We’ve reviewed a whole host of fitness trackers but here are ten of the best, collectively covering the needs all manner of athletes. With different trackers placing their focus on different areas, bear in mind that this list is in no particular order.
If you are looking for something with a little more functionality, why not check out our best smartwatches roundup too.
Happy tracking.
1. Fitbit Charge 4
- $149.95
The Charge 4 is easily the best all-round Fitbit tracker and even a match for some of Fitbit's smartwatches. It covers all the basics - tracking steps, distance, calories burned, hourly activity, floors climbed, heart rate, swim-tracking and advanced sleep - not to mention it has most of the top-end exercise features too, including Active Zone Minutes.
Yes, it lacks the larger colour screen you get with a smartwatch, plus in-tracker music storage but with its built-in GPS and new health measurements it closely matches the more expensive Versa 3 smartwatch.
Choose the Charge 4 if you can live with the smaller, monochrome screen and lack of voice assistants.
Read our full Fitbit Charge 4 review
2. Fitbit Versa 2
- $179.95
While the Versa 3 addresses its predecessor's biggest omission - adding in integrated GPS - it's not all that much of an upgrade, partly because the Versa 2 was already so good.
As such, provided you can find it at a discount, we'd still opt for the Versa 2 over its 2020 follow-up.
It covers all the aspects of a health and fitness watch; measuring steps, heart rate, distance, calories burned, floors climbed, active minutes, hourly activity, and sleep. It offers on-screen notifications from your phone, silent alarms, cardio fitness levels, workout and other exercise modes - such as swimming and weights - female health tracking and wellness features, plus music controls and even Amazon's Alexa voice assistant.
It also beats the cheaper Versa Lite as it boasts a better screen, onscreen workouts, an altimeter to track floors climbed, music storage, Spotify and Alexa functionality.
Read our full Fitbit Versa 2 review
3. Xiaomi Mi Band 5
- $39.99
Xiaomi once again impresses with its budget fitness tracker. The Mi Band 5 isn't only affordable, it packs in a range of features from basic step counting and heart-rate monitoring to sleep tracking and app notifications.
If you own the Mi Band 4, we'd upgrade for the new charging system alone - no longer requiring that you remove the tracker from its band.
Also new in this version is a larger, brighter AMOLED display, new sports modes and tracking features - including menstrual cycles and stress - plus a PAI scoring system for health.
You will not find better value for money anywhere.
Read our full Xiaomi Mi Smart Band 5 review
4. Fitbit Sense
- $299.95
The Fitbit Sense adds a lot of new health features at the top-end of the Fitbit range. You could call it the hypochondriac’s smartwatch, it’s so full of warning signs, but there’s a lot here that will help indicate serious health problems that you will have the chance to improve.
Mindfulness might seem a little kooky to some and a concern for those with too much time on their hands, but there is no denying that stress can affect us all, and managing it will quickly bring not just mental but long-term physical health benefits.
For all-round physical and mental health tracking, the Sense is the Fitbit with it all; provided you can swing the high price.
Read our full Fitbit Sense review
5. Withings Move ECG
- $129.95
When it comes to design, the Withings Move ECG is so classic and simple that it could pass as an everyday watch. On the fitness tracking side, the companion Health Mate app does almost everything you need it to and more, whilst being scientifically backed-up.
If you’re simply in love with the Withings Move classic watch design - but want that little bit extra - this is the wearable for you.
6. Honor Band 6
- $62.99
Honor's latest fitness tracker goes big on display and backs that 1.47in AMOLED panel up with 5ATM water resistance, great battery life and more.
It undercuts equivalent rivals from Honor and Fitbit on price, and only really falls down on the number of activities it can track, with ten dedicated workout modes.
The promise of 14-day battery life rang true in testing and premium features like SpO2 monitoring feature too.
Read our full Honor Band 6 review
7. Withings ScanWatch
- $279 (38mm) | $299 (42mm)
Aside from a lack of GPS, Withings' ScanWatch is a compelling hybrid tracker, with a classic design and rich tracking capabilities.
The name relates to its ability to more accurately get a read on your heart health than any other tracker here, albeit for a premium that makes it more of a niche proposition.
AFib detection, an SpO2 sensor and the promise of sleep apnea detection via a future update are smart inclusions, while the small PMOLED display grants some degree of smartwatch-like functionality on top of its fitness-tracking skillset.
Read our full Withings ScanWatch review
8. Withings Move
- From $69.95
The Move is a slick fitness tracker from Withings that’s ideal for anyone who wants to keep things simple. It only does the basics - activity and sleep tracking, but no heart rate. That said, it does them well and the analogue form factor keeps things clean and easy to read.
18-month battery life is obviously a major selling point and the customisable designs are a big appeal too - you can tweak everything from the strap to the watch face and even the colour of the tracker dial.
A heart rate sensor would really seal the deal (which is where the Move ECG comes in) but it’s an understandable omission for the price, and with waterproofing, sleep tracking and great app support, everything else about the Move is easy to love.
9. Polar Vantage M2
- $299.95
If you're willing to spring for the high price, the Polar Vantage M2 offers up an astounding level of insight into your workouts.
It lasts a week on a charge, features a robust yet stylish design and monitors a range of 24/7 health metrics that other wearables simply omit; including cardio load status and recovery.
Integrated GPS and a simply dizzying amount of functionality afforded by the Polar Flow companion app, render the Vantage M2 an ideal tracker for those looking to get serious about their fitness.
Read our full Polar Vantage M2 review
10. Huawei Watch Fit
- £119.99 (around $155)
Aside from affordability, the Huawei Watch Fit's standout feature is a series of pre-loaded guided workouts that you can do any time, anywhere, with minimal-to-no equipment.
It's large 1.64in AMOLED touchscreen display means it's easy to follow along and the Fit also boasts water resistance, an optical heart rate sensor, a premium design and long battery life, all for an impressively competitive price.
Read our full Huawei Watch Fit review
Your buying guide to the best fitness trackers in 2021
Fitness trackers help you measure and log a myriad of activities each day; from a simple step count to weights sessions, swimming and more.
The biggest challenge when choosing one that suits your needs is that there are just so many to choose from and not all of them offer the same functionality or track fitness to the same degree or quality.
Brands like Fitbit dominate the conversation and while the company's wares are undoubtedly competent, there are lots of other trackers out there that excel in areas your average Fitbit doesn't.
There are also different types of fitness tracker to consider, influenced by factors that affect their designs and prices – two things that are no doubt high on your list when searching for the right wearable.
Some will want something that counts steps and doesn't require frequent charging, others might be in the market for a new marathon companion.
Do you want to be able to log your routes using integrated GPS or is tethered GPS (pulling location data from your phone in real-time) enough? Do you need constant heart-rate monitoring? Does your tracker need to be water-resistant? Is integration with other fitness services, like Strava, essential? These are all additional aspects to consider before buying.
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