Long-form analysis on the Fitbit-to-Google-Health rebrand, fitness platform comparisons, and the data deletion deadlines that matter for users moving between platforms. Written for people deciding whether to switch, not for the marketing teams of the companies they are switching away from.
On 15 July 2026, Google began deleting data for Fitbit accounts that never migrated to a Google account, and support for pre-5.0 versions of the old Fitbit app ended the same day. Here's who was actually affected, why saved Takeout exports still work, and the honest answer on recovery.
On 19 May 2026, Google replaced the Fitbit app with something called Google Health. Three weeks later, the picture among long-term Fitbit users is clear: features got removed, the social heart of the app got gutted, and the headline replacement (an AI Coach) costs USD $9.99 per month for what used to come free. This is the complete audit of what changed, what now costs money, and what your options are.