The 9 Best Fitness Trackers, Tested By Our Fitness and Tech Experts

If you want a basic level fitness tracker, the Whoop PEAK membership with its new 5.0 band may be your answer. Men’s Health Fitness Director Ebenezer Samuel, C.S.C.S. backs this device for that reason. “Simplicity is what works here, because it’s reliable, has great battery life, and I don’t need to think about it,” he says. The Whoop 5.0 Band is a fitness tracker band, which means though it’s still decently functional, it does not have a display like most wrist devices. It tracks all of your data in the corresponding phone app, but it’s worth noting, you cannot see the data directly on your wrist.

If you like the no frills appearance, the Whoop 5.0 can definitely accomplish most of your tracking needs. “Whoop’s activity sensing has improved over the years and continues to take steps,” says Samuel. It can track anything from running, cycling, and rowing to weightlifting, yoga, soccer, and even massage therapy. From our personal experience with Whoop, we love how it fits on the wrist. It is one of the more comfortable fitness trackers we’ve worn—the strap has a soft back, is woven with microfilament yarn, and can also be easily adjusted.

Unfortunately, Samuel had some qualms with the heart rate monitoring. “The device isn’t tremendously accurate in terms of tracking heart rate, which is important to note,” he says. “In general, note that whatever [Whoop] is telling you about heart rate, it’s almost always overshooting.” This can be an issue because a lot of the other tracking metrics (calories, activity, etc.) are based around heart rate. However, if you just want something basic to wear on your wrist, count your steps, and give you a general look into your health and workouts, Whoop 5.0 Band with the Peak membership will do just that.

Oura was a pioneer in the smart ring space, and it’s still the best smart ring we have tested to date (and we’ve tested a lot). Multiple editors have been wearing the Oura Ring for the last two years and can attest that each new iteration release out kicks the competition. This particular release updated a few physical features: Oura shifted to a fully titanium build (vs. a titanium exterior, epoxy interior), added smaller and larger sizes, and ditched their three-nodule sensor design. “This latest model eliminates the nodules that used to be on the inside of the ring and pinch into my finger on the Oura Ring 3. Those aren’t required anymore with their new tech, so that is a huge improvement over the past model,” says Thorp, who religiously wears his Oura Ring.

The battery can also last up to eight days now, instead of just seven. And the updated software is available on all models, new and old. While Oura has always offered heart rate monitoring, the new software now features automatic heart rate monitoring, allowing you to detect and track your workout stats without hitting the “Record HR workout” button. This automatic detection feature also lends to workout monitoring for over 40 activities (a new capability compared to the past, solely cardio-focused tracking that Oura offered).

The daytime stress features have also gotten an improvement—one of our favorites is illness detection. The Oura Ring 4 can detect changes in your stress stats and body temperature that may indicate an illness before you feel the entirety of the symptoms. A couple of months ago, one editor felt a slight earache when they woke up, and Oura called out they may have a cold coming on. The next day, that cold had arrived. It’s not always entirely accurate like this—there have been a few times the Oura Ring has said we were getting sick when it was actually just a hangover (oops).

Even as Oura lovers, we’d be remiss not to call out one of the downsides to the product: In order to attain full use of the Oura Ring, you need to pay a monthly subscription fee of $5.99 (or $69.99 per year). There are other smart rings in the space that don’t require any fee (shout out to our second favorite product, the Ultrahuman ring), but with the updated technology and consistent top-of-the-line features, we deem the extra $69.99 per year a pretty minimal price to pay.

For the most stylish users, the company also released a Ceramic version of the Oura Ring 4, which offers a unique look and additional color options.

Read More: Our Hands-On Test of the Oura Ring 4

Adventurers, look this way. We’re not exaggerating when we say this is the most rugged fitness tracker we have tested. The Garmin Instinct 3 AMOLED is packed with technology and has a thick face made for trail hikes, rock climbing, and even swimming (it’s water rated up to 100 meters). According to Men’s Health contributor Korin Miller, this Garmin can take a beating. “I accidentally banged it into several doorways and even scraped it against a kettlebell during a clumsy gym moment—it still looks brand new,” Miller says.

In addition to its outwardly masculine look and durable design, the technology here is super simple to navigate, which can’t be said for all fitness trackers. Though there’s no touchscreen, Miller had the five buttons figured out within just a few minutes of receiving the product. And while you can track up to 30 different workout types, Miller praises the display for the easy-to-digest layout outside of workout mode. “The 390 x 390 pixel AMOLED display resolution is sharp and bright, allowing Garmin to jam a lot of stats on the home screen. At a glance, you can see your step count, heart rate, weather, date, time, and more. It’s arranged smartly in a way to deliver plenty of information without feeling overwhelming,” she says.

But one of our favorite features? Garmin prioritizes a wind-down time, switching from a jam-packed interface to just a clock during the time you are typically sleeping (which you note during set-up). It’s worth mentioning that in order to be this rugged and durable, the Garmin Instinct 3 is also quite heavy at 53 grams. But if you’re going hard on the trails, there’s no better wrist partner.

Read More: Our Hands-On Test of the Garmin Instinct 3

At this cost, you’d expect a simple appearance, no touchscreen, and limited functionality. However, the Google Pixel Watch 4 has a beautiful, easy-to-navigate touchscreen, a smooth design, and almost all the metrics you’d get on a more high-end device.

Google puts a big emphasis on overall wellness rather than just fitness tracking, focusing on breathing and stress management. “This is a very underrated device and it’s gotten more accurate with the third edition,” says Samuel. “The breathing exercises don’t reinvent the wheel, but the presentation is solid and the timing is good. Overall, in this market, there’s a lot we don’t fully understand about stress levels, and some of the algorithms are simplistic. But Google has smartly gotten us thinking about how we feel, and that’s a good thing.”

If this watch tracks stress, readiness, and sleep, what are the limitations of this budget-friendly device? Well, it doesn’t offer as many workout modes as most other fitness trackers, clocking in at just 41 options. You also have to charge it every day, and it’s only compatible with Android devices. But for such a clean, aesthetic appearance and great individual wellness metrics, we definitely consider this fitness tracker a steal.

Most fitness trackers carry a hefty price tag, so if you’re in the market but not looking to sell out on this particular accessory, the Suunto Race S is the best value you’ll find. With a high definition AMOLED touchscreen, over 95 sport modes, and a water rating up to 50m, the specs here are just as good as you’ll find on many high-end fitness trackers. Thorp put this watch to the test himself and sings its praises. “The AMOLED display on this watch is fantastic for its compact design. And personally, I think the Suunto Race S is superior to the larger model,” he says.

A lot of fitness trackers in this price range (around $350) offer only more basic tracking, like steps and calories burned. Thorp points out that’s not the case here, saying, “There is more to this fitness watch than just a run tracker—there are workouts and other great fitness insights, like HRV, sleep monitoring, activity tracking and race pacing. Sure, it’s not as powerful as a top-of-the-line Garmin, but it gets the job done and brings great value.”

Let’s chat about some of those features. Sleep tracking is having a moment and the Suunto Race S can track your sleep duration, timing, deep sleep, light sleep, heart rate, REM and HRV from sleep. One downside here? Wearing a watch to bed isn’t for everyone. Another cool feature worth digging into is race pacing. If you’re training for an upcoming marathon (or just life), the Race Pacer can help keep you on track when the mid-long run rut strikes. Overall, this is a great budget-friendly find—just note that if you opt for the titanium version over the stainless steel version, that will hike the price up by $120 (which makes it not as budget-friendly).

Apple fans know how great the Apple Watch Ultra 3 is. It features a large, durable aerospace-grade titanium body built for outdoor adventure. It’s water-rated up to 100m and boasts dual-frequency GPS. What’s that do for you exactly? It offers much more accurate tracking in tough environments (like densely populated cities, mountain terrain, and forests)—great for trail runners and climbers.

Apple has always been at the top of the game for fitness tracking. The Ultra 3 offers all the typical metrics of the older Apple Watch models—activity rings, over 60 workout modes, blood oxygen, ECG, etc. But the Ultra 3 can be used as a dive computer, an emergency siren, and a compass that retraces your steps (ideal for those prone to getting lost mid-hike).

A watch that can do this much won’t look dainty on the wrist, though. Men’s Health Senior Fitness Editor Brett Williams, NASM wrapped everything up nicely here. “Let’s be honest. Yes, it’s a good-to-great watch, but it’s also incredibly oversized, which makes it great for outdoor stuff, but it’s not so great for anyone working with kettlebells in earnest or focused on strength training.” Samuel continues, “You won’t get a better running experience than the Apple Watch Ultra 3, and it shines as a tool for tracking cardio activities. Display is dominant and beautiful, and by and large, it’s tremendously comfortable to wear too.”

For us, if the main downside is that it’s a bit chunky on the wrist, we’ll take it—the Apple Watch Ultra 3 is truly the full package for all iPhone users.

Read More: Our Hands-On Test of the Apple Watch Ultra 3

If you’ve ever been big into running, you’ve likely considered a Garmin watch. But the Garmin Fēnix 8 isn’t just great for run tracking—it tracks over 100 different types of workouts and can last up to 29 days on one charge. In addition to its functionality, the Garmin Fēnix 8 also boasts a high-end design, according to Thorp, who tested the product himself. “One of the sleeker offerings in the way of Garmins, this is the perfect fitness tracking watch for anyone who doesn’t want to wear anything too cumbersome on the wrist,” he says. “This watch has everything that fitness tracking powerhouse Garmin has to offer packed into its low-profile casing.”

One of the coolest offerings? Garmin has both an AMOLED and a solar-powered option. The solar-powered watch can extend the battery life even further, but the screen is not quite as bright as the AMOLED option. The solar watch also does not have a touchscreen like the AMOLED one, making it a bit less convenient to have to click through the features via buttons.

While the Garmin Fēnix 8 has the capabilities to track pretty much any metric you want tracked, the charging experience fell a bit short for Thorp. While the battery can last up to 29 days on low power mode, if you switch the GPS on, that number drops down to just under 24 hours of charge—a stark difference. Additionally, Thorp found the charging cord a bit short and keeps these USB-C charger extension cords on hand to charge his Garmin.

Overall, this is a sleek, all-in-one package with a unique (and modern) solar-powered option. If you don’t mind a bit of a sub-par charging experience, you can’t get more premium than the Garmin Fēnix 8.

No iPhone? No problem. The Galaxy Watch 8 can go anywhere thanks to a large scratch-resistant screen and a strong titanium case. One of our favorite features is the advanced sleep coaching that analyzes your sleep habits, suggests what you can do to improve, and is even FDA-approved to detect sleep apnea. We also appreciate the body composition reader—in just a few seconds, the Galaxy Watch 8 works to tell you your vitals, and even provides a body fat estimate. These stats are prone to inaccuracy (few home devices can accurately track body fat), but we give props to Samsung for trying to push metrics to another level.

The Galaxy Watch 8 also delivers the features you expect in high-end smartwatches. That means accurate dual-frequency GPS specs and voice navigation. Nailing these (as Samsung does) is extra-critical in 2026, partly because the Galaxy Watch 8 has some new competition for Android users (namely, from Google’s Pixel Watch).

Thanks to several generations of trial and error and new AI health insights, the Galaxy Watch gets the edge as our preferred pick for Android owners. Thorp tested it himself and shares, “There are more health insights and data in this watch than most competitors. Once you grant the device access to your health insights on your phone, it will make recommendations on sleep, exercise, and overall health, after you choose what your own personal goals are. I appreciate the design as well, which looks more like a classic watch than other smartwatch options.”

The array of features available and the materials used to craft the watch have been optimized a few times over, thus producing a seriously strong, long-lasting fitness tracker (and everyday smart watch) most users will be happy adding to their training arsenal.

Read More: The Best Workout Apps, Tested by Us

When you’re just starting out, you probably want a no-fuss fitness tracker to help get your bearings. The G-Shock Move is easy to navigate and offers just enough tracking to get you started. Men’s Health Grooming and Commerce Editor Sean Zucker tested it out for himself and likes how easy it is for newbies. “Thankfully, where the watch really excels is where it’s most meant to be used—when you’re working out or going for a run,” Zucker says. “Its face has a simple design and navigating it was a breeze, even for someone as technologically challenged as myself. It was easy to switch between lap/route times, heart rate/zone, homepage, etc. while I was running with only a couple of clicks (the watch itself only has 4 buttons so I appreciate the simplified design).”

The G-Shock Move tracks all your basic needs: steps, running, walking, heart rate, blood oxygen, and even sleep recovery. Zucker also found it quite comfortable. “[It’s a] super comfortable watch, and handles sweat/rain with ease,” he says. “It doesn’t move around at all or get greasy after a long run/workout.” Though he did have a couple qualms with the functionality.

“Now, I’m not someone who likes to wear a watch, let alone a fitness watch, all of the time but I will if I have a few minutes or I’m planning out a run,” says Zucker. “I’ll check in on what I’ve done that week and unfortunately, the app doesn’t let you access any of that info unless your phone is currently connected, which is, in my professional opinion, quite annoying.” Another small downside, Zucker did mention he had a tough time with initial setup.

“It’s important to note that I am generally 100 years old and grumpy about this type of stuff, [but] still, the set up on this watch was a bit of a pain,” says Zucker. “There were a lot of ads (this extends to the app itself after you start using as well, very muddy).” If you can get past the setup and are okay with only being able to check past stats when you’re connected to the phone app, this is a great beginner-friendly tracker offering all the basic functions you need to kick off your fitness tracking journey.

Should I Buy a Fitness Tracker?

An easy way to decide if you should get a fitness tracker is by identifying a few key metrics you’d like to measure. We’ve spoken with Michael J. Joyner, M.D., a human-physiology researcher at the Mayo Clinic, to get his opinion on fitness trackers. “If your goal is to finish a 10K, then the distance you can run without stopping is more relevant than your respiration rate,” Dr. Joyner told MH. “You have to ask yourself how collecting more granular data is going to help you achieve your goals.”

Before purchasing, take a second to write down your specific needs for a fitness tracker and then list some metrics you’d like to measure. Having an idea of what exactly you will be using your fitness tracker for could save you money and help you get the most out of your fitness tracker.