Keeping fit and healthy is a top priority for many people, but it can be hard to stay motivated and on track without the right tools. That’s where fitness trackers come in handy! Fitness trackers are wearable devices that monitor your activity levels, heart rate, sleep patterns and more, giving you valuable insights into your overall health and fitness.
But with so many options on the market, how do you choose the right one? Don’t sweat it – we’ve got you covered with this ultimate guide to the 10 best fitness trackers for 2023. Let’s dive in!
What is a Fitness Tracker?
A fitness tracker is a wearable technology device that tracks your physical activity, heart rate, sleep patterns, and other health metrics. Most fitness trackers are wrist-worn bands, but there are also smartwatches and clips that serve the same purpose.
Fitness trackers use a combination of sensors like accelerometers, altimeters, and optical heart rate monitors to gather data about your movement and vitals. This data syncs with a smartphone app that gives you insights into your activity levels, calories burned, heart health, sleep quality, and more.
The metrics tracked by a fitness tracker provide motivation to move more, optimize your workouts, and improve your overall health. And many models now offer advanced features like GPS, workout tracking, stress monitoring, menstrual health tracking, blood oxygen monitoring, and more.
Top 10 Fitness Trackers for 2023
Here are our picks for the 10 best fitness trackers you can buy in 2023:
1. Fitbit Charge 5
The Fitbit Charge 5 takes the top spot as the best overall fitness tracker. It has a slim, lightweight design and a bright AMOLED display. The display also shows notifications, weather forecasts, and more.
Some standout features include:
- Built-in GPS for pace and distance tracking without a phone
- Active zone minutes to track time spent in target heart rate zones
- Daily readiness score to optimize workouts
- EDA sensor to manage stress
- Up to 7 days of battery life
2. Garmin Vivosmart 5
For fitness enthusiasts who want comprehensive tracking, the Garmin Vivosmart 5 is an excellent option. It auto-detects activities and offers over 25 preloaded sports apps.
Key features include:
- Pulse ox sensor for blood oxygen saturation
- Advanced sleep monitoring with sleep score
- Body battery energy monitor
- Daily workout suggestions to stay active
- Up to 7 days of battery life
3. Samsung Galaxy Fit 2
The Galaxy Fit 2 is a lightweight and affordable fitness tracker that covers all the essentials. It provides continuous heart rate monitoring, activity and sleep tracking, and robust smartphone notifications.
Highlights include:
- AMOLED display with crisp visuals
- Auto workout detection for walking, running, dynamic workouts
- Water resistance up to 50 meters
- 15+ goal-based exercise modes
- Up to 21 days of battery
4. Amazfit Band 5
With a stunning AMOLED display and Amazon Alexa built-in, the Amazfit Band 5 offers a lot of bang for your buck. It tracks all-day activity, heart rate, and sleep stages with its comprehensive sensors.
Some notable aspects include:
- Blood oxygen saturation measurement
- Stress monitoring capabilities
- Cycle tracking for women’s health
- Over 60 sports modes
- 15 days of battery life
5. Xiaomi Mi Band 7
The budget-friendly Xiaomi Mi Band 7 packs an impressive array of features. It has a large, always-on AMOLED display to view real-time stats.
Other useful capabilities include:
- Accurate heart rate monitoring
- Blood oxygen level measurements
- Sleep tracking with sleep breathing quality
- 120+ sports modes with auto-detection for some
- Up to 14 days of battery life
6. Apple Watch Series 8
The Apple Watch Series 8 is the best fitness tracker for iPhone users. It has advanced health/fitness tracking with Apple’s signature intuitive interface.
Notable features consist of:
- Accurate GPS tracking of pace, distance and routes
- Crash detection to get help after a fall
- Temperature sensing for menstrual cycle tracking
- watchOS 9 with enhanced Workout app
- Up to 18 hours of battery life
7. Fitbit Versa 4
With its bright AMOLED display and 6-day battery life, the Versa 4 offers a compelling blend of fitness tracking and smartwatch capabilities.
Some useful aspects include:
- On-screen guidance and animation for workouts
- Built-in GPS, continuous heart rate monitoring
- Sleep tracking with sleep profile and sleep score
- Female health tracking capabilities
- Contactless payments, wallet, on-screen apps
8. Polar Ignite 2
The Ignite 2 from Polar is ideal for athletes and high-intensity workouts. It offers advanced training features like Training Load Pro and FitSpark daily workout guidance.
Highlights:
- GPS for accurate outdoor activity tracking
- Polar Precision Prime heart rate sensor
- Sleep Plus Stages sleep tracking
- Water resistance up to 30 meters
- Up to 5 days of battery life
9. Garmin Venu 2 Plus
Garmin strikes again with the feature-packed Venu 2 Plus. With a bright AMOLED display, built-in mic/speaker, and robust health metrics, it bridges smartwatches and fitness tracking.
Notable aspects consist of:
- Support for voice assistants like Siri, Google Assistant
- 25+ preloaded GPS and indoor sports apps
- Respiration, hydration, stress tracking
- Women’s health features like pregnancy tracking
- Up to 9 days of battery life in smartwatch mode
10. Coros Pace 2
Last but not least, the Coros Pace 2 caters to serious runners with its advanced metrics and performance tracking.
It stands out with:
- Accurate GPS distance, route tracking
- Nylon-fiber casing with lightweight build
- Training features like VO2 max, running power
- 30 hours GPS battery life
- Water resistance up to 50 meters
How to Choose the Right Fitness Tracker
With so many great options, it can be tough deciding which fitness tracker best meets your needs and budget. Here are some tips for choosing the right one:
- Consider your goals and fitness level – Casual athletes and beginners often want basic activity and sleep tracking. More serious athletes benefit from advanced training metrics and sports-specific modes. Think about the data you want to track.
- Prioritize the features that matter to you – Do you want long battery life? Accurate GPS? Smart notifications? Make a list of must-have and nice-to-have features.
- Choose your ecosystem – Fitness trackers integrate best with the same OS as your smartphone. So Apple Watch works best for iPhone users, Galaxy Fits pair well with Samsung phones, etc.
- Determine your budget – You can get capable basic trackers for under $100, while advanced multi-sport smartwatches cost over $300. Set a budget that fits your needs and finances.
- Check the app – A good companion app makes it easy to access your data, set goals, log food and water, compete with friends, and more. Download the apps and preview them first.
- Try it on – Be sure the fitness tracker is comfortable for all-day and night wear. Go hands-on before buying if possible to get the fit and feel.
Conclusion
Being active and staying fit is easier than ever with today’s incredible fitness trackers. Our top 10 list runs the gamut from affordable, everyday trackers to advanced smartwatches packed with training features. Consider your personal needs and preferences, zero in on the most crucial features for you, and find the tracker that motivates you to crush your goals all year long. Here’s to a fit and healthy 2023!
FAQs
Q: Are fitness trackers worth it?
A: Yes, for most people fitness trackers are worth the investment. The data and motivation they provide can spur positive changes like increased activity, weight loss, better sleep, reduced stress, and more. Advanced trackers also provide insightful metrics to optimize your training.
Q: Do fitness trackers help lose weight?
A: They absolutely can! By making you aware of daily movement, workouts, and calories burned, a fitness tracker helps you maintain the calorie deficit needed for weight loss. The stats keep you motivated and on track.
Q: How accurate are fitness trackers?
A: Most fitness trackers today provide fairly accurate tracking of steps, distance, calories burned, heart rate, and sleep stages. Advanced models with GPS are extremely accurate for outdoor running/sports tracking. Accuracy improves with regular calibration like entering your weight.
Q: Can fitness trackers detect atrial fibrillation?
A: Some fitness trackers have the capability to passively detect possible signs of atrial fibrillation (AFib) by monitoring for irregular heart rate rhythm. However, these detections should always be confirmed with further medical assessment.
Q: How much battery life do fitness trackers have?
A: Battery life varies greatly, from 1 day to around 2 weeks. Basic fitness bands can last 7-14 days while full-featured smartwatches range from 1-5 days. Advanced battery saving modes can extend the duration by reducing usage of power-hungry features like GPS.