The Best Fitness Trackers and Smartwatches

Get ready to smash your fitness goals with our guide to wearables and trackers wearables and trackers! Here, we’ll explain what to look for when shopping and provide tips for getting the best fitness watch to suit your needs.  

Whether you’re into sport, yoga, dancing or the gym, there’s a wearable for you. Keep reading to find out which smartwatches are best suited to your budget and lifestyle.

While fitness trackers and smartwatches share some features, they’re designed with different priorities in mind:

Fitness trackers are:

• Slimmer and lighter for all-day wear
• Focused on health and activity metrics such as steps, heart rate, sleep and calories burned
• Ideal for those who want simple, dedicated fitness insights

Smartwatches offer:

• Broader lifestyle and tech features such as notifications, music control, calls and GPS mapping
• Seamless integration with your smartphone for added convenience
• The perfect choice for users who want both fitness tracking and everyday connectivity

When choosing the best fitness watch for your needs, you should think carefully about what it offers. Here are some top features to look out for:

• Alarm: Sets reminders or wake-up alerts.
• Altimeter: Measures altitude. Perfect for hikers and trail runners.
• Battery life: Longer battery life means fewer charges.
• Bluetooth: Connects seamlessly to your smartphone.
• Built-in GPS: Tracks distance and routes.
• Heart rate monitoring: Tracks your pulse in real time for health insights.
• Metric tracking: Monitors key stats such as steps, calories and distance.
• Social media sharing: Share achievements and progress directly from your wrist.
• Waterproof claims: Ideal for swimmers or those who want all-weather durability.

Garmin is a favourite among fitness enthusiasts and adventurers alike. Discover the top five recommended fitness watches from the Garmin collection.

Finding good fitness watches means looking beyond the marketing claims to see how they perform in real life. Here are our tips for getting it right:

• Do your research: Compare specifications, compatibility and features across brands.
• Read online reviews: See how real users rate accuracy and reliability.
• Test in-store if possible: Try on different models to assess fit and ease of use.
• Check app performance: The companion app should be intuitive and provide useful insights.
• Evaluate long-term value: Look for software updates and solid customer support.

Fitness trackers use a mix of sensors and smart algorithms to monitor your body’s activity throughout the day. Most good fitness watches include an accelerometer to detect movement and an optical heart-rate sensor to measure pulse. Some models also use a gyroscope or altimeter to track orientation and elevation.  

These sensors collect data that’s processed by the device and synced with a companion app. This is how your tracker is able to provide insights into steps taken, calories burned, sleep quality and workout performance. Over time, this data can help you identify patterns and stay motivated to improve your overall health and wellbeing.

Not every recommended fitness tracker requires a subscription. It mostly depends on the brand and the level of insights that you want.

Most devices work perfectly well out of the box: tracking steps, heart rate and workouts for free. However, some brands offer premium plans that unlock advanced analytics, guided workouts or personalised health reports.  

If you’re serious about training or want detailed performance trends, a subscription may be worth it. For casual users, the standard features of most fitness trackers are more than enough to stay active and monitor daily wellness.

Fitness trackers cover a wide price range depending on features and brand. Myer has basic models starting at around $70.  

When budgeting, remember:

• Basic devices will track steps, sleep and heart-rate.
• Expect to pay more for GPS, multisport modes and longer battery life.
• The most expensive models tend to include smartwatch features and performance metrics.
• Promotional offers can significantly reduce cost without sacrificing essentials.

When choosing the best fitness watch for your needs, you might wonder whether you must pair it with a smartphone. The answer is: not always, but in many cases you’ll need one for full functionality.

Many trackers can function independently for basic tasks without needing your phone nearby. However, pairing with a smartphone app is typically required for setup, syncing data, viewing long-term trends and accessing advanced features.  

In short: you can usually use a fitness tracker without a smartphone, but pairing with a smartphone will unlock its full functionality.

Good exercise watches can provide you with a better awareness of your sleeping patterns. From here, you can implement changes that might help you get a better night’s sleep. For instance, you might notice that you don’t sleep as well after working late or consuming alcohol. Insights such as these make it easier to adjust your routine for better rest.

However, they’re not medical devices. The wrist-based sensors can’t match the accuracy of a full sleep lab study. If you have a serious sleep issue, you should seek professional advice.

Many fitness trackers now feature optical heart-rate sensors that shine light through the skin to detect blood flow changes. These sensors provide reasonably accurate readings for everyday use – such as resting heart rate, walking and moderate workouts.  

It’s important to note that accuracy can vary based on factors like skin tone, tattoo coverage, movement and how tightly the tracker is worn. High-intensity or irregular activities may also cause slight discrepancies.

In many cases, yes. Exercise watches can be powerful motivators because they turn movement into measurable goals. Features like daily step targets, move reminders and achievement badges encourage consistency and accountability.  

However, lasting results will ultimately depend on your mindset. While the device provides insights and motivation, real progress comes from setting achievable goals and using the data to build healthier habits over time.

Some good exercise watches now include features that estimate blood pressure, but accuracy varies widely. Most rely on optical sensors that analyse pulse wave patterns, rather than using an inflatable cuff like medical devices. These readings can give you a general idea of trends but shouldn’t replace clinical measurements.