• Home
  • Latest
  • Fortune 500
  • Finance
  • Tech
  • Leadership
  • Lifestyle
  • Rankings
  • Multimedia

Trendingnow

1

As Big Tech showers employees with perks to win the talent war, Nvidia built a nearly $5 trillion company by making people pay for their own lunch

2

MacKenzie Scott alone accounted for one-third of America's $19.2 billion in megagifts last year

3

Current price of oil as of July 1, 2026

1

As Big Tech showers employees with perks to win the talent war, Nvidia built a nearly $5 trillion company by making people pay for their own lunch

2

MacKenzie Scott alone accounted for one-third of America's $19.2 billion in megagifts last year

3

Current price of oil as of July 1, 2026
Tech

The 8 Best Fitness Trackers You Can Buy Right Now

By
Lisa Eadicicco
Lisa Eadicicco
and
TIME
TIME
Down Arrow Button Icon
By
Lisa Eadicicco
Lisa Eadicicco
and
TIME
TIME
Down Arrow Button Icon
April 3, 2017, 5:00 PM ET
Runner wearing Fitbit Alta HR fitness tracker.
Runner wearing Fitbit Alta HR fitness tracker. Photo credit: Fitbit
Add Fortune on Google for similar content.

Looking for a fitness tracker that can keep tabs on your steps taken, calories burned, and other health data? Fitbit is among the most popular brands, but there are plenty of other options out there. Some trackers look more like regular watches, while others are feature-packed gadgets for health and exercise nuts.

Here are our top picks for the best fitness trackers as of November 2016, ranked from least to most expensive:

Xiaomi Mi Band 2 ($35)

Courtesy of Xiaomi

Why we like it: Bargain hunters won’t find a cheaper fitness band. For a fraction of the cost of bands made by companies like Fitbit and Garmin, the Mi Band 2 monitors steps, distance, calories burned, and heart rate, features that are especially rare at this price. A responsive touch sensor on the band’s display makes it easy to cycle between these metrics, and bands are available in lots of different colors.

What to know: It’s not as fashionable as pricier models made by Fitbit and Misfit, and the app isn’t very intuitive. The Mi app also doesn’t provide as much data insight as other fitness apps, which makes it harder to make sense of data the band gathers.

You can buy the Xiaomi Mi Band 2 here

Misfit Ray ($75)

Courtesy of Misfit

Why we like it: The Misfit Ray is a simple and stylish fitness tracker aimed at buyers who care about fashion over a feature-packed gadget. The flashy Ray tracks basic stats like steps taken, calories burned, distance moved, and sleep. It’s water-resistant enough to swim with, too.

The Ray’s thin and light design makes it comfortable to wear to sleep, and the slick app is easy to navigate. Rather than just showing your daily stats, Misfit’s app will also tell you exactly how much activity is needed to meet your daily goal (i.e. walk 45 minutes, run 15 minutes.) Another bonus: Since its replaceable battery should last for up to six months, you don’t have to worry about charging the Ray every day.

What to know: The Ray’s lack of a screen means you can’t glance down to see your health statistics or the time. It’s also expensive considering its limited functionality compared to other trackers, and the battery can be difficult to insert into the device during setup.

You can buy the Misfit Ray here

Garmin Vivomove ($89)

©2016 GARMIN International

Why we like it: The Garmin Vivomove offers only rudimentary metrics when it comes to fitness tracking, like steps taken and sleep patterns. But the Vivomove’s simple and attractive looks earned it a spot on our list.

The Vivomove is essentially an analog watch with basic health tracking features, making it a great choice if you’re looking for a wearable fit for a night out or a big meeting. Its face displays two meters alongside the time: one for showing how close you are to your daily fitness goal, and another displaying how much time you’ve spent idle. Charging isn’t a concern here, as the Vivosmart uses a replaceable battery that lasts for up to a year. It’s also water resistant enough to withstand splashes, showering, and a bit of swimming.

What to know: You must press the crown in order to sync freshly gathered data with the app, while most other trackers do this automatically. The Vivomove’s large watch face can sometimes cumbersome during certain workouts, like planks or pushups. It’s also not as comfortable to wear to bed as other, smaller trackers. The Vivomove’s tracking capabilities are less sophisticated than some similarly-priced fitness bands.

You can buy the Garmin Vivomove here

Samsung Gear Fit2 ($130)

Courtesy of Samsung
Courtesy of Samsung

Why we like it: Samsung’s Gear Fit2 is among the most well-rounded fitness trackers available in terms of the sheer amount of features it offers. The Gear Fit2 includes integrated GPS, a heart rate monitor, water resistance, automatic exercise recognition for certain workouts, sleep tracking, and basic all-day activity monitoring (steps taken, calories burned, distance traveled, floors climbed). The interface shown on the Fit2’s colorful touchscreen displays a trove of comprehensive data about individual workouts. When reviewing insights from a previous run, for example, I was able to see how close I was to my goal, a graph that showed how my heart rate correlated with my speed, my minimum and maximum heart rate, and more.

What to know: The Gear Fit2 isn’t as slim as cheaper and less feature-packed fitness bands. Samsung doesn’t offer customization options for the Gear Fit2, and its battery life isn’t as long as that of simpler health trackers, like the Fitbit Charge 2 or Pebble 2 + HR. The Gear Fit2’s features are much more limited on the iPhone compared to Android devices.

You can buy the Samsung Gear Fit2 here

Fitbit Charge 2 ($150)

Courtesy of Fitbit
Courtesy of Fitbit

Why we like it: Fitbit’s Charge 2 includes just about everything a basic fitness tracker should have. It can measure steps taken, calories burned, floors climbed, heart rate, and active minutes, all while automatically tracking more intense exercise and sleep patterns. With its Cardio Fitness Level feature, the Charge 2 can help you put your health statistics in context. Its screen is also larger than the older Charge and Charge HR, offering an easier look at the time, your health metrics, and incoming notifications.

What to know: The Charge 2 doesn’t have a standalone GPS sensor, nor is it swim-proof, so hardcore runners and swimmers may want to look elsewhere. There’s also no option to control music playback from your wrist while working out.

You can buy the Fitbit Charge 2 here

Fitbit Blaze ($200)

Inside The 2016 Consumer Electronics Show
The wearables industry has hit a rough patch.Bloomberg Bloomberg via Getty Images
Bloomberg Bloomberg via Getty Images

Why we like it: Fitbit’s Blaze is a solid option for those seeking something that looks and feels more like a smartwatch, but acts like a fitness tracker. The Blaze’s bigger, colorful touch screen can display detailed workout summaries and fitness coaching sessions, making you less dependent on your phone. As is the case with many of Fitbit’s more expensive wearables, the Blaze can automatically detect certain workouts, show real-time exercise stats on its screen, measure your heart rate, and track your daily activity and sleep patterns. In addition to call, text and calendar notifications, it displays alerts from apps like Facebook and Gmail.

What to know: If you’re looking for built-in GPS, you’re better off with the Fitbit Surge or Garmin Vivoactive HR. Additionally, the Blaze isn’t swim-proof. It’s also bulkier than many dedicated activity bands and simpler fitness watches.

You can buy the Fitbit Blaze here

Garmin Vivoactive HR ($250)

Courtesy of Garmin

Why we like it: Garmin’s Vivoactive HR is a versatile sports watch with built-in GPS ideal for athletes interested in tracking specific activities. In addition to monitoring all-day movements, gathering heart rate data, and logging regular workouts, the Vivoactive HR offers specific metrics for a range of sports. These include swimming, skiing, rowing, and even golfing, in addition to more common activities like walking and running. For swimmers, the Vivoactive HR can count and track different kinds of strokes. Skiers, meanwhile, can use the band to measure their speed and distance. It’s also advertised to last for eight days on a single charge when not using the GPS, which is about a day longer than Fitbit claims for the Surge.

What to know: It’s a little bulkier than other fitness trackers, which makes it unattractive to wear all day. Garmin’s app can also be more confusing to use than those made by Fitbit and other companies.

You can buy the Garmin Vivoactive HR here

Apple Watch ($269 for Series 1, $369 for Series 2)

Courtesy of Apple

Why we like it: The Apple Watch is more smartwatch than fitness tracker, but Apple‘s wearable does double duty for workout nuts.

The Apple Watch can track metrics like step count, distance traveled, heart rate, calories burned, minutes spent exercising, wheelchair pushes, and, on the newer Series 2 model, swim styles. It can also log specific workouts, like outdoor runs and indoor cycling sessions. Both generations of the Apple Watch can prompt you to move around once an hour, a feature since aped by Fitbit. Thanks to new software that launched in September, the Apple Watch can guide users in deep-breathing exercises, too.

The more expensive Series 2 model has two important features aimed at runners and swimmers: a GPS sensor and a water-resistant design.

All told, the Apple Watch is ideal for iPhone owners who want a smartwatch that can help track their fitness metrics, too.

What to know: The Apple Watch only works with iPhones, not Android devices. It’s also an expensive choice for those who just want to keep tabs on health stats, and it’s more limited than dedicated fitness trackers. The Apple Watch doesn’t track sleep without a third-party app, and its battery life means you’ll probably want to charge it overnight anyway. Neither model includes an altimeter for measuring the number of stairs you climb in a day, either.

You can buy the Apple Watch Series 1 and Series 2

This post originally appeared on Time.

We’ve included affiliate links in this article. Click here to learn what those are.

About the Authors
By Lisa Eadicicco
See full bioRight Arrow Button Icon
By TIME
See full bioRight Arrow Button Icon
Add Fortune on Google for similar content.

Latest in Tech

Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025

Most Popular

Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Fortune Secondary Logo
Rankings
  • 100 Best Companies
  • Fortune 500
  • Global 500
  • Fortune 500 Europe
  • Most Powerful Women
  • World's Most Admired Companies
  • See All Rankings
  • Lists Calendar
Sections
  • Finance
  • Fortune Crypto
  • Features
  • Leadership
  • Health
  • Commentary
  • Success
  • Retail
  • Mpw
  • Tech
  • Lifestyle
  • CEO Initiative
  • Asia
  • Politics
  • Conferences
  • Europe
  • Newsletters
  • Personal Finance
  • Environment
  • Magazine
  • Education
Customer Support
  • Frequently Asked Questions
  • Customer Service Portal
  • Privacy Policy
  • Terms Of Use
  • Single Issues For Purchase
  • International Print
Commercial Services
  • Advertising
  • Fortune Brand Studio
  • Fortune Analytics
  • Fortune Conferences
  • Business Development
  • Group Subscriptions
About Us
  • About Us
  • Press Center
  • Work At Fortune
  • Terms And Conditions
  • Site Map
  • About Us
  • Press Center
  • Work At Fortune
  • Terms And Conditions
  • Site Map
  • Facebook icon
  • Twitter icon
  • LinkedIn icon
  • Instagram icon
  • Pinterest icon

Latest in Tech

U.S. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent
EconomyDebt
AI’s $2.2 trillion deficit fix is already half fake, economists say
By Tristan BoveJuly 2, 2026
29 minutes ago
Anthropic CEO Dario Amodei
AIEye on AI
Anthropic’s Fable model is back. But U.S. AI policy is still a mess
By Jeremy KahnJuly 2, 2026
37 minutes ago
ai
North AmericaImmigration
Trump’s $46 billion ‘smart wall’ with Mexico bets on AI and scale
By Rebecca Santana and The Associated PressJuly 2, 2026
2 hours ago
sk
AISouth Korea
AI “grief videos” turn mourning into a $390 service in South Korea
By Hyung-Jin Kim and The Associated PressJuly 2, 2026
2 hours ago
Securitize CEO Carlos Domingo looks to the far right during a conference.
CryptoBlockchain
Securitize is latest crypto company to go public as BlackRock-backed firm sees stock jump 3% on debut
By Camila Grigera NaónJuly 2, 2026
2 hours ago
Mark Zuckerberg, wearing a white shirt, smiles. He is standing in front of a crowd.
SuccessMark Zuckerberg
Mark Zuckerberg feeds his cows macadamia nuts and beer to create the ‘highest-quality beef in the world’ on his $300 million estate in Hawaii
By Sasha RogelbergJuly 2, 2026
2 hours ago

Most Popular

As Big Tech showers employees with perks to win the talent war, Nvidia built a nearly $5 trillion company by making people pay for their own lunch
Big Tech
As Big Tech showers employees with perks to win the talent war, Nvidia built a nearly $5 trillion company by making people pay for their own lunch
By Marco Quiroz-GutierrezJuly 1, 2026
2 days ago
MacKenzie Scott alone accounted for one-third of America's $19.2 billion in megagifts last year
Success
MacKenzie Scott alone accounted for one-third of America's $19.2 billion in megagifts last year
By Sydney LakeJune 25, 2026
8 days ago
Current price of oil as of July 1, 2026
Personal Finance
Current price of oil as of July 1, 2026
By Joseph HostetlerJuly 1, 2026
1 day ago
Trump got a $78K pension from the Screen Actors Guild in 2025 because he appeared in Home Alone 2 in 1992
Politics
Trump got a $78K pension from the Screen Actors Guild in 2025 because he appeared in Home Alone 2 in 1992
By Sasha RogelbergJuly 1, 2026
1 day ago
CEO of $248 billion cybersecurity company says workers are about to face a ‘Darwinian moment’ thanks to AI: Evolve or get cut
Success
CEO of $248 billion cybersecurity company says workers are about to face a ‘Darwinian moment’ thanks to AI: Evolve or get cut
By Emma BurleighJuly 1, 2026
1 day ago
Philanthropy leader at Warren Buffett and Bill Gates’ Giving Pledge says children of billionaires are pushing them to give their wealth away faster
Success
Philanthropy leader at Warren Buffett and Bill Gates’ Giving Pledge says children of billionaires are pushing them to give their wealth away faster
By Preston ForeJune 27, 2026
5 days ago

© 2026 Fortune Media IP Limited. All Rights Reserved. Use of this site constitutes acceptance of our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy | CA Notice at Collection and Privacy Notice | Do Not Sell/Share My Personal Information
FORTUNE is a trademark of Fortune Media IP Limited, registered in the U.S. and other countries. FORTUNE may receive compensation for some links to products and services on this website. Offers may be subject to change without notice.