If you're looking to get fit, sleep better or just keep a closer eye on your health, a fitness wearable is a great place to start. Whether you're into intense workouts or just want to hit your step goal each day, the best fitness trackers available today can offer loads of helpful features, from sleep tracking and resting heart rate monitoring to built-in GPS and stress tracking. Some are even subtle enough to wear 24/7, like smart rings, while others double as stylish smartwatches.
There are great options out there for beginners as well as more advanced users, and the variety of features means there’s something for every lifestyle and budget. In this guide, we’ll walk you through the best fitness trackers you can buy right now, and explain who each one is best suited for.
Best fitness trackers for 2026
Fitbit Best fitness tracker overall Fitbit Charge 6 Tracker: Fitness, heart rate, ECG, SpO2, skin temperature, stress, sleep | Supported OS: Android, iOS | Max battery life: 7 days | Size: Small, large | Water resistant: Yes While we haven't given the Fitbit Charge 6 the full review treatment yet, we feel confident recommending it as the successor to our previous top pick, the Charge 5. The company added a few new features to the mix here, namely a more accurate heart rate monitor, the ability to pair with exercise machines via Bluetooth and a physical side button that can be used in tandem with the touchscreen to navigate the device's interface. The Charge 6 has 20 exercise modes for tracking, and thanks to Fitbit's parent company Google, you can skip through and control YouTube Music playback, provided you have a YouTube Music Premium subscription. Otherwise, the Fitbit Charge 6 is very similar to the Charge 5 that came before it. Key to its appeal is that it's decidedly not a smartwatch. That means it has a slightly lower profile on the wrist and lasts days on a single charge while tracking activity and monitoring your heart rate, step count and sleep. It also has a full-color AMOLED display and a relatively thin design, which makes it feel fairly premium when compared to other fitness trackers. Other perks include contactless payments with Fitbit Pay and Google Wallet, plus a handy integration with Google Maps that lets you see turn-by-turn directions on your wrist. But make no mistake — built-in GPS remains the star of the show here. If you're looking for a wearable that can accurately map out runs and bike rides while also keeping track of your heart rate and other stats during each workout, the Charge 6 is a great option for anyone looking for durability and function in a health tracker. Pros Built-in GPS
More accurate heart rate monitor
Seven-day battery life Cons No integration with Apple Health
Some data hidden behind Fitbit Premium paywall $126 at Amazon Explore More Buying Options $160 at Target$160 at Macy's
Garmin Best fitness tracker - runner up Garmin vívosmart 5 Tracker: Fitness, heart rate, SpO2, stress, sleep | Supported OS: Android, iOS | Max battery life: 7 days | Size: 122-188 mm (small/medium), 148-228 mm (large) | Water resistant: Yes A more subtle-looking fitness band alternative is the $150 Garmin Vivosmart 5. It’s thinner than the Fitbit Charge 6 and fits in a bit better with bracelets and other jewelry you might wear regularly. But its attractive design is only part of its appeal — Garmin knows how to track fitness, and the Vivosmart 5 is proof that you don’t need to drop hundreds on one of the company’s in-depth fitness watches to get a capable device. It has a lot of the same features as the Charge 6, except for a built-in GPS. It does support connected GPS, though, so you can map outdoor runs and bike rides as long as you bring your phone with you. The Vivosmart 5 tracks all-day heart rhythm thanks to its heart rate sensor, plus sleep data and workouts, and we’ve always appreciated how many workout profiles Garmin has to choose from, including exercises like strength training. The pedometer function tracks your steps throughout the day, ensuring that even light activities contribute to your fitness goals. You can customize which show up on your device and change them whenever you want. You’ll also get additional health and wellness information like Garmin’s Body Battery score, which tells you how long after a hard workout you’ll need to wait until you can train at peak performance again, blood oxygen levels, sleep stage data, women’s menstrual cycle monitoring and more. If you’re looking for a well-rounded activity tracker, the Garmin vívosmart 5 has it all. The biggest disadvantages to fitness tracking with the Vivosmart 5 are the aforementioned lack of built-in GPS, plus its slightly harder to use mobile app. But on the flip side, Garmin devices can sync with Apple Health, whereas Fitbit devices still don’t have that feature. Pros Slim design
Excellent workout tracking features
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