Finding the best fitness tracker is no easy task. Fitness trackers are part of a rapidly growing category at the moment. We've been seeing bands from the likes of FitBit and Jawbone, both of whom have released several models over the years. We've also been seeing new bands from established names in the fitness space such as Garmin, Polar, and NordicTrack. Not to mention, the bands coming from established companies outside the fitness space — namely Microsoft and the recently released (and rather simply named) Microsoft Band.
Just with that there are already plenty of models to consider before making a purchase. And not to add any more confusion to the process, but we are also seeing some category crossover with smartwatches, running oriented fitness watches, and some standalone mobile apps. Basically, all of that is to say the fitness band category may seem a bit messy or overwhelming at the moment. We've even discovered some (previously unknown to us) models while compiling this buyers guide. And if we've missed some, it seems safe to believe others may have as well.
So just what are your options for the best fitness tracker? Read on and let's find out!
The Criteria
Before we get into the different models, we should let you know this guide focuses on the fitness band side, as opposed to the previously mentioned "crossover" space. Basically, the list that follows focuses specifically on products where the key feature is counting your steps or monitoring your activity. That primarily means a band, but as you'll see, that also includes some devices that clip to your waistband or pocket.
Keep in mind too that the purpose of this guide isn't to pick one overall, "best" fitness tracker (we'll do that later), but rather to give you everything in one place so you can better weigh your options and be informed before making your next fitness tracker purchase.
Platforms
While these fitness bands aren't running a mobile operating system such as Android, iOS or Windows Phone, compatibility is a factor you will need to take into consideration before making a purchase. Some of the bands, such as Fitbit, are able to sync with a Mac or Windows computer, however with many of these bands not offering a display, being able to see your current activity while out and about means using a mobile device. The vast majority of the bands sync with Android and iOS, but there seems to be growing support for Windows Phone as well (obviously with the Microsoft Band leading the way)
Price
It would be nice if price didn't have to be an issue, however that often isn't the case — especially when you are looking to purchase yet another gadget. The good news is that fitness bands are available in a wide range of price points — there are even some solid options available for less than $100. The important aspect to remember when it comes to price is features — or more specifically — in getting the features you want and are going to use, as opposed to paying more to get features that may go unused.
Also note that the prices we have listed here are the lowest prices we could find for each device at the time this article was published.
Hardware
There are two main styles of fitness bands — the kind you wear on your wrist and the kind you clip to your waistband. It seems the majority of companies are making models for your wrist at this point, however there are still some solid waist worn options available for those lacking space on their wrist or not wanting a device to get in the way. Admittedly, this is one perk for using the fitness features found within Android Wear. But those already wearing a smartwatch and wanting to keep their other wrist free may want to look towards Fitbit or Jawbone.
Another hardware aspect to consider is the display, or as you'll find — the lack of display. Some of the bands (clips) have a full display that cycle through your daily stats. Those without a full display sometimes have LED indicator lights to show progress, and sometimes the band is just that — a band. Examples of bands with LED indicator lights include Misfit, while an example of a band just being a band is the UP series from Jawbone. Again, this is where being able to sync your fitness band with your mobile phone will be of importance.
Battery
Battery life is often an important factor when it comes to mobile devices, but this isn't quite as important when it comes to fitness bands. With some exceptions, the majority of fitness bands will offer several days of run time. And in some cases you will be able to get a week, or even two weeks between charges. Throwing a strike against using the fitness features in Android Wear — it is sort of refreshing to be able to wear a gadget for a week or more without having to worry about a dead battery, or needing to find somewhere to charge.
Features
The point where you may have an issue with features is when trying to decide how much you are willing to spend. First things first though, most of the fitness bands offer the same basic functions. That is to say the overwhelming majority of bands will keep track of your daily steps, distance, and calories burned. For many, this will be all that is needed. Other items such as heart rate, food tracking, weight tracking, and more are nice, but we suspect those may not be used quite as often. Basically, if you are mainly looking to track your steps and have some motivation to reach 10,000 per day, you can easily get by with spending under $100.
All that having been said, this list is broken down by price, and each model listed below includes the highlight features as well as details of what the band (clip) is able to track.
Under $50
Pivotal Living Life Tracker 1 - $12 annual subscription
Mobile Device Support: Android 4.3 or higher, iOS 8 or higher
Battery Life: 5-7 days
Water-resistant, sweat-proof and rain-proof
Total steps, distance, active time, calories, sleep length, and sleep quality
OLED display
Adjustable one-size fits all band (6 to 7 3/4 inches)
Pivotal Living has recently introduced the Life Tracker 1. This particular model is able to track the items you'd hope to see, however it takes an interesting route with pricing. Pivotal Living has introduced the Life Tracker 1 for just $12. Basically, you'll be able to pay $12 (plus an extra $3 for shipping) and get the band — the catch here is that you aren't actually buying the band, but a one year membership to Pivotal Living. And to clarify that — you will need to pay an additional $12 each year to keep going.
Touching back on the features and we find the Life Tracker 1 using a three-axis accelerometer to keep track of your total steps, distance, active time, calories, sleep length, and sleep quality. Also worth mentioning is the 'recently introduced' aspect.
At present, the Pivotal Living website notes how current orders will begin shipping in December and "should arrive" in time for the holidays. Similarly, the Android and iOS mobile apps are noted as arriving in December.
Read More at Pivotal Living
Misfit Flash - $49.99
Mobile Device Support: Android 4.2 or higher, iOS 6.1 or higher, Windows Phone (coming soon)
Battery Life: Up to 6 months (CR2032 Coin Cell)
Waterproof to 30M
Steps, distance, calories burned, sleep duration, sleep quality
LED display
Sensors: 3-axis accelerometer
Dimensions: 28.5 x 8.0 x 28.5 mm (W x D x H)
Weight: 6.0 grams
Band: TPU/Polycarbonate
The Misfit Flash can be worn on the wrist or clipped on to your clothing. The Flash itself features a circular design that slips in and out of the wrist or clip attachments. There isn't a full display on the Flash, however you are able to check your progress by pressing the Flash. Naturally, you can also fire up the Android or iOS app to check your daily progress, or your saved history. The tracking is done using a three-axis accelerometer, and Misfit Wearables has the Flash available in seven different colors. At present (November 2014) the Flash is available for pre-order.
Purchase Misfit Flash at Amazon
Jawbone UP Move - $49.99
Mobile Device Support: Select Android devices (with 4.0 or higher), iOS 7.0 or higher
Battery Life: Up to 6 months (CR2032 Coin Cell)
Water-resistant, but cannot be submerged in water
Steps, calories burned, sleep duration, sleep quality
LED indicator lights (12 White LEDs, 1 Orange LED, and 1 Blue LED indicate motor time, charge states, progress and current status)
Sensors: 3-axis accelerometer
Dimensions: 27.64 x 27.64 x 9.75 mm (L x W x H)
Weight: 6.8 grams
Band: Nylon like material, anodized aluminum, medical grade TPU rubber
A new entry in the Jawbone lineup, the UP Move breaks from the wrist and arrives as a clip-style fitness tracker. The UP Move is available in five different colors, and does the tracking by use of the three-axis accelerometer. Similar to some of the other Jawbone fitness bands, the UP Move also features the Smart Coach setup as well as the ability to keep track of your mood and what you are eating and drinking.
The Jawbone UP Move weighs 6.8 grams, measures in at 27.64mm x 27.64mm x 9.75mm, and sports a series of 12 white LEDs, 1 orange LED and 1 blue LED to indicate motor time, charge states, progress and current status.
Read More at Jawbone
Fitbit Zip - $59.95
Mobile Device Support: Android (select models), iOS (select models with iOS 6.0 or above), Windows Phone (select models)
Battery Life: 4-6 months with 3V (CR 2025) coin battery
Rain, splash and sweat-proof (should not be submerged more than 1 meter of water)
Steps taken, distance traveled, calories burned
LCD display
Sensors: 3-axis accelerometer
Dimensions: 1.4 x 1.1 x 0.38 inches (H x W x D)
Weight: 8 grams
Band: Silicone and metal clip
The Fitbit Zip is a clip style fitness tracker designed to be worn on the waistband. Fitbit offers the Zip in five different colors, each of which has an LCD display to quickly check your progress. Along with being able to view your steps, distance or calories burned, the Zip also has the time of day and Fitbit Smiley system to highlight your recent activity level. Fitbit Zip users can also track and monitor their weight, water intake and food intake by way of the mobile apps and web interface.
Along with syncing to a variety of mobile devices, Fitbit also offers a web access with syncing to a Mac or Windows computer. The computer based syncing requires the (included) USB dongle. Your data is also syncing to the cloud, which means you'll be able to view your account using the mobile app or web interface. The Zip itself will also retain up 7 days of detailed minute-by-minute data for times when you are not able to sync.
Purchase Fitbit Zip at Amazon
$50-$100
Polar Loop - $64.99
Mobile Device Support: Android 4.3 or higher, iOS 8 or higher
Battery: 5 days
Water-proof (suitable for swimming)
Steps, distance, calories, sleep duration, sleep quality
LED display
Sensors: 3-axis accelerometer
Heart-rate: with optional chest-strap heart-rate sensor
The Polar Loop ships in three colors; black, blue, or purple. The band is adjustable in size, and along with the activity tracking — users can also expect to get a reminder alert if they aren't being active enough. Your activity can be seen on the band itself (displayed in a series of LED lights), or using the mobile or web interface. Polar also allows the user to set goals and keep track of achievements using the web access (called Polar Flow). The Polar Loop doesn't monitor your heart rate out of the box, however it does pair with the Polar H6 or H7 heart rate sensors. These heart rate sensors are designed to be worn around the chest, and are not included with the Loop fitness band.
Purchase Polar Loop at Amazon
NordicTrack iFit Act - $79
Mobile Device Support: Android and iOS
Battery Life: Up to 8 months with coin cell battery
Water-resistant
Steps, distance, calories burned, sleep time, sleep patterns
LED indicator lights
Band: Stretch wristband (ships with two bands, S+M and L+XL)
The NordicTrack iFit Act is designed to be work on the wrist, though the actual tracker is a smaller pod that clips into the wrist band. The perk here is that you'll be able to replace the band (as opposed to the whole unit) should you have an issue. The iFit Act ships with a pair of "stretchy" bands, one for Small/Medium and the other for Large/Extra Large.
NordicTrack has the iFit Act setup to sync wirelessly with the Android or iOS mobile apps, and your stats can also be viewed online by way of the iFit.com website. Otherwise, the iFit Act features LED indicator lights which show whether you are in the Exercise, Sleep or Sync mode. You are also able to set the iFit Act to automatically switch from "active" to "sleep" modes. Lastly, similar to other fitness bands, the iFit Act also allows the user to set goals for items such as activity, sleep and calories.
Read more at NordicTrack
Striiv Touch - $79.99
Mobile Device Support: Android 4.3 or higher, iOS 7.0 or higher
Battery Life: 5 days
Water (shower and bath) and sweat-resistant
Steps, miles, active minutes, calories, sleep duration, sleep quality
OLED touchscreen display with ion-hardened glass
The Touch in the name hints at the feature set. Striiv has loaded the Touch fitness band with a touchscreen display, which in addition to the activity and sleep tracking — is also able to show incoming calls, text messages and meeting reminders. The Striiv Touch is designed to be worn on the wrist, and ships in an adjustable one-size fits all band. The Touch offers tracking that is similar to other fitness bands, however Striiv has made an attempt to gamify things. In this case the Touch has something called "My Land" which is described as being the first ever fantasy game powered by your steps.
Read more at Striiv
Fitbit One - $89.99
Mobile Device Support: Android (select models), iOS (select models with iOS 6.0 or above), Windows Phone (select models)
Battery Life: 10-14 days
Rain, splash and sweat-proof (should not be submerged more than 1 meter of water)
Steps, distance, floors climbed, calories burned, active minutes, sleep
OLED display
Sensors: 3-axis accelerometer, altimeter
Dimensions: 1.89 x 0.76 x 0.39 inches (H x W x D)
Weight: 8 grams
Silicone and metal clip
The Fitbit One, similar to the Zip, is clip based and designed to be worn on the waistband. But unlike the Zip, the Fitbit One features an altimeter which allows it to track the amount of stairs you climb, and a vibration motor which means it can vibrate for alarms. The One ships in two colors, black or burgundy.
The One has an OLED display that shows your steps, distance, calories burned, floors climbed, and the time of day. The display also has the Fitbit Flower system which grows and shrinks based on your recent activity. The One has enough internal storage for up to 7 days of detailed activity. Fitbit also has the One setup to sync wirelessly with mobile devices and computers. Mobile device support includes Android, iOS and Windows Phone, and the computer support includes Mac and Windows. Fitbit also allows the user to track your weight, water intake and food intake by way of the mobile apps and web interface.
Purchase Fitbit One at Amazon
Fitbit Flex - $99.95
Mobile Device Support: Android (select models), iOS (select models with iOS 6.0 or above), Windows Phone (select models)
Battery Life: 5 days
Water-resistant (can handle being submerged up to 10 meters)
Steps, distance, calories burned, active minutes, sleep
LED indicator lights
Sensors: 3-axis accelerometer
Band: Ships with Small (5.5 - 6.9-inches) and Large (6.3 - 8.2-inches) bands that are 0.6-inches in width
Shifting away from the waist worn Zip and One, the Fitbit Flex is designed to be worn on the wrist. Fitbit ships the Flex with two wristbands (small and large), and those considering a purchase will be abel to choose from a wide variety of colors. The Flex sports a five LED indictor light setup, which shows you daily progress. You'll have to set a daily step goal, and then each of those five lights represent 20 percent of the goal. Of course, you can also view your progress using the mobile or web interface.
Similar to the Zip and One, the Flex syncs wirelessly with Android, iOS and Windows Phone devices as well as Mac and Windows computers. The Flex is able to store up to seven days of details stats just in case you aren't able to sync regularly. Otherwise, aside from the bits tracked and recorded by the Flex itself — the Fitbit setup also allows the user to monitor their weight, water and food intake.
Purchase Fitbit Flex at Amazon
Misfit Shine - $82.99
Mobile Device Support: Android, iOS, Windows Phone
Battery Life: Up to 6 months (CR2032 Coin Cell)
Waterproof to 50m
Steps, distance, calories burned, sleep duration, sleep quality
LED indicator lights
Sensors: 3-axis accelerometer
Dimensions: 27.5 x 3.3 x 27.5 mm (W x D x W)
Weight: 9.4 grams
Made of anodized aircraft-grade aluminum
Misfit Wearables tout the Shine as being able to be worn anywhere and as being able to track everything. To the first point, the Shine is a small circular unit and users can choose to wear it using one of the many accessories. These include a sports band, leather band, clasp, or necklace. Misfit Wearables also offers a classic t-shirt and socks with a built-in pocket to hold the Shine. To the second point, the Shine tracks the basics such as steps, distance and calories, however users can also use the automatic sleep monitoring, and food journal. The Misfit Shine is available in a variety of colors and currently available for purchase.
Purchase Misfit Shine at Amazon
Striiv Fusion Activity Tracker - $99.99
Mobile Device Support: Android 4.3 or higher, iOS 7.0 or higher
Battery Life: 5 days
Water and sweat-resistant
Steps, miles, active minutes, calories, sleep duration, sleep quality
The Striiv Fusion offers a similar feature set as the Striiv Touch, though it does bring some improvements in terms of design and overall appearance. Those considering a Fusion will get the fitness basics, and they are also able to see details for incoming calls, text messages and meeting reminders. The Striiv Fusion is available in black, blue, and red.
Purchase Striiv Fusion at Amazon
Nike+ FuelBand SE - $99.99
Mobile Device Support: Android, iOS
Battery Life: 4 days
Water-resistant (safe for shower and rain)
Tracks daily activity and displays the current time of day, also makes use of the NikeFuel system
LED indicator lights (20 color and 100 white)
Sensors: 3-axis accelerometer, ambient light sensor
Band: Sizes Small (5.79-inches), Medium/Large (6.77-inches), X-Large (7.76-inches)
Dimensions: 0.6-inches (depth)
Weight: Small-27 grams, Medium/Large-30 grams, X-Large-32 grams
Nike has the FuelBand SE available in a variety of different colors including black/yellow, black/red, black/pink, and black/black. All of your activity sync with your Android or iOS device using Bluetooth, and can then be viewed using the app, or a web interface. The FuelBand SE features a three-axis accelerometer and ambient light sensor. The accelerometer is responsible for the activity tracking, and the light sensor will help control the LED light display.
In the case of the FuelBand SE, the light display includes 20 color LED and 100 white LED lights. The 20 color LED lights change from red to green to indicate your daily progress. The 100 white LED lights show the time of day, NikeFuel earned, calories burned, and steps taken. You can cycle through those details with the button found on the band. Otherwise, the FuelBand SE is designed to be worn on the wrist and ships in three different sizes.
Nike also makes heavy use of the community aspect. Here you can have friends and participate in challenges with goals of earning trophies and being on top of the leaderboards.
Purchase Nike Fuelband SE from Amazon
$100-$150
Garmin vivofit - $98
Mobile Device Support: Android and iOS
Battery Life: 1 year
Water rating of 5ATM (50 meters), safe to wear in the shower or while swimming
Steps, distance traveled, calories burned, sleep
Display: 1.00 x 0.38-inches (W x H)
Sensors: accelerometer
Heart-rate: yes (with options chest-strap heart-rate sensor)
Dimensions: 21 x 10.5 mm (W x T)
Weight: 0.89-ounces
Band: Small 120-175mm, Large 152-210mm
The Garmin vivofit isn't brand new on the market, however it does still offer a complete feature set — including compatibility with a chest-style heart rate strap. Other perks of the vivofit include time of day (on the display), personalized daily goals, and a move bar that warns against inactivity. The vivofit move bar builds every 15 minutes (beginning after 1 hour of inactivity). Users would need to start moving to reset the move bar.
Otherwise, the Garmin vivofit is able to sync wirelessly with mobile devices using the Connect app. Garmin also allows the user to sync wirelessly with a Mac or Windows computer using the included ANT stick. The vivofit is available in a variety of colors. Also worth noting, the actual vivofit is a smaller item that slips into the band. This is helpful because Garmin includes two different sized bands in the box to allow for a better fit.
Purchase Garmin vivofit from Amazon
NordicTrack iFit Active - $103.50
Mobile Device Support: Android and iOS
Battery Life: 5 days
Water and sweat-resistant
Steps, distance, calories burned, sleep time, sleep patterns
LED display
Band: adjustable band, also ships with a waistband clip
The iFit Active is similar to the lower priced iFit Act in terms of the data it records, however there are a few additional perks. For one, the iFit Active can be worn clipped to your waistband or on your wrist. In fact NordicTrack ships the iFit Active with a wristband and a clip. The iFit Active itself features an LED display to show your current stats, and is controlled with a two-button setup. Of course, along with viewing your current states on the iFit Active display, they can also be viewed using the mobile apps, or by way of the web-based iFit.com setup.
Purchase iFit Active at Amazon
Fitbit Charge - $129.95
Mobile Device Support: Android (select models), iOS (select models with iOS 6.0 or above), Windows Phone (select models)
Battery Life: 7-10 days
Water-resistant to 1ATM
Steps, distance, calories burned, floors climbed, active minutes
OLED display
Sensors: 3-axis accelerometer
Dimensions: Small (5.5 - 6.7-inches), Large (6.3 - 7.9-inches), X-Large (7.8 - 9.1-inches) and 0.83-inches wide
Band: Flexible, durable elastomer (similar to sports watches), also has surgical grade stainless steel clasp
The Fitbit Charge features an OLED display to show the time of day, daily stats, and exercise mode. The display is also able to show notifications for incoming calls. Other highlight features of the Charge include being able to automatically monitor your sleep, and wake you with a silent (vibrating) alarm.
Similar to the other Fitbit fitness bands, the Charge is able to sync with mobile devices as well as Mac and Windows computers. Users can also use the Fitbit setup to monitor their weight, water and food intake. Fitbit also offers a badge system and allows you to become friends with other users to share and compete.
The Fitbit Charge is available in four colors; black, slate, blue, and burgundy. The band itself is available in small, large or x-large sizes which are said to fit wrists between 5.5-inches on the small side and 9.1-inches on the large side.
Read more / Purchase at Fitbit
Jawbone UP24 - $118
Mobile Device Support: Select Android devices (with 4.0 or higher), iOS 7.0 or higher
Battery Life: 14 days
Splash-resistant, but cannot be submerged in water
Steps, calories burned, sleep duration, sleep quality
Two single color LED indicator lights
Sensors: 3-axis accelerometer
Dimensions: Small, Medium, Large
Weight: Small 19 grams, Medium 22 grams, Large 23 grams
Band: Hypoallergenic TPU rubber
The Jawbone UP24 tracks your activity using a three-axis accelerometer, and offers two single color LEDs and a vibrating motor to indicate power, charge states and current status. Your activity syncs wirelessly with your smartphone and can be viewed using the mobile apps.
Along with viewing your current activity, the UP24 app also allows the user to set goals and log their food and drinks. Similar to the lower priced Jawbone UP Move, the UP24 makes use of the Smart Coach setup (to better help you reach goals), and connect or compete with friends and family. Another key feature of the UP24 is the Idle Alert which basically lets you know you've been sitting for too long.
Purchase Jawbone UP24 at Amazon
Timex Move X20 - $129.95
Mobile Device Support: Android and iOS
Battery Life: 7 days
IPx7 waterproof rating for protection against splashing water
Steps, distance, calories burned, sleep
Dimensions: Width (17.36mm for Small/Medium) (17.6mm for Medium/Large), Thickness 8mm
The Move X20 may not get any awards for being the most talked about, however the Timex name has been responsible for quite a few successful products over the years. In this case the Timex X20 brings the tracking you would expect and/or require from a fitness band, and does so with a few extra perks. The X20 also offers a phone finder feature, weather alerts, and vibration alerts to help get you up in the morning. Similar to some of the other fitness band setups, the Timex X20 also has a goal based system to keep you active. The band also has a display that time of day, details on incoming text messages, and a progress bar that shows where you are based on your goals.
Purchase Timex Move x20 at Amazon
Fitbit Charge HR - $149.99
Mobile Device Support: Android (select models), iOS (select models with iOS 6.0 or above), Windows Phone (select models)
Battery Life: 5+ days
Water-resistant to 1ATM
Steps, distance, floors climbed, active minutes, calories burned, workouts, sleep
OLED display
Sensors: 3-axis accelerometer
Heart-rate: automatic and continuous
Dimensions: Small (5.5 - 6.5-inches), Large (6.3 - 7.6-inches), X-Large (7.6 - 9.1-inches) and 34mm wide
Band: Flexible, durable elastomer (similar to sports watches), also has surgical grade stainless steel clasp
Another new addition to the Fitbit lineup, the Charge HR is available in a variety of colors. The Charge HR syncs wireless with a variety of mobile devices (mentioned above) as well as with Mac or Windows computer. This setup has your data syncing between the mobile and web interfaces, which should make it easy to view wherever you happen to be located.
Along with the activity and health tracking, Fitbit users can also enter and keep track of food and water intake, weight, and more. If you are looking for a Fitbit and want heart rate tracking, you'll need to look at this model (the Charge HR) or the higher priced Surge. The Charge HD is also aimed at the multi-sport user, and is able to show information for incoming telephone calls.
Read more at Fitbit
Samsung Gear Fit - $149.99
Mobile Device Support: Android 4.3 or higher
Battery Life: 3-5 days depending on use
Water-resistant (IP67)
Exercise, sleep, heart rate
1.84-inch Super AMOLED display
Sensors: accelerometer, gyro
Heart-rate: yes
Dimensions: 0.92 x 2.26 x 0.47-inches
Weight: 0.95 ounces
The Gear Fit is compatible only with Android and integrates with the Samsung S Health setup. This means you'll be able to track your daily progress, keep track of goals, and more. Samsung has the Gear Fit positioned in the fitness space, but there is some crossover into the smartwatch space. For one, the Gear Fit sports a curved 1.84-inch Super AMOLED touchscreen display. And making use of the display, the Gear Fit is able to show incoming notifications from your phone, find your phone it if gets lost, act as a stopwatch, and show the current time of day.
Purchase Samsung Gear Fit at Amazon
$150-$200
Garmin vivosmart - $169.99
Mobile Device Support: Android and iOS
Battery Life: 7 days
Water rating of 5ATM (50 meters), safe to wear in the shower or while swimming
Steps, distance traveled, calories burned, sleep
1.35 x 0.14-inch touchscreen
Sensors: accelerometer
Heart-rate: yes (with options chest-strap heart-rate sensor)
Dimensions: Small (127 - 172mm), Large (155 - 221 mm)
Weight: Small (0.66-ounces), Large (0.67-ounces)
The Garmin vivosmart is the new addition for the vivo fitness band lineup. The vivosmart retains many of the same features as the vivofit. That is to say the vivosmart takes care of the basics with the ability to track steps, distance, calories, and time. The vivosmart also tracks sleep, displays the time of day on the band, and has the Move Bar which is set to help encourage movement and activity. Those considering a vivosmart will also have to choose whether to get the model with, or without the chest-strap style heart rate monitor. But as this is a new band as compared to the vivofit — the vivosmart does have some extra goodies. Users can expect a touchscreen OLED display, vibration alerts, auto sync, and smart notifications. Otherwise, the Garmin vivosmart is available in black, berry, blue, slate, and purple.
Purchase Garmin vivosmart at Amazon
Jawbone UP3 - $179.99
Mobile Device Support: Select Android devices (with 4.0 or higher), iOS 7.0 or higher
Battery Life: 7 days
Water-resistant to 10 meters
Steps, calories burned, sleep duration, sleep quality
Three single color LED indicator lights
Sensors: 3-axis accelerometer, Skin temperature, Ambient temperature
Heart-rate: yes (for resting heart-rate)
Dimensions: 220 x 12.2 x 3.0-9.3 mm
Weight:29 grams
Band: anodized aluminum, TiN coated stainless steel, TPU
The Jawbone UP3 serves as a follow-up (but not as a replacement) to the UP24. Jawbone touts the UP3 as being the "world's most advanced tracker." And to that point, Jawbone mentioned how the UP3 features advanced sleep and advanced activity tracking. Due to the included sensors, the UP3 is said to be able to track your "true sleep stages." That means the UP3 should be able to show how much time was spent in REM, light and deep sleep. The band then uses the Smart Coach setup to offer suggestions to improve your sleep quality. Smart Coach will also be able to learn (and offer suggestions) based on your activity, food and heart rate data. The advanced activity aspect simply means the UP3 should be able to learn and automatically log and categorize your activities.
Other highlights of the UP3 include an idle alert, goals, food and drink logging, and a Smart Alarm that aims to wake you at an optimal moment of your sleep cycle. The UP3 also has an LED setup. Specifically, the band has three single color LEDs with blue for sleep, orange for activity and white for notifications. The UP3 is a decent step above the UP24 in terms of price, however it does add some key features, such as the heart rate tracking, and the 10 meter water resistance.
Read More at Jawbone
Microsoft Band - $199.99
Mobile Device Support: Android 4.3 or higher, iOS 7.1 or higher, Windows Phone 8.1
Battery Life: 48 hours (with "normal" use)
Dust and splash-resistant
Steps, calories, running, sleep
1.4-inch color capacitive touchscreen
Sensors: 3-axis accelerometer, gyro, GPS, ambient light, skin temperature, UV, capacitive sensor, galvanic skin response, microphone
Heart-rate: yes (24 hour)
Band: thermal plastic elastomer with adjustable fit clasp
Another new addition to the fitness band category. Microsoft released the Band with support for Android, iOS and Windows Phone, though some features work only with certain platforms. For example, the Cortana integration requires a phone running Windows Phone 8.1. Otherwise, the Microsoft Band is able to track the basics such as steps and calories, and even adds a bit of extra with the GPS tracking and running features. Not to mention, the 24-hour heart rate monitor and UV index monitor.
The Band has a full color touch screen display, that can be customized with different backgrounds. Other goodies include notifications for incoming calls, messages, email, social media, the weather, and more. Similar to the cross platform smartphone compatibility, Microsoft also opted to include support for other services such as Starbucks, Golds Gym, and RunKeeper.
Read More at Microsoft
Jaybird Reign - $199
Mobile Device Support: iOS, with Android support coming in January 2015
Battery Life: 5+ days
Waterproof
Daily activity and sport, sleep quantity, sleep quality
Sensors: accelerometer
Heart-rate: yes
Band: comfort-flex stain-proof soft silicone
The Reign is a band designed to be worn all day, and every day. This isn't much different than many of the other fitness bands currently on the market, however Jaybird seems to focus quite a bit on automation. The Reign is able to detect the activity type and automatically categorize it.
The Reign takes information based on your sleep time and quality and will then offer suggestions as to how much sleep your body needs on that particular night. Similarly, the Reign is also able to look at your activity (or inactivity) and offer suggestions as to how active you should be everyday. The activity suggestions come as part of the Go Zone feature.
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Basis Peak - $199.99
Mobile Device Support: Android and iOS
Battery Life: 4 days
Waterproof up to 5ATM
Steps, calories burned, perspiration, skin temperature, sleep quantity, sleep quality
Touchscreen display with Gorilla Glass 3
Sensors: accelerometer, galvanic skin response, skin temperature
Heart-rate: yes
While the feature set of the Basis Peak may offer many of the same items as other fitness bands — the Peak does have some perks above and beyond. As mentioned above, the Peak offers data on perspiration and skin temperature. It should also be noted the sleep tracking is automatic and the heart rate tracking is always on. The other difference comes in with the overall look as the Peak looks more like a smartwatch than a fitness band. Users will get a touchscreen display protected by Gorilla Glass 3. And making use of the display, the Peak offers details on incoming calls, SMS messages, emails, calendar events, and more.
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$200 and higher
Fitbit Surge - $249.95
Mobile Device Support: Android (select models), iOS (select models with iOS 6.0 or above), Windows Phone (select models)
Battery Life: 7+ days
Water-resistant to 5ATM
Steps, distance, floors climbed, active minutes, calories burned, workouts, sleep
Touchscreen monochrome LCD with backlight
Sensors: 3-axis accelerometer, gyro, digital compass, altimeter, ambient light sensor, GPS
Heart-rate: yes (continuous and automatic)
Dimensions: Small (5.5 - 6.7-inches), Large (6.3 - 7.9-inches), X-Large (7.8 - 9.1-inches) and 34mm wide
Band: Flexible, durable elastomer (similar to sports watches), also has surgical grade stainless steel clasp
Another new addition to the Fitbit lineup, the Surge offers the same perks as the other models in the lineup, with some extra goodies. The Surge has GPS tracking which is able to show distance, pace, elevation, and more. The Surge also continuously monitors heart rate, and is able to keep track of and record activity such as running, cross training and cardio.
Other perks of the Fitbit Surge include an auto-sleep mode with silent alarms for getting up, notification of calls and text messages and music controls. As with the other Fitbit bands, the Surge is also able to take advantage of the mobile and web Fitbit interfaces, food tracking, weight tracking, and badge system that help to celebrate when you reach specific milestones.
Bottom line here, the Fitbit Surge isn't inexpensive, but it does offer a rather complete set of features.
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The Crossover Space
As you may have noticed, a fair amount of bands fall in the $50 to $150 range. That means buyers should not have much trouble finding a band that fits their budget. But this is where the crossover space may be of greater benefit as you can get away with buying one device as opposed to multiple devices. Not to mention, using the fitness features on a smartwatch means not having to wear a watch on one wrist and a fitness band on the other.
Android Wear does a fairly good job in terms of basic fitness features, which is to say they can keep track of your daily steps. Some watches, such as the Samsung Gear Live are also able to check your current heart rate. Android Wear is also compatible with Google Fit, and that means users will be able to monitor their activity using a mobile app or web interface.
Along with Android Wear watches, the Pebble also offers some fitness features. The folks at Pebble have partnered with Jawbone and Misfit to offer step and sleep tracking. One perk of using the Pebble as opposed to Android Wear is the increased battery life. With an Android Wear device you are likely going to be charging every night, whereas Pebble should easily give you a few days between charges. Either way though, assuming you are looking for the basics (step tracking) — Android Wear or Pebble are worthy of consideration.
Those looking to keep the spending to a minimum also have the option of using another in the crossover space — the standalone mobile app. Options here include Moves and Runtastic Pedometer, which are available for Android and iOS users. Other options include Accupedo Pedometer for Android and Pedometer ++ for iOS. Jawbone also offers a stand-alone app solution. Aside from a potential hit on battery life, a drawback for the mobile step tracking apps is that you'll always need to have your phone with you, that is, assuming you want a full and accurate daily step count.
The other section in the crossover space could lead to some initial confusion. Along with the fitness bands that track by step, there are fitness bands that track by GPS and use miles. These are a solid option, but are often intended more for specific activities as opposed to all day daily use. An example here is the Timex Ironman One GPS which offers real-time location tracking. The other reason these solutions are more for specific activities is the battery life. Again using the Timex Ironman One GPS as an example — here you'll get roughly 8 hours. These GPS based models also tend to stand out on price, as they are often more expensive as compared to a regular step-tracking fitness band.
Let's Get Moving!
This brings us to the bottom line question; Which fitness band (or crossover alternative) is best for you? We'd love to give a single and definitive answer here, but similar to the other devices in your life, the model you find to be the best may not work all that well for someone else. Personally, I have been, and plan to continue using the Fitbit One. I enjoy the feature set offered with the One, and have grown accustomed to the Fitbit mobile and web interfaces. I also really like how the One is worn on my waistband as opposed to my wrist.
Basically, that was our way of saying a final purchase decision will have to be a decision you make. As we mentioned earlier, remember to consider need vs want when looking at the highlight features. As well, the price, band style, battery life, and mobile support should also be considered before running out and handing over your money. We also want to offer a generic reminder in that it is best to buy gadgets for what they are at the moment, and not what they can be with future firmware/software updates.
Make sure to shout out in the comments letting us know which model you are considering. Or quite possibly, which model you are already using and why you decided to make the purchase.