Best Fitness Trackers 2023

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The best fitness trackers have come a long way since Fitbit introduced its first clip-on wearable in 2009, and are now like wearing full-on personal trainers on your wrist.

The advanced utility native to modern fitness trackers has made them increasingly popular, too, even going so far as to replace some people's everyday watch. Because why not wear a single wearable that tracks everything aspect of your daily activity while still reliably telling time? 

But the real question people should ask themselves isn't whether they should wear one but rather, which they should wear. As the fitness editor for Insider Reviews, I'm no stranger to the best fitness trackers and have spent years using them during every activity possible. 

To help you figure out which best fits your lifestyle, I've compiled my eight favorite fitness trackers below. I've also included answers to a few FAQs, as well as insight into how I test fitness trackers, at the end of this guide.

Learn more about how Insider Reviews tests fitness products here.

Though Suunto isn't the first name to come to mind when talking about the best fitness trackers, its 7 smartwatch slash tracker is one of the most impressive wearables I've ever tested. Suunto only released the 7 in 2020 but it's spent almost that entire time on my wrist (when I'm not testing other trackers for this guide), and routinely impresses me and provides exactly what I want out of a fitness tracker: in-depth feedback, accurate activity tracking, and a wide variety of use cases. 

Not only am I able to track any run or bike ride I go on, but it also offers support for other activities like snowboarding, hiking, swimming, or even just walking (among literally so many others). The user's manual states that it covers more than 70 activities, but do take that with a grain of salt; some of the activities it tracks just account for length of activity and your heart rate. That means it's not actually tracking advanced stats for things like tennis or basketball.

Even if you aren't a multisport athlete, the 7 still offers plenty to take advantage of. Its GPS function (even one year later) is highly accurate and reliable, both while I run through my neighborhood in Brooklyn or bike longer distances across the entire NYC area. It offers offline map support for those who like to ditch their smartphone and head into the backcountry (and make it out safe) and also has smartwatch capability by offering smartphone notification support. 

And although its price tag may shock at first glance ($400 is a lot to spend on a mere wearable), it more than makes up for that investment with everything it offers. Because it can be utilized and benefited from by such a wide range of active users makes it one of the most versatile fitness trackers available — and one I plan on continuing to wear for many years.

Often when you see the words "budget" and "fitness tracker" next to each other, you find a wearable offering the most basic of function and tracking capability. Then there's the Garmin Forerunner 35. Though vanilla in design, the Forerunner 35 is anything but "budget" in what it offers yet still has a very reasonable price tag of less than $100.

If you've ever used a Garmin fitness tracker or smartwatch before, you know just how capable its ecosystem is — and the 35, though inexpensive, is no different. It features 24/7 heart rate monitoring, accurate GPS tracking, and compatibility with running and cycling (among a few others). 

What I liked best about the 35 during my tests was its attention to running features that more expensive watches just don't have, specifically its running cadence analysis and an interval training mode. With the run cadence feature, I was able to have a more in-depth look into my mechanics and could make more informed adjustments. For advanced runners, this data is invaluable. 

Navigation-wise, the Forerunner 35 is a breeze. Just a few buttons flank the bezel, each of which is straightforward in allowing you to access the watch's suite of features. It won't wow you in terms of design but this is one of the best bang-for-buck fitness trackers on the market.

Garmin's fenix line of fitness trackers has long been my go-to for a comprehensive wearable experience. I could run, bike, lift weights, snowboard, hike, or swim with it on and it'd be right there with me every step of the way; it did (and the current line still does) everything. 

So, when Garmin announced it was resurrecting its Epix line (the first generation debuted in 2015 while its second generation model released in 2022), I was unsure how it'd slot into the brand's lineup — it wasn't an exact fenix clone but I assumed it'd be close.

After wearing the Epix for two months straight, it sold me as one of the best fitness trackers. It not only stands on its own away from the fenix but has proved it's more than capable of blazing its own trail (literally).

And that's important for a smartwatch that costs upward of $900. Since its price puts it at the high end of the cost spectrum, it needs to offer wearers a far different experience than something like a $400 Apple Watch. Thankfully, it does and it's packed to the brim with features. 

There's wrist-based heart rate monitoring, sleep, step, stress, hydration, and respiration tracking, Garmin's patented Body Battery monitoring, and VO2 max readings. This is in addition to the endless list of available activities to track, unique coaching insights and workout tips, recovery time estimates, visual race time predictors, and custom workouts (the list goes on and on). 

But what's been most impressive about the watch is that it does each of these incredibly well and doesn't just seem like a bunch of features were lazily tacked on. I find myself using almost all of them in every facet of my day, too. I use the recovery time estimate to see what workout my body is ready for, the coaching insights for daily inspiration, the race time predictors to adjust my training schedule, and sleep tracking to see how well my body is resting.

One of my favorite things to use is the digital bread crumb feature that comes in handy when hiking in areas with little to no service. With this, I'm always able to know the path back to a trailhead or major road, even if my phone dies or I'm not in an area with much cell service. 

And because of that laundry list of available features, and it's high price, it's meant more for anyone who's consistently active and who enjoys getting outside. Of course, anyone can buy one and use it but to get the most value out of it, you want to make sure you're using it — and with a battery that lasts up to about two weeks, you're going to get a lot of use out of it.

Fitbit's line of Versa watches ushered in the brand's first foray into smartwatch territory, and the resulting products (from the original Versa to today's Versa 3) have been a triumph. Each combines the in-depth and reliable fitness tracking Fitbit's built its name on with functional smartwatch features and a clean, stylish (and recognizable) design. 

Not only is the Versa 3 the latest in this new-ish product category for Fitbit, but it's also one of the brand's best fitness trackers. It has built-in (and accurate) GPS, is water-resistant up to 50 meters, and offers excellent battery life, meaning you won't have to worry about throwing it on its charger each night.

That last part is an important distinction, too, as the Versa 3 provides wearers with in-depth sleep tracking, including how much REM sleep you get, how much you toss and turn, and when you're sleeping lightly. During my tests, I was amazed at how tumultuous my night of sleep can be — and the data allowed me to try to fix certain things about how I sleep, or when to start winding down to give myself the best chance for solid rest. Though this is starting to pop up on more fitness trackers today, I've found the Versa 3 to provide one of the better, more insightful experiences. 

From a tracking perspective, the Versa 3 shines. I really enjoyed the automatic tracking function, which allowed me to immediately start running after I put my shoes on instead of navigating a menu just to hit Start. This may seem a minor feature but I ended up using it far more than I thought I would.

The other major component of the Versa 3 is its smartwatch capability. Though the features won't blow you away, I found that it did still function exactly as I needed, providing me quick glances at notifications without having to pull my phone out of my pocket (or locate it in my apartment). Android users get more features, like voice-to-text responses, but it still functioned well, albeit quite basic, with my iPhone.

You can't have a guide to the best fitness trackers without the appearance of the Apple Watch — it's that good. And aside from its quality, the Apple Watch is also one of the most important fitness wearables thanks to its ability to seamlessly blend fitness tracking and smartwatch capability. Other trackers in this guide offer something similar but Apple's wearable is by far and away the best to do it. 

From a fitness tracking perspective, it has a deep offering of trackable activities but excels with your basics like running, swimming, and cycling, as well as the company's new streaming service, Apple Fitness+. There's even a Nike version of the watch that comes with the Nike Run Club app pre-installed, so you know Apple intends for this to be on the wrist of a runner.

It works really well in practice, too. The watch was always quite comfortable on my wrist, even on longer runs or bike rides, and the screen is really easy to read mid-activity. Its GPS isn't as quick as the Suunto 7 but it wasn't as fussy as my experience with Fitbit's Charge 4. When it does finally sync, it's quite accurate and routinely produced that same accuracy over days and weeks of testing. 

The Series 7 is rounded out by both its smartwatch offerings and advanced health analytics. There's sleep tracking, a blood oxygen sensor, an ECG reader, and even handwash tracking. I didn't find myself using everything all the time but it was nice knowing I had access to some of the more in-depth features whenever I wanted. Being able to respond to text messages and use it as a true smartwatch made it that much more valuable to me (especially as an iPhone user).

The Fitbit Charge 5 supplants the Fitbit Charge 4 (our prior recommendation as the best budget fitness tracker), with a few new features that again make it one of the best values for any current fitness wearable.

In addition to counting steps like any good fitness tracker should, the Charge 5 also measures stairs climbed, calories burned, resting, and active heart rate, and offers in-depth sleep tracking. It even shows which type of sleep you're in, be it light, deep, or REM. You can also see how your habits stack up against those of other people your age via the app. 

If you're feeling stressed, this tracker also offers breathing exercises to help you relax. And, diving into more of the workout features, the Charge 5 has dedicated functions for recording a wide range of activities, including running, cycling, cardio, and strength training. There's even a timer option for HIIT (High-Intensity Interval Training).

It also lets you pause and resume workouts, and if you do forget to tell it you're starting an activity or workout it can automatically detect a session and start monitoring it.

Other new features like a stress management score provide unique insights into your health, and there's even a new daily readiness score that lets you know if you're body is rested enough for another workout or if you should focus on rehabbing for the day (this is only accessible via a Fitbit Premium membership, however). 

Garmin's long-made highly advanced fitness trackers that have always done well to satiate the needs of hardcore athletes. With the Forerunner 745, it brings that in-depth approach to a wider audience, providing highly valuable fitness insight and feedback to anyone, regardless of how active they are. 

The beauty of this watch rests with the advanced data it provides. During workouts, the 745 displays everything from time active and heart rate to distance covered and pace. Each of which is highly useful in the moment if you're interval training or aiming for a certain time on a run or bike ride. It's also quite easy to customize this screen so you have exactly what you want when you want it. 

Though that in-the-moment date is great, it's what the watch offers after the activity (or between workouts) that's even better. This includes challenging workout recommendations that adapt to your output, the ideal amount of rest you need between activities (which is highly important), and customized training plans. Neither of these is just tacked-on, too, and I found myself gravitating toward them more and more as I tested the watch even though I've always preferred my own workouts to anything pre-written for me. 

Its tracking accuracy is also highly precise, and I found it to be similar to that of Suunto's 7 and the Apple Watch Series 6. It syncs with GPS rather quickly and would consistently produce very similar metrics (both in terms of distance and pace) no matter if I was cycling or running. 

If there was something to nitpick about the Forerunner 745, it'd be its clunky menu system. Like most Garmin watches, the OS isn't exactly intuitive, though it does get easier the more you use it (as would anything). It's not enough to be a dealbreaker, especially considering how much else this watch does that's superior to most fitness trackers currently available.

If you spend much of your active time doing something different from the day before, then the Coros Apex is the fitness tracker you need. It's especially adept at tracking running, biking, and swimming, making it perfect for the budding or seasoned triathlete. 

But that's not only who the Apex is for; Coros consistently updates the watch's software to add new activities and modes, including sports like snowboarding, gym cardio, and hiking. This only adds to its versatility and the newly added modes do a good job of being accessible and easy to use as soon as they're available. 

The Apex truly proves its worth for ultrarunners. Thanks to excellent battery life, highly accurate GPS, and a dedicated trail running mode, it's the watch a grab for when I know I'm going to be out for a long run that won't just consist of running on the sidewalk or through my local park. Its comfortable design makes it easy to wear for long periods of time, too, without irritating my wrist or becoming a drag on my running form. 

Though these are its high points, the Apex does also offer basic fitness tracking capability in the form of heart rate, steps, calories, and so on, so it's not just for advanced athletes. Rather, it's great for anyone looking to spend more time running, biking, or cycling, and who has an inclination to try new activities.

Its $300 price point puts it solidly in the middle in terms of other watches featured in this guide but its incredible capability makes it highly worth the expense.

How I test fitness trackers

Each of the best fitness trackers included in this guide went through a series of tests to determine how well they performed across these four categories: Fit & comfort, tracking accuracy, added features, and value. Here's how we considered each category while testing:

Fit & comfort: If a fitness tracker isn't comfortable or doesn't fit well, you'll be far less likely to want to wear it very often — and if you don't wear it often, what's the point? Tracker manufacturers also know this, for the most part, so many of the best active wearables feature bands that not only stay comfortable for long periods of time but don't chafe or become bothersome while you sweat. When testing, I looked at everything from how they felt the moment we put them on to whether we noticed any discomfort throughout short and long workout sessions. 

Tracking accuracy: Testing a fitness tracker's accuracy isn't always straightforward; you can literally wear two different watches and get different GPS readings, pace readings, and so on. So, instead of using a second tracker to test a wearable's accuracy, I would map out how far an exact mile was from my house before running it a few times wearing the same watch. The trackers that ultimately made the cut all produced results that were within no more than .1 miles off. 

Added features: Testing for this category was straightforward: Did the tracker have any supplemental features outside of just tracking steps, calories burned, or heart rate? This could be anything from extra activities it's capable of logging, the ability to act like a smartwatch and get smartphone notifications, etc. This wasn't a dealbreaker category, however, as trackers aren't defined by their added features — but it is still a nice touch and something that can separate a good tracker from a great one. 

Value: The value of a fitness tracker isn't just its sticker price but also how valuable it is from a function standpoint to the user. Does it have the features you need? Will it track and compile the data you want it to? Can it actually serve as something that benefits your fitness as opposed to detracting from it? These are all questions you want to consider when shopping to find a tracker's true value. This becomes more of a subjective category when viewed that way but when testing, I still was able to judge how well the tracker's held up across each of the above categories — and still considered how much they cost, as well.

FAQs

Is it worth getting a fitness tracker?

Yes, so long as you actually use the tracker, and the data it collects, to inform your fitness goals. This means understanding what the fitness tracker you buy offers, and opting for one that offers insight into what you specifically need. For instance, if you just need something to motivate you to increase your daily activity, you shouldn't buy a full-featured watch like the Coros Apex or Suutno 7. Something like the Apple Watch or Fitbit's Versa 3 would be better suited to your lifestyle.

And although there's nothing wrong with wearing a fitness tracker to only keep tabs on your daily steps or calories burned, that information it accrues can be vital for anyone who wants to develop a daily, weekly, or monthly fitness routine.

The term "worth" as it applies to fitness wearables is relative to how exactly that information is used and who is using it. You first need to decide how you intend to use a fitness watch to truly determine how worthwhile it can be. 

What do fitness trackers do?

The best fitness trackers monitor and accrue a variety of activity data such as the number of steps a wearer takes each day, how many calories they've burned, and the flights of stairs they've climbed, among many others.

Basic fitness trackers often offer tracking for just those listed above while more advanced wearables, and fitness smartwatches, provide a slew of advanced features such as workout tracking (running, cycling, weight lifting, etc.), heart beat monitoring, smartphone notifications, and more. 

Some trackers even have compatible smartphone apps that centralize the data it collects, allowing users to chart their progress over time via a dashboard or activity calendar. 

What are the pros and cons of fitness trackers?

Deciding whether the pros of a fitness tracker outweigh its cons ultimately comes down to how you intend to use it. If you plan on being routinely active and using the data it collects to develop and maintain a fitness routine, then it can be extremely beneficial. 

However, if you don't ever look at the amassed data or buy a watch that has too many features you'll never use, then it will surely become an expensive digital timepiece that tracks fitness data for no reason. 

Fitness trackers are powerful tools that can offer deep insight into one's health profile — but they can also be quite expensive. This is why it's important to not only figure out how you want to use the watch before you buy one but to research which watch is best fit for your lifestyle and your goals. 

What should I look for in a fitness tracker?

Those looking for a device dedicated to tracking daily activity, workouts, and sleep have a vast number of choices even without including members of the smartwatch family. Here's what to consider:

Comfort and design: Since you'll wear the tracker daily (even to bed for sleep tracking), comfort is a high priority. If it's not comfortable, you won't want to wear it; plain and simple. The same goes for design. If you have a small wrist, you may want a tracker with a sleek, understated look. Fitness trackers come in all shapes and sizes, so you'll be able to find one that suits your style.

Features: If you're looking for a no-frills fitness tracker, then one that only tracks steps and your sleep habits may suffice. However, if you work out often or want insight into how your activity impacts your overall health, a more advanced tracker with a heart rate monitor or built-in GPS may be the one for you.

You should also consider the types of workouts you like to do. For example, if you're a swimmer, waterproofing is a must. If you're just starting a new fitness routine, then a device that coaches you and gives you goals to work towards may provide the extra motivation you need.

App experience: Most fitness trackers are designed to work in tandem with your smartphone, syncing the data collected with a downloaded application. This allows you to gain even more insight into your health and save the information collected to track your progress over time.

Unfortunately, not all companion apps are that effective and you may find there are some experiences you prefer over others. It's important to choose a fitness tracker that gives you a good app experience. Easy navigation and compatibility with your phone's operating system are a must.