The best fitness trackers you can buy: Expert tested and reviewed

Fitbit has been one of the pioneers of smart fitness trackers, making some of the best devices in the game. In the last iteration of this list, the Fitbit Charge 5 was our best overall pick. It would be no surprise to expect its newest version, the Fitbit Charge 6, to resume that spot. With a charge that lasts seven days, it is hard to beat.

According to ZDNET contributor Matthew Miller, the Fitbit Charge 6 is, “one of the best fitness trackers.”

Review: Fitbit Charge 6

The Charge 6 has the same features as the Charge 5 but better. The optical heart rate monitor has dramatically improved, with Fitbit stating it is 60% more accurate. Like its predecessor, it is equipped with SpO2 monitoring, a skin temperature sensor, and a comfortable form factor while slightly larger than the 5.

“Compared to the Charge 5, I am very pleased to see the return of the floors climbed metric, improved heart rate sensor performance, side haptic button, and the Google goodies… The Fitbit Charge 6 is much better to sleep with than my larger smartwatches. Using the Charge 6 definitely has me considering if I really need a full-size watch mounted on my wrist all the time,” said Miller in his review.

One of the only downsides is the smaller display, which makes some actions slightly tedious on the touchscreen. The GPS is not as accurate as other watches, as the 6 only supports one navigation system, GLONASS, as opposed to other watches, which typically use five. Some features require a Fitbit Premium membership, but Google offers a free six-month subscription when you purchase the watch.

The Fitbit Charge 6 is our best overall fitness tracker with its plethora of functions and reasonable price. 

Fitbit Charge 6 Specs: Display: 1.4-inch full-color AMOLED | Battery Life: Up to seven days | Dimensions: 38 x 18.5 x 11.6mm | Weight: 37.64 g | Water/dust resistance: Up to 50 meters | Connectivity: Bluetooth, iOS 15 or higher  and Android 9 or higher | Sleep tracking: Yes, with Fitbit Premium

If you’re looking for a fitness tracker without the bulk of a smartwatch, consider the convenience of the smart ring. In 2024, ZDNET tested multiple rings for their functions, convenience, and battery life. The Oura Ring Gen 3 overwhelmingly takes the cake for its specific insights and detailed reports on fitness and well-being. ZDNET has the Oura Ring Gen 3 as the best smart ring and sleep tracker of 2024 so far, making it highly regarded among editors.

ZDNET’s Nina Raemont went hands-on with the ring and was impressed by how accurate and insightful tacked data was, “Oura presents my sleep, activity, and recovery data to me right as I check the home page on the app, and I’m pleased with how it’s helped me further understand myself through health data. It even captured my higher stress levels on one tear-filled night.”

Review: Oura Ring 3

A ZDNET contributor, Sherin Shibu, also tested the ring to see how it would perform, concluding it is the best ring of 2024 so far. She liked the ring for its ability to track sleep cycles and give detailed insights on workouts, all in a small form factor using a user-friendly app. However, Shibu writes, “It would be helpful if the ring had an anti-scratch coating or if Oura experiments with different materials to ensure maximum durability.”

Users on Reddit say a downside is the mandatory $6 monthly subscription to track your wellness fully. However, the ring shines where other fitness trackers fall short. For starters, it is easier to sleep with than the unwavering buzzing of an Apple Watch and provides better insights.

If you want a convenient fitness tracker with a small form factor that provides detailed insights, the Oura Ring Gen 3 is your product.

Oura Ring Gen3 tech specs: Material: Lightweight titanium with non-allergenic, non-metallic inner molding | Battery life: 4 to 7 days | Charging: Full charge in 20 to 80 minutes | Compatibility: iOS and Android | Durability: Water-resistant up to 328 feet | Sizing: Free sizing kit with purchase on their site

The Garmin Venu 3s is the perfect sleep tracker for athletes and fitness junkies. Garmin watches are a usual go-to for athletes thanks to their wide variety of features catered to an active audience. The notable aspect of the Venu 3s is how it combines your physical activity with sleep insights, helping you maximize your workout regimen and energy levels. 

The watch is equipped with a sleep tracker that provides a sleep score, tracks your stages of sleep, and monitors heart rate and temperature during sleep. Its body battery feature allows users to visualize the amount of sleep they get and how it affects their energy levels.

Review: Garmin Venu 3s

“If you are looking for a health and wellness watch that lasts longer than one or two days, then the Garmin Venu 3S is an outstanding option… Add in the vast Garmin support for collecting and helping you use the data captured every day and night, and then you have a watch that is tough to beat,” said ZDNET contributor Matthew Miller in his review.

However, this watch is the most expensive on this list at $450. And the sleep tracking features can drain the battery. Regardless, the combination of sleep tracking and fitness features makes this watch a great fitness tracker for those who want to factor sleep into their health journey. 

Garmin Venu 3s Specs: Battery: Up to 10 days battery life | Sleep-tracking: Sleep score and insights Connectivity: Bluetooth, iOS, and Android compatible | Display: 41mm or 45mm | Water Resistant: 5 ATM water resistant 

Let’s face it: children want to participate in technology just as much as adults do. Instead of leaping to buy them a phone, try starting with the Fitbit Ace LTE. This watch and fitness tracker encourages physical activity to combat a generation stuck online and provides engaging games and safety features for six to fourteen-year-olds. (Or, at least, a child capable of navigating a touch screen.)

“I’m not ready to get my second-grader a phone. I just know she’ll forget it somewhere, or one of us will forget to charge it, rendering it useless. The Fitbit Ace LTE is the perfect device to give kids control over their day, connect them to approved contacts, and track their location when needed,” says ZDNET writer Maria Diaz in her review.

Review: Fitbit Ace LTE

The main features of this fitness tracker include a heart rate sensor, a pedometer, and a data plan to contact approved individuals. The arcade games preloaded with the watch require specific activity benchmarks to unlock. These arcade games encourage physical activity, like a “fishing” game, where the user reenacts a reeling motion to catch fish in different locations. There are progress rings similar to Apple Watches called ‘Noodles.’ These Noodles are customizable and offer a whimsical way to track your children’s activity goals.

The watch requires a monthly data plan to access its features, totaling about $10. This subscription allows you to connect an app to the watch to monitor your child’s activity and contact it. The data plan does not include a phone number; only approved app users can contact the watch. It also includes features like school mode, where distractions are muted to help the child focus on their education.

There are a few downsides, though. It does not include a sleep-tracking feature, which could provide valuable insights for a parent. The watch does not support receiving images or voice messages, although it can send voice messages. However, with all of its great features, it can outweigh the cons.

Fitbit Ace LTE Specs: Display: 1.6/1.8 inches, OLED | Battery Life: 16 hours | Dimensions: 41.04 x 44.89 x 13.34 mm | Weight: 28.03 g | Water resistant: Up to 50 m | Scratch-resistant: Yes | Connectivity: Bluetooth 5.0, iOS 15 or newer and Android 11.0 or newer | Sleep tracking: No

The newest addition to the Apple Watch family is the series 9, released in September 2023. It features a few updates from its predecessor, the series 8. The faster processor, new gestures, and brighter display equal a better user experience—especially for those who prefer Apple products or compatibility with their iPhone.

The watch has many features, including tracking heart rate, steps, respiratory rate, oxygen, temperature, and even sound levels. A Reddit user says it revolutionized their mornings with a haptic alarm: “Ever since I got an Apple Watch, I haven’t woken up to a normal alarm sound. The feeling of just the subtle vibrations feels like tapping you awake, and it feels so much better than just hearing an annoying sound every morning!” 

Review: Apple Watch Series 9

ZDNET Editor-in-chief Jason Hiner ranks the Apple Watch Series 9 as the best Apple Watch overall. He praises it for its upgraded display, plethora of features, and improved battery life over other models. 

“Inside the Apple Watch Series 9 is the S9 chip, which makes the popular smartwatch faster, smarter, and better at reading your body signals. That makes the 2023 Apple Watch Series 9 a generational step up. So, if you’re in the market for an Apple Watch right now, I’d specifically recommend getting the Series 9 because the health tracking is such an improvement from previous models,” he said in his review. 

However, it still ranks as the fitness tracker with the most minuscule battery capabilities on this list, besides the Fitbit Ace LTE, and has a less convenient form factor than the others. Despite a few flaws, the Apple Watch Series 9 remains the best Apple Watch for fitness tracking.

Apple Watch Series 9 specs: Display size: 41mm or 45mm | Battery life: Up to 36 hours | Storage capacity: 64GB | Water Resistant: Up to 50 m | Safety: Emergency SOS | Connectivity: Bluetooth

Just like a Fitbit, Garmin, or Apple Watch, the Amazfit can track general fitness, such as steps and heart rate, but it also has higher-end features, such as sleep cycle tracking and stress level detection. If you want the most bang for your buck, the Amazfit Band 7 doesn’t hurt your pocket too much but offers similar features a more expensive fitness tracker would have. 

Still, this affordable tracker features a 1.47-inch AMOLED display, a marathon battery life, and Alexa integration. Despite the Band 7 lacking some premium fitness tracking features, you can still gain insight into your heart rate, blood oxygen, and stress levels. Additionally, the Band 7 has more comprehensive sleep tracking than Apple’s watches, considering the Band 7 tracks daytime naps, while Apple Watches only track sleep if your iPhone is in Sleep Focus.

This product is most praised on Reddit, where users say it’s their holy grail fitness tracker because of its price and functions: ” For the price, features, and reliability, it has exceeded my expectations.”

However, some users point out that the watch is not the most durable and tends to be buggy with some features.

Just like a Fitbit, Garmin, or Apple Watch, the Amazfit can track general fitness, such as steps and heart rate, but it also has higher-end features, such as sleep cycle tracking and stress level detection. If you want the most bang for your buck, the Amazfit Band 7 doesn’t hurt your pocket too much but offers similar features a more expensive fitness tracker would have. 

Amazfit Band 7 Specs: Display Size: 1.47in AMOLED | Battery Life: Up to 12 days with heavy usage | Charging time: 2 hours | Connectivity: Bluetooth | Water resistant: Up to 50 m