In case you don’t wish to purchase a fully-fledged smartwatch, then health trackers are a superb choice: they’re easier, normally cheaper, and sometimes have significantly better battery life, so that you don’t have to recollect to cost them day-after-day.
Regardless of that, the very best health trackers nonetheless pack all the identical exercise monitoring tech as their dearer cousins. Any health tracker will document your steps, examine your heartrate, and monitor your train – whereas the most recent fashions can monitor your sleep, stress, and blood oxygen ranges too.
The large model is clearly Fitbit, however we overview health trackers from a wide range of firms – and in reality usually discover that rivals ship higher worth, with comparable monitoring options for a cheaper price. You may additionally wish to take into account Withings, which makes trackers together with a number of the finest well being tech available on the market, packed into units that also appear to be common analogue watches.
Each tracker on this rating has been reviewed by the Tech Advisor staff, and you may click on via to our full critiques for extra particulars on why they’ve made the minimize. We’re at all times reviewing new fashions too, so examine again for an up to date rating if nothing takes your fancy proper now.
If you’re in search of one thing with a little bit extra performance, why not try our finest smartwatches roundup too.
Greatest health trackers 2023
1. Xiaomi Mi Band 7 – Greatest health tracker
Execs
- Characteristic-packed
- All-day coronary heart price, blood oxygen and stress monitoring
- Assist for 120 varieties of train
- Giant always-on show
Cons
- At all times-on show comes at an enormous value to battery
- Not the neatest wearable
- No built-in GPS
The Xiaomi Mi Band 7 is the very best health tracker round, with a tempting price ticket and a formidable array of sensors to trace your well being, health, and exercises.
The massive always-on show is a very good addition, serving to showcase the vivid watch faces on supply whereas making it simpler to learn textual content at a look, although the always-on tech comes at a heavy value to total 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 shortage of built-in GPS could irk health fanatics, however this can be a nice little cheap tracker for keeping track of your common well being and health.
Learn our full
Xiaomi Mi Band 7 overview
2. Fitbit Cost 5 – Greatest Fitbit
Execs
- High health options
- GPS
- Color show
Cons
- Sometimes laggy
- Some options lacking
Value When Reviewed:
$149.95
The Cost 5 is well Fitbit’s finest tracker, which is sufficient to make it a secure selection for anybody in search of an exercise band.
It covers all of the fundamentals – monitoring steps, distance, energy burned, hourly exercise, coronary heart price, swim-tracking and superior sleep; to not point out it has a lot of the firm’s unique top-end train options too, together with Energetic Zone Minutes.
Its built-in GPS and well being measurements imply it carefully matches the dearer Fitbit Versa 3 smartwatch too, although keep in mind that probably the most complete monitoring options are locked behind the paid Fitbit Premium plan.
Our solely complaints are very occasional efficiency stutters, the removing of an altimeter (to depend flooring climbed) and some options that Fitbit has been sluggish so as to add, however these shouldn’t put you off grabbing the Cost 5, because it’s always getting improved upon (due to frequent software program updates from Fitbit).
In case you don’t thoughts a monochrome show, you can even at all times try the older
Cost 4 and avoid wasting cash too.
Learn our full
Fitbit Cost 5 overview
3. Withings Transfer – Greatest design
Execs
- Elegant design
- Properly-rounded app
- 18-month battery life
Cons
- Restricted characteristic set
- No steady coronary heart price
Value When Reviewed:
From $69.95
In relation to design, the Withings Transfer is so traditional and easy that it may go as an on a regular basis watch. It has the longevity of 1 too, utilizing a normal watch battery that may final for a whopping 18 months.
On the health monitoring aspect, the companion Well being Mate app does nearly all the things you want it to and extra, combining fundamental health monitoring with sleep monitoring too.
In case you love the sound of the Transfer however need that little bit additional, try the Transfer ECG too, which takes the identical design however squeezes in an electrocardiogram sensor.
Learn our full
Withings Transfer overview
4. Fitbit Encourage 3 – Least expensive Fitbit
Execs
- At all times-on color display screen
- Fashionable & snug
- Complete monitoring
- Good battery life & charging
Cons
- Tiny display screen
- Premium wanted for some options
- Brief charging wire
- No GPS
Value When Reviewed:
$99.95
The Encourage 3 is the most affordable mannequin within the present Fitbit line-up, making it a superb 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 wonderful, so for some it could be value paying a little bit additional – although paying extra for a smaller show does sting a little bit.
It helps that you simply stand up to 10 days of battery life (although rather less in the event you use the brand new always-on show characteristic), 24/7 coronary heart price monitoring now bolstered by SpO2 knowledge, and sleep monitoring. Simply keep in mind that there’s no built-in GPS assist, and that, as with all Fitbits, you’ll must subscribe to the paid Fitbit Premium plan to get each bit of knowledge out of it.
Learn our full
Fitbit Encourage 3 overview
5. Withings ScanWatch – Greatest well being monitoring
Execs
- Elegant design
- Properly-rounded app
- Nice battery life
Cons
- No GPS
- No steady coronary heart price
Value When Reviewed:
$279 (38mm) | $299 (42mm)
Apart from a scarcity of GPS, Withings’ ScanWatch is a compelling hybrid tracker, with a traditional design and wealthy monitoring capabilities.
The title pertains to its means to extra precisely get a learn in your coronary heart well being than some other tracker right here, albeit for a premium that makes it extra of a distinct segment proposition.
AFib detection, an SpO2 sensor, and detection of respiration disturbances like sleep apnea are good inclusions, whereas the small PMOLED show grants a point of smartwatch-like performance on high of its fitness-tracking skillset.
In case you can spend a little bit extra, the ScanWatch Horizon gives the identical wonderful well being options in a heftier dive watch design.
Learn our full
Withings ScanWatch overview
6. Huawei Band 7 – Greatest on a finances
Execs
- Huge show
- Largely premium design
- Easy to make use of
Cons
- Squiffy sleep monitoring
- No sturdiness commitments
- Can’t work together with notifications
With beauty, sturdy development, an enormous show, respectable battery life, strong train monitoring (for probably the most half), and easy software program, the Huawei Band 7 makes an ideal first impression.
Missing any type of scratch or drop resistance, barely squiffy sleep monitoring, and some different niggles preserve it from true greatness, however for the worth it’s greater than ok.
If you’re in search of a superb worth good band as we speak, the Huawei Band 7 must be close to the highest of your checklist.
Learn our full
Huawei Band 7 overview
7. Polar Pacer – Greatest for runners
Execs
- Very snug
- Glorious battery life
- Correct monitoring with GPS
Cons
- Notification expertise irks
- Handbook syncing to app
- No on-board music storage
If you would like a working watch that lasts a number of days on a cost, tracks your exercises effortlessly, spits out insightful knowledge, and received’t bug you with notifications, the Polar Pacer is it.
The Pacer helps a wide range of train varieties however the focus is on working, with GPS monitoring and a post-workout ‘working index’ to let you know the way you’ve carried out throughout a wide range of metrics.
In case you’re making an attempt to get into working, and even in the event you’re already hitting the paths, the Pacer will show a superb addition to your equipment with robust battery life, a wonderfully readable show, light-weight development, and the smarts to point out you the way you might be performing and that can assist you enhance.
Learn our full
Polar Pacer overview
8. Huawei Watch Match 2 – Smartwatch substitute
Execs
- Slick, low-profile design
- Responsive and easy-to-read show
- Helps calling by way of Bluetooth
- Huawei Well being app is straightforward to navigate
Cons
- No NFC
- Milanese mesh wrist strap is a little bit unfastened
- Expensive for a tracker
The Huawei Watch Match 2 is a great-looking and easy-to-use wearable that sits someplace between a smartwatch and a health tracker.
It’s geared in the direction of well being monitoring, however in comparison with easier trackers it comes with some helpful additional options such because the telephone locator and Bluetooth calling.
You continue to get a variety of the advantages of trackers although, together with a weeklong battery life and a slim, low-profile design.
Getting the very best of each worlds impacts the worth although, and that is primarily costly for a health tracker, however low-cost for a smartwatch.
Learn our full
Huawei Watch Match 2 overview
9. Fitbit Ace 3 – Greatest for teenagers
Execs
- In-app Guardian and Child Views
- Hardy, vibrant design
- Household challenges
Cons
- Underpowered in comparison with grownup Fitbits
- Could not attraction to each child
Value When Reviewed:
$79.95
The Fitbit Ace 3 is constructed to swimsuit childrens’ rough-and-tumble way of life, offering each youngsters and oldsters with easy however insightful exercise and sleep monitoring knowledge.
The Ace 3 serves as a technique to encourage youngsters to get extra lively, however in a roundabout method, may additionally incentivise the entire household to get fitter collectively (offered everybody concerned has a Fitbit of their very own to put on).
Older youngsters would possibly wish to search for a tracker with a little bit extra oomph, nevertheless, because the Ace 3 gives a cut-down vary of health and notification options in comparison with Fitbit’s ‘grownup’ trackers. It counts steps, logs Energetic Minutes, and displays fundamental sleep patterns, however lacks heart-rate monitoring.
Learn our full
Fitbit Ace 3 overview
10. Whoop 4.0 – Greatest for slicing screentime
Execs
- Light-weight
- Multi-day battery
- Deep knowledge insights
Cons
- Requires costly subscription
- Solely measures pressure and restoration
- Not a lot steering
Value When Reviewed:
Subscription prices from $20 per 30 days
The Whoop 4.0 is one thing a little bit completely different: with no show and never even any step depend monitoring, that is removed from a conventional health tracker. As an alternative it’s a easy tracker you could slip right into a watch-esque wristband or strap onto exercise clothes, and which is primarily supposed to measure your pressure and restoration, to let you know how onerous 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 must take your telephone with you. The Whoop can also be finest for many who deal with cardio, because it doesn’t at all times detect pressure precisely in exercises like power coaching that don’t spike your coronary heart price.
The large downsides are that you simply do miss out on fundamental monitoring options you would possibly anticipate elsewhere – sure, together with a step depend – and that the pricing construction is uncommon. You get the Whoop tracker free of charge, however provided that you join a subscription, which at its least expensive is $20/£18 per 30 days in the event you commit to 2 years prematurely.
Committing to pay a lot to check out a comparatively fundamental health tracker will put some individuals off, however in order for you a tracker that focuses on cardio knowledge and makes you extra conscious about pressure and sleep, it’s a good selection.
Learn our full
Whoop 4.0 overview
Shopping for recommendation for the very best health trackers
What’s a health tracker?
Health trackers assist you to measure and log a myriad of actions every day; from a easy step depend to weights classes, swimming and extra. Superior fashions embrace sleep monitoring, stress detection, and may even assist monitor particular well being issues.
Some customers will need one thing that counts steps and doesn’t require frequent charging, others is perhaps available in the market 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 knowledge out of your telephone in real-time) sufficient? Do you want fixed heart-rate monitoring? Does your tracker must be waterproof? Is integration with different health providers, like Strava, important? These are all extra features to think about earlier than shopping for.
Discover out how we check wearables.
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 extra apps and performance.
You need to anticipate a smartwatch to can help you set up and run apps – together with a number of the ones you’d discover in your telephone – in addition to examine notifications, reply to messages, and maybe even take calls. Some smartwatches even assist eSIM for their very own unbiased knowledge connection.
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, a lot of Fitbit’s rivals ship comparable 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 providers, and in the event you’re used to their software program and expertise then you possibly can skip the educational curve of recent {hardware}.