Best fitness trackers in 2024 (UK)

There’s never a bad time to start a new fitness cycle or improve an existing one. And while we can’t all afford a personal trainer to get us through the reps and work toward those goals, remember that this is the 21st century — there are other options. Most notably, registering a fitness tracker helps.

It doesn’t matter if you’re buying a tracker for the first time or upgrading your current model, the benefits of these little training buddies are extensive. You may be looking to shed a few pounds or work towards a marathon. Either way, a fitness tracker can help. In fact, you don’t need any training at all to see the benefits. They are great for providing data on all kinds of health and wellness metrics, such as sleep and body composition.

It’s a tricky business to choose the right one for you. We all have different lives and schedules, and each fitness tracker is designed for different lifestyle needs. And with so many brands and models, you want to find one that’s right for you — not to mention your budget. Luckily, we’ve done the research and put together this roundup of fitness tracker options, along with some helpful pointers.

Do you need a fitness tracker?

Actively monitoring your fitness progress isn’t just for athletes or people training for their local parkrun. It’s a quality of life that people build into their daily routine. The best fitness trackers are the ones that will keep you informed throughout your workout and throughout your day. The positive impact these high-tech bracelets and other fitness wearables can have on your overall lifestyle is great.

What can fitness trackers do?

Fitness trackers have gone beyond counting steps and monitoring heart rate. Depending on the spec, fitness trackers can monitor and respond to your sleep, blood oxygen, energy levels, stress, body temperature, menstrual cycles, BMI, and more. For real fitness, they can provide you with your workout plans, track calories burned and fitness progress and train you to hit your personal best. Fitness trackers with GPS can also track runs and set routes for you. Oh, and you’ll get smartphone interaction, including text and call notifications.

What is the difference between a fitness tracker and a smartwatch?

A fitness tracker is a bracelet with sensors that send data to your phone to give you an expanded picture of the data it collects, and usually requires a GPS phone and music, too. A smart watch is essentially your phone, but on your hand. It has built-in GPS and can download apps, from the likes of Spotify to Tinder. With something like the Apple Watch, you can send voice messages or take phone calls, or even have a full conversation with iMessage.

But for people who are strictly focused on black-and-white fitness metrics or people who want a hands-off tracker that doesn’t require a very involved setup process or daily charging, we can make a case for a fitness tracker without a high-end connection. it’s a smart, cost-effective choice.

We’ve included a selection of both fitness trackers and smartwatches on this list.

Are fitness trackers waterproof?

Any decent tracker should be able to accompany you on a run in the rain without breaking down. At this point, almost every tracker passes splash and sweat resistance to reach a rating of 5 ATM, which means that the device can withstand pressure equivalent to 50 meters (164 feet). These should be fine to wear in the shower, beach, or hot tub.

Swimmers have more to consider than waterproof sizing. Look for a tracker with built-in GPS that can not only track you underwater, but also accurately track your legs and speed. Dedicated paths for pool swimming and open water swimming are good. Even the worst, swim-friendly watches and trackers are probably not suitable for extreme water sports or activities that involve high-speed, deep immersion.

What is the best fitness tracker?

There are many models out there to consider, with something for everyone and every budget. We’ve taken stock of everything on the market to bring you a selection of the best devices, including fitness trackers from top brands like Apple, Samsung, Fitbit, and Garmin.

These are the best fitness tracks in 2024.