Best Fitness Trackers 2026: Hit your goals, manage your energy

If you don’t have a lot of money to spend on a fitness tracker, but you’re also not a fan of having a bit of plastic strapped to your wrist, then Xiaomi’s Smart Band 10 is the budget option that feels far more premium than its price tag would suggest.

Xiaomi ditched the plastic case a long time ago, now giving you the choice of aluminium or a new ceramic look. You can match that up with a TPU or flurorubber band or easily swap those out for a more metallic look or a knitted option. Don’t want to wear it on your wrist? There’s even a pendant accessory if you’d rather track from around your neck.

That high-quality case now surrounds a larger 1.72-inch AMOLED display where the bezels have slimmed down around it, giving you more room for a great array of watch faces and readable notifications.

The big fitness and health tracking changes lie with a new nine-axis sensor that notably improves the Band 10’s swim tracking abilities. Along with a surprisingly impressive heart rate tracking performance, you can now also broadcast HR to other devices, including cycling computers. There’s richer sleep tracking to delve into as well, helping you to make better decisions about your recovery time.

While battery life remains the same 21 days (or nine days in always-on display mode) as the Band 9, it’s still a fitness tracker that will let you make the most of its strong monitoring abilities for well over a week.

Who should buy the Xiaomi Smart Band 10?

Anyone who wants a competent fitness tracker with all the key features at a reasonable price.

Xiaomi Smart Band 10: Further considerations

Some fitness trackers provide more accurate heart rate readings.

If there’s one company that continues to push the boat out in terms of value when it comes to fitness trackers, it’s Huawei, and the Watch Fit 4 continues the trend beautifully. Sure, it might look as if Huawei copied Apple’s homework a little too closely when constructing the design, but it’s hardly to the watch’s detriment.

By adhering to the square-like aesthetic that Apple popularised, the Huawei Watch Fit 4 has a clean look that’s likely to convince most people that it costs a great deal more than its actual £149 price tag. It’s durable too, as it can withstand depths of up to 50 metres, so if you want to track a few swims down your local pool, you can do so without issue.

Although the Fit 4 is £10 more expensive than the Huawei Watch Fit 3, you do get plenty of upgrades for the money. The first is something you’ll see right away as the display can now reach a peak brightness of 2000 nits (which is a level typically reserved for premium smartwatches), and there’s dual-band GPS for more accurate tracking when out on a run or cycle.

The only thing that really holds the watch back (although this is always the case with Huawei wearables) is the lack of smart features. If you want access to Google Pay on your wrist, then the Fitbit Charge 6 is the better buy, but for third-party app access, you’ll want to turn to the Samsung Galaxy Watch FE or the latest Apple Watch SE.

Who should buy the Huawei Watch Fit 4?

Runners who want the perfect mix of style and affordability.

Huawei Watch Fit 4: Further considerations

Look to Fitbit and Samsung for better smart features.

The Charge 6 takes what made the Charge 5 so good and makes it even better.

Fitbit’s main addition this time around is access to Google Maps, Google Pay and YouTube Music (although no other music streaming services are available), making it closer to a smartwatch than ever before.

Even with these changes, its primary focus is still fitness tracking with support for more than 40 workouts (some automatically) and your sleep. Data collected is extensive too, with the likes of steps, distance, calories burned, hourly activity and heart rate all monitored.

The colour display is very impressive, and the device is easy to navigate using a combination or touch and the new side button. It’s also great to see built-in GPS, though it is unreliable at times.

There’s still no altimeter, so you can’t measure floors climbed, while many advanced features are reserved for Fitbit Premium subscribers. However, even if you don’t pay, the Charge 6 still delivers a very good all-round fitness tracking experience.

Who should buy the Fitbit Charge 6?

Anyone who appreciates an intuitive fitness tracking software that’s easy to follow.

Fitbit Charge 6: Further Consideration

Things can get expensive when you factor in the cost of Fitbit Premium for all available features.

Ever since its first iteration, the Amazfit Bip has punched above its weight in terms of features and performance. For the Bip 6, manufacturer Zepp has certainly gone big with the upgrades.

For starters, it’s swapped TFT for a big and bright 1.97-inch AMOLED display and it instantly makes this budget smartwatch feel more premium.

Features-wise, you’re getting the ability to make calls over Bluetooth, load on transport cards to make it easier to travel and have access to the Zepp Flow AI Assistant that’s worked well in some, but not all scenarios.

In the fitness department, it has built-in GPS to track outdoor runs and is even capable of recording Hyrox workouts. It can track heart rate and blood oxygen levels, and even serve up useful scores to tell you if you’re ready to tackle a more intense workout. There’s also room for free offline maps for adventurers, which is a rare feature to find on a wearable this cheap. 

Topped off with a battery life of up to 14-days (or around 6 days in heavier use), and there are few better fitness trackers at this price that can compete with what the Amazfit Bip packs and delivers.

Who should buy the Amazfit Bip 6?

Those who value having a great screen above all other features.

Amazfit Bip 6: Further Consideration

Fitbits are a better option for a more intuitive fitness tracking experience.

If you want a fitness tracker that’s affordable but doesn’t look or feel cheap, has a great screen and fairly intuitive software, then the Xiaomi Smart Band 9 is worth picking up.

If you own a Smart Band 8, then it’s the battery gains and the boost in screen brightness that feel like the big wins here and less so the promised heart rate improvements. Plus, with Xiaomi’s Smart Band 10 having hit the market, you can now pick up this wearable for even less, making it more of a bargain.

For those who want better, more reliable day-to-day heart rate tracking, you’re going to have to pay more for something like the Fitbit Inspire 3 to get it. If you can live with a tracker that does those basics well and offers a really likeable design, then this is the best.

Who should buy the Xiaomi Smart Band 9?

Folks who are tied to a strict budget but still want solid fitness tracking in return for their cash.

Xiaomi Smart Band 9: Further considerations

Given that the newer Smart Band 10 is available, it’s hard not to recommend that over this to most people.

Withings’ ScanWatch 2 might be the most complete hybrid watch you can buy, but the Light offers everything most people are looking for at a more affordable price.

That includes a gorgeous premium design, which is relatively lightweight but still impressively durable. Within it you’ll find a tiny 0.63-inch monochrome display that is easy to control using the rotating physical crown.

There’s enough room to display all key information except phone notifications, which often get annoyingly cut off. The ScanWatch Light can track over 40 workouts (some automatically), although data is generally limited to heart rate (including zones), steps, distance and pace.

Sleep tracking is good and battery life is truly excellent. You’ll struggle to get the 30-day stint that Withings claims you can, but around 1-2 weeks is well within reach.

If you can live without 24/7 temperature tracking, ECGs, irregular heart rhythm notifications and blood oxygen monitoring, the ScanWatch Light is the Withings watch to get.

Who should buy the Withings ScanWatch Light?

Anyone who wants to indulge in fitness tracking but with the cleaner look of an analogue dial.

Withings ScanWatch Light: Further considerations

The monochrome display is too small to read notifications comfortably.

The Inspire 3 is the cheapest model in the current Fitbit line-up, making it an excellent entry point into fitness tracking.

It’s still more expensive than its rivals, but Fitbit’s software experience and ecosystem are both excellent, so for some it may be worth paying a little extra – even if paying more for such a small display does sting a little.

It helps that you get up to 10 days of battery life (though a little less if you use the always-on display feature), as there’s 24/7 heart rate monitoring now bolstered by SpO2 data, as well as sleep tracking. Just bear in mind that there’s no built-in GPS support, and as with all Fitbits, you’ll need to subscribe to the paid Fitbit Premium plan to get every bit of data out of it.

Who should buy the Fitbit Inspire 3?

Anyone who wants to get into the Fitbit ecosystem without spending too much money.

Fitbit Inspire 3: Further considerations

You can get more features from similarly priced competitors, not to mention larger screens.

Read our full
Fitbit Inspire 3 review

Let’s face it, the Huawei Watch Fit 4 Pro wears its inspiration on its sleeve by looking almost identical to an Apple Watch, but that’s no bad thing. At the very least, it makes the Fit 4 Pro feel like a more premium device, and with a price tag of £219, it certainly is.

However, if you don’t mind spending a bit more, then you’ll get a great wearable that teeters the line between being a fitness tracker and smartwatch. Because it’s a Huawei device, you won’t have a ton of app access unless you have a Huawei phone, but there’s still music control, on-device maps and more.

When it comes to fitness tracking, there’s a more robust dual-band GNSS connection for keeping tabs on your location during a run, and there’s an ECG monitor so you can know right away if your heart exhibits any signs of atrial fibrillation.

Circling back to the design itself, the Fit 4 Pro is tougher than most fitness trackers, and it’s available in either a steel or titanium chassis. It can be submerged in water up to 5ATM, and the new sapphire glass display does a good job at keeping scratches at bay.

Who should buy the Huawei Watch Fit 4 Pro?

Anyone using Android who wishes they could have an Apple Watch.

Huawei Watch Fit 4 Pro: Further considerations

If you do use iOS, the Apple Watch SE 2 isn’t that much more expensive.

The Garmin Lily 2 is one of the most stylish fitness trackers – especially if you want to wear one with smarter clothing.

Activity tracking is accurate and the Body Battery and stress tracking features are a delight to use, giving a good insight into overall wellness.

Sleep tracking could be better, as could women’s health tracking, and it doesn’t cater to hardcore athletes with a lack of built-in GPS and other features like recovery time, both of which are offered by the similar-priced Vivoactive range. Still, the Garmin Lily 2 excels for casual exercisers seeking a discreet and comfortable companion for their everyday wellness journey.

For those with larger wrists or a strong focus on training metrics, the Vivoactive will be a better fit, but if you prioritise comfort, style and reliable fitness tracking in a compact package, the Garmin Lily 2 is a great option to consider.

Who should buy the Garmin Lily 2?

Anyone who’s fed up with boring-looking fitness trackers that don’t pair well with everyday fashion.

Garmin Lily 2: Further considerations

More robust smartwatches from Apple and Samsung are better for tracking women’s health.

The Fitbit Ace 3 is built to suit the rough-and-tumble lifestyle of most children, providing both kids and parents with simple but insightful activity and sleep tracking data.

The Ace 3 serves as a way to motivate kids to be more active, but in a roundabout way, it can also incentivise the whole family to get fitter together (provided everyone involved has a Fitbit of their own to wear).

Older kids might want to look for a tracker with a little more oomph, as the Ace 3 offers a cut-down range of fitness and notification features compared to Fitbit’s ‘adult’ trackers. It counts steps, logs Active Minutes, and monitors basic sleep patterns but lacks heart-rate tracking.

Who should buy the Fitbit Ace 3

Kids who need a bit of motivation to enjoy the great outdoors.

Fitbit Ace 3: Further considerations

If it does get damaged, the Fitbit Ace 3 isn’t as cheap to replace as some of the other wearables on this list.