Whether you’re trying to get fit for spring break or just looking to keep tabs on your general health and well being there’s a fitness tracker out there for you. For most people, the Fitbit Charge 3 will be the best choice. It’s light and stylish, has plenty of stamina, and offers smartphone notifications alongside all the fitness tracking you need. Best of all, you won’t have to cash out your bank account to purchase one. However, Fitbit’s Charge 3 isn’t a one-size-fits-all device, which is why we include alternatives for anyone who doesn’t fancy the Fitbit and has their eyes on a tracker that is more suitable to their needs
Having worn, tested, and reviewed more than 100 different smartwatches and fitness trackers at Digital Trends, we’re well qualified to tell you which ones are the best — and these are the devices that really stood out for us. For a wider selection of recommended, full-featured wrist-based wearables, check out our picks for the best smartwatches.
Why you should buy this: You want a fitness tracker with outstanding battery life and a thin, stylish design.
Fitbit Charge 3
The Fitbit Charge 3 is a stylish fitness tracker with all the features you really need.
Who it’s for: People with an active lifestyle who want all-day fitness tracking and useful smartwatch features.
Why we picked the Fitbit Charge 3:
There’s a reason why Fitbit is the top brand in the fitness band market: The company continues to improve its bands by slowly and steadily adding smartwatch features and streamlining design. The Charge 3 is the epitome of this trend in Fitbit’s lineup.
Fitbit’s Charge 3 tracker has a sleek look with a buttonless design that makes the band look thinner than it actually is. It’s an ideal size that is not too big for a woman’s wrist and not too small for a man’s. The concave shape hugs your wrist and is so light that you don’t even notice that you are wearing it. The band has a grayscale touchscreen display and a button with haptic feedback that serves as the home and back button.
The Charge 3 has Fitbit’s full suite of fitness tracking features including all-day heart rate monitoring, all-day step counting, SmartTrack to automatically recognize workouts, and even menstrual cycle tracking for women that can be added as an option to the dashboard. All these metrics can be viewed in the Fitbit app, which still has the best app interface for health and wellness tracking. Fitbit also recently enabled the pulse oximeter on the Charge 3 allowing people to track blood oxygen levels while they sleep.
The wearable also has a handy auto-stop feature that pauses your exercise when you encounter an intersection or have to tie your shoe. It also uses new goal-based exercise modes that let you set a goal and track how far or how long you need to go to complete it. On the smart notification side, the Charge 3 can receive and respond to text messages, answer or reject calls, and even get social media and email notifications. It’s as close to a smartwatch you can get in the fitness band form.
Why you should buy this: You want a comfortable fitness band with a vivid display and reliable fitness tracking.
Samsung Galaxy Fit
The Galaxy Fit is a more-than-capable wearable that remains the best fitness-tracking option for Android users.#31680 FROM AMAZON#21600 FROM DAILY STEALS
Who it’s for: Any Android user who’s teetering between a fitness band or a smartwatch.
Why we picked the Samsung Galaxy Fit:
Samsung’s Galaxy Fit nails the basics absurdly well. As such, it’s an outstanding choice for the casual athlete looking for a reliable tracker. The first thing you notice is the Fit’s vivid and colorful 0.95-inch AMOLED display. Though small, the use of colors in the Gorilla Glass-encased screen makes it easy to distinguish between metrics while you are exercising. The Fit has a touchscreen interface that is responsive and easy to navigate. We wish you could tap on the screen to wake up the tracker, but that is a relatively minor quibble when weighed against its strengths. After all, you can easily raise your wrist or press the side button if you need to illuminate the display.
Fitness tracking is another highlight of the Galaxy Fit. There are over 90 different workouts you can add to the watch, and six that you can track automatically. This automatic detection was one of our favorite features. It allows you to start exercising without having to fuss with the watch and shows the data you need, like distance, pace, and elapsed time. We also appreciate the inactivity reminders that gently reminded us to get out of our chair and spend some time moving.
Priced at under $100, the Samsung Galaxy Fit is not only the best fitness wearable for Android users; it’s also one of the best values in a fitness wearable currently available.
Why you should buy this: You want the absolute best fitness tracker and smartwatch for iOS.
Apple Watch Series 5
It is expensive, yes. But the Apple Watch Series 5 can do it all.#138600 FROM AMAZON#138600 FROM SAM’S CLUB
Who it’s for: Any iPhone user who is looking for a full-featured smartwatch that also tracks fitness activity.
Why we picked the Apple Watch Series 5
For iPhone owners who have the money to spend, there is no question that the Apple Watch Series 5 is the best full-featured fitness tracker and smartwatch available. Like the iPhone itself, Apple’s wearable has a good deal of support from third-party developers, with every significant fitness app offering compatibility. The Watch also found a way to deftly mix features and fashion into a single wearable device, offering all-day battery life and a host of features that are tough to find on any competing device.
The chief upgrade for the Series 5 over the previous-generation Apple Watches is longer battery life and an always-on display that makes reading the watch dead simple. The latest Apple Watch also offers a faster processor and improved performance over the already outstanding Series 4.
We all know the Apple Watch delivers plenty of functionality, but it is more fitness-oriented features include GPS tracking, an altimeter that records changes in altitude, and onboard heart rate monitoring. It’s also waterproof down to 50 meters, offers support for a vast number of workout types, and even reminds you to stand after periods of inactivity. Throw in Bluetooth connectivity with wireless headphones and greatly improved Siri support, and you have a smartwatch that’s head-and-shoulders above just about anything else on the market.
All of this comes at a price. The Apple Watch Series 5 starts at $399 and goes up from there depending on size, the style of the band, and the inclusion of cellular connectivity. For those who already live in Apple’s ecosystem, this is just another extension of that platform, offering versatility and convenience in a stylish package.
Read our full Apple Watch Series 5 review
Best fitness tracker for kids: Fitbit Ace 2
Why you should buy this: The Fitbit Ace 2 is high on the fun factor, making it a no-brainer for kids on the move.
Fitbit Ace 2 Kids Activity Tracker (Fitbit)
A fun fitness tracker to get your kids moving.#25200FROM FITBIT
Who it’s for: Parents looking for a fitness tracker for the 12 and under crowd.
Why we picked the Fitbit Ace 2:
Fitbit nailed it with its kid’s fitness tracker, the Ace 2. We strapped two of the fitness trackers on our kids, and the pair survived being dropped, stepped on, lost in the backyard for a week, and more. The tracker has a soft band that fits comfortably on a kid’s wrist and is adjustable to accommodate a variety of sizes. We had no problem fitting it on kids ranging from 5 to 11 years old. The band is available in either Night Sky and Neon Yellow or Watermelon Teal and is replaceable if it breaks or your child wants a different color. The Ace 2 also is waterproof up to 50 meters, a must-have feature for kids who like to jump into the pool, pond, or ocean.
The tracker has a kid-friendly interface that tracks steps, active minutes, and sleep. You can choose between a variety of different clock faces from a simple digital watch face to animated faces that change as the child reaches their fitness goal. The spaceship animation was a favorite among my kids. The watch has several data screens that show the daily step count and active minutes. These real-time stats allow kids to track how much they move during the day and see whether they are close to reaching their goals. At night, kids can get reminders to go to bed and see how long they slept each night.
The watch syncs to the companion Fitbit app, either using the parent’s device or the child’s mobile device. The dashboard is customized for kids with an easy-to-use interface that shows the child’s stats with little to no social features. Kids can view messages from parent-approved friends, but there is no tie-in to Facebook or any other social network. If the child has a phone, then the watch can be configured to receive messages from these trusted contacts.
Read our full Fitbit Ace 2 review
Best cheap fitness tracker: Fitbit Inspire
Why you should buy this: The Fitbit Inspire is a sub- fitness tracker that’s high on features and performance.
Fitbit Inspire HR
The Inspire is a no-nonsense tracker that covers basic fitness tracking and more at an affordable price.#35560 FROM AMAZON#25200 FROM GROUPON
Who it’s for: Budget shoppers who want a basic fitness tracker for steps, sleep, and overall fitness.
Why we picked the Fitbit Inspire:
The sub-$100 Fitbit Inspire is ideal if you’re looking for a budget fitness tracker — few fitness bands on the market deliver the same core features at this price. You can use the band to track your steps, workouts, sleep, weight, water, and stress (HR model only). It’s a step up from other affordable fitness bands that have limited tracking and a simplistic display. Speaking of the display, it is a perfect size for a stylish device. It is big enough to allow you to view incoming alerts and exercise statistics but small enough to not look overly big on your wrist.
The tracker has a kid-friendly interface that tracks steps, active minutes, and sleep. You can choose between a variety of different clock faces from a simple digital watch face to animated faces that change as the child reaches their fitness goal. The spaceship animation was a favorite among my kids. The watch has several data screens that show the daily step count and active minutes. These real-time stats allow kids to track how much they move during the day and see whether they are close to reaching their goals. At night, kids can get reminders to go to bed and see how long they slept each night.
The watch syncs to the companion Fitbit app, either using the parent’s device or the child’s mobile device. The dashboard is customized for kids with an easy-to-use interface that shows the child’s stats with little to no social features. Kids can view messages from parent-approved friends, but there is no tie-in to Facebook or any other social network. If the child has a phone, then the watch can be configured to receive messages from these trusted contacts.
It’s a no-nonsense wearable that helps you improve your fitness while looking great on your wrist. The tracker is so compact and lightweight that you hardly feel it on your wrist. It has a clean, rounded look which is a refreshing change from Fitbit’s older boxy designs. The Inspire model also uses Fitbit’s quick-change bands allowing you to change the look of the device in an instant. Want to go out to dinner? No problem. Just swap out the sports band for the classic mesh metal band before you hit the town.
Fitbit launched the Inspire as a series that include both the entry-level Inspire and Inspire HR. The most significant difference between the Inspire and the Inspire HR is the wrist-based heart rate monitor on the HR model. This feature adds #10800 to the price tag of the device and enables advanced metrics like resting heart rate and stress management. With a price tag under #36000, there is little reason not to recommend either the #36000Inspire HR or the #25200 Inspire for someone looking to track their fitness with minimal investment.
Best waterproof fitness tracker: Samsung Gear Fit2 Pro
Why you should buy this: The Samsung Gear Fit2 Pro is waterproof up to 50 meters and can track basic metrics when you are swimming with the companion Speedo app.
Samsung Gear Fit2 Pro
Get wet and wild with the waterproof Samsung Gear Fit2 Pro. FROM#60480 AMAZON#46440 FROM NEWEGG BUSINESS
Who it’s for: Fitness enthusiasts who want to jump into a lake or swim in the pool with their fitness tracker.
Why we picked the Samsung Gear Fit2 Pro:
Like the Fit 2 before it, Samsung’s Gear Fit2 Pro is a sleek and lightweight fitness tracker that stands out for its in-water performance and stellar feature set. The Gear Fit2 Pro connects to the Speedo app which you can use to track your swim goals, your swim time, your pace, and the distance your swim in a training session. With a healthy dose of smartwatch capability, the option to store and stream music, built-in GPS, and water resistance, it’s a refreshing, cost-effective wearable. It does still feature the same, somewhat bulky design as its predecessor but that’s a minor nitpick on what is otherwise a powerhouse of a fitness tracker.
ould you buy one now?
Now is as good a time as any to buy a fitness band. Battery life is improving, built-in GPS tracking is far more common, and heart rate monitors are making their way onto more devices to ensure accurate measurements. The tech isn’t likely to advance too dramatically, for now, so you’d likely get several years out of the options listed — if you stick with them.
Much depends on what you want to get out of it. If you don’t have some motivation and goals to go along with your new fitness tracker, then it may be tough to justify spending the money on pricier options like the Apple Watch. Those more expensive models are recommended for fitness buffs who are going to use them to analyze workouts and train competitively for races like triathlons or 5Ks. The rest of the bands on the list are suited better for a more casual crowd looking to monitor their fitness levels and maybe lose a little weight.
Are wrist fitness trackers accurate?
One of the biggest complaints people have with fitness trackers is their accuracy. Wrist fitness trackers are not 100% accurate in step count or heart rate tracking. Fitness trackers use sensors like an accelerometer or an altimeter to calculate step counts and stair climbs. These sensors are not fail-proof — they can and do make mistakes. Any movement of the wrist, when you are driving, for example, can cause the tracker to tack on steps or stairs when you are not walking. Sometimes you’ll miss out on steps especially when your feet are moving and your hands are still. We encounter this issue with missing steps whenever we use a treadmill desk. Ultimately, steps and stair count should be used as a loose guideline to gauge your overall activity level and not a step-by-step assessment of your day.
