This New Class Of Fitness Trackers For Women Might Be The Best Yet

"Hearst Magazines and Yahoo may earn commission or revenue on some items through these links."

Do you wear multiple fitness watches, or is that just me? In my defense, there are so many flashy fitness trackers and smartwatches on the market that it's hard to choose just one. The last few years brought a wave of new watches focused on balance and overall health with so many genius stats that they’re essentially a life coach/personal trainer/assistant/motivational wrist computer all wrapped into a chic bracelet. While they used to feel like just a high-tech fashion accessory, they’re all but essential these days for anyone looking to keep tabs on their fitness levels, sleep health, and overall well-being.

Best fitness trackers

“I recommend fitness trackers to my clients because they help us to recognize daily trends in movement, which is vital when working towards a specific fitness goal,“ says personal trainer Almoni Ellis, CSCS. “Moreover, I recommend them to my clients because we can easily observe their heart rates while at rest and during exercise.”

N’Namdi Nelson, CSCS, an exercise physiologist at the NYU Langone Sports Performance Center, agrees. “I would recommend fitness trackers to patients as they are relatively accurate in obtaining baseline measures," he says.

So, yeah, if you’re into fitness and keeping tabs on your overall health, you probably should have a fitness tracker. But the real question is: Which one is right for you? With so many high-tech features, shopping for one can be almost as confusing as shopping for a laptop or a new car. That’s why our team of editors and in-house fitness enthusiasts consulted with certified trainers to help you figure out which tracker is right for you.

What to consider

These days, the latest and best fitness trackers are literally tiny computers that live on your wrist. They’re durable, insanely powerful, and so feature-rich that it can be hard to know what features you really need and which ones you can probably skip. Here’s the low-down on what to look for when shopping for your personal best fitness tracker.

Heart rate monitor

Nelson says the most important feature of any fitness tracker is a good heart rate monitor. This is true for most of us, whether you’re a hardcore athlete or a workout noob. “This feature can be used to dictate the rate of perceived exertion (RPE), which is important for exercise intensity," Nelson says. "Identifying your resting heart rate is important as it’s a marker of cardiovascular fitness because it can give you a better sense of what your maximal heart rate is, which would be more accurate than using prediction formulas."

Sleep tracker

Nelson also likes accurate sleep tracking in his fitness trackers, since this is the main way our bodies recover. Being aware of your sleep habits and behaviors can shed light on your recovery. He also notes that they’re good reminders, which is good for every fitness level. "It can remind you to drink more water, which is essential to performance and assists in normalizing blood pressure," he says.

Weight

Weight might not seem like a big deal, especially when you consider the relatively minute difference between a featherweight option like the Fitbit Charge 6 (31 grams) and a “bulkier” one like the Apple Watch Ultra 2 (61 grams). But when you’re wearing your fitness tracker or smartwatch all day, a heftier model becomes a lot more noticeable than you’d expect.

There is no “best” weight when it comes to fitness trackers, as it comes down to the types of activities you’re most likely to use yours for. For active and/or outdoor enthusiasts into hiking, trail running, strength training, and the like, we’d suggest prioritizing durability (and probably heft) over a lightweight design. If you’re looking for a fitness tracker for everyday wear or mostly indoor activities, you might appreciate the lightweight design of a slimmer alternative.

Battery life

Battery life has come a long way in the last few years. Many of the best fitness trackers can run for days or even weeks on a single charge. Having to take off your fitness tracker every few days can be a point of frustration, plus you’ll also be losing the tracking data for any time that you’re not wearing it. That’s why we recommend finding a fitness tracker with a solid battery life of at least a week. Some models are even solar-powered, so if you’re an avid outdoor enthusiast, you might only need to charge such models once in a great while

How we selected

Our editors and writers tested dozens of the latest fitness trackers over the last year. We compared every feature and spec, from durability and wearability to features and accuracy. We also consulted with fitness experts Ellis and Nelson to get their professional opinions on why you should buy a fitness tracker and what makes the best fitness tracker. Ultimately, we decided on the models below as our picks for the best fitness trackers worth buying in 2024.

Watch Ultra 2

Apple’s latest Apple Watch Ultra 2 is hands-down the brand’s best fitness tracker and smartwatch—good enough that it might make some Android-using fitness enthusiasts consider switching eco-systems. It combines all the best features of Apple’s already great Apple Watch with the rugged good looks, durability, and next-gen features of flagship watches from the likes of Suunto and Garmin.

To get specific, the latest version takes all of the same features of the Apple Watch Series 8 and adds a bigger, better watch face, a near-bulletproof titanium frame, longer battery life, and a depth gauge with water resistance up to 100 meters, making it a legit dive watch. We also love the next-gen safety and tracking features, including a live compass, an emergency siren, and a water temperature sensor.

“I enjoy how big the display is on the Apple Watch Ultra!” says Ellis. “I feel less of a strain on my eyes in comparison to the older models.” She also told us that, as a serious adventure seeker and former track and field athlete, she loves how the Apple Watch Ultra 2 provides the ability to log her lane when running on the track and show her elevation when hiking or rock climbing.

Our team has unintentionally beaten on and “torture tested” the Watch Ultra 2 by dropping it, knocking it into power racks, and even subjecting it to dings from an Olympic barbell or two. It quite literally takes a lickin’ and keeps on tickin’.It’s not just a high-priced wrist computer. It actually delivers on the “ultra” rugged build quality Apple promises.

If you’re already an Apple user, this is an easy fitness tracker recommendation. Not surprisingly, the Apple Watch Ultra 2 works seamlessly with your iPhone and pretty much anything else in the brand’s expansive ecosystem.

Read more: Apple Watch Ultra 2 Review

Galaxy Watch 6

Unlike Apple’s ecosystem, there’s a long list of compatible fitness trackers for Android users. That’s a double-edged sword, as it means a lot more options, but it also means finding the right one can be daunting. But Samsung’s Galaxy Watch 6 is our runaway favorite. We love the oversized (480x480 pixel), durable, scratch-resistant sapphire glass screen, and bombproof (no, not literally) titanium case. This is a solid fitness tracker with a long list of features. It keeps tabs on all the essentials, like heart rate, steps, calories burned, distance traveled, and more. But our team also likes the body composition reader and advanced sleep coaching that analyses your blood oxygen levels and overall sleep habits to suggest ways for you to improve your zzz’s.

The Galaxy Watch 6 also offers a few features typically found in pricier fitness trackers. There’s an upgraded GPS that our team found to be more accurate than in previous versions. Plus, the new voice navigation can help you get from A to B without even taking your phone out of your pocket. When you do need to interact with your Android smartphone, this watch does so flawlessly, providing immediate access to notifications, calls, music controls, calendar alerts, and more.

What’s more, this midrange watch is priced well below many of the more premium fitness trackers we tested. Surprisingly, however, it punches well above its weight—all for less than half the price of some alternatives from Garmin and Suunto.

Charge 6

You don’t have to worry about forgetting to record your workout with this budget-friendly exercise buddy—it automatically recognizes when you’re moving. The Charge 6 offers a personalized "daily readiness score," so you know if your bod is up for a sweat sesh or if you should log some recovery time instead. The latest Charge also tracks vital health metrics, like heart rate, stress levels, sleep, and even period and fertility insights.

“I’ve never been really into tracking my stats—how many steps I’ve taken, calories I’ve burnt, or hours I’ve slept," says Women’s Health Commerce Editor Jasmine Gomez. "This year I made it a goal to keep track of these things so that I can look for patterns on how it affects my mood and general health." She says the Charge 6 has been a game-changer for upping her fitness and health routines this year. “Fitness trackers can be intimidating at first—not the Fitbit Charge 6," she says. "It has an easy-to-navigate interface that allows me to log activity in just a few seconds, and then I can go back and go over all that data using the paired app.”

It pairs nicely with Android-based smartphones, allowing for seamless interaction with calendar or weather apps, plus you can receive texts, notifications, calls, and access Spotify. Fitbit Pay is built in, too, to provide easy access to cardless, touchless payments. These are all features baked into pricier fitness trackers and smartwatches, but not typically at this price point.

The big win for the Charge 6 over the other best fitness trackers in this year’s roundup is its price. Coming in at well under $200, it’s our pick for the best budget-friendly model available. Plus, that price includes a six-month membership to Fitbit’s Premium Service. Gomez says it’s way worth it: “I subscribe to the Premium option, which allows me to have a lot more details on my wellness, sleep, and stress than simply using the free version. I think to get the most value from this fitness tracker, you kind of have to subscribe.”

The only thing she’s found challenging is putting the fitness tracker on water lock mode. “ It just requires you to tap the screen twice within the option, but for some reason, my screen is super resistant to this," she says. "I don't know if it’s a glitch or just me.”

Pace 3 Sport Watch GPS

If you’re new to fitness trackers, Coros might not be a name you recognize. The company’s been flying under the radar for years now with its solid Pace 3 fitness tracker. Dollar-for-dollar, this is hands-down the best bang-for-your-buck tracker of the years. It’s ultra-lightweight (just 30 grams—about as much as a serving of peanuts!), easy to use, surprisingly accurate, and—best of all—very affordable.

The Pace 3 has a solid list of features, including all of the must-have features we look for in a best-of fitness tracker: Heart rate monitoring (including zoned heart rate breakdowns within the app for training), GPS tracking and navigation for runners and hikers, and even a barometric altimeter for keeping tabs on your elevation. We also like the built-in weather widget sourced from hourly Apple Weather data, which can be a lifesaver if you’re training outdoors on days with unpredictable weather.

The LED screen is small (relative to its competition), but accessible as a touchscreen display. In our experience, however, we found that it’s best accessed through the buttons built into the crown. We found the interface to be dead simple and easy to use, making this a great option for fitness tracker noobs or anyone who isn’t looking to overcomplicate things. Battery life is excellent: Two weeks in the standard mode with the GPS switched off or 30 hours with GPS enabled. That puts the Pace 3 in good company among the best fitness trackers with the longest battery life we’ve tested.

With its simple, clutter-free design, the Pace 3 offers incredible value for fitness enthusiasts looking to track only the essentials and nothing more. The wallet-friendly price is its most standout feature, making this definitely worth a look.

Forerunner 255S GPS Running Smartwatch

In our experience, Garmin fitness trackers and smartwatches are loved by intermediate and experienced runners alike. The Forerunner 255S offers all our must-have features, including training status, race-day planning, and workout metrics. Plus, the GPS makes navigation and geo-tracking a breeze. We like that it’s also smaller and slimmer than most of the chunky fitness trackers we tested this year, enough that you might almost forget you’re wearing it.

"This Garmin has been an absolute game-changer when it comes to how I train for races and also for my overall wellness," says Women’s Health Editorial Assistant Sabrina Talbert. "I love that it tracks my stress levels, quality of sleep, and training readiness.”

It has a boatload of runner-friendly features, too. “It also gives me training recommendations which will be a huge help as I prep to run my first marathon this year," Talbert says. Even if you mostly stick to indoor training, the 255S has dedicated cardio and indoor-rowing profiles with automatic rep counting. In our experience, this counting was mostly accurate, but we especially love the muscle heat maps to ensure you’re training all the right areas.

The touchscreen works reasonably well for a fitness tracker at this price point, though it is small and not quite as crisp as other Garmin’s we’ve tested. Our testers also found that, compared to the competition, it’s a little tricky to set up and make sense of the rich feature set if you’re new to the Garmin platform.

All that said, it’s a very reasonably priced fitness tracker, especially on sale. The one caveat is that the base-level 255S is not music-enabled, so you’ll need to pay for that upgrade if you want it.

Race Titanium

Suunto has been one of our go-to outdoor brands for years, so it’s no surprise that its fitness trackers and smartwatches are thoroughly outdoor-centric. Its Suunto Race fitness tracker is no exception. It’s more rugged, durable, and heftier than your average “step-tracker” smartwatch—all good things if you’re into hiking, trail running, and any other brand of outdoor adventure.

This isn’t a flagship feature-packed fitness tracker like Garmin’s Fenix series, but rather a purpose-built athlete’s watch designed for simply tracking your outdoor adventures. All the essentials are here, including heart rate variability (HRV), V02 max estimates, GPS tracking, and zone training for precisely dialing in your workout intensity. Every metric is accessible via Suunto’s own mobile app, which we found to be simple, easy to use, and quite accurate, too. The GPS tracking, in particular, is a beauty, with access to five distinct satellite systems for pinpoint route-tracking accuracy, whether you’re peak-bagging in Colorado or running in downtown Los Angeles.

Its durability and rugged good looks come at a price, however. At 83 grams for the stainless steel model, this tracker is a beast (the already chunky Apple Watch Ultra 2 tips the scales at 61 grams, for reference). That’s why we suggest splashing out on the titanium version to save 14 grams. It might not seem like much, but you’ll notice the difference after wearing it every day. That extra heft does, however, make for a big battery that’s good for up to 26 days with the heart rate monitor turned off. Even in its most battery-hungry Performance Mode (with heart rate monitoring and GPS on), it’ll last up to 40 hours.

With its rugged design, long battery life, unique design, and adventure-focused feature set, this is the best fitness tracker to buy if you’re an avid outdoor trainer. Bonus: It’s priced well below many of the flagship models from Garmin and Suunto itself.

Meet the experts

• N’Namdi Nelson, CSCS, is an exercise physiologist at the NYU Langone Sports Performance Center.

• Almoni Ellis, CPT, CES, PPSC, is an exercise science professional based in Virginia.

Are the best fitness trackers accurate for tracking vital health metrics?

Based on his research, Nelson says that wrist-based fitness trackers are “relatively accurate in measuring number of steps, distance, sleep duration, and heart rate.” One caveat, however, is that they tend to overestimate total energy expenditure during low-intensity aerobic workouts and underestimate it during high-intensity workouts.

For the most accurate measurements, it’s best to consult with a fitness professional near you.

Other things to consider when shopping for the best fitness trackers

Accuracy

According to Ellis, accuracy of data is the first and most important thing to consider when shopping for a new fitness tracker. Because, really, if the model you buy isn’t properly tracking your vital metrics, nothing else matters. This can be hard to gauge as most brands will try to sell you on the fact that they have the most accurate tracker. The best way to know for sure is to do your homework, and read on for our first-hand testing knowledge.

Ease of use

As with all tech, you want a fitness tracker that’s easy to use. For Ellis, this is among the top three most important considerations, and it makes sense. Because if your new tracker isn’t intuitive to set up or use on a daily basis, you’re far less likely to use it consistently. Ultimately, the only way to know for sure is to try it out yourself to see if it works for you. That’s another reason why it’s smart to buy a fitness tracker with a generous return policy!

Shop more of our favorite fitness gear

Best Foldable Treadmill | Best Curved Treadmills | Best Under-Desk Treadmills | Best Exercise Bikes | Best Recumbent Exercise Bikes

You Might Also Like

• Jennifer Garner Swears By This Retinol Eye Cream

• These New Kicks Will Help You Smash Your Cross-Training Goals