The Best Budget Fitness Trackers for Staying Active in 2025

Choosing the Right Budget Fitness Tracker: A Comprehensive Guide

Whether you're starting a fitness journey or seeking deeper workout insights, a fitness tracker can gamify exercise and provide valuable data. Fortunately, many affordable options exist, ranging from feature-rich alternatives to premium smartwatches to basic step counters and heart rate monitors. This guide explores several budget-friendly choices for various needs and wrist sizes.

TL;DR – Top Budget Fitness Trackers:

Our Top Pick: Fitbit Inspire 3 See it on Amazon

Xiaomi Smart Band 9 See it on Amazon

Xiaomi Smart Band 9 Pro See it on Amazon

Amazfit Band 7 See it on Amazon

Apple Watch SE (2nd Gen) See it on Amazon

Garmin Venu 3 See it on Amazon

Contributions by Kevin Lee

1. Fitbit Inspire 3: Best Budget Fitness Tracker

Affordable fitness doesn't compromise style or functionality. The Fitbit Inspire 3 boasts a bright AMOLED display, a durable, comfortable band suitable for sleep, and a 10-day battery life (reduced with the always-on display). Navigation is easy via touchscreen and haptic buttons.

Features include 24/7 heart rate monitoring, step counting, SpO2 measurement, automatic exercise tracking, and sleep monitoring. Basic smartwatch features like phone notifications and a "find my phone" function (via Bluetooth) are included, but music storage and contactless payments are absent.

2. Xiaomi Smart Band 9: Best Ultra-Cheap Fitness Tracker

The Xiaomi Smart Band 9 offers impressive value under $50. It features a 1.62-inch AMOLED display, exceptional 21-day battery life, and over 150 sports modes. Basic tracking (pedometer, heart rate, SpO2, sleep) is included, along with call and message notifications and music playback control. Note that tracking accuracy might not be perfect.

3. Xiaomi Smart Band 9 Pro: Best Budget Fitness Tracker with GPS

An upgrade to the Smart Band 9, the Pro model features a larger (1.74-inch) AMOLED display and a surprisingly accurate built-in GPS for workout mapping. It retains 24/7 heart rate and SpO2 monitoring, sleep and stress tracking, and over 150 sports modes. Smartwatch features include music playback and notifications (but no replies or NFC).

4. Amazfit Band 7: Best Budget Fitness Tracker with Health Monitoring

The Amazfit Band 7 provides excellent value at around $50. It features a large (1.47-inch) always-on AMOLED display, an 18-day battery life (28 days in battery saver mode), and over 120 sports modes (with automatic recognition of four). Health monitoring includes heart rate, blood oxygen, and stress, plus sleep tracking. Smartwatch features include notifications and Amazon Alexa integration.

5. Apple Watch SE (2nd Gen): Best Budget Apple Watch

A more affordable Apple Watch option, the SE (2nd Gen) uses the same S8 SiP chipset as the Series 8, offering speedy processing. It includes an optical heart rate sensor, built-in GPS, automatic workout detection (including swimming), and 32GB of storage for apps from the App Store. Full smartwatch capabilities (calls, messages, payments, music streaming) and safety features (crash detection) are included.

6. Garmin Venu 3: Best Budget Fitness Tracker for Workouts

While the most expensive on this list, the Garmin Venu 3 is worth the investment for serious fitness tracking. It offers highly accurate GPS and heart rate monitoring, over 30 preloaded sports apps, animated workouts, and the insightful Body Battery feature. Smartwatch features include notifications and contactless payments, but app selection is more limited than Apple or Google watches.

Choosing Your Fitness Tracker:

Consider your needs and budget. Ultra-cheap options like the Xiaomi Smart Band 9 suffice for basic tracking. GPS is essential for runners and hikers. For comprehensive functionality beyond fitness tracking, a smartwatch like the Apple Watch SE is a better choice. Remember to factor in hardware quality, comfort, software, and tracking accuracy when making your decision.