Doz ↔ Hero

Doz vs Hero

Checked October 4, 2026

The short answer

For most people, Doz does the job of a smart dispenser for a fraction of the cost. Hero's app only works with a Hero membership and its dispenser, which costs $359.88 to $719.88 a year. Doz is free, or $19.99 once for everything, with no hardware, no Wi-Fi dependency and no contract.

Doz reminds you on time, follows up and rings through Silent (Doz Pro), counts your stock and keeps your data on your iPhone instead of in a company account. A dispenser is only worth its price when the person taking the medicines cannot reliably sort the right pills, or when a caregiver must be alerted about every missed dose. If that is not your situation, choose Doz.

Why choose Doz over Hero

Free, or $19.99 once. Hero costs $29.99 to $59.99 a month, and the dispenser must be returned if you cancel.
No hardware, no Wi-Fi, no contract. Hero's dispenser needs 2.4 GHz Wi-Fi, and without it there are no reminders. Doz works offline on your iPhone.
Your data stays on your phone. Hero links health, contact and usage data to a required account. Doz needs no account.
Schedules a dispenser does not offer. Every few days, on/off cycles and meal-anchored doses. Hero's help centre describes every day or selected days.

Try Doz free. No account, no ads. Up to 4 medications free; Doz Pro is $19.99 once or $9.99 a year.

Get Doz on the App Store

Doz vs Hero at a glance

Feature	Doz	Hero
Price	Free. Doz Pro is $2.99 a month, $9.99 a year or $19.99 once	A Hero membership with the smart dispenser: $59.99 a month, $44.99 a month on a 1-year plan, or from $29.99 a month prepaid
What the free version includes	Up to 4 medications and 1 prescription, reminders, stock count, every schedule type, 7 days of history	No The app does not work without a subscription and a connected dispenser
Account needed	No No account or sign-up	Yes Required
Ads	No No ads	None flagged on the App Store; reviewers mention in-app promotions
Where your data lives	On your iPhone, with optional sync through your own private iCloud. The developer cannot see it. Anonymous usage and crash data only	In a Hero account in the cloud. Health, contact info, identifiers, usage and diagnostics linked to you
Grouping by prescription	Yes Each prescription is one card holding its medications, doctor, clinic and course dates	Not stated
Set up from the label text	Yes Type the instruction as written, such as “1 capsule twice daily for 7 days”, and Doz builds the schedule on your iPhone (English)	Not stated
Meal-based timing	Yes Before, with or after breakfast, lunch or dinner. Auto-shift when meal times change is Pro	Not stated
Running-low warning	Yes Stock count with a low-stock warning in the app, at a level you set per medication. No push alert	Yes Pill counts in the dispenser and low-supply alerts, typically at 7 days left
Reminders on a silenced iPhone	Pro Critical Alerts break through Silent and Focus	Partly The dispenser beeps and lights up; a phone call or SMS can follow a late dose. Critical Alerts not stated
Follow-up if a dose is not logged	Pro One follow-up nudge, 5 to 60 minutes later	Yes Missed-dose alert after 15 minutes; optional phone call or SMS
Log a dose from the notification	Pro Take or Skip from the notification	Not stated
Hide medication names in notifications	Yes Free option	Not stated
Schedule types	Every day, chosen weekdays, every 2 to 90 days, on/off cycles such as 21/7, as needed. No every-N-hours interval	Every day or selected days; as needed with a daily maximum
Time zone changes	Doses keep their local clock time when you change time zone	The dispenser's time zone is set by hand; a travel mode keeps app reminders going
Siri	Yes Ask about schedule, stock and progress free; log, skip and refill by voice with Pro	Not stated
Apple Health	Pro Imports medications and dose history (iOS 26). Never writes to Health	Yes Apple Health sync (since August 2026)
Widgets	Pro Home Screen and Lock Screen, with a Take button	Not stated
Works offline	Yes Fully	Partly Without Wi-Fi the dispenser keeps dispensing for a limited time, with no reminders or tracking
Platforms	iPhone (iOS 17 or later)	iPhone, Apple Watch and Android; the dispenser needs 2.4 GHz Wi-Fi. US only
Apple Watch app	No	Yes Listed as compatible (watchOS 7 and later)
Caregiver or family sharing	No	Yes Caregivers get missed-dose, low-supply and offline alerts; included in the membership
Drug interaction checks	No	Yes Drug interaction alerts (since November 2025)
Reports or export for your doctor	No	Yes Downloadable medication report

“Pro” means the feature needs Doz Pro ($2.99 a month, $9.99 a year or $19.99 once). “Not stated” means Hero does not say either way in its own materials.

What it costs over a year

Option	Monthly	First year
Doz, free version	$0	$0
Doz Pro, lifetime	—	$19.99 once
Doz Pro, yearly	—	$9.99
Hero, prepaid annual	$29.99	$359.88
Hero, 1-year plan billed monthly	$44.99	$539.88
Hero, no commitment	$59.99	$719.88

Hero's own pages are not consistent about the prepaid price: the pricing FAQ says it starts at $29.99 a month, while a banner on the same page says $39.99. The dispenser cannot be bought outright and must be returned if you cancel. Hero is FSA and HSA eligible, and some Medicare patients can get it through partner practices for as little as $0, with check-ins required.

Caregiving

Hero's membership includes caregiver alerts for missed doses, low supply and the device going offline. Doz has no caregiver features; it is built for people managing their own medications. If you are helping a parent who can still manage a pill box, read helping an aging parent manage medications and the medication reminder for elderly page.

Reliability trade-offs

A dispenser adds things that can fail: it needs 2.4 GHz Wi-Fi, and without it there are no reminders or tracking, only dispensing for a limited time. Recent reviews from 2026 mention dispensing stopping after a few days offline, difficulty reaching a person to cancel, and charges for the remainder of a commitment. A phone app has fewer moving parts, but it also cannot hand anyone a pill.

When Hero may suit you better

The person taking the medicines cannot reliably sort the right pills, or a caregiver must be alerted about missed doses: a dispenser does things no phone app can.

Frequently asked questions

Can I use the Hero app without the dispenser?

No. Hero's App Store description says the app requires an active Hero subscription and a connected smart dispenser and does not work as a stand-alone application. Doz works on its own and is free to start.

How much does Hero cost?

Hero's self-pay memberships are $59.99 a month with no commitment, $44.99 a month on a 1-year plan, or from $29.99 a month prepaid for a year, including the dispenser. Some Medicare patients can get it through partner practices for as little as $0.

Is Doz a good alternative to Hero for an elderly parent?

If your parent can manage their own pill box and mainly needs dependable reminders, Doz works and costs far less. If they struggle to sort the right pills, or you need to be alerted when a dose is missed, a dispenser such as Hero does things a phone app cannot.