The Best Fitness Trackers Under $500

Amanda Capritto
·12 min read
best fitness trackers under $500
best fitness trackers under $500

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Best Overall:

shp - 130 Available at Garmin

Best Smartwatch:

shp - 399 Available at Apple

Best Multisport:

shp - 130 Available at Fitbit

Best for Recovery:

shp - 30 Available at Whoop

Best under $100:

shp - 100 Available at Fitbit

Best for Runners:

shp - 300 Available at Garmin

If you're ready to achieve your health and fitness goals (and who isn't?), then start wearing a fitness tracker. It's a simple, effective way to monitor your fitness progress and develop a healthy lifestyle.

Finding the best fitness tracker under $500 can level up your workouts without going overboard on your budget. Not only can fitness trackers count your steps, they can also monitor your heart rate, your sleep patterns, and even your stress levels. But with so many options, it's hard to know which one is best for you. (Related: The 8 Best Treadmills Under $500, According to Customer Reviews)

"Fitness trackers have come a long way since they were first introduced years ago," says Tristan Faure, a certified strength and conditioning specialist and exercise physiology expert at CrossFit Doors of Daring, a gym and lifting facility located in North Carolina. "You can get advanced features for just a few hundred dollars, and some of these — like VO2 max measurements and heart rate variability monitors — can be your ticket to new personal fitness records."

That's where the Garage Gym Reviews team comes in. Made up of fitness instructors, personal trainers, former collegiate and professional athletes, physical therapy doctors, and overall health enthusiasts, these experts thoroughly evaluate all types of fitness equipment based on a nine-point, hands-on testing methodology. (Related: Should You Give Up Your Gym or ClassPass Membership for a "Smart" Machine?)

Whether you're a cardio fanatic or you just need a pedometer to track your steps, Garage Gym Reviews experts have found the best fitness bands (on a budget) for you.

The 6 Best Fitness Trackers Under $500

Best Overall: Garmin Vivosmart 4

The expert product testers at Garage Gym Reviews rated the Garmin Vivosmart 4 highly for aesthetics, comfort, and value. At less than $130, this tracker gives you a lot of high-end features for a low price. It has several activity profiles and captures a ton of data, including heart rate, resting pulse, sleep, stress, steps, oxygen saturation, VO2 max, floors climbed, and menstrual cycle. The tracker even has a "Body Battery" feature that assesses your energy level so you know when to take a day off for some R&R.

Plus, the Garmin Vivosmart 4 makes styling your fitness tracker easy. This smart fitness band has a sleek, minimal look that can take you from the office to the gym to happy hour.

Because the Vivosmart 4 has a slim design, it can be tough to read the watch face at times, says Garage Gym Reviews product tester Kate Meier. The screen also isn't responsive 100 percent of the time, which can get frustrating if you need to access something mid-workout.

Score: 4.5/5

Workout Modes: Seven

Battery Life: Up to seven days

Key Metrics: Heart rate, HRV, stress tracking, pulse ox, VO2 max

fitness devices
fitness devices

Best Smartwatch: Apple Watch Series 6

For on-the-go, do-it-all fitness enthusiasts, there's no better fitness tracker than the Apple Watch, according to Garage Gym Reviews product testers. (That is, as long as you own an iPhone, they say.)

As you would expect, the Apple Watch Series 6 integrates seamlessly with iPhone, Apple TV, and iPad. Smartwatch features include Apple Pay, Siri, and Apple Maps, along with calls and texts. Health-wise, Apple Watch is known for its impressive electrocardiogram (ECG) capabilities, including detecting dangerously high and low heart rates.

When you're ready to move, this smartwatch measures almost any activity, whether you're in the yoga studio or on the dance floor. "Activity Ring" displays encourage you to stay active, and you can share them with friends for extra motivation.

The Apple Watch unfortunately lacks in the sleep tracking department, and workout streaming is only native if you subscribe to Apple Fitness+ for $9.99 per month, says Kate Meier, gym owner and Garage Gym Reviews editor. Also, keep in mind that some styles of the Apple Watch exceed $500, such as the 44-millimeter face with cellular connectivity.

Score: 4.2/5

Workout Modes: 10-plus with Apple Fitness+ membership

Battery Life: Up to 18 hours

Key Metrics: Heart rate, menstrual cycle, breathing rate, SpO2

fitness devices
fitness devices

Best Multisport: Fitbit Charge 4

Garage Gym Reviews product testers point to the Fitbit Charge 4 for people who lead active lives that aren't limited to one sport or activity. This fitness tracker has you covered with over 20 exercise modes to choose from, including kickboxing, golf, and tennis. It's GPS- and altimeter-enabled for tracking outdoor workouts, too.

On top of the wealth of exercise modes, this device measures blood oxygen levels, sleep, and fluctuations in your skin temperature to give you a whole-body perspective of your health and fitness.

The expert product testers' main qualm with the Charge 4 is the small watch face. Since it's so small, it's more difficult to read facts and figures, compared to some other fitness trackers, says Kate Meier, Garage Gym Reviews expert. Also, because the screen is smaller, it can't display as much information, so you're limited in what you can see without opening the Fitbit app.

Score: 4.4/5

Workout Modes: 20

Battery Life: Up to seven days

Key Metrics: Heart rate, sleep stages, calories burned, steps taken, HRV, SpO2

fitness devices
fitness devices

Best With Subscription: Whoop Strap 3.0

Whoop is a unique fitness tracker watch for two reasons: It doesn't actually have a watch face (it's more of a wristband), and it operates on a subscription model. While you won't pay anything up front for the Whoop Strap 3.0, the cost of the wearable is wrapped up into the membership cost for using the Whoop subscription, which starts at $30 per month.

With a Whoop subscription, the strap monitors three components of wellness: Sleep, Strain, and Recovery. For the Sleep feature, Whoop tracks the stage of sleep you're in (including any awakenings and naps), the quality of sleep (time awake versus REM sleep), your respiratory rate when sleeping, and the time it takes to fall asleep. You'll never look at a good night's rest quite the same.

The Strain function tracks the amount of stress placed on your body by workouts and other daily activities. The Recovery feature tells you whether or not your body is rested enough to take on a workout. Keep in mind that the Whoop Strap does not count steps like most other trackers, so if that's important to you, Whoop isn't a good fit.

Garage Gym Reviews expert Kate Meier likes the way Whoop captures basic functions that most users want (like heart rate monitoring and tracking your sleep), but that it also provides a better, more comprehensive picture of your overall health through the three categories. The subscription model isn't for everyone, Garage Gym Reviews experts emphasize, but can be worth it for those who see the added value in advanced analytics.

Score: 4.1/5

Workout Modes: 81

Battery Life: Up to five days

Key Metrics: Heart rate, sleep stages, respiratory rate, calories burned, HRV, recovery, cardiovascular strain

fitness devices
fitness devices

Best Under $100: Fitbit Inspire 2

You might think that a fitness tracker priced under $100 would be bare bones, but the Garage Gym Reviews team was thoroughly impressed by the robust suite of features packed into the tiny Fitbit Inspire 2.

Simple but powerful, this activity tracker includes a lot of features that rival more expensive wrist wearables. Even with the wealth of features, the Fitbit Inspire 2 scored high for ease of use during Garage Gym Reviews testing.

It promotes total body wellness through guided breathing sessions, menstrual health tracking, and food logging. You can also follow guided workouts, join activity groups, and invite your friends to workout challenges.

Expert product tester Kate Meier had only minor complaints about the Inspire 2: It's not the most stylish fitness tracker, and the touchscreen can be finicky at times. Also, the buzzes meant to incentivize the wearer to get up and move in a given time period can get overwhelming. Overall, though, the Fitbit Inspire 2 offers unbeatable value.

Score: 4.5/5

Workout Modes: 20

Battery Life: Up to 10 days

Key Metrics: Heart rate, active zone minutes, steps taken, calories burned

fitness devices
fitness devices

Best for Runners: Garmin Forerunner 245

The Garmin Forerunner 245 packs everything a runner could need into one tracker. While there is no touchscreen on this device (which some might think is a major inconvenience, according to Garage Gym Reviews product testers), there are five buttons that help you navigate to various dashboards, including a stopwatch function.

"Runners will have a match made in heaven with all the performance metrics the Garmin Forerunner has to offer," says gym owner and Garage Gym Reviews product tester Kate Meier. In addition to heart rate and VO2 max, this fitness watch tracks your cadence, stride length, ground contact time, and other running-specific metrics.

When you're ready to run, just select your Garmin coach and training plan — and go! The GPS watch analyzes key performance indicators like your heart rate and stores them in the Garmin app. You won't be limited to just running with the Forerunner 245, though. With more than 20 workout modes, you can cross-train to your heart's content (but let's avoid overuse injuries, cardio warriors!).

The near-$300 price tag may not be worth it for those who don't run, Meier says, because you can get the non-running-specific features in a different fitness tracker (Garmin or not).

Score: 4.3/5

Workout Modes: More than 20

Battery Life: Up to seven days

Key Metrics: Heart rate, oxygen saturation, VO2 max, cadence, stride length, ground contact time and balance

fitness devices
fitness devices

How to Choose the Best Fitness Tracker Under $500

The team at Garage Gym Reviews has tested and evaluated countless fitness trackers. Here's the team's best advice for choosing one, especially if you're on a budget.

Uses

Garage Gym Reviews expert Kate Meier says you should pick your must-have features in a fitness tracker before you start searching, so you're not overwhelmed by all the options.

It can be helpful to first set your fitness goals, Meier says. For instance, if you're training for a half marathon, a fitness tracker that captures data like stride length and cadence will be the most helpful. If you want to increase your VO2 max and lower your heart rate variability, you'll probably have to spend a bigger chunk of change for advanced tracking features. (Related: The Best Heart Rate Monitors for Peloton)

"In-depth analytics like VO2 max and HRV are key for people who are serious about improving athletic performance," says Trisant Faure, who's on the Garage Gym Reviews expert panel and holds a master's in exercise physiology. "Trackers like Whoop and the Garmin Forerunner have everything you need to tailor your training routine and everyday habits to your goals."

On the flip side, Kate Meier points out, if you just want to see the basics, like your daily step count and an average daily calorie burn estimate, then skip the advanced features and save some pennies by buying something simple. (Related: How Wearable Fitness Tech Can Help You Reach Your Step Goals)

Durability

The Garage Gym Reviews team always recommends looking for the most durable products in your budget; otherwise, you may end up spending more on a replacement later, especially if you spend a lot of time outdoors. If you'll wear your fitness tracker while hiking, biking, swimming, doing yard work, or putting it through the trenches in any other way, make sure to read customer reviews that mention durability (or lack thereof).

Style

While aesthetics probably shouldn't be the primary driver in your decision to buy a fitness tracker, the way your device looks is still important, says Kate Meier, gym owner and product tester at Garage Gym Reviews. Point blank: You won't wear it if you don't like it.

So, if style is important to you, look for a fitness tracker that integrates well with the clothes and accessories you already have. Interchangeable bands are also a good idea if you want to keep your fitness tracker on for workouts, the office, and date nights, Meier points out. (Related: I Tried the Oura Ring for 2 Months — Here's What to Expect from the Tracker)

Price

Generally, the more features packed into a tracker, the higher the price tag. For shoppers on a budget, Garage Gym Reviews expert reviewers recommend sticking with baseline features: a pedometer, Bluetooth compatibility, a long battery life, and a comfortable wristband. For those with extra cash to spare, add features in order of importance to you — that way you can stay on budget while getting what you need.

Tech Features

Many trackers come with smartwatch capabilities, meaning you can get notifications off your mobile device, check the weather, use GPS, and sync your music playlists. Even many budget-friendly trackers have basic fitness functions like monitoring your sleep quality, step count, heart rate, calories burned, and much more.

For more advanced features (think VO2 max monitoring, abnormal heart rate alerts, stress training, and recovery recommendations), you'll be looking at the higher end of that $500 budget, or you'll be faced with a subscription like Fitbit Premium or Whoop, according to Garage Gym Reviews experts.

Garage Gym Reviews Testing Process

Each piece of fitness equipment on this list was put to the test (literally) in the Garage Gym Reviews lab, which is located in Springfield, Missouri. Fitness experts have run thousands of pieces of equipment through 8-14 points in a testing methodology specifically catered to each product to find the best machines.

While some of the factors tested are tied directly to performance (like ergonomics, convenience, and durability), others are based around brand operations, such as customer service, return policies, and warranty. The Garage Gym Reviews team combines this proprietary methodology with in-depth interviews and customer experience to arrive at a weighted score out of 5.

Amanda Capritto is a staff writer at Garage Gym Reviews. She's also a certified personal trainer and CrossFit Level 1 coach who loves all things fitness and the outdoors.