We have evaluated several top-performing fitness trackers to assist you in achieving your New Year resolutions.
Looking for the best fitness trackers for 2023? Choosing the right fitness tracker can be a daunting task with so many options available. To assist you in your search, we have thoroughly tested and reviewed the latest models from leading brands such as Fitbit, Garmin, and Apple. Our evaluations include factors such as accuracy, range of features, and price.
As we approach the new year, it’s a great time to consider purchasing a fitness tracker as many retailers offer discounts during the holiday sales. Our top pick for the best overall fitness tracker is the Apple Watch Series 8, which offers a wide range of health-tracking features with a high level of accuracy. However, it should be noted that it only works with iPhones.
For those who prefer a more straightforward option, the Xiaomi Smart Band 7 is a great budget-friendly choice. Additionally, if you are a runner, we recommend the Garmin Forerunner 955. We have also highlighted the standout feature of each watch in this guide to help you make an informed decision. For more options, be sure to check out our guides on the best Fitbit and best Garmin watches.
Best Fitness Trackers for 2023
1: Apple Watch Series 8 (4.5 out of 5)
Our favorite fitness tracker overall
Specifications
Screen: 1.6in/1/34in and 1.77in/1.49in OLED
Water resistance: 5ATM
GPS: Yes
Compatibility: iOS
Battery life: 18 hours
Best Deal
The good and Bad
Good
Good GPS and heart rate accuracy
Ovulation tracking
Supports a lot of third parties
Bad
One-day battery life
Not worth the upgrade if you own Series 6 or 7
Not for Android users
The Apple Watch Series 8 is an excellent choice for those seeking advanced GPS and heart rate monitoring capabilities. The watch boasts a variety of health and safety features, including an ECG monitor for detecting abnormal heart rhythms, a blood oxygen monitor, sleep tracking, and fall detection with an advanced gyroscope. It also offers ovulation tracking for those with a menstrual cycle.
In comparison to its competitors, the heart-tracking capabilities of the Apple Watch Series 8 are exceptional. Additionally, the watch has a larger app library than any of its rivals, offering a wide range of third-party apps for yoga, workout tracking, and meditation guidance. The Series 8 also provides more in-depth data on activities like running, including heart rate zones and the ability to create custom workouts.
However, it’s worth noting that the Apple Watch Series 8 is only compatible with iPhones and the battery life is limited to one day. Despite this, we believe the model provides the best balance of value, features, and performance currently available on the market.
2: Garmin Fenix 7 (4.5 out of 5)
Best fitness tracker for in-depth stats
Specifications
Screen: 1.3in 260 x 260 MiP
Water resistance: 10ATM
GPS: Yes
Compatibility: iOS, Android
Battery life: 18 Days
Best Deal
The good and Bad
Good
Superb feature depth
Very good HR accuracy
Comprehensive on-board offline maps
Bad
May feel a bit heavy/chunky for sleep tracking
The display may look dull to some
If you are looking for a fitness tracker with a comprehensive set of built-in exercise features, the Garmin Fenix 7 is the best option for you. It stands out when paired with other hardware, such as heart rate straps, foot pods, bike turbo trainers, and even Garmin’s bike lights. You can also download maps to the watch’s internal memory, allowing you to plan hike, bike, and run routes without the need for a phone.
The Fenix 7 series also allows you to download music and podcasts from popular services such as Spotify and Deezer. The screen is also highly visible in bright sunlight and has a long-lasting battery.
The heart rate and GPS accuracy are excellent, and the presentation of stats like training load and VO2 Max is tailored to fitness enthusiasts.
However, the Fenix 7 may not be the best choice if you are only looking to track short runs a few times a week, as it is relatively bulky and expensive. Additionally, the bulk may not be ideal for sleep tracking. If you prefer a smaller and less intimidating option, you may consider the Garmin Versa 2.
Overall, the Fenix 7 is an encyclopedic fitness tracker that is also suitable for casual all-day tracking with a touch screen and a quick swipe up from the watch face for a neat rundown of all your important daily stats.
3: Xiaomi Mi Smart Band 7 (3.5 out of 5)
Best budget fitness tracker
Specifications
Screen: 1.62” AMOLED
Water resistance: 5ATM
GPS: Yes
Compatibility: iOS, Android
Battery life: 14 Days
Best Deal
The good and Bad
Good
Advanced health monitoring includes blood oxygen and stress levels
Over 110 sports and fitness modes
Budget-friendly
Bad
Some metric tracking isn’t accurate
Screen sometimes isnt responsive when sweaty
The Xiaomi Smart Band 7 is a popular wearable brand that offers features often found in premium-priced devices at an affordable price of $54.99. It closely resembles the Fitbit in design, featuring a 1.62” AMOLED high-resolution display that is glare-resistant and 25% larger and brighter than its predecessor, the Xiaomi Smart Band 6.
The Smart Band 7 is compatible with both iOS and Android, connecting with the Mi app for access to data such as heart rate, oxygen monitoring, sleep, and workout analysis. Additionally, it offers guided meditations and daily stress level tracking. The watch also boasts GPS tracking and 110 sport and fitness modes, including swimming (the watch is 50 meters waterproof) and yoga.
We appreciated the female health management feature that allows tracking periods and forming patterns between workout data and health stats. However, we found that some features lacked accuracy, including sleep data and stages, and workout statistics like calories and distance. Additionally, the touchscreen may become unresponsive during sweaty workouts, which can be frustrating for activities such as running or CrossFit.
4: Garmin Forerunner 955 (5 out of 5)
Best fitness tracker for runners
Specifications
Screen: 1.3in 260 x 260 MIP
Water resistance: 5ATM
GPS: Yes
Compatibility: iOS, Android
Battery life: 15 Days
Best Deal
The good and Bad
Good
Great value compared to other Garmins
Feature-packed
Offline map downloads and 32GB storage
Bad
Plastic shell
Occasional heart-rate accuracies at higher exertion
Maps app needs work
The Garmin Forerunner 955 is a budget-friendly option for runners, with the company cutting a few corners to lower the price. One of the main changes is the use of a plastic casing instead of metal, but this should have little impact on performance unless the watch is subjected to frequent hard impacts.
Despite this cost-saving measure, the Forerunner 955 still offers a wide range of features for runners, including downloadable maps for off-road navigation and highly accurate multi-band GPS for distance recording. The maps app even allows you to enter a specific location, and the watch will generate a running route for you.
Additionally, the watch offers VO2 Max tracking, blood oxygen monitoring, and performance analysis through the popular ‘Training Status’ feature. Its accuracy was also found to be excellent during testing, with only minor lags observed when recording heart rate increases. All of these features are available for less than $500, making it an excellent value for a Garmin watch.
The only minor complaint about the watch is that the maps app can be a bit tricky to use, compared to other models like the Fenix 7. However, as this is a software issue, we anticipate that it will be addressed in future updates.
5: Fitbit Sense (4.5 out of 5)
Best Stress Management tracker
Specifications
Screen: 1.58in 336 x 336 OLED
Water resistance: 5ATM
GPS: Yes
Compatibility: iOS, Android
Battery life: 6 Days
Best Deal
The good and Bad
Good
Nice design
Display is bright
The stress score is really cool
Bad
More expensive than other Fitbit
No offline music unless you use Pandora or Deezer
The Fitbit Sense is our top pick from the brand, due to its combination of features and sleek AMOLED display. It is also reasonably priced. While it does not offer all the high-end features found on Garmin watches, such as downloadable maps and advanced GPS functionality, it does have some unique extras such as the EDA scanner. This measures ‘stress’ by reading the sweat levels of your hands and suggests meditation practices if it detects high-stress levels.
The watch also includes an ECG scanner, which provides insight into your heart health and alerts you if your heart rate is unusually high or low. During testing, we found the heart rate monitor to be fairly accurate when compared to the Apple Watch Series 7.
Like many modern wearables, the Sense has a ‘Daily Readiness’ score that guides you on how much you should push yourself at the gym. If you’ve been working out too much and not sleeping enough, the tracker will tell you to skip exercise and rest for the day. The score adapts as the tracker becomes familiar with your patterns.
We appreciate the overall design of the watch, it is not too bulky and comfortable to wear during sleep. The large screen makes the display easy to read, even in sunlight and the six-day battery life is impressive. Our only real complaint about the tracker is that it does not allow you to download and listen to music unless you’re using the Deezer or Pandora app.
6: Fitbit Charge 5 (4 out of 5)
Best for tracking sleep
Specifications
Screen: 1.04in OLED
Water resistance: 5ATM
GPS: Yes
Compatibility: iOS, Android
Battery life: 7 Days
Best Deal
The good and Bad
Good
Built-in GPS
ECG & EDA features
Lightweight
Bad
Have to pay monthly for all the features
No Spotify controls
The Fitbit Charge 5 is our top recommendation for most people looking for a Fitbit device. It is smaller and less expensive than the Fitbit Sense, but still offers a wide range of features. It’s important to note that it’s a band, not a watch, and does not have downloadable apps like the Fitbit Versa and Sense.
Despite its compact size, the Charge 5 packs in a lot of features, including full GPS for phone-free route tracking, an EDA stress sensor, and even an ECG sensor that analyzes your heart rhythm to check for abnormalities. Fitbit’s sleep tracking is also among the best in the market.
However, to access the full capabilities of the Fitbit Charge 5, you’ll need to sign up for Fitbit Premium, which costs $9.99/£7.99 a month and comes with a 6-month trial. While the watch works fine without it, certain features such as fitness plans and blood oxygenation readings are behind this paywall.
7: Amazfit GTR 3 (4 out of 5)
Best mid-range tracker
Specifications
Screen: 1.39in 454 x 454 OLED
Water resistance: 5ATM
GPS: Yes
Compatibility: iOS, Android
Battery life: 21 Days
Best Deal
The good and Bad
Good
Looks expensive, but isn’t
Features full GPS
Long battery life
Bad
No offline music
The Amazfit GTR 3 is a fitness tracker that closely resembles a smartwatch. It boasts a high-resolution 1.39-inch OLED screen similar to the Samsung Galaxy Watch 4 but at a more affordable price.
The outer casing of the watch is made of aluminum and has a rotary crown controller similar to the Apple Watch Series 7. The back of the watch face is plastic, but this design choice is reflective of the Amazfit GTR 3’s focus on offering features and high-end style where they matter while cutting costs on less important parts.
The watch has full GPS, provides blood oxygenation readings, and has an optical heart rate reader with six light-sensing photodiodes. It also offers over 150 workout modes, menstrual tracking, Amazon Alexa support, 5ATM water resistance, and fantastic battery life of up to 21 days (6 days if using the always-on screen mode).
It’s important to note that the Amazfit GTR 3 is not without its limitations. The heart rate sensor may not be as accurate for tracking interval workouts as compared to an Apple Watch or Garmin Instinct 2 and, unlike the Pro version of the GTR 3, it does not allow for phone-free workouts by loading music onto the watch.
8: Withings ScanWatch (4.5 out of 5)
The best-looking tracker
Specifications
Screen: Passive Matrix OLED (PMOLED) screen, 38mm and 42mm
Water resistance: 5ATM
GPS: Yes
Compatibility: iOS, Android
Battery life: 30 Days
Best Deal
The good and Bad
Good
Looks expensive, but isn’t
Features full GPS
Long battery life
Bad
No offline music
After testing both the Withings Scanwatch and the recently released Withings ScanWatch Horizon, we have determined that the original model is still our favorite. It expertly combines a fashionable wristwatch design with advanced health and fitness tracking features.
We enjoyed using the watch and its features such as on-the-spot oxygen and ECG monitoring, sleep and fitness tracking, and basic metrics on calories and step count. It provides a comprehensive picture of your overall health.
The crown on the side of the watch allows you to easily access features on a small digital screen within the clock face, seamlessly blending old and new technology.
The Withings ScanWatch is compatible with both iOS and Android and pairs with the Health Mate app, where you can access a dashboard of data such as blood pressure, average heart rate, and more in-depth sleep analysis. It can also link to third-party apps such as Strava and Apple Health, and you can set weight loss goals, macro tracking, or step count. Additionally, it is waterproof up to 50 meters, making it suitable for swimming.
9: Fitbit Versa 3 (4.5 out of 5)
Good apple watch alternative
Specifications
Screen:1.58”/4cm (AMOLED) display
Water resistance: 50m
GPS: Yes
Compatibility: iOS, Android
Battery life: 6 Days
Best Deal
The good and Bad
Good
Touchscreen
Fast charging
GPS
Bad
Monthly membership for all features
Only two offline streaming services
Not as good as Fitbit Sense
The Fitbit Versa 3 is a great option for those looking for a fitness tracker with features similar to the Apple Watch at a more affordable price. It can track heart rate, temperature, blood oxygen levels (spO2), as well as steps and calories. The cost savings can also be put towards a Fitbit Premium membership, which provides access to additional content and features.
One of Fitbit’s strengths is sleep tracking and the Versa 3 is no exception. It allows you to monitor sleep patterns and blood oxygen levels through the night. However, some of the stats can only be accessed with a Premium subscription.
The Versa 3 boasts impressive battery life with a claimed six plus days of use from a single charge and 12 hours when using non-stop GPS. The metallic charging point also allows for a day’s worth of battery charge in just 12 minutes.
The tracker is compatible with both iOS and Android, has an inbuilt speaker and microphone for taking calls on the go, and can be controlled by voice-controlled Amazon Alexa or Google Assistant. It is also waterproof up to 50m and can be used to track pool lengths. The intensity map feature, which uses heart rate data to show the intensity of a workout, is also a standout feature.
The main drawback is that it does not allow for offline music listening unless you have Deezer or Pandora.
10: Huawei Band 3 Pro (3.5 out of 5)
Cheap tracker with GPS
Specifications
Screen: 0.95” OLED
Water resistance: 5 ATM
GPS: Yes
Compatibility: iOS, Android
Battery life: 14 Days
Best Deal
The good and Bad
Good
Battery life
Bright screen
GPS
Bad
Sometimes slow GPS
Limited watch faces
Notifications are wierd
The Huawei Band 3 Pro is a great budget-friendly option for those looking for a fitness tracker with built-in GPS, a touchscreen display, and a heart rate monitor. It also has a dedicated swimming mode, making it a great choice for swimmers. The color screen is easy to read in sunlight, and the GPS is accurate even in built-up areas. The device also provides real-time feedback on workouts, including VO2 Max and recovery times. Additionally, it offers more than 200 potential solutions for better sleep through its TruSleep feature, which uses the heart rate monitor for more accurate results. However, it has a few drawbacks such as a slightly awkward way of viewing notifications, and touchscreen controls can become a bit of an issue when the device is used in wet conditions. The screen also doesn’t automatically turn off, which can be annoying for those who wear it while sleeping.
Fitbit vs Garmin
When it comes to fitness trackers, Garmins are known for their advanced and accurate features, while Fitbits offer a more stylish and user-friendly design. In 2022, this still holds true as Garmins typically offer superior heart rate readings and advanced GPS capabilities, making them a popular choice for fitness enthusiasts. However, Fitbits are more budget-friendly and have a range of features such as ECG/EKG monitoring and an EDA sensor to estimate stress levels. Additionally, Fitbits have a more deliberate sense of style and come at a lower price point when compared to some of the top-end Garmin models. While Garmins may be the obvious choice for the hardcore fitness crowd, Fitbits offer a great balance of features and style.
Apple Watch vs Fitbit
If you’re looking for a fitness tracker, both Fitbit and Apple offer a range of options for different users. However, there are some key differences to consider when making your choice. Fitbit offers a wider array of wearables, with options at different price points and styles, including the affordable Inspire 2 and the more upmarket Fitbit Luxe. On the other hand, all Apple Watches have a similar look, with the main differences being in the size of the screen and the model you choose.
In terms of battery life, Fitbits generally last longer than Apple Watches, making them a better option for sleep tracking. However, to get the most out of a Fitbit, you’ll need a Premium subscription, which offers additional stats and longer-term health metrics, as well as workouts and mindfulness sessions.
When it comes to heart rate tracking, the Apple Watch generally offers more accuracy and reliability than Fitbits. Additionally, the Apple Watch has a wider range of apps and a more high-end fitness subscription service, Fitness+, with a variety of video classes.
Ultimately, the choice between a Fitbit or an Apple Watch will come down to your personal preferences and needs. If you’re looking for a device with a variety of style options and longer battery life, a Fitbit may be the better choice for you. But if you want a device with a more accurate heart rate sensor and a wider range of apps, an Apple Watch may be the way to go.
The Benefits of Wearing a Fitness Tracker
A fitness tracker is a small device worn on the wrist that tracks various aspects of physical activity and health. These devices have become increasingly popular in recent years, as they allow users to monitor their fitness levels, set goals, and track progress over time. Here are some of the main benefits of wearing a fitness tracker:
- Motivation and accountability: One of the main benefits of wearing a fitness tracker is that it can help to motivate and hold users accountable for their fitness goals. By tracking their progress and seeing how far they’ve come, users may be more likely to stick to their exercise routine and reach their goals.
- Tracking physical activity: Fitness trackers are designed to track physical activity, such as steps taken, distance traveled, and calories burned. This can be useful for people who are trying to increase their physical activity levels or lose weight.
- Monitoring sleep: Many fitness trackers also have the ability to track sleep patterns, which can be useful for people who want to improve their sleep quality. By monitoring sleep patterns, users can identify any issues, such as insomnia, and take steps to improve their sleep.
- Heart rate monitoring: Many fitness trackers come equipped with heart rate monitoring, which can be useful for people who are trying to improve their cardiovascular health. By monitoring heart rate, users can identify any issues, such as high blood pressure, and take steps to improve their heart health.
- Stress management: Some fitness trackers also have the ability to track stress levels, which can be useful for people who want to manage their stress levels. By monitoring stress levels, users can identify any issues, such as high levels of stress, and take steps to manage their stress.
Overall, fitness trackers can be an incredibly useful tool for people who are looking to improve their fitness and overall well-being. Whether you’re looking to lose weight, increase your physical activity levels, or improve your sleep and heart health, a fitness tracker can provide you with the tools and motivation you need to achieve your goals.
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