Battery life: Up to 10 days | Metrics tracked: Activities (calories burned, time, distance, steps, sets), sleep, energy, heart rate, skin temperature, HRV, menstrual cycles/health, stress, blood oxygen saturation, respiration, VO2 max | Smart tracker: Yes | GPS functionality: Yes | Special features: Send/receive calls, GPS tracking for indoor and outdoor sports/activities, music storage, ECG capabilities, wheelchair mode, waterproof, workout plans or build your own workout capabilities

Garmin’s Venu 3S delivers on what Garmin has built a longstanding reputation on: durability, extremely accurate metrics, long battery life and the capability to track workouts across multiple sports and disciplines. This watch ups the ante with detailed health insights, ECG sensors and atrial fibrillation detection, music storage, smartphone notifications (available for both iOS and Android operating systems), a microphone and speaker, and an accessible wheelchair mode.

If you participate in multiple forms of fitness, you’ll be thrilled with the activity tracking options on the Venu 3S. The fitness-focused smartwatch has 30 preloaded sports and workouts, which makes it easy to track specific activities. While participating in these modes, the watch offers three screens with varying data, so it’s easy to toggle back and forth in real time to see your heart rate, reps, distance or calories burned. If you want to create your own workout, the Garmin Connect app syncs with the watch, so you can load workouts into the watch that are then cued through the device’s speakers. Outside of activity, the watch also provides overall health tracking, looking at sleep and stress. While it took a few days to sync to my body, I loved the insight into energy and recovery for a more well-rounded approach to my fitness routine. For an extra recovery boost, the watch also offers programmed meditation and breath work sessions.

And, while it’s stacked with nearly every feature imaginable, the Venu 3S is a chic and stylish watch that complements outfits, unlike other, clunkier sports-focused watches.

As one Amazon reviewer raves, “The 1.2-inch AMOLED touchscreen display is stunning — vibrant and easy to read, even in bright sunlight. Navigating through the features is smooth and intuitive, making it simple to track workouts, monitor heart rate and check notifications.”

Battery life: Up to 20 days | Metrics tracked: Steps, heart rate, sleep, calories burned, stress, HRV | Smart tracker: Yes | GPS functionality: Yes | Special features: Offline maps, virtual pacer, group tracking, recovery coaching

If you’re training for a 5K, a marathon or anything in between, the Coros Pace Pro is a high-tech addition that can boost any training cycle. This incredibly lightweight and durable watch not only integrates with apps like Strava and Nike Run Club, but also offers the ability to plan running routes and download them right into the watch to access offline. The watch’s bright, AMOLED display is designed to easily be seen during the sunniest of days as well as during darker morning or evening runs. You can even download music to the watch to access offline too.

The Coros Pace Pro also tracks heart rate, calories burned, distance traveled and steps, all of which are accurate. These metrics are easy to view on the screen, especially with the watch’s upgraded processor, which shows these metrics (and maps) quickly.

The Coros Pace Pro does offer additional sport modes outside of running, but our tester found that this library was less extensive compared to other brands. If you are cross-training in addition to running and comfortable being less specific while tracking, this is no issue.

Battery life: Up to five days | Metrics tracked: Sleep, strain, activity, recovery, stress, heart rate, HRV, blood oxygen, skin temperature | Smart tracker: Yes | GPS functionality: No | Special features: Health journal, customized tracking

Recovery is key, and Whoop gets that. In addition to tracking heart rate variability (HRV), activity (including time spent in each of the five heart rate zones), blood oxygenation, skin temperature and stress, Whoop provides an overall look at your “strain” and “recovery.” Based on these scores, Whoop provides personalized coaching for how to improve sleep, when to work out, how to reduce stress at specific points in the day and more. I liked understanding when I was best prepared for physical activity and noticed marked improvements in my performance based on this.

Whoop’s sleep tracking is particularly impressive, with accurate readings on sleep stages, how many times you woke up, sleep trends and sleep schedule planning.

“Trackers that include sleep duration and sleep quality help to round out the health picture, going beyond physical activity alone. When looking to optimize health, we can’t ignore the importance of restorative sleep. Inadequate sleep contributes to unhealthy changes in blood pressure, blood sugar control and even impacts weight by increasing hunger hormones that lead to excess caloric intake and cravings for higher-calorie foods,” says Dr. Richa Mittal, owner and founder of Radiant Health in Dallas.

While the Whoop band can be tricky to adjust at first, once it fit, I found it comfortable. Similar to the band, the app was slightly challenging to navigate at first. There is so much data to consume, it can be hard to determine which numbers you need to focus on and what to take action on. After a few weeks of testing, this became easier to navigate.

The black strap doesn’t have a visual interface, so if you’re looking for real-time activity data as you exercise, you might want to opt for a watch that provides metrics at a glance, as the Whoop is keenly focused on optimal recovery.

Battery life: Up to seven days | Metrics tracked: Steps, heart rate, calories burned, distance, sleep, stress, blood oxygenation | Smart tracker: Yes | GPS functionality: Yes | Special features: Connects to exercise machines, VO2 max tracking, sleep score tracking, call, text and calendar notifications, SmartWake alarm, equipped with Google Maps, Google Wallet and YouTube Music, water resistance up to 50 meters

If you’re just diving into the world of fitness trackers and want to log and track your workouts, count steps and keep an eye on your heart rate without getting distracted by additional metrics, the Fitbit Charge 6 is the perfect option for you. Incredibly lightweight and comfortable, it is a straightforward and easy-to-use device at a budget-friendly price point.

The Fitbit Charge 6 has an advanced heart rate monitor, an accelerometer, GPS to track runs, walks, hikes and bike rides, light water resistance and Bluetooth compatibility. Plus, you can also access Google Maps, Google Wallet and YouTube Music through the device. The Fitbit comes with 40 exercise modes and can intuitively recognize when you’re engaging with them, which makes tracking workouts a seamless experience. All of this is summarized in a weekly progress report, which is visual and easy to understand.

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.

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. While her mom isn’t a fan of juggling multiple apps or integrating excessive technology into her life, she’s called this tracker “incredibly easy to use” and has truly enjoyed having a way to gauge how much activity she’s getting. 

Battery life: Up to seven days | Metrics tracked: Sleep, activity, temperature, heart rate, stress, VO2 max, HRV, menstrual cycle, steps, calories burned | Smart tracker: Yes | GPS functionality: No | Special features: Water resistant up to 328 feet, withstands a variety of temperatures (including saunas and ice baths), integrates with 40+ apps like Natural Cycles

If you’re looking to track health metrics outside of your workouts, the Oura Ring is a solid option. This stylish and comfortable smart ring accurately measures heart rate, blood oxygen, heart rate variability, respiratory rate, skin temperature, sleep duration and sleep stages, categorizing them by activity, sleep and stress. 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.

All of this data is accessible through the ring’s app, which is incredibly easy to navigate. On top of activity, sleep and stress scores, the app also provides personalized insight into your cardiovascular age, sleep regularity and holistic readiness. Similar to the Whoop band, the readiness score was helpful in understanding how to plan workouts and recovery. I also appreciated the app’s coaching, recommendations and resources to improve overall well-being and health. I found these more accurate and useful the more I wore the ring.

I was initially hesitant about wearing a ring, wondering if it might feel bulky, but I was pleasantly surprised; I hardly ever noticed the ring was on (and I only felt the sensors when I wore it with mittens or worked out with a kettlebell). It’s a stylish addition and very easy to sleep with too. Plus, Oura gives you the option to choose a band color so it can fit your preferred look.

Battery life: Up to 30 days | Metrics tracked: Steps, sleep, menstrual cycles, temperature, blood oxygenation, elevation | Smart tracker: Yes | GPS functionality: No | Special features: Tracks irregular heart rate, advanced body temperature tracking

Style is certainly not the No. 1 priority with a fitness tracker, but a visually appealing device can help you consistently wear it. The Withings ScanWatch 2 is an elegant fitness smartwatch that closely resembles a real watch.

The watch specializes in tracking heart rate, temperature and sleep. In addition to providing a daily sleep quality rating with suggestions on how to improve sleep, the watch’s advanced temperature tracking also notifies users of any changes that may indicate oncoming illness or other health concerns. Temperature tracking is also utilized in the ScanWatch 2’s workout mode. By tracking instances of overheating, the ScanWatch 2 can help you dial in your warm-up and cooldown.

In terms of activity tracking, our tester found the ScanWatch 2 was limited, with no GPS tracking and only seven modes of activities available on the watch at one time. While these can be swapped out on the app, it adds an additional step.

The watch’s screen is fairly small, and our tester found that viewing metrics or reading texts was easier on the watch’s companion app, which provides a full breakdown of health data.

Battery life: Up to six days | Metrics tracked: Sleep, movement, recovery patterns, heart rate, HRV, body temperature, SPO2, stress rhythm, step count, calories burned, distance, VO2 max | Smart tracker: Yes | GPS functionality: No | Special features: Tracks caffeine restriction window, water-resistant

If you’re looking for a screen-free tracker, Ultrahuman’s Ring Air is a solid choice. This lightweight titanium ring is worn on your finger and looks like a sleek piece of jewelry. The smart ring tracks heart rate, HRV, body temperature, sleep stages, blood oxygenation and movement frequency to provide insight into sleep, movement and recovery. Unlike many smart rings, including the Oura Ring, the Ultrahuman Air does not require a subscription to access any of this data.

Our tester noted that the app can be intimidating for the first few days, especially if you’re less tech-savvy. There are lots of metrics that can be hard to digest, but after a few days, our tester found it easier to dissect which numbers to pay attention to and why. In particular, our tester really liked the Stress Rhythm and Movement Indexes that offered a high-level view of how they were doing each day. They also appreciated the suggested sleep patterns for better rest, as well as the caffeine restriction window to boost energy levels throughout the entire day.

While the Ultrahuman Ring Air excels with overall health and movement tracking, it loses some steam with real-time activity tracking. Some users have had to manually input workouts, and viewing heart rate or distance traveled during a workout isn’t an option since the device is a screenless ring.

Similar to other rings, the battery lasts around five days (a little less than the “up to six days” the brand states). Pay attention to the battery life on the app — our tester had it run out twice since they found it so comfortable to wear and didn’t notice the app.

Battery life: Up to 30 hours | Metrics tracked: Heart rate | Smart tracker: No | GPS functionality: No | Special features: Can be worn with an armband or clipped to goggles, waterproof up to 50 meters, Bluetooth and ANT+ connectivity

If you’re not interested in tracking a slew of metrics and are most interested in monitoring your heart rate and intensity level throughout your workouts, the Polar Verity might just be the right fitness tracker for you. This simple device (about the size of a coin) can be slid into the provided armband or goggle clip to wear as you exercise. There are three modes — swimming mode, heart rate mode and recording mode — allowing you to choose which option best suits your needs. With the heart rate mode, you can sync the device with Bluetooth or ANT+ to monitor your heart rate in real time, or with the recording mode you can exercise without your phone or watch on-hand, recording your heart rate throughout the workout so you can sync it at a later time. Swimming mode is more similar to recording mode, as it allows you to track your swimming workout intensity to sync with your phone or other device after you get out of the pool. 

Our tester found this monitor to be incredibly comfortable to use and wear for running and strength training workouts. Without a wristband or ring to restrict movement or pinch when grabbing dumbbells, she found herself preferring this armband to other options for strength training workouts. She also liked that she was able to sync the monitor to her treadmill to have more accurate heart rate readings during her treadmill runs. 

The main downside? Heart rate is the only thing this device monitors. If you want a tracker that does it all, the Verity may not be the right choice. 

Battery life: 24 hours | Metrics tracked: Heart rate, sleep, distance, calories burned, steps, temperature | Smart tracker: Yes | GPS functionality: Yes | Special features: BMI measurements, sleep apnea detection, smartphone notifications, AI-powered workout recommendations, water lock mode for swimming

Here’s looking at you, Android users! While this smartwatch tracks basic metrics like heart rate, steps, calories burned and distance traveled, the Samsung Galaxy Watch 7 is also embedded with AI upgrades for personalized recommendations on both activity and sleep (including sleep apnea assessments and coaching if you have a Samsung device). The watch also offers body composition and body fat readings in just a matter of minutes.

The Galaxy Watch 7 is set up to track workouts, with specific modes available for running, hiking, cycling, swimming, circuit training, yoga, Pilates and more. For outdoor activities, our tester found that the GPS tracking was accurate compared to other devices.

Similar to an Apple Watch, the Galaxy Watch 7 connects to smartphones to display notifications and calls. The AI technology is also at play here — suggesting replies based on the texts you receive. Unlike some other smartphone-connected watches we tested, this watch features a scratch-resistant oversize screen, so it’s incredibly easy to read these notifications or metrics on the move.

The only downside to this watch is its battery life. While it’s advertised at 24 hours, most reviewers noted that this was shortened if you are actively using any activity tracking feature.

Battery life: About 24 hours, depending on usage | Metrics tracked: Heart rate, sleep, distance, calories burned, steps, temperature | Smart tracker: Yes | GPS functionality: Yes | Special features: Sleep apnea detection, ECG test, irregular heart beat notification, fertility tracking 

A good balance of fitness features with a broad range of smart capabilities. This smartwatch, ideal for those who are already part of the Apple ecosystem, is a practical choice if you want an easy way to sync all your Apple devices. “It’s very practical as it’s compatible with other products. It also has many features like GPS, calorie tracking, etc., as well as the ability to send you notifications and progress updates,” said Sandra Gail Frayna, founder of Hudson Premier Physical Therapy & Sports.

The Apple Watch stands apart from many other smartwatch or fitness tracker options thanks to its comprehensive health tracking. In addition to steps, distance, calories burned, heart rate monitoring and sleep tracking, you can also take an ECG test at any time, and the watch can be set to notify you if it detects an irregular heart rhythm. In the same vein, the sleep mode can monitor irregularities in sleep patterns that may indicate sleep apnea

Also, thanks to its body temperature tracking capabilities, it’s able to provide you information on fertility and estimate your ovulation dates. 

As far as fitness tracking, the Apple Watch offers similar features to many of the other monitors we tested. You can set workout goals, track your intensity and choose specific workout modes (like cycling, running, yoga or strength training) to better monitor your every movement. The watch is also water-, crack- and dust-resistant so you don’t have to worry about damaging your watch during a workout. 

One area where Apple Watch stands out is its integrated safety features. While thankfully our tester didn’t need to use them during her trial, she said that they “provided peace of mind, particularly on long runs or bike rides.” You see, Apple Watch can auto-detect hard falls or crashes, automatically calling for help and sharing your location with your saved emergency contacts. Likewise, you can set a “check in” notification to be sent to a friend when you arrive at a destination, and you can share your real-time GPS location with friends so someone will always know where you are. 

The major downside to this tracker is its battery life, which requires a daily charge. However, a 30-minute charge gives you 80% battery, so while frequent charging is a bit of a pain, you don’t have to disconnect for long to be back in business.