What are the Best AI-Powered Fitness Trackers?

Fitness trackers are super personal—just like any gear you wear every day. The best one should be comfortable, stylish, and match your lifestyle, including your workout habits.

Do you bike, row, or lift weights? Do you go for long trail runs, or just need a reminder to stand up once in a while? Would you rather wear it on your wrist, slip it on your finger, or tuck it into your bra?

Whatever you’re looking for, there’s never been a better time to find a high-tech tracker that can help you crush your fitness goals or get back on track.

Every year, we test tons of them—whether we’re running, hiking, climbing, or just following a workout video on an iPad—so we can bring you the best picks.

Best Overall

Fitbit Charge 6

Fitbit has had some tough competition—especially from the Apple Watch—but it always wins me over. It strikes the perfect balance between style, affordability, and ease of use. It’s great for anyone who isn’t running ultra-marathons or lifting like a pro.

The Charge 6 (7/10, WIRED Recommends) comes with a bunch of new Google-powered features. The updated app looks fresher and is way more organized. Now, you can get directions with Google Maps, pay with Google Wallet, and even control music—if you have a YouTube Music Premium subscription.

Plus, it tracks your skin temperature, heart rate (24/7!), ECGs, workouts, and sleep—all in a sleek new app. The battery lasts over a week, and yes, the physical button is back! All this for just $160.

In July 2024, Fitbit rolled out some big updates. The heart rate tracking is now more accurate, it can auto-detect more workouts (like elliptical and spinning), and GPS accuracy has improved. Some of the best features are still locked behind the $10/month Fitbit Premium subscription, but if you just want a solid, budget-friendly fitness tracker, the Charge 6 is a great choice.

Best Budget Tracker

Fitbit Inspire 3

If you just need a basic health tracker to count your steps, track your sleep, and notify you of calls, there are tons of cheap knockoffs out there. But for $80, why not get the real deal?

Fitbit updated the Inspire in 2022, and it comes with a pedometer, SpO2 tracking, sleep monitoring, and plenty of watch faces and accessories to choose from.

That said, it wasn’t all smooth sailing. I ran into some connectivity issues and had to restart my phone just to get the Inspire 3 to update its time zone (which took a couple of days). It also overestimated my sleep, which made me skeptical of Fitbit’s Sleep Profile feature.

For two months, I had a chronic nighttime cough, but the Inspire 3 still logged seven hours of sleep just because I was lying still—while a more sensitive tracker showed a much more realistic five hours.

That being said, if you don’t have any sleep issues, the Inspire 3 is still more reliable than a knockoff version. Plus, Fitbit often puts its trackers on sale, so you might be able to grab one for even less!

Best if You Have an iPhone

Apple Watch Series 10

Most people keep their Apple Watch for years, and for good reason—it’s hands down the best fitness tracker for iPhone users. To celebrate its 10th anniversary, Apple released the Watch Series 10 (8/10, WIRED Recommends).

While it still doesn’t have blood oxygen sensing due to an ongoing patent dispute with Masimo Corp, it’s a big upgrade in almost every other way.

The standout feature? Sleep apnea detection. Using an accelerometer and machine learning, the watch can check for breathing disturbances while you sleep. That’s a game-changer, considering the usual way to diagnose sleep apnea involves an overnight hospital stay for a sleep study.

Apple also made several hardware improvements that make tracking your activity even easier. The Series 10 is thinner, lighter, more comfortable, and charges faster. It even has a water-temperature sensor, which is especially useful if you live in an area where cold water can be dangerous. Plus, WatchOS 11 brings new health features like Training Load (to track how workouts impact your performance) and a Vitals app that makes it easy to check key health metrics.

You can get many of WatchOS 11’s updates on the second-gen Watch SE, but you’ll miss out on advanced sensors like wrist-based body temperature tracking. And while the lack of blood oxygen sensing is a letdown, the Apple Watch is still the best fitness tracker for iPhone users—no contest.

Best for Wear OS

Google Pixel Watch 3

The Google Pixel Watch 3 (8/10, WIRED Recommends) is the best Wear OS watch out there—and honestly, one of the best-looking smartwatches, period.

It now comes in two sizes, but both WIRED reviewer Julian Chokkattu and I recommend going with the larger 45-mm model for better battery life.

This year, Google put a big focus on running. The Pixel Watch 3 comes with AI-generated running plans and a new Cardio Load feature that helps track whether you’re over- or under-training.

As a longtime runner, I had mixed feelings about it, but Julian liked Fitbit’s simple, low-intensity plans (since Google owns Fitbit now). There’s also a Loss of Pulse Detection feature, but it’s not available in the US yet.

That said, Fitbit integration is seamless. The heart rate monitor and other health tracking features—including ECG readings, sleep tracking, blood oxygen monitoring, and stress tracking—are accurate and reliable. After a few years of trial and error, the Pixel Watch 3 has finally found its place—it’s basically the Apple Watch of the Android world.

Best for Samsung

Samsung Galaxy Watch7

The Galaxy Watch7 is Samsung’s latest smartwatch, and this time, they’ve added some AI-powered health tracking features. You’ll find tools like Energy Score and improved sleep tracking to help you better understand your health.

The sleep tracking gives you a ton of data, but WIRED reviewer Julian Chokkattu noticed that it sometimes stopped tracking in the middle of the night.

One standout feature is the FDA-cleared sleep apnea detection, but it’s not something you’ll use every night—it takes two nights to gather data, then gives you a report on whether you show symptoms.

Keep in mind that some features, like sleep apnea detection, ECG readings, and irregular heart rhythm alerts, only work if you pair the watch with a Samsung phone. If you’re using another Android phone, you’ll still get a solid experience, just without those extras.

The biggest downside? Battery life. Julian found it frustrating compared to older models. With the always-on display, tracking two workouts and sleep overnight, he barely made it 24 hours on a single charge. If you don’t mind charging frequently, though, the Watch7 is still a solid upgrade in Samsung’s lineup.

Best Running Watch

Garmin Forerunner 165

When it comes to running watches, Garmin Forerunner is probably the top choice. This line has been around for a while, ranging from the basic Forerunner 55 ($200) to the high-end Forerunner 965 ($600).

Each model offers different features: cheaper ones have simpler displays and skip the blood oxygen sensor, but all of them come with access to multiple satellite systems for accurate location tracking and Garmin’s training algorithms for personalized workouts.

One great thing about Forerunners is that they hold their value well, so if you can catch a deal on a previous year’s model (like the Forerunner 255), you’ll get a solid watch for less. But if you’re looking for a great all-around option, I recommend the Forerunner 165 (8/10, WIRED Recommends).

It’s on the more affordable side but still packs a bright AMOLED display, an altimeter for accurate mileage, and a blood oxygen sensor. I found the sleep and workout tracking to be spot on, the battery life solid, and I love the Morning Report feature, which gives you a daily update on your sleep, the weather, and how ready you are for the day.

The Music version costs an extra $50, but it might not be worth it for everyone. Still, overall, it’s a great choice for most runners.

Alternative: If only Garmin’s Forerunners weren’t so good! Otherwise, Coros Pace 3 ($229) would be a top pick. It’s incredibly light, durable, and has amazing battery life. I wore it for two weeks last fall without needing to charge it once!

Thanks to its dual-frequency GPS, it tracked my runs seamlessly, including when I tried to keep up with Eliud Kipchoge’s pace (spoiler: I couldn’t!). The Pace 3 does all the things more expensive trackers do, like breadcrumb navigation, but its retro look and dimmer screen might not be for everyone.