Over the previous decade, wearable tech has exploded in recognition. They provide a straightforward strategy to monitor your well being and observe exercises, mostly out of your wrist.
However there are two distinct classes of gadget right here. A smartwatch is as a lot an extension of your smartphone as it’s a health accent, permitting you to entry a variety of normal objective apps – usually together with third-party choices.
Do you actually need all that further performance, which is usually comparatively costly? Or would you be simply as pleased with one thing extra easy?
In case your reply to the latter is ‘sure’, a health tracker is the suitable alternative for you. In addition to value, they’re usually smaller and provide higher battery life than smartwatches.
The health tracker is synonymous with Fitbit, however the Google-owned model locks some key options behind a Fitbit Premium subscription. So it’s undoubtedly value contemplating alternate options, with units from Xiaomi, Withings, Polar, Garmin and Whoop additionally included on this listing.
Beneath the highest 10, you’ll additionally discover detailed health tracker shopping for recommendation, that can assist you determine what’s finest for you.
Finest health trackers 2024
1. Xiaomi Mi Band 7 – Finest general
Worth When Reviewed:
59.99€
The Xiaomi Mi Band 7 is a wonderful health tracker, combining a tempting price ticket and a formidable array of sensors to trace your well being, health, and exercises.
The big always-on show is a very good addition, serving to showcase the vivid watch faces on provide whereas making it simpler to learn textual content at a look, although the always-on tech comes at a heavy value to general battery life.
Health monitoring consists of all-day SpO2 monitoring, new exercise metrics (together with VO2 Max), and the flexibility to trace extra exercises than ever earlier than.
The dearth of built-in GPS might irk health fanatics, however this can be a nice little cheap tracker for keeping track of your normal well being and health.
Nonetheless, it’s possible you’ll favor the follow-up Band 8, which has a barely larger show and new design which permits it to be worn as a necklace or in your shoe.
Learn our full
Xiaomi Mi Band 7 evaluation
2. Fitbit Cost 6 – Finest Fitbit
Execs
- Google Maps and Google Pay entry
- Nice health options
- Spectacular color show
- Simple navigation
Cons
- Some Fitbit Premium exclusives
- No altimeter
- Hit-and-miss GPS
The Cost 6 takes what made the Cost 5 so good and makes it even higher.
Fitbit’s most important addition this time round is entry to Google Maps, Google Pay and YouTube Music (no different music streaming companies obtainable), making it nearer to a smartwatch than ever earlier than.
However its major focus stays health, with help for greater than 40 exercises (some routinely) and your sleep. Knowledge collected is intensive too, with the likes of steps, distance, energy burned, hourly exercise and coronary heart charge all monitored.
The color show could be very spectacular, and the gadget is simple to navigate utilizing a mix or contact and the brand new facet button. It’s additionally nice to see built-in GPS, although it’s unreliable at instances.
There’s nonetheless no altimeter, so you’ll be able to’t measure flooring climbed, whereas many superior options are reserved for Fitbit Premium subscribers. Nonetheless, even in case you don’t pay, the Cost 6 nonetheless delivers an excellent all-round health monitoring expertise.
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Fitbit Cost 6 evaluation
3. Withings ScanWatch Gentle – Finest hybrid
Execs
- Beautiful design
- Intelligent show
- Spectacular battery life
- Light-weight but sturdy
Cons
- Hit-and-miss step and coronary heart charge monitoring
- Not good for notifications
- No built-in GPS
Withings’ ScanWatch 2 (featured beneath) may be essentially the most full hybrid watch you should purchase, however the Gentle provides all the things most individuals are on the lookout for at a extra reasonably priced value.
That features a attractive premium design, which is comparatively light-weight however nonetheless impressively sturdy. Inside it you’ll discover a tiny 0.63-inch monochrome show, which is simple to manage utilizing the rotating bodily crown.
There’s sufficient room to show all key info besides cellphone notifications, which regularly get annoyingly lower off. The ScanWatch Gentle can observe over 40 exercises (some routinely) with although information is usually restricted to coronary heart charge (together with zones), steps, distance and tempo.
However sleep monitoring is sweet, and battery life is really glorious. You’ll battle to get the 30 days Withings claims, however round 1-2 weeks is effectively inside attain.
If you happen to can dwell with out 24/7 temperature monitoring, ECGs, irregular coronary heart rhythm notifications and blood oxygen monitoring, the ScanWatch Gentle is the Withings watch to get.
Learn our full
Withings ScanWatch Gentle evaluation
4. Fitbit Encourage 3 – Finest low-cost Fitbit
Execs
- All the time-on color display
- Fashionable & comfy
- Complete monitoring
- Good battery life & charging
Cons
- Tiny display
- Premium wanted for some options
- Brief charging wire
- No GPS
The Encourage 3 is the most affordable mannequin within the present Fitbit line-up, making it a wonderful entry level to monitoring.
It’s nonetheless dearer than rivals just like the Xiaomi Mi Band 7, however Fitbit’s software program expertise and ecosystem are each glorious, so for some it might be value paying slightly further – although paying extra for a smaller show does sting slightly.
It helps that you simply rise up to 10 days of battery life (although rather less in case you use the brand new always-on show function), 24/7 coronary heart charge monitoring now bolstered by SpO2 information, and sleep monitoring. Simply keep in mind that there’s no built-in GPS help, and that, as with all Fitbits, you’ll have to subscribe to the paid Fitbit Premium plan to get each bit of information out of it.
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Fitbit Encourage 3 evaluation
5. Amazfit Band 7 – Finest on a finances
Execs
- Good collection of options
- 5 ATM water resistance
- 120 sports activities monitoring modes
- Coronary heart, SpO2, stress and sleep monitoring
Cons
- No auto-brightness
- No NFC
- Software program wants some polish
Worth When Reviewed:
Dès 45,49 €
With beauty, sturdy development, a giant show, prolonged battery life, and strong train monitoring, the Amazfit Band 7 makes a fantastic first impression.
The software program may do with some polish and a few sort of residence button would make life simpler, however for the worth it’s greater than ok.
In case you are on the lookout for a very good worth sensible band as we speak, the Amazfit Band 7 needs to be close to the highest of your listing.
Learn our full
Amazfit Band 7 evaluation
6. Withings ScanWatch 2 – Finest well being monitoring
Execs
- Enticing design
- Intelligent show
- Glorious battery life
- Good sleep monitoring
Cons
- Solely fundamental exercise information
- Unreliable coronary heart charge monitoring
- No built-in GPS
Most of what we mentioned concerning the ScanWatch Gentle above additionally applies to the ScanWatch 2, however there are a number of exceptions.
The addition of clinically validated ECGs is the large one, and it’s very spectacular. Neither blood oxygen or irregular coronary heart charge notifications are essential on a hybrid watch, however they’re good to have. Although the flagship 24/7 temperature monitoring requires a number of information to be helpful, and doesn’t really feel like a should have.
It’s a disgrace that this extra premium watch nonetheless doesn’t have built-in GPS, and that the center charge monitoring remains to be hit or miss. However whereas exercise information is slightly fundamental, the ScanWatch 2 supplies an impressively complete overview of your well being with out sacrificing a gorgeous, sturdy design.
If you happen to don’t thoughts the premium price ticket, it’s undoubtedly value contemplating.
Learn our full
Withings ScanWatch 2 evaluation
7. Polar Pacer – Finest for runners
Execs
- Very comfy
- Glorious battery life
- Correct monitoring with GPS
Cons
- Notification expertise irks
- Guide syncing to app
- No on-board music storage
In order for you a operating watch that lasts a number of days on a cost, tracks your exercises effortlessly, spits out insightful information, and received’t bug you with notifications, the Polar Pacer is it.
The Pacer helps quite a lot of train sorts however the focus is on operating, with GPS monitoring and a post-workout ‘operating index’ to let you understand how you’ve carried out throughout quite a lot of metrics.
If you happen to’re attempting to get into operating, and even in case you’re already hitting the paths, the Pacer will show a wonderful addition to your equipment with sturdy battery life, a perfectly readable show, light-weight development, and the smarts to indicate you the way you’re performing and that can assist you enhance.
Learn our full
Polar Pacer evaluation
8. Garmin Vivomove Development – Wi-fi charging hybrid
Execs
- Enticing design
- Good mixture of health monitoring and smartwatch options
- Qi wi-fi charging
Cons
- Can get most options for much less
- Battery life good however not nice
- UI takes a little bit of studying
Worth When Reviewed:
329,99 €
The Garmin Vivomove Development is a smartwatch hybrid just like the Withings ScanWatch, pairing analogue and digital design parts together with some fundamental smartwatch performance.
If you happen to care principally about steps, sleep, monitoring coronary heart charge 24/7, and being motivated to maneuver extra every day, then that’s completely the place the Development impresses. It will probably do extra, however that is the place its strengths as a hybrid smartwatch lie.
It additionally impresses by together with wi-fi charging utilizing the frequent Qi customary, which means you’ll be able to drop it onto virtually any wi-fi charger to high it up – a stage of comfort few different trackers can match.
Crucially, it delivers these options with an analogue look that not often feels prefer it’s getting in the best way of that digital show behind it exhibiting off your stats and notifications.
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Garmin Vivomove Development evaluation
9. Fitbit Ace 3 – Finest for youths
Execs
- In-app Mother or father and Child Views
- Hardy, vibrant design
- Household challenges
Cons
- Underpowered in comparison with grownup Fitbits
- Might not enchantment to each child
Worth When Reviewed:
79,95 €
The Fitbit Ace 3 is constructed to go well with childrens’ rough-and-tumble way of life, offering each children and oldsters with easy however insightful exercise and sleep monitoring information.
The Ace 3 serves as a strategy to encourage children to get extra lively, however in a roundabout means, may additionally incentivise the entire household to get fitter collectively (offered everybody concerned has a Fitbit of their very own to put on).
Older children would possibly wish to search for a tracker with slightly extra oomph, nevertheless, because the Ace 3 provides a cut-down vary of health and notification options in comparison with Fitbit’s ‘grownup’ trackers. It counts steps, logs Energetic Minutes, and screens fundamental sleep patterns, however lacks heart-rate monitoring.
Learn our full
Fitbit Ace 3 evaluation
10. Whoop 4.0 – Finest for decreasing display time
Execs
- Light-weight
- Multi-day battery
- Deep information insights
Cons
- Requires costly subscription
- Solely measures pressure and restoration
- Not a lot steering
The Whoop 4.0 is one thing slightly completely different: with no show and never even any step rely monitoring, that is removed from a standard health tracker. As an alternative it’s a easy tracker you can slip right into a watch-esque wristband or strap onto exercise clothes, and which is primarily meant to measure your pressure and restoration, to inform you how laborious you pushed your physique and when to take a break.
There’s sleep monitoring too, together with run recording – although with no GPS, you’ll have to take your cellphone with you. The Whoop can also be finest for individuals who give attention to cardio, because it doesn’t at all times detect pressure precisely in exercises like power coaching that don’t spike your coronary heart charge.
The massive downsides are that you simply do miss out on fundamental monitoring options you would possibly anticipate elsewhere – sure, together with a step rely – and that the pricing construction is uncommon. You get the Whoop tracker at no cost, however provided that you join a subscription, which at its most cost-effective is £18/$20 monthly in case you commit to 2 years upfront.
Committing to pay a lot to check out a comparatively fundamental health tracker will put some folks off, however if you would like a tracker that focuses on cardio information and makes you extra conscious about pressure and sleep, it’s a sensible choice.
Learn our full
Whoop 4.0 evaluation
What’s a health tracker?
Health trackers provide help to measure and log a variety of actions every day; from a easy step rely to weights periods, swimming and extra. Superior fashions embody sleep monitoring, stress detection, and may even assist monitor particular well being issues.
Some folks will need one thing that counts steps and doesn’t require frequent charging, whereas others may be out there for a brand new marathon companion.
Would you like to have the ability to log your routes utilizing built-in GPS or is tethered GPS (pulling location information out of your cellphone in actual time) sufficient? Do you want fixed coronary heart charge monitoring? Does your tracker must be water resistant? Is integration with different health companies (resembling Strava) necessary? These are all issues to contemplate earlier than shopping for.
What’s the distinction between health trackers and smartwatches?
There’s no strict line right here. However, broadly talking, we outline a smartwatch as a extra superior wearable with further apps and performance.
You must anticipate a smartwatch to can help you set up and run apps – together with a few of the ones you’d discover in your cellphone – in addition to examine notifications, reply to messages, and maybe even take calls. Some smartwatches even help eSIM for their very own unbiased information connection.
A health tracker is often extra easy, specializing in core well being and health options. They are typically smaller, cheaper and with higher battery life. You might be able to obtain cellphone notifications to a health tracker, nevertheless it’s not assured.
Hybrid watches from firms resembling Withings strike a steadiness between the 2, however are nonetheless comparatively costly.
Ought to I simply purchase a Fitbit?
Fitbit dominates the dialog and whereas the corporate’s wares are undoubtedly competent, there are many different trackers on the market that excel in areas your common Fitbit doesn’t.
Extra importantly, lots of Fitbit’s rivals ship related specs at a lot decrease costs – so that you’ll be paying a little bit of a premium for the Fitbit model and software program if you wish to go for it. That mentioned, Fitbits are dependable, have nice compatibility with different companies, and in case you’re used to their software program and expertise then you’ll be able to skip the training curve of latest {hardware}.