The ten finest health trackers in 2024

Health trackers have come a good distance from the easy bands that tracked steps and little else. Trendy trackers can monitor every little thing out of your coronary heart well being to how effectively you’ve recovered from a tough bout of coaching. Even flagship smartwatches, which was once lackluster trackers, have turn out to be fairly adept exercise companions. No matter your health targets are, there’s in all probability a health tracker that may assist you to obtain them.

In comparison with another devices, wearables are extremely private, which suggests there are just a few additional concerns you’ll must take into consideration earlier than reaching in your pockets. It makes it arduous to say that anyone health tracker is the perfect for everybody. Fortunately, the perfect factor about health trackers in 2024 is that there’s sufficient selection to suit into each form of way of life. 

Proper now, we’re heading into the vacation procuring season. Just a little endurance goes a good distance this time of 12 months. Retailers and firms alike will probably be attempting to eliminate outdated inventory, that means reductions galore forward of Black Friday. Should you don’t want the most recent and biggest, it’s time to snag final 12 months’s fashions in nicer supplies.

Measurement: 46mm w/ 22mm straps / Weight: 34g / Battery life: As much as 14 days / Show sort: OLED touchscreen / GPS: Twin-frequency and 6 GNSS techniques / Connectivity: Bluetooth, Wi-Fi / Water resistance: 5ATM / Music storage: 2.3GB

The Amazfit GTR 4 punches method above its weight. It features a entire array of options you’d anticipate to see on a lot pricier wearables, like a brilliant OLED display, blood oxygen monitoring, sleep stage monitoring, stress monitoring, Amazon Alexa compatibility, and an offline digital assistant. It’s additionally bought a local digital camera distant and a helpful Pomodoro timer in-built. And for out of doors health lovers, the GTR 4 additionally has multiband GPS for extra correct GPS monitoring in difficult environments. You may even import GPX routes from websites like Strava and Komoot. The GTR 4 takes a extra holistic strategy to well being, buying and selling in steps for PAI factors to gauge whether or not you’re getting the beneficial 150 minutes of average exercise per week.

For sensible options, the GTR 4 has all of the fundamentals: push notifications, fast textual content replies on Android, alarms, timers, and the power to make and take calls over Bluetooth. The one factor the GTR 4 is admittedly lacking is contactless funds, however it greater than makes up for it, given the expansive function set and battery life. It lasts about 10–14 days on a single cost with regular use and a few week with heavy utilization. It could not have the model recognition of a Fitbit, however since Google nerfed each the Versa 4 and Sense 2, you may wish to overlook that. Plus, the GTR 4 doesn’t have thick bezels like both of these watches. Watchfaces on the OLED show are crisp, and animations are clean. When you think about that Amazfit watches are sometimes on sale, it’s a no brainer.

Learn my full assessment of the Amazfit GTR 4 right here.

Sizes: 40mm w/ 20mm straps / Weight: 38g / Battery life: As much as 11 days / Show sort: OLED touchscreen / GPS: All-systems GNSS / Connectivity: Bluetooth, Ant Plus / Water resistance: 5ATM / Music storage: 4GB (for Music Version)

The $250 Garmin Venu Sq 2 is the watch I like to recommend for anybody trying to exchange their getting old Fitbit Versa 2, 3, or 4. It’s bought an identical look and vibe, with a a lot nicer OLED show and longer battery life.

Garmin is thought for its complete health monitoring, and that’s not an exception right here. After all, you get the fundamentals, like steps and energy burned, however you get an entire lot extra, too. There’s built-in GPS for monitoring walks, runs, and bike rides, in addition to loads of different sports activities profiles like yoga and energy coaching. For sensible options, you get push notifications, timers, contactless funds, and a bunch of security options like Garmin’s Incident Detection, which is its tackle fall detection. (You will have to hold your telephone with you, nonetheless, as this doesn’t have LTE.)

If you’d like the choice of onboard music, you may shell out $50 additional for the Music Version, which comes with sufficient storage for about 500 songs. I wouldn’t suggest it, nonetheless, as you’ll most probably have your telephone on you since this isn’t a real standalone watch.

What I like most about this watch, nonetheless, is it’s one that you could develop with. On prime of restoration metrics and sleep monitoring, it additionally has Garmin Coach — a built-in, free coaching program for newbie and intermediate-level runners hoping to deal with a 5K, 10K, or half marathon. For well being monitoring, you may monitor coronary heart fee, blood oxygen, depth minutes (what number of minutes of average train you get per week), stress, hydration, respiratory fee, and menstrual cycles. And the perfect half is Garmin doesn’t lock any of this behind a paywall.

One be aware: there’s a Venu 3, which provides a more moderen coronary heart fee sensor and nap detection. I preferred it fairly a bit, and it ticks off quite a lot of the correct packing containers — apart from value. It’s $450, which places it outdoors what I’d think about ultimate for informal customers. The opposite choice is Garmin’s Forerunner 165 — it’s a $249 funds coaching watch that’s fairly much like the Venu Sq 2 feature-wise, albeit with a sportier vibe. Principally, go along with what you discover on sale. I firmly imagine older fashions are nonetheless a good selection if all you need is the fitness-tracking fundamentals. That is very true since newer software program updates usually make their solution to older Garmins. Garmin customers additionally have a tendency to hold onto their gadgets for whereas. Strava’s 2023 year-end survey discovered that the most well-liked smartwatch amongst its customers was an eight-year-old Garmin!

Learn my full assessment of the Garmin Venu Sq 2.

Sizes: 7S Professional: 42mm w/ 20mm straps; 7: 47mm w/ 22mm straps; 7X: 51mm w/ 26mm straps / Weight: 7S Professional: 63g (Photo voltaic), 58g or 65g (Sapphire Photo voltaic, titanium or stainless-steel); 7: 79g (Photo voltaic), 73g (Sapphire Photo voltaic); 7X: 96g (Photo voltaic), 89g (Sapphire Photo voltaic) / Battery life: 7S: as much as 11 days, 14 w/ Photo voltaic; 7: as much as 18 days, 22 days w/ photo voltaic; 7X: as much as 28 days, 37 w/ photo voltaic / Show sort: MIP touchscreen / GPS: All-systems GNSS and dual-frequency GPS / Connectivity: Bluetooth, Ant Plus, Wi-Fi / Water resistance: 10ATM / Music storage: As much as 32GB

Garmin’s flagship Fenix 7 sequence isn’t any joke, and the Fenix 7 Professional lineup takes it up a notch. It’s bought built-in multiband GPS, photo voltaic charging on all fashions, the choice of touchscreen or button navigation, topographical maps, and oodles upon oodles of knowledge. Plus, each Fenix 7 Professional mannequin has a hands-free LED flashlight, an upgraded coronary heart fee sensor, and an improved memory-in-pixel show that’s barely simpler to learn in low lighting.

Garmin wearables are additionally identified for offering in depth in-depth metrics, and the Fenix 7 Professional lineup isn’t any exception. You get wonderful restoration metrics in addition to useful coaching guides and training packages. The perfect half is that Garmin doesn’t cost additional for these options. That’s excellent news, as these are costly watches.

I recognize how shortly these Fenix 7 watches can choose up a GPS sign. That’s a should for those who’re coaching within the lifeless of winter. These watches may also take a beating. All fashions are constructed to military-grade requirements and have as much as 10ATM of water resistance. Meaning they’re greater than able to a dunk within the ocean.

Though the display is brighter, MIP shows nonetheless aren’t my absolute favourite — the OLED on the Garmin Epix 2 and the Epix Professional are a lot simpler on the eyes. It’s admittedly robust to select between the Fenix 7, Fenix 7 Professional, Epix 2, and Epix Professional lineups — particularly now that the Epix Professional additionally has nice battery life, the LED flashlight, and now is available in a number of sizes. What it boils all the way down to is whether or not you prioritize a brighter show, longer battery life, or value.

Personally, I desire the Epix Professional for higher readability, however the Fenix 7 Professional is the higher alternative if that is your first introduction to Garmin’s platform. You’ll get higher battery life, the identical LED flashlight, all the identical coaching options, and a decrease beginning value. (It’s also possible to take a look at our Garmin shopping for information for those who’d like much more alternate options.)

Technically, there’s a new Fenix 8 sequence on the block. That mentioned, I nonetheless suppose the usual Fenix 7 or 7 Professional lineup is the higher general worth. The Fenix 8 provides diving options and voice assistant capabilities, however it additionally ups the usual Fenix 7’s beginning value of $650 by an extra $350. That’s robust to swallow, particularly since vacation season is upon us and retailers could provide reductions on older fashions to eliminate present stock.

Learn my full assessment of the Garmin Fenix 7S Professional.

Sizes: 12 proprietary sizes, 4–15, sizing equipment wanted / Weight: 4–6g (depends upon dimension) / Battery life: As much as seven days / Show sort: None / GPS: None / Connectivity: Bluetooth / Water resistance: As much as 328 ft / Music storage: None

The overwhelming majority of health trackers are worn on the wrist, however the $349 Oura Ring isn’t. The sensible ring is an efficient choice for people who find themselves in search of one thing a bit of extra discreet. It’s additionally much less distracting than another wrist-based choices, because it lacks a display and doesn’t mirror push notifications out of your telephone. 

The brand new Oura Ring 4 isn’t functionally that a lot completely different from the earlier Gen 3. It’s slimmer, incorporates a new all-titanium design, has improved battery life, and has a brand new sensor algorithm that Oura says is extra correct. Not one of the new software program options are gatekept to the Ring 4, so Gen 3 house owners shouldn’t really feel the necessity to improve until their ring not lasts greater than two days on a single cost. That mentioned, the fourth-gen ring has an expanded dimension vary spanning from 4 to fifteen. Should you felt your Gen 3 was a bit cosy or couldn’t discover a dimension that match proper, you might have a greater choice now.

Whereas smaller than your common wearable, the Oura Ring nonetheless tracks a ton of metrics, together with coronary heart fee variability, physique temperature, blood oxygen, all-day coronary heart fee monitoring, and cycle monitoring. Since launching, the Oura Ring has additionally added exercise monitoring, blood oxygen ranges, chronotypes to assist visualize your circadian rhythms, a social function referred to as Circles, improved stress monitoring, cardiovascular age and capability metrics, and even an AI chatbot (in beta). It’s additionally rolled out a brand new sleep levels algorithm that it claims is extra correct than earlier than. The app has additionally been totally revamped to higher arrange all these new options and metrics.

The Oura Ring tracks typical metrics — corresponding to steps and energy burned —  however its foremost focus is sleep and restoration. Every day, you’re given three units of scores in your readiness, sleep, and exercise. It’s a easy, holistic take a look at your general wellness and a perfect choose if you would like a extra hands-off expertise along with your information.

Should you’ve bought a Samsung Galaxy Watch, you could wish to think about the $399.99 Galaxy Ring. It’s a bit costlier than the bottom Oura Ring, however it doesn’t include a subscription, and also you get significantly better battery life when used with the Galaxy Watch. The {hardware} can also be wonderful, particularly the charging case. That mentioned, that is solely an choice for Android customers, and even then, you don’t unlock its full potential until you’ve bought different Samsung gear. I additionally suggest the Ultrahuman Ring Air for folk who don’t like the thought of Oura’s month-to-month subscription.

You may learn my experiences with a bunch of different sensible rings, however proper now, the Oura Ring is essentially the most polished with the perfect general expertise. Should you don’t thoughts a last-gen mannequin, my professional tip is to get the Gen 3. Oura will probably be trying to eliminate stock, so it’s doubtless you’ll be capable to snag low cost whereas provides final.

Learn my full assessment of the Oura Ring 4.

Measurement: 42mm x 24mm x 12.2mm with 16mm straps / Weight: 28g / Battery life: As much as 18 days / Show sort: OLED / GPS: Tethered / Connectivity: Bluetooth / Water resistance: 5ATM / Music storage: None

It’s really arduous to beat the Amazfit Band 7’s $49.99 value — doubly so since you may usually discover it on sale for even much less. Carrying the Band 7 appears like a throwback to 2014, which is nice if all you’re in search of is a straightforward and informal tracker that received’t break the financial institution.

Nobody goes to go with you on the Band 7’s design, however it’s bought a handful of cute watchfaces that make good use of its OLED touchscreen. And regardless of having an OLED show, you’ll nonetheless get roughly 14 days of battery life on a single cost. It’s additionally extremely light-weight, making it choice for sleep monitoring as effectively.

You additionally get an absurd variety of options for the value. That features Amazon Alexa, steady coronary heart fee monitoring, blood oxygen monitoring, stress monitoring, superior sleep monitoring, coaching metrics like VO2 max and cargo, irregular coronary heart fee alerts, menstrual monitoring, push notifications, discover my telephone, a digital camera distant, and even a Pomodoro timer. You’re sacrificing contactless funds and should accept tethered GPS, however it is a honest tradeoff contemplating every little thing else you’re getting. It’s not the most suitable choice for hardcore health monitoring, however it is a nice choice if all you’re trying to do is casually monitor exercise and your steps.

Amazfit’s been making surprisingly good funds trackers for some time. That mentioned, for those who’re a bit of cautious of a lesser-known model, the $159.95 Fitbit Cost 6 is an honest different. It’s pricier, however you get quite a lot of what Amazfit is lacking. That features Google providers like YouTube Music, Google Pockets, and Google Maps. Plus, it has built-in GPS and the power to broadcast your coronary heart fee with some Bluetooth-compatible health club tools.

Learn my full assessment of the Amazfit Band 7.

Sizes: 37mm with 18mm straps / Weight: 45g / Battery life: As much as 39 days / Show sort:  OLED show / GPS: Tethered GPS / Connectivity: Bluetooth / Water resistance: 5ATM / Music storage: N/A

The $249.95 Withings ScanWatch Gentle is a fetching hybrid analog smartwatch. Consider it as a dressier health band with some Swatch-like design sensibilities. It’s bought all of your fundamentals like easy push notifications, timers, and alarms. Plus, you may monitor steps, sleep, menstrual cycles, and GPS actions straight from the wrist. It appears to be like spiffy on the wrist, and for those who like a pop of shade, Withings gives minty inexperienced and pale blue shade choices. It’s additionally bought wonderful battery life, with an estimated 30 days on a single cost. I bought rather less in testing at round 25 days, however that’s nonetheless significantly better than the overwhelming majority of flagship smartwatches. This additionally appears to be like far more trendy than beefier multisport watches with comparable battery life.

As its title suggests, the Gentle is a pared-down model of the $349.95 ScanWatch 2. The primary belongings you’re lacking are an EKG sensor for atrial fibrillation detection, a temperature sensor, blood oxygen monitoring, and an altimeter for monitoring elevation. For primary health monitoring, you don’t really want these sensors. That’s why I feel the additional $100 in financial savings is price it for the Gentle, particularly since each are missing in security options, contactless funds, and another bells and whistles you may get from different watches within the $350 value vary. That mentioned, if you would like extras, the ScanWatch 2 additionally will get you a barely extra elegant look because of the second step-counter dial.

An alternative choice I like is the $179.99 Garmin Vivomove Sport, which truly dominated this class prior to now few years. It’s arduous to beat the value, particularly because it will get you entry to Garmin’s platform. Nonetheless, Garmin’s “hidden” OLED show can get washed out in brilliant lighting, and battery life was considerably shorter than different hybrid analog watches at round 5 days. Nonetheless, for those who’d fairly a platform with a concentrate on health fairly than wellness, the Vivomove Sport stands out as the higher transfer over a Withings watch.

Learn my full assessment of the Withings ScanWatch 2 and Gentle.

Sizes: 42mm, 46mm / Weight: 29.3g (42mm), 35.3g (46mm) / Battery life: As much as 18 hours / Show sort: All the time-on LTPO OLED / GPS: Constructed-in GPS, plus GLONASS, Galileo, QZSS, Beidou / Connectivity: LTE (non-compulsory), Bluetooth, Wi-Fi / Water resistance: As much as 50 meters / Music storage: 32GB

Should you’re in search of a smartwatch that does health effectively, then iPhone house owners must look no additional than the $399 Apple Watch Sequence 10. (The LTE model prices $50 extra.) That is one other 12 months of iterative updates, however the Sequence 10 is a way more snug watch than in years previous. It’s thinner and lighter, plus there’s a bigger show. Should you’ve bought a Sequence 5 or older, now is an efficient time to improve.

With watchOS 11, there’s a brand new suite of coaching options. There’s Coaching Load, which supplies you larger perception into how intensely you’ve been understanding the previous week in comparison with the final 28 days. There’s additionally a brand new Vitals app that flags when key metrics, like sleep period or coronary heart fee, could also be out of whack. Plus, you may lastly pause your rings for relaxation days. The software program replace additionally brings some savvy updates to the Sensible Stack. For instance, for those who’re in a loud cafe questioning what music’s taking part in, the Sensible Stack can now floor the Shazaam widget. It additionally now helps Reside Actions, turning your wrist right into a mini Dynamic Island. Well being-wise, we additionally now have FDA-cleared sleep apnea detection.

After all, we even have to deal with the Apple Watch ban. As of January 18th, 2024, new Apple Watches bought within the US have the blood oxygen function disabled as a consequence of an ongoing patent battle with medical gadget maker Masimo. This isn’t an enormous deal for most individuals, as this function isn’t that helpful for most individuals but, and the brand new sleep apnea function completely makes use of the accelerometer fairly than the blood oxygen sensor. You may wish to think about a refurbished Sequence 7 or 8 if blood oxygen sensing is vital to you, nonetheless.

Should you’re a first-time purchaser, you may also go for the second-gen Apple Watch SE. It’s barely cheaper at $249, and whilst you don’t get as many options, it’s introduction to the ecosystem. In any other case, for those who’re the kind of athlete who covets a Garmin, you might also wish to think about splurging on the Apple Watch Extremely 2. It’s costlier at $799, however it does have the brightest display of any Apple Watch, comes with dual-frequency GPS, has diving and mountain climbing security options, and is product of extra sturdy supplies. There’s additionally a fetching new black shade.

Learn my full assessment of the Apple Watch Sequence 10.

Sizes: 47mm / Weight: 60.5g / Battery life: As much as 100 hours / Show sort: All the time-on OLED / GPS: Constructed-in GPS / Connectivity: LTE (non-compulsory), Bluetooth, Wi-Fi / Water resistance: 10ATM, IP68 / Music storage: 32GB

Honestly, the Samsung Galaxy Watch Extremely left me a bit disenchanted after reviewing it — not as a result of it’s a nasty piece of {hardware}, however as a result of it copies a bit an excessive amount of from Apple. Even so, that is essentially the most full-featured health smartwatch a Samsung telephone proprietor should purchase.

Whereas I desire the Galaxy Watch 7 myself, I can’t say it’s the perfect for health monitoring. There was an excessive amount of of a niche between it and the Extremely in my testing so far as accuracy, particularly for GPS monitoring. However what actually sealed the deal for me was the distinction in battery life. It’s merely night time and day, and the Galaxy Watch 7 actually struggled on this enviornment. (The gaps are a lot much less egregious between the bottom Apple Watch and Extremely 2.)

The caveat is, if all you need is informal health monitoring, the Galaxy Watch 7 is the higher alternative for wearability. It’s simply extra snug for sleep monitoring and lighter general. Simply consider it lacks the Extremely’s emergency siren and shortcut button, and the display doesn’t get fairly as brilliant.

With each watches, you get a sooner processor, a brand new 3-in-1 BioActive Sensor, some AI well being options, and FDA-cleared sleep apnea detection. The newer {hardware} makes for a extra futureproof buy, however I discovered the AI well being options to be hit-or-miss in follow. As all the time, some options, like EKGs and sleep apnea detection, are restricted to Samsung house owners. That makes this tough to wholeheartedly suggest this to non-Samsung Android customers.

But when the Extremely doesn’t float your boat, now is an efficient time to search out the Galaxy Watch 6 sequence, significantly the bottom fashions, on sale. The bottom Galaxy Watch 7 could have newer {hardware}, however so far as precise use goes, it’s not a large replace over final 12 months. And for those who’re right into a bodily rotating bezel, simply go forward and snag a Galaxy Watch 6 Traditional.

Learn my full assessment of the Samsung Galaxy Watch Extremely.

Sizes: 41mm, 45mm / Weight: 31g / Battery life: As much as 24 hours / Show sort: All the time-on OLED / GPS: Constructed-in GPS / Connectivity: LTE (non-compulsory), Bluetooth, Wi-Fi / Water resistance: 5ATM / Music storage: 32GB

With the Pixel Watch 3, Google is lastly completed taking part in catch-up.

There are really too many updates to name every one out individually, however general, they fall into two buckets: refinement and growth. The {hardware} is generally the identical as final 12 months’s Pixel Watch 2 when it comes to design. Nonetheless, we now have a brighter display, smaller bezels, and a brand new 45mm dimension. The bigger dimension is kind of good, particularly for those who desire bigger screens with out sacrificing wearability.

Battery life can also be higher. There’s a brand new battery-saver mode that kicks in while you hit 15 p.c and the brand new shows are additionally extra energy environment friendly. Plus, bedtime mode is computerized now, in order that helps the watch last more in a single day for sleep monitoring. It’s solely a modest enchancment over the Pixel Watch 2, however it’s dramatic in comparison with the unique.

Software program is the place the Pixel Watch 3 makes essentially the most updates. There are a ton of latest health and well being options, together with a brand new operating dashboard, customized operating exercises, and AI-generated exercise ideas. There’s additionally a revamped Each day Readiness Rating and a brand new Cardio Load metric, which gauges how intensely you’ve been exercising. For European customers, you may also get the brand new Lack of Pulse function, which calls emergency providers in your behalf if it detects you not have a pulse. Sadly, this isn’t accessible stateside, because it hasn’t but acquired FDA clearance.

The Pixel Watch 3 additionally higher integrates with Google providers and the Pixel ecosystem. Now you can view your Nest Doorbell or Digicam feed straight from the wrist — and it’s fairly helpful for those who get quite a lot of packages or friends. When you have Google TV, you should utilize the watch as a distant. Now that the watch has an extremely wideband chip, it may well additionally now unlock your Pixel telephone. It’s also possible to use the Recorder app to seize audio and ship it straight to your Pixel telephone.

That mentioned, a few of these options now imply the Pixel Watch works finest with a Pixel telephone. Should you’re in search of alternate options to Google and Samsung, the $299.99 OnePlus Watch 2 is a robust different. You’re giving up LTE, however it’s a handsome-looking watch with surprisingly lengthy battery life and Google Assistant from the get-go.

Learn my full assessment of the Google Pixel Watch 3.

Sizes: 43mm by 28mm by 10mm / Weight: 18g / Battery life: 4–5 days / Show sort: None / GPS: None / Connectivity: Bluetooth / Water resistance: As much as 10 meters / Music storage: None

The Whoop 4.0 shouldn’t be for the informal fanatic. Not solely does it include an costly month-to-month subscription, however the data it supplies is just helpful for those who’re actively coaching for a cardio-intensive sport. If energy coaching is your foremost type of train, you’re higher off wanting elsewhere. Just like the Oura Ring, it is a distraction-free tracker that makes a speciality of sleep and restoration. The primary distinction is that this has a extra athletic bent. As an example, you’ll get far more perception into how a lot pressure you’ve taken on prior to now week. 

Whoop additionally supplies quite a lot of novel methods to put on its tracker, together with in underwear and arm/knee sleeves. This makes it an interesting choice for those who’re a type of unicorns who wants a secondary tracker to complement one other type of health monitoring. Once more, it is a tracker finest appreciated by individuals who go arduous and aren’t afraid to experiment. Plus, Whoop just lately lowered its subscription costs in sure tiers, so whereas it’s nonetheless costly, it’s not fairly as dear because it was once.

Learn my full assessment of the Whoop 4.0.

Replace, October sixteenth: Adjusted pricing and added Oura Ring 4 / Garmin Fenix 8 data.