The best fitness trackers to buy right now

Health trackers have come a good distance from the straightforward bands that tracked steps and little else. Fashionable trackers can monitor the whole lot out of your coronary heart well being to how effectively you’ve recovered from a tough bout of coaching. Even flagship smartwatches, which was lackluster trackers, have turn into fairly adept exercise companions. No matter your health objectives are, there’s in all probability a health tracker that may make it easier to obtain them.

In comparison with another devices, wearables are extremely private, which suggests there are just a few additional issues you’ll must bear in mind earlier than reaching on your pockets. It makes it arduous to say that anybody health tracker is one of the best for everybody. Fortunately, one of the best factor about health trackers in 2024 is that there’s sufficient selection to suit into each sort of life-style. 

Proper now, we’re heading into the vacation purchasing season. A little bit persistence goes a good distance this time of yr. Retailers and corporations alike might be attempting to eliminate outdated inventory, which means reductions galore forward of Black Friday. In the event you don’t want the most recent and best, it’s time to snag final yr’s fashions in nicer supplies.

Measurement: 46mm w/ 22mm straps / Weight: 34g / Battery life: As much as 14 days / Show kind: OLED touchscreen / GPS: Twin-frequency and 6 GNSS methods / Connectivity: Bluetooth, Wi-Fi / Water resistance: 5ATM / Music storage: 2.3GB

The Amazfit GTR 4 punches approach above its weight. It features a entire array of options you’d count on to see on a lot pricier wearables, like a shiny OLED display screen, blood oxygen monitoring, sleep stage monitoring, stress monitoring, Amazon Alexa compatibility, and an offline digital assistant. It’s additionally acquired a local digicam distant and a useful Pomodoro timer inbuilt. And for outside health lovers, the GTR 4 additionally has multiband GPS for extra correct GPS monitoring in difficult environments. You’ll be able to even import GPX routes from websites like Strava and Komoot. The GTR 4 takes a extra holistic method to well being, buying and selling in steps for PAI factors to gauge whether or not you’re getting the advisable 150 minutes of average exercise per week.

For good options, the GTR 4 has all of the fundamentals: push notifications, fast textual content replies on Android, alarms, timers, and the flexibility to make and take calls over Bluetooth. The one factor the GTR 4 is actually lacking is contactless funds, nevertheless it greater than makes up for it, given the expansive characteristic set and battery life. It lasts about 10–14 days on a single cost with regular use and a couple of week with heavy utilization. It could not have the model recognition of a Fitbit, however since Google nerfed each the Versa 4 and Sense 2, you would possibly need to overlook that. Plus, the GTR 4 doesn’t have thick bezels like both of these watches. Watchfaces on the OLED show are crisp, and animations are easy. When you think about that Amazfit watches are sometimes on sale, it’s a no brainer.

Learn my full assessment of the Amazfit GTR 4 right here.

Sizes: 40mm w/ 20mm straps / Weight: 38g / Battery life: As much as 11 days / Show kind: OLED touchscreen / GPS: All-systems GNSS / Connectivity: Bluetooth, Ant Plus / Water resistance: 5ATM / Music storage: 4GB (for Music Version)

The $250 Garmin Venu Sq 2 is the watch I like to recommend for anybody seeking to substitute their getting old Fitbit Versa 2, 3, or 4. It’s acquired the same look and vibe, with a a lot nicer OLED show and longer battery life.

Garmin is understood for its complete health monitoring, and that’s not an exception right here. In fact, you get the fundamentals, like steps and energy burned, however you get an entire lot extra, too. There’s built-in GPS for monitoring walks, runs, and bike rides, in addition to loads of different sports activities profiles like yoga and energy coaching. For good options, you get push notifications, timers, contactless funds, and a bunch of security options like Garmin’s Incident Detection, which is its tackle fall detection. (You will want to hold your cellphone with you, nevertheless, as this doesn’t have LTE.)

If you’d like the choice of onboard music, you possibly can shell out $50 additional for the Music Version, which comes with sufficient storage for about 500 songs. I wouldn’t advocate it, nevertheless, as you’ll most probably have your cellphone on you since this isn’t a real standalone watch.

What I like most about this watch, nevertheless, is it’s one that you would be able to develop with. On prime of restoration metrics and sleep monitoring, it additionally has Garmin Coach — a built-in, free coaching program for newbie and intermediate-level runners hoping to sort out a 5K, 10K, or half marathon. For well being monitoring, you possibly can monitor coronary heart fee, blood oxygen, depth minutes (what number of minutes of average train you get per week), stress, hydration, respiratory fee, and menstrual cycles. And one of the best half is Garmin doesn’t lock any of this behind a paywall.

One observe: there’s a Venu 3, which provides a more moderen coronary heart fee sensor and nap detection. I appreciated it fairly a bit, and it ticks off plenty of the proper containers — apart from value. It’s $450, which places it outdoors what I’d take into account perfect for informal customers. The opposite choice is Garmin’s Forerunner 165 — it’s a $249 finances coaching watch that’s fairly much like the Venu Sq 2 feature-wise, albeit with a sportier vibe. Principally, go along with what you discover on sale. I firmly imagine older fashions are nonetheless a good selection if all you need is the fitness-tracking fundamentals. That is very true since newer software program updates typically make their technique to older Garmins. Garmin customers additionally have a tendency to hold onto their gadgets for whereas. Strava’s 2023 year-end survey discovered that the preferred smartwatch amongst its customers was an eight-year-old Garmin!

Learn my full assessment of the Garmin Venu Sq 2.

Sizes: 7S Professional: 42mm w/ 20mm straps; 7: 47mm w/ 22mm straps; 7X: 51mm w/ 26mm straps / Weight: 7S Professional: 63g (Photo voltaic), 58g or 65g (Sapphire Photo voltaic, titanium or stainless-steel); 7: 79g (Photo voltaic), 73g (Sapphire Photo voltaic); 7X: 96g (Photo voltaic), 89g (Sapphire Photo voltaic) / Battery life: 7S: as much as 11 days, 14 w/ Photo voltaic; 7: as much as 18 days, 22 days w/ photo voltaic; 7X: as much as 28 days, 37 w/ photo voltaic / Show kind: MIP touchscreen / GPS: All-systems GNSS and dual-frequency GPS / Connectivity: Bluetooth, Ant Plus, Wi-Fi / Water resistance: 10ATM / Music storage: As much as 32GB

Garmin’s flagship Fenix 7 collection is not any joke, and the Fenix 7 Professional lineup takes it up a notch. It’s acquired built-in multiband GPS, photo voltaic charging on all fashions, the choice of touchscreen or button navigation, topographical maps, and oodles upon oodles of knowledge. Plus, each Fenix 7 Professional mannequin has a hands-free LED flashlight, an upgraded coronary heart fee sensor, and an improved memory-in-pixel show that’s barely simpler to learn in low lighting.

Garmin wearables are additionally recognized for offering intensive in-depth metrics, and the Fenix 7 Professional lineup is not any exception. You get glorious restoration metrics in addition to useful coaching guides and training packages. The very best half is that Garmin doesn’t cost additional for these options. That’s excellent news, as these are costly watches.

I recognize how shortly these Fenix 7 watches can choose up a GPS sign. That’s a should should you’re coaching within the useless of winter. These watches may take a beating. All fashions are constructed to military-grade requirements and have as much as 10ATM of water resistance. Which means they’re greater than able to a dunk within the ocean.

Though the display screen is brighter, MIP shows nonetheless aren’t my absolute favourite — the OLED on the Garmin Epix 2 and the Epix Professional are a lot simpler on the eyes. It’s admittedly powerful to select between the Fenix 7, Fenix 7 Professional, Epix 2, and Epix Professional lineups — particularly now that the Epix Professional additionally has nice battery life, the LED flashlight, and now is available in a number of sizes. What it boils right down to is whether or not you prioritize a brighter show, longer battery life, or value.

Personally, I favor the Epix Professional for higher readability, however the Fenix 7 Professional is the higher alternative if that is your first introduction to Garmin’s platform. You’ll get higher battery life, the identical LED flashlight, all the identical coaching options, and a decrease beginning value. (You can even take a look at our Garmin shopping for information should you’d like much more alternate options.)

Technically, there’s a brand new Fenix 8 collection on the block. That stated, I nonetheless suppose the usual Fenix 7 or 7 Professional lineup is the higher general worth. The Fenix 8 provides diving options and voice assistant capabilities, nevertheless it additionally ups the usual Fenix 7’s beginning value of $650 by a further $350. That’s powerful to swallow, particularly since vacation season is upon us and retailers might provide reductions on older fashions to eliminate current stock.

Learn my full assessment of the Garmin Fenix 7S Professional.

Sizes: 12 proprietary sizes, 4–15, sizing package wanted / Weight: 4–6g (is determined by dimension) / Battery life: As much as seven days / Show kind: None / GPS: None / Connectivity: Bluetooth / Water resistance: As much as 328 toes / Music storage: None

The overwhelming majority of health trackers are worn on the wrist, however the $349 Oura Ring isn’t. The good ring is an effective choice for people who find themselves on the lookout for one thing a bit of extra discreet. It’s additionally much less distracting than another wrist-based choices, because it lacks a display screen and doesn’t mirror push notifications out of your cellphone. 

The brand new Oura Ring 4 isn’t functionally that a lot totally different from the earlier Gen 3. It’s slimmer, includes a new all-titanium design, has improved battery life, and has a brand new sensor algorithm that Oura says is extra correct. Not one of the new software program options are gatekept to the Ring 4, so Gen 3 homeowners shouldn’t really feel the necessity to improve except their ring not lasts greater than two days on a single cost. That stated, the fourth-gen ring has an expanded dimension vary spanning from 4 to fifteen. In the event you felt your Gen 3 was a bit comfortable or couldn’t discover a dimension that match proper, you could have a greater choice now.

Whereas smaller than your common wearable, the Oura Ring nonetheless tracks a ton of metrics, together with coronary heart fee variability, physique temperature, blood oxygen, all-day coronary heart fee monitoring, and cycle monitoring. Since launching, the Oura Ring has additionally added exercise monitoring, blood oxygen ranges, chronotypes to assist visualize your circadian rhythms, a social characteristic referred to as Circles, improved stress monitoring, cardiovascular age and capability metrics, and even an AI chatbot (in beta). It’s additionally rolled out a brand new sleep levels algorithm that it claims is extra correct than earlier than. The app has additionally been solely revamped to raised arrange all these new options and metrics.

The Oura Ring tracks typical metrics — similar to steps and energy burned —  however its important focus is sleep and restoration. Every day, you’re given three units of scores on your readiness, sleep, and exercise. It’s a easy, holistic have a look at your general wellness and an excellent choose if you’d like a extra hands-off expertise along with your information.

In the event you’ve acquired a Samsung Galaxy Watch, you could need to take into account the $399.99 Galaxy Ring. It’s a bit costlier than the bottom Oura Ring, nevertheless it doesn’t include a subscription, and also you get a lot better battery life when used with the Galaxy Watch. The {hardware} can also be glorious, particularly the charging case. That stated, that is solely an choice for Android customers, and even then, you don’t unlock its full potential except you’ve acquired different Samsung gear. I additionally advocate the Ultrahuman Ring Air for folk who don’t like the concept of Oura’s month-to-month subscription.

You’ll be able to learn my experiences with a bunch of different good rings, however proper now, the Oura Ring is essentially the most polished with one of the best general expertise. In the event you don’t thoughts a last-gen mannequin, my professional tip is to get the Gen 3. Oura might be seeking to eliminate stock, so it’s probably you’ll be capable of snag low cost whereas provides final.

Learn my full assessment of the Oura Ring 4.

Measurement: 42mm x 24mm x 12.2mm with 16mm straps / Weight: 28g / Battery life: As much as 18 days / Show kind: OLED / GPS: Tethered / Connectivity: Bluetooth / Water resistance: 5ATM / Music storage: None

It’s really arduous to beat the Amazfit Band 7’s $49.99 value — doubly so since you possibly can typically discover it on sale for even much less. Carrying the Band 7 looks like a throwback to 2014, which is nice if all you’re on the lookout for is an easy and informal tracker that gained’t break the financial institution.

Nobody goes to go with you on the Band 7’s design, nevertheless it’s acquired a handful of cute watchfaces that make good use of its OLED touchscreen. And regardless of having an OLED show, you’ll nonetheless get roughly 14 days of battery life on a single cost. It’s additionally extremely light-weight, making it choice for sleep monitoring as effectively.

You additionally get an absurd variety of options for the worth. That features Amazon Alexa, steady coronary heart fee monitoring, blood oxygen monitoring, stress monitoring, superior sleep monitoring, coaching metrics like VO2 max and cargo, irregular coronary heart fee alerts, menstrual monitoring, push notifications, discover my cellphone, a digicam distant, and even a Pomodoro timer. You’re sacrificing contactless funds and should accept tethered GPS, however it is a honest tradeoff contemplating the whole lot else you’re getting. It’s not the most suitable choice for hardcore health monitoring, however it is a nice choice if all you’re seeking to do is casually monitor exercise and your steps.

Amazfit’s been making surprisingly good finances trackers for some time. That stated, should you’re a bit of cautious of a lesser-known model, the $159.95 Fitbit Cost 6 is an honest different. It’s pricier, however you get plenty of what Amazfit is lacking. That features Google companies like YouTube Music, Google Pockets, and Google Maps. Plus, it has built-in GPS and the flexibility to broadcast your coronary heart fee with some Bluetooth-compatible fitness center tools.

Learn my full assessment of the Amazfit Band 7.

Sizes: 37mm with 18mm straps / Weight: 45g / Battery life: As much as 39 days / Show kind:  OLED show / GPS: Tethered GPS / Connectivity: Bluetooth / Water resistance: 5ATM / Music storage: N/A

The $249.95 Withings ScanWatch Gentle is a fetching hybrid analog smartwatch. Consider it as a dressier health band with some Swatch-like design sensibilities. It’s acquired all of your fundamentals like easy push notifications, timers, and alarms. Plus, you possibly can monitor steps, sleep, menstrual cycles, and GPS actions straight from the wrist. It appears spiffy on the wrist, and should you like a pop of shade, Withings gives minty inexperienced and pale blue shade choices. It’s additionally acquired glorious battery life, with an estimated 30 days on a single cost. I acquired rather less in testing at round 25 days, however that’s nonetheless a lot better than the overwhelming majority of flagship smartwatches. This additionally appears far more fashionable than beefier multisport watches with related battery life.

As its identify suggests, the Gentle is a pared-down model of the $349.95 ScanWatch 2. The principle stuff you’re lacking are an EKG sensor for atrial fibrillation detection, a temperature sensor, blood oxygen monitoring, and an altimeter for monitoring elevation. For fundamental health monitoring, you don’t really want these sensors. That’s why I believe the additional $100 in financial savings is price it for the Gentle, particularly since each are missing in security options, contactless funds, and another bells and whistles you will get from different watches within the $350 value vary. That stated, if you’d like extras, the ScanWatch 2 additionally will get you a barely extra elegant look because of the second step-counter dial.

Another choice I like is the $179.99 Garmin Vivomove Sport, which really dominated this class up to now few years. It’s arduous to beat the worth, particularly because it will get you entry to Garmin’s platform. Nonetheless, Garmin’s “hidden” OLED show can get washed out in shiny lighting, and battery life was considerably shorter than different hybrid analog watches at round 5 days. Nonetheless, should you’d slightly a platform with a concentrate on health slightly than wellness, the Vivomove Sport would be the higher transfer over a Withings watch.

Learn my full assessment of the Withings ScanWatch 2 and Gentle.

Sizes: 42mm, 46mm / Weight: 29.3g (42mm), 35.3g (46mm) / Battery life: As much as 18 hours / Show kind: At all times-on LTPO OLED / GPS: Constructed-in GPS, plus GLONASS, Galileo, QZSS, Beidou / Connectivity: LTE (optionally available), Bluetooth, Wi-Fi / Water resistance: As much as 50 meters / Music storage: 32GB

In the event you’re on the lookout for a smartwatch that does health effectively, then iPhone homeowners must look no additional than the $399 Apple Watch Sequence 10. (The LTE model prices $50 extra.) That is one other yr of iterative updates, however the Sequence 10 is a way more snug watch than in years previous. It’s thinner and lighter, plus there’s a bigger show. In the event you’ve acquired a Sequence 5 or older, now is an effective time to improve.

With watchOS 11, there’s a brand new suite of coaching options. There’s Coaching Load, which supplies you better perception into how intensely you’ve been understanding the previous week in comparison with the final 28 days. There’s additionally a brand new Vitals app that flags when key metrics, like sleep period or coronary heart fee, could also be out of whack. Plus, you possibly can lastly pause your rings for relaxation days. The software program replace additionally brings some savvy updates to the Sensible Stack. For instance, should you’re in a loud cafe questioning what track’s taking part in, the Sensible Stack can now floor the Shazaam widget. It additionally now helps Reside Actions, turning your wrist right into a mini Dynamic Island. Well being-wise, we additionally now have FDA-cleared sleep apnea detection.

In fact, we even have to deal with the Apple Watch ban. As of January 18th, 2024, new Apple Watches offered within the US have the blood oxygen characteristic disabled because of an ongoing patent battle with medical system maker Masimo. This isn’t an enormous deal for most individuals, as this characteristic isn’t that helpful for most individuals but, and the brand new sleep apnea characteristic solely makes use of the accelerometer slightly than the blood oxygen sensor. You would possibly need to take into account a refurbished Sequence 7 or 8 if blood oxygen sensing is essential to you, nevertheless.

In the event you’re a first-time purchaser, you can too go for the second-gen Apple Watch SE. It’s barely cheaper at $249, and whilst you don’t get as many options, it’s introduction to the ecosystem. In any other case, should you’re the kind of athlete who covets a Garmin, you might also need to take into account splurging on the Apple Watch Extremely 2. It’s costlier at $799, nevertheless it does have the brightest display screen of any Apple Watch, comes with dual-frequency GPS, has diving and climbing security options, and is product of extra sturdy supplies. There’s additionally a fetching new black shade.

Learn my full assessment of the Apple Watch Sequence 10.

Sizes: 47mm / Weight: 60.5g / Battery life: As much as 100 hours / Show kind: At all times-on OLED / GPS: Constructed-in GPS / Connectivity: LTE (optionally available), Bluetooth, Wi-Fi / Water resistance: 10ATM, IP68 / Music storage: 32GB

In truth, the Samsung Galaxy Watch Extremely left me a bit upset after reviewing it — not as a result of it’s a foul piece of {hardware}, however as a result of it copies a bit an excessive amount of from Apple. Even so, that is essentially the most full-featured health smartwatch a Samsung cellphone proprietor should purchase.

Whereas I favor the Galaxy Watch 7 myself, I can’t say it’s one of the best for health monitoring. There was an excessive amount of of a spot between it and the Extremely in my testing so far as accuracy, particularly for GPS monitoring. However what actually sealed the deal for me was the distinction in battery life. It’s merely night time and day, and the Galaxy Watch 7 actually struggled on this enviornment. (The gaps are a lot much less egregious between the bottom Apple Watch and Extremely 2.)

The caveat is, if all you need is informal health monitoring, the Galaxy Watch 7 is the higher alternative for wearability. It’s simply extra snug for sleep monitoring and lighter general. Simply take note it lacks the Extremely’s emergency siren and shortcut button, and the display screen doesn’t get fairly as shiny.

With each watches, you get a sooner processor, a brand new 3-in-1 BioActive Sensor, some AI well being options, and FDA-cleared sleep apnea detection. The newer {hardware} makes for a extra futureproof buy, however I discovered the AI well being options to be hit-or-miss in follow. As at all times, some options, like EKGs and sleep apnea detection, are restricted to Samsung homeowners. That makes this difficult to wholeheartedly advocate this to non-Samsung Android customers.

But when the Extremely doesn’t float your boat, now is an effective time to seek out the Galaxy Watch 6 collection, notably the bottom fashions, on sale. The bottom Galaxy Watch 7 might have newer {hardware}, however so far as precise use goes, it’s not a large replace over final yr. And should you’re right into a bodily rotating bezel, simply go forward and snag a Galaxy Watch 6 Basic.

Learn my full assessment of the Samsung Galaxy Watch Extremely.

Sizes: 41mm, 45mm / Weight: 31g / Battery life: As much as 24 hours / Show kind: At all times-on OLED / GPS: Constructed-in GPS / Connectivity: LTE (optionally available), Bluetooth, Wi-Fi / Water resistance: 5ATM / Music storage: 32GB

With the Pixel Watch 3, Google is lastly executed taking part in catch-up.

There are really too many updates to name each out individually, however general, they fall into two buckets: refinement and enlargement. The {hardware} is generally the identical as final yr’s Pixel Watch 2 when it comes to design. Nonetheless, we now have a brighter display screen, smaller bezels, and a brand new 45mm dimension. The bigger dimension is kind of good, particularly should you favor bigger screens with out sacrificing wearability.

Battery life can also be higher. There’s a brand new battery-saver mode that kicks in while you hit 15 % and the brand new shows are additionally extra energy environment friendly. Plus, bedtime mode is automated now, in order that helps the watch last more in a single day for sleep monitoring. It’s solely a modest enchancment over the Pixel Watch 2, nevertheless it’s dramatic in comparison with the unique.

Software program is the place the Pixel Watch 3 makes essentially the most updates. There are a ton of recent health and well being options, together with a brand new operating dashboard, customized operating exercises, and AI-generated exercise strategies. There’s additionally a revamped Day by day Readiness Rating and a brand new Cardio Load metric, which gauges how intensely you’ve been exercising. For European customers, you can too get the brand new Lack of Pulse characteristic, which calls emergency companies in your behalf if it detects you not have a pulse. Sadly, this isn’t accessible stateside, because it hasn’t but obtained FDA clearance.

The Pixel Watch 3 additionally higher integrates with Google companies and the Pixel ecosystem. Now you can view your Nest Doorbell or Digital camera feed straight from the wrist — and it’s fairly useful should you get plenty of packages or company. When you have Google TV, you should use the watch as a distant. Now that the watch has an extremely wideband chip, it may possibly additionally now unlock your Pixel cellphone. You can even use the Recorder app to seize audio and ship it straight to your Pixel cellphone.

That stated, a few of these options now imply the Pixel Watch works finest with a Pixel cellphone. In the event you’re on the lookout for alternate options to Google and Samsung, the $299.99 OnePlus Watch 2 is a powerful different. You’re giving up LTE, nevertheless it’s a handsome-looking watch with surprisingly lengthy battery life and Google Assistant from the get-go.

Learn my full assessment of the Google Pixel Watch 3.

Sizes: 43mm by 28mm by 10mm / Weight: 18g / Battery life: 4–5 days / Show kind: None / GPS: None / Connectivity: Bluetooth / Water resistance: As much as 10 meters / Music storage: None

The Whoop 4.0 is just not for the informal fanatic. Not solely does it include an costly month-to-month subscription, however the data it supplies is just helpful should you’re actively coaching for a cardio-intensive sport. If energy coaching is your important type of train, you’re higher off trying elsewhere. Just like the Oura Ring, it is a distraction-free tracker that makes a speciality of sleep and restoration. The principle distinction is that this has a extra athletic bent. For example, you’ll get far more perception into how a lot pressure you’ve taken on up to now week. 

Whoop additionally supplies plenty of novel methods to put on its tracker, together with in underwear and arm/knee sleeves. This makes it an interesting choice should you’re a type of unicorns who wants a secondary tracker to complement one other type of health monitoring. Once more, it is a tracker finest appreciated by individuals who go arduous and aren’t afraid to experiment. Plus, Whoop just lately lowered its subscription costs in sure tiers, so whereas it’s nonetheless costly, it’s not fairly as dear because it was.

Learn my full assessment of the Whoop 4.0.

Replace, November sixteenth: Adjusted pricing and availability.