Over the space of a few years, activity trackers, which started out as humble pedometers for step counting, have now evolved into powerful wrist-worn training partners.
The good news is that even some of the more advanced trackers that offer sleep analysis and heart rate monitoring can be bought for under $100/£100, and we’ve curated a list of the best among them.
Track steps, calories burned, heart rate, distance travelled and sleep with this latest generation of activity trackers. What they all have in common is they can help anyone go from unhealthy to fit and have an affordable price tag too.
The products below are an impartial list drawn from our in-depth reviews. So be sure to click through to the full reviews to find out more.
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Image credit: Huawei
Image credit: TechRadar
Image credit: TechRadar
Image credit: TechRadar
1. Huawei Band 3 Pro
Both style and substance on a budget
Screen: Yes | Heart rate tracker: Yes | Waterproof: Yes | Activity tracking: Yes | GPS: Yes | Battery life: 14 days standby | Compatibility: Android/iOS
Great battery life
Good looking color screen
GPS can be slow to lock
No ‘breathing’ feature
Our favorite affordable fitness tracker is the Huawei Band 3 Pro. Considering its low price, there’s a lot to love about this health band.
It comes with GPS onboard, an accurate heart rate tracker, a waterproof design and there’s even a color screen to display all of your stats. That’s not a combination of features you’ll get from every tracker on this list.
If you’re after a fitness-first device, the Huawei Band 3 Pro should be good for you with its accurate GPS and heart rate monitor but there isn’t much more here to get excited about. That said, at this price you can’t really ask for much more.
Read our Huawei Band 3 Pro review
Image Credit: Fitbit
Image Credit: Fitbit
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2. Fitbit Inspire HR
Inspiration to get off the sofa
Screen: Yes | Heart rate tracker: Yes | Waterproof: Yes | Activity tracking: Yes | GPS: No | Battery life: 5 days | Compatibility: Android/iOS
Premium design
Lots of tracked metrics
Lacks swim tracking
No contactless payments
This is the first time a Fitbit device has made its way into the top five in our best cheap fitness tracker list for a long time. The new Fitbit Inspire HR is a great fitness tracker overall, but it isn’t the most affordable device in this list.
Although you’ll pay extra than you would for a lot of the other devices surrounding it here, Fitbit has created a overall easy to use package with a very attractive design.
It doesn’t feature GPS, which a lot of the other trackers on this list do offer though. Instead you’ll get access to Fitbit’s app, an accurate heart rate monitor and a variety of workouts directly from your wrist.
Read the full Fitbit Inspire HR review
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(Image credit: TechRadar)
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(Image credit: TechRadar)
Image Credit: Xiaomi
(Image credit: Xiaomi)
3. Xiaomi Mi Band 4
One of the cheapest around
Compatibility: iOS and Android | Display: AMOLED | Thickness: N/A | Battery: Up to 20 days | Charging method: Proprietary wired | IP rating: Waterproof | Connectivity: Bluetooth
Very cheap
Slimline design
No GPS
Doesn’t auto-stop tracking
This is the cheapest fitness you’ll find on our list, and for that reason it’s one of the best choices for your wrist. It’s not a completely useless device, as often trackers can be around this price, as it can accurately check a variety of workouts while looking good.
It comes with a battery life that should last just under a month depending on how much you’ll be using it, and there is lots of fitness tech built-in. There’s no GPS, but it comes with a heart rate monitor and tracking tech for your daily step and workouts too.
Unlike previous versions of the Xiaomi Mi Band, this one comes with a color display for the first time. That allows you to install some vibrant watch faces and make your tracker look better than as if it just had a black and white screen.
It’s not the most attractive fitness tracker you can buy, but it has a slimline design and it’s light so you won’t really notice you’ve got this on your wrist.
Read the Xiaomi Mi Band 4 review
Image Credit: Honor
Image Credit: TechRadar
Image credit: TechRadar
4. Honor Band 4
Like a Fitbit, but cheaper
Compatibility: iOS and Android | Display: OLED | Thickness: TBC | Battery: 7 days | Charging method: Proprietary wired | IP rating: Swim-proof | Connectivity: Bluetooth
Good glass-topped OLED screen
Low price
No GPS whatsoever
Bad notifications
Our fourth entry in the best cheap fitness tracker list comes from Chinese company Honor with its fourth attempt at making a budget device for your wrist.
There’s an impactful color OLED screen on this device, which isn’t something you’re going to find on all the of the other trackers here. There’s no GPS though, so you’ll need to take your phone running if you want to know how far you’ve traveled.
The Honor Band 4 is one of the slimmest and smallest fitness bands you can buy on a budget, so consider this if you’re looking for something slight that you won’t notice sitting on your wrist.
Read our full Honor Band 4 review
Image Credit: Garmin
(Image credit: Garmin)
Image credit: TechRadar
Image credit: TechRadar
Image Credit: Garmin
5. Garmin Vivofit 4
A year-long battery with a screen
Compatibility: : iOS and Android | Display: Transflective 8-colour MIP | Thickness: 9.4mm | Battery: 1-year | Charging method: 2 x SR43 user-replaceable | IP rating: Swim-proof | Connectivity: Bluetooth
1 year battery life
Color screen
No GPS or heart rate
Uninspiring design
The key addition over the entry-level Vivofit 3 is the always-on, color display that’s visible in sunlight. This is remarkably achieved without sacrificing the year-long battery life of the stellar third edition. Basic stats like steps, distance, calories and sleep are covered off, while there’s also automatic activity detection thanks to the Move IQ system.
Thanks to the Garmin Connect app you can also customize the display, while setting timers and alarms directly from the wrist. Best of all the Vivofit 4 it also 20 per cent cheaper than the Vivofit 3’s 2015 launch price. Of course you’ll miss out on premium features like heart rate tracking and GPS, but that’s to be expected at this price.
Read the Garmin Vivofit 4 review
Image Credit: Amazfit
Image Credit: Amazfit
Image Credit: Amazfit
6. Amazfit Bip
A great value fitness tracker with an amazing battery life
Compatibility: iOS and Android | Display: LCD Color | Thickness: TBC | Battery: 45 days | Charging method: Proprietary wired | IP rating: 68 | Connectivity: Bluetooth
Incredible value
Nice design
Good app
Awkward UI
Light on supported workouts
The Bip is a really capable but really simple fitness watch that we referred to in our full review as “the layman’s Apple Watch” and we stand by the nickname.
In terms of a super rich experience and high performance, it can’t compete with Apple. Not at all. But for its extremely budget-friendly price tag, the Amazfit Bip is a competent fitness tracker that has a few awesome tricks up its sleeve – most notably the fact it can last more than 30 days on a single charge.
If you’re after a simple wearable that can push notifications from your smartphone, wake you up with a dedicated alarm, and track your workouts with built-in GPS, and more, the Bip makes a strong case for itself.
Gift-wise it’s a great buy for anyone who is in the market for a cheap and cheerful fitness device. Its simple set-up also makes it a good choice for complete fitness tech beginners.
Read the Amazfit Bip review
Image Credit: Moov
Image Credit: Moov
Image Credit: Moov
7. Moov Now
Compatibility: iOS and Android | Display: LED | Thickness: TBC | Battery: 6 months | Charging method: Proprietary wired | IP rating: Swim-proof | Connectivity: Bluetooth
Accurate tracking
Long battery life
No display
Costs extra for heart rate
The Moov Now may be a few years old, but it’s still one of the best movement trackers out there thanks to its 9-axis accelerometer – the same one used in missile navigation systems. As a result it can not only track your daily steps, calories and the like, but also other movements. That means guided, personalized training feedback.
The Moov Now can measure running impact, gym repetitions and swimming strokes, so you can work out with a virtual personal trainer that knows exactly how well you’re doing and can tell you how to improve.
It’s also waterproof and lasts a good six months before the watch battery needs swapping out. Buy this if you’re looking for an affordable yet impressive fitness tracker that doesn’t constantly try to distract you from your fitness.
Read the Moov Now review
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(Image credit: Future)
Image credit: TechRadar
(Image credit: Future)
Image credit: TechRadar
(Image credit: Future)
8. Samsung Galaxy Fit e
Screen: Yes | Heart rate tracker: Yes | Waterproof: Yes | Activity tracking: Yes | GPS: No | Battery life: Around a week | Compatibility: Android/iOS
Doesn’t cost much
Accurate activity tracking
You’ll need two apps
Battery life can vary
Samsung never used to make affordable fitness trackers, and considering the Galaxy Fit e is the company’s first attempt it has ranked pretty well in this list.
You won’t get GPS on this tracker, but it comes with a lot of other features you’ll want including activity tracking, a water-resistant design and a strong battery life that should last a whole week.
There’s a heart rate monitor and a variety of other fitness tracking features you’ll want to make the most out of too.
Read our Samsung Galaxy Fit e review
Image Credit: Fitbit
Image Credit: Fitbit
Image credit: TechRadar
Image credit: TechRadar
9. Fitbit Flex 2
A simple option that works well
Compatibility: iOS and Android | Display: LED | Thickness: 6.8mm | Battery: 5 days | Charging method: Proprietary wired | IP rating: Swim-proof | Connectivity: Bluetooth
Auto tracking
Great app
Mediocre battery life
No screen
There’s a reason Fitbit was one of the first breakthrough activity tracker makers and is still going strong today – it works. And in the case of the Fitbit Flex 2 it works well with lots of features for a low price.
The Flex 2 will do all the usual step, distance and calorie burn tracking using its motion sensor smarts, but it goes further. You can also track sleep and even do exercises that the band will automatically detect and track. Everything syncs wirelessly to the smartphone app and offers clear feedback to help you make health progress.
The Flex 2 is also swim-proof, comes in different styles and uses LED lights and vibrations to notify you about calls and texts from a connected smartphone. All that and it should last five days before needing a charge.
Read the Fitbit Flex 2 review
Image Credit: Garmin
Image credit: TechRadar
Image credit: TechRadar
10. Garmin Vivosmart 3
A lot of smarts considering the cost
Compatibility: iOS and Android | Display: Black and white | Thickness: 9.8mm | Battery: 5 days | Charging method: Proprietary wired | IP rating: Water resistant | Connectivity: Bluetooth
Counts reps
Automatic activity tracking
No GPS
Wake movement sensing isn’t always great
The Garmin Vivosmart 4 may have since been launched, but that just makes the Vivosmart 3 suitable for our best cheap fitness tracker list as the price has dropped down – and continues to.
It’s not the most affordable activity tracking band on this list, but it’s one of the best looking and it’ll show all of your stats on its small display including your rep count and other exercises too.
There’s no GPS on this tracker, so this is very much designed for the gym go-er rather than a runner plus the Garmin app is second to none offering you all of your stats in an easy to read format.
Read the full Garmin Vivosmart 3 review
Photoillustration credit: TechRadar; Fitbit, Huawei, Honor, Garmin
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