Whether you're embarking on a new health journey or seeking to enhance your workout insights, a fitness tracker is an excellent tool to gamify your exercise routine and provide valuable data. Fortunately, many of these wearable devices, often resembling smartwatches, are available at affordable prices. From feature-rich models that rival the best smartwatches to simpler ones that track basic metrics like steps and heart rate, there are numerous budget-friendly fitness trackers suitable for every wrist size.
TL;DR – The Best Budget Fitness Trackers:
Our Top Pick### Fitbit Inspire 3
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### Xiaomi Smart Band 9
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### Xiaomi Smart Band 9 Pro
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### Amazfit Band 7
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### Apple Watch SE (2nd Gen)
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### Garmin Venu 3
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Fitbit Inspire 3
Best Budget Fitness Tracker
Our Top Pick### Fitbit Inspire 3
0Smartwatches and fitness trackers don't have to break the bank, and the Fitbit Inspire 3 is a prime example. With a price tag under $100, you get a vibrant AMOLED display and a durable band that's sleek, compact, and comfortable enough to wear while sleeping. Its impressive 10-day battery life means you won't need to charge it often, though this can decrease when using the always-on display mode. Navigation is straightforward with touch technology and two haptic buttons.
The Fitbit Inspire 3 excels in fitness tracking with features like 24/7 heart rate monitoring, step counting, blood oxygen level measurement, and movement reminders. It also offers automatic exercise tracking, which is great if you often forget to start a workout, and detailed sleep monitoring to help you understand your sleep quality. Additionally, it includes basic smartwatch functions such as phone notifications and a "find my phone" feature via Bluetooth, though it doesn't support music storage or contactless payments.
Xiaomi Smart Band 9
Best Ultra Cheap Fitness Tracker
### Xiaomi Smart Band 9
0Priced under $50, the Xiaomi Smart Band 9 doesn't skimp on features despite its low cost. It boasts a 1.62-inch AMOLED display and an exceptional 21-day battery life, making it ideal for basic tracking and offering over 150 sports modes.
The band includes essentials like a pedometer, heart rate monitor, blood oxygen saturation, and sleep monitoring. It goes beyond the basics with extensive fitness modes, including running, HIIT, kickboxing, and swimming, providing valuable workout data such as calories burned, average heart rate, and duration. While not as precise as higher-end smartwatches with GPS, it still offers insightful workout data.
The latest Xiaomi Smart Band model boasts improved battery life, lasting up to three weeks with moderate use, and a brighter screen reaching 1,200 nits for easy viewing in sunlight. Its colorful, touch-responsive 1.62-inch AMOLED display allows quick access to fitness metrics and limited smartwatch features like call and message notifications and music playback control. However, pairing with your phone might be a bit finicky.
Xiaomi Smart Band 9 Pro
Best Budget Fitness Tracker with GPS
### Xiaomi Smart Band 9 Pro
0The Xiaomi Smart Band 9 Pro enhances the basic model with built-in GPS for mapping your workouts, along with 24/7 heart rate and SpO2 monitoring, sleep and stress tracking, and support for over 150 sports modes.
The Pro model features a larger, rectangular 1.74-inch AMOLED display, reminiscent of the Apple Watch, and a surprisingly accurate GPS for tracking your runs, bike rides, and hikes. It retains essential health metrics like heart rate, SpO2, sleep, and stress monitoring, with many sports modes offering detailed tracking beyond just heart rate and time.
While it's not a full smartwatch, it includes limited smartwatch features like music playback and notification display when connected to your phone. However, it lacks NFC support for contactless payments. Priced under $100, the Xiaomi Smart Band 9 Pro offers a stylish design, bright and responsive screen, user-friendly interface, and impressive battery life.
Amazfit Band 7
Best Budget Fitness Tracker With Health Monitoring
### Amazfit Band 7
0The Amazfit Band 7, priced at just $50, offers robust features including long battery life, comprehensive health monitoring, and sleep tracking.
It features a large 1.47-inch always-on AMOLED display for easy viewing of health and workout data, yet remains slim and comfortable on the wrist. Battery life lasts up to 18 days with typical use and up to 28 days in battery-saver mode.
The Amazfit Band 7 supports over 120 sports modes with automatic recognition of four, and its 50m water resistance makes it suitable for swimming. Health monitoring includes heart rate, blood oxygen levels, and stress, while sleep tracking provides insights into sleep quality. It also offers smartwatch functionality with on-watch notifications and Amazon Alexa integration.
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 powered by the same S8 SiP chipset as the Apple Watch Series 8, ensuring fast performance at a lower cost.
It features an optical heart rate sensor and built-in GPS, making it ideal for hikes and runs. The watch automatically detects various workouts, including swimming, and with 32GB of storage, you can download additional fitness apps from the App Store.
As a full smartwatch, it allows you to answer calls, respond to messages, make contactless payments, and stream music directly from your wrist. It also includes safety features like crash detection, which can automatically call emergency services. Despite its slim design, it offers impressive battery life by Apple Watch standards.
Garmin Venu 3
Best Budget Fitness Tracker for Workouts
### Garmin Venu 3
0The Garmin Venu 3 goes beyond basic exercise tracking with GPS, heart rate monitoring, and animated workout guides, along with phone notifications and contactless payment capabilities.
Designed for serious fitness enthusiasts, the Venu 3 tracks various activities like swimming, cycling, and golf with over 30 preloaded sports apps. Its highly accurate GPS and heart rate monitor are complemented by additional sensors for ECG, blood oxygen, and temperature. The standout Body Battery feature provides insights into your body's rest and energy levels based on activity, stress, and sleep.
As a smartwatch, the Venu 3 offers a bright AMOLED touchscreen and up to 14 days of battery life, though this reduces with features like the always-on display and automatic workout detection. It supports basic smartwatch functions like receiving calls and responding to texts when paired with compatible Android phones, though its app selection is more limited compared to Apple and Google smartwatches.
What to Look for in a Budget Fitness Tracker
When choosing a fitness tracker, consider not just the basic functions like step counting and sleep monitoring but also the overall hardware quality, comfort, software features, and tracking accuracy. Higher-priced trackers often come with advanced features like heart rate monitoring, GPS, and OLED displays, but there are plenty of budget options that still deliver a wealth of health data.
What kind of fitness tracker do I need?
The ideal fitness tracker depends on your specific needs. For basic tracking like steps, heart rate, and time, a compact and affordable option like the Xiaomi Smart Band 9 is sufficient. These budget models often include color displays, long battery life, various sports modes, sleep tracking, blood oxygen sensors, and phone notifications.
If you're into running, biking, or hiking, consider spending a bit more for GPS support. For those seeking comprehensive functionality beyond just fitness tracking, a smartwatch like the Apple Watch SE or Garmin Venu 3 might be the best choice, offering larger screens, app access, and additional features like answering calls and texts.
For active runners or gym-goers, complementing your fitness tracker with a quality pair of earbuds can further enhance your exercise experience.
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