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A fitness tracker is the perfect way to monitor your activity and health effortlessly and with unmatched accuracy.
Think of it as an electronic finger on the pulse, constantly measuring your vitals, quality of sleep and step count.Today's fitness band market is stuffed with fantastic devices, most of which can do a pretty good job at the basics of tracking.
But frankly, we're only interested in the best, and you should be too.We won't be looking at all the techiest wristwear here - check out our best smartwatch guide for that, which includes the Apple Watch 3, LG Watch Style and Samsung Gear Sport.
You also won't find the Fitbit Ionic here either, which despite the brand name is toted as a smartwatch and is priced accordingly.This guide will show you the best of the best activity trackers money can buy and show you how each ranks in terms of stand-out features, price, design and the quality of the software you'll be using on your phone. 1.
Moov NowOur favorite fitness tracker right nowScreen: No | Heart rate tracker: No | Waterproof: Yes | Activity tracking: Yes | GPS: Yes, through phone | Battery life: Six months | Compatibility: Android/iOSGreat battery lifeCheap priceLimited featuresNo screenThe Moov Now is officially our favorite fitness band in the world right now.
It's cheap, offers everything you'll want in an everyday tracker and there's a phenomenal six month long battery life.The Moov Now isn't just designed for step tracking though - it comes with boxing and rep-based training, as well as a swimming mode on top of run coaching and sleep monitoring features.
That's a lot to get stuck in with.You won't get GPS or some of the more complex fitness tracking features that others on this list offer, but if you're looking for a great everyday tracker that doesn't cost a lot of money the Moov Now will suit you perfectly.Read the full Moov Now reviewWhat's next The Moov Now was first released back in 2015, so the device is due a refresh.
That said, we haven't heard any rumors of a new device coming from Moov.Image 1 of 5Samsung Gear Fit 2 Pro2.
Samsung Gear Fit 2 ProSamsung comes in a close second placeScreen: Yes, 1.5-inch AMOLED | Heart rate tracker: Yes | Waterproof: Yes | Activity tracking: Yes | GPS: Yes, through phone | Battery life: 3 days | Compatibility: Android/iOSAwesome designOffline Spotify supportClumsy setup processorExpensive for fitness trackerThe Samsung Gear Fit 2 Pro hasn't made hefty changes to the company's wearable line since the Gear Fit 2, but there are a few improvements to an already great tracker that sits it in second place.The Gear Fit 2 Pro has a gorgeous design that looks fantastic on your wrist and as it's sporting a big, beautiful AMOLED display you'll be able to see all of your stats nice and clearly.It also comes with GPS built-in so you can leave your phone at home while you go for a run as well as a top-notch heart rate sensor that should give you one of the most accurate readings possible from a wrist based tracker.
Plus it will track your swimming too.Read the full Samsung Gear Fit 2 Pro reviewWhat's next We don't know exactly when we'll see the Gear Fit 3, but we expect Samsung to launch a new tracker before the end of 2018 with new fitness tech built in.Image 1 of 4Huawei Band 2 Pro3.
Huawei Band 2 ProA slim, capable wearable with impressive battery lifeScreen: Yes | Heart rate tracker: Yes | Waterproof: Yes | Activity tracking: Yes | GPS: Yes | Battery life: 21 days standby | Compatibility: Android/iOSReasonable priceAccurate step countingClunky appLacks innovative designIn third place is the Huawei Band 2 Pro.
a sleek little fitness tracker that manages to pack a decent amount of features into its diminutive frame, and for an impressively small amount of money. The Band 2 Pro has heart rate monitoring, VO2 max, GPS, step and sleep tracking and a seriously impressive battery life.
The slim screen means that this tracker will work just as well with running gear as it will with a business suit, although the slim screen isn’t going to be as easy to read as some of the competition.If you’re looking for a device that’s going to give you totally precise metrics, this isn’t it.
But if you want an affordable entry-level device for your first foray into the world of fitness tracking, this is a great place to start.Read our Huawei Band 2 Pro reviewImage 2 of 4TomTom Spark 34.
TomTom Spark 3Music, fitness tracking and on-wrist navigationScreen: Yes, Monochrome | Heart rate tracker: Yes | Waterproof: Yes | Activity tracking: Yes | GPS: Yes | Battery life: Two weeks | Compatibility: Android/iOSPhone-free musicGPS navigationMaze-like menu systemMediocre sound qualityThe TomTom Spark 3 is our fourth favorite fitness watch and offers a lot of great features for your wrist, including music without your phone.You can upload music directly to the TomTom Spark 3, so you won't need to take your phone out with your Bluetooth headphones while on a run.Plus on top of that, the Spark 3 offers up GPS tracking, a heart rate monitor and route navigation, making this the perfect wrist companion to wear while running around areas you don't really know and discovering new places.Read the full TomTom Spark 3 reviewWhat's next The company behind the Spark 3 doesn't seem to be pushing ahead with new trackers right now, so we can speculate there won't be a TomTom Spark 4 anytime soon.Image 1 of 4Garmin Vivofit 4(Image: © Garmin)5.
Garmin Vivofit 4The latest entry from Garmin - and its cheapestScreen: Yes, color LCD | Heart rate tracker: No | Waterproof: Water-resistant | Activity tracking: Yes | GPS: No | Battery life: 1 year | Compatibility: Android/iOSSuper-long battery lifeSmall but color displayNo GPS or heart rateNo phone notificationsThe Garmin Vivofit 4 is one of the best fitness trackers the company has ever created, and that now means it sits in this prestigious list alongside some other fantastic tracking products.We particularly like the super-long battery life of the Vivofit 4, which means you won't need to recharge your device for a whole year. That means you can wear it all day, then all night for sleep tracking and not have to worry about recharging it.You'll miss out on phone notifications by buying this tracker, but you do get the benefit of an always-on color display, accurate fitness tracking features - just note these are more limited than some other trackers on this list - as well as access to an in-depth app to break down your stats on your smartphone.Read the full Garmin Vivofit 4 reviewImage 1 of 6Garmin Vivosport6.
Garmin VivosportScreen: Yes, color touchscreen | Heart rate tracker: Yes | Waterproof: Water-resistant | Activity tracking: Yes | GPS: Yes | Battery life: 7 days | Compatibility: Android/iOSSmall for GPS trackerGood battery lifeBland designNo swim modesIt's not as stylish as most of the Fitbit products, but there's a reason the Garmin Vivosport appears in this list before products from the latter company. This is cheaper than most Fitbit products and it comes with GPS built-in too.
We found the Vivosport offers a solid seven days battery life from a single charge, even when using the GPS features.Although it's waterproof, it wont' track your swimming easily but the Vivosport excels for other kinds of workouts and is great for tracking your jogging and cycling.
Plus we found the heart rate tracker to be accurate too.Read our full Garmin Vivosport review7.
Polar M430A running watch with all-round fitness skillsScreen: Yes, Monochrome | Heart rate tracker: Yes | Waterproof: Yes | Activity tracking: Yes | GPS: Yes | Battery life: 20 days | Compatibility: Android/iOSGood battery lifeReliable and accurateNot the best lookingAnnoying charging leadThe Polar M430 has a lot of things going for it, including GPS, a heart rate monitor and sleep tracking skills, along with good battery life.
For the most part it’s also reliable and accurate, which is something not all fitness trackers can claim.The M430 is designed primarily for runners, and can monitor the likes of your pace, distance, speed and cadence, but with all of the above, plus daily general activity tracking, it’s a strong choice for tracking most kinds of exercise and activity.Given all the tech packed in, the Polar M430 also has a reasonable price tag.
It’s not the best-looking fitness tracker, but it’s comfortable and functional.Read the full Polar M430 reviewImage 1 of 5Garmin Vivosmart 38.
Garmin Vivosmart 3Garmin drops GPS but comes in eighthScreen: Yes, Monochrome | Heart rate tracker: Yes | Waterproof: Water-resistant | Activity tracking: Yes | GPS: No | Battery life: 6 days | Compatibility: Android/iOSSix day battery lifeGPS and heart rate monitorDesign is lackingData could have more depthIn eighth place is the Garmin Vivosmart 3, which is on the more expensive side of the fitness trackers listed but offers almost everything you'll want from an exercise tracker.With a six-day long battery life, a heart rate monitor and fitness age feature, this is a device created more for gym-goers than runners.The Vivosmart HR+, the device Garmin released before this tracker, came with GPS built-in but this newer version has dropped the feature and it's a big shame for anyone who wanted to take this watch running.Even so, you should definitely consider the Garmin Vivosmart 3, especially if you're looking for a band that can do high-end fitness tracking with an almost week long battery.Read the full Garmin Vivosmart 3 reviewImage 1 of 4Fitbit Charge 29.
Fitbit Charge 2The best Fitbit tracker money can buyScreen: Yes | Heart rate tracker: Yes | Waterproof: No | Activity tracking: Yes | GPS: Yes, through phone | Battery life: 4 days | Compatibility: Android/iOS/WindowsBig screenComfortable strapLimited phone notificationsNo GPSThe Fitbit Charge 2 is the best Fitbit tracker you can buy right now.
It's more expensive than some of the other options from Fitbit, but if you're looking to go jogging this is a great choice that won't cost you as much as a traditional running watch.It connects with the GPS on your phone, has a large screen to display your data, a heart rate tracker and new fitness features we've only previously seen on the Fitbit Blaze.It may not be the cheapest device on the list, but this is the best Fitbit tracker money can buy.Read the full Fitbit Charge 2 reviewWhat's next Rumors of the Fitbit Charge 3 have started and we may see a new fitness tracker by the end of the year.
That said, Fitbit usually takes a while to announce new products and we've only just seen it launch a new smartwatch so it we wouldn't recommend waiting for a new version of the Charge.10.
Fitbit Flex 2Feature-light, but it's cheap and works wellScreen: No | Heart rate tracker: No | Waterproof: Yes | Activity tracking: Yes | GPS: No | Battery life: 5 days | Compatibility: Android/iOS/WindowsComfortable and lightFun softwareBattery life isn't stunningFeature-lightWant a cheaper Fitbit product than the Charge 2 You'll love the Fitbit Flex 2 as it's one of the cheapest products from the brand, but it will still track your steps and some other activity.The design is simple, so it should suit a variety of styles and there's a selection of different straps you can buy to accessorize it.
The Flex 2 is waterproof, unlike the Fitbit Charge 2, so you can take this in the shower or for a dip in a pool.Considering there's no screen or heart rate tracker, the five days of use from a single charge isn't incredible though.
If you're looking for a tracker that's light and comfortable on the wrist, offers a selection of basic fitness features and is available at a low price, the Flex 2 is certainly worth a look.Read the full Fitbit Flex 2 reviewWant a fitness watch instead Here's our Fitbit Ionic video review
