Heart Tracker Apps
Track at home. Catch issues early.
Apple Watch SE / Series 9 / 10
$249-450Best heart-rate tracking. ECG (Series 4+). Atrial fib detection. Fall detection.
Best overall.
KardiaMobile (AliveCor)
$80-150FDA-cleared single-lead ECG card. 30-sec readings. Doctor-quality.
Best ECG-only.
Withings ScanWatch
$280-400Looks like analog watch. ECG + SpO2 + sleep. 30-day battery.
Best non-screen watch.
Fitbit Sense 2
$200ECG + AFib detection. 6-day battery. Cheaper than Apple Watch.
Best Fitbit.
Polar H10 chest strap
$80Most accurate heart rate during exercise. Chest strap.
Best exercise accuracy.
Why monitor
- AFib detection — Apple Watch alone has caught millions of cases. Untreated AFib = stroke risk.
- Track resting heart rate trends — sudden change is a flag.
- Help cardiologist see real-world patterns.
- Confidence — fewer "is this a heart attack?" worries.
- Some Medicare Advantage plans REIMBURSE for fitness trackers.
When to call doctor
- App says "AFib detected" — show doctor at next visit. Save the PDF.
- Resting heart rate consistently above 100 or below 50.
- Sudden 10+ bpm increase in resting rate without explanation.
- Heart skipping or pounding more than occasionally.
- Chest pain with arm/jaw pain — call 911. Always.
Share with doctor
All these apps export PDF reports. Bring to cardiology appointments. Doctors love seeing 30-day trends instead of 1 in-office reading. Cardiologist often catches things in real-world data they'd miss in 5-min visit.