Recognition: Jimmy Westenberg / Android Authority
Cheap fitness trackers are more powerful than ever. These affordable wearables now include hardware and features previously reserved for more premium trackers. Thanks to the SpO2 sensors and continuous heart rate monitoring, you no longer have to break the bank to get a competent fitness wearable. But not all are created equal, and some trackers may have to forego some to offer low prices.
With the advances in cheap fitness trackers, choosing one for your wrist is now a difficult task. In this guide, we are going to walk you through the best cheap fitness trackers available.
Buy the right affordable fitness tracker for your needs
What do you need from your fitness tracker? While more expensive trackers have all of the features you could want, cheap fitness trackers sacrifice some to keep costs down. Most inexpensive fitness equipment will take basic metrics like steps and distance traveled. If you need a tracker to run, it is best to purchase a device with built-in GPS or connected GPS capabilities. Are you looking for sleep, stress or blood oxygen tracking? Some of the trackers in the list below offer these features. If you want it all and the sink, it’s probably best to save up for a full-fledged smartwatch.
The best cheap fitness trackers
- The Xiaomi Mi Band 5 is that best cheap fitness tracker You can buy. It’s an excellent, cheap alternative to more premium fitness trackers.
- The Fitbit Inspire 2 is that best cheap fitbit You can buy. However, this only really makes sense for the one-year Fitbit Premium membership.
- The Withings Move is that best looking cheap fitness tracker. It has a classic watch appeal with fitness tracker smarts and tons of customizability.
- The Samsung Galaxy Fit 2 is that best cheap samsung fitness tracker You can buy. It’s light, attractive, and should serve the majority of users well.
- The Honor Band 6 is that best cheap fitness tracker with pulse oximeter. It also includes a large, smartwatch-sized display.
Xiaomi Mi Band 5: the best cheap fitness tracker
Recognition: Jimmy Westenberg / Android Authority
It has become something of a refrain that the Mi Band is the best cheap fitness tracker series out there. The fifth iteration is no exception. The Xiaomi Mi Band 5 gets a slightly bigger face, a new magnetic charging system, more sports tracking modes and continuous heart rate tracking compared to the Mi Band 4. New functions for sleep tracking and menstrual health also improve an already outstanding formula.
Where it comes up short are its region-specific characteristics. While the Chinese version has an SpO2 sensor and NFC support, this is not the case with the European and Indian models. While these features are a painful flaw, it’s hard to fault the Mi Band 5 for its price below $ 40.
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benefits
- Fantastic value
- Improved charger with 14 days of battery life
- Good advertisement
- Useful intelligent functions
- Mostly accurate heart rate sensor
disadvantage
- The Mi Fit app needs to be refined
- NFC, voice assistant, pulse ox not available outside of China
Find out more about the Xiaomi Mi Band 5 in our full review.
Fitbit Inspire 2: The Best Cheap Fitbit
Recognition: Jimmy Westenberg / Android Authority
The Fitbit Inspire 2 is the cheapest way to get into the Fitbit ecosystem. Like its siblings, the Inspire 2 is also characterized by recording sleep, heart rate and the usual daily activity metrics. Connected GPS is also a great addition for runners and hikers at this price point.
Despite its price, the Inspire 2 offers questionable value. The design is bland compared to the other fitness trackers on this list, while the dull display makes it difficult to view data outdoors. The real reason for buying the Inspire 2 is arguably the one-year membership to Fitbit Premium that it comes with. Since the membership is worth a good $ 80, it effectively pays off for Inspire 2. On top of that, if you really need a Fitbit, save an additional ~ $ 60 and buy a fee instead 4.
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benefits
- Affordable price
- Small, lightweight design
- Great sleep tracking and insights
- Good heart rate measurement
- Connected GPS is a plus
disadvantage
- Boring design
- Side buttons sometimes don’t respond
- The display could be brighter
- Questionable value outside of the Fitbit Premium trial
Find out more about the Fitbit Inspire 2 in our full review.
Withings Move: The Best Looking Cheap Fitness Tracker
Without a doubt, the Withings Move is the best eye-catcher in its class. It’s similar in style to a smartwatch, but with analog charm. It’s also very customizable, and buyers can choose from a number of color combinations. As a fitness tracker, it keeps an eye on common measurement data, including total steps and calorie consumption. It also has GPS connected.
You don’t have to worry about charging either – a single battery should work for 18 months.
Where else the move is neglected is the lack of a heart rate monitor. As a hybrid smartwatch, there is also no notification support. That beautiful exterior is also prone to damage if you’re a little rough as well.
Overall, the Move is the perfect cheap fitness tracker for those who can’t completely let go of their watches. And when you’re ready to spend a little more, the Withings Move EKG focuses more on heart health than any other watch at its price.
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benefits
- Fully customizable design
- Accurate fitness tracking
- Connected GPS is a big bonus
- Affordable price
- 18 months battery life
disadvantage
- Sleep tracking can be inaccurate
- No smartphone notifications
- Plastic housing is easily scratched
- No heart rate monitor
Read our full review to find out more about the Withings Move.
Samsung Galaxy Fit 2: The Best Cheap Samsung Fitness Tracker
The Samsung Galaxy Fit 2 has a larger display than its predecessor, which makes it much easier to use for users with larger hands. Buyers also get a battery that is good for three weeks per charge, stress and sleep tracking, and the usual fitness monitoring smarts. Heart rate monitoring is also available, but only when needed and not continuously.
Overall, the Galaxy Fit 2 seems poorly equipped compared to the Mi Band 5, but Samsung is gaining one point back for its excellent smartphone software suite. It’s also the best choice if you already own a Samsung smartphone.
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Read more about the Samsung Galaxy Fit 2 in our list of the best Samsung smartwatches.
Honor Band 6: the best cheap fitness tracker with a pulse oximeter
The Xiaomi Mi Band 5 holds this title in China, but everywhere else it is difficult to ignore the Honor Band 6. It has a large 1.47-inch AMOLED display, which makes it an easy sale for those with diminishing vision. More interesting is the SpO2 sensor, which monitors oxygen saturation in the blood. It also includes a continuous heart rate monitor that tracks smarts for up to 10 workouts, stress and sleep tracking, and menstrual cycle tracking. That’s quite a feature set for a cheap fitness tracker.
The large display may not be for everyone, and the Volume 6 lacks the styling inserts. On paper, it’s a competent, cheap fitness tracker worth considering.
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Recognitions
That’s it for our list of the best cheap fitness trackers to buy, but it’s only a fraction of what is out there. We would also like to honor 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 make the big list as it’s more of a smartwatch than a fitness tracker, but it’s worth considering for its ~ $ 60 price tag.
- Amazfit Band 5 (Amazon): If you really need a fitness tracker in shape, the Amazfit Band 5 has a good reputation. It’s a $ 50 tracker that has Amazon Alexa support and a pulse oximeter.