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—are available. From feature-rich options rivaling top smartwatches to basic step counters and heart rate monitors, budget-friendly fitness trackers cater to all needs and wrist sizes.

TL;DR – The Best Budget Fitness Trackers:

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 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 and button controls are major pluses. It features 24/7 heart rate monitoring, step counting, SpO2 measurement, movement reminders, automatic exercise tracking, and sleep monitoring. Basic smartwatch features include phone notifications and a find-my-phone function.

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 like health monitoring and a sleek design. It includes a pedometer, heart rate monitor, SpO2 sensor, and sleep monitoring, along with over 150 fitness modes. While accuracy might not match higher-end devices, it offers valuable workout insights. Its three-week battery life and bright 1.62-inch AMOLED display are notable upgrades. It also provides call and message notifications and music playback control, although 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.

The Xiaomi Smart Band 9 Pro boasts a larger 1.74-inch AMOLED display and a surprisingly accurate built-in GPS. It retains 24/7 heart rate and SpO2 monitoring, sleep and stress tracking, and support for over 150 sports modes. While some modes offer limited data, it provides music playback and phone notifications (though without response capability). At under $100, it's a stylish option with a bright screen, user-friendly interface, and impressive 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 offers a large 1.47-inch always-on AMOLED display, an 18-day battery life (28 days in battery-saver mode), and over 120 sports modes (with automatic recognition of four). Its 50m water resistance, heart rate, SpO2, stress, and sleep tracking, along with smartwatch features like notifications and Amazon Alexa integration, make it a compelling choice.

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) provides an affordable Apple Watch experience with an optical heart rate sensor, built-in GPS, automatic workout detection (including swimming), and 32GB of storage for apps. It offers full smartwatch functionality: calls, messages, contactless payments, and music streaming. Crash detection is a key safety feature. It's slim, comfortable, and boasts impressive 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 offers extensive workout tracking (swimming, cycling, golf, etc.), a highly accurate GPS and heart rate monitor, ECG, blood oxygen, and temperature sensors, and animated workouts. Its Body Battery feature provides insights into your body's energy levels. It functions as a smartwatch with a bright AMOLED display, up to 14-day battery life (reduced with always-on display and automatic workout detection), and standard smartwatch features. App selection is limited compared to Apple and Google smartwatches.

What to Look for in a Budget Fitness Tracker

Consider factors beyond step counting and sleep tracking: hardware quality, comfort, software, and tracking accuracy. Higher-priced trackers often include features like heart rate monitoring, GPS, and OLED displays. However, many affordable trackers still deliver substantial health data.

What kind of fitness tracker do I need?

Your needs determine the tracker type. 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, SpO2 sensors, and phone notifications. For runners, bikers, and hikers, GPS support is recommended. For broader functionality beyond fitness and health, a smartwatch offers larger screens, storage, app access, and call/text capabilities. Active individuals might also consider pairing their tracker with quality earbuds.