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 can transform exercise into an engaging game while providing valuable data. Fortunately, many of these devices, often resembling smartwatches, are available at affordable prices. From feature-packed models that rival the best smartwatches to basic ones that track steps and monitor heart rate, there's a wide range of budget-friendly 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 prime example. With a price tag under $100, this device features a vibrant AMOLED display and a durable, sleek band that's comfortable enough to wear while sleeping. Its impressive 10-day battery life means you won't need to charge it frequently, though 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 24/7 heart rate monitoring, step counting, blood oxygen level measurement, and movement reminders. It also includes automatic exercise tracking, which is perfect if you often forget to start a workout, and sleep monitoring to help you understand your sleep quality better. Additionally, it provides basic smartwatch features like phone notifications and a find-my-phone function via Bluetooth, though it lacks music storage and contactless payment capabilities.

2. Xiaomi Smart Band 9

Best Ultra Cheap Fitness Tracker

### Xiaomi Smart Band 9

0Priced under $50, the Xiaomi Smart Band 9 offers an affordable yet feature-rich fitness tracking experience. It boasts a 1.62-inch AMOLED display and an impressive 21-day battery life, along with basic tracking and over 150 sports modes.

The band includes essential health monitoring features such as a pedometer, heart rate monitor, blood oxygen saturation, and sleep tracking. It supports a wide range of activities, from running and HIIT to kickboxing and swimming, providing detailed metrics like calories burned and average heart rate. While these metrics may not be as precise as those from higher-end devices like the Apple Watch, the Xiaomi Smart Band 9 still offers valuable insights into your workouts.

The latest model features enhanced battery life and a brighter screen, reaching up to 1,200 nits for clear visibility in sunlight. The touch-responsive, colorful display allows easy access to fitness metrics and limited smartwatch features like call and message notifications and music playback control. However, pairing with a phone can sometimes be challenging.

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 built-in GPS for accurate workout mapping, alongside 24/7 heart rate and SPO2 monitoring, sleep and stress tracking, and over 150 sports modes.

The Pro model features a larger, 1.74-inch rectangular AMOLED display that resembles the Apple Watch. Its GPS functionality is surprisingly accurate, making it ideal for tracking runs, bike rides, and hikes. The band also supports comprehensive health metrics, though some sports modes only measure heart rate and time.

While not a full smartwatch, it offers limited smartwatch features such as music playback and notification display when connected to your phone. However, it lacks NFC support for contactless payments. With a price under $100, the Xiaomi Smart Band 9 Pro combines style, a responsive screen, an intuitive interface, and long battery life.

4. Amazfit Band 7

Best Budget Fitness Tracker With Health Monitoring

### Amazfit Band 7

0The Amazfit Band 7 is an affordable option at $50, yet it's packed with features like long battery life, comprehensive health monitoring, and sleep tracking.

It features a large 1.47-inch always-on AMOLED display, ensuring easy readability while maintaining a slim and comfortable design. The battery lasts up to 18 days with typical use and can extend to 28 days in battery-saver mode.

The Amazfit Band 7 supports over 120 sports modes with automatic recognition of four, and its 50m water resistance makes it suitable for swimming. Health monitoring includes heart rate, blood oxygen levels, and stress, while sleep tracking provides insights into sleep quality. It also integrates with Amazon Alexa and offers basic smartwatch functionalities like notifications.

5. Apple Watch SE (2nd Gen)

Best Budget Apple Watch

### Apple Watch SE (2nd Gen)

0The 2nd-gen Apple Watch SE offers a budget-friendly option that runs on the same S8 SiP chipset as the Apple Watch Series 8, ensuring fast processing at a lower cost.

This model includes an optical heart rate sensor and built-in GPS, making it perfect for tracking hikes and other outdoor activities. It 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 features crash detection, which can automatically call emergency services if needed. Despite its slim design and impressive battery life, it has fewer sensors than other Apple Watch models.

6. Garmin Venu 3

Best Budget Fitness Tracker for Workouts

### Garmin Venu 3

0The Garmin Venu 3 goes beyond basic exercise tracking with GPS, heart rate monitoring, and animated workout guides, along with phone notifications and contactless payment capabilities.

Garmin's focus on health and fitness is evident in the Venu 3, which supports over 30 preloaded sports apps and uses highly accurate sensors for tracking swimming, cycling, and golf. The standout feature is the Body Battery, which provides insights into your body's energy levels based on activity, stress, and sleep.

The Venu 3 features a bright AMOLED touchscreen and can last up to 14 days on a single charge, though this decreases with the always-on display and automatic workout detection. It offers standard smartwatch features like call handling and text responses 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're interested in.

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 ideal fitness tracker 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, long battery life, and additional features like sports modes, sleep tracking, and phone notifications.

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

If you're an active runner or gym-goer, consider pairing your fitness tracker with a great pair of earbuds to enhance your workout experience.