All of our other analog-clock picks (and even a couple of the digital ones) have the classic shrill beep that’s become a film trope, signifying the start of another boring day or a brutal hangover. This one sounds more like the ringing of an old-school landline — which, admittedly, some people might find equally irksome. And for everyday runners, gym goers and those who want a Garmin that can do a bit of everything – and look good doing it – the Vivoactive 6 is a strong, versatile pick that offers great bang for your buck. It’s a highly competent navigator, too, with mapping upgrades that add terrain contours on your TopoActive map, dynamic round trip, and route guidance that can update mid-run to hit a specified distance if you go off-course. It’s easy to create routes on the fly or upload courses downloaded from Strava and third parties.
How we tested
The Forerunner 265 tracker is our premier recommendation for athletes, passionate runners and cyclists, and triathletes. It’s also particularly great for those who venture beyond cellular coverage and charging capabilities for extended periods. This tracker is capable of providing a plethora of data, analytics, and even predictions & recommendations on all of your training activities in a user-friendly wrist-based device. The Forerunner 265 is our top recommendation for athletes looking to up their performance monitoring capabilities. The Amazfit Active 2 is technically a fitness watch rather than a band-based fitness tracker, but as it’s under $100 / £100 / AU$150, I’d certainly say it qualifies. Not only is it a great fitness tracker in terms of its features (it’s got 164 sports modes, even a dedicated Hyrox mode) but with offline maps, it’s also a terrific fitness tracker for running and hiking.
Which is better, Fitbit or Apple Watch?
However, there’s no altimeter for tracking elevation changes, so climb data should be taken with a grain of salt. During testing, I loved how lightweight and comfortable this little tracker was to wear for 24/7 health tracking. I also appreciated how much more premium the tracker feels with a color screen. It won’t be for everyone, but if you’re looking for an affordable fitness tracker, you can’t go wrong with the Inspire 3. The Amazfit Band 7 is a lightweight and easy-to-wear fitness tracker with great battery life, good tracking accuracy and a fairly simple user interface, all for under $50. While it’s not the best-looking or most feature-rich tracker, the Amazfit was accurate across heart rate, activity and sleep tracking.
Design & Comfort
If you’re after a cheap fitness tracker that can double as a running watch, the Garmin Forerunner 55 is an excellent option. Despite costing less than $200, it retains many of Garmin’s greatest features, all without an extra subscription. In this guide, we ranked and reviewed the 7 best fitness trackers of 2025, along with our top 2 choices, so you can pick the best one. Keep reading to https://www.healthdata.org/research-analysis/health-topics/diet discover the features, pros, and cons of each option and find the perfect fit to support your active lifestyle.
A classic wooden alarm clock: Lemnos Riki Alarm Clock
There’s even a track-back function that leaves digital breadcrumbs, so you know your exact path on a hike. We do wish this was available for more activities (it’s only compatible with hikes and, oddly enough, bike rides), but perhaps this will be an update in the next release. The swipe controls are simple and intuitive and offer enough customization to make the experience personal. Upgrade your lifestyleDigital Trends helps readers keep tabs on the fast-paced world of tech with all the latest news, fun product reviews, insightful editorials, and one-of-a-kind sneak peeks. Sandbar, founded by ex-Meta and CTRL-Labs talent, unveiled Stream, a smart ring it calls a “mouse for voice.” Press and speak to quietly capture an idea, get a usable note or quick assistant reply, then swipe to run your music. The Garmin Vivoactive 4s is a durable device with plenty of features for weightlifters.
Frequently asked questions about fitness trackers
We’re including a second Garmin on our best fitness watch list because the Forerunner 265 delivers training tools that few others match. Runners, cyclists, and swimmers benefit from precise coaching, recovery insights, and detailed post-workout analysis that push them ahead of the pack. Unlike many other Forerunner models that rely on low-resolution, non-touch MIP displays, the 265 features a vibrant AMOLED display. It’s easy to read; whether you’re tracking intervals or checking a message mid-run, Garmin is a great option. With Garmin’s updated Body Battery, you can track your heart rate, blood oxygen (SpO2), HRV-based stress levels, and nighttime skin temperature trends. The Sleep Coach offers personalized advice to help you improve unimeal reviews reddit your sleep, including new circadian sleep guidance.
A note on price
Our team of product experts thoroughly vet every product we recommend to help you cut through the clutter and find what you need. We’ve logged hundreds of miles in the latest shoes this spring to help you find the best running shoes. It’s important to remember that location has a lot to do with GPS connection and accuracy. Accuracy depends on multiple satellites communicating with each other freely and reporting back to the watch.
The best Cyber Monday fitness tracker deals: Apple, Garmin, Fitbit, and more on sale
She has written for multiple high-profile companies in the fields of lifestyle, marketing, and mental health. Although she enjoys writing across a variety of topics, her fields of expertise include psychology and mental health, education, languages, and digital marketing. When she’s not writing, you can usually catch her taking a walk or planning her next adventure abroad.
- The Garmin Forerunner 265 is the best middle-of-the-line watch for most runners training for a race or looking to dive deep into their running data.
- The Whoop is less of a fitness tracker and more of a 24/7 personal coach—if your coach were a data-obsessed genius.
- The likes of Polar’s Pacer Pro and the Garmin Forerunner series all provide additional training insights and running analytics, making them serious training tools for athletes.
- During testing, we found the watch to be very easy to use, and it accurately captured our workout metrics, including elapsed time, distance, pace, elevation, calories burned, and heart rate.
- If you want to learn more about the GPS-specific features of this watch, you can read our in-depth review of the Apple Watch Ultra.
- Samsung’s high-end Galaxy Watch Ultra offers more precise heart rate tracking and the longest-lasting battery in the Galaxy Watch lineup to date.
The Fitbit Charge 5 is the best fitness tracker for those who want a comprehensive approach to health and fitness. It provides insights into activity, sleep, and stress, making it perfect for fitness enthusiasts and individuals looking to improve their well-being. With features like built-in GPS, heart rate tracking, and a stress management score, it helps users make informed decisions about their workouts and recovery.
Best Fitness Trackers of 2025
COROS might not have Garmin’s name recognition, but it delivers powerful training features in a slimmer, more affordable package. In our review, we named the COROS PACE 3 the best budget-friendly running watch of the year, and we’re still not convinced anything else has stopped it. Even though the newer COROS PACE Pro is out, the COROS PACE 3 still delivers better value. But if you’re looking for something closer to $150, Amazfit has packed a lot of essentials into this attractive budget package. But where it stands out is that the app features integrated video tutorials for each exercise. The videos are clear and well-produced—perfect for people new to strength training.
Amazfit Band 7 – Best Value for Money
In 2025, personal wellness technology has undergone a glamorous transformation, seamlessly blending high-performance health monitoring with the world of high fashion. Samsung’s high-end Galaxy Watch Ultra offers more precise heart rate tracking and the longest-lasting battery in the Galaxy Watch lineup to date. Although there is a newer 2025 model, this 2024 edition is often on sale for a lot less and offers the same core set of features. The Fenix 8 has pretty much every health, adventure, and smartwatch feature Garmin offers and is best for tracking different types of sports, from running to skiing to hiking to diving, all in one watch. Garmin’s newest watch in the Vivoactive line adds 50 preloaded activity modes, more on-watch running data, and side buttons for better control during workouts. It’s a big upgrade over the Vivoactive 5, and is a solid option for those who want a robust fitness watch without the bulk.