These are the five apps we use to boost the Ultra and Ultra 2.
The Apple Watch Ultra line is superb for those outdoor lovers who require extra smarts from their watch, but some key features are still missing.
Apple’s watchOS 11 update also offers key enhancements for Ultra users, including modifications to Activity Rings, built-in turn-by-turn navigation in Apple Maps, and the Tides app.
However, to maximize your use of the Ultra, you’ll still need to explore third-party integrations in the App Stores. That’s where this guide is helpful.
We’ve selected five Apple Watch Ultra apps that can enhance the smartwatch for your adventures on land, in water, or on snow—some of which also work well with the Ultra’s Action button.
- Apple Watch Ultra vs. Ultra 2
- Apple Watch Ultra 2 review
- Everything we know about the Apple Watch Ultra 3
The best app for navigation: Footpath
Free (with in-app purchases) | Download Footpath app
Works with Action button: Yes
If you find that the Ultra’s mapping and navigation skills are lacking, consider downloading the route-planning app Footpath instead.
There’s a free version of the app, but you’ll need to pay for the Elite subscription ($4 a month or $24 a year) to fully benefit from the Apple Watch support, which includes integrating support for the Ultra’s Action button.
You can send routes to the Watch and follow them offline with audio-based turn-by-turn navigation. Alternatively, if you prefer manual control, you can swipe, pan, and zoom in on full topographic maps using the watch’s crown.
Footpath enables navigation with Apple’s Workout app, allowing you to listen to music and podcasts while still enjoying turn-by-turn navigation support.
If you pay for the subscription, Footpath will allow you to use the Action button to toggle the map or speak the next turn instruction when you prefer not to swipe on the display.
If you want to improve native navigation, Footpath is about as good as it gets—the added integration with the Action button makes it feel very premium.
The best app for hiking: WorkOutDoors
$6.99/£6.99 | Download the WorkOutDoors app
Works with Action button: Yes
The Apple Watch Ultra has everything it needs to be a solid smartwatch for single-day hikes – but there are still numerous missing features. Enter WorkOutDoors.
It focuses on hiking-specific metrics and provides rich, vector-style topographic maps to give you a sense of the terrain you’re tackling, with maps rotating automatically when you change direction.
For our money, the best feature is the ability to upload GPX routes and follow them from the Watch itself.
You can easily export and load workouts and routes, and there’s breadcrumb-style navigation support to help you navigate the well-designed maps on-screen.
It functions as a standalone app, allowing you to store routes for offline use and customize those data screens to be as busy or as minimal as you prefer.
Since the Ultra arrived, WorkOutDoors has added support for Apple’s Action button. You can press that big button to end the workout, pause or resume, toggle between full or faded map views, and more.
The best app for swimming: Swim.com Swim tracker
Free | Download Swim.com app
Works with Action button: No
We’ve discussed our thoughts on Apple’s swim tracking capabilities extensively in the past, as the native Workout app provides some of the most reliable support for tracking time spent in the water.
However, if you’re seeking a more comprehensive option, the clunkily named ‘Swim.com: Swim Tracker’ stands out as the best third-party choice.
There is no shortage of data and swim-based metrics, and the app can help you find places to swim. It can also identify stroke types, count the number of strokes, and display data both on and off the Watch.
Additionally, Swim Tracker provides drill and pace modes for more targeted training sessions.
The other side of the app offers workout support, providing a large library of workouts you can follow to add variety to your swimming sessions. More competitive swimmers can even view leaderboards and track their weekly swimming goals.
The developers have been making improvements specifically for the Apple Watch Ultra. While this app has been around for some time, few can match it for detail, training, and motivation.
The best app for heart rate training: Zones
Free (or $4.99/£4.99 one-off payment for Premium) | Download Zones app
Works with Action button: No
Apple has introduced features in recent watchOS updates to enhance its smartwatches for monitoring effort levels and displaying heart rate zones; however, for some users, it may still not be enough.
If you think Apple’s approach to measuring heart rate during workouts isn’t quite adequate, Zones is one of the best apps to use instead.
This app prominently displays your heart rate, offering specific modes for running, walking, cycling, surfing, snowboarding, and skiing.
Select your activity, and your Watch screen will display your current heart rate, vibrating to alert you if you’ve entered a different heart rate zone.
On the watch, you can view either your BPM or exercise intensity, while the other stats are accessible via the companion iPhone app.
Here, you’ll find a clear breakdown of the time spent in heart rate zones, average heart rate, and heart rate ranges, along with insights into your heart rate recovery.
After you pay the one-time fee for the premium version, you can customize your 4 or 5 zones and their colors. This enhances heart rate training on that large Ultra screen, making it feel more engaging.
The best app for skiing: Slopes
Free (with in-app purchases) | Download Slopes app
Works with Action button: Yes
The Slopes app is designed to track your skiing and snowboarding time, providing multiple screens of metrics accessible directly from your Ultra.
It provides real-time stats for speed, distance covered, and altitude, and it detects when you’ve paused to get on a ski lift. Additionally, it can inform you if friends using the slope are nearby and have started tracking their sessions.
Real-time heart rate data can also be integrated into the app, making it ideal for those who enjoy measuring effort or skiing to help close their Activity Rings. Paying for the premium version will also unlock additional insights, giving you a better sense of your performance over time.
It’s also one of the few apps that embrace the Action button, allowing you to quickly and easily start a workout. That’s super handy when wearing gloves.
The Slopes app also utilizes the Ultra’s onboard dual-frequency GNSS to pinpoint your location, ensuring precise distance tracking.
