The best fitness trackers – which one should you buy?

Fitbit's newest addition to its fitness tracker range earns top spot thanks to its impressive array of metrics and sensors that make it one of the most advanced and accurate options currently on the market. It has an upgraded PPG sensor that's also used on the Google Pixel Watch 2. According to Google, the new sensor is up to 40 per cent better at tracking your heart rate.

The Charge 6 can also track 40 different activity types, as well as the usual steps, calories, sleep, blood oxygen, and can even provide an ECG reading. There are a few smart features thrown in for good measure, including Google Maps, Google Wallet, and controls for YouTube music. Built-in GPS also makes outdoor runs and bike rides easy to track accurately.  

It isn't a full smartwatch, so you can't take calls or use a voice assistant. But with its RRP of £139.99, it's significantly cheaper than the best smartwatches for health tracking. We've even seen it on sale for under £105, which makes it an absolute bargain. It's the best all-round fitness tracker out there. 

Digital Writer Jack Barrell has hands on experience with the Fitbit Charge 6. Here's how he got on with it: "Very rarely have I been so consistently delighted with a piece of smart tech as I have with the Charge 6 Fitbit. It's a wonderful fitness companion because of how dedicated it is to your personal growth and progress. What also goes a long way is just how gratifying and engaging the Charge 6 is. Productive notifications, graphics, and vibrations give you a pat on the back or a nudge of encouragement to make the most out of your days.

It's not short of high-end fitness tracker features either, all of which work excellently too. Over 40 exercise modes is a real treat, heart rate monitoring is precise, and sleep tracking can really offer some food for thought. At this price, you're getting heaps for your cash."

If you're looking for an affordable Fitbit, the Fitbit Inspire 3 is the one to go for. It's one of Fitbit's smallest and lightest fitness trackers, making it perfect if you want something discreet. It offers users a full set of fitness tracking features, including heart rate and sleep tracking, step and calorie counting, and blood oxygen monitoring. You also benefit from access to Fitbit Premium and all the extra features offered there - if you pay for a subscription.

It's been around for a while, so it isn't the most advanced or comprehensive option available. But it has a relatively strong 10-day battery life, thanks to the small screen, and the absence of built-in GPS. And while the RRP is £84.99, we've regularly seen it discounted to less than £65, bringing it into range of much cheaper – and often less accurate – fitness trackers.

If you're a serious fitness junkie who wants to wear what the pros wear, then the Whoop Band 4.0 is the fitness tracker for you. Worn by many professional sportspeople, the Whoop Band tracks sleep, strain, recovery and stress. It also has sensors for heart rate, blood oxygen, skin temperature, and can be integrated with smart scales to track your body composition as well. There's even an AI-powered coach feature, which identifies patterns in your data to recommend workouts for you. 

It's an impressive bit of kit, and the absence of a display helps to extend battery life to around five days. The wireless charger pack attaches to the band while you're wearing it, allowing you to track your data constantly.  

The Whoop Band doesn't track some obvious metrics, such as step count. It prefers to take a more holistic approach, hence the focus on strain and recovery. If you're looking for a basic fitness tracker, this isn't it. And it also comes at a hefty price – £229 for a 12-month subscription, £384 for a 24-month subscription, or £27 a month if you pay monthly. The band itself is – in theory – free, but it won't work if you don't pay for the subscription. There is a 30-day trial to let you test it out, however. This really is a fitness tracker for the most dedicated sportspeople. 

Curtis Moldrich tried WHOOP for 70 days. Here's a summary of his experience: "It's clear that WHOOP is for anyone looking to monitor multiple aspects of their health and fitness and make informed exercise and well-being decisions. Its use of data is extensive and sometimes overwhelming, but I have learned so much about my body during testing that I can't imagine exercising without it now. Plus, there's the added intrigue of continuous app updates and integrations, supporting, improving and diversifying the experience."

"I think those looking for the basics will want to look for a more traditional fitness tracker, but if the sound of pages of bodily insight does it for you, then you can't really get better than WHOOP."

The best fitness trackers under £50 all have plenty to offer, but our pick is the Xiaomi Smart Band 8, thanks to its excellent display, full feature set, and bargain price tag. It holds its own against many more expensive competitors, which makes it a great choice if you just want to dip your toe in the fitness tracker water without spending a lot.

Features include step counting, calorie estimates, heart rate and sleep tracking, as well as calculating your training load and estimating your recovery time. There's even Pebble Mode, which allows you to attach the Smart Band 8 to your shoe via an attachment (sold separately) and use it as a running pod. This can then measure running specific metrics such as stride frequency, stride length, and impact force.

It's a comprehensive offering, and with an RRP of just £34.99, it's one of the cheapest models around. It's potentially not as accurate as some more expensive models, but those will cost more.

A hybrid smartwatch is, in many ways, much more like a fitness tracker than a smartwatch. The ScanWatch 2 is Withings' flagship timepiece and is ideal for anyone who wants a stylish device that looks like a traditional watch, while still being able to track some health and fitness metrics. This is a beautiful watch, that won't look out of place no matter the occasion.

It offers plenty of metrics, including – uniquely – 24/7 temperature tracking (most devices only do this at night, if at all). There's also heart rate, sleep, calories, blood oxygen and activity tracking, making this a fully stocked fitness tracker. The Withings app is very good, offering plenty of support and insights to help you interpret your data. The OLED display isn't overly intrusive, and while it is small, you can use it to read notifications and check data on your wrist. 

It is pricey compared to other fitness trackers, with an RRP of £319.95. But Withings is offering something that very few competitors have, and if style matters, you could do a lot worse than the ScanWatch 2.

Senior Tech Writer and Reviewer Steven Shaw reviewed the ScanWatch 2 for us. He wrote: " I would describe the ScanWatch 2 as a health monitoring device that also does fitness tracking. It's not as comprehensive as the best Garmin watches, for example. Those offer far more training and performance metrics than this. But, if you want some general fitness tracking, and some advanced health metrics, this watch will likely appeal."

"It's also a great choice for design-led consumers who are interested primarily in a stylish timepiece but want some of that health and fitness functionality in addition."

"The Withings ScanWatch 2 isn't a watch for everyone – and it doesn't try to be. Instead, it's a shamelessly health-focused device that looks great, and for the right customer, offers almost everything they could need."

The best Garmin watches are some of our favourite pieces of fitness tech, and the Garmin Vivosmart 5 is its best fitness tracker. As a "true" fitness tracker, rather than a watch, it's significantly smaller, slimmer, and lighter than most Garmin devices. But it packs plenty of metrics into that small chassis – heart rate, steps, calories, sleep, blood oxygen, stress and activity tracking are all available. Data is presented clearly in the excellent Garmin Connect app. The only thing we'd really have liked to see included is built-in GPS, to improve accuracy when tracking outdoor activities.

The monochrome AMOLED display isn't the prettiest, but it is clear and easy to read. Battery life is also respectable, lasting up to seven days (although five is more typical depending on how you use it). It's a solid all-rounder, offering comprehensive fitness tracking at an affordable price. Its RRP is £129.99, but it's often on sale for less. And unlike Fitbit, there's no subscription for accessing any of your metrics.

Xiaomi's Smart Band 8 Pro is one of the best fitness trackers under £100, and a big reason for that is its built-in GPS, which makes it far easier to accurately track any outdoor runs, walks and bike rides. Unlike most fitness trackers – even more expensive models - with this device, you won't need to take your phone with you. And that makes this one of the best fitness trackers for GPS tracking.  

There's the usual set of metrics on offer – heart rate, blood oxygen, sleep, step counts and estimated calorie burn. There are also a few advanced training metrics such as VO2 Max score, training effect, recovery time, and for runners, you can track your cadence and stride length.  

The RRP of £60 makes this exceptionally affordable given everything it offers. We've seen it on offer for as little as £50, making this outstanding value.

Our pick for the best fitness tracker for kids is the Fitbit Ace 3, which provides all the key metrics for children to track their activity levels, without being as sophisticated as some models. The Ace 3 offers step counting, sleep tracking, and time being active, as well as reminders to get moving if they've been sitting still for too long. Activity is rewarded by new clock faces and avatars, giving kids an incentive to get outside and touch grass.

One of the advantages of the Ace 3 is that it's suitable for kids as young as six, but the relatively understated design means it should be good for a few years at least. Parents can also keep an eye on their children's data via the Fitbit app. As we mentioned above, it doesn't offer as many health and fitness tracking features as other Fitbits. But many parents may feel that they don't want their children counting calories, checking their heart rate, and other metrics.

Price wise, it's relatively cheap. The RRP is £69.99, but it's often on sale for less than £50, making it very affordable.

The best smart rings are growing in popularity, and with good reason. They offer a subtle way to track your health and activity, and don't come with a screen that can distract you as you go about your day. Our current favourite is the Oura Ring, which offers a sleek design in a variety of styles and colours. But it's more than just a piece of jewellery.

Three sensors track heart rate, breathing, temperature, stress and blood oxygen. The ring can also monitor sleep, provide information about your menstrual cycle, and estimate your calorie burn. All that data can help the Oura Ring spot when you may be about to fall ill, for example, or tell you when your body needs rest, or is ready for exercise.

It's another device at the more expensive end of the spectrum – prices start from £299, with a monthly £5.99 subscription to access all the data. Otherwise, you'll be restricted to a few limited insights. For those willing to pay a premium for a ring, there's a lot to like. It's accurate, consistent, and looks great.