What Google Health Premium adds, and what Pulse adds
They do different jobs. Google Health Premium adds coaching and deeper insights inside the Google Health app. Pulse adds a separate set of scores (Recovery, Strain, Sleep Performance, Pulse Age, Energy Bank) computed from the same data on your own server. You can use either, both or neither.
Facts about other products checked on .
Three layers
| What you get | Cost | |
|---|---|---|
| Fitbit Air, free tier | Heart rate, HRV, SpO2, skin temperature, sleep stages, Cardio Load, Daily Readiness | The band (3 months of Premium included) |
| Google Health Premium | Google Health Coach (Gemini), adaptive plans, deeper sleep insights | Reported at $9.99 a month or $99.99 a year in the US |
| Pulse | Recovery, Strain and Strain Target, Sleep Performance and Planner, Pulse Age, Stress, Energy Bank, Health Monitor, journal insights | Free for noncommercial use; you run it |
When Premium is worth it
If you want guided plans and a coach you can ask questions, inside the app the band already uses, Premium is the simpler choice. Pulse has no coach.
When Pulse is worth it
If you want daily recovery and strain numbers with a published method, a long history you keep on your own machine, and are comfortable with Docker, Pulse fills that gap without a subscription.
Sources
- Google: Fitbit Air and the Google Health app (launch post, 2026-05-07)
- Android Authority: Google Health Premium price and features
- Digital Trends: Fitbit Air's core features don't need a subscription
- Google India: Fitbit Air comes to India (2026)