The best fitness trackers of 2024, tried and tested

In the ever-evolving world of fitness wearables, fitness trackers have become an increasingly popular tool for personal health and wellness. While the ability to track steps was once their primary function, many trackers now offer a broader range of features, including heart rate monitoring, sleep tracking and calorie estimation.

To help you navigate this crowded market, we put 11 highly rated fitness trackers to the test. We evaluated factors such as ease of use, build quality and accuracy across various activities, from running and walking to weightlifting. Through weeks of testing, we aimed to identify the top fitness tracker to support your unique health and fitness goals.

Best fitness tracker: Fitbit Inspire 3

$99 at Amazon and $100 at Target

Since first releasing fitness trackers in 2014, Fitbit has been considered the most accessible brand for all health warriors — from novices to experts.

The first thing you notice about the Fitbit Inspire 3 is the bright, color AMOLED screen, replacing the monochrome screen on the Inspire 2. Not only does this new screen make the tracker more appealing to look at, but it’s also easier to see your information in bright sunlight.

The new model comes with an always-on display capability, but be warned: It will drain your tracker’s battery much faster than the 10 days of battery life the Inspire 3 boasts. Without this feature, we got about 11 days of battery life on a single charge. With an always-on screen, Fitbit says you’ll get about three days.

Activity tracking is what Fitbit does best, and the Inspire 3 makes it easy. There are over 20 different workouts to choose from (including run, bike, swim and treadmill), though you can only have six workouts on your tracker at once. To swap them out you need to connect to the app, make your changes and re-sync the device. The Inspire 3 also uses what it calls Active Zone Minutes to help you better reach your workout goals. It monitors your heart rate and tracks how much time you spend in certain zones, taking age and fitness level into account.

The Inspire 3’s new health monitoring features make it a compelling health tracker in addition to a fitness tracker. It automatically tracks Sp02 (blood oxygen) levels throughout the day, and while it can’t take an ECG like the more expensive Fitbit Charge 6 or newer smartwatches, it will monitor your heart rate variability and alert you if it detects an irregular heart rhythm.

Once it syncs with the Fitbit app, you can access all this data and drill down for more info or timelines. In the app you can also manually track menstruation and blood glucose levels, and view historical data. The Inspire 3 also still offers the company’s comprehensive sleep tracking abilities with features to log your resting heart rate, sleep duration and blood oxygen levels to give you a good sense of your sleep profile.

With its entry-level price tag, the Inspire 3 lacks the smarts of a more expensive device. There’s no built-in GPS (though you can use your phone’s GPS to track a run via Bluetooth) and no contactless payments or built-in music service like Spotify.

But, If you’re looking for an easy-to-use, feature-rich tracker with battery life that will go for days, the Fitbit Inspire 3 with its color screen and 10-day battery life leads the pack. You also get useful features like stress management, two-minute relaxation sessions, reminders to get up and move and the “find my phone” feature for when you misplace your phone in the house. And, at around $100, it’s affordable, comfortable enough to wear all day and night and gives you access to meaningful data in its comprehensive Fitbit app.

How accurate are fitness trackers?

When working toward a specific health goal, a fitness tracker can prove supportive, helping to self-monitor daily activities and provide motivation to stay in action. As certified fitness instructor DeBlair Tate, who provided guidance during our testing process, put it: “When your progress is tracked accurately and consistently, a pattern of results becomes clearer. It provides a sense of ownership for health and fitness goals. When you aim to reach those numbers daily, you gain that fulfillment of accomplishment that motivates you to create more goals.”

But how accurate, exactly, are fitness trackers? We did notice some discrepancies in steps — up to 500 to 800 steps — when we wore two trackers at once. This was true regardless of brand. That’s normal, though, since technology and functionality are all different. As Keegan Draper, National Academy of Sports Medicine certified personal trainer and fitness specialist for Mindbody, explained, wrist straps will differ from hip-mounted trackers and chest or arm straps.

In terms of steps, he says more accurate measurements would come from a hip-mounted step counter, whereas a wristwatch could pick up on other movements and track those. “It is very likely two different trackers give different step counts,” Draper noted. “But, overall, your daily fitness tracker will be relatively accurate, and having some sort of monitor and tracker is better than none.”

How we tested

We put 11 fitness trackers through their paces over several weeks, tracking runs, walks, lifts and everything in between. We evaluated their performance (accuracy, readability, ease of use), how comfortable they were to wear and how well they integrated with other apps. We even checked their privacy policies to assess how secure they were. Below, more details on our testing criteria.

Performance

Build

Other factors

Other fitness trackers we tested

New models constantly emerge, potentially shifting the landscape. Ultimately, the “best” fitness tracker remains subjective and depends on individual needs and budget. Here are the others we tested.

Fitbit Charge 6

$160 From $149 at Amazon

Like other Fitbit devices, the Charge is more than a step counter; it’s a data-driven companion designed to empower you to understand your body, optimize workouts and conquer your health goals. Since the Charge 5 (and previously Charge 4) were already crowd favorites, we were eager to see how Fitbit took it to the next level. We put it through its paces on runs, swims and even during our sleep to find out. While the Charge 6 didn’t nab our top spot, it is still definitely worth consideration.

It’s an upgrade to our previously recommended Charge 4 (and Charge 5), and packs an arsenal of features that solidify its reign as the fitness tracker for the masses. It is a powerful upgrade for fitness enthusiasts and health-conscious individuals. Its comprehensive health-tracking features, built-in GPS and ECG app provide valuable insights and empower you to take charge of your well-being. The upgraded Charge also better integrates with Google (which now owns Fitbit), so you can readily get directions from Google Maps, make payments through Google Wallet or play YouTube Music. We are also fans of the haptic button added back to the side of the watch, where a single press wakes the watch face and brings you to the home screen. However, the higher price point and slightly bulkier design might deter budget-conscious users or those seeking a more minimalist tracker.

The built-in ECG app is designed to help you detect potential irregularities like atrial fibrillation, empowering you to seek timely medical advice if needed. The Sp02 monitoring (for blood oxygen insights), stress tracking and advanced sleep tracking with sleep stages and analysis basically provide a personal health concierge on your wrist. Plus, with more than 38 exercise modes and automatic workout detection, the Charge 6 will track everything from HIIT workouts to pool swims. Its real-time pace and heart rate zones can help you push your limits and optimize each session. We appreciate that it can also now integrate with some gym equipment like Peloton, Tonal and Nordic Track machines.

Compared to more budget-friendly options, the Charge 6 sits at a higher price point, so it’s important to consider your budget and how much you’ll utilize its advanced features. And while comfortable, the Charge 6 is slightly bulkier than some competitors, so if sleekness is your priority you might prefer a different tracker. Ultimately, the Charge 6 reigns supreme for those who crave data-driven insights, advanced health tracking and a versatile fitness companion.

Whoop 4.0

$30 a month or $239 a year at Whoop

The Whoop 4.0 goes far beyond just steps and calories burned. It’s designed around three personalized pillars: strain (during workout), sleep and recovery. The focus on recovery and strain tracking is what truly differentiates the Whoop. Its sleek, minimalist band is your 24/7 physiological coach, whispering insights directly into your ear (well, app). Whoop’s data-driven approach, backed by scientific research, piqued our curiosity. Could a tracker truly predict our readiness for that next workout or recovery session? We strapped it on and hit the gym, the trails and even our sleep sanctuaries to find out. What we discovered was that the Whoop 4.0 isn’t just a fitness tracker; it’s a biohacking tool for the everyday athlete.

As noted, the Whoop doesn’t just track activity, it measures physiological strain based on heart rate variability, sleep and recovery. This unique metric is designed to help you understand how your body responds to workouts, stress and even illness. Once acclimated, Whoop can then provide personalized daily coaching based on your unique biology. Feeling drained? It might suggest a rest day. Ready to crush it? Buckle up for a targeted workout suggestion. The device first learns your baselines before presenting a daily strain target along with other key vitals (heart rate, resting heart rate, heart rate variability, blood oxygen, etc.). This metric takes some acclimation, but the intel can help you optimize your peak performance as you do. Similarly, Whoop goes beyond sleep stages, delving into sleep quality and its impact on recovery to similarly optimize performance.

While the band takes a while to get accustomed to putting on, adjusting, and then attaching to the wireless charger, once it’s on, we found it to be comfortable, lightweight and blendable seamlessly with an active lifestyle. Unlike other bands, it didn’t get in the way of clothing or feel cumbersome once on.

Whoop also sets itself apart by offering the device for “free,” while forcing you into a monthly subscription for its advanced features and coaching. For budget-conscious users, this may be a turnoff. And unlike trackers with built-in displays, Whoop relies on its app for data visualization. This might not appeal to users who prefer on-wrist information.

If you’re serious about understanding your body, optimizing recovery and achieving peak performance, Whoop’s data-driven approach and personalized coaching based on heart rate variability, sleep and activity data might be the missing puzzle piece in your fitness journey. But for those seeking a basic activity tracker or a budget-friendly option, other contenders might be a better fit. And those seeking comprehensive insights on specific health data like steps, sleep stages, activity, heart rate, ECG, SpO2 and stress may be better suited for the Charge 6 above.

Apple Watch SE

From $249 at Best Buy

The Apple Watch SE is a compelling option, offering a sleek design, powerful processing and a wide range of features, including fitness-tracking capabilities like heart rate monitoring, activity tracking and sleep monitoring. However, its appeal is restricted by two key factors: price and platform exclusivity. For those invested in the iPhone ecosystem, it offers seamless integration with familiar notifications, messaging and music control directly on your wrist. Plus, it boasts a stylish design and a wide range of customization options through watch faces and bands, allowing users to personalize their experience. However, on the fitness and health front, it lacks many of the advanced sensors of some of the more advanced Apple Watches, so you’re paying more for a beautiful smartwatch than a feature-rich fitness device.

Oura Ring (3rd Gen)

From $299 at Oura

The most striking aspect of the Oura Ring is its design. Unlike most fitness trackers, this sleek gadget goes around your finger. And yet, it still tracks a ton of metrics to help you keep tabs on your health, from your blood oxygen and skin temperature to your heart rate. You can monitor all these things for days on a single charge thanks to the device’s lack of battery-draining processor and screen. But its unique design is also one of its biggest weaknesses. Because of its placement on your finger, you can’t use the Oura Ring to track weightlifting workouts. What’s more, the only sensor the ring has to track fitness progress is a heart rate sensor, meaning it’s not really useful for activities like Pilates. So for all the things the Oura Ring does right, including its excellent sleep tracking features, it’s meant to be a complement to other fitness trackers rather than an all-encompassing device.

Fitbit Inspire 2

$80 From $65 at Amazon

Our previous pick for best fitness tracker, the Fitbit Inspire 2 is a great under-$100 choice for anyone who wants better clarity and more robust data about their health, fitness and wellness lifestyle. Its sleek build ensures it doesn’t catch on clothing (or anything else) while working out, and the thin screen seems less prone to bumps and scratches, so in a way it feels more shatterproof than others. Plus, with features to track your sleep strength training and cardio workouts, the Inspire 2 covers all the basic bases you need to keep your health in check.

Fitbit Charge 4

$127 at Walmart

In all transparency, the Fitbit Charge 4 offers every feature we liked about the Fitbit Inspire 2, but we found the design of this model to be less comfortable. The screen and the band are wider, which can feel bulky for someone with small wrists. If you’re on the fence about buying an Apple Watch, though, this is very similar in terms of alerts, connectivity to your calendar and messaging, so it could be a cheaper alternative. It is compatible with Spotify, so you can listen to music via Bluetooth headphones while exercising, but a premium membership is required.

The screen is more advanced than the Inspire 2, which we appreciated, but it’s also easier to scratch.

Garmin Vivosmart 4

$130 From $85 at Amazon

In terms of look and feel, the two Garmins we tested were similar to the Fitbit Inspire 2. They have thinner bands in various colors and feature the swipeable home screen. While we preferred Fitbit to track workouts and steps, Garmin was better for walks and runs, since it’s known for its GPS accuracy and its ability to help with pacing within the app. It even provides trails or loops you can follow in most cities.

Garmin’s app and interface are similar to Fitbit’s but feel clunkier and more difficult to navigate. There are various sections, including a daily screenshot, challenges you can give yourself, calendar reminders and more, but it doesn’t offer the same community-like feel or ease of scrolling as the Fitbit app.

The Vivosmart 4 does display reminders to breathe and relax if your resting heart rate seems to be going haywire, which is a valuable feature, particularly in today’s climate. And if you want your steps to be front and center, you can make them first on your menu, or, if you want activities, you can do that too. It’s up to you and fully customizable.

This tracker also claims to have more advanced sleep monitoring, including REM cycle and blood oxygen saturation levels via its Pulse Ox sensor. Ultimately, though, we found it uncomfortable to wear while sleeping and ended up taking it off halfway through the night, so we didn’t get an accurate read.

Garmin Vivofit 4

$80 $63 at Amazon

This smaller and less expensive tracker offers many of the same apps and offerings as the Vivosmart, but it does have one standout quality that may be enticing for some: a button. Of all the trackers we tested, it was the only one to offer a button to navigate the on-screen menu. This isn’t a necessity, but for those who prefer something tangible, it could be a decision-making feature. Like all Garmin devices, this one also connects to Google Play, iTunes and up to 15 other apps, so you can easily integrate various subscriptions into your tracker. You can also get a weather reading if you’re trying to decide whether to do an indoor or outdoor workout. Our biggest gripe with this device, however, is its home screen, which we found to be the most difficult to read unless we were in total daylight.

Withings Steel HR Hybrid Smartwatch

$180 at Amazon

Of the 11 fitness tracking devices we tested, this is the only one that could be mistaken for a watch. And for many people, this is a major selling point. Its screen offers a clock, a stopwatch and all of the info traditional trackers have, like heart rate, calories burned and other data. For small wrists, though, we found this device to be too large.

With Withings, you download its Health Mate app to receive information on your heart rate as well as to track your weight, activities and sleep. Like trackers, you can also receive text or phone alerts and connect it to Amazon Alexa to give verbal cues. To collect data on fitness, you scroll to place the tracker in “workout mode” and select from running, swimming and so on. As a bonus, it also claims to track pingpong, windsurfing, kitesurfing and other unique activities. When you’ve finished sweating, you’ll see info on the duration of your activity and calories you expended. And its battery life is one of the most impressive we observed — even after wearing it for several days, it never fell below 70% charge.

It’s a solid choice for those who want a bit more out of their fitness tracker and are willing to spend a bit more.

Xiaomi Mi Band 4

$41 at Walmart

Though at first glance this fitness tracker looks very similar to its more expensive competitors, the experience doesn’t compare. When we were setting up the device, our internet browser detected a security risk and said the website was unsafe. Then, when we did download the app for Xiaomi called Mi Fit, it had significantly less information than the others we tested. You can see your steps, and you can select between walking, running and cycling, but the tracking features weren’t as reliable as others. Plus, the app heavily pushes the company’s “skins,” which are personalized home screens for the tracker, rather than focusing on health and wellness.

The tracker is comfortable to wear and has a sleek look (though the band is only available in black), but you need to remove the watch face to charge the device. It’s not a big deal and doesn’t take long, but it’s an added step that other activity trackers don’t require. While this isn’t the least expensive device on our list, we found it to have the fewest features — not to mention that its app and website seem unstable and should be updated to build trust with consumers.

Letsfit Fitness Tracker

$60 $32 at Target

This tracker was the least expensive out of our pool, but we were impressed with its design and functionally. It’s the only tracker that doesn’t require you to set up a profile to begin using the device. That means you can take it out of the box, charge it for an hour and get started. It doesn’t have super-advanced data like the others we tested, but if you merely want to track your steps and your heart rate, it’s an affordable way to have a pulse on your health (no pun intended). You can download the VeryFitPro app to see your stats, but you can do so without giving your email or any information.