{"id":57178,"date":"2026-05-22T20:05:23","date_gmt":"2026-05-22T12:05:23","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.scijournal.org\/articles\/?p=57178"},"modified":"2026-05-22T20:51:47","modified_gmt":"2026-05-22T12:51:47","slug":"the-9-best-fitness-trackers-of-2026-tested-by-5","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.scijournal.org\/articles\/the-9-best-fitness-trackers-of-2026-tested-by-5","title":{"rendered":"The 9 Best Fitness Trackers Of 2026, Tested By Fitness Editors"},"content":{"rendered":"<p>You can customize your notifications to turn this feature off, but it seemed odd to me that this was the default. To use Apple Fitness+, Apple\u2019s workout app, you must have an iPhone, but you\u2019ll get even more out of it with a paired Apple Watch Series 3 or newer. Depending how deep into the Apple universe you are, that\u2019s either good or bad news. If you&#8217;re looking for something of a lifestyle overhaul, with meal plans and efficient, effective workouts\u2014and don\u2019t mind paying for it\u2014Centr is a good option. We added the Urevo Smart 2-In-1 Folding Treadmill to our list of winners as the runner-up to our best overall walking pad. Around the same time as the streamer partnered with Netflix, it also developed a short series with meditation app Headspace, and the Headspace Guide to Meditation is currently still available on Netflix.<\/p>\n<div id=\"ez-toc-container\" class=\"ez-toc-v2_0_67_1 counter-hierarchy ez-toc-counter ez-toc-grey ez-toc-container-direction\">\n<p class=\"ez-toc-title\">Table of Contents<\/p>\n<label for=\"ez-toc-cssicon-toggle-item-6a107e8490228\" class=\"ez-toc-cssicon-toggle-label\"><span class=\"\"><span class=\"eztoc-hide\" style=\"display:none;\">Toggle<\/span><span class=\"ez-toc-icon-toggle-span\"><svg style=\"fill: #999;color:#999\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" class=\"list-377408\" width=\"20px\" height=\"20px\" viewBox=\"0 0 24 24\" fill=\"none\"><path d=\"M6 6H4v2h2V6zm14 0H8v2h12V6zM4 11h2v2H4v-2zm16 0H8v2h12v-2zM4 16h2v2H4v-2zm16 0H8v2h12v-2z\" fill=\"currentColor\"><\/path><\/svg><svg style=\"fill: #999;color:#999\" class=\"arrow-unsorted-368013\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" width=\"10px\" height=\"10px\" viewBox=\"0 0 24 24\" version=\"1.2\" baseProfile=\"tiny\"><path d=\"M18.2 9.3l-6.2-6.3-6.2 6.3c-.2.2-.3.4-.3.7s.1.5.3.7c.2.2.4.3.7.3h11c.3 0 .5-.1.7-.3.2-.2.3-.5.3-.7s-.1-.5-.3-.7zM5.8 14.7l6.2 6.3 6.2-6.3c.2-.2.3-.5.3-.7s-.1-.5-.3-.7c-.2-.2-.4-.3-.7-.3h-11c-.3 0-.5.1-.7.3-.2.2-.3.5-.3.7s.1.5.3.7z\"\/><\/svg><\/span><\/span><\/label><input type=\"checkbox\"  id=\"ez-toc-cssicon-toggle-item-6a107e8490228\" checked aria-label=\"Toggle\" \/><nav><ul class='ez-toc-list ez-toc-list-level-1 ' ><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-1\" href=\"https:\/\/www.scijournal.org\/articles\/the-9-best-fitness-trackers-of-2026-tested-by-5\/#The_Best_Walking_Pads_For_Remote_Work_Tested_By_Our_WFH_Staff\" title=\"The Best Walking Pads For Remote Work, Tested By Our WFH Staff\">The Best Walking Pads For Remote Work, Tested By Our WFH Staff<\/a><ul class='ez-toc-list-level-3' ><li class='ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-2\" href=\"https:\/\/www.scijournal.org\/articles\/the-9-best-fitness-trackers-of-2026-tested-by-5\/#Best_workout_app_for_women\" title=\"Best workout app for women\">Best workout app for women<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-3\" href=\"https:\/\/www.scijournal.org\/articles\/the-9-best-fitness-trackers-of-2026-tested-by-5\/#The_Best_Office_Chairs_Of_2026_Tested_For_Ergonomics_And_All-Day_Comfort\" title=\"The Best Office Chairs Of 2026, Tested For Ergonomics And All-Day Comfort\">The Best Office Chairs Of 2026, Tested For Ergonomics And All-Day Comfort<\/a><\/li><\/ul><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-4\" href=\"https:\/\/www.scijournal.org\/articles\/the-9-best-fitness-trackers-of-2026-tested-by-5\/#Best_Walking_Pad_Overall_Runner-Up\" title=\"Best Walking Pad Overall, Runner-Up\">Best Walking Pad Overall, Runner-Up<\/a><ul class='ez-toc-list-level-3' ><li class='ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-5\" href=\"https:\/\/www.scijournal.org\/articles\/the-9-best-fitness-trackers-of-2026-tested-by-5\/#The_7_Best_Treadmills_For_Home_Tested_By_Our_Team\" title=\"The 7 Best Treadmills For Home, Tested By Our Team\">The 7 Best Treadmills For Home, Tested By Our Team<\/a><\/li><\/ul><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-6\" href=\"https:\/\/www.scijournal.org\/articles\/the-9-best-fitness-trackers-of-2026-tested-by-5\/#Billie_Jean_King_82_earns_college_degree_65_years_after_first_taking_classes\" title=\"Billie Jean King, 82, earns college degree 65 years after first taking classes\">Billie Jean King, 82, earns college degree 65 years after first taking classes<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-7\" href=\"https:\/\/www.scijournal.org\/articles\/the-9-best-fitness-trackers-of-2026-tested-by-5\/#Removable_Desk_Plus_A_High_Weight_Capacity\" title=\"Removable Desk, Plus A High Weight Capacity\">Removable Desk, Plus A High Weight Capacity<\/a><ul class='ez-toc-list-level-3' ><li class='ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-8\" href=\"https:\/\/www.scijournal.org\/articles\/the-9-best-fitness-trackers-of-2026-tested-by-5\/#Maximize_Your_Experience_with_RepoFinder_Pro\" title=\"Maximize Your Experience with RepoFinder Pro\">Maximize Your Experience with RepoFinder Pro<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-9\" href=\"https:\/\/www.scijournal.org\/articles\/the-9-best-fitness-trackers-of-2026-tested-by-5\/#Nike_Training_Club\" title=\"Nike Training Club\">Nike Training Club<\/a><\/li><\/ul><\/li><\/ul><\/nav><\/div>\n<h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"The_Best_Walking_Pads_For_Remote_Work_Tested_By_Our_WFH_Staff\"><\/span>The Best Walking Pads For Remote Work, Tested By Our WFH Staff<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p>Physical activity can lower the risk of long-lasting disease and improve balance and coordination. As you can guess, Garmin&#8217;s free Connect software is specific to Garmin devices and provides a link between your mobile device and Garmin Edge cycling computer or smartwatch to share data. The connection can work both ways, with a compatible Garmin GPS able to display weather data and notifications on your handlebars. GPS navigation for cyclists in the UK, CycleStreets&#8217; Journey Planner will plot a route from your selected start and finish points using not only roads, but also bike paths and car-free roads, using map data from OpenStreetMap. There are four route options to choose from, such as the flattest, quickest or quietest routes, and also a function to find bike shops and bike parking in the locality. You can browse popular routes nearby &#8211; and can also search for bike shops and public bathrooms.<\/p>\n<p>So, when the weather started turning, I set myself a challenge of walking 10,000 steps a day for an entire month. These are the apps that helped make it happen, and my favourites to download for this year. Fitness trackers started as mostly wrist devices\u2014from step counters like the Fitbit to the original Apple Watch. Now, you can choose from an array of fitness tracking watches or smart rings, all of which track far more than just your fitness. While most of these devices offer similar capabilities, the design you choose\u2014watch or ring\u2014will depend on your own personal aesthetic.<\/p>\n<p><img decoding=\"async\" class='aligncenter' style='display: block;margin-left:auto;margin-right:auto;' width=\"250251252253254255256257258259px\" alt=\"best app for working out at home\" src=\"https:\/\/s.hdnux.com\/photos\/01\/16\/21\/74\/20520753\/4\/rawImage.jpg\"\/><\/p>\n<h3><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Best_workout_app_for_women\"><\/span>Best workout app for women<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n<p>It tracks all of your data in the corresponding phone app, but it\u2019s worth noting, you cannot see the data directly on your wrist. We&#8217;ve been wearing and documenting fitness trackers as far back as 2015, when we reviewed the very first Apple Watch. We started cross comparing fitness trackers as early as 2017, when we broke down the best fitness trackers for activities like strength training, running, hiking, golf, and more. Now in 2026, we&#8217;re more dialed into the state of fitness trackers than ever before as nearly all our editors are wearing some sort of device on a daily basis.<\/p>\n<h3><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"The_Best_Office_Chairs_Of_2026_Tested_For_Ergonomics_And_All-Day_Comfort\"><\/span>The Best Office Chairs Of 2026, Tested For Ergonomics And All-Day Comfort<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n<p>Created by the national cyclists&#8217; charity Cycling UK and powered by FixMyStreet Pro, this is not technically an app, but needs to be saved to your phone&#8217;s home screen from the website. Aside from the fuel planning feature, the app provides insights into your energy status, with the End of Day Target showing your ideal energy balance based on your weight goals. You can also purchase a Cyclemeter Bike Display, which fits your handlebars and lets you view all your data while keeping your phone safely stored in your pocket or bag. Apple Watch also has a standalone app, so you can leave your phone at home.<\/p>\n<h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Best_Walking_Pad_Overall_Runner-Up\"><\/span>Best Walking Pad Overall, Runner-Up<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p>Plus, I compared it to my Garmin and it showed similar stats (yes, I was wearing one on each arm). Post-workout, I slept like a baby with it and woke up to my sleep cycle stats and score. \u201cWhen it came time for race day, I hit go on my watch with full confidence that it would track my miles without a problem.\u201d She plans on using it again for marathon training. \u201cEven with near-daily workout tracking, the battery rarely dipped below 50 percent before I decided to plug it in again\u2014it charged right up in under an hour,\u201d Luppino says. \u201cEven on two-hour runs, I barely notice a dent in the charge.\u201dLike many fitness trackers in this guide, the warranty is one year for hardware defects.<\/p>\n<h3><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"The_7_Best_Treadmills_For_Home_Tested_By_Our_Team\"><\/span>The 7 Best Treadmills For Home, Tested By Our Team<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n<p>In late 2022, Netflix added a range of Nike Training Club workouts to its library. You could access these for free (so long as you have a Netflix subscription) and do the 10 or 20-minute sessions wherever you are. That&#8217;s why we put each app to the test before including it in our guide. We&#8217;ve tried these apps ourselves to see if they&#8217;re easy to use, fun, and worth the money you need to pay in subscription fees. There are also handy features like Strava Beacon, which are designed to keep you safe, by allowing your friends or family members to track your live location on a run.<\/p>\n<h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Billie_Jean_King_82_earns_college_degree_65_years_after_first_taking_classes\"><\/span>Billie Jean King, 82, earns college degree 65 years after first taking classes<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p>\u201cNow, I\u2019m not someone who likes to wear a watch, let alone a fitness watch, all of the time but I will if I have a few minutes or I\u2019m planning out a run,\u201d says Zucker. The daytime stress features have also gotten an improvement\u2014one of our favorites is illness detection. The Oura Ring 4 can detect changes in your stress stats and body temperature that may indicate an illness before you feel the entirety of the symptoms. A couple of months ago, one editor felt a slight earache when they woke up, and Oura called out they may have a cold coming on. It\u2019s not always entirely accurate like this\u2014there have been a few times the Oura Ring has said we were getting sick when it was actually just a hangover (oops). My beat includes home fitness equipment, outdoor athletic accessories, and a wide range of running gear.<\/p>\n<p><img decoding=\"async\" class='aligncenter' style='display: block;margin-left:auto;margin-right:auto;' width=\"250251252253254255256257258259px\" alt=\"best app for working out at home\" src=\"https:\/\/bankbooklet.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/Bank-of-Maharashtra-Mobile-Banking-App-Maha-Mobile-183x300.jpg\"\/><\/p>\n<h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Removable_Desk_Plus_A_High_Weight_Capacity\"><\/span>Removable Desk, Plus A High Weight Capacity<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p>While I&#8217;d suggest investing in a tracker to make the most of the app (the Fitbit Charge 6 is my favourite), you can use it without one. Either way, you get your daily steps (viewable in weekly and monthly formats, like Strava), alongside a predicted calorie burn for the day, week, and month, and access to several healthy recipes. As weight loss needs sustainable lifestyle habits, the best walking app for weight loss will be one that helps create healthy habits in the kitchen and your exercise routine. I&#8217;m a great lover of Fitbits, having tried and tested every one ever made, so believe me when I say this app is underrated. Strava made the list for distance trackers as it&#8217;s so easy to use and see your essential data, although there&#8217;s heaps more to take advantage of if you sign up for Premium. Whether you&#8217;re looking to pull on your best walking shoes <a href=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/watch?v=mHEWwa5b9CQ\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">is unimeal legit<\/a> and explore more of your local area or get your step count up (fitness tracker glued to your wrist, of course), there&#8217;s an option for you.<\/p>\n<h3><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Maximize_Your_Experience_with_RepoFinder_Pro\"><\/span>Maximize Your Experience with RepoFinder Pro<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n<ul>\n<li>It\u2019s the only recumbent bike we tested (and the only one of our picks) with a built-in fan, and the bike provides a quiet ride, even when the fan is on its highest of three levels.<\/li>\n<li>It\u2019s considerably more robust in design and features, and it too folds down for easy storage.<\/li>\n<li>There\u2019s no intro quiz, because Apple already has your data from when you set up your phone or watch.<\/li>\n<li>The Horizon Fitness 5.0R has 100 levels of resistance, which allows for a lot of customization.<\/li>\n<li>You were the best dad, the best human, and I feel so honored to have known you and called you my friend,\u201d she added.<\/li>\n<li>Like a folding smartphone, it\u2019s designed to open and close a specific number of times, and over time, it may get weaker.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>The Workout Trainer by Skimble offers a free version that lets you try out the workouts, but upgrading to Pro+ gets you training programs and much more for a lower-than-most fee of $7 a month or $60 a year after a one-week free trial. Daily Burn has a vast catalog of almost every kind of workout you can think of\u2014strength training, HIIT, barre, pilates, yoga, outdoor and treadmill running, and more. Most are available in video formats, but many, like the running workouts and meditation classes, are in audio formats.<\/p>\n<h3><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Nike_Training_Club\"><\/span>Nike Training Club<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n<p>The best part, though, is that it&#8217;s completely free\u2014no monthly subscription or hassle to cancel should you decide it\u2019s not for you. Successful fitness goals require you to track certain metrics, such as steps, mileage and calories burned. With this in mind, we recommend taking a look at what metrics each model displays while in use.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>You can customize your notifications to turn this feature off, but it seemed odd to me that this was the default. To use Apple Fitness+, Apple\u2019s workout app, you must have an iPhone, but you\u2019ll get even more out of it with a paired Apple Watch Series 3 or newer. Depending how deep into the &#8230; <a title=\"The 9 Best Fitness Trackers Of 2026, Tested By Fitness Editors\" class=\"read-more\" href=\"https:\/\/www.scijournal.org\/articles\/the-9-best-fitness-trackers-of-2026-tested-by-5\" aria-label=\"Read more about The 9 Best Fitness Trackers Of 2026, Tested By Fitness Editors\">Read more<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":5,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_mi_skip_tracking":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_active":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_note":"","_monsterinsights_sitenote_category":0,"footnotes":""},"categories":[616],"tags":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.scijournal.org\/articles\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/57178"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.scijournal.org\/articles\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.scijournal.org\/articles\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.scijournal.org\/articles\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/5"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.scijournal.org\/articles\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=57178"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/www.scijournal.org\/articles\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/57178\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":57179,"href":"https:\/\/www.scijournal.org\/articles\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/57178\/revisions\/57179"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.scijournal.org\/articles\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=57178"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.scijournal.org\/articles\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=57178"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.scijournal.org\/articles\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=57178"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}