Whether you're starting a fitness journey or seeking deeper workout insights, a fitness tracker can gamify exercise and provide valuable data. Fortunately, many affordable wearables—often smartwatch variations—offer excellent value. From feature-rich models rivaling top smartwatches to basic step counters and heart rate monitors, budget-friendly options cater to all needs and wrist sizes.
TL;DR – The Best Budget Fitness Trackers:
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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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*Contributions by Kevin Lee*
1. Fitbit Inspire 3
Best Budget Fitness Tracker
Our Top Pick
Fitbit Inspire 3
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Product Specifications
Size: 39.3mm x 18.6mm
Thickness: 11.75mm
Battery life: 10 days
Connectivity: Bluetooth
Sensors: Heart rate monitor, SpO2
Tracking: Swim, sleep, steps
Water resistance: Up to 50m
PROS: Bright AMOLED touchscreen, Long battery life
CONS: Some more advanced features require a subscription
Fitbit continues its dominance in budget fitness trackers with the Inspire 3. For under $100, it offers a bright AMOLED display and a durable, sleek, and comfortable band suitable for sleep. The 10-day battery life (reduced with the always-on display) and intuitive touch interface with two buttons make it user-friendly. Features include 24/7 heart rate monitoring, step counting, blood oxygen level measurement, and movement reminders. Automatic exercise tracking and sleep monitoring provide valuable insights. Basic smartwatch features like phone notifications and a find-my-phone function are included (via Bluetooth), but music storage and contactless payments are absent.
2. Xiaomi Smart Band 9
Best Ultra Cheap Fitness Tracker
Xiaomi Smart Band 9
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Product Specifications
Size: 46.53mm x 21.63mm
Thickness: 10.95mm
Battery life: 21 days
Connectivity: Bluetooth
Sensors: Heart rate monitor, SpO2
Tracking: Swim, sleep, steps
Water resistance: Up to 50m
PROS: Over 150 sports modes, Impressive 21-day battery life
CONS: Tracking isn't always 100% accurate
The sub-$50 Xiaomi Smart Band 9 packs features expected in pricier trackers. It boasts health monitoring, a sleek design, and rivals Fitbit's offerings. Basic features include a pedometer, heart rate monitor, blood oxygen saturation monitor, and sleep monitoring. Over 150 fitness modes (running, HIIT, swimming, etc.) provide detailed workout data (though accuracy may be less precise than higher-end devices). The latest model boasts a three-week battery life and a 1200-nit display for excellent sunlight visibility. While lacking physical buttons, its 1.62-inch AMOLED display is highly responsive. It offers limited smartwatch features like call and message notifications and music playback control, but phone pairing can be finicky.
3. Xiaomi Smart Band 9 Pro
Best Budget Fitness Tracker with GPS
Xiaomi Smart Band 9 Pro
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Product Specifications
Size: 43.27mm x 32.49mm
Thickness: 10.8mm
Battery life: 21 days
Connectivity: Bluetooth
Sensors: Heart rate monitor, GPS, SpO2
Tracking: Swim, sleep, stress
Water resistance: Up to 50m
PROS: Accurate built-in GPS, Large, full-color AMOLED display
CONS: No NFC
An upgrade to the Smart Band 9, the Xiaomi Smart Band 9 Pro features a larger (1.74-inch) AMOLED display and a surprisingly accurate GPS for workout mapping. It retains 24/7 heart rate and SpO₂ monitoring, sleep and stress tracking, and support for over 150 sports modes (though some modes offer limited data). Limited smartwatch features include music playback and phone notifications (no replies). Despite lacking NFC, its sub-$100 price point makes it a stylish option with a bright screen, user-friendly interface, and excellent battery life.
4. Amazfit Band 7
Best Budget Fitness Tracker With Health Monitoring
Amazfit Band 7
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Product Specifications
Size: 37.3mm
Thickness: 12.2mm
Battery life: 18 days
Connectivity: Bluetooth 5.2
Sensors: Heart rate monitor, SpO2
Tracking: Swim, period, sleep
Water resistance: Up to 50m
PROS: Tons of tracking including stress and sleep, Amazon Alexa and other smartwatch features built-in
CONS: No built-in GPS
The $50 Amazfit Band 7 boasts a large (1.47-inch) always-on AMOLED display, slim and comfortable design, and impressive battery life (up to 28 days in battery saver mode). It supports over 120 sports modes (with automatic recognition of four), 50m water resistance, and health monitoring (heart rate, blood oxygen, stress, sleep). Smartwatch features include notifications and Amazon Alexa integration.
5. Apple Watch SE (2nd Gen)
Best Budget Apple Watch
Apple Watch SE (2nd Gen)
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Product Specifications
Size: 40mm x 34mm
Thickness: 10.7mm
Battery life: 18 hours
Connectivity: Cellular (optional), 802.11n Wi-Fi, Bluetooth 5.3
Sensors: Heart rate monitor, GPS, accelerometer
Tracking: Swim, sleep, period
Water resistance: Up to 50m
PROS: Huge selection of apps, Special safety features, like crash detection and built-in GPS
CONS: Fewer sensors than other Apple Watch options
The Apple Watch SE (2nd Gen) offers a budget-friendly option with the S8 SiP chipset for fast processing. It includes an optical heart rate sensor, built-in GPS, automatic workout detection (including swimming), and 32GB of storage for apps from the App Store. Full smartwatch functionality includes call answering, messaging, contactless payments, and music streaming. Crash detection is also included. It’s slim, comfortable, and offers decent battery life for an Apple Watch.
6. Garmin Venu 3
Best Budget Fitness Tracker for Workouts
Garmin Venu 3
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Product Specifications
Size: 45mm
Thickness: 12mm
Battery life: 14 days
Connectivity: Bluetooth, 802.11n
Sensors: Heart rate monitor, GPS, temperature
Tracking: Swim, sleep, stress, energy
Water resistance: Up to 50m
PROS: Highly accurate GPS and heart rate monitor, Helpful Body Battery feature
CONS: Limited app selection compared to other smartwatches
The Garmin Venu 3, while the priciest on this list, is ideal for serious fitness tracking. It tracks various exercises (swimming, cycling, golf, etc.) using its accurate GPS and heart rate monitor, along with an ECG, blood oxygen, and temperature sensors. Animated workouts (pilates, HIIT, cardio) are included. The Body Battery feature provides insights into energy levels. It's a smartwatch with a bright AMOLED display and up to 14 days of battery life (reduced with always-on display and automatic workout detection). Smartwatch features include calls, smart assistants, and text replies (when paired with compatible phones). App selection is more limited than Apple or Google smartwatches.
What to Look for in a Budget Fitness Tracker
Fitness trackers offer more than step counting and sleep tracking. Consider hardware quality, comfort, software, and tracking accuracy. Higher prices often mean more features (heart rate monitoring, GPS, OLED displays). However, many affordable trackers provide ample health data.
What kind of fitness tracker do I need?
Your needs dictate your choice. Ultra-cheap bands like the Xiaomi Smart Band 9 suffice for basic step counting, heart rate monitoring, and timekeeping. Many offer color displays, long battery life, sports modes, sleep tracking, blood oxygen sensors, and phone notifications. GPS is recommended for runners and hikers. For broader functionality beyond fitness and health, a smartwatch offers larger screens, storage, app access, and call/text capabilities. Active individuals might also consider high-quality earbuds.
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