Whether you're just starting your health journey or seeking deeper insights into your workouts, a fitness tracker can transform exercise into a fun, gamified experience while providing valuable data. Fortunately, many of these devices, which often resemble smartwatches, are affordable. From advanced models that rival the best smartwatches to basic ones that monitor steps and heart rate, there's a wide range of budget-friendly fitness trackers suitable for all wrist sizes.
TL;DR – The Best Budget Fitness Trackers:
Our Top Pick### Fitbit Inspire 3
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### Xiaomi Smart Band 9
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### Xiaomi Smart Band 9 Pro
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### Amazfit Band 7
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### Apple Watch SE (2nd Gen)
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### Garmin Venu 3
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Fitbit Inspire 3
Best Budget Fitness Tracker
Our Top Pick### Fitbit Inspire 3
0Smartwatches and fitness trackers don’t have to break the bank, and the Fitbit Inspire 3 is a testament to that. This budget-friendly device offers a vibrant AMOLED display and a durable, sleek band that's comfortable enough to wear while you sleep. With a 10-day battery life, you won't need to charge it often, though this duration may decrease with the always-on display feature. Navigation is straightforward with touch technology and two haptic buttons.
The Fitbit Inspire 3 excels in fitness tracking, offering 24/7 heart rate monitoring, step counting, blood oxygen level measurement, and movement reminders. It also features automatic exercise tracking, which is particularly useful if you often forget to start your workout sessions, and sleep monitoring to help you understand your sleep quality better. While it includes basic smartwatch features like phone notifications and a find-my-phone function via Bluetooth, it does not support music storage or contactless payments.
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Product Specifications:
- Size: 39.3mm x 18.6mm
- Thickness: 11.75mm
- Battery life: 10 days
- Connectivity: Bluetooth
- Sensors: Heart rate monitor, SpO2
- Tracking: Swim, sleep, steps
- Water resistance: Up to 50m
Pros:
- Bright AMOLED touchscreen
- Long battery life
Cons:
- Some advanced features require a subscription
Xiaomi Smart Band 9
Best Ultra Cheap Fitness Tracker
### Xiaomi Smart Band 9
0Priced under $50, the Xiaomi Smart Band 9 is an affordable option that doesn't skimp on features. It boasts a 1.62-inch AMOLED display and an impressive 21-day battery life, along with basic tracking and over 150 sports modes.
The band includes essentials like a pedometer, heart rate monitor, blood oxygen saturation, and sleep monitoring. Its extensive sports modes cover activities from running to swimming, providing detailed metrics like calories burned and average heart rate. While these metrics may not be as precise as those from high-end smartwatches with GPS, the Smart Band 9 still offers valuable workout insights.
The latest model features enhanced battery life and a brighter screen, reaching 1,200 nits for easy visibility in sunlight. Despite lacking physical buttons, the touch-responsive display makes it easy to navigate and access fitness metrics and limited smartwatch features like call and message notifications and music playback control. However, be prepared for some challenges with phone pairing.
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Product Specifications:
- Size: 46.53mm x 21.63mm
- Thickness: 10.95mm
- Battery life: 21 days
- Connectivity: Bluetooth
- Sensors: Heart rate monitor, SpO2
- Tracking: Swim, sleep, steps
- Water resistance: Up to 50m
Pros:
- Over 150 sports modes
- Impressive 21-day battery life
Cons:
- Tracking isn't always 100% accurate
Xiaomi Smart Band 9 Pro
Best Budget Fitness Tracker with GPS
### Xiaomi Smart Band 9 Pro
0The Xiaomi Smart Band 9 Pro enhances the standard model with a built-in GPS, allowing you to map your workouts accurately. It also includes 24/7 heart rate and SpO2 monitoring, sleep and stress tracking, and over 150 sports modes.
The Pro model features a larger 1.74-inch rectangular AMOLED display, reminiscent of an Apple Watch. Its GPS is surprisingly accurate, making it perfect for tracking runs, bike rides, and hikes. While the health metrics are comprehensive, some sports modes may only track heart rate and time, limiting their depth.
Although not a full smartwatch, the Smart Band 9 Pro offers music playback and notification display when connected to your phone. Unfortunately, it lacks NFC support and the ability to respond to notifications. Despite these limitations, its bright, responsive screen, user-friendly interface, and impressive battery life make it a stylish choice for under $100.
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Product Specifications:
- Size: 43.27mm x 32.49mm
- Thickness: 10.8mm
- Battery life: 21 days
- Connectivity: Bluetooth
- Sensors: Heart rate monitor, GPS, SpO2
- Tracking: Swim, sleep, stress
- Water resistance: Up to 50m
Pros:
- Accurate built-in GPS
- Large, full-color AMOLED display
Cons:
- No NFC
Amazfit Band 7
Best Budget Fitness Tracker With Health Monitoring
### Amazfit Band 7
0Priced at just $50, the Amazfit Band 7 offers an impressive array of features, including a long-lasting battery, health monitoring, and sleep tracking. Its large 1.47-inch always-on AMOLED display ensures easy readability, while the slim band remains comfortable on the wrist.
The Band 7 supports over 120 sports modes with automatic recognition for four, and its water resistance up to 50m makes it suitable for swimming. Health monitoring encompasses heart rate, blood oxygen levels, and stress, with sleep tracking providing insights into nightly sleep quality. Additionally, it integrates with Amazon Alexa and offers basic smartwatch features like notifications.
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Product Specifications:
- Size: 37.3mm
- Thickness: 12.2mm
- Battery life: 18 days
- Connectivity: Bluetooth 5.2
- Sensors: Heart rate monitor, SpO2
- Tracking: Swim, period, sleep
- Water resistance: Up to 50m
Pros:
- Tons of tracking including stress and sleep
- Amazon Alexa and other smartwatch features built-in
Cons:
- No built-in GPS
Apple Watch SE (2nd Gen)
Best Budget Apple Watch
### Apple Watch SE (2nd Gen)
0The Apple Watch SE (2nd Gen) offers a budget-friendly option within the Apple ecosystem, running on the same S8 SiP chipset as the Apple Watch Series 8 for speedy processing. It includes an optical heart rate sensor and built-in GPS, ideal for tracking various workouts, including swimming.
As a full-fledged smartwatch, it allows you to answer calls, respond to messages, make contactless payments, and stream music directly from your wrist. It also features crash detection, which can automatically call emergency services in case of an accident. With a slim, comfortable design and impressive battery life for an Apple Watch, it's a versatile choice.
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Product Specifications:
- Size: 40mm x 34mm
- Thickness: 10.7mm
- Battery life: 18 hours
- Connectivity: Cellular (optional), 802.11n Wi-Fi, Bluetooth 5.3
- Sensors: Heart rate monitor, GPS, accelerometer
- Tracking: Swim, sleep, period
- Water resistance: Up to 50m
Pros:
- Huge selection of apps
- Special safety features like crash detection and built-in GPS
Cons:
- Fewer sensors than other Apple Watch options
Garmin Venu 3
Best Budget Fitness Tracker for Workouts
### Garmin Venu 3
0The Garmin Venu 3 is ideal for those serious about their workouts, offering comprehensive tracking capabilities, including a GPS and heart rate monitor. It also features animated workout guides for pilates, HIIT, and cardio, along with the unique Body Battery feature that assesses your body's energy levels based on activity, stress, and sleep.
Beyond fitness, the Venu 3 serves as a smartwatch, allowing you to receive phone notifications, make contactless payments, and more. Its bright AMOLED touchscreen and up to 14 days of battery life make it a reliable companion, though the battery life may decrease with constant use of the always-on display and automatic workout detection. The app selection is more limited compared to Apple and Google smartwatches, but it remains a strong choice for fitness enthusiasts.
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Product Specifications:
- Size: 45mm
- Thickness: 12mm
- Battery life: 14 days
- Connectivity: Bluetooth, 802.11n
- Sensors: Heart rate monitor, GPS, temperature
- Tracking: Swim, sleep, stress, energy
- Water resistance: Up to 50m
Pros:
- Highly accurate GPS and heart rate monitor
- Helpful Body Battery feature
Cons:
- Limited app selection compared to other smartwatches
What to Look for in a Budget Fitness Tracker
When choosing a budget fitness tracker, consider more than just step counting and sleep tracking. The overall experience includes hardware quality, comfort, software capabilities, and tracking accuracy. As prices increase, so do features like heart rate monitoring, GPS, and advanced displays like OLED. However, even basic trackers can provide a wealth of health data at a low cost.
What kind of fitness tracker do I need?
The ideal fitness tracker depends on your needs. For basic tracking like steps and heart rate, an ultra-cheap, compact band like the Xiaomi Smart Band 9 might suffice. These budget options often feature color displays and long battery life, along with various sports modes, sleep tracking, and phone notifications.
If you're into running, biking, or hiking, consider spending a bit more for a model with GPS support. For those seeking extensive functionality beyond fitness, a smartwatch like the Apple Watch SE or Garmin Venu 3 offers larger screens, built-in storage, a wider range of apps, and the ability to handle calls, texts, and other notifications.
If you're an active runner or gym-goer, don't forget to pair your fitness tracker with a great pair of earbuds to enhance your workout experience.
