Find Your Perfect Fit: The Best Fitness Trackers in 2024

Photo credit: Fitbit

Fitness trackers have come a long way from simply counting steps. Today, these wrist-worn wonders can monitor your heart rate and sleep, track your stress level, and even guide you through workouts. With so many options competing for the title of best fitness tracker, choosing the right one can feel like a marathon in itself. But don’t sweat it (pun intended)! We’ve got you covered with our top picks for the best fitness trackers in every category, helping you find the perfect fit for your lifestyle.

Best Overall Fitness Tracker: Fitbit Charge 6

Photo credit: Fitbit

If you’re looking for a versatile and user-friendly fitness tracker that doesn’t compromise on features, the Fitbit Charge 6 is the ideal choice. It builds upon the success of its predecessor, the Charge 5, with notable improvements that make it the best overall fitness tracker in Fitbit’s lineup.

Why We Love the Fitbit Charge 6

• Larger, Brighter Display: The Charge 6 boasts a larger display than the Charge 5, making it easier to view your stats and notifications at a glance. It’s also brighter, ensuring readability even in direct sunlight.
• Enhanced Performance: A new processor gives the Charge 6 a noticeable speed boost, making it more responsive and fluid to navigate.
• Daily Readiness Score: This feature, previously exclusive to Fitbit Premium, is now available on the Charge 6. It analyzes your sleep, activity, and heart rate variability to assess your body’s readiness for exercise, helping you optimize your workouts and recovery.
• Comprehensive Health Tracking: Like its predecessor, the Charge 6 tracks steps, distance, calories, heart rate, sleep stages, and stress. It also includes an ECG app and an EDA sensor for deeper health insights.
• More Exercise Modes: Choose from over 40 exercise modes to accurately track your activities, whether you’re running, cycling, swimming, or doing yoga.
• Built-in GPS: Leave your phone at home and still track your pace and distance with the Charge 6’s built-in GPS.
• Smart Features: Stay connected with notifications, call alerts, and even make contactless payments with Fitbit Pay.
• Long Battery Life: The Charge 6 offers up to 7 days of battery life on a single charge, so you can track your health and fitness around the clock without constant recharging.
• Water-Resistant: With a water resistance rating of 50 meters, you can wear the Charge 6 while swimming or in the shower without worry.
• Compatibility: Seamlessly syncs with both iOS and Android devices, so you can use it with your preferred smartphone.
• Price: The Fitbit Charge 6 typically retails for around $160, making it a more affordable option than other Fitbit smartwatches while still offering a wealth of features.

A Few Things to Keep in Mind

• Subscription for Deeper Insights: While basic features are available for free, a Fitbit Premium subscription unlocks deeper sleep analysis, personalized insights, advanced stress management tools, and more.
• Limited Third-Party Apps: The Fitbit app store is expanding, but it still lacks the breadth of options available on platforms like Wear OS or watchOS.

Best Budget Fitness Tracker: Xiaomi Mi Band 7

Photo credit: Amazon

Just because you’re on a budget doesn’t mean you have to sacrifice features. The Xiaomi Mi Band 7 proves that you don’t have to spend a fortune to get a great fitness companion!

Why We Love the Xiaomi Mi Band 7

• Feature-Packed and Affordable: This little tracker punches above its weight, offering a vibrant AMOLED display, continuous heart rate and blood oxygen (SpO2) monitoring, sleep tracking, and over 100 sports modes. It even gives you personalized health insights and guided breathing exercises.
• Big Screen, Small Price: The Mi Band 7 boasts a large, bright display that’s easy to read, even in sunlight. It’s perfect for quickly checking your stats on the go.
• Battery Life Champion: Forget about daily charging! The Mi Band 7 has an impressive battery life, lasting up to two weeks on a single charge.
• Swim-Ready: With its 5ATM water resistance rating, the Mi Band 7 can handle swimming and other water activities, making it a versatile companion for your workouts.
• Compatibility: Syncs with both iOS and Android devices.
• Price: The best part? You can buy the Xiaomi Mi Band 7 for around $50, making it one of the most affordable yet capable fitness trackers on the market.

A Few Things to Keep in Mind

• No Built-in GPS: If you’re a runner or cyclist who wants to track your routes accurately, you’ll need to bring your phone along for GPS data.
• Limited Smart Features: The Mi Band 7 focuses on fitness tracking, so don’t expect advanced smartwatch features like contactless payments or voice assistants.
• App Experience: The Xiaomi Mi Fitness app can be a bit clunky compared to other fitness apps.

Best Apple Watch for Fitness Tracking: Apple Watch Ultra 2

Photo credit: apple.com

If you’re an iPhone user who takes fitness seriously, the Apple Watch Ultra 2 is the ultimate companion for your active lifestyle. It’s designed for adventurers, athletes, and anyone who demands the best from their wearable tech.

Why We Love the Apple Watch Ultra 2

• Powerful S9 Chip: The new S9 SiP brings faster performance, new gestures like double-tap, and on-device Siri for quicker responses.
• Dive Ready: The Depth app and Oceanic+ app turn your watch into a dive computer, tracking depth, time, and safety alerts during your underwater adventures. (100 meters (WR100) and EN13319 certified for diving)
• Navigate with Confidence: The Compass app lets you drop waypoints, track your bearing and distance, and even retrace your steps if you get lost.
• Built for Adventure: With its rugged titanium case, sapphire crystal display, and enhanced water resistance, the Ultra 2 is ready to tackle any challenge, from hiking in the mountains to diving in the ocean.
• Precision Tracking: The dual-frequency GPS ensures accurate tracking of your runs, hikes, and other outdoor activities, even in challenging environments.
• Extended Battery Life: With up to 36 hours of battery life in normal use and even longer in low-power mode, you can go days without needing a charge.
• Advanced Health and Fitness Features: The Ultra 2 packs all the health and fitness tracking features of the Apple Watch Series 9, including heart rate monitoring, ECG, blood oxygen monitoring, and a wide range of workout tracking options.
• Extra-Bright Display: The new display is twice as bright as the Series 8, making it easier to see in direct sunlight, perfect for outdoor workouts.

A Few Things to Keep in Mind

• Size and Price: The Ultra 2 is larger and more expensive than other Apple Watch models, starting at $799.
• Overkill for Some: If you’re not an avid outdoor enthusiast or extreme athlete, the Ultra 2’s advanced features might be overkill for your needs.

Alternative Apple Watches: For a more affordable and compact option, consider the Apple Watch Series 9 or SE (2nd Generation). They offer a great balance of features and affordability, with robust fitness tracking capabilities that cater to most users’ needs.

Best Fitness Tracker for Android: Samsung Galaxy Watch 5 Pro

Photo credit: samsung.com

If you’re an Android user seeking a fitness companion that seamlessly integrates with your phone and offers top-notch tracking capabilities, the Samsung Galaxy Watch 5 Pro is your prime contender. It’s a powerful blend of style, functionality, and durability, built to keep up with your active lifestyle.

Why We Love the Samsung Galaxy Watch 5 Pro

• Premium Design: The Galaxy Watch 5 Pro sports a sleek titanium build with a sapphire crystal display, showing off style while being tough enough to handle your workouts.
• Advanced Health Tracking: It goes beyond the basics, offering comprehensive health monitoring, including heart rate, ECG, blood oxygen, and even body composition analysis, and support for over 90 exercises.
• Personalized Insights: Get detailed feedback on your workouts, including VO2 Max (your body’s ability to use oxygen), training effect (how your workouts are impacting your fitness), and recovery time recommendations.
• Enhanced GPS and Route Tracking: The Galaxy Watch 5 Pro is great for outdoor activities like hiking, running, and cycling, thanks to its improved GPS accuracy and new “Route Workout” feature. Import your favorite routes and let the watch guide you with turn-by-turn directions.
• Track Back (Your Safety Net): Ever taken a wrong turn on a hike? The Watch 5 Pro’s Track Back feature records your path and can guide you back to your starting point, ensuring you never get lost.
• Long-lasting Battery: The battery life has been significantly improved over previous models, allowing you to go for days without needing a charge.
• Swim-Ready: With a water resistance rating of 5ATM (up to 50 meters), it’s suitable for swimming and other water activities.
• Seamless Android Integration: It seamlessly pairs with your Android phone, allowing you to receive notifications, take calls, and even respond to texts directly from your wrist.
• Wear OS Power: The Watch 5 Pro runs on Google’s Wear OS, giving you access to a wide range of apps, Google Assistant, and contactless payments.
• Price: The Galaxy Watch 5 Pro typically starts at around $450, reflecting its premium materials and features.

A Few Things to Keep in Mind

• Bulkier Design: The rugged construction makes it a bit bulkier than some other smartwatches, which might not be ideal for those with smaller wrists.

While the Galaxy Watch 6 excels as a smartwatch with comprehensive fitness tracking features, its shorter battery life and lack of GPX support make it less ideal as a dedicated fitness tracker for extended outdoor activities.

However, if you’re primarily seeking an everyday fitness tracker with smartwatch features and a sleek design rather than extended outdoor tracking capabilities, the Galaxy Watch 6 could still be a viable option. Make sure you check out our in-depth comparison of how the Galaxy Watch 5 Pro stacks up against the new Pixel Watch 2: ‘Pixel Watch 2 vs. Galaxy Watch 6: Choosing the Right Android Smartwatch‘

Best Fitness Tracker for Sleep Tracking: Oura Ring

Photo credit: ouraring.com

If you’re serious about optimizing your sleep, the Oura Ring is your secret weapon. This sleek and discreet ring goes beyond basic sleep tracking, providing in-depth insights into your sleep patterns, recovery, and overall readiness to tackle the day.

Why We Love the Oura Ring

• Sleep Expert on Your Finger: The Oura Ring provides detailed information about your sleep. It tracks your sleep stages (REM, deep, light), heart rate variability (HRV), and body temperature. This data gives you a comprehensive view of your sleep quality and helps you find areas to improve.
• Personalized Insights: The Oura app gives you personalized advice using your sleep patterns and lifestyle. This helps you make better choices about your daily routine and improve your sleep for overall health and performance.
• Readiness Score: This unique feature uses your sleep, activity, and recovery data to calculate a daily Readiness Score, indicating how prepared your body is for the day’s challenges. It’s like having a personal coach who tells you when to push hard and when to take it easy.
• Discreet and Comfortable: Unlike bulky watches or wristbands, the Oura Ring is lightweight, comfortable to wear 24/7, and doesn’t interfere with your daily activities.
• Water-Resistant: While it doesn’t have an official IP rating, the Oura Ring is water-resistant up to 100 meters, so you can wear it while swimming or showering. However, it’s best to remove it when using soap or harsh chemicals.
• Long Battery Life: Enjoy up to 7 days of battery life on a single charge, minimizing interruptions to your routine.
• Seamless Integration: Syncs effortlessly with the Oura app to provide a comprehensive view of your health data, trends, and personalized insights.
• Cross-Platform Compatibility: The Oura Ring works with both iOS and Android devices, ensuring broad accessibility for users.
• Price: The Oura Ring starts at $299 USD (Heritage) or $350 USD (Horizon).

A Few Things to Keep in Mind

• Limited Fitness Tracking: While it tracks steps and calories burned, it’s not as comprehensive as dedicated fitness trackers or smartwatches.
• Subscription Required: To access all of Oura’s features and personalized insights, you’ll need an Oura Membership, which costs $5.99 per month, although a basic free version is available. The Oura Ring itself starts at $299 USD (Heritage) or $350 USD (Horizon), making it the more affordable option upfront.

For a more in-depth comparison of the Oura Ring with its potential competitor, the Samsung Galaxy Ring, check out our detailed analysis here: Samsung Galaxy Ring Vs. Oura Ring: Everything You Need To Know Before You Buy

Best Fitness Tracker for Stress Management and Holistic Health: Fitbit Sense 2

Photo credit: Fitbit

If stress management and a holistic view of your well-being are top priorities, the Fitbit Sense 2 is your ultimate wellness companion. This smartwatch goes beyond basic fitness tracking, offering a suite of tools to help you understand and manage your body’s response to stress, along with comprehensive health monitoring.

Why We Love the Fitbit Sense 2

• Stress Management Guru: The Sense 2 is packed with features to help you track and manage stress. The EDA sensor measures your skin’s electrodermal activity, providing insights into your body’s stress response. It also offers guided breathing exercises, mindfulness sessions, and personalized stress management scores to help you identify triggers and develop coping mechanisms.
• Heart Health Monitoring: Beyond stress, the Sense 2 keeps tabs on your heart health with 24/7 heart rate tracking, ECG assessments for heart rhythm irregularities, and notifications for high or low heart rate.
• Skin Temperature Tracking: Monitor trends in your skin temperature variation while you sleep, which can provide insights into potential illness, menstrual cycles, or even sleep quality.
• Sleep Tracking with a Holistic Twist: The Sense 2 tracks sleep stages, provides a daily sleep score, and offers personalized sleep insights. It even combines your sleep data with other metrics to give you a more comprehensive view of your overall well-being.
• Smart Features and Connectivity: Stay connected with smartphone notifications, contactless payments (Fitbit Pay), and access to a growing library of health and fitness apps.
• Long Battery Life: With up to 6 days of battery life on a single charge (depending on usage), you can track your health and fitness around the clock without constant recharging.
• Water-Resistant: With a water resistance rating of 50 meters, you can wear the Sense 2 while swimming or in the shower without worry.
• Compatibility: Seamlessly syncs with both iOS and Android devices, so you can use it with your preferred smartphone.
• Built-in GPS
• Price: The Fitbit Sense 2 typically retails for around $250.

A Few Things to Keep in Mind

• Subscription for Deeper Insights: While basic features are available for free, a Fitbit Premium subscription unlocks deeper sleep analysis, personalized insights, advanced stress management tools, and more.
• Limited Third-Party Apps: The Fitbit app store is expanding, but it still lacks the breadth of options available on platforms like Wear OS or watchOS.
• Not Just a Stress Tracker: While the Sense 2 excels at stress management, it might be overkill if you’re primarily looking for a basic fitness tracker.

Best Fitness Tracker for Runners: Garmin Forerunner 255

Photo credit: Garmin

If you’re a dedicated runner looking to level up your training and gain valuable insights into your performance, the Garmin Forerunner 255 is a fantastic investment. It’s more than just a tracker; it’s a coach, a guide, and a motivator, all wrapped up in a sleek and comfortable wristwatch.

Why We Love the Garmin Forerunner 255

• Bright and Easy-to-Read Display: The Forerunner 255 features a 1.3-inch sunlight-visible, transflective memory-in-pixel (MIP) display. This means it’s easy to read even in bright sunlight, making it perfect for outdoor runs.
• Accurate Multi-band GPS Tracking: The Forerunner 255 doesn’t just have GPS—it has multi-band GPS, which uses multiple frequencies to provide even more accurate tracking of your distance, pace, and route, even in areas with tall buildings or dense tree cover.
• Advanced Running Metrics: This watch goes beyond the basics, providing detailed insights into your running form, stride length, cadence, ground contact time, and vertical oscillation.
• Training Plans and Recovery Insights: Whether you’re training for a 5K or a marathon, the Forerunner 255 offers adaptive training plans and recovery insights to help you reach your goals safely and effectively.
• Triathlon and Multi-Sport Tracking: The Forerunner 255 isn’t just for running. It also tracks cycling, swimming, strength training, and more, making it a versatile companion for all your athletic pursuits. It can also withstand being submerged in water up to a depth of 50 meters.
• Smartwatch Features: Stay connected with smartphone notifications, music controls, and Garmin Pay for contactless payments.
• Cross-Platform Compatibility: Works with both iOS and Android devices.

A Few Things to Keep in Mind

• Learning Curve: The Forerunner 255 has a lot of features, which can be a bit overwhelming for beginners. Take some time to explore the menus and settings to get the most out of it.
• Price: It’s a premium running watch with a price tag to match ($350). If you’re a casual runner, there might be more budget-friendly options that meet your needs.

Best Fitness Tracker for Swimmers: Garmin Swim 2

Photo credit: Garmin

If you’re serious about improving your swimming performance, the Garmin Swim 2 is an excellent investment. It’s a swim-specific smartwatch is designed to capture every detail of your underwater workouts, to help you refine your technique, optimize your training, and reach your aquatic goals.

Why We Love the Garmin Swim 2

• Crisp and Clear Underwater Display: The Swim 2 features a sunlight-visible, transflective memory-in-pixel (MIP) display that’s easy to read even underwater, allowing you to track your progress during your swim.
• Pool and Open Water Tracking: Whether you’re doing laps in the pool or taking on the open water, the Swim 2 accurately tracks your distance, pace, stroke count, stroke type, and SWOLF (a measure of your swimming efficiency). With built-in GPS, you can even track your open water swims and see your route on a map.
• Underwater Wrist-Based Heart Rate: No more uncomfortable chest straps! The Swim 2 measures your heart rate right from your wrist, even underwater, giving you a complete picture of your effort.
• Advanced Swim Features: Take your training to the next level with features like drill logging, custom workouts, rest timers, and critical swim speed (CSS) estimation to help you understand your pacing.
• Garmin Connect Integration: Sync your data to the Garmin Connect app to analyze your swim workouts, track your progress over time, and even connect with other swimmers in the community.
• Beyond the Pool: While swimming is its specialty, the Swim 2 also tracks other activities like running and cycling, making it a versatile option for multi-sport athletes.
• Long Battery Life: With up to 7 days of battery life in smartwatch mode, you can track your swims and daily activity without worrying about frequent recharging.
• Compatibility: Works with both iOS and Android devices.
• Price: The Garmin Swim 2 typically retails for around $250, making it a mid-range option for dedicated swimmers who want a specialized tracking device.

A Few Things to Keep in Mind

• Limited Smartwatch Features: The Swim 2 focuses on swimming, so it doesn’t offer the extensive smart features you’d find in a full-fledged smartwatch.

The Finish Line: Your Perfect Fitness Tracker Awaits

There you have it – our handpicked selection of the best fitness trackers across various categories. Remember, the “best” tracker is the one that best aligns with your individual needs, preferences, and budget.

Do you prioritize in-depth sleep analysis or prefer a watch that can handle your outdoor adventures? Are you a dedicated swimmer or a data-driven runner? Consider your goals, lifestyle, and budget to find the perfect fitness tracker that will help you reach new heights (and depths!).

Whether you choose the Fitbit Charge 6 for its all-around excellence, the Oura Ring for its sleep-focused insights, or any of the other fantastic options on our list, you’re sure to find a trusty companion to keep you motivated and on track. Now, lace up your shoes, strap on your tracker, and let’s get moving!

P.S. Don’t forget to check out our in-depth comparison of the Oura Ring and Samsung Galaxy Ring for a closer look at these innovative smart rings!

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