You don’t have to spend a lot to get great mileage from a cheap fitness tracker. You can still keep track of steps, monitor your sleep, record activities such as running, cycling and other sports even if you have a limited budget.
Although a cheap fitness watch might not offer as many tools for health and fitness as the top smartwatches or top running watches, (e.g. A budget activity band has a larger screen and an onboard GPS chip.
These devices come with advanced fitness features that are also available on premium models within their respective ranges. However, they can still be purchased at a lower price. They might have all-day heart rate monitoring and dedicated workout profiles.
The best budget-friendly activity trackers are regularly reviewed and tested by us, making this an authoritative list. We have included a summary of the good and bad aspects, as well as key specifications and features, to help you narrow down your choices. Due to the low price tag, not all trackers have all features. It is up to you to choose the one that you will use the most.
Best fitness trackers for under $100 in 2022
The Fitbit Inspire 2 stylish fitness tracker is available in a variety of colors. It also comes with the Fitbit mobile app for free. (Image credit to Joseph Delves).
1. Fitbit Inspire 2
Best fitness tracker that is affordable for all types of activities
Specifications
Screen: Yes
Heart rate monitor
Yes, waterproof
Yes, activity tracking
GPS No
Battery life: 10 Days
Compatibility: Android/iOS
Today’s Top Deals
US$66.49
Amazon
US$68.95
Amazon
EUR58.95
at Adorama WW
There are many reasons to buy
+Premium design+Lots tracking metrics
Avoidable reasons
-No contactless payments -No onboard GPS
The Fitbit Ispire 2, a new addition to our list, is the best affordable fitness tracker that you can purchase today. The Inspire 2 is the best value for money, even though there are cheaper activity bands. It’s also one the best Fitbits overall.
The Inspire 2 measures your steps and heart rate throughout the day. The Fitbit Inspire 2 also tracks stress levels, heart rate variability, heart rate variability, breathing rate, heart rate during exercise, and how long you are in different zones. It can help you with breathing exercises and score your cardio fitness level.
Although the Fitbit Inspire 2 does not have a built-in GPS chip it can piggyback onto your phone’s GPS and track runs, walks, and bike rides, as long as they’re not too far apart. These can be checked later in the Fitbit App and synchronized to other apps such as Strava.
This fitness tracker is also available with a one-year subscription for Fitbit Premium. This gives you access to instructor-led exercises, meditation sessions, and nutritional plans.
View our Fitbit inspire 2 review
The Xiaomi Mi Smart Band 6’s screen is one of our favorites on a budget fitness tracker. It makes it simple to view all your workout and health information at once (Image credit: Future).
2. Xiaomi Mi Smart Band 6
The best affordable tracker for your health and well-being
Specifications
Screen: Yes
Yes, heart rate monitor
Yes, waterproof
Yes, activity tracking
GPS No
Battery life: 14 days for low use
Compatibility: Android/iOS
Today’s Top Deals
US$35.36
TVC-mall WW
US$38.48
Amazon
US$59.99
Tomtop WW
There are many reasons to buy
+Lightweight+Excellent display
Avoidable reasons
-No on-board GPS-Occasional data inaccuracies
The Xiaomi Mi Smart Band 6 is the latest addition to Xiaomi’s impressive line of fitness trackers. It has many features that you would expect to find on a more expensive device. This makes it an excellent value. The AMOLED touchscreen on the Xiaomi Mi Smart Band 6 is vibrant, responsive and bright. It offers heart rate monitoring and activity tracking, as well as stress monitoring and a pulse sensor to measure blood oxygen saturation.
It lacks an onboard GPS, which is the biggest problem. Although it can track your runs and other outdoor cardio sessions using your phone’s GPS receiver, our tests showed that it overestimated the distance traveled. This is fine for casual workouts. However, if you are training for a race you will be more successful with a Fitbit Inspire 2.
View our Xiaomi Mi Smart Band 6, review
The Honor Band 5 has a broad range of sports tracks, which makes it an excellent choice for those who like to mix up their training. Image credit: Future
3. Honor Band 5
This is the best and cheapest option.
Specifications
Screen: Yes
Yes, heart rate monitor
Yes, waterproof
Activity tracking
GPS No
Battery life: 14 days for low use
Compatibility: Android/iOS
Today’s Top Deals
US$39.99
Amazon
US$49.99
Tomtop WW
EUR49.99
at https://www.cafago.com/
There are many reasons to buy
+Improved Sleep Tracking+Expanded Exercise Roster
Avoidable reasons
-Screen sometimes unresponsive-Notifications temperamental
The Honor Band 5 is an excellent choice for anyone who enjoys more than cardio. The Honor Band 5 is waterproof up to 5ATM. Swim tracking, running, cycling, and cross-training are all included. You might use it as a pedometer because of its low price. The Honor Band 5 also works well with step tracking and running.
The Honor Band 5 includes a heart rate monitor, sleep tracking, and sleep monitoring. This gives you more information about your slumber than what the Honor Band 4 had. You can get as much as a week of use out of it, so it won’t be necessary to charge it at night. Although the screen is not the best, it can be slow and the design isn’t great. However, the Honor Band 5 has everything you need, plus its low price, makes it a worthy addition to this list.
The Huawei Band 6 is an excellent tracker that features a large AMOLED display, lightweight band and many other features. (Image credit: Future)
4. Huawei Band 6
The best AMOLED screen for fitness tracking.
Specifications
Screen: Yes
Yes, heart rate monitor
Yes, waterproof
Activity tracking
No GPS
Battery life is approximately 14 days with typical use
Compatibility: Android/iOS
Today’s Top Deals
US$1.09
TVC-mall WW
US$1.09
TVC-mall WW
Check Amazon
There are many reasons to buy
+Extra large display+Comfy and light
Avoidable reasons
-Finicky app sync -No GPS
Huawei Band 6 is a fitness tracker that stands out from the rest. It features a 1.47 inch AMOLED display with 194 x 368 resolution. The larger screen is a plus, but it’s also a great addition to the Huawei Band 6. We found it to be vibrant in picture quality and responsive to touch. This is a big improvement over many other fitness trackers, such as the Honor Band 5.
The Band 6’s large display is not too heavy, but it’s still lightweight and slim. This is a great benefit for those with smaller wrists and people who don’t like having any device on their wrists. Huawei claimed that the battery would last for 14 days, but our tests showed it to be able to last around 9-10 days. That’s still quite impressive. This is especially impressive considering the fitness and health tracking features it offers, along with its many workout options.
Although it doesn’t have an on-board GPS, the Xiaomi Mi Smart Band 5 fitness tracker is still very affordable. It has a particularly impressive heart rate tracking. (Image credit to Mike Sawh).
5. Xiaomi Mi Smart Band 5
The best fitness tracker for swimming at a great price
Specifications
Screen: Yes
Yes, heart rate monitor
Yes, waterproof
Activity tracking
No GPS
Battery life: 14 days for low use
Compatibility: Android/iOS
Today’s Top Deals
US$10.58
Banggood.com
US$19.80
Alibaba WW
US$34.88
Amazon
There are many reasons to buy
+Bright, vibrant display+Strong heart rate performance
Avoidable reasons
-Setup can be a bit fiddly – No NFC outside China
The Xiaomi Mi Smart Band 6 is now number three, but the Mi Smart Band 5 has a brighter screen, 24/7 activity monitoring, continuous heart rate monitoring, and the ability record outdoor cardio sessions using your phone’s GPS.
It has a crisp color display, one of the best on a small device. You can also use it to control your phone’s music playback with just a tap or swipe.
Although full onboard GPS may be more convenient, setting up “connected GPS” on your phone can be a bit cumbersome. However, the extremely low price of Smart Band 5 ensures that we are not left behind. The Mi Smart Band 5 feels much more expensive than it really is, despite its stunning touchscreen display and many other features.
Garmin makes premium running watches but also excellent fitness trackers such as the Vivofit 4. (Image credit TechRadar).
6. Garmin Vivofit 4
The longest battery life of any non-rechargeable fitness tracker
Specifications
Compatibility: iOS & Android
Display: Transflective 8 colour MIP
Thickness: 9.4mm
Battery life: 1 Year
Charging method: 2 x SR43 replacement
IP rating: Swimproof
Bluetooth connectivity
Today’s Top Deals
US$67.99
at Amazon
EUR69.99
at Conrad Electronic
PS69.99
at Garmin US
There are many reasons to buy
+1 year battery life+Color screen
Avoidable reasons
-No GPS, heart rate or GPS-Uninspiring design
The Vivofit 3, an entry-level Vivofit, has a color display that is always on and visible in sunlight. It’s possible to achieve this feat without losing the impressive third edition’s year-long battery life. The basic stats such as steps, distance, calories, and sleep are included. Additionally, the Move IQ system automatically detects activity.
Garmin Connect allows you to customize your display and set alarms from your wrist using the app. The best part is that the Vivofit4’s launch price in 2015 was 20% lower than the Vivofit 3. You will lose premium features such as GPS and heart rate monitoring, but this is to be expected.
The Honor Band 5 Sport, a light fitness tracker, isn’t going to slow you down. However, it lacks heart rate monitoring. (Image credit: Future).
7. Honor Band 5 Sport
A fitness tracker that is affordable and designed for runners
Specifications
Screen: Yes, both black and white
No heart rate monitor
Yes, waterproof
Activity tracking
GPS No
Battery life: 14 Days
Compatibility: Android/iOS
Today’s Top Deals
Check Amazon
There are many reasons to buy
+Granular running data+Long life battery
Avoidable reasons
-Basic screen -No GPS or heart rate
Even by fitness tracker standards, the Honor Band 5 Sport is very affordable. You could actually buy it for as low as a take-out meal, which would be better for your health. The strap is made from recycled plastic bottles and offers a surprising value for money. It can last up to two weeks between charges and provides accurate step and run tracking.
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The tracker can be attached to your shoe to measure unusual data such as stride length and ground contact time. The Honor Band 5 Sport is especially useful for basketball and runners.
However, not all metrics were tracked accurately. Jumps and foot strike patterns proved to be particularly inaccurate in our tests. It also lacks a GPS and a heart rate monitor, which limits its abilities as a fitness tracker. This makes it somewhat niche but, given the price of Honor Band 5 Sport, it’s difficult to complain.
The Amazfit Bip smartwatch is small and stylish. It focuses on fitness tracking. Our reviewer was impressed by its affordable design. (Image credit: Future).
8. Amazfit Bip
This fitness tracker is a great value and has a long battery life.
Specifications
Compatibility: iOS & Android
Display: LCD Color
TBC Thickness
Battery life: 45 days
Charging method: Proprietary wired
IP rating: 68
Bluetooth connectivity
Today’s Top Deals
US$49.50
at Alibaba WW
US$50
at Alibaba WW
Check Amazon
There are many reasons to buy
+Incredible value+Nice design+Good app
Avoidable reasons
-Awkward User Interface Light on Supported Workouts
We refer to the Bip as a simple, competent fitness watch that is easy to use. It can’t match Apple in terms of performance and super-rich experiences. That’s a fact. The Amazfit Bip is a budget-friendly fitness tracker that has a few clever tricks. One of these is the fact it can last for more than 30 days without a single charge.
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The Bip is a great choice if you are looking for a simple watch that pushes notifications from your phone, wakes you up with an alarm, tracks your workouts and more. It’s a great gift option for anyone looking for a cheerful and affordable fitness device. This device is easy to use, making it an excellent choice for beginners in fitness tech.
The Samsung Galaxy Fit 2 is a stylish and affordable fitness tracker. It features a high-quality display and basic tracking features. (Image credit: Michael Sawh)
9. Samsung Galaxy Fit 2
Long battery life and rechargeable fitness tracker
Specifications
Screen: Yes
Yes, heart rate monitor
Waterproof
Activity tracking
GPS No
Battery life: up to 21 days (low use)
Compatibility: Android/iOS
Today’s Top Deals
US$0.41
TVC-mall WW
US$1.54
TVC-mall WW
US$39.06
at Amazon
There are many reasons to buy
+Comfortable to wear, improved screen+ Up to 21 days of low usage
Avoidable reasons
-Questionable heart beat accuracy-No form GPS support
The Samsung Galaxy Fit 2 is a fantastic upgrade to the Galaxy Fit E and Galaxy Fit E. It features a vibrant color touch display and a non-removable silicone band. Although it may not have the same battery life as the Garmin Vivofit 4, this device has a non-rechargeable battery which you will eventually need to replace.
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The Galaxy Fit 2’s battery can last up to 21 days with low use (when the heart rate and auto-workout tracker are turned off). It is worth noting, however, that the battery life of the Galaxy Fit 2’s rechargeable battery will be cut to less than 15 days if features such as continuous heart rate monitoring or regularly exercise-tracking are activated.
Our testing revealed that the daily battery loss was approximately 10% when notifications were turned on and the screen brightness at 50%. We also did a 45-minute workout. This isn’t a huge deal, but it’s still a good option if you want a reliable device with key features like step counts, sleep and workouts.
Read our full Samsung Galaxy Fit 2 review
Although the Garmin Vivosmart 4 is great for daily use, it can also be used as a powerful workout tracker and has a unique Body Battery feature. (Image credit: Future)
10. Garmin Vivosmart 4
The best fitness tracker for under $100 with a Body battery metric
Specifications
Screen: Yes
Yes, heart rate monitor
Yes, waterproof
Activity tracking
GPS No
Battery life: 7 Days
Compatibility: Android/iOS
Today’s Top Deals
US$99.99
at Amazon
US$99.99
at GameStop
US$129.99
at Garmin US
There are many reasons to buy
+Long-lasting battery+Body metric
Avoidable reasons
Small screen-Screen sometimes unresponsive
Although the Garmin Vivosmart 4 is not the most recent entry in the Vivosmart series, it still stands out against other fitness trackers, particularly if you are looking for something affordable. We found it to be a great everyday wear tracker due to its heart rate monitoring and blood oxygen monitoring capabilities.
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This is a great budget option for serious athletes, thanks to its swim-friendly features, automatic rep counting capability, and, specifically, Body Battery Energy Monitor. This handy extra uses heart rate variability, sleep quality, stress levels, and activity to determine how tired you are. It can be used to help you decide whether to keep working out or stop.
Read the Garmin Vivosmart4 review
How to find the best fitness tracker for you at a low price
It is important to take into account many things when selecting a fitness tracker. But it becomes more difficult when you are trying to find one that’s affordable. Because you have a limited budget, you don’t necessarily want to spend the most money. There are many affordable fitness trackers that can help you with your fitness and health needs.
Consider what kind of activity you are most passionate about. A cheap fitness tracker that has a GPS module is a good choice if you are into running or cycling. This is necessary to accurately track your speed and route. This is important if you are training for a long, strenuous hike up a mountain or marathon.
You should make a list of the stats that you need, especially for daily use. Then, choose the best fitness tracker on a budget. Some features are not available on these trackers, so you might need to give up some. Display, resolution and design are all important aspects to consider.
How to test the most affordable fitness trackers
The best way to test cheap fitness trackers is to use them every day for at least a week. This is the most efficient and effective way to see how many data they collect, how accurate they can be, how well they perform and how comfortable they feel on our wrists.
We put them through a variety of fitness and wellness activities. This includes different workouts, breathing exercises, and sleep. This allows us to test various aspects such as the accuracy and responsiveness of the heart rate monitor, GPS accuracy, build quality, and ruggedness. During exercise, we will also measure heart rate and other metrics against a smartwatch control.
