The Best Budget Fitness Trackers for Staying Active in 2025

Choosing the Right Budget Fitness Tracker: A Comprehensive Guide

Whether you're a fitness novice or a seasoned athlete seeking data-driven insights, a fitness tracker can revolutionize your workout routine. Fortunately, numerous affordable options exist, offering a range of features to suit every need and budget. From basic step counting and heart rate monitoring to advanced capabilities rivaling top-tier smartwatches, there's a perfect fit for every wrist.

TL;DR – Top Budget Fitness Trackers:

Our Top Pick: Fitbit Inspire 3 See it at Amazon Xiaomi Smart Band 9 See it at Amazon Xiaomi Smart Band 9 Pro See it at Amazon Amazfit Band 7 See it at Amazon Apple Watch SE (2nd Gen) See it at Amazon Garmin Venu 3 See it at Amazon Contributions by Kevin Lee

1. Fitbit Inspire 3: The Best Budget Fitness Tracker

Affordability doesn't mean compromising on quality. The Fitbit Inspire 3 boasts a vibrant AMOLED touchscreen, a comfortable design ideal for sleep tracking, and impressive 10-day battery life (though this decreases with the always-on display). Navigation is intuitive via touch and two haptic buttons. Features include 24/7 heart rate monitoring, SpO2 measurement, step counting, movement reminders, automatic exercise tracking, and sleep monitoring. While it offers basic smartwatch features like notifications and a "find my phone" function (via Bluetooth), it lacks music storage and contactless payment capabilities.

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

The Xiaomi Smart Band 9 punches above its weight class, offering a 1.62-inch AMOLED display, exceptional 21-day battery life, and over 150 sports modes for under $50. It provides essential tracking (pedometer, heart rate, SpO2, sleep), although accuracy might not match higher-end devices. The bright display (1200 nits) ensures excellent visibility, and touch responsiveness is excellent. Smartwatch features include call and message notifications and music control, but pairing can be finicky.

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, a surprisingly accurate built-in GPS for workout mapping, and maintains the impressive 21-day battery life. It retains 24/7 heart rate and SpO2 monitoring, sleep and stress tracking, and over 150 sports modes. While offering music playback and notifications, it lacks NFC functionality.

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

The Amazfit Band 7 is a remarkable value at around $50, featuring a large 1.47-inch always-on AMOLED display, excellent 18-day battery life (28 days in battery saver mode), and over 120 sports modes (with automatic recognition for four). It includes comprehensive health monitoring (heart rate, SpO2, stress, sleep), and offers smartwatch features like notifications and Amazon Alexa integration. However, it lacks built-in GPS.

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

For those within the Apple ecosystem, the 2nd-gen Apple Watch SE provides a cost-effective alternative to higher-end models. It utilizes the same S8 SiP chipset as the Series 8, offering speedy performance. Features include an optical heart rate sensor, built-in GPS, automatic workout detection (including swimming), and 32GB of storage for apps. It functions as a full smartwatch, enabling calls, messaging, contactless payments, and music streaming. Crash detection is also a valuable safety feature.

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

While the most expensive on this list, the Garmin Venu 3 is a worthwhile investment for serious fitness enthusiasts. It offers highly accurate GPS and heart rate monitoring, over 30 preloaded sports apps, animated workouts, and the insightful Body Battery feature for assessing energy levels. It also functions as a smartwatch with notifications and contactless payments, although 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. For runners and hikers, GPS is essential. For comprehensive functionality beyond fitness tracking, a smartwatch offers a broader range of features.