Fitness Trackers: Buying Advice, Tips, and News
Whether you're counting steps, tracking workouts, monitoring sleep, or keeping an eye on heart rate and recovery, we've tested the top fitness trackers that offer powerful insights to support your health and wellness goals.
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The Best Fitness Trackers We've TestedWhether you want a $99 minimalist band, a discreet smart ring, or a full-featured smartwatch, we put the top fitness trackers through rigorous hands-on testing to bring you the very best.
By Andrew Gebhart
Our Current Top Tested Picks
Fitbit Air
- 5.0 - Exemplary: Near perfection, ground-breaking
- 4.5 - Outstanding: Best in class, acts as a benchmark for measuring competitors
- 4.0 - Excellent: A performance, feature, or value leader in its class, with few shortfalls
- 3.5 - Good: Does what the product should do, and does so better than many competitors
- 3.0 - Average: Does what the product should do, and sits in the middle of the pack
- 2.5 - Fair: We have some reservations, buy with caution
- 2.0 - Subpar: We do not recommend, buy with extreme caution
- 1.5 - Poor: Do not buy this product
- 1.0 - Dismal: Don't even think about buying this product
Read Our Editorial Mission Statement and Testing Methodologies.
The Fitbit Air is a lightweight, affordable screen-free fitness tracker that delivers strong sleep and heart rate tracking plus standout AI coaching, making it the best all-around entry in the category.
Full Fitbit Air ReviewPros
- Stylish, lightweight design
- Highly accurate heart rate and sleep tracking
- More than a week of battery life
- Well-organized, informative app
- Flexible input makes it easy to log and share data
- Detailed Gemini health coaching
Cons
- Fewer workout details than trackers with screens
- Limited automatic workout tracking
Pros
- Stylish, lightweight design
- Highly accurate heart rate and sleep tracking
- More than a week of battery life
- Well-organized, informative app
- Flexible input makes it easy to log and share data
- Detailed Gemini health coaching
Cons
- Fewer workout details than trackers with screens
- Limited automatic workout tracking
Apple Watch Series 12
- 5.0 - Exemplary: Near perfection, ground-breaking
- 4.5 - Outstanding: Best in class, acts as a benchmark for measuring competitors
- 4.0 - Excellent: A performance, feature, or value leader in its class, with few shortfalls
- 3.5 - Good: Does what the product should do, and does so better than many competitors
- 3.0 - Average: Does what the product should do, and sits in the middle of the pack
- 2.5 - Fair: We have some reservations, buy with caution
- 2.0 - Subpar: We do not recommend, buy with extreme caution
- 1.5 - Poor: Do not buy this product
- 1.0 - Dismal: Don't even think about buying this product
Read Our Editorial Mission Statement and Testing Methodologies.
A true leap forward, the Apple Watch Series 12 pairs two-day battery life and redesigned health sensors with fast, contextual Siri AI, making it an exceptional value.
Full Apple Watch Series 12 ReviewPros
- More than two days of battery life
- Upgraded sensors provide better health tracking
- Siri AI offers helpful assistance
- Vitals app delivers more health details and assessments
- Readiness score for assessing wellness
Cons
- No design upgrades
- Minor heart rate inaccuracies in testing
Pros
- More than two days of battery life
- Upgraded sensors provide better health tracking
- Siri AI offers helpful assistance
- Vitals app delivers more health details and assessments
- Readiness score for assessing wellness
Cons
- No design upgrades
- Minor heart rate inaccuracies in testing
Fitbit Edge
- 5.0 - Exemplary: Near perfection, ground-breaking
- 4.5 - Outstanding: Best in class, acts as a benchmark for measuring competitors
- 4.0 - Excellent: A performance, feature, or value leader in its class, with few shortfalls
- 3.5 - Good: Does what the product should do, and does so better than many competitors
- 3.0 - Average: Does what the product should do, and sits in the middle of the pack
- 2.5 - Fair: We have some reservations, buy with caution
- 2.0 - Subpar: We do not recommend, buy with extreme caution
- 1.5 - Poor: Do not buy this product
- 1.0 - Dismal: Don't even think about buying this product
Read Our Editorial Mission Statement and Testing Methodologies.
The Fitbit Edge makes a strong case for the classic fitness tracker, pairing accurate health metrics and a vibrant AMOLED screen with cross-platform support at a reasonable price.
Full Fitbit Edge ReviewPros
- Colorful and responsive touch screen
- Stylish design with unique band options
- Handy widgets for glanceable health stats
- Accurate sleep tracking
- Built-in altimeter for tracking floors climbed
- Well-organized, informative app
Cons
- Minor heart rate inaccuracies in testing
- Lacks NFC for mobile payments
Pros
- Colorful and responsive touch screen
- Stylish design with unique band options
- Handy widgets for glanceable health stats
- Accurate sleep tracking
- Built-in altimeter for tracking floors climbed
- Well-organized, informative app
Cons
- Minor heart rate inaccuracies in testing
- Lacks NFC for mobile payments
Google Pixel Watch 5
- 5.0 - Exemplary: Near perfection, ground-breaking
- 4.5 - Outstanding: Best in class, acts as a benchmark for measuring competitors
- 4.0 - Excellent: A performance, feature, or value leader in its class, with few shortfalls
- 3.5 - Good: Does what the product should do, and does so better than many competitors
- 3.0 - Average: Does what the product should do, and sits in the middle of the pack
- 2.5 - Fair: We have some reservations, buy with caution
- 2.0 - Subpar: We do not recommend, buy with extreme caution
- 1.5 - Poor: Do not buy this product
- 1.0 - Dismal: Don't even think about buying this product
Read Our Editorial Mission Statement and Testing Methodologies.
Despite only minor changes from its predecessor, faster performance and deeply integrated, proactive Gemini AI make the Pixel Watch 5 the best smartwatch for Android users.
Full Google Pixel Watch 5 ReviewPros
- Accurate exercise and sleep tracking
- More than two days of battery life
- Detailed Gemini health coaching
- Proactive and speedy AI assistance
- Responsive touch and gesture controls
Cons
- Less durable than competitors
- Some fitness advice is paywalled
Pros
- Accurate exercise and sleep tracking
- More than two days of battery life
- Detailed Gemini health coaching
- Proactive and speedy AI assistance
- Responsive touch and gesture controls
Cons
- Less durable than competitors
- Some fitness advice is paywalled
Fitbit Inspire 3
- 5.0 - Exemplary: Near perfection, ground-breaking
- 4.5 - Outstanding: Best in class, acts as a benchmark for measuring competitors
- 4.0 - Excellent: A performance, feature, or value leader in its class, with few shortfalls
- 3.5 - Good: Does what the product should do, and does so better than many competitors
- 3.0 - Average: Does what the product should do, and sits in the middle of the pack
- 2.5 - Fair: We have some reservations, buy with caution
- 2.0 - Subpar: We do not recommend, buy with extreme caution
- 1.5 - Poor: Do not buy this product
- 1.0 - Dismal: Don't even think about buying this product
Read Our Editorial Mission Statement and Testing Methodologies.
With long battery life, a color touch screen, and all the basic activity and sleep features you need, the Fitbit Inspire 3 is the best fitness tracker you can get for under $100.
Full Fitbit Inspire 3 ReviewPros
- Color touch screen with always-on option
- Longest battery life in Fitbit lineup
- Thinner design than last generation
- SpO2 sensor for overnight readings
- Find Phone feature works well
Cons
- Tiny text can be hard to read
- Minor accuracy issues in testing
- No on-demand SpO2 measurements
- Some metrics require a subscription
Pros
- Color touch screen with always-on option
- Longest battery life in Fitbit lineup
- Thinner design than last generation
- SpO2 sensor for overnight readings
- Find Phone feature works well
Cons
- Tiny text can be hard to read
- Minor accuracy issues in testing
- No on-demand SpO2 measurements
- Some metrics require a subscription
Garmin Lily 2
- 5.0 - Exemplary: Near perfection, ground-breaking
- 4.5 - Outstanding: Best in class, acts as a benchmark for measuring competitors
- 4.0 - Excellent: A performance, feature, or value leader in its class, with few shortfalls
- 3.5 - Good: Does what the product should do, and does so better than many competitors
- 3.0 - Average: Does what the product should do, and sits in the middle of the pack
- 2.5 - Fair: We have some reservations, buy with caution
- 2.0 - Subpar: We do not recommend, buy with extreme caution
- 1.5 - Poor: Do not buy this product
- 1.0 - Dismal: Don't even think about buying this product
Read Our Editorial Mission Statement and Testing Methodologies.
The Garmin Lily 2 upgrades its predecessor with new exercise modes and sleep insights while remaining the most fashionable fitness tracker for women.
Full Garmin Lily 2 ReviewPros
- Plenty of options for activity tracking
- Slim and chic design with interchangeable bands
- Good battery life
- All stats are available in Garmin Connect app for free
- Tracks heart rate, sleep, SpO2
- Many useful widgets to customize metrics
- Garmin Pay support (on Classic models)
Cons
- No onboard GPS
- Lacks a barometric altimeter for tracking stairs climbed
- Grayscale display
- Cannot broadcast your heart rate via ANT+ or Bluetooth Smart
Pros
- Plenty of options for activity tracking
- Slim and chic design with interchangeable bands
- Good battery life
- All stats are available in Garmin Connect app for free
- Tracks heart rate, sleep, SpO2
- Many useful widgets to customize metrics
- Garmin Pay support (on Classic models)
Cons
- No onboard GPS
- Lacks a barometric altimeter for tracking stairs climbed
- Grayscale display
- Cannot broadcast your heart rate via ANT+ or Bluetooth Smart
Oura Ring 5
- 5.0 - Exemplary: Near perfection, ground-breaking
- 4.5 - Outstanding: Best in class, acts as a benchmark for measuring competitors
- 4.0 - Excellent: A performance, feature, or value leader in its class, with few shortfalls
- 3.5 - Good: Does what the product should do, and does so better than many competitors
- 3.0 - Average: Does what the product should do, and sits in the middle of the pack
- 2.5 - Fair: We have some reservations, buy with caution
- 2.0 - Subpar: We do not recommend, buy with extreme caution
- 1.5 - Poor: Do not buy this product
- 1.0 - Dismal: Don't even think about buying this product
Read Our Editorial Mission Statement and Testing Methodologies.
The Oura Ring 5 smart ring improves on its excellent predecessor with an even thinner design and longer battery life, while offering the same robust holistic health monitoring and basic activity tracking.
Full Oura Ring 5 ReviewPros
- Lightweight, thin, and comfortable
- 10+ days of battery life
- Accurate sleep and stress tracking
- Informative, well-organized app
- Helpful short- and long-term guidance
Cons
- Expensive
- Hit-or-miss automatic workout tracking
Pros
- Lightweight, thin, and comfortable
- 10+ days of battery life
- Accurate sleep and stress tracking
- Informative, well-organized app
- Helpful short- and long-term guidance
Cons
- Expensive
- Hit-or-miss automatic workout tracking
Samsung Galaxy Fit3
- 5.0 - Exemplary: Near perfection, ground-breaking
- 4.5 - Outstanding: Best in class, acts as a benchmark for measuring competitors
- 4.0 - Excellent: A performance, feature, or value leader in its class, with few shortfalls
- 3.5 - Good: Does what the product should do, and does so better than many competitors
- 3.0 - Average: Does what the product should do, and sits in the middle of the pack
- 2.5 - Fair: We have some reservations, buy with caution
- 2.0 - Subpar: We do not recommend, buy with extreme caution
- 1.5 - Poor: Do not buy this product
- 1.0 - Dismal: Don't even think about buying this product
Read Our Editorial Mission Statement and Testing Methodologies.
The Samsung Galaxy Fit3 is a simple, affordable fitness tracker that accurately monitors heart rate and other workout stats while also keeping tabs on key health metrics like sleep and stress.
Full Samsung Galaxy Fit3 ReviewPros
- Accurate heart rate readings
- On-demand blood oxygen measurements
- Weeklong battery life
- Color touch screen with always-on option
- Inexpensive
Cons
- Gaps in sleep data
- Some features exclusive to Samsung phones
- Doesn't work with iOS
Pros
- Accurate heart rate readings
- On-demand blood oxygen measurements
- Weeklong battery life
- Color touch screen with always-on option
- Inexpensive
Cons
- Gaps in sleep data
- Some features exclusive to Samsung phones
- Doesn't work with iOS
Apple Watch SE 3
- 5.0 - Exemplary: Near perfection, ground-breaking
- 4.5 - Outstanding: Best in class, acts as a benchmark for measuring competitors
- 4.0 - Excellent: A performance, feature, or value leader in its class, with few shortfalls
- 3.5 - Good: Does what the product should do, and does so better than many competitors
- 3.0 - Average: Does what the product should do, and sits in the middle of the pack
- 2.5 - Fair: We have some reservations, buy with caution
- 2.0 - Subpar: We do not recommend, buy with extreme caution
- 1.5 - Poor: Do not buy this product
- 1.0 - Dismal: Don't even think about buying this product
Read Our Editorial Mission Statement and Testing Methodologies.
The Apple Watch SE 3 delivers two-day battery life, a top-of-the-line processor, an always-on display, and upgraded sensors and software for the same price as its predecessor. It's a strong, budget-friendly alternative to the Series 11.
Full Apple Watch SE 3 ReviewPros
- Sharp always-on display
- Same processor as the Series 11
- Nearly two days of battery life
- Supports 5G
- Gesture controls
Cons
- Lacks sensors for blood oxygen, ECG, and hypertension
- No QWERTY keyboard for text input
- Large bezels
Pros
- Sharp always-on display
- Same processor as the Series 11
- Nearly two days of battery life
- Supports 5G
- Gesture controls
Cons
- Lacks sensors for blood oxygen, ECG, and hypertension
- No QWERTY keyboard for text input
- Large bezels
Garmin Vivoactive 5
- 5.0 - Exemplary: Near perfection, ground-breaking
- 4.5 - Outstanding: Best in class, acts as a benchmark for measuring competitors
- 4.0 - Excellent: A performance, feature, or value leader in its class, with few shortfalls
- 3.5 - Good: Does what the product should do, and does so better than many competitors
- 3.0 - Average: Does what the product should do, and sits in the middle of the pack
- 2.5 - Fair: We have some reservations, buy with caution
- 2.0 - Subpar: We do not recommend, buy with extreme caution
- 1.5 - Poor: Do not buy this product
- 1.0 - Dismal: Don't even think about buying this product
Read Our Editorial Mission Statement and Testing Methodologies.
With a gorgeous display, long battery life, and bountiful health insights, the Garmin Vivoactive 5 is an excellent wellness-focused smartwatch.
Full Garmin Vivoactive 5 ReviewPros
- Bright, responsive AMOLED touch screen
- Accurate heart rate measurements
- In-depth sleep, stress coaching
- Detects naps
- Wheelchair mode tracks daily pushes
- Long battery life
Cons
- Aluminum bezel
- No barometric altimeter, workout animations
- Only one size option
Pros
- Bright, responsive AMOLED touch screen
- Accurate heart rate measurements
- In-depth sleep, stress coaching
- Detects naps
- Wheelchair mode tracks daily pushes
- Long battery life
Cons
- Aluminum bezel
- No barometric altimeter, workout animations
- Only one size option
Polar Pacer Pro
- 5.0 - Exemplary: Near perfection, ground-breaking
- 4.5 - Outstanding: Best in class, acts as a benchmark for measuring competitors
- 4.0 - Excellent: A performance, feature, or value leader in its class, with few shortfalls
- 3.5 - Good: Does what the product should do, and does so better than many competitors
- 3.0 - Average: Does what the product should do, and sits in the middle of the pack
- 2.5 - Fair: We have some reservations, buy with caution
- 2.0 - Subpar: We do not recommend, buy with extreme caution
- 1.5 - Poor: Do not buy this product
- 1.0 - Dismal: Don't even think about buying this product
Read Our Editorial Mission Statement and Testing Methodologies.
The Polar Pacer Pro helps you plan, track, and analyze your training sessions as you safely work toward your goals, making it one of the best GPS watches for dedicated runners.
Full Polar Pacer Pro ReviewPros
- Wrist-based running power measurements
- Ascent and descent tracking
- Excellent GPS performance in testing
- Useful running test
- Tracks sleep and recovery
- Personalized workout recommendations
- Weeklong battery life
- Lightweight design
- Displays music controls, smartphone notifications, and weather reports
Cons
- Dull, non-touch screen
- Could better explain some metrics
Pros
- Wrist-based running power measurements
- Ascent and descent tracking
- Excellent GPS performance in testing
- Useful running test
- Tracks sleep and recovery
- Personalized workout recommendations
- Weeklong battery life
- Lightweight design
- Displays music controls, smartphone notifications, and weather reports
Cons
- Dull, non-touch screen
- Could better explain some metrics
Fitbit Ace 3
- 5.0 - Exemplary: Near perfection, ground-breaking
- 4.5 - Outstanding: Best in class, acts as a benchmark for measuring competitors
- 4.0 - Excellent: A performance, feature, or value leader in its class, with few shortfalls
- 3.5 - Good: Does what the product should do, and does so better than many competitors
- 3.0 - Average: Does what the product should do, and sits in the middle of the pack
- 2.5 - Fair: We have some reservations, buy with caution
- 2.0 - Subpar: We do not recommend, buy with extreme caution
- 1.5 - Poor: Do not buy this product
- 1.0 - Dismal: Don't even think about buying this product
Read Our Editorial Mission Statement and Testing Methodologies.
The Fitbit Ace 3 is a fun, attractive fitness band for younger kids that keeps tabs on activity and sleep without a monthly subscription fee, but it lacks location tracking and other apps youngsters might want.
Full Fitbit Ace 3 ReviewPros
- Tracks activity and sleep
- Good battery life
- Comfortable, waterproof design
- Stylish, swappable bands
- Can receive text notifications
Cons
- No location/GPS tracking
- Short charging cable
- No heart rate monitoring
Pros
- Tracks activity and sleep
- Good battery life
- Comfortable, waterproof design
- Stylish, swappable bands
- Can receive text notifications
Cons
- No location/GPS tracking
- Short charging cable
- No heart rate monitoring
Latest Fitness Tracker Stories
Whether you want a $99 minimalist band, a discreet smart ring, or a full-featured smartwatch, we put the top fitness trackers through rigorous hands-on testing to bring you the very best.
Time is ticking for you to score a heavily discounted price on wearables from top brands like Apple, Fitbit, Garmin, and Samsung.
The Fitbit Edge makes a strong case for the classic fitness tracker, pairing accurate health metrics and a vibrant AMOLED screen with cross-platform support at a reasonable price.
$179.99
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The Luna Band is a screen-free fitness device designed to eliminate the distractions you’d find on a typical smartwatch.
Other potential lineup changes in the year ahead include a circular dial and a ceramic chassis.
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The Oura Ring 5 smart ring improves on its excellent predecessor with an even thinner design and longer battery life, while offering the same robust holistic health monitoring and basic activity tracking.
$399.00
The Fitbit Air wristband and the Oura smart ring are both excellent screen-free fitness trackers. I compare specs, features, and testing notes to see which one is the better pick for you.
The slim, low-profile Fitbit Inspire 3 quietly maps out your sleep metrics, heart wellness, and daily energy logs, for under $70 with this lingering Fourth of July deal on Amazon.
The featherlight Oura Ring 4 packs comprehensive health monitoring and a week-long battery directly into a seamless titanium band, and saves you over $120 during Prime Day.
If you want to get healthy, a fitness tracker can help. At PCMag, we put them through rigorous testing to see which ones are up to the challenge. Here's how we do it.
The slim, sensor-packed Fitbit Charge 6 puts your daily progress, Google navigation, workout metrics, and real-time heart health tracking on your wrist for under $80 right now!
This slim, sensor-packed Fitbit Charge 6 puts Google navigation, workout metrics, and heart-rate tracking on your wrist, and it saves you almost 40% right now at Walmart.
I tested Google's Fitbit Air against the Whoop 5.0 to see which screen-free tracker delivers better value, comfort, and health insights for everyday users.
Time is ticking on taking your health into your own hands and saving a huge $550 on this rugged Garmin smartwatch thanks to another early Prime Day deal.
The Oura Ring 5 is thinner, pricier, and packed with new promises. But does it offer enough to justify upgrading from the already excellent Oura Ring 4? I compare them to find out.
With a slimmer titanium build, upgraded sensors, and proactive new Health Radar features, the Oura Ring 5 aims to widen the gap in the smart ring race.
