Eight fitness trackers are worth buying right now, one for each kind of buyer. The cheapest is a $49.90 band with no subscription. The most expensive has no separate hardware price but bills up to $359 a year, forever, starting with a full year when you sign up. That is the one thing to understand about this category before you buy: some trackers charge you once, and some charge you every month. Every pick below shows both numbers.
Quick answers first. On a tight budget, get the Xiaomi Smart Band 10 at $49.90. Xiaomi’s newer Smart Band 11 went on sale in Europe in October 2026 at €59.99, but Android Authority says US buyers would have to import one, so the Band 10 keeps the budget slot. For the best mix of features, US support, and no monthly bill, get the Google Fitbit Air at $99.99 or the Garmin CIRQA at $199.99. iPhone owners who want safety features should get the Apple Watch SE 3 at $249. The rest of the picks, and who they suit, are below.
Prices are each maker’s own US list price, checked October 30, 2026, except the Xiaomi band, whose $49.90 is the global launch price Android Authority reported. Prices move. The Amazon links are affiliate links and the site may earn a commission.
The prices, including the ones on the box and the ones that come later
The subscription column is what the maker charges to unlock its analysis features. It is not a guess at what you might spend.
| Tracker | Up front | Subscription | Three-year total |
|---|---|---|---|
| Xiaomi Smart Band 10 | $49.90 | None | $49.90 |
| Garmin vivofit jr. 3 (kids) | $89.99 | None | $89.99 |
| Google Fitbit Air | $99.99 | Optional, $9.99/mo | $99.99 (about $430 with the coach) |
| Garmin CIRQA | $199.99 | None | $199.99 |
| Apple Watch SE 3 | $249 | None (Fitness+ optional) | $249 |
| Garmin vivoactive 6 | $299.99 | None (Connect+ optional) | $299.99 |
| Oura Ring 4 (outgoing) | $349 | $69.99/yr, near-mandatory | $558.97 |
| Oura Ring 5 (current) | $399 | $69.99/yr, near-mandatory | $608.97 |
| WHOOP One (subscription) | $199 (first year) | $199/yr | $597 |
| WHOOP Peak | $239 (first year) | $239/yr | $717 |
| WHOOP Life | $359 (first year) | $359/yr | $1,077 |
One comparison from that table, since it surprises people: three years of WHOOP Life costs more than an Apple Watch SE 3, a Garmin vivoactive 6, a Garmin CIRQA and a Xiaomi Smart Band 10 bought together. That is not automatically an argument against WHOOP, which has a real case covered in its pick. It is a reason to know which kind of purchase you are making.
The picks
Xiaomi Smart Band 10, $49.90: the cheapest one worth owning
For $49.90 you get a 1.72-inch AMOLED screen, up to 21 days of battery in typical use, a 5 ATM water rating (Xiaomi says that equals 50 metres), more than 150 sport modes, and heart rate, blood oxygen and sleep tracking. Nothing on this page comes closer to free. One note on the photo: the metal strap is an accessory, and Xiaomi says plainly that “other straps must be purchased separately.”
The catch: Xiaomi did not name the United States among the launch markets, so American buyers are buying imported global-version stock. If that trade sounds bad, the Fitbit Air below is sold in the US by Google for about twice the money.
Buy it if: you want step, heart rate and sleep numbers on your wrist for the price of a nice dinner, and you will never think about it again.
Google Fitbit Air, $99.99: the best tracker under $100
A screenless band at $99.99, in the same no-screen style as WHOOP, without WHOOP’s yearly bill. Google claims up to a week of battery, and five minutes on the charger returns a full day of power. The sensor list is deep for the money: 24/7 heart rate, AFib alerts, blood oxygen, resting heart rate, heart rate variability and sleep stages.
The important part: the measurements stay free. Google’s free Google Health app shows your sleep score and sleep stages, heart rate, heart rate variability and blood oxygen, and the paid tier, Google Health Premium, adds a coach built with Gemini for $9.99 a month. Google’s own store adds a three-month Premium trial when you buy the Air there (one trial per customer, a payment method required, offer ends May 26, 2027), and it renews at $9.99 a month unless you cancel. Decide in month three whether the coaching is worth paying for. Your data isn’t behind that paywall.
New this month: Google said its Fitbit Edge would reach shelves October 27, 2026, at $179.99. It has a screen, built-in GPS, an ECG app, up to seven days of battery and a replaceable battery. It is too new for long-term reviews, so it is not a pick here yet. If you want a screen and GPS from Google, see the Fitbit Edge on Google’s store.
Buy it if: you want recovery-style tracking, hate screens on your wrist, and want to buy from a US store.
Garmin CIRQA, $199.99: subscription-free WHOOP-style tracking
Buy from Garmin · See other sellers on Amazon
Garmin launched this screen-free band in July 2026, the same strap-only format WHOOP uses: wrist heart rate, Body Battery energy monitoring, Pulse Ox, stress, skin temperature, sleep, and more than 80 activities, with up to 10 days of battery, all readable in the free Garmin Connect app and, in Garmin’s own words, “all without the need for a subscription.”
Where to buy it: Garmin sells it directly at $199.99 and showed most colors in stock on October 30, 2026. Amazon itself was not selling it that day; its listing offered only other sellers. If you buy there, check who the seller is and compare the price against Garmin’s.
The comparison against WHOOP is simple: at $199.99 once versus WHOOP One at $199 a year, the CIRQA costs about the same as one year of WHOOP and nothing after that. Against the Fitbit Air it costs double and buys about three more days of battery.
Buy it if: you want WHOOP’s form factor and Garmin’s refusal to charge rent.
Apple Watch SE 3, $249: the default for iPhone owners
If there is an iPhone in your pocket, this is the one, for a boring reason: it is the cheapest way into the ecosystem where the safety features live. Apple lists the SE 3 from $249, with wrist temperature sensing, a sleep score, high and low heart rate notifications, irregular rhythm notifications, sleep apnea notifications, and Crash Detection and Fall Detection. The $229 figure floating around retail coverage is Apple’s education price, so budget $249 unless you hold a student or staff ID.
The catch is battery: up to 18 hours, or 32 in Low Power Mode. A watch that charges nightly is a watch that is not measuring your sleep. If sleep data is your main goal, buy a ring or a band instead.
Timing note: Apple’s September 9, 2026 announcements brought the Apple Watch Series 12, which “starts at $399 (U.S.),” and the Ultra 4 at $799, and no new SE, as Bloomberg’s Mark Gurman had reported. Apple still lists the SE 3 from $249, so it stays the pick.
Buy it if: you own an iPhone and want fitness tracking plus a device that can call for help.
Garmin vivoactive 6, $299.99: the GPS watch with no monthly fee
The answer for anyone who wants a real watch, built-in GPS for runs, and no monthly anything. Garmin still lists this GPS smartwatch at $299.99 on its own store. It runs up to 11 days on a charge. Eleven days is the number that matters: it is the difference between a watch you wear to bed and a watch that spends every night on a charging puck.
Garmin does sell an optional subscription, Connect+, at $6.99 a month or $69.99 a year, which adds AI-powered insights and extras; it launched in March 2025 with an explicit promise that “all existing features and data in Garmin Connect will remain free.”
Buy it if: you run, ride or hike, you use Android or iPhone equally happily, and you want battery life a smartwatch normally cannot give you.
Want a cheaper GPS watch? Amazfit’s watches start at $79.99 for the Bip 6 on its US store, and the Amazfit buying guide compares the main Bip, Active, T-Rex and Balance models.
Oura Ring, from $349: the sleep specialist (check the generation first)
Check the generation before you buy. Oura announced the Ring 5 in May 2026 at $399 in black and silver ($499 in other finishes), 40 percent smaller than the Ring 4, with six to nine days of battery against the Ring 4’s five to eight. Oura’s store lists the Ring 5 in silver at $399 and notes that its “sizing differs from other models,” so size it fresh even if you know your Ring 4 size. The store still sells the outgoing Ring 4 from $349, and saving $50 on the previous-generation ring is a reasonable trade unless the thinner body is the thing you want.
The sleep reputation rests on evidence, with one caveat about which hardware was tested. In a study by sleep researchers at Brigham and Women’s Hospital that compared three consumer devices against polysomnography, the clinical sleep-lab standard, over one night in 35 healthy adults, the researchers reported that the Oura Ring (Gen3 hardware) “was not different” from the lab standard on wake, light, deep or REM sleep, while the Apple Watch Series 8 and Fitbit Sense 2 each misjudged at least one sleep stage. The authors also warn that their findings do not carry over to later models, and two Oura generations have shipped since, so treat it as evidence about Oura’s approach, not a measurement of the ring you would receive. Also know that Oura funded the study.
Now the bill. Oura Membership costs $5.99 a month or $69.99 a year after one included month, and without it the app shows only your three daily scores (Readiness, Activity and Sleep), the ring’s battery and basic settings, though you can still download your data. That is why this guide counts the membership as near-mandatory. Three years lands at $558.97 on a Ring 4 and $608.97 on a Ring 5. Oura’s warranty runs one year from purchase and lists “Consumable parts, including batteries” as not covered. On the Ring 4 page, Oura’s store sells upgrades to two years ($45) or three years ($60). The warranty applies to rings bought from Oura’s online store or authorized retailers, so if you buy elsewhere, check the seller. If you buy on Amazon, pick your ring size on the listing before you add it to your cart.
Weighing the membership, a gift or a no-subscription ring instead? Is an Oura Ring Worth It? adds up the three-year cost and covers sizing.
The counter-pick: Samsung’s Galaxy Ring is listed from $299.99 on Samsung’s own store, but it needs a Samsung Galaxy phone, so it is not an option for iPhone owners. Samsung’s July 2024 launch fine print said the Galaxy Ring’s health features available then “are provided without monthly subscription,” and added that “different terms may apply for future Samsung Health features.” If the subscription is what is stopping you, compare against that.
Buy it if: sleep and recovery are the entire reason you are shopping, and you have priced the membership honestly.
WHOOP, from $199 a year: daily coaching, if you accept the bill
Join on WHOOP.com · View the WHOOP One bundle on Amazon
WHOOP’s membership page and its terms of use word the lifetime warranty differently, and its gift page a third way, so read the warranty note below before you choose where to buy.
WHOOP is sold as a membership with the hardware included, in three tiers: One at $199 a year, Peak at $239, and Life at $359, each shipping a screenless strap with 14-plus days of battery. What you are paying for is the analysis: daily Sleep, Strain and Recovery scores plus personalized coaching, even on the cheapest tier. You can test that before paying: WHOOP offers a one-month free trial of its Peak membership on a certified pre-owned WHOOP 5.0.
Every membership also includes a lifetime warranty. WHOOP’s membership page says it will replace your device “as long as you purchased directly through WHOOP and have an active membership.” Its terms of use are broader on where you bought it, covering a device bought “directly from WHOOP or Authorized Reseller,” but they also require no unpaid fees and a valid payment method on file. That matters, because a strap or ring battery wears out with time, and Oura’s warranty, for one, excludes batteries. If the warranty is part of why you are choosing WHOOP, join on WHOOP’s own site, or confirm with WHOOP before you buy a bundle anywhere else. The full cost of each tier, what each one adds and how to give WHOOP as a gift are in Is WHOOP Worth It?. If you buy directly from WHOOP, you can cancel and return the device for a full refund, minus shipping, within 30 days of receipt. A bundle bought from a reseller goes back to that seller under its own policy, and WHOOP does not refund reseller purchases.
One more thing to know before subscribing. When WHOOP launched new hardware in May 2025, some members were initially told to extend their subscriptions by 12 months or pay a $49 upgrade fee ($79 for the model with EKG sensors), though a WHOOP blog post had said six-month members would get free upgrades. WHOOP said that post “incorrectly stated” its policy and announced a broader upgrade policy after complaints.
Buy it if: you train seriously enough that a daily readiness verdict changes what you do, and the three-year total reads as a coaching budget rather than a gadget budget.
Garmin vivofit jr. 3, $89.99: the one for kids
The vivofit jr. 3 is the no-bill option for kids: it talks to a parent’s phone over Bluetooth, so there is no data plan to pay for. It also sidesteps the thing that kills kids’ wearables: charging. It runs on a user-replaceable coin cell (a CR2025) rated for up to a year and carries a 5 ATM water rating. Parents get activity, sleep and chore data in an app, and chores can pay out virtual coins that kids redeem for agreed-upon rewards.
Where to buy it: Garmin lists it at $89.99, with an availability estimate of two to three weeks on October 30, 2026. Amazon’s listing had no new unit in stock on November 5, 2026, so order it from Garmin.
Buy it if: you want a child to see their own activity without handing them a screen, a data plan, or a monthly bill.
Band, watch, or ring? Pick by battery
The number to check first is how many days a device runs between charges, because sleep tracking only works if the device is on your body at 3 a.m. A full smartwatch like the Apple Watch SE 3 runs up to 18 hours, or 32 in Low Power Mode, so it charges at some point every day, and if that habit lands at bedtime, you have paid for a sleep tracker that sleeps on a nightstand. The bands and rings here last far longer: up to a week for the Fitbit Air, up to 10 days for the CIRQA, six to nine days for the Oura Ring 5, 14-plus days for WHOOP and up to 21 days for the Xiaomi band.
So the choice sorts itself. Buy a watch when you specifically want GPS-tracked runs, notifications, or fall detection, and accept daily charging as the price. Buy a band or ring for everything else. And if what you want is a full smartwatch rather than a tracker, Google’s Pixel Watch 5, listed at $399.99 and on sale from $299.99 on Google’s store on October 30, 2026, is the obvious Android answer; it sits outside this guide because it is a full smartwatch.
Who charges you for what
A subscription labelled optional can mean four very different deals, so this is the plain version. Garmin charges nothing for the features it already offered: its Connect+ plan ($6.99 a month or $69.99 a year) adds AI-powered insights and extras, and Garmin promised that existing features stay free. Google charges for advice only: the free Google Health app shows the measurements, and $9.99 a month buys the coach. Oura charges to see most of your own data in its app, which is why its membership is effectively mandatory. WHOOP charges for everything and throws the hardware in.
The useful test before buying any tracker: find out what the app still shows after you stop paying.
What these things measure well, and the number to ignore
Heart rate: good. The Stanford-led study that remains the reference point put seven wrist devices against clinical monitors and found six of the seven kept median heart rate error below 5 percent during cycling. The study dates from 2017; a 2020 study again found that the device and the type of activity both affected heart rate error.
Calories: ignore them. In the same Stanford study, no device kept calorie-burn error below 20 percent, and the worst device’s median error was 92.6 percent. Eating back the calories your tracker says you burned is budgeting against a number that can be wrong by a factor of two. Treat any calorie figure as a rough guess.
Skin tone: unsettled. The Stanford paper reported higher error with darker skin tone; a later study built specifically to test the question, with participants spread across the full skin-tone scale, found skin tone “did not impact measurement error.” Both papers found that what you are doing affects the reading. If precise readings matter to you medically, a chest strap remains the conservative choice.
Frequently asked questions
Which fitness tracker has no subscription?
Five picks in this guide charge nothing after you buy them: the Xiaomi Smart Band 10 ($49.90), the Garmin vivofit jr. 3 ($89.99), the Garmin CIRQA ($199.99), the Apple Watch SE 3 ($249) and the Garmin vivoactive 6 ($299.99). The CIRQA is the closest to WHOOP: a screenless band with wrist heart rate, Body Battery, Pulse Ox, stress, skin temperature and sleep, up to 10 days of battery, and, in Garmin’s words, “all without the need for a subscription.” Garmin sells an optional Connect+ plan ($6.99 a month or $69.99 a year), launched in March 2025 with the promise that “all existing features and data in Garmin Connect will remain free.” The Fitbit Air’s subscription is optional too: its measurements are free, and only the coach costs money.
What is the best fitness tracker under $100?
The Google Fitbit Air at $99.99: a screenless band with 24/7 heart rate, AFib alerts, blood oxygen, heart rate variability and sleep stages. The free Google Health app shows those measurements; only the Google Health Premium coach costs money, at $9.99 a month. Cheaper still is the Xiaomi Smart Band 10 at $49.90, but Xiaomi did not name the United States among its launch markets, so US buyers get imported global-version stock.
Does the Oura Ring need a subscription?
In practice, yes. Oura Membership costs $5.99 a month or $69.99 a year, and without it the app shows only your three daily scores, the ring’s battery and basic settings. That puts the three-year total at $558.97 on the outgoing Ring 4 (from $349) and $608.97 on the Ring 5 (from $399). The alternative for Samsung Galaxy phone owners is Samsung’s Galaxy Ring, listed from $299.99 on Samsung’s own store; Samsung’s July 2024 launch fine print said its health features available then “are provided without monthly subscription.”
How much does WHOOP cost per year?
WHOOP is sold as a membership with the strap included: One at $199 a year, Peak at $239, and Life at $359, each with 14-plus days of battery and a lifetime warranty that requires an active membership. You pay for a full year at signup, since WHOOP sells 12- and 24-month memberships. Over three years that is $597, $717 or $1,077, and three years of WHOOP Life costs more than an Apple Watch SE 3, a Garmin vivoactive 6, a Garmin CIRQA and a Xiaomi Smart Band 10 bought together.
Is a fitness tracker or a smartwatch better for sleep?
A band or ring. The Apple Watch SE 3 runs up to 18 hours, or 32 in Low Power Mode, so it charges every day, and a watch on the nightstand at bedtime is not measuring your sleep. Apart from the coin-cell kids’ band, the bands and rings in this guide run from five days (the Oura Ring 4) to 21 days (the Xiaomi band) between charges, so charging rarely collides with sleeping. Buy a watch when you specifically want GPS-tracked runs, notifications, or fall detection.
Are fitness tracker calorie counts accurate?
No. In the Stanford-led study that remains the reference point, no wrist device kept calorie-burn error below 20 percent, and the worst device’s median error was 92.6 percent, while six of the seven devices kept median heart rate error below 5 percent during cycling. Trust the heart rate, treat the calories as a rough guess, and do not eat back what the tracker says you burned.
The short version
Most people should buy the Fitbit Air or the CIRQA, wear it for three years, and never think about a bill. Runners and cyclists should buy the vivoactive 6 for its eleven-day battery. iPhone owners who want safety features should buy the SE 3, and sleep obsessives should buy a ring after pricing the membership honestly. Whatever you pick, work out the three-year number before you check out, not after.
Still not sure you want any of this? The smartwatch pros and cons breakdown argues the should-you-buy-anything case. And if what you wanted to track was your keys, see the Apple Find My tracker roundup.
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