Whether you want to keep an eye on daily activities, improve sleep hygiene, or level up workouts, a fitness tracker can help you achieve your health goals, even while traveling. Fitness trackers are “a great way to keep yourself accountable since you can see how you’re making progress towards your goal over the course of the day,” says Milica McDowell, a physical therapist and vice president of operations at Gait Happens, a health clinic in Colorado. “It’s a helpful reminder to stay connected to your health promises.”  

There are dozens of fitness trackers out there, from watches to rings and bracelets—each with their pros and cons. We did the work to find the best fitness trackers for different needs. We’ve concluded that the best overall is the Garmin Vivoactive 5. We like this fitness tracker because it works for a wide variety of needs and has thousands of positive reviews for accuracy, versatility, and battery life. Here are all our top picks.  

The best fitness trackers 

Scroll on for all the details on our favorites.

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Why we like it: The Garmin Vivoactive 5 is a versatile workhorse with comprehensive health and fitness tracking options in a sleek package. Not only does it track basics (heart rate, respiration rate, cardio minutes), it also tracks sleep, assigns a sleep score, and offers personalized sleep coaching for a well-rounded health routine.  

Serious athletes (or anyone wanting more data) will appreciate the advanced functions, such as interval training options and the more-than 30 built-in sports apps, including one that tracks pushes for wheelchair users. 

The long battery life (up to 11 days in smartwatch mode and up to 21 days in battery-saving mode)—means you don’t have to charge it every day. Conveniently, the Vivoactive 5 also displays texts, emails, and alerts when paired with a smartphone.  

Keep in mind: This fitness tracker can store some music, but not enough to hold a large library.  

Product details: Battery life: 11 days in smartwatch mode (21 days in battery-saving smartwatch mode) | Connectivity: Bluetooth, ANT+, Wi-Fi | Water resistance: Yes, 5 ATM | GPS: Built-in  

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Why we like it: The Apple Watch Series 9 pairs seamlessly with iPhones and offers a detailed health and fitness view. In addition to measuring basic metrics like heart rate, body temperature, and sleep insights, the Series 9 simplifies tracking indoor and outdoor workouts—you simply tap the Workout app and select the type of exercise you’re about to start. 

The new S9 chip also helps the Apple Watch Series 9 run faster and improves battery efficiency over its predecessors. We also like the new double tap feature, which lets you pick up calls, see texts, and other actions when your hands are full or you’re in the middle of an intense workout.  

“I find it is accurate in terms of step counts, heart rate, and sleep tracking,” says Sarah Pelc Garca, a certified personal trainer and founder of Strong With Sarah, a weight loss coaching program based in Michigan. “Plus, it’s a fun challenge to try to close my activity rings most days of the week.” 

Keep in mind: Due to an ongoing patent lawsuit, Apple Watch Series 9 smartwatches no longer come with a blood oxygen sensor.   

Product details: Battery life: Up to 18 hours per charge | Connectivity: Bluetooth, Wi-fi, LTE | Water resistance: Yes, 50 m. | GPS: Built-in  

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Why we like it: This discreet ring packs a ton of advanced fitness tracking features into a stylish, compact package. The Oura Ring’s sensors are constantly monitoring over 20 biometrics (including menstrual cycle tracking) to provide a comprehensive overview of your health. Daily reports are delivered via the app and include customized feedback, such as advice on when to start winding down and when you tend to be most stressed. 

The long battery life means you can wear the ring up to a week without charging. Reviewers say they love the seamless design of the Horizon model, which is ideal for people who find it uncomfortable to sleep while wearing a fitness tracking watch. Bonus: The Oura Ring is FSA/HSA eligible.  

Keep in mind: The Oura Ring comes with a subscription. The company says the first month is free, then costs $5.99 per month. Reviewers suggest ordering the ring sizing kit to get the right fit. But don’t worry, as of reporting time, the company says it offsets the cost of the sizing kit by taking $10 off your Oura Ring order. 

Product details: Battery life: Up to 7 days | Connectivity: Bluetooth | Water resistance: Yes, up to 328 ft. | GPS: None  

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Best fitness tracker bracelet: Whoop 4.0 

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Why we like it: Sleek and discreet, the Whoop 4.0 bracelet provides detailed cardiovascular reports that are aimed at the more serious cardio athlete. The bracelet gives both a strain and recovery score to give deeper insights into when someone should push harder during a workout and when they should rest to achieve optimal results.  

The same goes for sleep tracking—it takes your workout data from the day or week, along with your sleep data, and suggests things like the ideal bedtime for muscle recovery and how many hours you need for peak training.  

While the Whoop 4.0 can be worn on the wrist, you can also wear it on your upper arm, knee, and even specially designed sports bras. McDowell says the Whoop system “gives phenomenal data that’s very actionable and excellent recordkeeping and tracking,” making it a fantastic option for elite athletes. 

Keep in mind: The Whoop 4.0 comes with a subscription, but the company offers a free one-month trial. Alternatively, if you purchase from third-party sites like Amazon, the 12-month subscription is baked into the price. After that, it costs $239 for 12 months, or $399 for 24 months, if you pay in advance (prices accurate at time of reporting). 

Product details: Battery life: 4-5 days | Connectivity: Bluetooth | Water resistance: Yes, up to 10 m. | GPS: None  

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Why we like it: At just under $100, the Fitbit Inspire 3 is affordable, user-friendly, and tracks the basic health information that most casual users are looking for. It tracks calories burned, distance walked/ran, heart rate, and other common biometrics, and can send irregular heart rate notifications. 

We like the slim profile and that it’s water-resistant, so you can wear it in the shower or while swimming. The long battery life is also notable—the company says it lasts up to 10 days on a single charge. 

Keep in mind: If you want to access more advanced insights, such as daily readiness (how well rested you are for physical activity) and stress management scores or FitBit workouts, you’ll need to purchase the FitBit Premium membership, which was $9.99 per month, at press time.  

Product details: Battery life: Up to 10 days | Connectivity: Bluetooth, Wi-Fi | Water resistance: Yes, up to 50 m. | GPS: Yes, only when synced to a smartphone    

Best splurge fitness tracker: Garmin Fenix 7s  

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Why we like it: The luxe Garmin Fenix 7s offers a robust and versatile set of tracking tools for serious athletes and data tracking enthusiasts. The military-grade construction is designed to withstand extreme heat, cold, and atmospheric pressure, according to the company. Built-in sports apps, multi-sports tracking, a built-in GPS, and “PacePro” technology are just some of the advanced features you can find on this comprehensive fitness tracker. There’s even a solar-charging option.   

We also love that this fitness tracker comes with downloadable maps from around the world. McDowell notes that the Garmin Fenix line even tracks specific sports like cross-country skiing and yoga. It’s compatible with both iPhone and Android (with help from an app), so you can receive text notifications and stream your music library. 

Keep in mind: The Fenix 7s feels bulky on the wrist. Some reviewers also mention that the interface takes some getting used to, since it’s loaded with so many features and options.  

Product details: Battery life: Up to 11 days in smartwatch mode, 37 hours in GPS mode, and up to 38 days in battery saver mode | Connectivity: Bluetooth, ANT, Wi-Fi | Water resistance: Yes, 10 ATM | GPS: Built-in  

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How we chose the best fitness trackers 

With dozens of popular fitness trackers out there, it’s hard to know which one is the best for you. To help narrow down our list, we considered the following factors: 

• Third-party reviews: We read through customer reviews on each brand’s websites, honing in on notes from shoppers who used the fitness tracker in a variety of settings (daily life, intense workouts, for sharing health data with loved ones, and more). 
• Expert advice: We consulted with Milica McDowell, a physical therapist and vice president of operations at Colorado-based Gait Happens, and Sarah Plec Garca, a health coach and founder of Michigan-based Strong with Sarah, about what features to look for in fitness trackers and their personal recommendations. 
• Range of features: Fitness trackers offer a gamut of features; some are incredibly useful, while others are filler. We narrowed down the options to trackers that offer practical tools that appeal to both average people and serious athletes plus extras designed to level up your fitness.  
• Style: A great fitness tracker only works if you use it every day so that it can collect and compile data. Fitness trackers should be comfortable and aesthetically flexible enough to wear to work, the gym, and everywhere in between.   

Tips for buying fitness trackers 

Battery life 

Battery life on fitness trackers can vary widely. If you don’t want to charge a fitness tracker often, then look for models that can last a week or more on a single charge. 

Compatibility 

Make sure that the fitness tracker you’re considering is compatible with your smartphone, whether it’s an iPhone or Android. This will make the pairing process seamless, and you’ll be able to access apps that come with the tracker.    

Comfort and style 

The best fitness tracker is the one you’ll wear daily. If it’s a watch or bracelet style tracker, consider the fabric and material for comfort. Pay close attention to the weight and dimensions. If you have small wrists, for instance, you may feel weighed down by an extra-large watch face. If design is important, look for a style that works for both professional and casual settings. 

Fitness data tracking 

Seeing your daily step count or sleep insights are great, but that data should be stored somewhere. “Historical data can help you see trends if you fell off the wagon while you were on vacation, and if you are seeing progress as far as activity levels, [such as] how much you’re sleeping or if you’re resting heart rate is decreasing,” says McDowell. This type of at-a-glance recordkeeping is essential for meeting your health goals. 

Price 

Fitness trackers can run the gamut in price. If you’re paying more, make sure you’re getting additional features you’ll use often. Consider your lifestyle and personal habits, so you’re only paying for the data you really need.  

Frequently asked questions 

Which fitness tracker is most accurate? 

A 2020 study reviewing nine popular fitness trackers found Apple Watch and Garmin were the most accurate for measuring biometrics like heart rate, while Fitbit, Apple Watch, and Samsung were the most accurate for counting steps.  

How long do fitness tracker batteries last? 

This really depends on the fitness tracker. Most basic models can last two to three days on a full charge. However, that can vary depending on a wide range of factors such as GPS use and smartphone connection. Some fitness trackers can last a couple weeks or longer thanks to long-lasting batteries.  

Which fitness tracker is most accurate for calories burned? 

While fitness trackers give you a fairly good estimate of calories burned, they’re not as foolproof as you might think. The same 2020 study mentioned above found that none of the nine popular fitness trackers included in the study “for energy expenditure” was accurate.