The best cheap fitness trackers you can buy

Cheap fitness trackers are more capable than ever. All devices on this list are priced below $100, some dipping as low as $40. But despite their low prices, these trackers pack a laundry list of features previously reserved for more premium trackers. From SpO2 sensors and continuous heart rate monitoring, you no longer need to break the bank for a competent fitness wearable. But not all are made equal, and some trackers have to sacrifice a few of these to offer low prices.

With the advancements made to cheap fitness trackers, choosing one for your wrist is now a tough task. In this guide, we’ll walk you through the best cheap fitness trackers available.

Buying the right cheap fitness tracker for your needs

What do you need from your fitness tracker? While more expensive trackers offer all the features you could possibly want, most cheap fitness trackers primarily focus on the basics, like steps taken and distance traveled. At this price point, it’s unlikely that you’ll find everything you could ever want.

If you need a tracker for running, it’s best to get a pricier, focused running watch with built-in GPS. While some of these cheap fitness trackers employ connected GPS, this isn’t quite as useful for serious trainers.

Looking for sleep, stress, or blood oxygen tracking? Some trackers on the below list pack these features. Again, if you want everything and the kitchen sink, it’s probably best to save up for a full-fledged smartwatch.

The best cheap fitness trackers

• The Xiaomi Mi Band 6 is the best cheap fitness tracker you can buy. It’s an excellent, affordable alternative to more premium fitness trackers and brings a host of improvements over its predecessor.
• The Fitbit Inspire 2 is the best cheap Fitbit you can buy. However, it only really makes sense for the year-long Fitbit Premium membership.
• The Withings Move is the best-looking cheap fitness tracker. It has a classic watch appeal with fitness tracker smarts and heaps of customizability.
• The HUAWEI Band 6 is the best cheap fitness tracker with a smartwatch aesthetic. If you’re looking for a fitness tracker that packs a large, easy-to-read display, this is your best bet.

Xiaomi Mi Band 6: The best cheap fitness tracker

It’s become something of a refrain that the Mi Band is the best cheap fitness tracker available. The Mi Band 5 originally owned this title, but its successor adds too many useful features to ignore.

The Xiaomi Mi Band 6 brings an even bigger face, an SpO2 sensor now as standard, and tracking for 19 additional activities and sports, like Zumba and badminton. These additional features do hit the Mi Band 6’s battery life hard, effectively halving it compared to the Mi Band 5. The new tracker’s heart rate accuracy is also oddly inconsistent during more intense workouts. Finally, the convoluted Mi Fit app is the wearable’s biggest issue.

Thankfully, the Xiaomi Mi Band 6’s inflated feature set doesn’t demand a much steeper price. It’s still well within the sub-$50 mark, making it the best value-for-money fitness tracker out there.

Check out our full review to learn more about the Xiaomi Mi Band 6.

Fitbit Inspire 2: The best cheap Fitbit

The Fitbit Inspire 2 is the cheapest way to board Fitbit’s ecosystem. Like its siblings, the Inspire 2 excels in tracking sleep, heart rate, and the usual daily activity metrics. Connected GPS is also great addition at this price point for runners and hikers toting their phones along for the journey.

Despite its price, the Inspire 2 offers questionable value. Its design is bland compared to the other fitness trackers on this list, while the dull display makes viewing data difficult outdoors. The real reason to buy the Inspire 2 is arguably the year-long membership to Fitbit Premium it brings in tow for new members. As the subscription is worth a good $80, it effectively pays for the Inspire 2. Although, you can find the Inspire 2 at a steep discount from time to time.

Beyond this, if you need a more capable Fitbit, save up the additional ~$50 and buy a Charge 4 instead.

Check out our full review to learn more about the Fitbit Inspire 2.

Withings Move: The best looking cheap fitness tracker

Without a doubt, the Withings Move is the best looker in its class, resembling an analog watch in style. It’s vastly customizable too, and buyers can choose between several color combinations. It keeps tabs on the common metrics, including total steps and caloric burn. It also has connected GPS. You won’t need to worry about charging either — a single battery should keep it going for 18 months.

Unfortunately, the Move doesn’t include a heart rate sensor — a big weakness compared to its contemporaries on this list. As a hybrid smartwatch, it also lacks notification support. That beautiful exterior is also prone to damage if you’re a little rough, too.

Overall, the Move is the perfect cheap fitness tracker for those who can’t quite let go of their ticking watches or who aren’t as serious about monitoring their health. However, if you’re willing to spend a little more, the Withings Move ECG focuses more on heart health than any other watch at its price point.

Check out our full review to learn more about the Withings Move.

HUAWEI Band 6: The best cheap fitness tracker with a smartwatch aesthetic

The HUAWEI Band 6 is bested only by the Xiaomi Mi Band 6 in terms of feature set and value. It sports a large 1.47-inch AMOLED display, making it an easy sell for those seeking a smartwatch aesthetic. Even with that large display, the battery can endure up to two weeks between charges. All-day SpO2 monitoring, 96 workout modes, solid sleep tracking powered by HUAWEI’s excellent Health app, and menstrual tracking add to its allure.

The large display may not be to everyone’s taste, and the fixed straps are a letdown for those used to customizing their devices. On paper, it’s a competent cheap fitness tracker that’s worth considering.

Check out our full review to learn more about the HUAWEI Band 6.

Honorable mentions

That’s it for our list of the best cheap fitness trackers you can buy, but it’s only a fraction of what’s out there. We also want to give an honorable mention to the following products:

• Amazfit Bip U (Amazon): The Bip U offers a large 1.43-inch display, long battery life, tracking for more than 60 activities, and an SpO2 sensor. We didn’t include it in the primary list as it’s more a smartwatch than a fitness tracker, but it’s worth considering for its ~$60 price tag.
• HONOR Band 6 (Amazon): It’s a cheaper, less polished version of the HUAWEI Band 6, complete with SpO2 monitoring, a large display, and long battery life.
• Xiaomi Mi Band 5 (Amazon): It might be bested by its successor, but the Mi Band 5 still packs a solid fitness tracker feature set, great battery life, and an even lower price.
• Amazfit Band 5 (Amazon): Can’t find a Mi Band 5? The Amazfit Band 5 is a good (arguably better) alternative. It’s a sub-$50 tracker that also packs Amazon Alexa support and a pulse oximeter.

FAQs

Q: Are these fitness trackers compatible with iOS and Android?
A: All four cheap fitness trackers included on our list are compatible with iPhones and Android devices.

Q: Are these fitness trackers water resistant?
A: Yes, all four fitness trackers are water resistant up to 50 meters.

Q: Should I consider getting a smartwatch instead of a fitness tracker?
A: That’s a tricky question. While you do get more features beyond health tracking with the majority of smartwatches, you sacrifice affordability and a slim profile. If you want a device that provides a basic health tracking experience with a few extras, stick to the cheap trackers on our list.