Fitness Trackers Can Help You Become the Best Version of Yourself

Fitness trackers have come a long way in helping people live healthier lives. They give you that little extra push when you need it most. Real-time information on how you are progressing towards your fitness goals keeps you engaged in your fitness. Likewise, help form your community, whether between groups of co-workers, friends or your family, makes achieving fitness goals easier than ever. Fitness trackers do wonders for motivating and enabling people to be the healthiest version of themselves.

Fitness trackers are more advanced than ever. Once touted as convenient way to see how many steps you take throughout the day, today’s fitness trackers can measure your distance when you run, how long you need to recover before your next workout and even keep you connected to your phone without having your phone on you. As you begin to take your health and fitness more serious, here are some things you should look for in a fitness tracker:

  • Multiple activity and exercise tracking modes
  • GPS
  • Recovery and sleep tracking
  • Ability to store and play music
  • Phone notifications

Keep in mind, if you’re the active type that likes to workout in a variety of different ways — basketball, tennis, trail running, etc. — you’ll want a watch that has the ability to track more than just running, biking and swimming. And if you’re seriously training for a major physical event such as a marathon, GPS is a must in order to track your distance. While most trackers can use the GPS on your phone, if you’re running that long of a distance, you will more than likely want to leave your phone behind.

When you’re truly ready to ditch your phone during physical activities, get a fitness tracker that can store music as well as receive your phone’s notifications. This way, you can stay connected in case of emergencies, even while you’re getting your workout in.

The best fitness trackers are more than just step counters, they’re  tools to help you stay active, stay healthy and change your life for the better. When you’re ready to reach your fitness goals, check out our recommendations for the best fitness trackers below. And If you have a little soon-to-be athlete in the family, there are also fitness trackers for them at the bottom of our recommendations.

  

1. Fitbit Versa 2

BEST FITBIT

With 15 exercise modes, along with accurate pedometer and health stats, the Fitbit Versa 2 is a premium, yet affordable option. Store music right on the watch so you can ditch your phone when you workout or go for a run. And if you need a little help to get your workout going, the on-screen workout guide can assist you in doing the exercise properly. On top of all that, this watch even has Alexa functionality for hands-free use.

Fitbit Versa 2 Smartwatch best tech gadgets of 2019 Buy: Fitbit Versa 2 $193.38
  

2. Garmin Fenix 6 Series

BEST GARMIN

No matter the activity, the Fenix 6 will likely track it. Not only does it have accurate step, heart rate and additional health stats, it tracks any activity from running to swimming. It’s also waterproof, so you can get your low-impact swim on and still track your activity. And if you like to listen to music while you workout, it can play music right from the watch to your wireless ear buds.

fitbit alternatives garmin fenix Buy: Garmin Fenix 6 Series $549.95
  

3. Suunto 7

BEST SUUNTO

Sure, it’s expensive, but you’ll be hard pressed to find a fitness tracker with as much activity tracking prowess as the Suunto 7. It has over 70 different sports modes and a lengthy two-day battery life. Go swimming, golfing, biking, running — it tracks it all. It even has NFC wallet capabilities thanks to Google Pay. On top of all of that, this fitness tracking watch simply looks great.

best fitness trackers Buy: Suunto 7
  

4. Apple Watch

BEST FOR APPLE USERS

Now that you can add cellular data to your Apple Watch, there really is no reason you’d need your phone during your workouts. It can play music, track your activities and still keep you connected to the world when you need to answer calls or texts. But when you really want to get in a full workout, the waterproof watch can even track your activity when you’re in the pool. Just because it’s stylish doesn’t mean it can’t go hard with you.

Best Fathers Day Watches Buy: Apple Watch $699.00
  

5. Whoop Strap 3.0

GREAT FOR SLEEP TRACKING

The Whoop Strap 3.0 forgoes the display to insert state-of-the-art tracking technology that includes all the usual health stats (steps, heart-rate), but also recovery data to ensure you aren’t doing more damage than good by working out too much. It even accurately tracks your sleep to provide you with complete picture of your overall health. If you don’t mind using your phone to see all of your health stats, Whoop Strap puts your health first.

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6. Fitbit Ionic

SPLURGE FITBIT

Featuring more fitness tracking activities than the Versa 2, the Fitbit Ionic is a powerhouse for serious athletes. And you can leave your phone behind with on-board music playing and built-in GPS to track those long runs, bike rides and swims. You’ll miss out on Alexa features like in the Versa 2, and it’s a little more expensive, but it’s worth the dough for the added activity tracking.

best fitbit Buy: Fitbit Ionic $196.03
  

7. Samsung Galaxy Watch Active 2

GREAT FOR ANDROID USERS

This is a great looking fitness tracking watch that can store music, so you can ditch your phone when you exercise. And if you forget to track your run before you take off, this watch still tracks it in the background, so you don’t need to worry about missing stats. It works seamlessly with your Android phone to keep you connected even when you’re at the gym.

best android smartwatches Buy: Samsung Galaxy Watch Active 2 $149.99
  

8. Garmin Vivosmart 4

GREAT VALUE

With a similar shape of the first iterations of fitness trackers, the Vivosmart 4 sports a slim profile and a mini screen that displays all your important health stats, but that’s not all the Vivosmart is capable of. It keeps track of your blood oxygen levels, and even your REM sleep. It packs a lot of data into a fitness tracker that is less than 100 dollars.

fitbit alternatives Buy: Garmin Vivosmart 4 $97.98
  

9. Fitbit Charge 4

ALSO GREAT

Now with built-in GPS, you can leave the phone behind when you want to go for a long run or bike ride, and still track your distance. The Charge 4 also has NFC wallet capabilities built right into the device, so you can make purchases without reaching for your wallet. Although you can’t download music to your Charge 4, you can now control your Spotify right from the fitness tracker. Who says you can’t teach an old dog new tricks?

best fitness trackers Buy: Fitbit Charge 4 $149.00
  

10. Garmin Forerunner 35

OLDIE BUT GOODIE

This fitness tracker is a bit older, but it’s one of the most popular among Amazon users, boasting a 4.5 star approval rating out of almost 4,000 reviews. It allows you to control your music from your watch, so you don’t have to fumble with your phone while you exercise. And all of your workout data will automatically download to your phone when you use the Garmin App. It’s not a bad choice, especially if you want to save some dough on a reliable fitness tracker.

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11. Fitbit Versa Lite

ALSO GREAT

It’s pretty much the Versa 2 minus a few features. You are still able to utilize the 15 exercise modes and sleep tracking to recover properly. Plus, it still has the great looking style and display of the Versa 2. You will be giving up on-board music, floors climbed and Amazon-Alexa capabilities going with the Lite version, but you’ll save $40 for those omissions.

best fitbit Buy: Fitbit Versa Lite $129.95
  

12. Samsung Galaxy Fit

FITBIT-STYLE ANDROID

Spend more time doing your favorite activities with the Samsung Galaxy Fit. It has about a week’s worth of battery life on a single charge. And don’t fret if you forget to select the activity you are doing, the Galaxy Fit is smart enough to recognize the movements and track the activity in the background automatically. Plus, if you’re an Android user, you’ll appreciate the seamless relationship between your Android phone and the Samsung Galaxy Fit.

Samsung Galaxy Fit
  

13. Fitbit Charge 3

AFFORDABLE CHARGE

What was once a fitness tracker for $150, can now be purchased for $100. And don’t let the fact that the Fitbit Charge 3 is a generation old scare you away, not much changed from the 3 to 4. It has the same exact style and design as the 4, and all the same tracking ability. If you can live without built-in GPS and the NFC wallet, this is a smart and affordable choice for a trusty Fitbit fitness tracker.

best fitbit
  

14. Fitbit Inspire HR

BUDGET FITBIT

There is no denying the popularity of this affordable fitness tracker. With almost 14,000 reviews and a 4.5 star approval rating, active people far and wide are pleased with this fitness tracker. Any why wouldn’t they be? It’s affordable, small and tracks hourly activity, steps, calories burned and even track your sleep. It’s a great wearable to start your journey to getting and staying in shape.

Fitbit Inspire HR - Best Gifts Under $100 Buy: Fitbit Inspire HR $98.96
  

15. Amazfit Bit

BEST BATTERY LIFE

For under $100, the Amazfit Bit boasts some incredible features, including battery life that can go almost a month on a single charge. And when it comes time to finally charge, it only takes a couple hours. For fitness, it tracks steps, distance (it features GPS), sleep monitoring and heart-rate tracking. It’s water-resistant, not waterproof, so swimming is out of the question. It’s a little off the beaten path, but an affordable option that is worth considering.

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16. Polar A370

HONORABLE MENTION

With a vibrant screen that is a little wider than your average Fitbit-style fitness tracker, your health information is clearly displayed and easy to view. While it has accurate heart-rate monitoring, steps and sleep-tracking information, it doesn’t feature built-in GPS, so you’ll need to keep your phone on you for location and mapping information. Beyond that, it’s a reliable tracker with accurate health stats.

Polar A370 Fitness Tracker Buy: Polar A370 $113.29
  

17. Fitbit Ace 2

FITBIT FOR KIDS

Sometimes your kid needs a reminder that there is more to life than iPads and video games. The Acer 2 reminds your kid to get up and move around after periods of inactivity. It also tracks their steps and sleep. And since it’s waterproof, the kiddo can jump in the shower, tub or pool without ruining it. The home screen is also customizable so kids can make it their own. It’s a fun way to remind your kid that being outside was the O.G. fun activity.

best fitbit Buy: Fitbit Ace 2 $59.95
  

18. Garmin Vivofit Jr. 2

ALSO GREAT FOR KIDS

Got a kid that is way into Mikey Mouse, Stars Wars or Marvel? Then the Garmin Vivofit Jr.2 will be right up their alley. It tracks their daily activities and steps, as well as reminds them to be active or do their homework (you’ll probably want to install that reminder for them). This is an affordable way to give your kids that little extra reminder to be active and responsible.

best fitness trackersBuy: Garmin Vivofit Jr. 2 $49.00

  

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