10 best fitness watches of 2024 reviewed, to help you reach your goals
I'm never too far from one of the best fitness trackers. That sporty piece of kit strapped to my wrist has made it into more than a few formal photographs (who else has been there?); it accompanies me on strolls, runs, cycles, swims – and even when I sleep. It's no surprise. Wearable fitness trackers have seriously evolved over the past decade: no longer just offering a measly step count, fitness trackers can now help you make informed decisions about your health and fitness.
From heart rate tracking and stress management to telling you exactly how long you spent in various sleep stages, GPS tracking and specific activity tracking features (yes, you can log everything from HIIT and yoga to reformer Pilates, stand up paddle boarding to open water swimming), the best smartwatches offer real-time data straight to your wrist – and sync everything to your smartphone, too.
This makes fitness trackers great if you’ve signed yourself up to a challenge – be that a 10K, triathlon or cycling 100km (and you need something to track your training) – but they also serve as the perfect source of motivation and accountability for beginners. Sat hunched over your laptop all day? Your watch won't miss the chance to remind you to move. Not got enough quality sleep? Stress levels high? Your watch may tell you to take it easy. Lots of fitness trackers offer reminders and notifications to keep you motivated and engaged – and lots sync to third-party platforms, like Strava and Training Peaks, so you can celebrate your achievements with friends and help you stay consistent with your fitness routine. After all, there's something so satisfying about all that kudos pinging straight over to your watch post fitness session.
SKIP TO: How we tested the best fitness trackers | How to find the best fitness tracker for you | Our full reviews, tried and tested.
Best fitness trackers 2024 at a glance:
- Best Overall: Garmin Venu 3S, £449.99
- Best Fitbit Fitness Tracker: Fitbit Charge 6, £139.99
- Best Apple Fitness Tracker: Apple Watch Series 9, from £399
- Best Android Fitness Tracker: Google Pixel Watch 2, from £349
- Best Inclusive Fitness Tracker: Garmin vivoactive 5 GPS Smartwatch, £259.99
How we tested the best fitness trackers:
For the GLAMOUR Shopping Team, it is of utmost importance that we provide our readers with independent, honest and trustworthy reviews. In fact, nothing else is a greater priority. We are committed to bringing our readers unbiased and accurate information, recommending not only the best products and retailers within the category you’re buying into – but the best for your personal needs, too. To this end, we don’t shy away from sharing the things we *don’t* like about the products we’re reviewing – nothing is ever perfect.
Our editors are fitness experts; a fitness tracker is never too far away from our wrists. Our reviewers have spent the past six months tracking our activities – from running and cycling to pilates and HIIT – in a bid to see which one comes out top. We assessed each model on their battery life, screen display, ease of use, how big they are, whether you can swim in them, GPS and the number of health features they offered – from temperature sensors to heart rate sensors and strength training monitoring. Oh, and we also wanted them to look nice too.
How to choose the best fitness tracker for you:
First of all, you need to work out what you want to use your fitness tracker for. Are you looking for something that primarily tracks steps, monitors heart rate, measures sleep, or tracks specific exercises, like running? This will help immediately rule out some fitness tracker.
Then you need to consider the design. From wristbands to smartwatches (and even rings) fitness trackers come in various styles. Your best buy will suit your lifestyle. Do you need an always-on display? Will you enjoy wearing this everyday?
Once you’ve decided on the type of tracker you want, it’s good to consider smartwatch features like: display (do you prefer a touchscreen to buttons), specific features (do you need advanced features like music control or Apple pay), compatibility (some fitness trackers may only work with iOS or Android) and, of course, budget, as prices can vary widely depending on the brand.
Ahead, the best fitness trackers for women in 2024, reviewed.
Garmin Venu 3S, £449, John Lewis
Why we love it: "Striking the balance between style and functionality, the Garmin Venu 3S is a super versatile smartwatch that genuinely looks great, too. We ordered it in white with a silicone band (you can switch the straps out), and it came neatly packaged in a recyclable grey box, with a charger tucked underneath.
"Of course, Garmin always do fitness trackers well – but the Venu 3 surprised us at quite how well. Firstly: the battery life. It promises 14 full days of battery life, meaning we didn't have to remember to charge it every night. A big, big win. The display screen is pleasingly bright and colourful, and it’s crammed with advanced health and fitness features to help you get a better insight into your body’s condition.
"I became addicted to tracking my body battery each morning (an energy score given by the watch based on sleeps, naps, stress levels and workouts). I often find myself working out when perhaps, I shouldn't – such as the first day of my period or when I've had little sleep. I began tailoring my exercise routine to my body battery level, and found it allowed me to train when only in peak condition. I quickly started to get so much more out of my workouts.
“As for other features, there's personalised sleep coaching, music storage, an accelerometer, altimeter, barometer, compass, heart rate monitor, oxygen level monitor, pedometer and temperature tracker. Plus, a microphone for calls and voice assistant access. You can even reply to texts using your voice, which I began doing towards the end of my testing period during my runs. A really solid fitness tracker and one I genuinely looked forward to using.” - Sophie Cockett, GLAMOUR's Senior European Commerce Editor.
Pros: Vibrant AMOLED display. Long battery life. Garmin Connect is free to use.
Cons: Touchscreen can be a bit fiddly.
Size: H4.5 x W4.5 x D1.2cm.
Battery life: Up to 14 days; longer with battery saver mode.
Waterproof: 50m water resistant.
GPS: Yes.
Heart rate monitor: Yes.Fitbit Charge 6, £139.99, Argos
Why we love it: We’re seriously impressed with Fitbit’s next generation of fitness tracking watches. The Fitbit Charge 6 is packed with fitness features: 24/7 heart rate monitoring, activity tracking, sleep tracking and stress tracking (to name but a few). Compatible with both iOS and Android, the Charge 6 is really a fitness-focused watch with more 40 unique exercise modes - so whatever activity you decide, this is the one to help you track how your effort is adding up.
It also feeds back info on how much time you've spent in different heart raze zones, which we liked. You can even link the fitness tracker to workout equipment, such as a treadmill, rower or exercise bike and clock your heart rate in real-time. Away from the gym, it's still a pretty nifty addition to the wrist; Google Maps, Wallet and YouTube Music controls are just a tap away and you can get call, text and app notifications if you want.
The lis of the fitness, sleep, stress and health data that the Fitbit Charge 6 can track is lengthy, which is pretty impressive considering its decent price tag. Oh, and did we mention that the coral and porcelain colourways are gorgeous?
Pros: access Google Maps and Google Wallet right on your wrist. Three colourways: porcelian, coral and black.
Cons: GPS isn’t always the most accurate.
Size: Both small and large band sizes included in box. Small: fits wrist 130mm - 170mm in circumference and large: fits wrist 170mm - 211mm in circumference.
Battery life: Up to 7 days.
Waterproof: 50m water resistant.
GPS: Yes.
Heart rate monitor: Yes.Save when you shop for the best fitness trackers with these Argos discount codes.
Garmin vivoactive 5 GPS Smartwatch, £259.99, John Lewis
Why we love it: "I loved reviewing the Garmi vivoactive 5 smartwatch, which is one of the brands more affordable fitness trackers, available in a cute lilac hue, and also available to buy under a monthly payment plan via John Lewis.
"The first thing I noticed and loved is that it has wheelchair mode, which tracks pushes rather than steps. It also includes push and handcycle activities with preloaded workouts, animated workouts for strength, cardio, HIIT, Pilates and yoga, and challenges specific to wheelchair users. While I'm not a wheelchair user myself, it is a feature cluster I really appreciated – and felt set the watch apart from others.
"As with other, more expensive Garmin models, the vivoactive features a Body Battery score – a fun energy tracker which I remained addicted to monitoring – as well as sleep tracking, more than 30 built-in sports apps, a heart rate monitor and menstrual tracking. Just another reason why it's such an inclusive fitness watch, for all genders, abilities and financial situations.
“It has a shorter battery life Garmin Venu 3, so if that's something that bothers you, it might be worth spending a little more. That said, it lasts up to 11 days on a full charge, so you still don't have to remember to charge it every night – and it can last even longer on battery saver mode.” - Sophie Cockett, GLAMOUR's Senior European Commerce Editor.
Pros: It features wheelchair mode. It connects to Garmin Pay, so you can leave your purse at home. It's waterproof up to 50 meters.
Cons: Battery life is slightly shorter than other Garmin models.
Size: H0.42 x W0.42 x D1.1cm.
Battery life: 11 days.
Waterproof: Yes, up to 50 meters.
GPS: Yes.
Heart rate monitor: Yes.After a fitness tracker that, well, doesn't look too much like a fitness tracker? We hear you. Step up Garmin's recently launched Lily 2 then. With a metal watch case and a silicon band of either lilac or cream, it's rather striking. Designed to fit beautifully into everyday life as well as the gym, so your wrist wear hits the right note at brunch after a Saturday Parkrun, the Lily 2 isn't just a pretty (watch) face.
It weighs only 24g, which is ideal for smaller wrists, and features a battery that lasts up to 5 days between charges. You can track Pilates, yoga, cardio, dance, mindful breathing but there's other useful features to toy around with too, such as tracking energy levels, menstrual cycle, pregnancy, hydration, stress levels, sleep and heart rate (including alerts if it stays too high or too low).
The Lily 2 also features safety and tracking features, including LiveTrack and incident detection (during select activities).
Pros: stylish, lots of wellness features focused at women, such as tracking your menstrual cycle.
Cons: if you're after a sporty looking watch, this isn't the one.
Size: 35.4mm in diameter.
Battery life: up to five days.
Waterproof: 50m water resistant.
GPS: Yes.
Heart rate monitor: Yes.
Don’t fancy wearing a watch? What about a ring? From the outside, the Oura ring may look like a simple metal band, but look closer and you’ll see that it’s lined with sensors that sit against your finger. Cleverly measuring your heart rate, sleep, temperature, and SpO2 (and showing all the data in the ring's clear and concise app), the Oura ring gen 3 is an excellent alternative to other fitness trackers (and nowhere near as bulky or ‘fitness’ looking). It's also beloved by celebrities - Kim Kardashian, Gwenyth Paltrow, Jennifer Aniston and Mark Zuckerberg are among the Oura ring's fans.
Pros: minimalist.
Cons: not quite as high tech. Expensive. No display for instant feedback.
Size: Width: 7.9mm, thickness: 2.55mm.
Battery life: up to 7 days.
Waterproof: 100m water resistant.
GPS: Yes.
Heart rate monitor: Yes.Google Pixel Watch 2, £349, John Lewis
First Google came and impressed us with its foray into phones, now its brought us a fitness tracker that we can't get enough of. First up, you don't need a Google Pixel phone to be able to use the watch - all that's required is a compatible Android phone.
So, where to start? Aesthetically, it ticks the boxes; it looks flash, smart and cool all at the same time. Its touch-screen display is crystal clear, plus there's all the usual stats just a tap away: heart rate, zone breakdowns, a range of sport settings and guided training. There's also a range of other features too though, from fall detection (just in case!) to skin temperature tracking and guided breathing sessions. It's a clever piece of kit and if you've got a Google Pixel phone to hand, then you're living the seamless dream. But that connectivity with the phone and flash display comes at a cost: the battery only lasts up to 24 hours (although it does charge quickly - 15 minutes of charging will get you up to 7 hours of battery life).
Pros: access Google Maps and Google Wallet right on your wrist. Syncs well to Android phone. Very clear display.
Cons: Short battery life. Need a Fitbit subscription to access additional functionality (6 months of Fitbit Premium is included with the purchase of the watch).
Size: 41 mm diameter.
Battery life: Up to 24 hours.
Waterproof: 50m water resistant.
GPS: Yes.
Heart rate monitor: Yes.Save when you shop for the best fitness trackers with these John Lewis discount codes.
Apple Watch Series 9, from £349, Currys
There’s so much to like about the latest Apple Watch. From menstrual cycle tracking to heart rate monitoring, you can take an ECG from your wrist and measure your blood oxygen levels – it also tracks your sleep and a whole host of workouts (and looks both sleek and stylish). If you are already an Apple user and own other Apple devices (such as iPhone, iPad, and Mac), then the Apple Watch Series 9 offers pretty seamless integration, so you can easily sync data and notifications across your devices.
It's also swim proof, has a stunning display and if you're the proud owner of an iPhone, you'll love the notifications ticking on to your wrist without you having to even reach for your phone.
Pros: customisable wrist bands, stylish, lots of wellness features.
Cons: expensive, battery life not as long as other fitness watches, limited compatibility.
Size: 41mm or 45mm case size.
Battery life: up to 18 hours.
Waterproof: 50m water resistant.
GPS: Yes.
Heart rate monitor: Yes.Save when you shop for the best fitness trackers with these Currys discount codes.
Garmin Fenix 7s, £699.99, Millets
The Garmin Fenix 7S is Garmin’s top-of-the-line multi-sports watch that offers a whole host of advanced training tools aimed at runners, triathletes, cyclists and athletes of all levels. With a combination of physical buttons and a touchscreen, navigating this watch couldn’t be easier. The battery life is better than previous iterations, and it features a durable, rugged design. The on-screen race predictor is a swanky new feature (it basically guesses how fast you can run a 5K, 10K, half marathon and marathon based on your current fitness levels) and overall, it’s a pretty powerful (and impressive) sports watch, but it may not be necessary to upgrade from a Fenix 7 if you already own one.
It's an expensive option but with this do-it-all watch you'll be all set for any adventure you'd want to track your fitness on.
Pros: One of the most accurate GPS watches we've tested, Excellent GPS navigation tools. Good battery life.
Cons: expensive. Bit bulkier than some other options but still the smallest of the Fenix 7 series.
Size: 42mm.
Battery life: up to 11 days.
Waterproof: 100m water resistant.
GPS: Yes.
Heart rate monitor: Yes.Save when you shop for the best fitness trackers with these Argos discount codes.
Whoop 4.0, from £27 per month, Whoop
If you’re the sort of person who tends to work out seven times a week and then constantly feel fatigued and burnt out, then perhaps this is the fitness tracker you need? The Whoop 4.0 is slightly different in that there’s no screen with data on and you can’t track your activities by pressing ‘play’ and ‘stop’ – so if you’re used to having a Garmin or Fitbit on your wrist, it can take a bit of time to get used to. But it’s a seriously excellent device for those looking to focus on recovery (and to help you stay injury-free by stopping you from over-exerting yourself) or if you’re interested in digging into data about sleep, menstrual tracking, and anything else that might impact your ability to perform at your best.
Pros: Big focus on recovery, lots of data.
Cons: No display for instant feedback. Some might find wealth of data overwhelming.
Size: 38mm.
Battery life: 4-5 days of battery life on a full charge.
Waterproof: 100m water resistant.
GPS: Yes.
Heart rate monitor: Yes.The Polar Ignite 3 is a pretty big upgrade (in comparison to Ignite 2) and features a swanky new AMOLED screen and a more intuitive interface. It looks like a more high-end watch – sleek, slim and lightweight – it comes in four gorgeous finishes and there are a selection of changeable wristbands. Of course, it doesn’t just look good, it also tracks your sleep, 24/7 activity, heart rate and a whole host of workouts.
You can work towards targets, be that step count or a faster 5km, with its host of clever coaching, plus if you fancy a fitness test, it can do that for you too. It's not the cheapest option on the list but it's pretty good value for money with some of its high-end touches.
Pros: attractive design, AMOLED screen.
Cons: GPS could be more accurate.
Size: 43mm.
Battery life: up to 120 h.
Waterproof: 30m water resistant.
GPS: Yes.
Heart rate monitor: Yes.
