The 11 Best Free Workout Apps Tested by Experts 2026

Compatible Apps & Devices for TrainingPeaks

I didn’t receive any of these notifications (thank God), but did get detailed daily reports of my heart rate zones during workouts and nightly sleep cycles like all fitness trackers in this guide. If you’re looking to track health metrics outside of your workouts, the Oura Ring is a solid option. While you can’t view heart rate, calories burned, distance or time elapsed during a workout, the ring automatically tracks 40 different types of activity and removes the need to manually log exercise. One of the most unique aspects of the Oura Ring is its focus on women’s health. With its integration with Natural Cycles, the Oura Ring provides cycle insights, pregnancy insights and fertile window estimates.

Water Tracker by WaterMinder®

Be sure to check what’s included—and more importantly, what’s not—before making your final decision. A strong warranty is especially valuable if you’re opting for a pricier model or planning to use your tracker intensively. There’s enough room to display all key information except phone notifications, which often get annoyingly cut off.

best wearable fitness tracking apps

Can fitness trackers help with weight loss?

Both of these watches are made with high-quality materials and are durable enough to withstand years of abuse. The 51 mm case size of the Vertix 2S is great for those with a bigger wrist or who like the commanding-looking screen and bezel. If your primary activity is running, we would stick with the 47 mm case size of the Garmin Forerunner 970 or Fenix models.

Factors to consider when making a purchase of a fitness tracker

If you want the option of onboard music, you can shell out $50 extra for the Music Edition, which comes with enough storage for about 500 songs. I wouldn’t recommend it, however, as you’ll most likely have your phone on you since this isn’t a true standalone watch. Certain trackers are limited to specific phone ecosystems — others work regardless of your phone.

Who should buy the Garmin Lily 2?

Moreover, there is a new monthly challenge designed for you to push your abilities to the limit. If you already have an indoor bike, check to see which watches or software the bike is compatible with. For instance, the Peloton bike features Apple GymKit integration for Apple Watches and can also be synced with a Fitbit account. Most modern trackers and watches are equipped with an accelerometer to accurately measure “distance” on a treadmill. We love the feature-rich, lightweight design, long battery life, and exceptional accuracy.

  • If you own a Smart Band 8, then it’s the battery gains and the boost in screen brightness that feel like the big wins here and less so the promised heart rate improvements.
  • But did you know that you can also customize and personalize your smart device to fit your preferences and goals?
  • Some apps — especially newer ones — offer transfer tools or customer support assistance if you ask.
  • And with Home Assistant, it just gives me control over practically all of my smart devices, even if there isn’t a Wear OS companion app.
  • The Watch 10 is slightly smaller and lighter than the Gen 2, though you’d only notice that if you measured them, as we did.
  • The device has a small touchscreen, but our reviewer found that the Charge 6’s side button was easier to navigate as the touchscreen was more unreliable, especially with gloves on.

Best Fitness Tracker Video Review

best wearable fitness tracking apps

That said, if you’re a little wary of a lesser-known brand, the $159.95 Fitbit Charge 6 is a decent alternative. That includes access to Google services like YouTube Music, Google Wallet, and Google Maps. Plus, it has built-in GPS and the ability to broadcast your heart rate with some Bluetooth-compatible gym equipment.

Data Not Linked to You

Many fitness trackers have options to customize the band or even the watch face. With a variety of colors and materials to choose from, pick a few that work with your lifestyle so you can interchange them. Cheap fitness trackers can start as low as $30 and high-end options cost upward of $600.

Fitbod Fitness and Workout Plans

Because of that, I’m not really one for charging their smartwatch overnight, as I’d prefer to wear it in order to provide more accurate results than relying on my phone. When it comes to tracking my workouts, I often switch between a few devices. I’m not much of a runner, which is Garmin’s bread and butter, but the watch tracks weightlifting rather well — at least better than I’ve seen on other smartwatches I’ve used. I like that it actually attempts to count reps, automatically ends sets when it detects certain movements have stopped, and doesn’t need to be charged as often as my other devices. While not officially part of the testing, Yahoo Life’s Health Editor, Laura Williams, says this is the tracker she gave to her 75-year-old mother to monitor her steps and other basic health data.

“It’s extremely lightweight, and the velcro band is very comfy,” adds Brower. While the material is breathable, it most likely isn’t as good as a silicone strap when it comes to wicking away sweat and cleaning. Just note that the watch case is large at 33.5 mm, just like the Samsung Galaxy Watch 7.And if your watch is tainted, the warranty is two years. They offer an easy way to monitor your health and track workouts, most commonly from your wrist, but there are two distinct categories of devices here. A smartwatch is as much an extension of your smartphone as it is a fitness accessory, allowing you to access a range of general-purpose apps, often including third-party options. The Vivoactive 5 delivers core performance for all kinds of activity tracking without unnecessary complexity and without the high price of a premium fitness tracker.

Map My Fitness Workout Tracker

It’s also particularly great for those who venture beyond cellular coverage and charging capabilities for extended periods. This tracker is capable of providing a plethora of data, analytics, and even predictions & recommendations on all of your training activities in a user-friendly wrist-based device. The Forerunner 265 is our top recommendation for athletes looking to up their performance monitoring capabilities.

Advanced features that matter

In the fitness department, it has built-in GPS to track outdoor runs and is even capable of recording Hyrox workouts. It can track heart rate and blood oxygen levels, and even serve mad muscles reviews up useful scores to tell you if you’re ready to tackle a more intense workout. There’s also room for free offline maps for adventurers, which is a rare feature to find on a wearable this cheap. The big fitness and health tracking changes lie with a new nine-axis sensor that notably improves the Band 10’s swim tracking abilities. Along with a surprisingly impressive heart rate tracking performance, you can now also broadcast HR to other devices, including cycling computers. There’s richer sleep tracking to delve into as well, helping you to make better decisions about your recovery time.

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