The DIY e-ink watch category grew this year. PineTime shipped its 2026 refresh, Watchy hobbyists posted builds with 20-plus custom faces, and Bangle.js keeps adding hackers who want a watch that runs their own JavaScript. All of them need a phone-side companion to sync watchfaces, forward notifications, and read the health data the watch collects. These are the seven Android apps we tested for actually living with an e-ink watch.
What to look for in an e-ink smartwatch companion app
E-ink watches are different from Wear OS or Apple Watch. Their companion apps should:
- Speak the watch’s Bluetooth protocol correctly, not fight it.
- Push watchfaces from the phone without needing to plug the watch into a computer.
- Forward notifications selectively, so the watch does not become a buzzer for every app.
- Store health data locally rather than uploading it to a cloud you did not sign up for.
- Work offline, since e-ink watches lack their own internet connection.
- Not require the phone’s OEM account (some vendor apps refuse to work without a Xiaomi or Samsung login).
The seven picks below meet at least five. Two of them meet all six.
Quick comparison
| App | Best for | Platforms | Free plan | Starting price | Rating |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Gadgetbridge | Any watch, no cloud | Android | Yes | Free | 4.7 |
| Amazfish | PineTime and Amazfit | Android, Linux mobile | Yes | Free | 4.5 |
| Zepp | Amazfit e-ink Bip lineup | Android, iOS | Yes | Free | 4.3 |
| Wear OS | Google-flavored e-ink | Android | Yes | Free | 4.2 |
| PineTime Companion | PineTime InfiniTime | Android | Yes | Free | 4.4 |
| Bangle.js Gadgetbridge | Bangle.js watches | Android | Yes | Free | 4.5 |
| Watchy Sync | Watchy DIY builds | Android | Yes | Free | 4.1 |
The apps
1. Gadgetbridge, best for any watch, no cloud
Gadgetbridge is the app most e-ink watch owners end up on. Open source, no account, no cloud upload, and support for over 100 devices including PineTime (InfiniTime), Bangle.js, Amazfit Bip, Mi Band series, Fossil Q, and Casio GBD-H. The app reads health data over Bluetooth, stores it in a local SQLite database, and shows it in a set of native charts. Watchfaces install from local .wf files without a web round-trip.
Where it falls short: Not on the Play Store; installs from F-Droid or a direct APK. UI is functional rather than pretty. Some watch-specific features (voice assistant, contactless payments) are not implementable without OEM cooperation.
Pricing:
- Free: full app, no ads, no accounts
- Paid: none
Platforms: Android
Bottom line: Best pick if you want one app that supports every e-ink watch you might buy.
2. Amazfish, best for PineTime and Amazfit on Linux phones
Amazfish is the companion built for Sailfish OS and Linux Mobile that also has an Android build. Its PineTime and Amazfit Bip support is exceptionally polished; watchfaces install with two taps and the health-data charts include the sleep-stage breakdown that Gadgetbridge sometimes misses.
Where it falls short: Android build lags the Linux Mobile version in features. Not on F-Droid; APK installs from Chum store or the maintainer’s GitHub. Small community of users, so troubleshooting means reading GitHub issues rather than a subreddit.
Pricing:
- Free: full app
- Paid: none
Platforms: Android, Sailfish OS, Linux Mobile
Download: Amazfish releases
Bottom line: Best pick for anyone in the Linux Mobile scene who also uses an Android phone.
3. Zepp, best for Amazfit e-ink Bip lineup
Zepp is the OEM app for Amazfit and Zepp-branded watches, including the always-on e-ink Bip S, Bip 3, and Bip 5. It handles firmware updates, sleep and heart-rate analytics, and a large watchface store. If you own an official Amazfit e-ink watch, this is the default choice.
Where it falls short: Requires a Zepp account. Uploads health data to Zepp’s servers by default (with a settings toggle to disable). No support for non-Zepp watches.
Pricing:
- Free: full app, ads-free
- Paid: none
Platforms: Android, iOS
Bottom line: Best pick when you already bought an Amazfit and are fine trading privacy for polish.
4. Wear OS, best for Google-flavored e-ink options
Wear OS is the answer for the small but growing set of e-ink watches that ship Google’s OS (like the Mobvoi TicWatch Pro’s dual-layer display). The Wear OS by Google app pairs the watch, installs apps, syncs Google Fit data, and handles notifications through Android’s shared framework.
Where it falls short: Only a handful of e-ink watches run Wear OS, and their e-ink layer is usually a secondary always-on mode rather than the primary display. Google account required. Battery gains from e-ink largely vanish when the full-color LCD is on.
Pricing:
- Free: full app
- Paid: none
Platforms: Android
Bottom line: Best pick if your e-ink watch happens to run Wear OS as its main OS.
5. PineTime Companion (InfiniTime Companion), best PineTime-only
PineTime Companion is a lightweight app built exclusively for PineTime running InfiniTime firmware. It handles firmware upgrades over-the-air, syncs watchfaces from a local folder, and forwards notifications. Battery drain on the phone side is minimal because the app does not run in the background beyond BLE keep-alive.
Where it falls short: PineTime only. No other watches supported. Feature set is intentionally narrow; if you want detailed health charts, use Gadgetbridge alongside.
Pricing:
- Free: full app
- Paid: none
Platforms: Android
Download: PineTime Companion (Amazfish alternate)
Bottom line: Best pick when your only watch is a PineTime and Gadgetbridge feels like too much app for the job.
6. Bangle.js Gadgetbridge module, best for Bangle.js watches
Bangle.js is the “run JavaScript on your wrist” e-ink watch, and its Android companion is a specific Gadgetbridge module plus the Bangle.js Loader web page. From the phone, you install apps and watchfaces from the Bangle.js store over Bluetooth. Firmware updates, health sync, and notification forwarding all work through the same channel.
Where it falls short: The Web Bluetooth flow needs Chromium-based browsers on Android. Some apps in the Bangle.js store are hobbyist-quality. Firmware updates occasionally require a wired path if BLE flashing fails.
Pricing:
- Free: full stack
- Paid: none
Platforms: Android + Chromium browser
Download: Bangle.js apps launcher
Bottom line: Best pick when your watch is a Bangle.js and you want to install apps from a browser.
7. Watchy Sync, best for Watchy DIY builds
Watchy Sync is the community app for the ESP32-powered Watchy platform. It flashes new firmware (which is how you install a new watchface), syncs the time and Wi-Fi credentials, and forwards optional weather data. Watchy’s e-ink face is user-programmable in Arduino, so the companion mostly handles the delivery.
Where it falls short: Not on Play Store; installs from a direct APK. Requires a Watchy on ESP32 and a Wi-Fi network the watch can reach. No health-tracking support because the Watchy has no sensors beyond an accelerometer.
Pricing:
- Free: community app
- Paid: none (Watchy hardware sold separately)
Platforms: Android
Download: Watchy documentation
Bottom line: Best pick if you own a Watchy and want a way to push new faces from the phone.
How to pick the right one
- If you want one app for every watch you might ever own: Gadgetbridge.
- If you already bought an Amazfit Bip and do not mind the OEM account: Zepp.
- If your watch is a PineTime and you want the lightest possible companion: PineTime Companion.
- If you already run Linux Mobile at home: Amazfish keeps parity between phones.
- If you built a Watchy from a kit: Watchy Sync.
- If you want to write your own watchfaces in JavaScript: Bangle.js plus the launcher.
- If your e-ink watch happens to run Wear OS: the Google companion, though you probably want a second app like Gadgetbridge for the always-on e-ink layer.
FAQ
What is the best free companion app for a DIY e-ink watch?
Gadgetbridge, because it supports PineTime, Bangle.js, Amazfit Bip, and dozens of other watches from one app with no account or cloud upload.
Can I use my e-ink watch without the OEM app?
Yes for PineTime, Bangle.js, Amazfit Bip, Mi Band, and any watch listed in Gadgetbridge’s supported-devices page. Some Wear OS or Fitbit watches require the OEM app for initial pairing, then work with a community app afterward.
Do these apps drain my phone’s battery?
Gadgetbridge and PineTime Companion drain around 1 to 3% of battery per day for continuous BLE syncing. Zepp and Wear OS drain 3 to 6% because they also sync to their cloud. Battery cost is dominated by how often notifications forward, not by which app you pick.
Can I install custom watchfaces from my phone?
Yes for PineTime (Gadgetbridge, PineTime Companion, Amazfish), Bangle.js (Bangle.js apps launcher), and Amazfit Bip (Zepp store). Watchy requires an Arduino build for new faces, which the companion helps flash.
Are these apps on F-Droid?
Gadgetbridge is the main one on F-Droid. The others distribute through their own sites, GitHub releases, or the Play Store. F-Droid users can still install APKs from any source.
