Fitness trackers allow you to monitor your health, exercise regimen, how well you sleep, overall step count, and so much more. These are no longer basic step counters, especially now that most of the best fitness trackers come with powerful heart rate monitors and other health-tracking tech that will ensure you're at peak physical fitness.

If you're keeping an eye on your weight and heart health, or you want a tool to help encourage regular fitness, you will likely enjoy one of the top options for your wrist below. There are options, available in various styles and at various price points, from household names like Fitbit, Garmin, Samsung, and a few other manufacturers that may surprise you.

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Best fitness trackers available right now

Fitbit's Inspire 3 tracker is a fantastic option for anyone looking for a capable fitness tracker for general use. It tracks all kinds of health metrics, including heart rate, blood oxygenation, skin temperature, and activity. It's water-resistant up to 50 meters, and, despite its small size, the Inspire 3's battery lasts up to 10 days on a single charge, so you don't have to worry much about it while wearing it.

The Inspire 3 can track 20 different exercise types, though you can only choose from six at a time on the tracker's tiny screen; you'll have to choose which it displays from the Fitbit app. Though the tracker doesn't have a built-in GPS, it can use your phone's GPS connection to track outdoor activities like running and hiking. While it's a shame you can't use the Inspire 3 for outdoor workouts without your phone, skipping a built-in GPS is part of why the device is so slim — and so affordable. The Inspire 3 retails for a very reasonable $100 and is often discounted to $80 or even $70. At these prices, there's not a whole lot to complain about here.

Read our full Fitbit Inspire 3 review.

The Fitbit Charge 6 is a direct continuation of one of the most popular fitness trackers around. This time, the tracker gains a range of Google-powered features, making it a Pixel Watch lite in all but name. The Fitbit Charge 6 excels at the essentials like activity and sleep tracking and includes built-in GPS to keep tabs on all your outdoor runs. It even upgrades its automatic workout detection capabilities to make sure you don't miss activities. The upgraded model also broadcasts heart rate information to supported fitness equipment, making it a true workout companion.

The overhauled design is available in various colors and sits comfortably on the wrist. The OLED screen is plenty bright, too, but the small size means information density remains low. This also means that the Google Maps integration is limited to alerts for turn-by-turn navigation. In our review, we found that the Fitbit Charge 6 has a few quirks. For example, the built-in media controls can only manage YouTube Music and no other streaming app. Similarly, Google Wallet support on the Fitbit Charge 6 can be rather iffy, and not all cards are supported. Priced at just $160, and frequently discounted, the Fitbit Charge 6 is a no-brainer for anyone seeking a premium fitness tracker.

Read our full Fitbit Charge 6 review.

Xiaomi's Smart Band 8 fitness tracker is affordable but packs features that belay its price point. To start, there are over 150 activity modes that guarantee that you'll be able to track your workouts with ease. The Xiaomi Smart Band 8 is capable of tracking all key metrics like heart rate and SpO2 while providing instant notifications from your phone. The budget-minded device misses out on features like GPS for outdoor runs and NFC for contactless payments, but that's to be expected given the low $50 price point.

What the Xiaomi Smart Band 8 misses out on in features, it makes up for in customization with dozens of faces available to suit your mood and personality. The non-standard POGO-style charger can be fiddly to use. However, in our testing, we found that the battery lasts as long as two weeks, making it a wear-and-forget companion. If value is what you're looking for, it doesn't get much better than the Xiaomi Smart Band 8.

Read our full Xiaomi Smart Band 8 review

Coros has become a popular choice among fitness enthusiasts thanks to its combination of excellent fitness tracking and a value price point. The latest in the lineup, the Coros Pace 3, is the best of everything that makes Coros fitness trackers so unique. It has a sunlight-readable display that sips battery life, allowing it to last as long as three weeks on a single charge. Running outdoors? The dual-band GPS support guarantees precise location tracking.

You'll even find a rotating bezel to scroll through the ample data the watch provides. While the Coros Pace 3 lacks any third-party apps or controls, there's 2GB of built-in storage for listening to music. However, setting up custom workouts on the Pace 3 can be a time-consuming chore and has a steep learning curve. The lack of NFC also means that you cannot use the watch for payments. But if all you need is a no-nonsense fitness watch with best-in-class fitness tracking features, the Coros Pace 3 makes for a solid choice.

Read our full Coros Pace 3 review

The antithesis to Garmin's full-sized wearables, the Garmin Venu SQ2 is compact with a 40mm square display. The smaller dimensions don't mean compromised battery life, though. The Venu SQ2 can easily last up to 11 days on a single charge. The 25 activity tracking modes mean that you can comfortably keep a check on all your fitness goals. The Venu SQ2 also has all the essentials in place, including heart-rate tracking and GPS.

To hit the size, weight, and price goal, Garmin has used a plastic case which might be unappealing to some. Additionally, the interface isn't the smoothest in the business. However, for your money, the Garmin Venu SQ2 promises some of the most accurate fitness tracking around.

The Garmin Lily is a smartwatch designed for those with smaller wrists, and it's the first device in our ranking you could technically call a smartwatch. Garmin sells simpler fitness trackers, but we'd recommend the Lily ahead of them as it offers everything you need on its screen in a slimline and small form. The design and the watch's bright display are the highlights of the Lily, and if you like both of those elements, you'll enjoy the experience here.

Plus, you get all the benefits of Garmin's specialist app that works well on Android phones. Features here aren't as extensive as you may expect from Garmin; the Lily offers exercise tracking, Body Battery to know when you're too tired to work out, and sleep tracking, but there's no onboard GPS, and you won't get contactless payment technology either. Otherwise, it's suitable for anyone with slender wrists who wants a watch to match.

The Samsung Galaxy Watch 6 tops the list of our favorite Android smartwatches largely because of its snappy performance and the fact that it runs Wear OS smoothly with the Samsung One UI interface layered on top. The Galaxy Watch 6 features automatic activity tracking, always-on heart rate monitoring, and body composition and SpO2 testing. It can even take ECG measurements when paired with a Samsung phone.

The smaller 40mm version's battery will last about a day and a half — maybe two if you can stretch it. That's pretty average for a smartwatch but low for a fitness tracker. The 44mm version will last slightly longer, but it still doesn't come close to the week-long battery life you'll find in a proper tracker like the Fitbit Charge 5. An upgrade to 2GB of RAM helps speed things up across the board, and you can still play music directly from the watch to headphones or earbuds through compatible apps — no phone required. It may not be a fitness tracker at first, but the Galaxy Watch 5 is an excellent smartwatch that does a great job tracking your health stats.

Read our full Samsung Galaxy Watch 6 review.

A midrange entry in the Garmin portfolio, the Forerunner 255S Music retails for $400 — in either 41mm or 46mm sizes (though the 46mm is officially called the Forerunner 255 Music, no S). It's got all the Garmin trappings, including built-in GPS tracking for outdoor workouts, robust tracking of several fitness parameters, and excellent battery life of up to 12 or 14 days, depending on the size you get, plus the ability to save music from Spotify for phone-free playback.

It also has a handy feature for triathlon training that lets you seamlessly switch between running, cycling, and swimming tracking with a button. There's even support for contactless payments via Garmin Pay, a feature the previous-generation Forerunner 245 lacked. If you're a serious outdoor athlete, the Forerunner 255 Music should be on your shortlist for a new tracker.

Read our full Garmin Forerunner 255S Music review.

The Withings ScanWatch 2 takes a classic approach to its design, much like its predecessor, but checks some key fitness and health tracker boxes anyway. It's designed to look like a traditional analog watch, yet has hidden fitness tracking tech like a heart rate monitor, daily step counter, and skin temperature sensor. The watch also features an ECG monitor, which is a key feature for heart health, especially for warnings about atrial fibrillation.

The battery life is between two weeks and a month, depending on how much you use it — remarkably better than most other wearables you can buy right now.

What the ScanWatch 2 can do is still limited, most significantly in terms of what information it can show you from a simple glance at your wrist. The step counter sits toward the bottom of the watch face, while a small screen provides you with key details, like step count, current heart rate, ECG results, etc. It isn't the most expansive set of results, but you can find everything neatly put away in the app on your phone if you want to.

Read our full Withings ScanWatch 2 review.

A smart ring won't provide many of the benefits of other options on this list — they don't deliver notifications or even tell time. But what they lack in sheer utility, smart rings make up for in an unobtrusive form factor.

The third-gen Oura Ring is the best smart ring right now, and it can track your activity and sleep with the best of 'em. It keeps count of your steps, and when the ring detects periods of higher-than-average activity, Oura's companion app has you tag which type of exercise you were doing and adjusts your calorie burn estimates accordingly.

The Oura Ring is a much more passive device than many other fitness tracking options; it won't nag you to stay active throughout the day. If you're just looking for something to help keep track of the activity you're already getting, though, the Oura Ring's a great way to do it in a lightweight and stylish package.

Read our full Oura Ring Generation 3 review.

Don't want a big screen on your wrist? The Whoop 4.0 is an acquired taste, but it may be right up your alley.

Unlike everything else on this list, Whoop 4.0 is paid for through a subscription service. It's not cheap but gives you access to Whoop's unique platform and a "free" fitness tracker. The minimum term is 12 months with a monthly cost of $30 per month, or you can sign up for a two-year contract, which drops the monthly price to $20. This isn't for everyone, but it is a way to break down an expensive purchase into more affordable monthly payments.

The screen-less design is one of the unique elements here, and we particularly like it for anyone who wants a device that tracks but doesn't distract you during the day. These sensors work throughout the day, and sleep-tracking and menstrual cycle-tracking features also exist. However, we found it's better suited to endurance athletes than people who focus more on strength training.

Unlike every other fitness tracker on this list, you can charge the Whoop 4.0 while wearing it. That means you won't ever miss a moment of tracking steps and your heart rate. It works through an attachable charger, which you likely won't want to wear for long periods as it makes the device far heftier. It then charges the device in two hours, and Whoop estimates it'll last five days from that charge. If you want a screen-less device that can track an incredible array of statistics about your health, this may be the pick for you in this list.

Read our full Whoop 4.0 review.

This list would be remiss without including one of the best smartwatches around. There's no denying that the Apple Watch is among the best products for tracking your health every day, and we've opted for the cheaper Watch SE for our roundup. Before digging into its merits, you must know that this device won't work with an Android phone. You'll need an iPhone to pair the Apple Watch SE, so don't buy this if you're an Android-only household.

If you are ready to dive into an Apple product, you'll get a premium design that pairs perfectly with an iPhone. The Watch SE works seamlessly with iOS products, and it's one of the best devices on this list for providing you with notifications and more. There's no always-on display here, but its 1.78-inch display looks great on your wrist. It's powerful enough to run any apps from the Apple Watch App Store, plus Apple continues to support this device. Again, don't buy this if you own an Android phone.

What's the best fitness tracker for you?

Those are the top picks for the best fitness trackers. With such diversity, you'll likely find an option that is appropriate for you. Our top two picks come from Fitbit, and there's a reason it is a household name in wearable technology. The Fitbit Inspire 3 is slim and affordable, but we particularly like the Fitbit Charge 6 for its onboard GPS, turn-by-turn navigation, and contactless payments.

If Fitbit isn't for you, you may want to opt for the Xiaomi Mi Smart Band 8, which comes with many of the same features in a package at a fraction of the price of the Charge 6. However, that lower price means the experience isn't as slick, so it isn't for everyone.

The Coros Pace 3 is another top-notch choice for the outdoorsy crowd, with its accurate fitness tracking, long battery life, and excellent readable display. And if you need something that looks more like a traditional smartwatch, it is hard to go wrong with the Garmin Venu SQ2. It even has 11 days of battery life.

And those seeking a more robust outdoor tracking experience can look to the Garmin Forerunner 255S Music or Garmin Lily. But if smart features are what you're after, the best Android smartwatches are capable fitness trackers in their own right — though, of course, they can't match the battery life offered by a dedicated fitness tracker.