Top Affordable Fitness Trackers for 2025: Stay Active on a Budget

Embarking on a health journey or seeking deeper insights into your workouts? A fitness tracker can transform exercise into a fun, gamified experience while providing valuable data. Fortunately, these wearables, often resembling smartwatches, come at various price points, ensuring there's an option for every budget. From feature-rich models that can compete with the best smartwatches to basic ones focused on essentials like step counting and heart rate monitoring, you'll find a budget-friendly fitness tracker suitable for any wrist size.

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. See it at AmazonProduct SpecificationsSize39.3mm x 18.6mmThickness11.75mmBattery life10 daysConnectivityBluetoothSensorsHeart rate monitor, SpO2TrackingSwim, sleep, stepsWater resistance Up to 50mPROSBright AMOLED touchscreen Long battery lifeCONSSome more advanced features require a subscriptionFitbit continues to dominate the budget fitness tracker market with the Fitbit Inspire 3. Priced under $100, it boasts a vibrant AMOLED display and a durable, sleek band that’s comfortable enough to wear while sleeping. With a 10-day battery life, you won’t need to charge it frequently, although this duration may decrease with the always-on display feature. Navigation is user-friendly, utilizing 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 features automatic exercise tracking for those who forget to start a workout manually, and sleep monitoring to analyze sleep quality. While it includes basic smartwatch functions like phone notifications and a find my phone feature via Bluetooth, it lacks music storage and contactless payment capabilities.

2. Xiaomi Smart Band 9

Best Ultra Cheap Fitness Tracker

### Xiaomi Smart Band 9

0An affordable fitness tracker with a 1.62-inch AMOLED display and impressive battery life, offering basic tracking and 150 sports modes. See it at AmazonProduct SpecificationsSize46.53mm x 21.63mmThickness10.95mmBattery life21 daysConnectivityBluetoothSensorsHeart rate monitor, SpO2TrackingSwim, sleep, stepsWater resistanceUp to 50mPROSOver 150 sports modesImpressive 21-day battery lifeCONSTracking isn't always 100% accurateThe Xiaomi Smart Band 9, priced under $50, doesn't skimp on features. It offers essential health monitoring within a sleek, slim design that competes well against higher-end models like Fitbit.

It includes basic tracking such as a pedometer, heart rate monitor, blood oxygen saturation, and sleep monitoring. With over 150 fitness modes, including running, HIIT, kickboxing, and swimming, it provides detailed workout data like calories burned and average heart rate. While not as precise as more advanced smartwatches with GPS, the Xiaomi Smart Band 9 still offers valuable workout insights.

The latest model boasts a three-week battery life with moderate usage and an upgraded screen brightness of 1,200 nits, perfect for viewing in direct sunlight. The colorful, 1.62-inch AMOLED display is highly responsive, allowing quick 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

0Featuring built-in GPS, 24/7 heart rate and SPO2 monitoring, sleep and stress tracking, and various sports modes, this tracker is a comprehensive fitness solution. See it at AmazonProduct SpecificationsSize43.27mm x 32.49mmThickness10.8mmBattery life21 daysConnectivityBluetoothSensorsHeart rate monitor, GPS, SPO2TrackingSwim, sleep, stressWater resistanceUp to 50mPROSAccurate built-in GPSLarge, full-color AMOLED displayCONSNo NFCIf you're looking for a step up from the Xiaomi Smart Band 9, the Smart Band 9 Pro offers enhanced features while maintaining affordability. The most notable upgrade is the larger, 1.74-inch rectangular AMOLED display, reminiscent of the Apple Watch, and a highly accurate built-in GPS for tracking your runs, bike rides, and hikes.

The Smart Band 9 Pro retains the essentials like 24/7 heart rate and SPO2 monitoring, sleep tracking, and stress monitoring, with over 150 sports modes for comprehensive activity tracking. However, some of the more unique modes may only measure heart rate and duration.

While it's not a full smartwatch, it includes limited smartwatch features such as music playback and notification display when connected to a phone. Unfortunately, it lacks NFC support for contactless payments. Priced under $100, the Xiaomi Smart Band 9 Pro combines style, a responsive screen, an intuitive interface, and impressive battery life.

4. Amazfit Band 7

Best Budget Fitness Tracker With Health Monitoring

### Amazfit Band 7

0The Amazfit Band 7 is ultra-affordable yet packed with features like long battery life, health monitoring, and sleep tracking. See it at AmazonProduct SpecificationsSize37.3mmThickness12.2mmBattery life18 daysConnectivityBluetooth 5.2SensorsHeart rate monitor, SpO2TrackingSwim, period, sleepWater resistanceUp to 50mPROSTons of tracking including stress and sleepAmazon Alexa and other smartwatch features built-inCONSNo built-in GPSAmazfit's Band 7 offers a wealth of features at just $50. It features a large, 1.47-inch always-on AMOLED display for easy viewing, yet remains slim and comfortable on the wrist. Its battery life is impressive, lasting up to eight days with typical usage and 28 days in battery-saver mode.

The Amazfit Band 7 supports over 120 sports modes with automatic recognition for four, and it's water-resistant up to 50m, making it suitable for swimming. Its health monitoring capabilities include heart rate, blood oxygen levels, and stress, while sleep tracking provides insights into your nightly rest. Additionally, it offers smartwatch functions such as on-watch notifications and Amazon Alexa integration.

5. Apple Watch SE (2nd Gen)

Best Budget Apple Watch

### Apple Watch SE (2nd Gen)

0A budget-friendly option that uses the same S8 SiP chipset as the Apple Watch Series 8 for fast processing at a lower cost. See it at AmazonProduct SpecificationsSize40mm x 34mmThickness10.7mmBattery life18 hoursConnectivityCellular (optional), 802.11n Wi-Fi, Bluetooth 5.3SensorsHeart rate monitor, GPS, accelerometerTrackingSwim, sleep, period Water resistanceUp to 50mPROSHuge selection of appsSpecial safety features, like crash detection and built-in GPSCONSFewer sensors than other Apple Watch optionsFitness trackers aren't always just about fitness, and not all the best Apple Watches need to be expensive. The 2nd-gen Apple Watch SE includes an optical heart rate sensor and built-in GPS, ensuring you stay on track during hikes. It automatically detects various workouts, including swimming, and with 32GB of storage, you can download additional fitness apps from the App Store.

As a full-fledged smartwatch, the Apple Watch SE allows you to answer calls, respond to messages, make contactless payments, and stream music. It also features crash detection, which can automatically contact emergency services in case of an accident. All these features are housed in a slim, comfortable design with a battery life that's impressive for Apple Watches.

6. Garmin Venu 3

Best Budget Fitness Tracker for Workouts

### Garmin Venu 3

0Offering more than just exercise tracking with GPS and a heart rate monitor, the Venu 3 provides animated workout guidance, phone notifications, and contactless payments. See it at AmazonProduct SpecificationsSize45mmThickness12mmBattery life14 daysConnectivityBluetooth, 802.11nSensorsHeart rate monitor, GPS, temperatureTrackingSwim, sleep, stress, energyWater resistanceUp to 50mPROSHighly accurate GPS and heart rate monitorHelpful Body Battery featureCONSLimited app selection compared to other smartwatchesGarmin's Venu 3 is a top choice for those serious about health and fitness tracking. Although it's the priciest of our budget picks, it's packed with insightful features. It can track various exercises like swimming, cycling, and golf, with over 30 preloaded sports apps working alongside its highly accurate GPS, heart rate monitor, ECG, blood oxygen, temperature, and other sensors. Animated workouts for pilates, HIIT, and cardio are included, and the standout Body Battery feature provides data on how well-rested your body is based on activity, stress, and sleep.

The Garmin Venu 3 is also a capable smartwatch with a bright AMOLED touchscreen, offering up to 14 days of battery life, though this can decrease with the always-on display and automatic workout detection. It supports standard smartwatch features like receiving calls, smart assistants, and responding to texts 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 or sleep monitoring. The overall experience includes hardware quality, comfort, software features, and the accuracy of the tracking functions.

As the price increases, so do the features, including heart rate monitoring, GPS, and OLED displays. However, there are many basic trackers available at lower costs that still provide a wealth of health data.

What kind of fitness tracker do I need?

The ideal fitness tracker depends on your intended use. For simple step tracking, heart rate monitoring, and timekeeping, an ultra-cheap, compact band like the Xiaomi Smart Band 9 is sufficient. These affordable options often feature color displays, long battery life, various sports modes, sleep tracking, blood oxygen sensors, and phone notifications.

If you're into running, biking, or hiking, consider spending a bit more for GPS support. For those seeking functionality beyond fitness, a smartwatch with a larger screen, built-in storage, and access to more apps, as well as the ability to handle calls and texts, might be the best choice.

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