Whether you're embarking on a new health journey or seeking deeper insights into your workouts, a fitness tracker can gamify exercise and provide valuable data. Fortunately, many of these wearables, which are often versions of smartwatches, are available at affordable prices. From feature-rich options that rival the best smartwatches to basic models that track steps and heart rate, there are numerous budget-friendly fitness trackers suitable for all wrist sizes.
TL;DR – The Best Budget Fitness Trackers:
Our Top Pick### Fitbit Inspire 3
0See it at Amazon### Xiaomi Smart Band 9
0See it at Amazon### Xiaomi Smart Band 9 Pro
0See it at Amazon### Amazfit Band 7
0See it at Amazon### Apple Watch SE (2nd Gen)
0See it at Amazon### Garmin Venu 3
0See it at AmazonContributions by Kevin Lee
Fitbit Inspire 3
Best Budget Fitness Tracker
Our Top Pick### Fitbit Inspire 3
0Smartwatches and fitness trackers don’t need to be expensive, and the Fitbit Inspire 3 is a prime example. This budget-friendly option offers a bright AMOLED display and a durable, sleek band that's comfortable enough to wear while sleeping. With a 10-day battery life, you won't need to charge it often, though using the always-on display mode will reduce this. Navigation is intuitive with touch technology and two haptic buttons.
Designed for fitness tracking, the Fitbit Inspire 3 includes 24/7 heart rate monitoring, step counting, blood oxygen level measurement, and movement reminders. It also features automatic exercise tracking, which is perfect if you often forget to start a workout, and sleep monitoring to help you understand your sleep quality. While it has some basic smartwatch features like phone notifications and a find-my-phone function via Bluetooth, it doesn't 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
0The Xiaomi Smart Band 9 is an affordable fitness tracker with a 1.62-inch AMOLED display and an impressive 21-day battery life. It offers basic tracking along with over 150 sports modes, making it a compelling option for those on a tight budget.
This band includes essential features like a pedometer, heart rate monitor, blood oxygen saturation, and sleep monitoring. With over 150 fitness modes, including running, HIIT, kickboxing, and swimming, you get detailed insights into your workouts, although the accuracy might not match that of higher-end devices like the Apple Watch. The latest model boasts improved battery life and a brighter screen, reaching 1,200 nits for easy visibility in sunlight. The touch-responsive display is user-friendly, offering limited smartwatch features like call and message notifications and music playback control. However, pairing with your phone can sometimes be challenging.
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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 steps up with a built-in GPS for mapping your workouts, alongside 24/7 heart rate and SpO2 monitoring, sleep and stress tracking, and various sports modes.
The most noticeable upgrade is the larger, rectangular 1.74-inch AMOLED display, reminiscent of the Apple Watch. The built-in GPS ensures accurate tracking of runs, bike rides, and hikes. The band still includes all the essential health metrics and supports over 150 sports modes, although some unique modes only track heart rate and time.
While not a full smartwatch, it offers limited smartwatch features like music playback and notifications when connected to your phone. However, it lacks NFC support and the ability to respond to notifications. Despite these limitations, the Xiaomi Smart Band 9 Pro remains a stylish and functional fitness tracker with a bright, responsive screen, user-friendly interface, and excellent battery life.
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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
0The Amazfit Band 7 is an ultra-affordable fitness tracker that packs in features like long battery life, comprehensive health monitoring, and sleep tracking.
This band features a large 1.47-inch always-on AMOLED display, making it easy to view health and workout data while maintaining a slim and comfortable profile. It offers up to 18 days of battery life with typical usage and extends to 28 days in battery-saver mode. The Amazfit Band 7 supports over 120 sports modes with automatic recognition of four, and its water resistance up to 50m makes it suitable for swimming. Health monitoring includes heart rate, blood oxygen levels, and stress, with detailed sleep tracking. Additionally, it integrates Amazon Alexa for voice commands and other smartwatch features.
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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 2nd-generation Apple Watch SE offers a budget-friendly option with the powerful S8 SiP chipset, ensuring speedy processing at a fraction of the cost of other Apple Watches.
This model includes an optical heart rate sensor and built-in GPS, ideal for tracking hikes and various workouts, including swimming. It also supports a wide range of apps from the App Store, thanks to its 32GB of storage. As a full-fledged smartwatch, it allows you to answer calls, respond to messages, make contactless payments, and stream music. Additionally, it features crash detection for enhanced safety. The slim design and impressive battery life make it a comfortable and practical 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 goes beyond basic fitness tracking with a GPS, heart rate monitor, and animated workout features, along with the ability to receive phone notifications and make contactless payments.
This device tracks a variety of exercises, including swimming, cycling, and golf, with over 30 preloaded sports apps. It features a highly accurate GPS and heart rate monitor, along with an ECG, blood oxygen, and temperature sensors. The standout Body Battery feature provides insights into your body's restfulness based on activity, stress, and sleep.
The Garmin Venu 3 is a compact smartwatch with a bright AMOLED touchscreen display and a 14-day battery life, which may decrease with the always-on display and automatic workout detection. While it offers essential smartwatch features when paired with the best Android phones, its app selection is more limited compared to Apple and Google smartwatches.
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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 evaluating fitness trackers, consider not only their ability to count steps or monitor sleep but also the quality of the hardware, comfort, software capabilities, and tracking accuracy. As prices increase, so do the features, such as heart rate monitoring, GPS, and OLED displays. However, many budget trackers still offer a wealth of health data.
What kind of fitness tracker do I need?
The type of fitness tracker you need depends on your intended use. If you're looking for basic features like step tracking, heart rate monitoring, and timekeeping, an ultra-cheap option like the Xiaomi Smart Band 9 could suffice. These affordable models often include color displays, long battery life, and additional features like sports modes, sleep tracking, and phone notifications.
For activities like running, biking, or hiking, consider spending a bit more for a model with GPS support. If you're looking for extensive functionality beyond fitness tracking, a smartwatch like the Apple Watch SE or Garmin Venu 3 might be the best choice. These devices offer larger screens, built-in storage, access to numerous apps, and the ability to handle calls, texts, and other notifications.
If you're an avid runner or gym-goer, complementing your fitness tracker with a great pair of earbuds can enhance your overall experience.