Other Fitness Trackers to Consider
Photo: Adrienne So
Garmin Instinct 3 for $400: Garmin’s Instinct line doesn’t have the same high-end features as the Fenix 8, but it’s popular because it’s cheaper and has a cool, chunky retro aesthetic that I love. This year’s update includes a built-in flashlight and a new “Best Fitness Trackers” reinforced bezel, which is nice considering I still manage to bang the Fenix and Apex watches quite a bit. For more information, see our guide to the best Garmin watches.
Best Fitness Trackers
Coros Apex 4 for $429: Koros is the king of affordable watches for extreme athletes (and women) and the Apex 4 is the company’s Alpine watch recently used by Kilian Jornet. State of height Project battery life lasts forever; It has 5 special climbing modes, vertical GPS and can automatically detect climbing routes. I love this watch for climbing.
Coros Nomad for $349: Koros has an angler-specific sport watch with a sport mode for fishing. A new feature called Adventure Journal lets you record voice memos and pin locations while hiking and running so you can remember where the bathroom, campsite, or really great berry picking spot is.
Apple Watch Ultra 2 for $699: I no longer recommend last year’s Watch Ultra 2 because I think the vastly increased battery life (from 36 hours to 42 hours) and satellite connectivity are enough for any “Best Fitness Trackers” outdoorsman to get the Watch Ultra 3. You must not buy it at full price. But it is is Compatible with WatchOS 26, so if you find it on sale significantly, I wouldn’t think you’re dumb for it.
Garmin Venu X1 for $800: Garmin’s Venu line occupies an odd niche. It has a polymer case, a nylon strap and a huge AMOLED display that spans 2 inches, which is great for displaying built-in maps. It has speakers and a mic for taking calls, and most of the fitness functionality of the Fenix, but without the classy, durable metal bezel or insane battery life. It works fine; It doesn’t look like it’s plastic and costs twice as much as the Apple Watch.
Best Fitness Trackers
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Photo: Julian Chokkattu
OnePlus Watch 3 for $300: My kingdom for a smartwatch that can last more than a day! The OnePlus Watch 3 (9/10, WIRED Recommends) can last five days on a single charge. OnePlus now has a number of standard health features, such as fall detection, a skin temperature sensor, irregular heart rate notification and an electrocardiogram. This is another great pick if you want a smartwatch that’s also a good fitness tracker.
Shipped for $249: I love how light and thin (36g) this watch is, especially in the now sold out Lime. It has a bright AMOLED screen, two-week battery life and accurate dual-frequency satellites. But Suunto’s software is clunky and difficult to navigate when compared to Garmin, Corros, or Apple. Offline maps are also not supported.
Amazfit Bip 6 for $80: Amazfit’s tracker is improving so fast! Like the Active 2, the Beep 6 is a fantastic little watch, with a bright, large “Best Fitness Trackers” and responsive AMOLED screen, over a week of battery “Best Fitness Trackers” life and 140 sport modes. I still find the tracker and Zepp app to be ridiculously inaccurate at times, but it’s cheap and comfortable and works well. However, for only $20, I’d rather get the Active 2 instead.
Xiaomi Smart Band 9 for $45: I was shocked at how much I liked this affordable little fitness band. The 1,200-nit display is clear and bright, and the touchscreen is responsive. The aluminum case feels solid and it tracks your steps and heart rate with reasonable accuracy. However, the user experience of the Mi Fitness app vs Fitbit is nothing to compare, especially at this price. (Yet.)
Photo: Julian Chokkattu
The Samsung Galaxy Watch Ultra is priced at $380: Your eyes did not deceive you. Samsung’s Galaxy Watch Ultra (7/10, Wired Review) A direct rip-off of the Apple Watch Ultra, but for Samsung phone owners. It even has a quick button (which Apple calls an action button) and a double pinch feature (which Apple calls a double tap). Apple’s watch is better, more sporty, with a better interface and better comprehensive algorithms “Best Fitness Trackers” like training loads and vitals. But what about the Galaxy “Best Fitness Trackers” Watch Ultra? by doingIt does well and Samsung has the resources to catch up quickly. It has a sapphire glass face rated to 10 ATM, an IP68 rating, and the ability to withstand altitudes up to 9,000 meters and temperatures up to 130 degrees. It has backcountry navigation features, dual-band GPS, a compass and breadcrumb navigation, which Samsung calls Track Back and Apple calls BackTrack (it’s being silly). Battery life is still an adequate two days and change though. It’s the 2025 model, which added more storage and a new color, but you can Buy the 2024 model at an even lower price.
Buyer beware
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Evie Movano Ring for $269: Evie announced a medical-journal-trained AI chatbot and an upgraded version of Movano with improved sleep and heart rate tracking. I checked it out and unfortunately didn’t find enough to warrant retracting my previous “Best Fitness Trackers” opinion (4/10, Wired review). The smart ring market has exploded since then, and many new rings have distinctly female-centric features. It doesn’t offer enough features to be an attractive product right now.
Nowwatch B for $399: This cute tracker aims to measure your stress response every minute. Unfortunately, that uses a ton of battery power; You have to charge it for 3 hours and recharge it every other day. This is ridiculous, especially since a Fitbit monitors your stress relatively quickly. We’ve reached out to Nowatch and will check back after the company refines its algorithm.
Amazfit T-Rex 3 for $280, Amazfit Helio Ring for $200, And Amazfit T-Rex 3 Pro for $400: We’ve tried everything across Amazfit’s lineup, including the Smart Ring. While I have nothing to complain about build quality—the Balance is a cheat for a Samsung “Best Fitness Trackers” Galaxy Watch if you don’t look too hard—Wired reviewer Simon Hill and I both found functionality a bit limited. Reviewer Brent Rose also found the T-Rex 3 Pro to be a ridiculously bad dupe for the Garmin Fenix 8. The Active 2 is the only Amazfit watch I like right now.
Compare the best 14 fitness trackers
FAQs
Fitness trackers vs smartwatches
The categories can overlap significantly, but fitness trackers like the ones we consider here focus on health. I’m less concerned about whether a fitness tracker can replicate every feature on your smartphone if the suite of health features is robust and accurate; If it can track multiple activities; And if it stays on and secure while doing multiple fitness activities. We also include fitness trackers that aren’t wrist wearable, including hoops, smart rings, heart rate monitors, and blood sugar monitors.
Some wrist-based fitness trackers will feature the ability to read email and control music, but the screens are often smaller and less bright. However, battery life is often much better, which makes a difference, especially if you’re tracking your sleep over time. However, if you’re more interested in the option of accessing apps without “Best Fitness Trackers” taking out your phone, you might want to consider getting a smartwatch. (If you don’t want any notifications at all, get a smart ring.) Don’t see something that’s your style here? Check out our best smartwatches guide.
My tracker doesn’t work! What should I do?
Here are a few ways to easily cure what ails you (or your device):
- Make sure it fits. The optical sensor won’t work if your device slips loosely around your wrist. You can customize most devices with new straps. Make sure it sits securely an inch above your wrist.
- Wash it! I’m horrified by how many people tell me their fitness trackers are blistering on their wrists. Wipe it down with a little dish soap and water after a sweaty session.
- Come out from behind the tree. Does your device use multiple satellite positioning systems to track your location when you start an outdoor workout? It’s a lot harder to do if you’re inside power lines, trees, or even (story).
- Set a routine. There’s nothing more frustrating than opening your tracker’s app to find it ran out of battery before you went to bed last night. Keep your app updated regularly. Check if your tracker is connected to your phone and keep chargers everywhere
a research Published in December 2024 Many smartwatch wrist bands have been found to contain high levels of PFHxA, a “forever chemical” that can affect your immune system, thyroid, kidneys and reproductive system. How do you know if your band has PFHxA?
- Check to see if the band is labeled as being made of “fluoroelastomer.” Fluorinated synthetic rubber is the material with the highest levels of PFHxA.
- Check if the company has tested its products. For example, Garmin watch Contains no PFAS.
- If you’re not sure, most trackers let you swap out your bands for bands made from silicone, metal, leather, or other materials. Companies often have their own proprietary inventory; If you need some ideas on what to look for, check out our best Apple Watch accessories guide.
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