Best Fitness Trackers for 2023

The Charge 5 improves on earlier Charge models by adding a color screen and an electrocardiogram (ECG or EKG) app on top of the already-strong fitness and sleep tracking Fitbit is known for. There’s a built-in GPS so you can track outdoor workouts without your phone, plus a blood oxygen sensor. With the recent addition of a new Daily Readiness Score, the Charge 5 can also tell you if your body is up to taking on a workout, or if you should take a rest day. But many of Fitbit’s most useful features, like this score, are only available as part of Fitbit’s $10-a-month Premium service. Without a Premium subscription you can still use the Charge 5 for fitness and health tracking, it just won’t give you the most in-depth metrics and trends over time. The battery should last you at least four full days and it’s compatible with iPhone and Android.

If you’re looking for a fitness band that’s discreet (and more affordable), you may consider the Fitbit Luxe. You won’t get the built-in GPS or mobile payment options, but it has health and fitness tracking essentials, including heart-rate monitoring, automatic workout detection and a detailed sleep analysis.

This fitness band is also the closest thing to jewelry that I’ve worn so far, especially if you pair it with the Gorjana link bracelet. You can also swap out the bands for more traditional silicone ones if you’re worried about sweat or using it to track swims. The biggest downside is that for some people, the screen and text may be too small to read without a lot of effort (or glasses).

For around $50, the Mi Band 7 is the best value fitness tracker on this list. It has a large color AMOLED touchscreen, 24/7 heart rate and sleep tracking. Battery life is also great, with about six days of use before needing to charge. The main downside is that heart-rate tracking for intense workouts does tend to be spotty and some features like contactless payments are not available in the US. There is a newer version of this model called the Mi Band 8, which we haven’t fully reviewed yet.

Unlike some of the other devices on this list, the Apple Watch Series 9 is a true smartwatch. It has a temperature, blood oxygen and ECG sensor and comes in 41 and 45mm sizes. You can also choose a cellular or LTE model that lets you take calls and answer messages from your wrist without your phone, although that does cost extra. There are comprehensive tools for runners and cyclists on the Series 9 that give you in-depth looks at your running metrics. With WatchOS 10 you can also connect Bluetooth cycling accessories like power pedals to the watch.

The Series 9 also has the S9 chip that enables the Double Tap gesture so you can pinch your thumb and forefinger together to control the watch when you can’t reach it with the other hand. Battery life generally lasts 18 hours with typical use, so you will need to charge this watch every day, unlike many of the other fitness trackers on this list.

The Series 9 may be a little more sophisticated, but the $249 Apple Watch SE has everything you need in a fitness tracker with added smartwatch features. Both watches share the same variety of exercise modes, sleep tracking, heart-rate monitoring, ability to detect irregular heart rhythms and cardio fitness notifications. There’s also a redesigned new Compass app to help prevent you from getting lost on your next run. Apple’s next software update, called WatchOS 10, brings extra features that cyclists and hikers will likely appreciate. 

The Apple Watch SE is also compatible with dozens of fitness apps like Strava, Nike Training Club and Apple’s own Fitness Plus. It lacks the Series 9’s ability to take an ECG, measure wrist temperature and monitor blood oxygen. But for those who just need some extra motivation to close their Activity Rings, the Apple Watch SE has plenty to offer at a lower price than the Series 9. 

These $300 smart insoles can turn any old running shoe into a high-tech tracker, giving you more fitness tracking information about your run than any wrist-based tracker we’ve ever tested. Each insole has 16 sensors that detect the pressure you’re putting on your foot with every step you take. Together with the app and trackers, they can measure everything from step length to foot strike balance to give you real-time feedback on how to reduce injury or improve your time.

If you’re not quite ready to give up the look of a traditional wristwatch, but want something with smart features, consider the Garmin Lily. This is a tracker designed for smaller wrists and has a cool pattern etched in the background of the watch that gives it a unique look when the monochrome screen is on or off. Despite its tiny footprint, it doesn’t skimp on all the important features you’d expect, including blood oxygen, sleep tracking and 24/7 heart-rate monitoring. Unlike some of the other trackers on this list, the Lily doesn’t have any onboard storage for music, or built-in GPS.