So you are thinking about buying a new fitness tracker, you have been doing your research and you find that there are so many options. You are overwhelmed by all the different brands and models available! Don’t worry we are here to help you make sense of it all. We have carried out extensive reviews of dozens of fitness trackers and have handpicked the best among them just for you.
Quick Answers:
Important Features to look for in a Fitness Tracker
Before we start with our list of top fitness trackers, we would like to inform you about the various features to look for when buying a fitness tracker; this information will help you make better-informed decisions.
Weight: A Fitness tracker needs to be light weight yet sturdy and durable. It should not feel so heavy on your wrist that it becomes bothersome to wear all the time.
Battery Life: Most of the good fitness trackers give at least 5 to 10 days of battery time on a single charge. However if you don’t like recharging all the time, there are some great fitness trackers that provide up to 6 months of battery time, with replaceable batteries.
Protection: All most all good fitness trackers are water and dust resistant and can take the occasional splash and sweat, but the best ones are waterproof and can even be used for swimming or other water sports.
Screen/Display: You will find great fitness trackers that have very good displays, but you will also find excellent trackers that have almost no display or screen, and because of this they offer very long battery life.
Sensors: Nowadays fitness trackers come with all sorts of sensors including Bluetooth 4.0/BLE for automatic wireless synchronization, 3-axis accelerometers and 3-axis gyroscopes for accurate measurement of activity, heart rate monitors for continuous monitoring of your heart rate during workouts. There are even some fitness trackers that go as far as monitoring your respiration and sweating.
Top 10 Fitness Trackers
1. Fitbit Flex
Description:
The Fitbit Flex is a very light, slim and comfortable and easy to use activity and sleep tracker. It also features a convenient silent vibrating wakeup alarm.
Features:
- Warranty: 1 year
- Weight: 16gm
- Battery Life: 5 days
- Waterproof: Yes
- Screen: LED lights to track goal progress
- Device Memory: 7 days detailed tracking, and 30 day daily totals.
- Device Sizes: Comes in 2 sizes
- Colors: 10 different colors
- Sensors: 3-axis accelerometer
- Connectivity: Bluetooth 4.0
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Pros
Is very light weight, only 16gm. The FitBit application is one of the best fitness tracking apps on the market.
Cons
Battery life is less than other similar trackers. It lacks a proper display.
Why we recommend
Very simple, minimalist design, light weight and comfortable to wear.
2. Fitbit Charge
Description:
Fitbit Charge is light activity and sleep tracker that also features an OLED display.
Features:
- Warranty: 1 year
- Weight: N/A
- Battery Life: 7 to 10 days
- Water resistant: up to 1 ATM
- Screen: OLED display
- Device Memory: 7 days detailed tracking, and 30 day daily totals.
- Device Sizes: Comes in 3 sizes (small, large, x-large)
- Colors: 4 different colors
- Sensors: 3-axis accelerometer, altimeter, vibration motor
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Pros
FitBit includes OLED Screen display which showcases a clock and other details such as step counter. Good battery life of 7 to 10 days.
Cons
FitBit charge does not have a heart-rate monitoring.
Why we recommend
The FitBit charge is a decent basic activity and sleep tracker and is more than capable to handle the essential activity tracking.
3. Fitbit Surge
Description:
Fitbit Surge is the top line fitness tracker and smart watch offering by Fitbit. It features a built-in GPS tracker and continuous heart rate monitor. It provides users with the ability to track distance covered, elevation climbed and pace.
Features:
- Warranty: 1 year
- Weight: N/A
- Battery Life: up to 7 days, GPS up to 10 hours
- Water resistant: up to 5 ATM
- Screen: OLED display
- Device Memory: 7 days detailed tracking, and 30 day daily totals.
- Device Sizes: Comes in 3 sizes (small, large, x-large)
- Colors: 3 different colors
- Sensors: & Modules: GPS, 3-axis accelerometers, 3-axis gyroscope, digital compass, optical heart rate monitor, altimeter, ambient light sensor, vibration motor
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Pros
FitBit Surge is a complete fitness and activity tracker, with features like workout tracking, and continuous heart rate monitor
Cons
Color options are limited. Design is not suitable for use in all environments like the office.
Why we recommend
FitBit Surge is definitely one of the best personal fitness and activity trackers, with very good features.
4. Garmin Vivofit
Description:
The Vivofit is a decent activity tracking band that features a long running battery. It displays a red bar to reflect inactivity, the longer you keep sitting the longer the inactivity bar grows.
Features:
- Warranty: 1 year
- Weight: 25.5 gm
- Battery Life: up to 1 year , not rechargeable
- Water resistant: up to 5 ATM
- Screen: Segmented LCD
- Device Memory: 7 days detailed tracking, and 30 day daily totals.
- Device Sizes: Comes in 3 sizes (small, large, x-large)
- Colors: 5 different colors
- Sensors: & Modules: pedometer , Heart Rate Monitor (optional)
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Pros
The best part of the Vivofit is its 1 year long battery life.
Cons
The Vivofit display in not back-lit, so it is very difficult to read in outdoor conditions.
Why we recommend
If you are simply interested in tracking your steps, and calorie count and don’t want the hassle of charging your fitness tracker each day, vivofit is the device for you. It can serve as a very good watch replacement as well.
5. Samsung Gear Fit Smart Watch
Description:
The Samsung Gear Fit is a combination of a smart watch and a fitness tracker. It can track various activities such as running, walking, cycling. As a smart watch it provides notifications, ability to accept or reject calls, view text messages and emails.
Features:
- Warranty: 1 year
- Weight: 30 gm
- Battery Life: up to 3 – 4 days standby time.
- Water resistant: IP67 certified.
- Screen: 1.8 inch Super AMOLED (128 x 432 pixel)
- Device Memory: 7 days detailed tracking, and 30 day daily totals.
- Device Sizes: Comes in 3 sizes (small, large, x-large)
- Colors: 3 different colors
- Sensors: & Modules: pedometer, heart rate monitor, 3-axis accelerometers, 3-axis gyroscope
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Pros
The Gear Fit has a very nice Super AMOLED display. It provides features of both smart watch and fitness tracker.
Cons
The Gear Fit has no GPS. It has a proprietary charging dock, as well as operating system. it Can only sync with Samsung phones.
Why we recommend
If you are looking for a fitness tracker with a beautiful and large screen, then you should definitely try out the Gear Fit.
6. Jawbone Up
Description:
Jawbone up is the first activity tracking band by Jawbone that doubles as an all day wearable fashion accessory.
Features:
- Warranty: 1 year
- Weight: 25 gm
- Battery Life: up to 10 days.
- Water resistant: splash proof
- Screen: Three LEDs, Blue for sleep, orange for activity, and white for notifications
- Device Memory: 7 days detailed tracking, and 30 day daily totals.
- Device Sizes: Once Size fits all.
- Colors: 5 different colors
- Sensors: & Modules: Bluetooth 4.0, 3-axis accelerometers
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Pros
A very nice looking device has a good battery life.
Cons
No wireless sync. , No display screen, No heart rate monitor
Why we recommend
The UP is a very nice looking activity band that provides the basic activity and sleep tracking features.
7. Jawbone Up 2
Description:
Jawbone up 2 is not only an activity tracking band but also a fashion statement. It also features automatic sleep tracking.
Features:
- Warranty: 1 year
- Weight: 25 gm
- Battery Life: up to 10 days.
- Water resistant: splash proof
- Screen: Three LEDs, Blue for sleep, orange for activity, and white for notifications
- Device Memory: 7 days detailed tracking, and 30 day daily totals.
- Device Sizes: Once Size fits all.
- Colors: 5 different colors
- Sensors: & Modules: Bluetooth 4.0, 3-axis accelerometers
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Pros
The Up2 is a slim and fashionable activity and sleep tracker. A better fit that the earlier model.
Cons
No heart rate monitoring, No screen display.
Why we recommend
The UP2 is a stylish band that provides the necessary tracking features.
8. Jawbone Up 3
Description:
Jawbone up 3 is the latest version of the Up series. It is a fashionable and feature rich activity band. It comes fitted with heart rate, respiration and sweat level monitoring.
Features:
- Warranty: 1 year
- Weight: 29 gm
- Battery Life: up to 7 days.
- Water resistant: splash proof
- Screen: Three LEDs, Blue for sleep, orange for activity, and white for notifications
- Device Memory: 7 days detailed tracking, and 30 day daily totals.
- Device Sizes: Once Size fits all.
- Colors: Many of colors available (Black, Red, Gray, Gold, Navy Blue and much more.)
- Sensors: & Modules: Bluetooth 4.0, 3-axis accelerometers, 3-axis gyroscope , heart rate monitor, respiration and Galvanic Skin Response(GSR)
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Pros
The Jawbone UP3 has sensors that continuously track your heart rate, respiration and sweat levels. This knowledge helps you make better health choices.
Cons
You can’t set customized calorie, distance and active minute goals.
Why we recommend
The UP3 is a stylish band packed full of features such as respiration and sweat level monitoring. It also has a very good supporting application. It is one of the best fitness bands out there.
9. Nike+ Fuelband SE
Description:
Nike+ Fuelband SE is the second generation activity tracker from Nike, this version introduces several new features such as better battery life, periodic reminders to stay active, and sessions feature. The sessions feature is to track activities such as sleeping, skateboarding, and snowboarding and many others.
Features:
- Warranty: 1 year
- Weight: 27 gm to 32 gm (depending on size)
- Battery Life: up to 7 days.
- Water resistant: splash proof
- Screen: White dotted LED display, plus LED bar for tracking goal progress
- Device Memory: 7 days detailed tracking, and 30 day daily totals.
- Device Sizes: small (5.79 Inch/147mm), medium/large (6.77 Inch/172mm) and extra-large (7.76 Inch/197mm)
- Colors: 4 different colors
- Sensors: & Modules: Bluetooth 4.0, ambient light sensor, 3-axis accelerometers, 3-axis gyroscope
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Pros
Auto Sync data, very good supporting application
Cons
No vibration motor, no heart rate monitor, no GPS only works with Apple ecosystem. Sessions tracking has to be manually started and stopped.
Why we recommend
Nike+ Fuleband SE is a very good activity tracker, and is supported by the award winning Nike+ Running Application.
10. Misfit Shine
Description:
The Misfit Shine is a sleek and sturdy activity and sleep tracker. It is built with aircraft grade aluminum, shaped like a round watch, but with LED’s around its face and a glowing halo like center. It has a modular design and the round activity tracker can be fixed into a number of accessories such as a wrist band, necklace, or as a clasp it can clip to clothes, shoes or even places inside a sock. It not only tracks walking, running and cycling but also has the ability to track and monitor your swimming and it’s one from the best wearable tracker for swimming on the market.
Features:
- Warranty: 1 year
- Weight: 9.4 gm (just the tracker without strap)
- Battery Life: up to 6 months (replaceable batteries).
- Waterproof: up to 5 ATM
- Screen: 12 white LEDs
- Device Memory: up to 30 days
- Device Size: Once Size fits all.
- Colors: 4 different colors
- Sensors: & Modules: Bluetooth 4.0, 3-axis accelerometers, 3-axis gyroscope
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Pros
The Misfit shine offers sleek looks, modular design, and ability to use while swimming.
Cons
The Misfit shine lacks GPS, vibration motor, altimeter, and heart rate monitor.
Why we recommend
Misfit shine is a very attractive and sleek looking tracker, plus with its modular design and wide number of accessories you can wear it to any occasion.
Summary:
We have showcased and reviewed a wide variety of activity trackers here, each of them is unique in its own regards and provides a variety of features. These are among the best fitness bands and trackers, they are not only accurate but also, sleek, attractive and comfortable to wear. You cannot go wrong with any one of them.
