If you’re looking for a fitness tracker that does it all, we highly recommend the Fitbit Versa 2 for its wide variety of styles and uses, including automatic activity tracking, on-screen workouts, Fitbit Pay, music storage, and so much more. It’s no wonder that Fitbit continues to be one of the many highly regarded names in the industry with all it has to offer. However, don’t worry if that’s not your cup of tea. There are quite a few other options to choose from. Whether you’re looking for specific software, design, or feature set, you’ll be able to find a fitness tracker that checks all the boxes on your wish list.
The best fitness trackers, at a glance
Fitbit Versa 2 — An excellent tracker that is built to provide users with detailed health/activity tracking.
Fitbit Charge 4 — If you want one of the latest fitness trackers on the market, the Fitbit Charge 4 is equipped with some amazing new features at a great price,
Fitbit Charge 3 It’s not the newest tracker, but the Fitbit Charge 3 is a great place to start if you’re a beginner.
Xiaomi Mi Band 5 — The all-new Mi Band 5 is one of the most affordable fitness trackers and it has tons of features.
Garmin Vivosmart 4 — For premium health-tracking features, you’ll appreciate all the Garmin Vivosmart 4.
Samsung Galaxy Fit 2 — Samsung is no stranger to the wearable game and the Galaxy Fit 2 comes with a solid activity tracking suite.
Fitbit Inspire 2 — Focuses on heart-rate monitoring among other metrics and offers twice the battery life as before.
What are the best fitness trackers?
You’ll be happy to know that there’s no shortage of options when it comes to choosing a fitness tracker. One of the most reputable names, as you may know, is Fitbit. The industry leader makes up a good portion of our list, including options such as the Versa 2, Charge 4, and Charge 3. They share some features but each of these trackers is geared toward a slightly different type of user. Whether you want the look and feel of a smartwatch, a dedicated fitness tracker with onboard GPS, or a basic tracker that’s ideal for beginners, Fitbit has it all.
Fitbit isn’t the only name you’ll find here. You’ll also find other major players, like Garmin, Samsung, and Xiaomi, to name a few. Once you’ve decided what type of experience you’re looking for, it’ll be easier to narrow down your options.
Are you seeking the most robust activity tracking suite possible? Perhaps you’re more focused on certain health aspects, like energy, stress, and blood oxygen saturation levels, and so on? If you’re on a tight budget, it also won’t be difficult to find a fitness tracker at a reasonable price.
Fitbit Versa 2
The Best overall Fitness tracker
Bottom line: As one of the most popular names in the wearable world, Fitbit is always a good option. The Versa 2 is centered around health and fitness tracking, so it’s ideal for workout enthusiasts. You have activity/sleep tracking, heart-rate monitoring, and Fitbit Pay.
| Display size | 40mm / 1.34in 300×300 AMOLED |
| Replaceable bands | ✔️ 22mm |
| Weight | 38g |
| Battery life | 5+ days |
| OS | Fitbit OS |
| Water Resistance | ✔️ (5ATM) |
| GPS | 🚫 |
| NFC | ✔️ |
| Heart rater monitor | ✔️ |
| Automated workout tracking | ✔️ |
| Sleep tracking | ✔️ |
| Colors | Carbon, Mist Grey, Copper Rose |
Pros:
- Compact and lightweight
- Highly customizable
- Affordable price tag
- Robust fitness tracking
- Fitbit Pay
- Water-resistant
Cons:
- No onboard GPS
- Difficult to swap bands
- Bulky charging cable
Swapping out the Versa 2 band isn’t as easy as some other Fitbit models we’ve seen. Trying to attach a new band is a bit of a challenge. Not only is the pin finicky, but it’s also tricky to get it precisely in the hole. It’s next to impossible if you don’t have long fingernails.
Aside from the band-swapping issue, the Fitbit Versa 2 is the perfect blend of fitness tracker and smartwatch. You can check texts, calls, and notifications while eyeing the heart rate monitor as you jog down the sidewalk. Fitbit Pay is now standard, which means you no longer have to pay more to get a model with this feature. The Versa 2 is an excellent wearable choice for those who want to take advantage of a subscription to Fitbit Premium. You’ll enjoy guided programs, detailed health insights, additional sleep score details, and Fitbit Coach.
There’s not much you can’t do with the Fitbit Versa 2. You’ll be able to track the basics, including steps, distance, calories, and floors climbed. Some other perks include menstrual cycle tracking, sleep tracking, guided breathing sessions, on-screen workouts, and 24/7 heart rate monitoring. It also provides you with 15 exercise modes to choose from, like biking, running, swimming, and even yoga. It’s also the option on this list that’s closest to a classic smartwatch.
As you might’ve heard, the Fitbit Versa 3 is now available, and we hope to have a review and recommendation soon. As a result, the Versa 2 is more affordable than ever. Upon comparing the two, it looks like it’ll be quite the upgrade.
Best Overall Fitness Tracker
Fitbit Versa 2
$180 at Amazon
$180 at Best Buy
$175 at Walmart
A well-rounded tracking experience
The Versa 2 boasts a slim design, AMOLED display, improved battery life, and tons of fitness features at an affordable price.
Fitbit Charge 4
The best value fitness tracker
Bottom line: The Fitbit Charge 4 is the most well-rounded fitness tracker for the money. It features NFC for contactless payments, onboard GPS to track your workouts without a phone, and easily replaceable bands for convenience and style. Plus you get all of the regular fitness tracking goodies like step tracking, sleep tracking, automatic workout tracking, and active zone minutes.
| Display size | 1in grayscale, OLED |
| Replaceable bands | ✔️ |
| Weight | 30g |
| Battery life | 2-3 days |
| OS | Fitbit OS |
| Water Resistance | ✔️ (5ATM) |
| GPS | ✔️ |
| NFC | ✔️ |
| Heart rater monitor | ✔️ |
| Automated workout tracking | ✔️ |
| Sleep tracking | ✔️ |
| Colors | Black, Rosewood, Storm Blue |
Pros:
- Crisp, responsive screen
- Thin, comfortable design
- Improved notifications
- GPS is built-in
- Waterproofing
Cons:
- Finicky side button
- No local music storage
Before it made smartwatches, Fitbit was known for its excellent fitness bands. The Charge 4 takes everything the company has learned about the form factor over the years and stands out as one of the most polished and refined devices Fitbit’s released to-date.
The big draw to the Charge 4 is that it has GPS built right in. This allows you to map outdoor runs, walks, and bike rides without needing to bring your phone with you — something you won’t even find on the Versa 2 mentioned above. It also has all of the other fitness features you’d expect, such as all-day activity tracking, sleep tracking, heart-rate monitoring, and automatic workout detection. There’s also 50-meter waterproofing if you want to use the Charge 4 for tracking any swims.
The design is lightweight and comfortable to wear, and thanks to seven-day battery life, you can wear the Charge 4 for a full week without having to stress out over how much gas is left in the tank.
Fitbit offers a few great smart features, too, including Fitbit Pay, notifications from your phone, and a Spotify app to control music playback. It would have been great to see local music storage to give the Charge 4 even more independence from your phone, but even so, this is an incredibly complete package.
Best Value Fitness Tracker
Fitbit Charge 4
From $144 at Amazon
$150 at Best Buy
$149 at Walmart
Everything you need at a remarkable value
With built-in GPS, Fitbit Pay, and 24/7 heart-rate monitoring, the Charge 4 packs a lot of features into a small package.
Fitbit Charge 3
The best fitness tracker for beginners
Bottom line: Those who are just beginning their fitness-tracking journey may want to ease into it. The Fitbit Charge 3 is a great way to go about that. You’ll have activity/sleep tracking, heart-rate monitoring, automatic workout-tracking, smartphone notifications, and more.
| Display size | 1in grayscale, OLED |
| Replaceable bands | ✔️ |
| Weight | 29g |
| Battery life | 7 days |
| OS | Fitbit OS |
| Water Resistance | ✔️ (5ATM) |
| GPS | 🚫 |
| NFC | ✔️Special Edition only |
| Heart rater monitor | ✔️ |
| Automated workout tracking | ✔️ |
| Sleep tracking | ✔️ |
| Colors | Black, Blue Gray |
Pros:
- Activity/sleep tracking
- Heart-rate monitoring
- Female health tracking
- Stellar battery life
Cons:
- Lacks built-in GPS
- Fitbit Pay only available on Special Edition
If you’re getting ready to start your fitness journey, you need a dependable tracker. The Fitbit Charge 3 will do a good job of meeting your beginner needs. It’s older than the Charge 4, but there aren’t too many differences as far as the design is concerned. The body is slightly smaller on the Fitbit Charge 3 and is made of metal rather than plastic.
You’ll have 15+ exercise modes, automatic activity tracking, 24/7 heart-rate monitoring, female health-tracking, sleep monitoring, smartphone notifications, and guided breathing sessions. It’s easy to see why the Fitbit Charge 3 is a favorite entry-level tracker.
As far as what’s missing, you have to pay extra for the Special Edition if you want to use Fitbit Pay. Similar to other trackers on this list, you won’t have the convenience of built-in GPS. However, you can still map your route by connecting your tracker to your smartphone’s GPS.
Best Fitness Tracker for Beginners
Fitbit Charge 3
$132 at Amazon
$80 at Walmart
For those who are new to fitness tracking
The Fitbit Charge 3 is a great introductory fitness tracker with connected GPS, activity/sleep tracking, heart-rate monitoring, and more.
Xiaomi Mi Band 5
The best on-a-budget fitness tracker
Bottom line: When you’re looking for a fitness tracker that won’t break the bank, look no further than the Xiaomi Mi Band. It’s the latest tracker from the company and offers heart-rate monitoring, activity/sleep tracking, 11 sport modes, and female health tracking.
| Display size | 1.1in, AMOLED |
| Replaceable bands | ✔️ |
| Weight | 11.9g |
| Battery life | 14 days |
| OS | Xiaomi |
| Water Resistance | ✔️ (5ATM) |
| GPS | 🚫 |
| NFC | 🚫 |
| Heart rater monitor | ✔️ |
| Automated workout tracking | 🚫 |
| Sleep tracking | ✔️ |
| Colors | Black, Yellow, Teal, Navy Blue, Orange, Mint Green |
Pros:
- 11 sports modes
- Activity/sleep tracking
- Heart-rate monitoring
- Female health tracking
- 14-day battery life
- Affordable
Cons:
- Lacks built-in GPS
- No NFC payments
- Doesn’t automatically track workouts
When you want to be able to cover your bases with your fitness tracker without breaking the bank in the process, you’ll love the Xiaomi Mi Band 5. It’s a definite improvement from its predecessor, sporting a 20% larger display area that’s easier to read and navigate. More importantly, it offers a satisfying list of tracking abilities and other features that are hard to find at this low price point.
You’ll be able to choose from up to 11 sport modes, which include outdoor running, treadmill running, indoor cycling, outdoor cycling, pool swimming, yoga, and more.
Other than that, you’ll have a solid 14 days of battery life, which can be stretched up to 20 days in power-saving mode. You’ll also enjoy sleep tracking, and all-day heart rate monitoring, and female health tracking. It might not be a smartwatch and is missing features like built-in GPS, but at this price point, it’s difficult to complain about this powerful little tracker.
Best On-A-Budget Fitness Tracker
Xiaomi Mi Band 5
$35 at Amazon
$39 at Walmart
$42 at Newegg
As cheap as it gets
Be kind to your wallet with the Mi Band 5. You get connected GPS, heart-rate monitoring, activity/sleep tracking, and more.
Garmin Vivosmart 4
The best premium tracking suite on a fitness tracker
Bottom line: If you’re all about health tracking, there’s no better choice than the Garmin Vivosmart 4. It tracks your activity and sleep patterns while also monitoring your heart rate, stress, energy, and blood oxygen saturation levels.
| Display size | .70in OLED |
| Replaceable bands | 🚫 |
| Weight | 17g |
| Battery life | 7 days |
| OS | Garmin |
| Water Resistance | ✔️ (5ATM) |
| GPS | 🚫 |
| NFC | 🚫 |
| Heart rater monitor | ✔️ |
| Automated workout tracking | ✔️ |
| Sleep tracking | ✔️ |
| Colors | Black, Gray, Berry, Azure Blue |
Pros:
- Ultra-lightweight design
- Premium health tracking
- Helpful Body Battery Energy Monitor
- All-day stress tracking
- 7-day battery life
Cons:
- No built-in GPS
- Slim screen can be hard to navigate
- Bands cannot be changed
The Garmin Vivosmart 4 does everything you would expect it to as a fitness tracker. It keeps track of your steps, sleep, calories burned, floors climbed, various exercises, and heart rate. However, where this tracker shines is its health-tracking features.
For starters, you’ll have advanced sleep tracking with REM sleep. It can also gauge blood oxygen saturation levels during the night with its wrist-based Pulse Ox sensor. A relaxation breathing timer complements the all-day stress tracking feature. Lastly, the “Body Battery” monitor helps optimize your daily activities based on your energy levels.
A couple of things you’ll miss include GPS and replaceable bands. You’ll still have access to smartphone notifications on your wrist. If you’re an Android user, you can respond with preset quick replies. If you want detailed health tracking data, the Garmin Vivosmart 4 is the way to go.
Best Health Tracking Suite on a Fitness Tracker
Garmin Vivosmart 4
From $88 at Amazon
$94 at Best Buy
$94 at Walmart
A health enthusiast’s dream come true
This tracker offers more health monitoring features than most other options in its price range. It’s also slim and easy to use.
Samsung Galaxy Fit 2
The best alternative tracking suite on a fitness tracker
Bottom line: The Galaxy Fit 2 is ideal for users who are committed to in-depth activity tracking. You’ll have access to automatic workout-tracking, heart-rate monitoring, and sleep tracking. It’s also made to be highly durable, which is great for intense workouts.
| Display size | 1.1in, AMOLED |
| Replaceable bands | 🚫 |
| Weight | 91g |
| Battery life | Up to 21 days |
| OS | FreeRTOS |
| Water Resistance | ✔️ (5ATM) |
| GPS | 🚫 |
| NFC | 🚫 |
| Heart rater monitor | ✔️ |
| Automated workout tracking | ✔️ |
| Sleep tracking | ✔️ |
| Colors | Black, Scarlet |
Pros:
- Lightweight durability
- Fantastic 21-day battery life
- Impressive activity tracking suite
- Multiple exercise modes
- Stress monitoring
- Smartphone notifications
Cons:
- Lacks built-in GPS
- Bands are not interchangeable
- Limited watch face options
If you’ve been searching for the perfect fitness companion that’ll go the distance for any activity you have in mind, you’ll have met your match with the Samsung Galaxy Fit 2. In addition to being water-resistant to 50 meters and compliant with military-level durability standards, this handy device is built for endless activity tracking.
You’ll have the convenience of automatic activity tracking for five workouts, and you can also use the Samsung Health mobile app to manually select from over 90 workouts, 10 of which can be customized and set as preferred activities.
The Galaxy Fit 2 will also monitor your heart rate, sleep patterns, and stress levels. You might notice that GPS is lacking here, but this robust activity tracking suite is hard to pass up. The FreeRTOS on this fitness tracker isn’t nearly as sophisticated as Tizen OS found on Samsung smartwatches, but it just takes some getting used to.
Best Alternative Activity Tracking Suite on a Fitness Tracker
Samsung Galaxy Fit 2
$60 at Amazon
$60 at Best Buy
$60 at B&H
Track all of your activities
The robust activity tracking suite, heart rate sensor, and low price tag are a few reasons why the Galaxy Fit 2 is a great tracker.
Fitbit Inspire 2
The best heart rate monitor on a fitness tracker
Bottom line: As one of the most popular names in the wearable world, Fitbit is always a good option. The Inspire 2 features an improved 24/7 heart rate monitor, female health and sleep tracking, and an astounding 10+ day battery life.
| Display size | 1.4in, OLED |
| Replaceable bands | ✔️ |
| Weight | 30g |
| Battery life | 10+ days |
| OS | Fitbit OS |
| Water Resistance | ✔️ (5ATM) |
| GPS | 🚫 |
| NFC | 🚫 |
| Heart rater monitor | ✔️ |
| Automated workout tracking | ✔️ |
| Sleep tracking | ✔️ |
| Colors | Black, Rose, White |
Pros:
- Attractive design
- Generous battery life
- Lightweight and inconspicuous
- One free year of Fitbit Premium
Cons:
- No altimeter or built-in GPS
- No quick replies
- No Fitbit Pay
The Fitbit Inspire 2 is so compact and lightweight, you’ll likely forget you’re wearing it. This tracker also offers a more traditional buckle band as opposed to the peg-and-loop style. The bands are stylish and easy to switch when you feel like changing it up.
You’ll need to swipe up to see additional stats and squeeze both sides with the haptic “button” panels to return to the home screen. Swipe down when you’re ready to start exercising. With all that said, there are some restrictions to having such a small screen. You’ll need to go to the app to set alarms and bring your phone with you to utilize GPS. This is a great option if you want to monitor your heart rate but don’t care about other fancy features. It’ll help you with the basics, but you’ll miss out on features like Fitbit Pay and an altimeter.
Best Heart-Rate Monitor on a fitness tracker
Fitbit Inspire 2
$100 at Amazon
$100 at Best Buy
$100 at Walmart
An easy, budget-friendly way to track your heart-rate
The Inspire 2 proves good things come in tiny packages. All the tracking and bonus features make it an affordable front-runner.
How to pick the best fitness tracker
When it comes right down to it, the Fitbit Versa 2 takes the top spot on our list for a variety of reasons. For starters, the number of features you get for the price is simply unmatched. You’ll have battery life for days, on-screen workouts with Fitbit Coach, heart-rate monitoring, convenient music storage, Fitbit Pay, sleep tracking, and much more.
While there might be some drawbacks to the lack of onboard GPS and experiencing difficulties when swapping out the band, these concerns don’t hold a candle to the slew of features it offers at such an affordable price. You can track every step taken, floor climbed, and lap swam. You can do all this while you listen to music, check notifications, and monitor your heart rate.
If you’re looking for the best fitness tracker for your needs, you may find yourself stuck in one of those infamous internet black holes. How do you know which activity tracker has the features you want at a price you can afford—and won’t feel like you’ve strapped a brick to your wrist?
If you’re starting your search, here are a few tips to help you decide which fitness tracker is best for you:
1. Start with price
Depending on which features you want, your new fitness tracker could be surprisingly affordable, or it could end up setting you back quite a bit. (Yeah, we eyed a smartwatch that was nearing the quadruple digits for a good 30 seconds before our conscience brought us back to reality.)
Of course, you should still be cautious about buying anything that’s dirt cheap. Most cheap fitness trackers are just that: cheap. Even less costly models by well-known brands like Fitbit won’t come with a full display, so you’ll need to swap to the app to get all the details on your latest workout.
2. Decide on features
Narrow down your search by deciding which features you need. If your primary goal is to track your steps as you stroll around the neighborhood, you probably won’t need a heart rate monitor or GPS.
But if you’re using your tracker to keep tabs on calories burned, heart rate, and miles traveled while you hit the trail on your mountain bike, you’ll want both a heart rate monitor and GPS.
And if you plan on wearing your tracker while you swim laps in the pool, you’ll want to pay attention to the waterproof rating. And make sure the model you pick out tracks swimming.
3. Look at the wristband
If you’re blessed with average-sized wrists, wristband fit likely isn’t an issue for you. But if your wrists are on the slimmer or thicker side, you’ll want to pay attention to the bands that come with fitness trackers.
Brands like Fitbit typically offer fitness trackers in different sizes ranging from small/medium to large. Others offer adjustable bands that provide a snug fit for wrists of all sizes.
Another thing to note about the wristbands is the strap style. Is it a traditional watch-style strap with a buckle? Or does it simply “button” together? The button style sometimes feels less secure, especially if we’re at the gym tackling three-point rows and deadlifts.
Luckily, most fitness trackers come with band replacements. This lets you upgrade the material, color, and fit if you like. We’re all about having choices.
4. Consider style
Are you content with a fitness tracker that looks like a fitness tracker? Or do you prefer something that looks like a traditional watch?
Activity trackers come in all shapes and sizes, so you can go as simple or fancy, modern or traditional, as you like.
If you’re looking for a smartwatch that could fool a coworker into thinking it’s an actual watch, we’re impressed by the design of the Samsung Galaxy Watch Active. If you’re looking for something simple, the Fitbit Inspire and Fitbit Inspire HR are slim and uncomplicated.
5. Don’t forget about the apps
Our favorite fitness tracker app is Fitbit, hands down. It’s user-friendly and offers a full range of features. It even has menstrual cycle tracking, which we’ve never seen on any other fitness tracker apps.
The Fitbit app also integrates well with many popular third-party apps for a more robust tracking system that meets your needs. Here are some of our favorites:
Top 5 health and wellness apps:
MyFitnessPal
Calm
C25K
Headspace
Strava
How do fitness trackers work?
Each fitness tracker works slightly differently, but some sensors and technology are relatively common across them all, like altimeters, accelerometers, and optical sensors. Here’s some of the technology you may stumble upon if you break into your fitness watch.
3-axis accelerometer — This measures your movements in every direction and helps track those steps.
Gyroscope — This gets a read on your orientation and rotation as you move. Now it’s time for some split squats!
Altimeter — Whether you’re tracking your hike up the mountain or climbing stairs on your work break, this keeps track of your altitude.
Optical sensors — These shine light into your capillaries to measure how quickly or slowly your blood is pumping to give you an idea of your current heart rate.
Actigraphy — Ever wondered how activity trackers monitor your sleep? Actigraphy identifies your sleep patterns by tracking your activity and rest cycles, then gives you an idea of how much you tossed and turned last night.
GPS — The GPS receiver collects data from different satellites to calculate your position as a set of coordinates. This lets you track your terrain and distance after a trail run or day on the slopes.
Of course, not all fitness trackers are created equal when it comes to the accuracy of their sensors. For the most part, actigraphy isn’t as accurate as measuring your sleep cycle in a lab, and optical sensors aren’t as precise as bioimpedance sensors when it comes to monitoring your heart rate.
What are the best fitness watches for large wrists?
When you’re shopping for a fitness tracker, it’s important to keep size in mind. Luckily, most bands can be adjusted to fit your wrist without an issue. If you have a particularly large wrist circumference, you’ll want to keep an eye out for options that’ll work for you.
Out of our list of 10 top fitness trackers, here’s what we recommend for large wrists:
3 best fitness watches for large wrists
Fitbit Charge 4 — The large size band will fit comfortably on larger wrists that range from 7.1 to 8.7 inches in circumference.
Fitbit Versa 2 —While the Versa couldn’t look more different than the Charge 4, it can also fit 7.1 to 8.7 inches.
Xiaomi Mi Band 5 —This may not be the biggest tracker on the market, but it can still accommodate wrists from 6.1 to 8.6 inches.
What are the best fitness trackers for small wrists?
If you’ve got an especially dainty wrist, it can be even more challenging to find the right fit. The last thing you want is for your tracker to be sliding around as you go about your day.
So what should you do? We think these activity trackers fit like a glove—er, watch:
3 best fitness trackers for small wrists
Garmin Vivosmart 4 —The small/medium band can fit wrists as small as 4.8 inches and as large as 7.4 inches. Now, that’s impressive.
Fitbit Inspire 2 — This tracker is lightweight and compact. Did we mention it can fit wrists that measure between 5.5 and 8.7 inches?
Now that you’ve found your fitness tracker match, you’re one step closer to running laps around your goals. #YouCanDoIt
Credits — The team that worked on this guide
Courtney Lynch is a freelance writer at Android Central. She’s obsessed with all things health, fitness, and music. At any given time she can be found checking out the latest and greatest gadgets while simultaneously petting her dog and sipping iced coffee.
Joe Maring is Android Central’s News Editor and has had a love for anything with a screen and CPU since he can remember. He’s been talking/writing about Android in one form or another since 2012, and often does so while camping out at the nearest coffee shop.
Jeramy Johnson is proud to help Keep Austin Weird and loves hiking in the hill country of central Texas with a breakfast taco in each hand. When he’s not writing about smart home gadgets and wearables, he’s defending his relationship with his smart voice assistants to his family. You can follow him on Twitter at @jeramyutgw.
