Best Fitness Tracker Under $50
Publushed by:
JustinLast updated:
January 25, 2022
WINNER
Inspiratek Kids Fitness Tracker
Inexpensive
Waterproof for kids
10 built-in functions
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RUNNER UP
Amazfit Neo Fitness Retro Smartwatch
28-day buttery life
Lightweight construction
PAI health assessment
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BEST BUY
FitPolo Fitness Tracker
LCD Touch screen
iOs and Android compatible
24/7 heart-rating monitoring
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Tracking your fitness (and using the data you get from it) is just as important as hitting the gym in the first place.
It teaches you what you should focus on and what problems you may have rather than solely focusing on perceived progress.
What if you spent eight weeks in the gym, only to find out that what you did wasn’t effective? It might discourage you from going back. A fitness tracker is the difference between working out, and working smart.
Is the best fitness tracker under 50 dollars going to be the same as a top-of-the-line, first-class fitness tracker?
Surprisingly, yes—many of the expensive trackers you see are priced that way because of branding scarcity, and packaging (seriously, people are obsessed with unboxing).
Let’s show you the best inexpensive fitness trackers, what they can do, and help you become more aware of your fitness levels during your exercise activities.
Best Overall: Inspiratek Kids Fitness Tracker
Short summary
Fitness trackers are designed specifically to do their one job: track calorie burn, steps, maybe even your sleep. While this is marketed as a kids fitness tracker, Inspiratek is designed to be used by anyone as one of the best cheap fitness trackers out there.
When we were looking for the top cheap fitness trackers, we never expected to see lifetime satisfaction guarantees and actual touch screen functionality in fitness trackers under $50.
You can use a one-touch key to turn this fitness tracker on and wake it up to check your vitals and fitness progress.
Much like every other fitness tracker out there, if it has an app, it has to connect to your smartphone to make full use out of it. Available on iOS 8.0+ and Android 4.0+, you have full access and utility through a simplistic, yet effective app.
You won’t get the same flashy appearance of big-name apps, but it’s about the data and ease of use above everything else.
Ten built-in functions let you monitor multiple areas of your fitness goals, while the waterproof rating allows you to resist against splashes and light bits of water that get on your fitness tracker, so if it starts raining during a run, you don’t have to scurry to put this in your pocket.
The only issue with this fitness tracker is that it doesn’t always track on the first go. You may have to enact the tracking function two times to get it started, so just be aware of that so you don’t erase progress or statistics that you’re working on.
Inspiratek is on this list because it’s inexpensive, but we didn’t initially think it would rank as the top choice. Choose from five colors, enjoy the brightly lit display, and get the exact information that you need to progress your fitness goals with no fluff to distract you.
Quick Facts
- Compatible Devices: iOS and Android
- Screen Size: Under 50mm
- Color: Blue, pink, black, purple, red
Pros
- Inexpensive and quick to use right out of the box
- Ten built-in functions, such as sleep monitoring and calorie counting
- Designed to be waterproof enough for kids to use it, but neutral enough for adults to wear it as well
- One-touch locking and unlocking system so you don’t accidentally use it when you don’t want to
Cons
- App is very basic and doesn’t provide as much utility as one might imagine
- Basic readings might need to be done a second time (doesn’t take long, it’s just an inconvenience)
Runner-Up: Amazfit Neo Fitness Retro Smartwatch
Short summary
We wanted to find the best fitness trackers $50 and under, but we didn’t expect to find one that looked just like a Garmin smartwatch for less than the top price. Amazfit makes this inexpensive fitness tracker with tons of functionality that genuinely surprised us.
First and foremost, you get an excessive 28-day battery life, which isn’t common for any fitness tracker at all. 7 days is usually the norm. All that power goes behind the screen to track your heart rate, your sleep, and it even includes a PAI health assessment.
While it doesn’t seem like much, the PAI health assessment system is how a lot of people measure their fitness, health, and manage their goals, so it’s a pretty big innovation for such an inexpensive fitness tracker. The backlight is more powerful than expected as well, but it does run into one major issue.
It’s not bright enough to compete with direct sunlight, so you’re going to have to cover your watch with your other hand while you’re on a run to actually see the screen properly.
Another 20-30 nits behind the screen would have perked it up just enough to avoid this issue, but that long-lasting battery life has to come from saving power somewhere.
The screen is compact, easy to operate, and the entire fitness tracker is compact and lightweight. One more surprising fact is that the waterproof rating is far superior to what we see in other budget fitness trackers, because you could potentially go as deep as 165 ft underwater.
Overall, it’s an impressive piece for the price, and does its job well.
Quick Facts
- Compatible Devices: Android 5.0+, iOS 10+
- Screen Size: Under 60mm
- Color: Black, red
Pros
- Excessive 28-day battery life
- Super lightweight construction
- Track heart rate, sleep, and allows for PAI health assessment
- Looks similar to a sports watch
Cons
- Band is basic and should be replaced with a stronger one
- Low visibility in light
Alternative: FitPolo Fitness Tracker
Short summary
FitPolo used to just be another one of those brands that made inexpensive versions of popular tech, but they quickly broke the mold by upgrading their fitness trackers until they hit an on-par point with more expensive trackers.
As one of the best waterproof fitness tracker under $50 that you’ll find online, FitPolo’s fitness tracker comes with a ton of protected features such as 24/7 heart rate and sleep monitoring, and breath training of all things. It’s all included in the software within the fitness tracker.
While the sports modes aren’t really that useful, the calorie burn monitor and music controller are extremely nice and help you throughout your runs or walks.
Technically, this has a 35-day battery life, but that’s solely if it’s in standby mode. Otherwise, you get 7 days of battery, and when you compare that to some other fitness trackers on this list, it doesn’t quite punch up.
This actually has a really nice band on it as well. Most of the time, inexpensive fitness trackers skimp on the straps because the focus is on the actual device itself, but FitPolo gives a really high-quality band that feels comfortable on your wrist, and has plenty of adjustable loops for sizing.
For all we know, they’re selling this at a loss, because the pricing and quality just doesn’t add up. Available in multiple colors and applicable with Bluetooth 5.0 and above, this connects to your life so that you never have to factor out fitness.
Quick Facts
- Compatible Devices: Android 4.4+, iOS 8+
- Screen Size: Under 50mm
- Color: Black, gray, green, pink
Pros
- IP68 waterproofing for basic splash resistance
- LCD touch screen has full functionality (not a given in budget smartwatches)
- Compatible with older versions of iOS and Android
- 24/7 heart rate and sleep monitoring
Cons
- 9 separate “exercise modes” are vastly gimmicky; the value is in the basic stat tracking
- Battery only lasts for a total of 7 days
Alternative: Amazfit Band Fitness Tracker
Short summary
Amazfit is back on the list, and this tracker has a bit of a twist that differentiates from their other fitness tracker. First and foremost, you get a bright screen with vivid colors, so even in the middle of a bright afternoon, you’ll be able to see what you’re doing.
Despite it not being an Amazon product (the name confuses a lot of folks), it does come with Amazon Alexa included, which is just pretty amazing for such a low price. It hooks right up to the voice commands in Alexa on your phone, so you can expect complete sync with your phone apps just by using your voice.
The sleep sensor is a weird one though, because it runs into so many issues while you sleep that it really doesn’t live up to the name, so if you’re getting this specifically for sleep, you may want to look at a different model on this list.
You can remote control your phone camera, browse music, and use over 45 custom watch faces to switch up how it looks.
There’s a 15-day battery life, which hits the middle of the road between all the battery life spans we’ve seen on this list. It gives you just enough time to say “I’ll charge it tomorrow” about seven times and still have some battery left.
One caveat is that you have to have iOS 10 or Android 5.0, so this isn’t going to work on many older devices unfortunately. The blood/oxygen saturation reading and stress monitoring system work beautifully, and there’s a specific function just to tack women’s health as well. Basically, Amazfit amazed us with this one.
Quick Facts
- Compatible Devices: Android 5.0+, iOS 10+
- Screen Size: Under 50mm
- Color: Black, orange, olive green
Pros
- Built-in Alexa functionality (limited use)
- Extensive 15-day battery life
- Blood/oxygen saturation monitoring for safer workouts
- Included period-tracking system for female users (helpful when tracking overall fitness)
Cons
- Cannot shut off voice functions (bad if you’re all about privacy)
- Sleep sensor actually doesn’t work while you sleep
Alternative: SoundPEATS Smart Watch Fitness Tracker
Short summary
Last but not least, the last of our best fitness trackers for under $50, we have SoundPEATS, a smartwatch and fitness tracker all in one. The screen is a bit smaller than most watches, but it gets the job done, and shows a nice crisp display you can see during midday runs or walks.
It communicates via Bluetooth, and comes with an acceptable 10-day battery lifespan after a simple two-hour charge. Typically, a lot of smartwatches take a while to charge, so this is a pretty big boost for accessibility.
Speaking of accessibility, you only need iOS 8.0+ or Android 4.4+ in order to use this, opening up older devices to the possibility of using this smartwatch.
Manufacturers try to cram a little bit of everything into these watches, but it’s not possible to hit a perfect landing on every feature. The IP68 waterproof rating on this watch is basically enough to prevent splashes from damaging the watch, but after reading enough user reports, it seems like it’s not quite up to snuff.
If you can keep it dry, you’re good to go. All-day calorie burn and fitness tracking gives you exactly what you need to command your day and fitness goals. The wristband is actually fairly impressive, which as we’ve stated isn’t an expectation for budget-friendly smartwatches and fitness trackers.
If you’re not keen on letting people know you’ve begun a more health-conscious lifestyle, the SoundPEATS smartwatch can simply show the time and battery life on the front screen, and still receive notifications for text and emails.
You can quietly track your progress without feeling self-conscious about your ambitions.
Runners will find the built-in weather function helpful, as well as the stopwatch feature to time their runs. Overall, SoundPEATS knocked this one out of the park, and really raised the bar on what you can expect from inexpensive, budget-friendly smartwatches.
Quick Facts
- Compatible Devices: Android 4.4+, iOS 8.0+
- Screen Size: Under 40mm
- Color: Black
Pros
- Impressive wristband is flexible and comfortable, does not need to be replaced right out of the box
- 10+ day battery life during continuous use
- All-day tracking for calorie loss, heart rate, and connects to GPS for route recovery
- Only takes 2 hours to charge + on-screen charing life indicator
Cons
- Screen is fairly small
- Waterproofing has been reported to not hold up to IP68 standards; avoid getting wet
Fitness Tracker FAQ
What is the Difference Between a Tracker and a Smartwatch?
Back when smartwatches were first implemented, you could discern the difference between them both. A smartwatch used to solely be an extension of your smartphone, while a fitness tracker did its one dedicated job: track your fitness in multiple ways, but it served no other function.
Nowadays it’s nigh impossible to differentiate the two, because both have come so close. Whether it’s an Apple watch or FitBit watch, they all feature the same benefits. However, that boosts their base price, as we’re sure you’ve seen from ads or looking up these products on your own.
Fitness trackers are dedicated and stick to the main objective of, well, tracking your fitness! They don’t often connect to your phone, although some do.
Depending on the type of person you are, having a dedicated fitness device here might actually be beneficial so you don’t get distracted with phone notifications and text messages, freeing you up to focus on your fitness goals.
Nowadays, most fitness trackers and smartwatches can do each other’s job, though the lower-cost models like some of the ones we’ve shown you today are still dedicated devices.
Do Smartwatches Need to be Connected to a Phone?
Yes. Smartwatches don’t operate on their own. Think of them like a smartphone mirror; they require the smartphone to operate through an app.
You don’t necessarily have to have the app open and running, but it must be installed on your smartphone if you want your watch to run with it.
While connected to your phone, you’ll get text message notifications, email notifications, and if the device allows for it, music and app control all from the smartwatch screen. It all depends on the manufacturer and what level of accessibility the device has, but they do not operate solely on their own.
These apps will use your data/Wi-Fi connection to connect to the internet. The apps just relays information to the screen, but the smartwatch itself doesn’t has its own internet source (unless you go super high-end and get a crazy smartwatch).
Do Smartwatches Have Wi-Fi?
It’s not a given for every smartwatch, even high-end ones. You have to see the Wi-Fi symbol on the box, in the owner’s manual, and most importantly, on the actual screen of the smartwatch. Even some of the most expensive smartwatches don’t come with Wi-Fi, but there’s a good reason for that.
Wi-Fi is easier to hack into than bluetooth. Both are possible to hack into, but Wi-Fi is exceptionally easy in comparison, so many high-end smartwatches don’t include Wi-Fi as an option for safety and security reasons.
If a hacker gets access to your smartwatch, that means they have access to your smartphone, where many of us use things like Apple Pay, PayPal, and numerous other financial apps, as well as personal text messages, call logs, and other information that a hacker would love to steal.
It’s almost as bad as having your identity stolen these days with how much we rely on our phones.
Bluetooth can be placed on an invisibility mode, making it nearly impossible for hackers to target. Wi-Fi networks and hotspots are everywhere, and if you leave Wi-Fi on, sometimes you can link up to unsecure networks just while you’re walking around in the city.
If a hacker is hooked up to that network, they have easy, near-instant access to your data. Typically, this is just what you send to the server through the Wi-Fi service, but they can hack your phone remotely as well.
With bluetooth, it’s a communication method between one device to another that’s made possible by utilizing radio waves. It’s a lot more difficult to hack into, however it’s not impossible, so you should still be cautious.
How Do I Get Internet on my Smartwatch?
Technically yes, you can. Through your smartwatch, you can add an internet browser option that can be accessed from your smartwatch screen directly.
It’s like downloading an app and sticking it in a virtual bin (which is actually the app you use to connect your phone and smartphone together).
Many of these can simply be downloaded from the respective digital store for your device for free, and the process takes little to no time at all. However, it’s not really practical to use the internet strictly on your smartphone screen since it’s so small.
Are Smartwatches Really Necessary for Fitness?
One of the biggest differences between fitness tracking today versus twenty years ago is people would throw a routine at the wall and hoped that it stuck.
Today, you can track your fitness to know what’s actually working. What gets your heart rate going the best? Which activity are you most consistent with?
There are a lot of ways you can interpret the data you receive, which is why having the accompanying app with your smartwatch is so important.
You can import your data to your PC or tablet and notice trends in your fitness, pinpoint activities that work best for you, and find out when and why you weren’t feeling your best during certain activities.
This level of information is something that wasn’t accessible to individuals years ago, but now, you can control your fitness at every single point and modify it accordingly. Smartwatches aren’t necessary for fitness, but they make it more efficient and less stressful.
Smarter Tracking, Smarter Fitness
Track your fitness, improve your understanding of how your exercise affects your health, and use all that information to better yourself in every way possible.
We’ve shown you the best fitness trackers on the market, and now it’s time for you to decide which one speaks to your needs the best.
As long as you’re tracking your fitness, heart rate, and other important health information in some way, you’ll get tons of insight into your health.
It’s difficult to know which area of your health you should focus on right now—let a fitness tracker tell you how to align your goals without breaking the bank.
Resources:
Inspiratek Kids Fitness Tracker
Inexpensive
Waterproof for kids
10 Built-in functions
