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Looking for an alternative to Visible — maybe free, in German, or without a subscription for the armband? Here you can see which pacing app fits you for ME/CFS, Long COVID and fatigue — with Elara as a free, ad-free recommendation.
Visible is the best-known pacing app internationally (HRV score, large community), but it is English-only and charges for full features — which is exactly why many people look for an alternative.
The most direct alternative is Elara: free, ad-free, with automatic wearable integration and an early PEM warning via its strain index.
If you do not need wearable integration, blue-ME (a free rest timer) and Fimo Health (validated content, partly covered by insurers) are further alternatives.
In short: if you want something like Visible’s stability score but free and using your own smartwatch, Elara is the most direct alternative.
| App | Focus | Platform | Wearables | Pricing | Language |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Elara HealthRecommended | Pacing diary & early PEM warning | iOS & Android | Apple Health, Garmin, Oura, Fitbit | Free, no ads | German & English |
| Visible | HRV-based pacing & stability score | iOS & Android | Own HRV measurement, Polar armband (Visible+) | Freemium (subscription for armband) | English |
| blue-ME | Pacing timer & symptom documentation | iOS & Android | Limited | Free | German |
| Fimo Health | Symptom diary & validated content | iOS & Android | Limited | Partly via health insurer | German |
A free, ad-free alternative to Visible
Elara is a pacing diary built in Germany for ME/CFS, Long COVID and fatigue. The strain index shows your remaining capacity each day and warns before a PEM crash, not after — similar in role to Visible’s stability score, but free. Symptoms, sleep, activity and vitals come together in one place; wearables such as Apple Health, Garmin, Oura and Fitbit connect automatically, with no extra armband required. No ads, no data sharing — and an official partner of ME/CFS research at the University Hospital Regensburg.
Made in GermanyLargest international community, recommended by the ME Association
Visible, from the UK, measures heart rate variability each morning (via the phone camera or an optional Polar armband) and derives a daily stability score. With 250,000+ users and an endorsement from the ME Association, it is the most visible pacing app internationally. Its advanced continuous-monitoring features require a paid subscription — the most common reason people start looking for an alternative.
Structured "activity = rest" coaching
blue-ME is a German app built specifically for people with ME/CFS, Post-COVID, Post-VAC and fibromyalgia. Its core is a pacing timer based on the "activity = rest" principle (e.g. 30 seconds activity, 30 seconds rest), combined with self-monitoring and symptom documentation. As a Visible alternative it suits anyone who wants structured rest coaching instead of an HRV score.
Medically/psychologically validated content, partly covered by insurers
Fimo Health combines a symptom diary with tips and exercises validated by doctors and psychologists. In Germany it is partly available through health insurers, which lowers the barrier to access. As a Visible alternative it mainly suits people who value educational guidance more than wearable-driven load management.
You want Visible’s idea, but free of charge
Like Visible, a daily guardrail against overexertion — a strain index instead of the HRV stability score — but free and ad-free.
You want no cost and no armband subscription
Both are completely free: Elara with automatic wearable integration and a PEM warning, blue-ME with a structured rest timer — no paid armband.
You already use a smartwatch (Garmin, Oura, Fitbit, Apple Watch)
Instead of a separate Polar armband like Visible+, Elara connects your existing wearables automatically and merges the data.
You care about validated content, possibly via your insurer
Educational, doctor-validated guidance with partial availability through German health insurers — a different focus than Visible’s HRV score.
Like Visible’s stability score, a good alternative should warn you before overexertion leads to a crash — in Elara via the strain index.
Instead of a paid armband, automatic import of heart rate, HRV, sleep and activity from your existing wearables is worth having.
Visible is English-only and charges for full features — a free, native-language alternative lowers the barrier to daily use.
GDPR-compliant, ad-free data handling with no data sharing builds trust — especially with sensitive health data.
Yes. Elara is a German-built, German-language pacing app with a strain index that — like Visible’s stability score — warns about overexertion. blue-ME and Fimo Health are further German-language alternatives. Elara is additionally free and ad-free.
Elara is completely free and ad-free, and blue-ME is also free. Visible itself is a freemium app whose advanced armband features require a subscription — which a free alternative like Elara avoids.
Yes. Instead of a paid Polar armband (Visible+), Elara connects existing wearables such as Apple Health, Garmin, Oura and Fitbit automatically — free and with no extra device.
Elara uses a strain index that shows your remaining daily capacity and warns about overexertion before PEM sets in. In daily use this serves the same role as the stability score Visible derives from your morning HRV.
Yes. Elara connects with Apple Health, Garmin, Oura and Fitbit and merges the data automatically — you do not need a separate armband. Visible relies primarily on its own HRV measurement or an optional Polar armband.
No. Pacing apps support self-management and documentation but do not replace a medical diagnosis or treatment. They can, however, help you prepare your history for conversations with your doctor.
A pacing diary, strain index and automatic wearable integration — free, ad-free and available in German and English.