by Harper Apr 06,2025
Whether you're embarking on a new health journey or seeking deeper insights into your workouts, a fitness tracker can transform exercise into an engaging game while providing valuable data. Fortunately, many of these devices, often resembling smartwatches, are available at affordable prices. From feature-packed models that rival the best smartwatches to basic ones that track steps and monitor heart rate, there's a wide range of budget-friendly fitness trackers suitable for all wrist sizes.
Our Top Pick### Fitbit Inspire 3
0See it at Amazon### Xiaomi Smart Band 9
0See it at Amazon### Xiaomi Smart Band 9 Pro
0See it at Amazon### Amazfit Band 7
0See it at Amazon### Apple Watch SE (2nd Gen)
0See it at Amazon### Garmin Venu 3
0See it at AmazonContributions by Kevin Lee
Our Top Pick### Fitbit Inspire 3
0Smartwatches and fitness trackers don't have to break the bank, and the Fitbit Inspire 3 is a prime example. With a price tag under $100, this device features a vibrant AMOLED display and a durable, sleek band that's comfortable enough to wear while sleeping. Its impressive 10-day battery life means you won't need to charge it frequently, though using the always-on display mode will reduce this duration. Navigation is user-friendly, thanks to touch technology and two haptic buttons.
The Fitbit Inspire 3 excels in fitness tracking, offering 24/7 heart rate monitoring, step counting, blood oxygen level measurement, and movement reminders. It also includes automatic exercise tracking, which is perfect if you often forget to start a workout, and sleep monitoring to help you understand your sleep quality better. Additionally, it provides basic smartwatch features like phone notifications and a find-my-phone function via Bluetooth, though it lacks music storage and contactless payment capabilities.
### Xiaomi Smart Band 9
0Priced under $50, the Xiaomi Smart Band 9 offers an affordable yet feature-rich fitness tracking experience. It boasts a 1.62-inch AMOLED display and an impressive 21-day battery life, along with basic tracking and over 150 sports modes. This band is a strong contender against more expensive options like Fitbit.
It includes essential features such as a pedometer, heart rate monitor, blood oxygen saturation, and sleep monitoring. With over 150 fitness modes, including running, HIIT, kickboxing, and swimming, it provides detailed insights into your activities, such as calories burned and average heart rate. While the accuracy might not match that of higher-end smartwatches with GPS, the Xiaomi Smart Band 9 still offers valuable workout data.
The latest model enhances battery life to last up to three weeks with moderate use and increases screen brightness to 1,200 nits for better visibility in sunlight. The touch-responsive, colorful AMOLED display allows quick access to fitness metrics and limited smartwatch features like call and message notifications and music playback control. However, pairing with a phone can sometimes be challenging.
### Xiaomi Smart Band 9 Pro
0The Xiaomi Smart Band 9 Pro enhances the standard model with built-in GPS for accurate workout mapping, alongside 24/7 heart rate and SPO2 monitoring, sleep and stress tracking, and various sports modes. This tracker is a great choice for those seeking more advanced features at a budget-friendly price.
The Pro model features a larger, 1.74-inch rectangular AMOLED display that resembles an Apple Watch. It supports over 150 sports modes, ensuring comprehensive tracking for nearly any activity, though some modes only measure heart rate and time. Despite lacking NFC, it offers limited smartwatch features like music playback and notification display when connected to your phone.
With a battery life of up to 21 days and a bright, responsive screen, the Xiaomi Smart Band 9 Pro is a stylish and functional fitness tracker that delivers impressive performance for under $100.
### Amazfit Band 7
0The Amazfit Band 7 offers an impressive array of features for just $50, including long battery life, comprehensive health monitoring, and sleep tracking. It features a large 1.47-inch always-on AMOLED display, ensuring easy readability while maintaining a slim and comfortable design.
With over 120 sports modes and automatic smart recognition of four, this band is versatile and water-resistant up to 50m, making it suitable for swimming. Health monitoring includes heart rate, blood oxygen levels, and stress, while sleep tracking provides insights into sleep quality. The Amazfit Band 7 also integrates with Amazon Alexa and offers on-watch notifications, enhancing its smartwatch functionality.
### Apple Watch SE (2nd Gen)
0The 2nd-gen Apple Watch SE offers a budget-friendly option that runs on the same S8 SiP chipset as the Apple Watch Series 8, ensuring speedy performance at a lower cost. It includes an optical heart rate sensor and built-in GPS, making it ideal for outdoor activities like hiking.
As a full-fledged smartwatch, the Apple Watch SE allows you to answer calls, respond to messages, make contactless payments, and stream music directly from your wrist. It also features crash detection, which can automatically call emergency services in the event of an accident. With a slim design and impressive battery life for an Apple Watch, it's a versatile and capable device.
### Garmin Venu 3
0The Garmin Venu 3 is ideal for those serious about their workouts, offering a range of features including exercise tracking, GPS, and a heart rate monitor. It also provides animated workout guidance, phone notifications, and contactless payment options.
Garmin's Venu 3 is packed with over 30 preloaded sports apps and various sensors, including ECG, blood oxygen, and temperature, ensuring precise tracking for activities like swimming, cycling, and golf. The standout Body Battery feature offers insights into your body's energy levels based on activity, stress, and sleep.
With a bright AMOLED touchscreen and up to 14 days of battery life, the Garmin Venu 3 is a robust smartwatch. While its app selection is more limited compared to Apple and Google smartwatches, it remains a top choice for fitness enthusiasts.
When choosing a fitness tracker, consider more than just step counting and sleep tracking. The overall experience includes hardware quality, comfort, software capabilities, and the accuracy of the tracking features you're interested in.
As prices increase, so do the features, such as heart rate monitoring, GPS, and OLED displays. However, many basic trackers offer valuable health data at a lower cost.
The type of fitness tracker you need depends on your intended use. For basic tracking like steps, heart rate, and time, an ultra-cheap option like the Xiaomi Smart Band 9 is sufficient. These models often come with color displays, long battery life, and additional features like sports modes, sleep tracking, and phone notifications.
If you're into running, biking, or hiking, consider spending a bit more for GPS support. For those seeking comprehensive functionality beyond fitness, a smartwatch offers a larger screen, more apps, and the ability to handle calls, texts, and other notifications.
For active runners or gym-goers, pairing your fitness tracker with a great pair of earbuds can enhance your overall experience.
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