
**Canonical:** https://outstepapp.com/blog/google-fit-alternatives

> Yes. Google is consolidating Google Fit into the Google Health app (the renamed Fitbit app) and says it will invite Fit users to move their data \"later this year\". There's no shutdown date for the Fit app yet, but the Fit APIs other apps use are supported only until the end of 2026. The safest move is to turn on Sync Fit with Health Connect now, then pick a replacement that reads Health Connect: Google Health if you want Google's own app, Samsung Health on a Galaxy, Pacer or StepsApp for a simple phone pedometer, or Outstep if you want to compete with friends.

For a decade, Google Fit was the default step counter on millions of Android phones. It's on its way out. Google is folding it into **Google Health**, the app that used to be called Fitbit, and the Google Fit APIs that other apps use to read your steps end with 2026.

Here's what is actually confirmed, what to do with your step history, and which apps to move to. We make Outstep, a step-competition app for iPhone and Android, so we've had to deal with every one of these changes in our own code. Facts about Google's plans come from Google's own help pages, developer documentation and announcements, **checked October 20, 2026**.

## Is Google Fit really shutting down?

Yes, though the consumer app has no published end date yet. In May 2026, Google said: "As part of our transition to Google Health, we'll also consolidate our health and fitness offerings. We'll invite Google Fit users to migrate their data into Google Health app later this year." Coverage at the time, from 9to5Google, How-To Geek and Android Authority, all read that as the end of Fit, and none found a firm date.

Two separate things are going away, on different timelines:

| What | Status | Date |
|---|---|---|
| **Google Fit app** | Being consolidated into Google Health; Fit users to be invited to migrate data | "Later this year" (2026); no exact date published |
| **Google Fit APIs** (used by other apps) | Deprecated; no new developer sign-ups since May 1, 2024 | Supported "until the end of 2026" |
| **Health Connect** | Not going anywhere; it's Google's replacement for the Fit APIs | Built into Android 14 and later |
| **Fitbit app** | Became the Google Health app | From May 19, 2026 |

The API date matters more than the app date. If another app reads your steps from Google Fit's cloud, that connection stops working when the APIs close, even if the Fit app is still on your phone.

## What happened to the Fitbit app?

From May 19, 2026, the Fitbit app became the **Google Health** app. Google's help center lists what changed: the app is reorganized into Today, Fitness, Sleep and Health tabs; Fitbit Premium became Google Health Premium with a Gemini-based coach; and daily goals gave way to a weekly cardio target.

Some social features went with the rename. **Badges are gone**, and so are **Groups and the Community Feed**. Friends and a weekly leaderboard came back after the update, now covering steps and Cardio Load. Fitbit's old Challenges and Adventures were removed even earlier, on March 27, 2023.

You don't need a Fitbit to use Google Health. Google's help page explains how to track steps with just your phone: choose "Just the app" during setup, or add Phone under Connections.

## What is Health Connect, and why does it matter now?

Health Connect is Android's on-device store for health data. Apps write steps, workouts and sleep into it, and other apps you allow can read them. It replaces the Google Fit APIs, it's built into Android 14 and later, and it isn't being retired.

Two things make it the safe place for your steps:

- **Every major step app uses it.** Samsung Health, Google Health, Garmin, Oura, WHOOP and most step-challenge apps read or write Health Connect. Once your steps are in it, switching apps doesn't mean starting over.
- **It can count steps itself.** On Android 14 and later, Health Connect records steps from the phone's own sensor as soon as any app has permission to read steps. Those phone steps go into one combined total with the steps from your watch or other apps, at the lowest priority by default.

One limit to know about: by default, an app can read only the 30 days of Health Connect data before you first gave it permission. Reading older history needs a separate "history" permission, and support depends on your Android and Health Connect versions.

## How do I keep my Google Fit step history?

Do two things now, before the Fit APIs close:

1. **Turn on Sync Fit with Health Connect.** In Google Fit, tap **Profile**, then **Settings**, and under Health Connect turn on **Sync Fit with Health Connect**. Fit then writes its data into Health Connect, where any app you choose can read it. Google's help page doesn't say how far back Fit copies, so check **Health Connect → Data and access → Activity → Steps** afterwards to see what arrived.
2. **Download a copy with Google Takeout.** At takeout.google.com, deselect everything, tick **Fit**, and export. The export includes your daily summaries, including steps and distance, and your recorded activities. It can take a while for a big history, and Google emails you when it's ready.

When Google's own migration into Google Health opens, take it too. That keeps your history inside Google's app, while the Health Connect copy keeps it available to everything else.

## The best Google Fit alternatives for Android

| App | Best for | Price | Counts steps with just a phone | Reads Health Connect |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| **Google Health** | Staying with Google; Fitbit and Pixel Watch owners | Free; Premium optional | Yes | Yes |
| **Samsung Health** | Galaxy phones and watches | Free | Yes | Yes (sync setting) |
| **Pacer** | A simple free pedometer with challenges | Free with ads; Premium optional | Yes | Not documented |
| **StepsApp** | A clean step tracker with goals and streaks | Free; PRO $29.99/year | Yes | Not documented |
| **Outstep** | Competing with friends, family or work | Free; Group Premium from $6.99/mo | Optional | Yes |

### 1. Google Health: best if you want Google's own app

Google Health is the obvious landing spot, and the one Google will migrate Fit data into. It counts steps from your phone without a Fitbit, connects to hundreds of apps and devices through Health Connect, and adds deeper fitness, sleep and coaching features if you own a Fitbit or Pixel Watch.

**The trade-off:** much of the app is built around Google's wearables. Without one, Google says you only see the Today and Health tabs. Groups and badges are gone, and the social side is a weekly friends leaderboard.

### 2. Samsung Health: best on a Galaxy phone

If you have a Samsung phone, Samsung Health is probably already counting your steps. It's also available for many non-Samsung Android phones, and it can sync steps into Health Connect: in Samsung Health, open **Settings → Health Connect** and allow steps. It has Together challenges for small groups of Samsung Health users.

**The trade-off:** the best of it needs Galaxy hardware, and steps can take a while to reach Health Connect. Several third-party help pages warn of delays of an hour or more.

### 3. Pacer: best free pedometer with challenges

Pacer counts steps from the phone with no wearable, is free with ads, and is rated about 4.8 stars on Google Play. It lets you create free step, distance and virtual race challenges, and it syncs with Fitbit and Garmin.

**The trade-off:** ads on the free plan, and phone-only counting only works when the phone is on you. Some phones also limit step counting with the screen off.

### 4. StepsApp: best simple step tracker

StepsApp is a tidy pedometer for iPhone and Android. Daily step tracking, goals and streaks are free, and it has challenges and leaderboards with friends, family and coworkers. PRO adds deeper trends for $2.50 a month or $29.99 a year, and a Family plan covers six people.

**The trade-off:** its site doesn't say whether the Android app reads Health Connect, so check that it picks up your watch before you commit.

### 5. Outstep: best for competing with friends

Outstep isn't a like-for-like Fit replacement. It's for people whose steps are more fun with someone to beat. You join a private group with friends, family or coworkers, see live daily, weekly and monthly leaderboards, and get a notification the moment someone passes you. Group challenges include Leaderboard, Group target and Race to X free, plus Survivor, Step Up and team challenges on Group Premium.

How Outstep handles Android steps, in plain terms:

- **One source per day.** Rather than adding everything in Health Connect together, Outstep picks one step source per day, so a phone and a watch can't double count. It picks automatically in this order: Samsung Health, then dedicated wearable apps (Garmin, Fitbit, Xiaomi, Amazfit, Huawei, Oura, Polar, WHOOP, COROS, Withings, Suunto), then phone counters, then other apps.
- **Google Fit comes last, but you can still choose it.** Outstep only uses Google Fit automatically if nothing else is writing steps, but you can pick it by hand while it lasts.
- **No wearable? Count from this phone.** On Android, Outstep has an optional **Count from this phone** setting that uses Google Play services' step Recording API. It needs Google Play services, counts from the moment you switch it on, and keeps 10 days on the phone.
- **History depends on your Android version.** On Android 14 or later, with the history permission granted, Outstep pulls about a year of steps on first sync and keeps syncing in the background. On older versions, it sees about the last 30 days and syncs when the app is open.
- **Typed-in steps don't count.** Steps entered by hand in Health Connect, including typed-in Fitbit steps relayed through Google Fit, are left out of leaderboards and challenges.

Samsung Health steps reach Outstep via Health Connect, so turn on Samsung Health's Health Connect sync if that's where your steps live.

**Price:** free for up to 3 groups of 8 people, with challenges up to 30 days and no ads. Group Premium is $6.99/month or $49.99/year for a group of 50. Outstep Plus, for personal stats and Journeys, is $2.99/month or $24.99/year.

**Not ideal if:** you mainly want a solo pedometer, workout logging or sleep tracking. Outstep only scores steps.

> **Try Outstep free:** private groups, live leaderboards and an alert the second someone passes you. [App Store](https://apps.apple.com/app/id6768469919) · [Google Play](https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.outstepapp.outstep)

## Which one should you pick?

- **You want the closest thing to Google Fit:** Google Health. It's Google's own replacement, and your data is meant to move there.
- **You have a Galaxy phone:** Samsung Health, with Health Connect sync turned on so other apps can see your steps.
- **You just want a free step counter:** Pacer or StepsApp.
- **You want to compete with people:** Outstep, or see our round-up of the [best step challenge apps](/blog/best-step-challenge-apps).

Whatever you pick, get your steps into Health Connect first. That's the one layer every Android health app now agrees on. For more options across both platforms, see the [best walking apps for 2026](/blog/best-walking-apps).

## Frequently asked questions

### When is Google Fit shutting down?

Google hasn't published a date for the Google Fit app. It said in May 2026 that Fit is being consolidated into Google Health and that Fit users will be invited to migrate their data "later this year". The Google Fit APIs, which other apps use, are supported until the end of 2026.

### Will I lose my Google Fit steps?

Not if you act. Turn on **Sync Fit with Health Connect** in Fit's settings so your data lands in Health Connect, download a copy with Google Takeout, and accept Google's migration into Google Health when it's offered.

### What replaces Google Fit on Android?

For apps, Health Connect replaces the Google Fit APIs. For people, Google's own replacement is the Google Health app, the renamed Fitbit app. Samsung Health, Pacer and StepsApp are popular independent alternatives.

### Do I need a Fitbit to use Google Health?

No. Google Health can count steps from your phone: choose "Just the app" when setting it up, or add Phone under Connections. Without a Fitbit or Pixel Watch you see fewer tabs and features.

### Can Health Connect count steps without another app?

On Android 14 and later, yes. Health Connect records steps from the phone's own sensor once any app has permission to read steps, and adds them to the combined total at the lowest priority. You can see them under Data and access, then Activity, then Steps.

### Why can my new app only see 30 days of steps?

By default, Health Connect lets an app read only the 30 days before you first gave it permission. Apps need a separate history permission to read further back, and support for it depends on your Android and Health Connect versions. Outstep asks for it on Android 14 and later.

### Does Outstep work with Google Fit?

Yes, while Google Fit still writes to Health Connect. Outstep uses Google Fit only if nothing else is writing steps, or if you choose it by hand. If you have a watch or Samsung Health, Outstep uses that instead.

## Sources

- [Google Fit will shut down in favor of Health, migration tool coming later this year](https://9to5google.com/2026/05/07/google-fit-shut-down-health-replacement-migration-tool-coming/) (9to5Google)
- [Google Fit is shutting down, and you need to migrate to a new Health app](https://www.howtogeek.com/google-fit-shutdown-migrate-to-fitbit-google-health/) (How-To Geek)
- [Google Health will eventually let you pull in years of data from the Google Fit app](https://www.androidauthority.com/google-fit-to-health-data-migration-3664447/) (Android Authority)
- [Google Fit Migration FAQ](https://developer.android.com/health-and-fitness/health-connect/migration/fit/faq) (Android Developers)
- [What is new with the redesigned Google Health app](https://support.google.com/googlehealth/answer/17068213?hl=en) (Google Health Help Center)
- [A new era for your wellness: Introducing the Google Health app](https://blog.google/products-and-platforms/products/google-health/google-health-app/) (Google)
- [Track your steps with Google Health on your phone](https://support.google.com/googlehealth/answer/14236404?hl=en) (Google Health Help Center)
- [Track your steps with Health Connect](https://support.google.com/android/answer/16786157) (Android Help)
- [Health Connect on Google Fit](https://support.google.com/fit/answer/12830119?hl=en) (Google Fit Help)
- [HealthPermission reference: reading history](https://developer.android.com/reference/androidx/health/connect/client/permission/HealthPermission) (Android Developers)
- [How to export your Google Fit data](https://www.howtogeek.com/694075/how-to-export-your-google-fit-data/) (How-To Geek)
- [How to export your Google Fit data](https://maketecheasier.com/export-google-fit-data/) (Make Tech Easier)
- [Fitbit removes Challenges and Open Groups](https://9to5google.com/2023/03/27/fitbit-challenges-groups-removed/) (9to5Google)
- [Syncing with Samsung Health](https://help.bigteamchallenge.com/en/articles/152995-syncing-with-samsung-health) (Big Team Challenge Help)
- [Pacer group steps challenge](https://www.mypacer.com/challenges/bw5ux0m5/group-steps-challenge) (Pacer)
- [StepsApp](https://steps.app/) (StepsApp)
- [Pacer Pedometer & Step Counter on Google Play, ratings](https://apppricinglab.com/app/google_play/cc.pacer.androidapp) (App Pricing Lab)