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11 Cheap Fitbit Alternatives For Tracking Your Fitness On A Budget

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by Taylor Fuller
Updated: 
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Trail runner athlete using her smart watch app to monitor fitness progress or heart rate during run ...
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Given that some of the top-tier Fitbit models can cost hundreds of dollars, you're not alone if you're looking for some affordable options. Luckily, there are plenty of cheap Fitbit alternatives for tracking everything from heart rate, to sleep, to blood pressure, without hurting your budget. However, it's important to decide what kind of features you want from a fitness tracker before you start searching — there are so many available, it can get a bit overwhelming to decide which one will be best for you.

If you need help narrowing it down, first think about how much you want to spend. If you're looking to keep it simple, consider a pedometer. If you have a little more wiggle room in your budget, you can get a tracker with plenty of bonus features, like heart rate monitoring and blood pressure tracking.

Do you want to track sleep? Find one that would be comfortable on your wrist and has a healthy battery life. If you're not concerned about sleep patterns, battery life won't be as important, since you can easily charge it overnight. Whatever your budget and desires are, there are plenty of options to fit your needs. Gathered up below are 13 cheap Fitbit alternatives for tracking your fitness without breaking the bank.

1. A Cheap Fitbit Alta Alternative: ZURURU Fitness Tracker

Designed much like the Fitbit Alta, this activity tracker is wildly popular on Amazon for good reasons: It features heart rate tracking, can monitor your sleep, has built-in calorie trackers and pedometers for tracking steps and exercise, and can even show notifications of incoming calls and text messages you're getting on your phone. You can choose between one of three watch faces to customize it to your preferences, and the waterproof band comes in four different colors to match your style.

With a seven-day battery life, you can go a long while without having to charge it. But when you need to, simply disconnect the face of your tracker from the band. The face has a built-in USB you can use to charge it anywhere, and only takes one to two hours to get to full charge. Best yet, you can connect it to an app to see your vitals tracked over time, and track longterm fitness goals.

According to one reviewer: "I bought the blue one to replace my fitbit. I used the different kind fitbits for several years. It is my first time to purchase this cheaper one and same functions. I compared it with my husband's fitbit. They both readings are very close or the same. Why I buy the same functions and spend much more money on it? I like it and planning buy another one for my husband.”

2. A Cheap Fitbit Versa Alternative: Motast Smart Watch Fitness Tracker

Designed with a square watch face, this fitness tracker is a cheaper alternative to the Fitbit Versa watch. The color touchscreen can be displayed in one of 10 different views, and this activity tracker has an impressive seven-day battery life. This watch can track your sleep, your heart rate, your exercise, and can sync with your phone to use GPS. It also has a built-in stopwatch and alarm clock for reminders throughout the day. The watch is also water-resistant to stand up to even your sweatiest workouts. To charge, use the included charging cable and plug your watch in for two hours. You can sync this with an app on your phone to track the consistency of your vitals, and see your longterm fitness progress.

According to one reviewer: "The watch works better than my Versa. I get IG, Facebook text messages and alerts me of whose calling. I charge it maybe once a week. The battery last a long time. It syncs to my phone easily. With my Versa it didn’t sync regularly even though it was set up that way.”

3. A Cheap Fitbit Charge Alternative: Amazfit Band 5 Fitness Tracker

There are plenty of things to love about the Fitbit Charge 5, including a long battery life, blood-oxygen monitoring, GPS, and more — and this fitness tracker offers most of it for an incredible price. It’s also water-resistant and comes with built-in Alexa, so you can set alarms, get the answers to questions, check the weather, and control your home’s smart devices, all with a few spoken words. Finally, it’s a fan-favorite for tracking menstrual cycles — a feature most other brands don’t offer.

According to one reviewer: "I bought the AmazFit as a replacement for my FitbitCharge 3, which died after less than two years. I didn't want to buy another expensive fitness band after that. So far, after four days with the AmazFit, I am very happy with the switch.”

4. A Cheap Fitbit Zip Alternative: 3DFitBud Simple Step Counter

While the Fitbit Zip is a pedometer with a few extra features, this clip-on pedometer is about as good an alternative as you'll find — and it’s only $25. It won't track distance like the Fitbit Zip, but it does track steps, making it the most bare bones fitness tracker on this list. But, if you're really looking for a simple way to track whether you've hit your step goal, this is a great solution that doesn't have any of the fuss of a more complex activity tracker. Simply clip this to your clothes or hang it around your neck via the included lanyard and start walking. It'll track your steps and you can see them in real-time via the easy-to-read digital screen. More than 8,000 reviewers have given it a five-star rating.

According to one reviewer: "I have had a Fitbit One or Zip in my pocket for more than 5 years. My latest one went DWC (Disappeared While Camping) and I found that they now offer only the very expensive wrist models. I just need to keep track of my steps to keep myself on track with my fitness walking. I tried the FitBud as an inexpensive alternative and love it. So easy to use and has both a clip and a lanyard. I just log my steps on a calendar and feel totally liberated from Fitbit. I highly recommend!”

5. The Best For Swimming: MorePro Waterproof Health Tracker

Now, there aren't a lot of truly waterproof fitness trackers under $50, but your best shot is this waterproof watch which some reviewers have had luck wearing in the pool. This activity tracker also has the capability of tracking your blood pressure, a unique feature you won't find in a lot of affordable Fitbit alternatives. In addition, it can track your sleep and your heart rate, as well as the distance and time of your runs or walks. You can also set it to buzz every 30 minutes to remind you to stand up. The battery life lasts up to seven days between charges, and it can be recharged via the USB in the watch face in just a few hours. Thousands of Amazon reviewers rave that this fitness tracker is one of the best out there for the price.

According to one reviewer: "This tracker is TRULY waterproof! I was a bit wary at first but it's been through several swims, trips to the bottom of the pool, diving in, etc. I am very impressed!! It also keeps track of steps and movement better. The band is staying clean not collecting dirt like one I had previously.”

6. A Slim Fitbit Alternative: YoYoFit Slim Fitness Tracker

While it’s marketed towards kids (especially thanks to its low price tag and fun color options), the YoYoFit fitness tracker is also great for adults in search of a no-frills, non-bulky option. It features include a pedometer, sleep monitor, fitness tracker, heart rate monitor, reminders, messages, GPS, alarms, and phone calls, and it’s compatible with both Google and Apple phones. Finally, it can handle light moisture and dust.

According to one reviewer: "Works great for kids and adults. I have a small wrist and it's hard to find something that doesn't look huge on me. This one is perfect!”

7. A Stylish Fitbit Alternative: UMIDIGI Smart Watch Fitness Tracker

With a bit of style, this round-face fitness tracker offers a lot of the same functionality as the classic Fitbit trackers for a much more affordable price. This activity tracker can measure your heart rate, your steps, and your pace and distance on your walks or runs. It can also be synced with your phone to receive notifications from your text messages and your favorite apps, and has 100 different watch faces you can choose from (including the option to customize with your own photo). The screen is also touch-compatible, and with one movement you can adjust the brightness on the screen based on where you are. This watch also syncs with an app so you can track your health and fitness data.

This fitness tracker is water-resistant, but not waterproof. That said, it can handle a little sweat if you're out for a run, and also lasts up to 10 days on a full charge. (Charging is easy via the included charging cable and only takes two hours to be fully recharged.) Shown in black above, this activity tracker also comes in a few other colors.

According to one reviewer: "This is such a great watch for the price. It does everything I need it to do. The app is easy to use and allows you to customize the face to show what you want to see. Has a nice long battery life. It is stylish. I love it.”

8. A Best-Selling Watch With Some Phone Features: Popglory Smart Watch

This fitness tracker and smart watch is so sleek, people will think you paid way more for it. The touchscreen display can show your heart rate, distance moved, calories burned, and sleep patterns. You can also view calls and see text messages directly from this watch simply by connecting it via Bluetooth to your phone. This watch also has sedentary reminders that will buzz to remind you to get up and move throughout the day. This wildly popular smart watch has a battery life that lasts days, so you won't have to worry about recharging it often. With more than 9,000 reviews, it’s a tried-and-true option.

According to one reviewer: "This is easily the best economy smart watch I've used to date. I like it so much, I have ordered a second one as a backup in case the current one ever fails or if this model is ever discontinued.”

9. An Option With Phone Notifications: Pro-Fit VeryFitPro Fitness Tracker

The Pro-Fit VeryFitPro tracker monitors all of the important stuff (including your heart rate, steps, distance, activity, and sleep quality, and it offers comprehensive reports on all of the aforementioned). That said, according to the brand, it’s more than just a tracker: It also works as your “personal digital assistant” so you can “make fitness a lifestyle.” It also delivers instant notifications from your phone, including texts, calls, and social media alerts, and the P67 water-resistant design keeps it functioning during wet or dry activities.

According to one reviewer: "I had originally purchased a Fitbit for over $100.00 and after 2 days saw that some of the functions were not working. [...] I came upon the Pro-Fit and decided to give it a shot. The price was amazing so I figured I had nothing to lose,. Wow, I was surprised at how much I love it. After I downloaded the app on my android, I put the Pro-Fit on and went about my business. The face is so easy to read. All of the features work beautifully. I wear it in the pool with no problems. It's really everything I was looking for. You definitely get a big bang for your buck with this one. Highly recommend!”

10. The Cheapest Tracker: Bomxy Fitness Tracker Watch

If you’re just looking for the basics, this fitness tracker watch gets the job done for $13 — and it’s extremely intuitive and easy to use, too. It’ll count your steps and distance, and it doesn’t require Bluetooth or a smartphone to work. Instead of a rechargeable lithium-ion battery, it’s powered by a button cell (included), which lasts up to 12 months. You can get it in your choice of seven different colors.

According to one reviewer: "This pedometer is great for counting your steps and calories burned. It’s lightweight and easy to set up. It doesn’t require an app to use which is good. The step count was accurate when I compared it to a Fitbit. It’s a great value for the price. It’s perfect for families who want to stay active together!”

11. The Best For Kids: BIGGERFIVE Fitness Tracker Watch for Kids

For a great Fitbit alternative for kids, this fitness tracker is a fantastic buy. Not only does it have a built-in sleep tracker and vibrating alarm clock, but this simple watch can keep data on their distance walked and steps throughout the day. Best yet, because this watch is IP67 waterproof, children can even wear it to the beach or by the pool (but not in the water). It also has a built-in sedentary reminder and drinking reminders, that can remind kids to get up and walk and grab some water throughout the day. While this doesn't track heart rate, you get a lot of bang for your buck with this affordable fitness tracker for kids.

According to one reviewer: "My daughter loves it. Very good alternative to a Fitbit for a 10 year old. She mostly likes to see how many steps she gets in a day.”

Also Consider: A High-End Brand That’s Not Fitbit: Garmin vivosmart 4

While it’s not exactly cheap, one reviewer writes that this Garmin vivosmart 4 fitness tracker “blows Fitbit out of the water,” especially considering the price. Even though it’s slim and extremely stylish with its textured band and rose gold accents, don’t be fooled — this thing has power. It can monitor everything from your REM cycles to your blood oxygen saturation levels, and it delivers vibration alerts for calls and text messages. Finally, it syncs up to your phone’s GPS, has pre-set activity timers, and lasts up to a week on a single charge.

According to one reviewer: "Love this product! Had a Fitbit before this, but I really love this Garmin so much better!! It gives much more information than the Fitbit did, like reading pulse ox, body battery, how many stairs you have gone up/down (not just how many steps were taken), and it shows the weather!”

Also Great: The Most Affordable Fitbit

If you still want to go for a Fitbit, the Fitbit Inspire 2 is one of the most affordable you can find for less than $100. This simple fitness tracker can keep tabs on your steps, active minutes, and can track your sleep. Now, unlike Fitbit's more expensive models, this doesn't offer heart rate monitoring. So, if that's a deal breaker, you're better off with one of the cheaper heart rate monitors above. But, the convenient touchscreen, five-day battery life, and the popular Fitbit app make this a good choice for anyone who wants a name brand fitness tracker for the best price.

According to one reviewer: "Had a larger more expensive Fitbit which didn’t stay charged for the 10days this does. Smaller slimmer footprint makes it so much more comfortable to wear 24/7. Tracks everything I would have wanted, and more. Phone app is perfect!”

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