Beatcast
Polar H10, H9 or Verity Sense for iPhone
By Andreas B. Diendorfer · ORCID · LinkedIn · Updated
Short answer
The H10 and H9 list the standard Bluetooth Heart Rate Service in Polar's manuals, and Polar says the Verity Sense works with dozens of fitness apps. The difference that matters is how you wear it. The H10 and H9 are chest straps. The Verity Sense is an optical arm band. Pick on fit and habit, not on what the iPhone will accept.
Last checked: 12 October 2026.
Side by side
| H10 | H9 | Verity Sense | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Where | Chest | Chest | Arm |
| How it reads | Electrodes | Electrodes | Optical |
| Battery | Replaceable coin cell (CR2025) | Replaceable coin cell (CR2025) | Rechargeable, up to 30 hours per Polar |
| Bluetooth connections | Two per Polar's manual; an older Polar article says one by default | No dual Bluetooth setting per Polar | Two Bluetooth devices, on by default per Polar's manual |
| ANT+ | Yes, ignored by an iPhone | Yes, ignored by an iPhone | Yes, ignored by an iPhone |
| Page | Polar H10 | Covered on the H10 page | Polar Verity Sense |
Figures are from Polar's manuals and product pages. Polar's own pages disagree on the H10's default, so check the setting in Flow.
What this means on a phone
Chest or arm. A chest strap wants damp electrodes and a snug fit. An arm band wants bare skin and a snug fit. Beatcast works with either. It doesn't know where you wear it.
Batteries. A coin cell lasts a long time and costs little to replace. A rechargeable band needs charging before you need it.
Connections. Polar lists two Bluetooth connections for the H10 and the Verity Sense, set in Flow. The H9 has no dual Bluetooth setting. Two connections let a watch and a phone share one sensor. The two devices guide has the steps.
What this page doesn't judge
Accuracy. Whether an optical arm band beats a chest strap depends on the person, the effort and the fit. DC Rainmaker publishes in-depth comparisons, and they are a better place to look than here. For lifting, see the weight training guide.
Compared with the cheaper options
A Coospo or Wahoo sensor sends the same standard signal. See the Coospo page and the Wahoo page.
What Beatcast does with any of them
The number goes into the Dynamic Island and onto the Lock Screen while a session runs, and it stays there while you are in another app. Sessions are kept with time in zone and exported as CSV or TCX.
Beatcast on the App Store. Fourteen days free, then one purchase.
Questions
Is the H9 the same as the H10?
They are different straps. Polar's manuals list the standard Bluetooth Heart Rate Service for both.
Do I need Polar's app for any of them?
Polar recommends pairing with its Flow app first, for firmware, and says other apps can be used.
Which one is best?
That depends on how you like to wear a sensor.
Can I use two at once?
Beatcast reads one sensor at a time.
Good to know
Beatcast is not a medical device. It is built for training and general wellbeing, and it cannot detect, diagnose, treat or monitor any condition. If something about your heart worries you, talk to a doctor rather than to an app.
The Bluetooth word mark is a registered trademark of Bluetooth SIG, Inc. Apple, iPhone and iPad are trademarks of Apple Inc. Polar and other names belong to their owners and are used only to say which sensors Beatcast can read. Beatcast is an independent product and is not affiliated with, endorsed by or certified by any of them.
Got yours working? Report it in r/beatcast and it goes on the list.