Whether you’re embarking on a new health journey or seeking deeper insights into your workouts, a fitness tracker can transform exercise into a fun, gamified experience while delivering valuable data. Fortunately, many of these devices, often resembling smartwatches, are budget-friendly. From feature-packed models that compete with the best smartwatches to basic trackers that monitor steps and heart rate, there's a wide range of affordable fitness trackers available for every wrist size.

TL;DR – The Best Budget Fitness Trackers:

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

1. Fitbit Inspire 3

Best Budget Fitness Tracker

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 of this. With a sleek design and a price tag under $100, it offers a bright AMOLED display and a comfortable band that’s perfect for all-day wear, including during sleep. The battery life lasts up to 10 days, though this may decrease with the always-on display feature. Navigation is intuitive with touch technology and two haptic buttons.

Designed with fitness in mind, the Fitbit Inspire 3 excels with features like continuous heart rate monitoring, step counting, blood oxygen level measurement, and movement reminders. It also provides automatic exercise tracking, which is ideal if you often forget to start a workout, and sleep monitoring to analyze your sleep quality. While it includes basic smartwatch functions like phone notifications and a find my phone feature, it does not support music storage or contactless payments.

2. Xiaomi Smart Band 9

Best Ultra Cheap Fitness Tracker

### Xiaomi Smart Band 9

0The Xiaomi Smart Band 9, priced under $50, is an affordable yet feature-rich fitness tracker. It boasts a 1.62-inch AMOLED display and an impressive 21-day battery life, making it a standout choice for budget-conscious consumers. Despite its low cost, it offers essential tracking capabilities and supports over 150 sports modes.

The tracker includes standard features such as a pedometer, heart rate monitor, blood oxygen saturation, and sleep monitoring. Its sports modes cover a wide range of activities, from running to swimming, providing detailed insights into calories burned, average heart rate, and workout duration. While the accuracy may not match that of higher-end devices like the Apple Watch, the Xiaomi Smart Band 9 offers valuable workout data.

The latest model enhances battery life and screen brightness, reaching up to 1,200 nits for clear visibility in sunlight. The touch-responsive AMOLED display allows quick access to fitness metrics and basic smartwatch features like call and message notifications and music playback control. However, users might experience some challenges with phone pairing.

3. Xiaomi Smart Band 9 Pro

Best Budget Fitness Tracker with GPS

### Xiaomi Smart Band 9 Pro

0The Xiaomi Smart Band 9 Pro elevates the standard model with the addition of a built-in GPS for precise workout mapping. It retains the essential 24/7 heart rate and SpO2 monitoring, sleep and stress tracking, and supports over 150 sports modes. Priced under $100, it offers a larger, 1.74-inch AMOLED display that resembles the Apple Watch.

While the Pro model includes advanced health metrics, some sports modes may only measure heart rate and duration. It features limited smartwatch capabilities, such as music playback and notification display, but lacks NFC support for contactless payments. With a stylish design, responsive screen, and user-friendly interface, the Xiaomi Smart Band 9 Pro combines impressive features with a budget-friendly price.

4. Amazfit Band 7

Best Budget Fitness Tracker With Health Monitoring

### Amazfit Band 7

0The Amazfit Band 7 offers robust health monitoring features at an ultra-affordable price of $50. It features a large 1.47-inch always-on AMOLED display, ensuring easy access to health and workout data, while its slim design ensures comfort. The battery life is exceptional, lasting up to 18 days with typical usage and 28 days in battery-saver mode.

This tracker supports over 120 sports modes with automatic recognition of four, and its water resistance up to 50m makes it suitable for swimming. Health monitoring includes heart rate, blood oxygen levels, stress, and detailed sleep tracking. Additionally, it offers smartwatch features like on-watch notifications and Amazon Alexa integration, though it lacks built-in GPS.

5. Apple Watch SE (2nd Gen)

Best Budget Apple Watch

### Apple Watch SE (2nd Gen)

0The Apple Watch SE (2nd Gen) provides a budget-friendly entry into the Apple Watch ecosystem, powered by the same S8 SiP chipset as the Apple Watch Series 8. It offers a heart rate sensor, built-in GPS, and automatic workout detection, including swimming. With 32GB of storage, you can download additional fitness apps from the App Store.

Beyond fitness, the Apple Watch SE is a versatile smartwatch, allowing you to answer calls, respond to messages, make contactless payments, and stream music. It also includes safety features like crash detection, which can automatically call emergency services. With a sleek design and solid battery life, it’s an excellent choice for those seeking a budget Apple Watch.

6. Garmin Venu 3

Best Budget Fitness Tracker for Workouts

### Garmin Venu 3

0The Garmin Venu 3 is ideal for those focused on detailed workout tracking. It features a highly accurate GPS, heart rate monitor, and a range of sensors including ECG, blood oxygen, and temperature. With over 30 preloaded sports apps, it supports activities like swimming, cycling, and golf. The standout feature is the Body Battery, which provides insights into your body's rest levels based on activity, stress, and sleep.

As a smartwatch, the Venu 3 offers a bright AMOLED display and up to 14 days of battery life, though this may decrease with the always-on display and automatic workout detection. It supports receiving calls, smart assistants, and responding to texts when paired with the best Android phones, though its app selection is more limited compared to Apple and Google smartwatches.

What to Look for in a Budget Fitness Tracker

When choosing a budget fitness tracker, consider not only its tracking capabilities but also the overall user experience. Key factors include the quality of the hardware, comfort, software features, and the accuracy of the tracking you're investing in.

As the price increases, so do the features, such as heart rate monitoring, GPS, and OLED displays. However, there are many basic trackers that offer excellent value and provide a wealth of health data.

What kind of fitness tracker do I need?

Your choice of fitness tracker depends on your usage. For basic tracking like steps, heart rate, and time, an ultracheap option like the Xiaomi Smart Band 9 could suffice. These budget-friendly devices 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 a tracker with GPS for accurate tracking. For those seeking comprehensive functionality beyond fitness, a smartwatch might be the best choice, offering larger screens, app access, and the ability to manage calls, texts, and other notifications.

For active individuals, complementing your fitness tracker with a great pair of earbuds can enhance your overall experience and fit seamlessly into your lifestyle.