Key Points
- When choosing the best fitness tracker, there are several factors to consider, including compatibility, price, fit, and special features such as GPS and water resistance.
- The Fitbit Charge 5 was voted the best overall fitness tracker.
- If budget is a concern, then the Amazfit Band 5 may be for you.
When choosing the best fitness tracker, there are several factors to consider, including compatibility, price, fit, and special features such as GPS and water resistance
©iStock.com/Drazen Zigic
Tracking your fitness has never been easier. With the right wearable, you can be sure that your activity levels are being accurately tracked, and you’ll get great insight into your overall health.
However, finding the right piece of kit to meet your specific needs is not easy. This can be very frustrating if you’re trying out different devices and tracking programs to see which one works best for you.
To make it easy on you, our team of tech experts tested out the highest-rated fitness trackers on the market right now, and we compiled a list of the 7 best trackers, including smartwatches and those with basic tracking abilities.
- Best Fitness Tracker Overall: Fitbit Charge 5
- Best Samsung Fitness Watch: Samsung Galaxy Watch 4
- Best Budget Fitness Tracker: Amazfit Band 5
- Best Fitness Tracking Smartwatch: Fitbit Sense Advanced
- Best Fitness Tracker for Runners: Polar Ignite
- Best Fitness Tracker for Beginners: Fitbit Inspire 2
- Best Apple Fitness Tracker: Apple Watch Series 7
Best Fitness Tracker Overall: Fitbit Charge 5
- Daily readiness and stress management score
- Health Metrics dashboard, track SpO2, heart rate variability, skin temperature variation
- Built-in GPS
- 24/7 heart rate tracking and Active Zone Minutes
The Fitbit Charge 5 is the best fitness tracker on the market right now.
It has a sleek design, is comfortable to wear, and has various features that make it perfect for tracking your fitness. Plus, it’s affordable and easy to use.
It also has an excellent app and allows you to connect with other Fitbit users via their communities. This makes it easy for you to get support from others using the same device as you so that you can learn from them and get the best results possible.
In addition, the Fitbit Charge 5 has a feature called the “Daily Readiness Score” that estimates your fitness level for a strenuous workout based on three different metrics: recent sleep, heart rate variability (HRV), and activity.
The built-in GPS allows you to get more accurate distance information on your runs, which can be helpful if you’re trying to get into shape or just want to see how far you’ve gone without having to carry around a phone with you. The sleep tracking feature is also convenient when trying to figure out what time it is when you wake up in the morning!
Get yours on Amazon here.
| Display | 0.86 x 0.58 inches AMOLED touchscreen |
| Sensors | 3-axis accelerometer, optical heart rate monitor, vibration motor, relative SpO2 sensor, ECG sensor, electrodermal activity (EDA) sensor |
| Battery | 7 days/5 hours with GPS |
| Connectivity | Bluetooth 4.0, GPS, NFC |
| Compatibility | Android/iOS |
| Water resistance | 50 meters |
| Screen Size | 1.04 inches |
Best Samsung Fitness Tracker: Samsung Galaxy Watch 4
- BODY COMPOSITION ANALYSIS: Galaxy Watch4 is the first smartwatch to off body composition data right on your wrist, On your own schedule, now you can get readings on body fat, skeletal muscle, body...
- BETTER SLEEP STARTS HERE: Wake up feeling refreshed and recharged with advanced sleep tracking; When you go to bed, your Galaxy Watch4 sleep tracker starts monitoring your sleep and SpO2 levels...
- BE SMART ABOUT YOUR HEART: Take care of your heart with accurate ECG monitoring and keep an eye on possible atrial fibrillation, a common form of irregular heart rhythm; Share personalized readings...
- MAKE EVERY WORKOUT COUNT: Get the most out of every exercise session with advanced workout tracking that recognizes 6 popular activities, from running to rowing to swimming, automatically in just 3...
- GO THE EXTRA MILE: Improve your runs with advanced running coaching technology; VO2 Max readings assess your oxygen levels to manage and track your heart and lung endurance
If you’re looking for the best Samsung fitness watch, look no further than the Samsung Galaxy Watch 4.
This device is perfect for those who want to track their steps, monitor their heart rate, and stay in shape without having to wear a heavy watch on their wrist.
With its sleek design, this watch is as comfortable as it is functional. The curved screen looks great while still being easy on the eyes—you won’t even have to worry about squinting. The touchscreen makes it simple to navigate through menus and make changes when necessary.
The watch uses a bioelectric impedance sensor to calculate body water content, skeletal muscle mass, and body fat percentage (along with a signal that tells you whether you’re in a healthy zone). It’s a fascinating new set of data to examine, but let’s hope Samsung keeps making it clearer and more useful over time.
You can buy this on Amazon here.
| Display | 1.2″ 396 x 396 / 1.4″ 450 x 450 Super AMOLED |
| Battery Life | 40 hours |
| Connectivity | Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, LTE (for extra) |
| Compatibility | Android |
| Charging method | Wireless |
| Sensors | Accelerometer, gyroscope, compass, heart rate, barometer, ECG, blood oxygen |
| Size | 1.2 inches |
Best Budget Fitness Tracker: Amazfit Band 5
- Lasts for up to 15 days when fully charged
- Monitor blood oxygen during workouts
- 24/7 real-time heart rate monitoring, warning
- User-friendly fitness tracker with 11 sports modes
- Water resistant up to 50 meters
- Navigate using Amazon Alexa
The Amazfit Band 5 is a great budget fitness tracker that does everything you need for less than $50.
It’s also waterproof, so you can sweat without worrying about damaging your new watch. It includes a number of high-end tools, including a blood oxygen (SpO2) reading, stress monitoring, high heart rate alerts, an Amazon Alexa built-in, sleep tracking, and others.
The display is easy to read and has an automatic night mode if you’re going on a run late at night or just want to save power by turning off your screen when it’s not being used. The device has a battery life of up to 15 days on a single charge depending on how much use you put into it each day (and how long your workouts are).
There’s also an app available for iOS and Android devices that can help you stay motivated by showing how many steps you’ve taken each day or week and showing stats related to your health data such as distance traveled.
Get yours on Amazon here.
| Display | 1.1″ full-color AMOLED, resolution 126 x 294 pixels |
| Battery | 15 days |
| Connectivity and sensors | Bluetooth 5.0, optical HR, 3-axis acceleration sensor, gyroscope sensor |
| Compatibility | Android/iOS |
| Water resistance | 5 ATM |
| Size | 1.9 x 0.7 x 0.5 inches |
Best Fitness Tracking Smartwatch: Fitbit Sense Advanced
- EDA Scan app helps detect stress
- Assess your heart for atrial fibrillation
- On-wrist skin temperature sensor tracks your sleep each night
- 6+ days of battery life
- Menstrual cycle tracker
- Compatible with Apple and Android
The Fitbit Sense Advanced is one of the best fitness trackers on the market right now because of its advanced features and sensors.
It has a built-in GPS and heart rate monitor, and can track your steps, distance, calories burned, and active minutes. Plus, it has a six-day battery life and is water resistant up to 50 meters. If you’re looking for something simple and easy to use, this isn’t the one for you. You will need time to learn how all of these features work to get the maximum benefit from them!
Aside from having an FDA-approved ECG sensor, the Fitbit Sense Advanced can also measure electrodermal activity and skin temperature. The Sense, one of the top fitness trackers, is compatible with iOS and Android, has built-in GPS, a native app store, Alexa, and more. Fitbit is now more than just a company that makes products for tracking our steps; Fitbit gadgets like the Fitbit Sense also make excellent smartwatches.
Check it out on Amazon here.
| Display | 1.58 inches, 336 x 336 pixels |
| Battery | 6 days |
| Compatibility | iOS, Android |
| Size | 1.59 x 1.59 x 0.49 inches |
| Connectivity | Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, NFC |
| Water resistance | 50m |
| Sensors | Altimeter, Built-in GPS receiver + GLONASS, Multi-path optical heart rate tracker |
Best Fitness Tracker for Runners: Polar Ignite
- BECOME YOUR TRUE POTENTIAL: Polar Ignite, a sports smartwatch for women and men who want to push their limits the right way. Perfect for gym, group and team exercise, swimming, running, cycling,...
- SLIM DESIGN OPTIMIZED FOR 24/7 WEAR: Your new-generation smart workout partner with a 1-button interface includes such essentials as a wrist-based OHR monitor, speed, distance and route tracking with...
- NIGHTLY RECHARGE: Nightly Recharge measures how well your body recovers from the day stress during the night.
- FitSpark DAILY TRAINING GUIDE: Get your personalised and ready-made daily workout guidance based on your recovery and overall readiness.
- SLEEP PLUS STAGES: Learn about your sleep quality, follow your sleep stages and get detailed sleep insights with the new Sleep Plus Stages feature.
This one is a little unusual because the Polar Ignite is a subscription-based device rather than a fitness tracker you can buy.
The Whoop band doesn’t have a screen or built-in GPS; instead, it concentrates on heart rate recovery to give you a better overall picture of how hard you’ve been exercising.
Without question, the Polar Ignite is an excellent health tracker for those seeking deeper health insights. There is a reason why many of the best athletes in the world have been seen wearing one on their wrist or around their bicep—the information would be priceless for a coach. Insights like skin temperature may be used as a measure to see when your core body temperature is rising—which could be an indication you’re getting sick. It also provides more thorough sleep data. With regard to tracking and statistics, this tracker leads the sector.
However, if you’re seeking a fitness tracker that you can use to get real-time feedback while working out or running, this one isn’t for you. Although it takes some getting used to, the Polar Ignite undoubtedly has a special niche in the market.
Get yours on Amazon here.
| Screen Size | 4.3 Centimeters |
| Battery | 4-5 days |
| Sensors | 5 LEDs (three green, one red, and one infrared) for heart rate, blood oxygen, skin temperature |
| Compatibility | iOS, Android |
| Size | 1.5 inches x 1 inch x 0.5 inches |
| Water resistance | Up to 10 meters |
Best Fitness Tracker for Beginners: Fitbit Inspire 2
- Optimize your workouts with a Daily Readiness Score that reveals if you’re ready to exercise or should focus on recover (requires Fitbit Premium membership. Premium content recommendations are not...
- Earn active zone minutes as you progress toward your weekly 150 minutes of heart-pumping activity and use 20+ exercise modes to track goals like distance, calories burned and more
- Track all-day activity: your steps, distance, hourly activity and calories burned
- Use 24/7 heart rate to track resting heart rate better measure calorie burn
- Enjoy 10 days of battery life for daily progress without constant charging varies with use and other factors
If you’re on the hunt for a fitness tracker that’s compatible with Android and iOS devices and not too expensive, then the Fitbit Inspire 2 is an excellent choice.
This fitness tracker is one of the most popular choices among beginning users because of its sleek design, low price point, and ease of use. The Inspire 2 is also waterproof up to 50 meters (165 feet), so it can withstand most workouts in the pool or rain. You can wear it on your wrist or clip it onto your clothes for seamless tracking of your steps throughout the day.
The Inspire 2 tracks your steps, distance covered, active minutes, calories burned, heart rate, and sleep quality from your phone. And, because it syncs wirelessly with your phone using Fitbit’s app ecosystem (or other operating systems if you prefer), you don’t have to worry about setting up any software on your device or downloading any apps. It’s just a matter of plugging in the charger at night and turning on the device when you wake up in the morning!
Although it lacks a color screen and an internal GPS for planning runs, the Inspire 2 is easy to use and great for beginners.
Find one on Amazon here.
| Display | 1.4 inches, OLED, Touchscreen |
| Size | 1.47 x 0.66 x 0.5 inches |
| Battery life | 10 days |
| Compatibility | Android/iOS |
| Sensors | Pure Pulse optical heart rate |
| Connectivity | Bluetooth |
| Water resistance | 165 ft |
Best Apple Fitness Tracker: Apple Watch Series 7
- Optimize your workouts with a Daily Readiness Score that reveals if you’re ready to exercise or should focus on recover (requires Fitbit Premium membership. Premium content recommendations are not...
- Earn active zone minutes as you progress toward your weekly 150 minutes of heart-pumping activity and use 20+ exercise modes to track goals like distance, calories burned and more
- Track all-day activity: your steps, distance, hourly activity and calories burned
- Use 24/7 heart rate to track resting heart rate better measure calorie burn
- Enjoy 10 days of battery life for daily progress without constant charging varies with use and other factors
If you’re looking for the best apple fitness tracker, it’s hard to go wrong with the Apple Watch Series 7.
It’s got all the bells and whistles of a great tracker—it tracks your steps, distance, heart rate, and sleep patterns—but it also has a ton of other features that make it one of the most versatile fitness trackers out there.
Running, cycling, walking, and strength training are among the watch’s 14 quick-start workout modes. You can also add new programs to the Workout app. This year, it added Tai Chi and automatic outside cycling tracking, allowing it to recognize when you get on a bike and start a workout. Additionally, the riding algorithm has been modified to take into account measurements for the best electric bikes, which are easier to ride than standard cycles.
Finally, the screen is large enough to easily read text messages and notifications from Facebook. It’s easy to navigate between apps and menus by swiping up or down on the touchscreen. The only downside of this device is its high price tag. Also, the Apple Watch’s 18-hour battery life, which is significantly less than some of the other trackers on our list, is a drawback.
Get yours on Amazon here.
| Display | 1.69 / 1.9″ OLED |
| Size | 41mm, 45mm |
| Compatibility | iOS |
| Connectivity | Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, NFC, LTE |
| Battery Life | 18 hours |
| Water resistance | Up to 50 meters |
| Sensors | Heart rate, ECG, SpO2 |
©iStock.com/monkeybusinessimages
How to Pick the Best Fitness Trackers: A Step-by-Step Guide
There are a lot of fitness trackers on the market, but not all are created equal. So, how do you pick the best one for you? Here are some things to consider:
Compatibility
Fitness trackers range from those that connect through Bluetooth to those that connect with USB cords or Wi-Fi signals. Some only work with Android devices, while others will work on both Android and Apple devices. It’s important to ensure that the fitness tracker you want connects with your phone before buying it so it can seamlessly sync data with your phone.
Cost
Fitness trackers range from $25 to $400 or more. The most expensive device isn’t always the best one for you.
Make sure it fits within your budget and compare prices before making a purchase. Just because an item costs more doesn’t mean it’s better. Sometimes you’re paying extra for features that don’t really suit your needs. Check which features are important to you and ensure they’re included in the price before purchasing anything.
Features
Fitness trackers come in various shapes and sizes, so it’s important that you find one that has the features you need.
Many models have built-in GPS that can track your runs or walks, while others offer heart rate monitoring and other functions like sleep tracking. However, not all trackers are capable of monitoring all exercises.
Trackers that specifically support swimming should be your first choice if you want to keep track of your swimming workouts. For example, the Vivosmart 4 is one of the few trackers that can support extreme sports like hang gliding and BMX, so if you’re interested in these activities, you should check it out.
The more features a model has, the more expensive it will be. Make sure you look at all the features before deciding on a particular model.
A fitness tracker records a person’s daily physical activity.
©Prostock-studio/Shutterstock.com
What to Know Before Buying A Fitness Tracker
When it comes to fitness trackers, there are a lot of options on the market. It can be hard to decide which one is right for you.
Here are some things to keep in mind before making your purchase: Which type of tracker do you want? Wearable or non-wearable? What features do you need in order to meet your needs? Heart rate monitor, sleep tracking, water resistance? Do you want any additional features such as app integration or GPS capabilities? How much are you willing to spend on a tracker?
Fitness trackers range from $20 to $500 or more. If budget is an issue, consider what’s most important to you and make compromises where necessary. You can also upgrade with add-ons like accessories, bands, or wristbands if you decide that something better suits your lifestyle later on.
A good fitness tracker is one that you will wear every day, and that will help you develop a comprehensive health profile. With this knowledge, you can begin to make little adjustments that can improve your sleep, reduce your resting heart rate, enhance your fitness, and make you feel better overall.
Using a Fitness Tracker: What It’s Like
A fitness tracker is a wearable device that tracks your physical activity and provides feedback about your progress. It’s like having a personal trainer on your wrist!
You can wear it when you go to the gym, at work, or even when just running errands around town. The favorite part of having a tracker is seeing all of your steps in one place with an estimate of the number of calories burned for the day and how many minutes of activity time you have logged so far in the day.
Using a fitness tracker can also help motivate you to exercise more. You may find that once you start using the device regularly, it will prompt you to either go for a walk or start an exercise routine at home. Some fitness trackers have built-in apps that can help you select the right kind of exercise based on your goals and preferences.
If there are any apps available for the device, they should be easy to download and use so that you can begin getting the most out of your new gadget!
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The image featured at the top of this post is ©iStock.com/Drazen Zigic.
