Want to Get Fit This Year? These Are the Best Fitness Trackers of 2026
SOURCE:CNET|BY:Anna Gragert
To help you achieve your 2026 New Year's fitness resolution, these fitness trackers monitor your physical activity and more.
If your New Year's resolution for 2026 is to run more, try strength training, spend extra time swimming or simply hone in on your physical fitness in general, then a fitness tracker can assist you in monitoring all of that -- and more. To help you find the best one for your specific needs and favorite exercises, CNET’s wellness and wearables experts have spent months working out with different devices, while considering factors such as price, special features, comfort, compatibility, subscription costs and more.
The best fitness tracker overall is the Fitbit Charge 6, which functions primarily as a fitness tracker but offers a few bonus features, too. Its SmartTrack function tracks your activity, supporting over 40 different types of exercise and keeping tabs on metrics such as steps, heart rate, calories burned, VO2 max and more.
Pros
SmartTrack automatically records your workouts
Built-in GPS is great for runners
Has both sleep and stress scores
Water resistant up to 50m
Supports 40+ exercises
Supports YouTube Music, Google Maps and Google Wallet
Cons
SmartTrack doesn’t always stop your workout for you
YouTube Music Premium subscription is required, and it doesn't support offline music
Fitbit Premium required for certain features
Why we like it: The Fitbit Charge 6 tells you everything you need to know about your activity, whether you’re exercising or resting: heart rate, steps, distance, calories burned, time spent in target heart zones, VO2 max, sleep score, blood oxygen, skin temperature, stress management score and more.
It supports over 40 exercise modes, including strength training, yoga, cycling and running. Thanks to its SmartTrack feature, it should automatically recognize your exercise and record it in the Fitbit app.
Exercise aside, you also have access to Google Maps, Google Wallet, notifications for calls, texts and smartphone apps, Find My Phone, blood glucose tracking in the app, a smart wake alarm, menstrual health tracking and do not disturb and sleep modes.
Who it’s best for: The Fitbit Charge 6 is ideal for anyone who wants a fitness tracker that primarily functions as just that, allowing you to view your stats right on your wrist, as well as with the free Fitbit app. With its SmartTrack feature, you also don’t have to worry about manually recording your workouts.
If you’re a runner, the Charge 6’s built-in GPS allows you to see pace and distance, so no need to check your phone. You can use YouTube Music to listen to your favorite tunes on the go, but a YouTube Music Premium subscription is required for this feature. Offline music isn’t supported. Check your phone after, and you can see a workout intensity map showing where you put in the most effort on your route.
On Charge 6-compatible workout machines, you can connect your Fitbit to see your heart rate on the equipment as you exercise. And if you decide to hop in the pool after, you’re covered down to 50 meters.
With Fitbit Premium, you get access to a full library of workouts, detailed sleep and stress score breakdowns, a full library of mindfulness sessions and a curated list of recipes, but it does cost $10 per month or $80 per year.
Who shouldn’t buy it: If you want your fitness tracker to have more Apple or Android apps, like those on your smartphone -- for sending messages, making calls and responding to emails, for instance -- you’re better off getting a brand-specific smartwatch that has your favorite apps right on it. Serious runners might also want a watch specifically designed for running.
– Anna Gragert, wellness editor
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Pros
Always-on display
Ultrafast charging: 8 hours of use in just 15 minutes
Same S10 processor as pricier Series 11 and Ultra 3
Almost half the price of the flagship Apple Watch
5G connectivity on the cellular model
Cons
No blood oxygen tracking or hypertension notifications
No ECG (electrocardiogram) feature
Smaller, dimmer display
Battery life still limited to one full day (and night) of use
Why we like it: The Apple Watch SE 3 is Apple’s most affordable new smartwatch, proving that a lower price doesn’t have to mean sacrificing quality or core features. The always-on display, faster charging and expanded health features put it on par with its higher-end siblings, making it easy to forget this is the entry-level model.
While it skips a few advanced health metrics, such as ECG and hypertension alerts, most people won’t miss them in day-to-day use. It also has a shorter battery life than the rest, but it holds up to a full day of real-world use, including a 40-minute outdoor workout (GPS-enabled) and sleep tracking.
You’re getting the same processor and nearly all the features found in the higher-end Series 11 (almost twice the price) and the Ultra 3 (three times the price), making it a solid value. The Apple Watch SE 3 has Apple’s latest updates including 5G connectivity, ultrafast charging and new wellness tools such as Sleep Score and Workout Buddy, along with features from older models like temperature tracking and sleep apnea notifications.
Who it's best for: The SE 3 is the Apple Watch we’d recommend for most people. It’s the most affordable way to access Apple’s newest features without feeling like you’re missing out. It’s ideal for first-time Apple Watch owners or those upgrading from older models (Series 7 or earlier). It’s also a great first smartwatch for kids, allowing parents to stay connected without introducing a smartphone.
If you’re at higher health risk and want ECG or blood pressure monitoring, the Series 11 might be worth the extra cost. Those prioritizing longer battery life or a larger display should look at the Ultra 3.
Who shouldn’t buy it: iPhone owners who want a tracker that lasts multiple days without charging may be better off with a dedicated fitness tracker or sports watch. With the always-on display enabled, the SE 3 runs through a full day (and night) of tracking, while disabling it can stretch battery life to around two days.
– Vanessa Hand Orellana, lead writer
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Pros
Emergency satellite connectivity
Dual-band GPS
Hands-free Gemini voice assistant
Ultra-fast charging (50% in < 15 min)
Cons
Health coach not yet available
Battery lasts just over 24 hours
Watch bands are hard to maneuver
Why we like it: The Pixel Watch 4 hits a sweet spot between universally appealing design, seamless Android integration, potentially life-saving safety features and robust health tracking through Fitbit.
Google’s fourth-generation Pixel Watch builds on its already excellent predecessor with longer battery life, a brighter, larger display and two powerful new assistants: Gemini for everyday tasks and queries, and the upcoming Fitbit AI health coach, which promises to turn your health data into actionable guidance.
While that health coach is still on the way, nearly everything else delivers on Google’s promises, cementing the Pixel Watch 4 as one of the best Android smartwatches available.
At $350, the Pixel Watch 4 includes luxuries once reserved for pricier sport watches, like dual-band GPS for precise location tracking, satellite connectivity for off-grid emergencies and an easy-to-repair build. The real standout, though, is Gemini, a hands-free AI assistant that's genuinely helpful and won't leave you screaming at your wrist.
Battery life now lasts up to 30 hours (41mm) or 40 hours (45mm), with ultrafast charging that takes you from 0 to 50% in just 15 minutes, and a full charge in under an hour.
Who it’s best for: The Pixel Watch 4 is perfect for Android users who want a sleek, capable smartwatch that balances cutting-edge features with robust health and fitness tracking -- and it won't leave them guessing about what all that data means.
Anyone with a Pixel Watch 3 or another recent Fitbit or Wear OS model can safely hold off on this update cycle, since both Gemini and the Fitbit AI health coach (coming later this year) will arrive on older devices alongside the redesigned Fitbit app.
Who shouldn’t buy it: If you’re prioritizing battery life, you’re better off going for a dedicated Fitbit tracker. While the Pixel Watch 4 offers improvements in battery life, it won’t last more than two days on a single charge, compared to the multi-day battery life of other devices. It does compensate with its lightning-fast charging speed, though.
– Vanessa Hand Orellana, lead writer
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Pros
Long battery life with on-wrist charging
Comfortable, minimalist design that won’t disturb while working out or sleeping
Personalized coaching through an AI chatbot
Great sleep, strain and recovery tracking with actionable insights
Cons
Subscription is required for ongoing data insights
No display, GPS or smartwatch features
Why we like it: The Whoop 5.0 is a performance- and recovery-centric wearable that helps you build endurance over time and understand the role recovery plays in your overall well-being. It offers one of the best battery lives among fitness trackers on the market, lasting up to 14 days on a single charge. Additionally, it has on-wrist charging -- allowing you to wear it at all times without interruption.
This fitness tracker has no screen, meaning you get all of your insights through the app (compatible with iOS and Android). The app delivers detailed insights into sleep, HRV, strain and even physiological age, which can inform you on how to train smarter and prioritize recovery.
Who it’s best for: Whoop 5.0 is ideal for folks who are serious about performance, long-term health insights and recovery. Considering it’s performance-based, this tracker is best for competitive athletes, fitness enthusiasts and data-driven people who want to understand not just what they’re doing but how their bodies respond over time.
Who shouldn’t buy it: If you want a more traditional smartwatch experience with features like text notifications or GPS, Whoop isn’t for you. This tracker has no display and doesn’t provide any real-time insights; rather, it gives you your insights after the workout is done. It also includes a subscription model, requiring ongoing data access fees.
– Nasha Addarich Martínez, managing editor
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Pros
Tracks all your recovery and active data
Lets you create your own routes
Built-in LED flashlight for safety
Long battery life
Cons
Expensive
Can be hard to navigate if you aren’t tech-savvy
Lags with certain features
Why we like it: The Garmin Forerunner 970 is considered one of the best smartwatches for those who enjoy endurance sports, such as running and cycling. It’s designed for triathletes and those who take their sport seriously. One of my favorite features on this watch is the built-in LED flashlight, which is particularly helpful when running at night or early in the morning when there isn’t enough daylight. This watch has an impressive 15-day battery life, to the point where I didn’t need to recharge it for about three weeks.
This watch offers numerous capabilities, including coaching, mapping that allows you to create routes, physiological metrics such as sleep tracking and VO2Max and a readiness indicator to assess your physical preparedness for the day, among other functions. Since this watch can be used by triathletes, it can also be used underwater up to 50 meters if you’re taking up swimming and would like to track your laps.
Who it’s best for: This watch is ideal for athletes who want to collect as much data on their performance and recovery as possible. If you’re someone prepping for your first marathon, triathlon or similar, you’re going to love having all these functions on one smartwatch. The Forerunner 970 offers a lot more data than I needed as a recreational runner, but it can be helpful for those dedicated to their sport.
Who shouldn’t buy it: If you’re a beginner runner or cyclist, this watch may be overwhelming. In that case, I’d go with a smartwatch that’s easier to navigate, such as the Apple Watch SE 3. It also has a slight lag when navigating some of the features on the watch (like GPS), and there’s a learning curve to figuring out what functions the buttons have and even saving a workout. If you prefer something simpler or more intuitive, this will easily become a nuisance. Its $750 price may also deter you if you don’t intend to use all the different features that come with the watch.
– Giselle Castro-Sloboda, fitness and nutrition writer
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Pros
Good value for a run watch
As close to accurate as you can get for a sports watch
Let's you record various workout types
Lightweight
Cons
Not everyone may be looking for a watch with multiple features
The charger is not the best design
Why we like it: The Suunto Run watch gives you the perks of an advanced running watch without the hefty price tag. It offers 12 days of battery life, allowing you to track physiological data, including sleep, recovery and your training load. This sports watch is lightweight, weighing only 1.2 ounces. The watch interface is easy to read and consists only of a touchscreen, digital crown dial and two buttons for easy navigation. It connects to the Suunto app, which tracks your recorded activities and other data.
You can connect your Suunto watch to various third-party apps, including Strava, Apple Health and Map My Run. Besides running, the Suunto lets you select from various activities to record your workout. You’ll get more out of the watch if you use it for an endurance sport like running, since it was designed with that sport in mind. However, you can also use it for 34 different activities, such as swimming, cycling, strength training and yoga.
I’ve been running indoors instead of outdoors lately, and one of my issues with smartwatches is that the pacing and timing often don't sync with the treadmill. However, Suunto is the first watch I’ve tried that seems to match the treadmill pace and time almost accurately.
Who it’s best for: This watch is ideal for beginners or intermediate runners. Similar to Garmin, it takes a learning curve to figure out the different functions, but this one has fewer complicated features and widgets compared to a more advanced watch. The price doesn’t hurt either, at only $200, compared to some other smartwatches that are $300 or more.
Who shouldn’t buy it: If you aren’t training for any type of race or don’t care to know all the extra data that comes with the watch, I’d recommend going for a simpler wearable like the Fitbit Charge. This also isn’t the ideal watch for someone who isn’t looking for a smartwatch with multiple functions and features. If you like running recreationally, you can also get good use out of an Apple Watch SE 3, which is also in a similar price range.
If you care about the charging mechanism, you may find this one to be a bit of a nuisance. The Suunto Run charger is in the form of a pod with magnetic connectors, which means you have to align the watch correctly each time; otherwise, it won’t charge. I also found it to be flimsy and could benefit from a similar design to the Apple Watch.
– Giselle Castro-Sloboda, fitness and nutrition writer
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Pros
Sleek and understated
Multiple colors and finishes
Provides readiness, sleep and stress scores
Automatically detects activity
Tracks over 50 health metrics
Cons
Requires a subscription
No built-in GPS
Why we like it: The Oura Ring 4 tracks over 50 health metrics, including those that provide insights into sleep, activity, heart health, stress, metabolic health and women’s health. Its sensors specifically provide data on your blood oxygen levels, heart rate and heart rate variability, respiration rate and movement, which can affect your readiness score, sleep score, cardiovascular age and more.
The Oura Ring 4 has a battery life of 5 to 8 days and can be charged in as little as 20 minutes, depending on its current battery level.
If you'd like to switch up your style, Oura Ring 4 now supports syncing between two or more rings, and the company has recently introduced a new line of ceramic rings. The ceramic line offers four different colors: midnight, cloud, tide and petal -- which is a departure from its metallic-only signature look. Besides just being colorful, the ceramic rings are scratch-resistant and won’t tarnish or lose their color over time, making them a great option when weightlifting, as you don’t have to worry about scratches.
Who it’s best for: The Oura Ring is ideal for anyone who prefers not to wear a device on their wrist and wants a more understated look that can be worn for various occasions -- not just workouts. It’s also great for those who don’t like to manually track their activity, as it automatically detects exercise and notifies you in the app. The smart ring is water-resistant up to 328 feet, allowing you to swim with it as well.
Who shouldn’t buy it: If you’re someone who likes to reference your stats on a screen when working out, then a smartwatch or wristband fitness tracker with a screen would be a better option. The Oura Ring also doesn’t have a built-in GPS, so if you’re a runner and don’t want to carry your phone, then one of our picks specifically designed for running would be better suited to your needs.
– Anna Gragert, wellness editor, and Nasha Addarich Martínez, managing editor
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Fitness tracker
Ring or watch
Compatibility
Storage
Wi-Fi or Bluetooth
GPS?
Screen size
Battery life
Water resistance
Subscription cost
Fitbit Charge 6
Watch
iOS and Android
32GB
Bluetooth
Yes
1.04 Inches
7 days
50m
$10/month or $80/year
Whoop 5.0
Wristband
iOS and Android
N/A
Bluetooth
No
N/A
14 days
10m
$149-$359/year
Garmin Forerunner 970
Watch
iOS and Android
32GB
Bluetooth, ANT+, Wi-Fi
Yes
35.3 mm
26 hours
50m
$4.99+/month
Suunto Run Watch
Watch
iOS and Android
4GB
Wi-Fi, Bluetooth
Yes
1.32 inches
12 days (without training)
50m
Free
Apple Watch SE 3
Watch
iOS
64GB
Wi-Fi, Bluetooth
Yes
40 or 44mm
18 hours of normal use
50m
Free
Pixel Watch 4
Watch
Android
32 GB
Wi-Fi, Bluetooth
Yes
41 or 45mm
Up to 40 hours with always-on display
50m
Free
Oura Ring 4
Ring
iOS and Android
N/A
Bluetooth
No
N/A
5-8 days
100m
$6/month or $70/year
As CNET wellness and wearables experts, we’ve spent months testing different fitness trackers, paying close attention to price, accuracy, special features, battery life, compatibility, water resistance and comfort. To see how they fare under different conditions, we’ve also used these trackers during various workouts, including Pilates, running, hiking, walking and weightlifting.
The fitness trackers on this list are the ones that have stood out to us during our testing, specifically for fitness, and are the ones we would personally continue to use for our workouts.
Format: Would you prefer wearing a ring or a wrist-based device? If you want something understated that you can wear all the time and don’t mind not having a screen to glance at, then a ring would be ideal. If having a watch on your wrist is comfortable, then a smartwatch or wrist-based tracker may be the right choice.
Compatibility: If you’re an Apple user, ensure your fitness tracker is compatible with iOS. The same goes if you’re an Android user.
Storage capacity: For those who don’t want their fitness tracker to be dependent on their phone, look at a device with its own storage capacity.
Special features: Before purchasing a fitness tracker, consider the health metrics that are important to you for your favorite workouts. If you’d like your tracker to do more than monitor your fitness, you’ll be better off with a smartwatch like the Pixel Watch 4 or Apple Watch SE 3.
Wi-Fi or Bluetooth: If you’re the type of person who likes to leave their phone behind when working out but still needs internet access, ensure your fitness tracker has Wi-Fi.
GPS? For those who run, hike or walk and want to keep track of metrics like distance and pace without their phone, opt for a fitness tracker that has built-in GPS.
Screen size: Once you decide you want a fitness tracker with a screen, make sure it fits your personal preferences. A smaller screen may be better if you prefer for it to be less obvious that you’re wearing a fitness tracker on your wrist.
Battery life: How often do you want to be charging your fitness tracker? If frequently charging your devices is a pet peeve, ensure your fitness tracker of choice has a long battery life, especially for your preferred workouts.
Water resistance: Individuals who work out by swimming or those who enjoy taking a dip in the pool after exercising will want a fitness tracker that is water-resistant. Confirm your device is rated for the depth you plan to swim at.
Subscription cost: It’s common for fitness trackers to come with the added cost of a subscription, particularly if you want to access all available features or require extra features for your workout or fitness goals. To guarantee that a fitness tracker is in your budget, check not only the price of the device, but also how much your subscription of choice will run you over the course of a year.
The best fitness tracker depends on your needs. If you're looking for a fitness tracker that is generally great for most exercises, consider the Fitbit Charge 6. For a fitness tracker specifically designed for runners, the Suunto Run Watch would be a better fit.
Fitbit is our pick for the best fitness tracker overall, while Garmin (specifically, the Forerunner 970) is best for serious athletes, like those who are into running or cycling. The price is also something to consider, as the Forerunner 970 is $750, while the Fitbit Charge 6 is under $150.
We recommend the Apple Watch specifically for people who want fitness tracking with all the extra iOS features. Fitbit, on the other hand, is great for fitness tracking in general, and can be used for both iOS and Android.