The most effective health trackers for 2025

Health trackers are a stable possibility in case you actually need to hone in on monitoring, properly, your health. A few of the finest health trackers additionally embrace extra sensors to trace issues like stress, sleep and different superior well being metrics. Certain, you would go for the very best smartwatch, however in case you’re not interested by the entire further options they provide, a health tracker is likely to be a greater (and extra inexpensive) possibility.

Correct exercise and exercise monitoring is what health trackers do finest; most embrace a pedometer to trace your steps all through the day. They may not look as glamorous as an Apple Watch, however they do a specific job properly. We’ve researched and examined a wide variety of the preferred health trackers on the market to assist make your resolution a little bit simpler.

Desk of contents

Greatest health trackers and watches for 2025

Fitbit

Tracker: Health, coronary heart fee, ECG, SpO2, pores and skin temperature, stress, sleep | Supported OS: Android, iOS | Max battery life: 7 days | Dimension: Small, giant | Water-resistant: Sure

Whereas we’ve not given the Fitbit Charge 6 the complete overview remedy but, we really feel assured recommending it because the successor to our earlier high choose, the Cost 5. The corporate added a couple of new options to the combination right here, particularly a extra correct coronary heart fee monitor, the power to pair with train machines by way of Bluetooth and a bodily facet button that can be utilized in tandem with the touchscreen to navigate the machine’s interface. The Cost 6 has 20 train modes for monitoring, and due to Fitbit’s guardian firm Google, you’ll be able to skip via and management YouTube Music playback, supplied you’ve got a YouTube Music Premium subscription.

In any other case, the Fitbit Charge 6 is similar to the Cost 5 that got here earlier than it. Key to its attraction is that it is decidedly not a smartwatch. Which means it has a barely decrease profile on the wrist and lasts days on a single cost whereas monitoring exercise and monitoring your coronary heart fee, step depend and sleep. It additionally has a full-color AMOLED show and a comparatively skinny design, which makes it really feel pretty premium when in comparison with different health trackers.

Different perks embrace contactless funds with Fitbit Pay and Google Pockets, plus a useful integration with Google Maps that allows you to see turn-by-turn instructions in your wrist. However make no mistake — built-in GPS stays the star of the present right here. In case you’re searching for a wearable that may precisely map out runs and bike rides whereas additionally protecting observe of your coronary heart fee and different stats throughout every exercise, the Cost 6 is a good possibility for anybody searching for sturdiness and performance in a well being tracker.

Professionals

Constructed-in GPS
Extra correct coronary heart fee monitor
Seven-day battery life

Cons

No integration with Apple Well being
Some knowledge hidden behind Fitbit Premium paywall

$120 at Adorama

Garmin

Tracker: Health, coronary heart fee, SpO2, stress, sleep | Supported OS: Android, iOS | Max battery life: 7 days | Dimension: 122-188 mm (small/medium), 148-228 mm (giant) | Water-resistant: Sure

A extra subtle-looking health band different is the $150 Garmin Vivosmart 5. It’s thinner than the Fitbit Cost 6 and suits in a bit higher with bracelets and different jewellery you would possibly put on recurrently. However its engaging design is barely a part of its attraction — Garmin is aware of how one can observe health, and the Vivosmart 5 is proof that you just don’t must drop a whole bunch on one of many firm’s in-depth health watches to get a succesful machine.

It has lots of the identical options because the Cost 6, aside from a built-in GPS. It does help related GPS, although, so you’ll be able to map out of doors runs and bike rides so long as you carry your cellphone with you. The Vivosmart 5 tracks all-day coronary heart rhythm because of its coronary heart fee sensor, plus sleep knowledge and exercises, and we’ve at all times appreciated what number of exercise profiles Garmin has to select from, together with workouts like energy coaching. The pedometer operate tracks your steps all through the day, making certain that even gentle actions contribute to your health targets.

You’ll be able to customise which present up in your machine and alter them everytime you need. You’ll additionally get extra well being and wellness info like Garmin’s Physique Battery rating, which tells you the way lengthy after a tough exercise you’ll want to attend till you’ll be able to prepare at peak efficiency once more, blood oxygen ranges, sleep stage knowledge, ladies’s menstrual cycle monitoring and extra. In case you’re searching for a well-rounded exercise tracker, the Garmin vívosmart 5 has all of it.

The most important disadvantages to health monitoring with the Vivosmart 5 are the aforementioned lack of built-in GPS, plus its barely tougher to make use of cellular app. However on the flip facet, Garmin units can sync with Apple Well being, whereas Fitbit units nonetheless don’t have that function.

Professionals

Slim design
Wonderful exercise monitoring options
Customizable on-device exercise modes
Syncs with Apple Well being

Cons

Linked GPS solely
Cumbersome cellular app

$150 at Adorama

Xiaomi

Tracker: Health, coronary heart fee | Supported OS: Android, iOS | Max battery life: 16 days | Dimension: 135mm–210mm | Water-resistant: Sure

Engadget examined a few of the cheapest fitness trackers you should purchase, all coming in at beneath $100. On the high of the listing is the Xiaomi Band 8, which beat the Fitbit Encourage 3 and the Amazfit Band 7, particularly as a consequence of its many sport monitoring modes, distinctive “pebble” operating mode and free and correct sleep monitoring options. It’s additionally fairly snug and pretty fashionable with its glossy and nimble design. It additionally has a quick-charge function that makes it straightforward to put on for 10 to 14 days (relying on utilization) earlier than it runs out of juice. Importantly, the watch made it very easy to trace area of interest workouts straight on the watch face with out being too distracting throughout exercises. And like the opposite health trackers on this listing, it really works with each Android and iPhone too.

Pebble mode is a standout function because it enables you to connect the tracker to your shoe utilizing the included operating clip accent, and it did an excellent job of reporting details about your tempo and cadence straight on the show upon finishing a run. Extra detailed insights are additionally viewable in your smartphone via the Mi companion app. When the Band 8 is in your wrist, it makes it straightforward to arrange exercise targets associated to time, distance or energy burned per session for actions like deadlifting or skateboarding.

Whereas the Amazfit Band 7 was solely overwhelmed by a hair by way of its train monitoring capabilities, the Xiaomi Band 8 had an actual edge when in comparison with the Fitbit Encourage 3. Whereas Fitbit’s machine was restricted to solely six pre-loaded train shortcuts, the Xiaomi Band 8 had greater than 150 workouts you would observe straight on the wearable straight out of the field. The Encourage 3 additionally blocked me from getting extra detailed insights about my sleep and restoration as a result of that info lives behind the Fitbit Premium paywall. Xiaomi’s units, however, supplied in-depth sleep experiences with curated recommendation on how one can enhance your resting hours freed from cost. — Malak Saleh, reporter

Professionals

Comfy
Simple to make use of UI
Detailed exercise experiences
Distinctive “Pebble” mode

$43 at Amazon

Picture by Daniel Cooper / Engadget

Tracker: Health, sleep | Supported OS: Android, iOS | Max battery life: 18 months | Dimension: N/A | Water-resistant: Sure

The entire beforehand talked about health trackers are engaging in their very own manner (bonus factors to people who have interchangeable bands), however they share an analogous look. There aren’t many different designs for these units anymore. The $70 Withings Move watch is an exception, and one of the crucial historically modern health trackers you may get. It’s an analog watch face with a few well being monitoring options together with step, calorie, distance and sleep monitoring, related GPS, auto-recognition for greater than 30 exercises and a water resistant design. However we actually adore it for its lengthy battery life: it’ll last as long as 18 months earlier than the coin cell wants a alternative. Though this implies there’s no charger to juice the battery again up, you’ll be able to choose up a alternative coin cell comparatively cheaply.

Professionals

Enticing analog design
All-day exercise and sleep monitoring
Months lengthy battery life

$70 at Withings

What do health trackers do finest?

The reply appears easy: Health trackers are finest at monitoring train, be it a 10-minute stroll across the block or that half marathon you’ve been diligently coaching for. Clearly, smartwatches will help you attain your health targets too, however there are some areas the place health bands have confirmed to be the very best purchase: focus, design, higher battery life, sturdiness and worth.

After I say “focus,” I’m alluding to the truth that health trackers are made to trace exercise properly; anything is further. They usually don’t have the bells and whistles that smartwatches do, which might distract from their superior well being monitoring talents. Additionally they are likely to have fewer sensors and inner elements, which retains them smaller and lighter. Health trackers are additionally a greater possibility for individuals who simply need a much less conspicuous gadget on their wrists all day.

Battery life tends to be higher on health trackers, too. Whereas most smartwatches final one to 2 days on a single cost, health bands supply between 5 and 7 days of battery life — and that’s with all-day and all-night use even with sleep monitoring options enabled. Many health trackers additionally slot properly into your present ecosystem, syncing seamlessly along with your smartphone, different health apps and cloud storage to maintain all of your knowledge in a single place.

In terms of worth level, there’s no competitors. Most worthwhile smartwatches begin at $175 to $200, however you may get a stable good band beginning at $70. Sure, dearer bands exist (and we suggest a couple of right here), however you’ll discover extra choices beneath $150 within the health tracker house than within the smartwatch house.

When to get a smartwatch as a substitute

In case you want a bit extra out of your wearable and don’t need to be restricted to a health or exercise tracker, a smartwatch could also be the very best purchase for you. There are issues like on-watch apps, alerts and much more strong health options that smartwatches have and the very best health trackers don’t. You should utilize one to regulate good residence home equipment, set timers and reminders, examine climate experiences and extra. Some smartwatches allow you to select which apps you need to obtain alerts from, and the choices transcend simply name and textual content notifications. Simply be sure your smartwatch is suitable along with your Android or iPhone, nevertheless, earlier than buying, as not all of them work with each working techniques.

However the further health options are arguably a very powerful factor to consider when deciding between a health tracker and a smartwatch. The latter units are usually bigger, giving them extra space for issues like GPS, barometers, onboard music storage and extra. Whereas yow will discover built-in GPS on choose health trackers, it’s not frequent.

In case you’re somebody who’s critically coaching — say for a race or an endurance problem — a devoted running watch could also be price contemplating. These usually present extra in-depth cardio analytics, restoration insights, and real-time tempo knowledge that transcend what commonplace trackers can ship.

Different health trackers we have examined

Fitbit Encourage 3

The Fitbit Inspire 3 strips out all the posh options from the Cost 6 and retains solely the important monitoring options. You gained’t get built-in GPS monitoring or Fitbit Pay or Spotify management however you do get stable exercise monitoring, automated exercise detection, smartphone alerts and many extra. The up to date model has a sleeker design and features a colour contact show and related GPS, the latter of which helps you to observe tempo and distance when you run or bike outdoors when you have your cellphone with you. When in comparison with the Cost 6, the Encourage 3 is extra modern, too. Its interchangeable bands allow you to change up the appear and feel of your tracker everytime you need, and it’s slim sufficient to mix in with different jewellery you is likely to be sporting. We have been additionally impressed by its multi-day battery life: Fitbit guarantees as much as 10 days on a single cost, and that checked out for us. After 4 days of round the clock use, the Encourage 3 nonetheless had 66 % battery left to go.

Health tracker FAQs

How lengthy do health tracker batteries final?

The battery lifetime of health trackers can range relying on the mannequin and its options. On common, most health trackers final between 5 to seven days on a single cost. Primary fashions with restricted options might stretch as much as 10 days or extra. Nevertheless, extra superior trackers with options like steady coronary heart fee monitoring, GPS, or always-on shows might have recharging after one to 3 days. In case you’re utilizing GPS or streaming music via your health tracker, you will discover that this drains the battery quicker. Through the use of these options much less, or turning them off, you will prolong battery life.

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