The best health apps and devices of 2026, and our picks for 2027
Innovation Prizes name one winner in each category, from fitness trackers and smart rings to glucose monitors and calorie counters, judged on novelty, evidence, everyday use, access and privacy. No entry fees, no paid placements.
The 2026 winners
One page per category, each with a winner, two finalists and the products we also commend.
Calorie Counter Apps
Winner: PlateLens
Fitness Trackers
Winner: Google Fitbit Air
Smart Rings
Winner: Oura Ring 5
Glucose Monitors
Winner: Stelo
Workout Apps
Winner: Hevy
Running Apps
Winner: Strava
Sleep Trackers and Apps
Winner: Oura Ring 5
Period Tracker Apps
Winner: Natural Cycles
Pregnancy Apps
Winner: What to Expect Pregnancy & Baby Tracker
Blood Pressure Monitors
Winner: 10 Series Upper Arm Blood Pressure Monitor (BP7465)
Food Scanner Apps
Winner: Yuka
Meditation Apps
Winner: Headspace
Looking ahead: the 2027 prizes
Chosen in October 2026 for the year ahead, from products already on sale or officially announced.
Best Calorie Counter Apps for 2027Winner: PlateLens
Best Fitness Trackers for 2027Winner: Apple Watch Series 12
Best Smart Rings for 2027Winner: Oura Ring 5
Best Glucose Monitors for 2027Winner: Stelo
Best Workout Apps for 2027Winner: Hevy
Best Running Apps for 2027Winner: Nike Run Club
Best Sleep Trackers and Apps for 2027Winner: Apple Watch Series 12
Best Period Tracker Apps for 2027Winner: Natural Cycles
Best Pregnancy Apps for 2027Winner: Ovia Cycle & Pregnancy Tracker
Best Blood Pressure Monitors, Watches and Apps for 2027Winner: 10 Series Upper Arm Blood Pressure Monitor (BP7465)
Best Food Scanner Apps for 2027Winner: Open Food Facts
Best Meditation Apps for 2027Winner: Healthy Minds Program
How the prizes are judged
Five weighted criteria, applied to what each maker publishes, FDA records and published research. Read the full criteria.
Does it do something useful that was hard to get before, or does it only repackage what everyone already offers?
Validation studies, FDA clearances, peer-reviewed research and clear documentation behind the claims the maker makes.
Whether it fits a normal week: how much effort it asks, how quickly it pays back, and how many kinds of people it serves.
Platforms, a usable free option where one exists, accessibility features and availability in the United States.
A readable privacy policy, export and deletion of your own data, and no surprises about who else sees it.
Guides
Background reading for the categories: how the technology works and how to choose.
Abbott Lingo vs. Dexcom Stelo: The Over-the-Counter CGMs ComparedLingo and Stelo both skip the prescription. See who each glucose sensor is for, how long it lasts, what the apps show and which one fits type 2 diabetes.
AI Calorie Trackers: How Photo Logging WorksHow AI calorie trackers turn a photo into calories, what helps them get it right, and which apps do it best: PlateLens leads for photo plus verified food data.
AirPods Pro as a Hearing Aid: How the Feature WorksHow the FDA-authorized Hearing Aid feature on AirPods Pro 2 and AirPods Pro 3 works, who it is for, what you need to set it up and when to see a professional.
Apps Like Yuka: Food Scanner Apps ComparedFour Yuka alternatives for US shoppers: Open Food Facts, EWG's Healthy Living, Fig and Bobby Approved, compared on scoring method, scope, cost and privacy.
Best Food Tracking Apps of 2026The best food tracking apps of 2026 for keeping an honest food diary: PlateLens leads, with Cronometer for nutrient detail and MyFitnessPal for eating out.
Best Habit Tracker Apps of 2026The best habit tracker apps of 2026: Streaks for iPhone, Loop for Android, Habitica, Habitify and Finch, compared on free tiers, platforms and privacy.
Best Macro Tracker Apps of 2026The best macro tracker apps of 2026: PlateLens for most people, MacroFactor for lifters on weekly targets, Cronometer for detail. How to set your macros too.
Best Step Counter Apps of 2026The best step counter apps of 2026, from the free counters built into iPhone and Android phones to Pedometer++, Pacer and StepsApp for goals and challenges.
Best Weight Loss Apps of 2026The best weight loss apps of 2026: PlateLens for tracking that adapts as you lose, Noom and WeightWatchers for structured programs, and when each approach fits.
CGMs for People Without Diabetes: What They Show and Who They HelpWhat a glucose sensor shows if you don't have diabetes, what normal readings look like in research, what the evidence says, and when a short trial may help.
Free Calorie Counter Apps: What You Get Without PayingWhich free calorie counter apps are really free? PlateLens puts every feature on its free plan; Lose It!, MyFitnessPal, Cronometer and FatSecret keep some for members.
Open Food Facts: How the Free Food Database WorksHow Open Food Facts collects product data, who runs it, how it calculates Nutri-Score, NOVA and Green-Score, and what its open license lets apps do with it.
Oura Ring Alternatives: Smart Rings Worth a LookFour Oura alternatives on sale in the US: RingConn Gen 2, Samsung Galaxy Ring, Ultrahuman Ring Pro and Circular Ring 2, compared on fees, battery and phones.
Telehealth Dietitians: How Online Nutrition Counseling WorksHow online nutrition counseling with a registered dietitian works, what licensing rules apply across state lines, and when Medicare or private insurance pays.