Facts About Fitness Trackers and Which One is Right for You

Facts About Fitness Trackers and Which One is Right for You

By Chrissy Boe, senior community wellness coordinator at Network Health
Updated on 4/10/2025. Originally published on 5/15/2020 at 9:25 a.m.

Wearable fitness trackers provide a great way to help monitor your exercise, heart rate, sleep cycles and more depending on the type of device you have. Many devices also keep you on track by allowing you to compete against others with the same or similar devices, adding a social element that helps you crush your fitness goals.

In this way, wearables – as wearable fitness trackers are sometimes called – help increase health consciousness. An important thing to keep in mind, however, is the more convenient a biometric device, often the greater chance for inaccurate readings. For this reason, wearables should never be used to replace your annual doctor’s visit.

Fitness tracker benefits

But they do have their benefits. Proper use of your fitness tracker gives you a powerful tool to help reach your fitness goals. Studies show fitness trackers can help address the challenge of public health and physical inactivity through the following.

• Fitness trackers help increase awareness of physical activity or sedentary behavior.
• Most fitness trackers have a mobile app to track and log additional healthy activities, adding a social/accountability element that has been shown to help people achieve fitness goals.
• Fitness trackers provide individualized goal-setting and tracking, avoiding a one-size-fits-all approach that may leave you feeling like a plan doesn’t meet your needs.

In terms of cost, fitness trackers can range from $25 to $400+ depending on quality and features. An inexpensive tracker is likely to include base features such as a pedometer and app for logging meals. More expensive fitness trackers add features like mobile notifications, heartrate monitoring, GPS tracking and even music streaming apps that work independently of your smartphone.

Most wearable fitness trackers start with a common goal of 10,000 steps per day and allow you to adjust the number of minutes spent exercising in line with a fitness program.

What is the difference between fitness trackers and smartwatches?

If you’ve seen somebody scrolling through photos on their wristwatch or controlling their TV by tapping their wrist, you’re aware that smartwatches have become a near-ubiquitous part of our lives. A smartwatch integrates fitness tracker features with added functionality that mirrors your smartphone, specifically for Apple iOS and Android devices.

While smartwatches started out being made almost exclusively by phone brands, fitness tracker manufacturers like Fitbit and Garmin have also gotten into the mix, blending their focus on activity and fitness monitoring with the apps and notifications of a smartphone. For that reason, it's good to decide whether you're looking for a simple fitness tracker or a more advanced smartwatch.

[Trying a fitness routine for the first time? Get help with our Beginner's Guide to Fitness]

Fitbit vs. Garmin vs. Apple Watch vs. the Others: Which Fitness Tracker is Best?

When you go shopping for a fitness tracker, you’ll find plenty of variance among factors like the quality of data you’ll receive, the type of exercise for which the device is best suited and price.

To simplify your decision, there are some questions you should ask yourself.

• What style are you looking for?
• What functions do you want to do?
• Do you want a fitness tracker or smartwatch?
• Do you need the latest-and-greatest model?
• What price are you willing to pay?

To help you out, we’ve compiled some of the most popular options, updated as of April 2025. Check out the tables below to compare features, specs, price and more.

Fitness Smartwatches

Pure Fitness Trackers

When deciding what device is best for you, you will want to choose which features are the ones you need to keep you on track. You may also weigh the appearance, color options and functionality against one another.

Once you have narrowed down devices, you can consider price and decide how much you are willing to spend. It is a good idea to start with a more basic model to see how much you use the watch or tracker and then upgrade from there. Many companies partner with different wearable fitness device brands, such as Fitbit, to offer trackers at discounted rates. Your health insurance plan may even pitch in to cover some or all the cost. Before purchasing one, check with your insurance plan or employer to see what they may offer.

Fitness Subscriptions: Apple Fitness Plus vs. Fitbit Premium vs. Peloton vs. Whoop

Apart from the devices listed above, there are also fitness subscription services you can join. These subscription apps promise the level of individualization and accountability you’d likely get with a personal trainer.

Apple Fitness Plus vs. Fitbit Premium vs. Peloton

Having kick-started the entire connected fitness industry (pun intended) with its Peloton bike in 2012, the eponymous company has made a name for itself through virtual workout classes. It’s not just coasting on its status as first to the party, however.

While on the more expensive side, Peloton offers a huge catalog of recorded workout classes and a constantly expanding schedule of live ones that allow you to work out with other people around the country and world. With such a range of live and recorded classes available, Peloton is a great option to take you from just beginning your fitness journey all the way up as you set and exceed new goals.

At only $9.99/month and seamlessly integrating with popular Fitbit devices, however, you may find Fitbit Premium to be the service for you. The ability to find entire workout programs and add one-on-one personal training means Fitbit Premium is likely to be popular for those who want a more guided and hands-on approach.

Apple Fitness+ is a solid option that will naturally fit into the technology stack and lifestyle of anybody who is firmly entrenched in the Apple ecosystem. In fact, it’s included in Apple’s popular all-in-one subscription service Apple One, which also gives users Apple Music, Apple TV+, Apple Arcade, Apple news+ and extra iCloud storage.

Finally, Whoop is one of the newest options and is most expensive. It can be an option for people who enjoy sharing their health progress with a social following. Like Fitbit, the device used is also particularly simple, not requiring any extras.

Remember, the best fitness plan is the one you’re going to do. Some people prefer a low-tech approach to life. There’s nothing wrong with that. In fact, it may be worth considering for several reasons.

Thankfully, all of the fitness apps/subscriptions we’ve looked have a free trial that lets you dig in to see if they’re the right fit for you and determine if using them is something you’ll get value from as you reach toward your goals.

Are fitness trackers safe?

For as long as they’ve been around, there have been people talking about wearables as being dangerous – even, that they may cause cancer.

Many of these rumors are sourced in the fact that wearable fitness trackers emit amounts of electric and magnetic fields (EMF) radiation. This may sound dangerous, but as far as modern science can tell – it’s no cause for concern.

In fact, when compared to the amount of radiation emitted by a cell phone, wearable fitness trackers pose a significantly reduced threat thanks to their distance from your head – unlike a cell phone. That said, researchers are constantly monitoring the safety of wearables, making sure the item you’re choosing to help with health and wellness isn’t making you less healthy.

Although not dangerous, be aware that some devices may cause skin irritation or uncomfortable rubbing from wearing them consistently. Make sure you are cleaning your device at least once a week in line with the manufacturers’ recommendations to help avoid irritation.

Is turning fitness into a game dangerous?

Fitness watches do come with some hidden concerns which can include the obsession some people get from counting calories, closing “rings” and checking boxes for their amount of activity completed in a day.

These types of devices should be used to improve and never punish yourself.

Wearables also come with distractions because many provide notifications for things like text messages and social media alerts that can be dangerous while driving. Unlike your phone, that’s best left in a center console away from your eyes, a fitness watch may wind up right in your field of vision as you hold the steering wheel. Never take your eyes off the road to check a notification.

There’s an added social danger as well. Just like talking on your cell phone or checking your notification is rude during meetings or while socializing, the same is true for your fitness tracker, so make sure you are following proper etiquette and turn off notifications when appropriate.

When deciding what device is best for you, you will want to choose which features are the ones you need to keep you on track. You may also weigh the appearance, color options and functionality against one another.

What about non-subscription fitness tracking?

With a bit of extra planning, vigilance and knowing where to look online, you may find that none of these services help you quite as much as keeping track of your fitness and using free resources like YouTube or podcasts for your home workouts.

Popular YouTube channels like POPSUGAR Fitness, Yoga with Adriene, Athlean X, GrowWithJo and Diverse Personal Training have millions of subscribers between them and publish recorded content that will help you reach your fitness goals.

Additionally, a nice middle ground between free content and premium subscriptions is Fitness Blender. With Fitness Blender, you can enjoy workout videos, articles and recipes, new each week, for free. If you enjoy it and want to get more out of it, then there is a premium subscription you can sign up for that provides additional programs and challenges.

Fitness Trackers: A 21^st Century Way to Approach Your Goals

Safe, effective and convenient, fitness trackers are a great way to keep track of your progress and add social and gamified elements often missing from traditional workout regimens. Experts encourage their use in most circumstances because wearable fitness trackers increase your awareness of your activity level and provide a cut-and-dry framework for working toward your fitness ambitions.

While they can become distracting and should never replace your physician, using them in line with wellness best practices is almost certain to level up your workouts and daily life.

For more information on how a fitness tracker can fit into your wellness goals, contact Network Health’s wellness team today.

>>> Contact Us <<<