9 of the Best Fitness Trackers That Will Supercharge Your Motivation
To give you a bit of an idea about some of the best fitness trackers currently out there, here’s a quick list of all the most important features broken down in simpler terms for your convenience.
There’s something so gratifying about finishing an intense workout, isn’t there? It’s a wonder we ever lived without being able to see exactly how many calories we burned, how far we ran, how may steps we took, and how close we come to hitting our daily fitness goal. Technology really is a marvel of the modern world. But it can also be a bit overwhelming!
The best fitness trackers are designed to tell you all the details about your workout. But which one is the best fit for your specific workout routine? Which ones are the most accurate? How affordable are they? You certainly don’t want to just pick one out that looks good and hope for the best.
Check out top fitness tracker picks and their features.
1. Fitbit Flex
The Fitbit Flex is a fashionable yet minimal wristband that can be used to track your activity in real-time as you go about your day. To keep you motivated, you’ll get progress updates from the LED lighting as you get closer to your daily goal. And since it tracks sleep quality too, it comes with a built-in alarm feature that wakes you up by vibration.
What it tracks: Steps, distance, calories burned, active minutes, goal progress, sleep quality.
Compatible with: Mac & Windows PC, iOS, Android, Windows devices.
Approximate cost: $100 – $120
2. Fitbit Zip
For those who aren’t too keen on wearing wristbands, the Fitbit Zip is a simpler alternative to the Flex, and gets the job done with all-day activity tracking (minus the sleep tracking) for a bit more of an affordable price. Small enough to put anywhere, the Zip features a screen just big enough to flip through your activity stats.
What it tracks: Steps, distance, calories burned, active minutes, goal progress.
Compatible with: Mac & Windows PC, iPhone, Android, Windows devices.
Approximate cost: $60 – $70
This tracker is ideal for the runner who doesn’t want to spend a fortune, but still wants a stellar GPS feature and optional heart rate monitor. With automatic notifications for every mile you complete, this tracker is designed for going the distance. Unlike other popular trackers, this one doesn’t sync wirelessly to any mobile devices.
What it tracks: Steps, pace, distance, calories burned, personal records.
Compatible with: Mac & Windows PC, no mobile options
Approximate cost: $120
4. Jawbone UP 3
Claiming to be the most advanced fitness tracker out there, the Jawbone Up 3 is the one you want if you’re looking for a tracker that goes far beyond the basics of activity tracking. In addition to tracking advanced activity, advanced sleep tracking and its unique Smart Coach guidance feature, you also get to combine food logging and heart rate monitoring without the use of a pesky chest strap.
What it tracks: Advanced activity, advanced sleep, food logging, heart health.
Compatible with: iOS and Android devices.
Approximate cost: $180
Jawbone’s Up Move is a good alternative to the UP 3 for a powerful, yet less advanced tracker that comes in the form of a clip-on device rather than a wristband. It’s extremely budget-friendly for those who really want as many of the most useful features as they can get — even including sleep tracking and Jawbone’s unique Smart Coach guidance feature.
What it tracks: Activity, sleep, food logging.
Compatible with: iOS and Android devices.
Approximate cost: $50
If you’re looking for a solid coaching feature built into your fitness tracker, the Microsoft Band is one to consider for the actionable insights it calculates through Microsoft Health. So if you can’t make sense of all your data on your own, this tracker analyzes it all and tells you exactly what to do next to get the best results.
What it tracks: Day-to-day activity, golf activity, heart rate, workouts designed by experts, sleep, distance.
Compatible with: iOS, Android, and Windows devices.
Approximate cost: $200
7. Polar Loop
Another tracker that stands out for its smart coaching feature is the Polar Loop, offering users valuable feedback and guidance based on daily, weekly, and monthly activity. It can also be integrated with other Polar heart rate monitors and is waterproof for tracking swimming activity.
What it tracks: Steps, distance, calories burned, swimming activity, calorie intake through MyFitnessPal integration, heart rate with other Polar products.
Compatible with: Web, iOS, and Android devices.
Approximate cost: $110
8. Misfit Shine
Are you super picky about how your tracker looks? The Misfit Shine is a gorgeous watch-like tracker that claims to be the first tracker built for everyday activity, sleep, and swimming up to 50 meters deep! As if that weren’t good enough, it also never needs to be charged.
What it tracks: Steps, distance, calories burned, sleep, food journaling
Compatible with: iOS, Android, and Windows devices.
Approximate cost: $70
In terms of getting the best bundle of features at the absolute best price, the Fitbit Charge HR is one of the highest rated trackers currently available. It offers everything that the Flex does, along with a bigger display, smartphone caller ID integration, and heart rate monitoring.
What it tracks: Steps, distance, calories burned, active minutes, floors climbed, goal progress, sleep quality, heart rate.
Compatible with: Mac & Windows PC, iOS, and Android devices
Approximate cost: $150 – $180
When shopping around for a good fitness tracker, consider how you plan to use it and what you want to get out of it. You may have to sacrifice some cool features that would be nice to have in exchange for others that you actually need to use. But in the end, it’s all about sticking with the one that will keep you motivated and aware of your progress.
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Woman checking fitness tracker via Shutterstock
