The beginning of a new year is an opportune time for restarting goals we couldn't commit to in the previous year. Fitness and wellness targets are some of the most common resolutions - be it hitting 10K steps daily or sleeping eight hours a night. These challenges are considerably easier to manage and track when you're accompanied by a fitness tracker on the wrist.
Luckily, you don't need fancy tech to keep yourself motivated. Common metrics like step count, sleep tracking, calories burnt, activity zones and stress management are basic functions that most inexpensive trackers offer. We're talking about snapping up a personal fitness trainer for as low as Dh150!
From Xiaomi to Fitbit, these activity bands meticulously crunch the numbers for runners, yogis, gym-goers and even casual strollers. All sport a bright, colour touchscreen with a comfortable athletic strap, and some display phone notifications via a Bluetooth connection.
Find best-rated budget options below to kick off your fitness journey as soon as today, with Amazon Prime.
1. Best Overall: Fitbit Inspire 3 Activity Tracker
Pros
- Automatic exercise tracking for over 20 workouts
- Active zone minutes shows heart rate zones
- Sleep stages for every night's sleep
- Up to 10 days of battery life
- GPS tracking with phone
- Water-resistant in up to 50 metres
Cons
- Needs the internet to sync data with the app
- Some functions like Daily Readiness Score are reserved for paid members
Fitbit is a household name for fitness enthusiasts, so you're in good hands, even if you decide to shop from the brand's affordable range. The Fitbit Inspire 3 fits a plethora of health and fitness specs onto a slim 1.5-inch colour screen. It brings live statistics of your favourite exercises to your wrist, and does it automatically to keep a more thorough record. Out of all the metrics available to you, active zone minutes push you the hardest by tracking your time in heart rate zones. Earn double minutes when you work out for longer in peak zones. Sleep is important for recovery, so monitor your stages and score after each night to increase or reduce intensity at the gym. You're also getting stress management, breathing sessions and a gentle vibrating alarm to wake you up. There's no GPS sensor on the device, but the device can track your GPS stats once you pair it with a smartphone, along with calls and app notifications. Reviewers say that the 10-day battery life is true as claimed, and love their six-month free membership. It is chic and discrete on the wrist, unlike other Fitbit models.
Warranty: Amazon offers a one-year extended warranty for Dh18 and two years for Dh29.
2. Best for Various Exercises: Xiaomi Smart Band 8
Pros
- Tracks over 150 exercises and sports
- Option to change watch faces to display more stats
- Pebble mode for accurate running statistics
- Water-resistant in up to 50 metres
- 16-day battery life
Cons
- No GPS function
You're a casual user and want to track a bit of everything to get an idea of your progress. The Xiaomi Smart Band 8 is the device for you. It has a 1.62-inch AMOLED display that automatically adjusts brightness levels, whether you're on the treadmill indoors or playing tennis outdoors. With over 150 exercise modes, the Smart Band 8 takes versatility a step further in the all-new Pebble Mode for runners. Remove the strap and slip the device into a running clip (sold separately), which you can, then, attach to your shoelaces and sprint to get 13 special statistics on stride length, impact force and more. Health management metrics include all-day stress and heart monitoring, sleep reports and blood-oxygen levels. Charge it for an hour and enjoy 16 days of worry-free tracking. Its sleep analysis has great insights, say users. Hikers, joggers and cyclists in the reviews track their progress successfully. They also add that the new app is much more functional than Zepp Life.
Warranty: Amazon offers a one-year extended warranty for Dh12 and two years for Dh19.
3. Best with GPS: Amazfit Bip 5
Pros
- Large, legible screen
- Built-in GPS for outdoor use
- Syncs data with Adidas Running app, Strava, komoot, Relive and more
- Built-in mic and speaker for taking calls or checking stats
- 10-day battery life
- Has Alexa voice assistance
Cons
- Might not be great for swimming
- Auto-detects only seven out of 120 exercises
If outdoor sports is your forte, then you'll need a fitness tracker that has built-in GPS. The Amazfit Bip 5 supports four satellite positioning systems to locate your whereabouts with precision - reviewers say it even works perfectly in the woods and automatically records your route. You get to see everything clearly on the large 1.91-inch rectangular display, which is accompanied by a user-friendly interface that feels like an extension of your phone. Besides tracking 120 exercises, sleep, heart rate and more, the Bip 5 tells you how much recovery time you need and the training load you've undertaken. The tracker also has a built-in speaker and mic that can be set to read stats out loud to keep you focused or allow you to answer incoming calls on the watch. Reviewers are happy with this multi-faceted tracker that lets them call on Alexa for small tasks. They don't have trouble viewing the metrics on the screen, and some were even surprised to find tracking for horse riding.
Warranty: Amazon offers a one-year extended warranty for Dh18 and two years for Dh29.
4. Best for Kids: Cubitt Jr Smart Watch Fitness Tracker
Pros
- Reads temperature and heart rate
- 10 daily reminders for good habits
- Eight games and 10 sports modes
- Up to seven days of battery life
- Doesn't need a smartphone to work
Cons
- Vibration alarms might not be strong enough for wake-up times
Young children can benefit from activity trackers, too, as a safer alternative to smartwatches. Parents of active kids will find reports and metrics helpful, and these trackers can encourage them to take part in exercises. Cubitt Jr is a child-friendly tracker that comes with body temperature monitoring, 10 sports modes, sleep monitoring and a robust build. Little ones get to explore eight brain-teasing games on the watch and receive texts from parents when necessary. The best part is its 10 daily alarms that help children form good habits, from brushing their teeth on time to starting on homework and sleeping early. Reviewers have bought it for children as young as eight years old, and confirm that kids can swim with it on, as well.
Warranty: Amazon offers a one-year extended warranty for Dh18 and two years for Dh29.
5. Best Budget: Xiaomi Mi Band 7 Activity Tracker
Pros
- Activity alerts to get you up and moving
- Calculates recovery time and training load to help plan for future sessions
- Up to 14 days of battery life
- Detailed reports on the Mi Fitness app
- Only weighs 13.5 grams
- Water-resistant in up to 50 metres
Cons
- Only auto-detects five exercises out of 110
Do you have your eyes set on the Xiaomi Smart Band 8? Consider its preceding generation that's easier on the pocket and perfect for wearing to bed since it's so slim. The Smart Band 7 records metrics from 110 sports modes in real-time. With enough data, the tracker crunches training load and recovery numbers for you without any additional cost. Find out if you're ready to take on or skip a session based on oxygen consumption and sleep. Stress and sleep statistics are available just the same, and you can access detailed reports once you download the Mi Fitness app on your phone. Reviewers are extremely pleased with their purchase, as Amazon marks this product for fewer returns compared to similar trackers. They say that the performance of the Smart Band 7 outweighs its price, given how it carries out most 'premium' functions at no added cost. It also works with both Mi Fitness and Zepp Life.
Warranty: Amazon offers a one-year extended warranty for Dh12 and two years for Dh19.
Our recommendations are independently chosen by Gulf News editors. If you decide to shop through links on our website, we may earn an affiliate commission, as we are part of Amazon Services LLC Associates Program.
