Top Budget Fitness Trackers for 2025: Stay Active Affordably

Whether you're embarking on a new health journey or seeking deeper insights into your workouts, a fitness tracker is an excellent tool to gamify your exercise and provide valuable data. Fortunately, many of these wearable devices, often resembling smartwatches, are available at budget-friendly prices. From feature-rich models that rival the capabilities of the best smartwatches to basic options that monitor steps and heart rate, there are numerous affordable fitness trackers suitable for all wrist sizes.

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 perfect example of this. With its sleek and compact design, this fitness tracker is comfortable enough to wear around the clock, including during sleep. The bright AMOLED touchscreen and durable band enhance its appeal, and with a battery life of up to 10 days, you won't need to charge it frequently. However, using the always-on display mode will reduce this duration. Navigation is user-friendly, thanks to touch technology and two haptic buttons.

The Fitbit Inspire 3 excels in fitness tracking, offering features such as 24/7 heart rate monitoring, step counting, blood oxygen level measurement, and movement reminders. It also includes automatic exercise tracking, which is ideal if you often forget to start a workout, and sleep monitoring to help you understand your sleep quality better. Additionally, it supports basic smartwatch functions like phone notifications and a find-my-phone feature via Bluetooth, though it does not support music storage or contactless payments.

2. Xiaomi Smart Band 9

Best Ultra Cheap Fitness Tracker

### Xiaomi Smart Band 9

0Priced under $50, the Xiaomi Smart Band 9 doesn't skimp on essential features. It boasts a 1.62-inch AMOLED display and an impressive battery life of 21 days, making it a standout choice for budget-conscious consumers. The band supports basic tracking functions such as step counting, heart rate monitoring, blood oxygen saturation, and sleep monitoring, along with over 150 sports modes, including running, HIIT, kickboxing, and swimming.

While the tracking may not be as precise as higher-end smartwatches with GPS, the Xiaomi Smart Band 9 still provides valuable insights into your workouts. The latest model features increased screen brightness up to 1,200 nits, ensuring easy visibility in direct sunlight. The touch-responsive AMOLED display is user-friendly, offering quick access to fitness metrics and limited smartwatch features like call and message notifications and music playback control. However, you 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 enhances the standard model with a built-in GPS, perfect for mapping your runs, bike rides, and hikes. It features a larger, rectangular 1.74-inch AMOLED display that resembles an Apple Watch. In addition to GPS, it offers 24/7 heart rate and SPO2 monitoring, sleep and stress tracking, and over 150 sports modes.

While some of these modes might only track heart rate and time, the Smart Band 9 Pro still provides comprehensive health metrics. It includes limited smartwatch features like music playback and notification display when connected to your phone, though it lacks NFC support for contactless payments. With a battery life of up to 21 days and a bright, responsive screen, the Xiaomi Smart Band 9 Pro is a stylish and functional choice under $100.

4. Amazfit Band 7

Best Budget Fitness Tracker With Health Monitoring

### Amazfit Band 7

0The Amazfit Band 7 is an ultra-affordable option that doesn't compromise on features. It includes a large 1.47-inch always-on AMOLED display, a slim and comfortable design, and an impressive battery life of up to 18 days with typical usage, extending to 28 days in battery-saver mode.

This fitness tracker supports over 120 sports modes with automatic smart recognition for four of them and is water-resistant up to 50 meters, making it suitable for swimming. Health monitoring features include heart rate, blood oxygen levels, stress, and sleep tracking. Additionally, it offers smartwatch functionality with 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 2nd-generation Apple Watch SE offers a budget-friendly entry into the Apple Watch ecosystem, powered by the same S8 SiP chipset as the Apple Watch Series 8. It features an optical heart rate sensor and built-in GPS, ensuring you stay on track during hikes and other outdoor activities. The watch automatically detects various workouts, including swimming, and supports additional fitness apps from the App Store with its 32GB of storage.

As a full-fledged smartwatch, the Apple Watch SE allows you to answer calls, respond to messages, make contactless payments, and stream music directly from your wrist. It also includes safety features like crash detection, which can automatically call emergency services if needed. With a slim design and impressive battery life for an Apple Watch, the SE is a versatile and capable device.

6. Garmin Venu 3

Best Budget Fitness Tracker for Workouts

### Garmin Venu 3

0The Garmin Venu 3 is ideal for those serious about their workouts, offering a range of features including GPS, heart rate monitoring, and animated workout guidance. It supports over 30 preloaded sports apps and includes sensors for ECG, blood oxygen, and temperature monitoring. The standout Body Battery feature provides insights into your body's energy levels based on activity, stress, and sleep.

With a bright AMOLED touchscreen and a battery life of up to 14 days, the Venu 3 is a robust fitness tracker. It also offers smartwatch features like call and text notifications when paired with 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 fitness tracker, consider more than just step counting and sleep tracking. The overall experience includes hardware quality, comfort, software capabilities, and the accuracy of the tracking features you need.

As prices increase, so do the features, such as heart rate monitoring, GPS, and OLED displays. However, many basic trackers offer valuable health data at a lower cost.

What kind of fitness tracker do I need?

The type of fitness tracker you need depends on your intended use. For basic tracking like steps, heart rate, and time, an ultra-cheap option like the Xiaomi Smart Band 9 is sufficient. These models often come with color displays and long battery life, along with various sports modes, sleep tracking, and phone notifications.

If you're into running, biking, or hiking, consider spending a bit more for GPS support. For those seeking comprehensive functionality beyond fitness tracking, a smartwatch like the Apple Watch SE or Garmin Venu 3 offers larger screens, more apps, and the ability to handle calls and texts.

For active runners or gym-goers, pairing your fitness tracker with a great pair of earbuds can enhance your overall experience and ensure you find the perfect fit for your lifestyle.