How to Choose an Ankylosing Spondylitis Tracking App (2026)
Ankylosing spondylitis (axial spondyloarthritis) changes week to week, and a rheumatology appointment is a snapshot. A tracker fills the gap: how stiff your mornings have been, how often you've flared, whether a biologic is still working. The question is which kind of app fits you.
A note before we start: we make Spondy, one of the apps below, and it started as a tracker for our founder's own AS. We've described the others by what they say they're for, and said who each one suits.
What a good AS tracker should do
- Track stiffness, not just pain. How long morning stiffness lasts is one of the clearest signs of inflammation in AS.
- Use the BASDAI. It's the questionnaire rheumatologists use for disease activity, so a BASDAI trend speaks their language. A score of 4 or more is usually read as active disease.
- Record flares, including outside the spine, such as enthesitis (tendon and ligament pain) and peripheral joints.
- Note eye inflammation. Uveitis is common in AS and needs urgent care, so a record of past episodes is useful.
- Log treatments, including biologic injections and when they're due, so you can see whether they're working.
- Make a report for your rheumatologist covering the time since your last appointment.
- Protect your data. Check where it's stored and whether it's sold or used for adverts.
The kinds of app to choose from
BASDAI calculators and loggers
The ASAS app calculates the BASDAI and ASDAS and is aimed at clinicians and patients alike. The Spondylitis Association of America has a free BASDAI calculator, and apps such as AS Log keep a history of your BASDAI scores, medicines and test results. These suit people who mainly want the score, without daily logging.
General symptom trackers
Apps like Bearable let you track anything you choose and look for links between your habits and symptoms. They suit people managing several conditions who want to design their own tracking. Nothing is set up for AS unless you build it yourself.
AS-specific trackers
Spondy is built around AS: a one-minute daily check-in for pain, stiffness, fatigue and mood; flares including enthesitis and peripheral joints; eye inflammation episodes; biologic injections and medicine reminders; the BASDAI; humidity tracking; optional Apple Health or Health Connect sync; and a free PDF report for your rheumatologist. Premium (with a free trial) adds weekly AI insights and a chat about your own data.
Which should you choose?
- You want everything about your AS in one place: an AS-specific tracker like Spondy.
- You only want your BASDAI score now and then: a calculator like the ASAS app or the SAA's web calculator.
- You track several conditions and like to customise: a general tracker like Bearable.
Whatever you choose, bring the trend to your appointments. A rheumatologist can do far more with three months of BASDAI scores than with "it's been bad lately".
Common questions
What is the best app for ankylosing spondylitis?
It depends on what you need. Spondy is built for AS, with daily pain and stiffness, flares including enthesitis, eye inflammation episodes, biologics and the BASDAI in one app. If you only want a BASDAI score, a calculator like the ASAS app is enough. If you track several conditions, a general tracker like Bearable may suit you.
Is there an app to track my BASDAI score?
Yes. Spondy asks the BASDAI questions and charts your score over time, and the ASAS app and the Spondylitis Association of America's web calculator work out a single score.
What should I track if I have AS?
Morning stiffness, pain, fatigue and flares at minimum, plus your BASDAI every few weeks. Adding medicines, sleep and any eye or tendon problems gives your rheumatologist a much fuller picture.
Can an app diagnose ankylosing spondylitis?
No. Trackers help you keep a clear record, but diagnosis needs a doctor, usually with imaging and blood tests.
Try Spondy
A one-minute daily check-in built for AS, with flares, eye episodes, biologics, the BASDAI and a free report for your rheumatologist.
This article is for general information and isn't a substitute for medical advice. If your eye becomes red and painful, or your vision changes, seek urgent care. Valimia makes Spondy. Other apps are described from their own public descriptions as of October 2026 and may have changed.