Fitness

The best Fitbit in 2024

Published

2 years ago

March 4, 2024

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Fitbit’s wearables do almost everything. From tracking step counts and running mileage to monitoring sleep patterns and stress levels, the best Fitbit can help improve your well-being. And there are a variety of Fitbit models designed for different types of users.

Our top pick is the Fitbit Sense 2. Although it’s an average smartwatch, it’s a quality health and fitness tracker offering multi-day battery life, a suite of health-monitoring tools, and comprehensive activity tracking. For a budget pick, we recommend the Fitbit Inspire 3. It’s an entry-level wearable with basic health and fitness tools for less than $100.

We chose our list based on tracking accuracy, fit and comfort, battery life, and ease of use. Although every Fitbit offers similar activity-tracking capabilities, some are better for certain users. Picking the best Fitbit depends on how you intend to use it and the advanced features you need.

Top picks for the best Fitbits

Best overall: Fitbit Sense 2 – See at Amazon
The Fitbit Sense 2 is not only the brand’s flagship, but it’s also the best wearable in its lineup, featuring accurate activity tracking, decent smartwatch capability, and a variety of useful health insights.

Best fitness-tracking: Fitbit Charge 5 – See at Amazon
The Charge 5 hits a nice price point while offering stellar activity tracking in a smaller footprint than a standard smartwatch.

Best budget: Fitbit Inspire 3 – See at Amazon
Fitbit’s Inspire 3 is an excellent entry-level wearable that offers basic health and fitness tracking in a small, comfortable, and budget-friendly package.

Best budget smartwatch: Fitbit Versa 3 – See at Amazon
With automatic activity tracking and a huge screen, the Versa 3 has nearly all the perks of the Fitbit line at a wallet-friendly price point plus a stylish design.

Best stylish: Fitbit Luxe – See at Amazon
With a stainless steel casing, the Fitbit Luxe is a sleek and unassuming activity tracker with broad appeal for users of any kind.

Best for kids: Fitbit Ace 3 – See at Amazon
Fitbit designed the Ace 3 from the ground up specifically for kids as it includes unique parental controls, programmable activity tools, and a variety of fun cartoon themes.

Best overall

Fitbit Sense 2

Fitbit’s Sense 2 combines the brand’s advanced health and fitness features with decent smartwatch capability, unique sleep tracking, and a clean design reminiscent of the Apple Watch.

Fitbit’s flagship, the Sense 2, nails everything a quality fitness tracker should be. It offers a variety of activity tracking and useful fitness insights, tracks sleep, stress, and menstrual cycles, and has built-in GPS and a battery that lasts around five to six days on a single charge.

It does lack in one major area, however: smarts. Though it’s touted as a “smartwatch,” it doesn’t quite stack up in that department the way an effective smartwatch should. For starters, it doesn’t offer third-party app support, which is disappointing, and it doesn’t allow access to things like Google Assistant. It also can’t store or play music.

The Fitbit Sense 2 is a great all-around activity tracker, and although it does lack some standard smartwatch features, it’s still an impressive wearable.

Rick Stella/Insider

But those drawbacks don’t equate to being a dealbreaker. The Sense 2 offers a suite of useful health and wellness insights that put it on par with some of the best in the industry. There’s a skin temperature sensor, ECG readings, and a real-time stress tracker.

The stress tracker is especially interesting as it not only charts your body’s stress levels but also provides feedback on how to lower it and can paint a picture of how your body handles stress overall.

It’s also an accurate fitness tracker. Its built-in GPS synced well during our tests and it’s compatible with a variety of activities and exercises. Plus, its interface is easy and intuitive to use, making it a great watch for beginners.

Read our full review of the Sense 2.

Best fitness-tracking

Fitbit Charge 5

Maybe an Apple Watch is too much — but if you still want to track fitness, then the Fitbit Charge 5 is an excellent option. For Prime Day, you can get is for under $100.

If you want a tracker to record your workouts and daily movement, but don’t care about fancy features like answering calls via your watch or connecting with Alexa or Google Assistant, the Charge 5 is your watch.

This tracker records and displays all the stats you want from your workout: current and average exercise pace, distance, heart rate zones, total time, steps taken, and calories burned. Within the Fitbit app, you can also see a map of your run, complete with intensity zones showing where your heart rate climbed highest and dipped lowest.

One of its best features is its built-in GPS, which is often a rare inclusion on wearables this small. This allows it to natively provide accurate activity tracking, which is a huge plus for those who don’t like to tote their smartphone while working out.

Fitbit

It’s not completely without smart features, either. You can sync your calendar and get app updates, as well as text, email, and phone call notifications. The Charge 5 also offers in-depth sleep tracking that charts sleep patterns and habits and allows you to see how much REM, deep, and light sleep you get each night.

The battery life on the Charge 5 is longer than both the Versa and the Sense, too. Plus, the design is smaller and takes up less space on your arm, which is nice for folks with smaller wrists. It’s also compatible with a variety of the best Charge 5 bands, which help upgrade its look or make it more useful for certain activities.

Best budget

Fitbit Inspire 3

The Inspire 3 may be one of Fitbit’s most basic watches but it still packs a powerful fitness-tracking punch with tons of trackable activities, advanced health features like skin temperature sensing, and a comfortable, lightweight design.

Fitbit’s Inspire line of entry-level activity trackers is the brand’s most basic offering. Its latest model, the Inspire 3, features a slim, vertical screen that sits comfortably on your wrist while offering a suite of advanced health and fitness tracking features right at your fingertips. It even has a skin temperature sensor and can track your sleep habits. The original Fitbit has come a long way.

But what makes the Inspire 3 especially attractive is its price, which makes it attractive for beginners or those new to wearing activity trackers. At under $100, it delivers a wearable experience similar to the Sense 2 without the large touchscreen, downloadable apps, or built-in GPS. It’s also compatible with a range of the best Inspire 3 bands to change up its look a bit.

Shannon Ullman/Insider

That may seem like the Inspire 3 lacks key features, but those are typically hallmarks of a smartwatch, and the Inspire 3 is a bona fide fitness tracker. That is, it offers straightforward health and fitness features in an easy-to-use and intuitive package. It uses the same fitness tracking tech as all of Fitbit’s other wearables, tracks heart rate, skin temperature, and sleep patterns, and even offers the brand’s new Daily Readiness Score feature.

That’s a lot in such a small, budget-friendly package. Advanced athletes may view the lack of built-in GPS as a dealbreaker but for anyone looking for a basic, straightforward activity tracker, the Inspire 3 is the best Fitbit has.

Read our full review of the Inspire 3.

Best budget smartwatch

Fitbit Versa 3

A quality smartwatch doesn’t have to cost a fortune and Fitbit’s Versa 3 is the best example of why. It offers a robust smartwatch experience with a variety of health and fitness tracking, third-party app support, and a long-lasting battery.

The Versa is Fitbit’s line of true smartwatches. And while the Fitbit Versa 4 is the latest model, the older Fitbit Versa 3 is the better option.

What makes the Versa 3 especially attractive is its compatibility with third-party apps, which Fitbit scrapped when developing the Versa 4 (perhaps Google wants people to look to the Google Pixel Watch for a true smartwatch experience).

But it’s not just the third-party app support that gives the Versa 3 an edge over the Versa 4. It’s also a more reliable fitness tracker. Whereas the Versa 4 is plagued by connectivity and tracking issues, the Versa 3 tracks activities like a charm, leaning on its built-in GPS to deliver consistently accurate data.

Mark Knapp/Insider

Plus, it has a similarly large display, useful for glances at real-time stats while you work out. You can easily check total workout time, average pace, and heart rate zones by tapping the watch face, even mid-activity.

Factor in its other health features like sleep monitoring, menstrual cycle tracking, and 24/7 heart rate monitor, and the Versa 3 is much more powerful than the latest model. It’s one of the best smartwatches Fitbit sells and the best version of the Versa.

Read our full review of the Versa 3.

Best stylish

Fitbit Luxe

The Fitbit Luxe is the company’s latest fitness band that comes with a sleek design and advanced health features like stress management and the ability to measure heart rate variation.

Although the Fitbit Luxe looks similar to the Inspire 3, it has a few subtle design features that give it some style. There’s a stainless steel casing that achieves a nice, clean look for either the office or a night out, a bright AMOLED screen, and the ability to swap out the band for something like a chic mesh or metal option.

As a quality health and fitness wearable, the Fitbit Luxe tracks basics like running and cycling. It offers insights into sleep patterns, stress management, and fitness trends. Some features require a paid subscription to Fitbit Premium (as is the case for several watches in this guide), but even the basic features are highly useful.

The Fitbit Luxe with a classic wristband being held

Lisa Eadicicco/Insider

One area where it lags is in the smartwatch department, but it was never designed to be one in the first place. However, it can still display text and phone call notifications, and you can use things like timers and alarms, but that’s about the extent of it. It also has a battery that lasts upward of six days.

Read our full review of the Fitbit Luxe.

Best for kids

Fitbit Ace 3

The Fitbit Ace 3 is the perfect entry-level activity tracker for kids aged 6 or older. This version comes with a Minion-themed clock face and a bright yellow Minions-themed watchband.

Most fitness trackers are inherently designed for adult use. Then, there’s the Fitbit Ace 3, an activity tracker designed entirely for kids ages six and up, outfitted with features such as parental controls, a custom kid-friendly stat viewer, and fun customization options.

What makes the Ace 3 great for kids is its whimsical approach. There are band options with Minion-themed designs, as well as colorful custom watch faces. It is also water-resistant up to 50 meters or 164 feet, so kids can wear it in the pool.

Fitbit

One of the Ace 3’s best features is its focus on gamification. The wearable offers various challenges and badges that can motivate kids as they achieve a certain step goal or complete an activity.

It’s also a great communication tool for parents as it delivers text notifications. What’s particularly great about this is that parents can utilize the parental controls to manage exactly what connections are permitted on the watch. These controls are set up via the Fitbit app and require a family account, but they can be customized at any time, with or without the watch nearby.

These parental controls ultimately make it a better purchase for kids than, say, the Inspire 3. While the Inspire 3 offers a similar tracking experience, the ability to customize and tailor everything from the wearable’s settings to the specific activity goals makes the Ace 3 a more family-friendly option.

What is Fitbit Premium?

Fitbit Premium is the brand’s monthly membership option that offers access to more in-depth health and fitness features like nutrition insights, advanced sleep tracking, and the Daily Readiness Score.

It also provides access to guided meditations, exclusive video workouts, in-depth goal setting, various unique challenges, and other health insights such as blood oxygen level readings, heart rate variability, and breathing rate.

All Fitbit Premium features are accessible via the Fitbit app and do a lot to elevate the base Fitbit experience, especially for wearables like the Sense 2 or Versa 4. The brand does offer a free trial to new Fitbit users, allowing you to test out the service before committing to its recurring membership fee (which costs $10 per month).

How we test Fitbits

In addition to testing past iterations of Fitbit trackers and smartwatches when they launched, I tested each on the list below for several days (some weeks, even) wearing them 24/7 in most cases. I wore each during different workouts, from runs and walks to strength sets and yoga. I also wore the trackers to bed and for mindfulness sessions.

Here are the key features I looked for when testing:

Workout tracking

To successfully record stats during a workout and easily check these as you go, it’s important that a watch clearly displays numbers, and quickly and continuously connects to the GPS, particularly if it’s built into the watch. I judged the trackers and watches on whether I could easily see my current pace, distance, and time, and if I had quick access to metrics like average pace and heart rate.

Additionally, I ran another fitness tracking app on my phone to test the accuracy of the watch’s distance and pace. For every Fitbit featured, the numbers were always relatively close (and within the normal range you’d find if you compared almost any other fitness tracker).

Because Fitbit offers automatic tracking, I did a few workouts without manually pressing the start button to confirm that it picked up my movement, which it almost always did.

Tracking and comfort while sleeping

I wore these watches and trackers to bed to test the automatic sleep tracking. I checked these stats in the morning to make sure they recorded my time in bed and wake-up times throughout the night. I also wore the devices when occasionally taking naps throughout the day, which they also picked up on.

The devices needed to be comfortable enough to wear all night to get those stats, too. While the bands occasionally stuck to my skin if I got sweaty at night, it never disturbed my sleep — I only noticed this after waking up.

Battery life

I tested the battery life of each Fitbit by charging it to 100% battery and wearing it through workouts, nights of sleep, and throughout the day to see how long each would last. They all surprised me, too — the life lasted even after several workouts, including those using the built-in GPS (which typically drains batteries quickly).

App usability

One huge perk of Fitbit is the built-in stress-reducing apps, so how easy these were to use was a key part of testing. I tried Fitbit’s mindfulness program, the Relax app, on all devices, and the EDA scan app on the Sense 2, which contributes to stress management numbers. I looked for ease of use, visuals, and the stats provided after recording a mindfulness session, like changes in heart rate.

FAQs

Are Fitbits worth it?

Yes, especially if you want a reliable fitness wearable. A Fitbit can be beneficial for anyone who keeps active each day, even if that activity is walking a few blocks around the neighborhood or lifting weights at home.

They do an excellent job of counting steps, tracking a wide range of activities, and providing other useful health information like sleep insights and calories burned. You don’t need to be an avid fitness pro or athlete to get a lot out of a Fitbit and with so many options in the brand’s lineup, finding one that’s “worth it” means just picking out the option that best fits your lifestyle.

Plus, Fitbits are device agnostic, so they’re compatible with devices running iOS or Android. This makes them one of the best Android smartwatches you can buy, as well as one of the best fitness trackers.

Is a Fitbit better than an Apple Watch?

This ultimately comes down to personal preference. The Apple Watch Series 9 and Ultra 2 are undoubtedly more powerful and full-featured but if you don’t need access to a suite of apps, then a Fitbit will suffice. Both watches offer deep tracking capability for activities like running, cycling, and lifting weights, and each comes standard with a user-friendly interface.

One area where Apple outdoes Fitbit is in terms of its ecosystem. Anyone using an iPhone can get more out of an Apple Watch compared to a Fitbit (but as touched on below, it’s not always enough to be considered a dealbreaker).

And although the Apple Watch now offers a deep well of fitness and activity tracking capability, it still leans more heavily toward being a smartwatch (similar to Fitbit’s Versa line), so if it’s basic fitness tracking you’re after without the frills, something like Fitbit’s Charge would be more your speed.

What are the advantages of owning a Fitbit?

Perhaps the biggest advantage of a Fitbit is that no matter the price point or type (tracker versus smartwatch), it comes with all the foundational features you want in a health and fitness tracker. This includes the ability to automatically track sleep and activity, which is the best thing about the brand, in my opinion.

Then, all the models track pace, distance, and calories burned during your workouts, and calculate your heart rate training zones, including fat burn, cardio, and peak. For sleep, you not only get the total hours you slept, but the time you spent in deep and REM sleep, plus the percentage of time you spent below your resting heart rate.

With some models, these stats are easier to access than others — namely, the Sense 2 and Versa 3 because their larger screens are easier to read at a glance. But even with the smaller, more narrow faces of the Charge 5, the numbers are very large which is nice to have. The Inspire 3 is the hardest to glance stats quickly off of.

The Fitbit app, accessed via your phone, is easy to navigate and displays steps, miles, active zone minutes, daily calorie burns, mindfulness days, exercise, and activity per hour. It also reminds you to take 250 steps per hour. Additionally, you can track your menstrual cycle, food and water intake, and weight (though these require more manual entries).

What are the disadvantages of owning a Fitbit?

The main disadvantage of owning a Fitbit would be its lack of ecosystem outside of the wearable itself and the Fitbit app. The Apple Watch or, for instance, the Samsung Galaxy Watch 5 Pro, each offers advanced compatibility with iOS- and Android-compatible smartphones, respectively. That allows each to offer features specific to those devices and operating systems.

However, this shouldn’t be seen as a total dealbreaker. Not being able to customize text responses or notifications doesn’t have to preclude you from buying a Fitbit.

What’s the battery life like on a Fitbit?

Each Fitbit in the line has top-notch battery life, lasting days even with auto-activity and auto-sleep tracking turned on, so you don’t have to worry about charging it every night.

Officially, the battery for all Fitbits featured lasts six to 10 days, depending on the device and your usage. In my experience, the Versa 2, Versa 3, and Sense last an average of six days on one charge, the Charge 5 for seven days, and the Inspire 3 for up to 10 days.

Are Fitbits customizable?

Almost all Fitbits offer plenty of customization options. Each wearable comes with a basic band but all have different colors and material bands you can purchase, from stainless steel mesh for a professional look to expressive prints to more breathable sports bands. The only watch on our list that doesn’t offer a sport-specific band is the Inspire 3.

You can also customize the watch faces for aesthetics and readability, and to personalize shortcuts on the devices and what’s displayed on the main app page. The Sense 2 and Versa 3 have the most options for watch faces. You can even download third-party designs or use your photos, which you can’t do with the other models.

What’s the lifespan of a Fitbit?

This depends on the model. While Fitbit releases new models annually, that doesn’t always mean the prior generation version becomes unusable. For example, when the Fitbit Versa 4 was released in 2022, the prior generation Versa 3 was still available for purchase and, in some ways, was the better wearable overall (which is why it’s in our guide and the Versa 4 isn’t).

So, even if you own a Fitbit that’s a generation or two older than the current model, rest assured that it’s only outdated by its model number and not regarding its actual performance or capability.

Fitness

This is the best budget-friendly fitness tracker we have tested this year

Published

10 hours ago

December 16, 2025

Press Room

This is the best budget-friendly fitness tracker we have tested this year

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Our expert reviewers spend hours testing and comparing products and services so you can choose the best ones for you. Find out more about how we test.

If you’re looking to get back into exercising, or are just starting out, the Xiaomi Smart Band 10 may be the best fitness tracker for you. This fitness tracker does a great job of tracking your workouts and summarizing the data in an easy-to-understand format, without overcomplicating anything. The interface is user-friendly, and even those who aren’t into tech should be able to navigate around this smartwatch in no time at all.

While this is a budget fitness tracker, that doesn’t mean it’s lacking in features. You can do more than just track your workouts with this smart band: you can also track your sleep, stress levels, heart rate and so much more. There’s also no shortage of sports modes — with 150+ to choose from, you’re bound to find the workout you want on this watch.

While the Xiaomi Smart Band 10 has a few features the Xiaomi Smart Band 9 doesn’t, such as underwater real-time heart rate monitoring, running courses and a larger screen, there are also plenty of similarities between the two. Both offer three weeks of battery life, and neither has its own built-in GPS, for a start. But how does the Xiaomi Smart Band 10 perform compared to its predecessor, which we placed in our best budget fitness trackers guide?

Xiaomi Smart Band 10 fitness tracker review

Xiaomi Smart Band 10 fitness tracker: Design

The Xiaomi Smart Band 10 has bezels that are only 2 mm. (Image credit: Kat Bayly)

Strap is difficult to put on alone
Charger is USB-A – we’d prefer USB-C
Comfortable to wear, day and night

The Xiaomi Smart Band 10 is a small yet surprisingly well designed fitness tracker. Unlike other smartwatches, with huge watch faces that protrude from your wrist, the Xiaomi Smart Band 10 is nice and sleek. With a face that measures only 1.72 inches (44 millimeters) diagonally, ultra-thin bezels of just 0.07 inches (2 mm) and a weight of 0.56 ounces (15.95 grams), this fitness tracker is barely noticeable when it’s being worn.

The screen is an AMOLED display and performs well in direct sunlight — not once did we struggle to see the details on the screen in any light. But while the slender screen is a welcome relief from bulkier fitness trackers, we did find the strap rather annoying to put on alone.

Our sample was the Midnight Rose variation and came with a light pink TPU strap, where you need to press the button into the strap. However, due to the strap’s flexibility, it’s hard to tighten the strap and push the button in without losing tightness, and we found it easier to have someone help us. After a while, we managed it alone, but this was frustrating at first.

Saying that, you can change the strap if you find this irritating. There’s a quick-release button on the back, which you can press with a fingernail and release the strap with no fuss. There are many alternative options, including leather, metal and silk knitted straps, as well as the option to turn it into a pendant.

We liked how many watch faces there are for you to download for free on the Mi Fitness App, and there are even more if you are happy to pay a little. This means you can personalize your watch and change things up if, like us, you get bored with the same image as your watch background.

One of the watch face choices on the Xiaomi Smart Band 10, showing a floral design in dark colors.

The Xiaomi Smart Band 10 is highly customizable, with many watch faces to choose from. (Image credit: Kat Bayly)

Specifications

Display: 1.72 in (4.4 cm), AMOLED

Always on: Yes

Dimensions (in): 1.83 x 0.89 x 0.43

Dimensions (mm): 46.57 x 22.54 x 10.95

Weight: 0.56 oz (15.95 g)

Colors: Midnight Black, Glacier Silver, Mystic Rose

Finish: Aluminum

GPS: No (relies on smartphone GPS)

Compass: Yes

Altimeter: No

Water resistance: 5ATM (up to a depth of 50 meters)

NFC Payments: No

Compatibility: Android 8.0 or iOS 14.0 and above

As we’ve already mentioned, the watch face is slender and unobtrusive. There are also no buttons that can be accidentally pressed during mid-workout, or that will interfere if you have your wrist bent in a Pilates, yoga or exercise class, for example. With other fitness trackers we have sometimes found the buttons an irritation during classes, or they have caught on long-sleeve tops. You don’t have this issue with the Xiaomi Smart Band 10, so you can trust your data will be not be ruined by accidental presses.

Apart from our slight irritation with the strap at the start, the only other annoying thing about the design of this watch is that the charger is a standard USB-A connector rather than USB-C. For some, this might not be an issue, but we had to hunt around the house to find a charging plug with a USB port — most other items in our home require USB-C, so receiving a new fitness tracker with what we’d call an outdated port was surprising. This meant we couldn’t easily charge it while at our laptop, for example, which would have been nice.

This is only a minor issue, but it’s something to be aware of if you’re thinking of buying one.

A close-up of the strap design of the Xiaomi Smart Band 10, showing a light pink strap.

Sadly, we found the strap difficult to secure. (Image credit: Kat Bayly)

Xiaomi Smart Band 10 fitness tracker: Performance

A close-up of the light pink strap loop of the Xiaomi Smart Band 10.

The loop of the strap started to show signs of discoloration quite early on during testing. (Image credit: Kat Bayly)

Accurately recorded most health stats
Incredible battery life for a budget tracker
Location tracking performed poorly

Let’s start with some of the basic requirements of a comfortable and reliable fitness tracker. The screen was durable and didn’t mark during a testing period in which we wore it every day for two weeks (plus many other days after this, on and off, mainly because we liked it). There is not a single scratch or mark to be found — impressive for a fitness tracker that only costs a little over $45.

However, the light colored pink TPU strap did start to look a bit dirty, mainly around the loop where the strap slides together. This isn’t very noticeable but there’s a slight color change towards a gray. But, seeing as you can personalize this watch with other straps, this isn’t a huge problem.

Our main negative was the comfort of this watch — we loved the slender screen, but you need to have this watch done up really tight to get it to stay in place. Tightness also aids the accuracy of the stats, but it felt too tight to be comfortable sometimes. When we chose to wear it on the looser notch, this inevitably meant the tracker would slide down our wrist during exercise, sacrificing the accuracy of the data. Of course, it could just be that our wrists were of a size in-between the available notches, and perhaps a different strap would have worked better.

But let’s look at the positives of this amazing budget fitness tracker. The battery life is utterly astounding. We only needed to charge it once in three weeks. That’s two weeks of testing the watch every day and night — we did one form of exercise every day, sometimes two, plus we wore it to bed every night — and then a last week when it was on and off our wrist on an “as and when” basis. That’s incredible battery life and something that astounded us, given this watch’s low price.

A screenshot of the sleep data from the Xiaomi Smart Band 10, taken from the Mi Fitness App.

(Image credit: Kat Bayly)

Another positive aspect of this watch’s performance is related to the sleep tracking. We found it satisfyingly accurate in capturing when we fell asleep and when we woke up, plus any times we were disturbed during the night. The Mi Fitness app provides detailed information, capturing your sleep and wake times, quality of sleep, length of sleep, stages of sleep you experienced and for how long, and your average heart rate. Plus, there is the sleep improvement plan you can do to help improve the quality of your sleep.

However, where the Xiaomi Smart Band 10 fell a bit short was on its location tracking. While we didn’t need to know the location of the walks we took with our dog, for example, we noticed the location tracking struggled as soon as we were in the countryside. And when we say countryside, we mean not the middle of nowhere but on the edge of a large town.

Seeing as the Smart Band 10 doesn’t have its own GPS and relies on your smartphone’s GPS, you will not be able to track your runs or walks if you lose phone signal. However, when walking around our local high street or neighbourhood, the smartwatch could locate us accurately.

Aside from this, we thought the Smart Band 10 did a good job of capturing our health stats, including BPM (when stationary and when exercising), max BPM when exercising and the start and end times of our workouts. We had no way of knowing if the calories burned were accurate, but when using the watch during walks, the step counts appeared to be accurate for the length of the walks we did, as did the average pace.

The health stats screen on the Xiaomi Smart Band 10, as worn by our reviewer.

We found the Xiaomi Smart Band 10 to be pretty accurate in capturing our health data. (Image credit: Kat Bayly)

Xiaomi Smart Band 10 fitness tracker: Functionality

The main menu of the Xiaomi Smart Band 10.

The interface is user-friendly and you will have found your way around the watch in minutes. (Image credit: Kat Bayly)

Easy-to-use interface
5ATM water resistance
150+ sports modes for every form of exercise

There are so many functions to this fitness tracker that we’re sure it will take you a while to get your head around everything it has to offer. Some functions you will find useful and come back to often, and some you may use once or twice and then forget about.

There is a wealth of data you can capture on this fitness tracker, but the interface itself is easy-to-use, and you’ll be navigating around the watch within minutes. The only thing we found tricky at first was locating where the 150+ sports modes were — some are placed in obvious categories whereas others were hidden.

One clever thing this watch does, though, is that once you’ve located your training or sports mode a few times, it pops it into the menu you first see when clicking on the ‘workout’ tile on the main menu. So, realistically, you only have to go rooting around once or twice — after that, your most-used workouts are just a press away.

The Smart Band 10 has 5ATM water resistance, making it suitable for swimming. Plus, there is now real-time underwater heart rate monitoring, something the Smart Band 9 does not have.

The sports mode options on the Xiaomi Smart Band 10.

Locating your chosen workout can be tricky to start, with but these items then move to your main workout menu. (Image credit: Kat Bayly)

While there are many things this watch can do, you can also monitor your stress levels, your oxygen levels and heart rate whenever you feel like it. Not only this, but with every workout you do, the watch can calculate your vitality score and training state, offering personalized recovery times in between your workouts. This will be useful if you are trying to return to fitness and an exercise routine, as well as for those training for a specific purpose, so you don’t end up overdoing it.

For those looking for some guidance on runs, this watch has various running courses you can follow, from basic to advanced. These are easy to locate from the main menu, and once you’ve selected the one you would like to do, the watch gives you guidance on how long to run/walk for, helping you to slowly build your stamina. This is great for those looking to start running, allowing them to pace themselves to avoid overexertion.

One thing this watch lacks is the ability to detect when a workout has ended. This meant that a few times, our data was skewed as we forgot to stop our workout at the end of a class. Sometimes we ended up with data covering the walk back to the car, for example. While this isn’t a huge problem — and understandable for a budget fitness tracker— it’s important to remember to stop the watch whenever you finish working out.

The problem was that we often forgot we had it on in the first place, due to how lightweight it is!

The running course menu on the Xiaomi Smart Band 10.

The Xiaomi Smart Band 10 has various running courses you can do, from basic to advanced. (Image credit: Kat Bayly)

Should you buy the Xiaomi Smart Band 10 fitness tracker?

Buy it if:

✅ You want long battery life: Still running at 17% battery after three weeks of use, the Xiaomi has outstanding battery life.

✅ You want an uncomplicated interface: You will be able to navigate around this fitness tracker in minutes.

Don’t buy it if:

❌ Location tracking is a priority: The location tracking on the Xiaomi Smart Band 10 is very basic, and relies on your smartphone.

❌ You prefer a standard watch design: We loved the sleek design of this fitness tracker but others may prefer a round or larger watch face design.

We loved this budget fitness tracker, which would suit those starting out on their fitness journey, or those who aren’t into tech and want to keep things simple. The interface is easy to navigate, the data and stats are digestible and we could not fault the battery life, which reduced any faff around having to remember to charge it regularly. The watch did a good job of capturing our health data after workouts, and we particularly liked the sleep data and sleep improvement plan. For beginners, the running courses and guidance are a fantastic way of building stamina.

There were a few things we may have changed if we were designing it, such as the strap and charging cable, but these are things others may not have an issue with. Overall this fitness tracker performed well, especially for the price.

If this product isn’t for you

If you want a budget fitness tracker with a larger, squarer screen, the Amazfit Active may suit. Offering a 1.75 inch (4.4 cm) screen, the same water resistance of 5ATM, built-in GPS and 27 days of battery, this is a strong rival to the Xiaomi Smart Band 10.

If a larger screen is a priority for you, the Redmi Watch 5 offers a 2.07 inch (5.3 cm) colorful display.

If you’re a runner, the Garmin Forerunner 165 will provide everything you need to sufficiently track your runs. Plus, being part of the Garmin family means you’ll be getting quality without breaking the bank.

Alternatively, if you have the money to spend, the Garmin Vivoactive 6 may be a good option: we rated it the best for beginners in our best fitness trackers guide, as it offers guided walking workouts.

Fitness

Fitness coach says ‘just cardio isn’t enough’; shares 1 exercise women over 35 must do to stay strong and healthy

Published

22 hours ago

December 16, 2025

Press Room

As we age, our bodies naturally start losing muscle mass and bone density, which can affect strength, metabolism, and overall health. Many women over 35 notice changes in energy levels, weight distribution, and endurance, making it essential to adopt exercises that not only tone but also strengthen the body.

Fitness coach urges women over 35 to incorporate strength training. (Freepik)

Tara LaFerrara, fitness coach and personal trainer, shares in her September 22 Instagram post why women over 35 should start incorporating strength training into their routines and how it can transform both body and health. (Also read: Doctor with 25 years experience warns ‘ghee-loaded meals, sugary chai’ harm South Asians’ health; shares 6 key insights )

Why does muscle loss matter after 35

If you are a woman over 35 and not doing any sort of strength training, Tara warns you’re in for a rude awakening. “I’m talking the moment that your body starts to slow down, get weaker, and feel like you hurt more,” she shares.

“It is not just ageing, it is muscle loss, and it starts way earlier than you think. After the age of 35, we start losing muscle every single year. And that muscle is so important because it is your metabolism, your bone density, your energy, and just the ability to bounce back when life throws things at you,” says Tara.

Can cardio and pilates alone keep you strong

She emphasises that cardio and Pilates alone aren’t enough. “You need to lift, squat, push, pull, and press. It’s not about getting bulky and muscular, it’s about getting strong enough to handle ageing on your own terms.”

Her advice is simple: “So if you’re tired of feeling like your body is working against you, start working with it. Pick up some weights. Your future self will thank you.”

Strength training after 35 isn’t just about aesthetics; it’s about maintaining health, mobility, and resilience. As Tara highlights, incorporating resistance exercises into your routine is one of the best ways to support your body through the natural changes that come with age.

Note to readers: This article is for informational purposes only and not a substitute for professional medical advice. Always seek the advice of your doctor with any questions about a medical condition.

This report is based on user-generated content from social media. HT.com has not independently verified the claims and does not endorse them.

Fitness

New Year’s Fitness Resolutions Start with Healthy Sleep | Newswise

Published

1 day ago

December 15, 2025

Press Room

New Year’s Fitness Resolutions Start with Healthy Sleep | Newswise

Newswise — As the New Year approaches, many Americans are setting fresh intentions to eat better and move more — and new data show those habits may deliver an unexpected bonus: better sleep. According to a new survey from the American Academy of Sleep Medicine, 59% of adults say eating a well-balanced diet helps them sleep slightly or significantly better. Staying active throughout the day may also help improve sleep. According to the survey, adults say exercising in the morning (42%) or evening (46%) helps them sleep slightly or significantly better.

“Sleep is one of three pillars of a healthy lifestyle, including eating a well-balanced diet and incorporating regular physical activity,” said AASM spokesperson Dr. Kin Yuen. “When people make New Year’s resolutions or select their ‘nudge word’ for the year, they often prioritize diet and exercise. These changes don’t just support physical health—they also improve sleep.”

The findings suggest that New Year’s resolutions don’t need to be isolated goals. Improving one aspect of health, whether diet, exercise, or sleep, can create positive ripple effects across all three areas of wellness. This is especially true for younger adults, with those 25-34 being the most likely age group to say a well-balanced diet (64%) or exercise in the evening (60%) helps them sleep better.

“Sufficient sleep significantly reduces the risk of chronic illnesses, such as obesity, heart disease, and even depression and anxiety,” said Yuen. “Whether you’re improving your diet, increasing your activity level, or managing stress, prioritizing sleep gives you the energy and mental clarity needed to start the year strong.”

Here are some tips from the AASM on how to develop healthy sleep habits and reap all the benefits of your New Year’s resolutions:

Create a consistent bedtime routine — Make sure you are giving yourself enough time to get the recommended seven or more hours of sleep per night.
Make time in your daily routine for physical activity — Pick physical activities that you enjoy and that match your abilities.
Eat a well-balanced diet — Try to meet the recommended daily servings of fruits and vegetables, grains, and protein.
Disconnect from devices at night — Turn off all electronics at least 30 minutes to an hour before your bedtime to help prepare for sleep.

For more information, or to find a local AASM-accredited sleep center, please visit sleepeducation.org. View 2025 AASM Sleep Prioritization Survey results in the AASM newsroom.

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About the Survey

The American Academy of Sleep Medicine commissioned an online survey of 2,007 adults in the U.S. The overall margin of error fell within +/- 2 percentage points with a confidence interval of 95 percent. Fieldwork took place between June 5-13, 2025, by Atomik Research, an independent market research agency.

About the American Academy of Sleep Medicine

Established in 1975, the AASM is a medical association that advances sleep care and enhances sleep health to improve lives. The AASM membership includes more than 9,500 physicians, scientists, and other health care professionals who help people who have sleep disorders. The AASM also accredits 2,300 sleep centers that are providing the highest quality of sleep care across the country (aasm.org).