Looking to level up your fitness routine with a smartwatch without spending a fortune? Walmart’s got a solid selection of fitness-focused watches at various price points. Whether you’re training for a marathon, trying to figure out why you’re always tired, or just want to track your daily steps, here’s what I’d actually recommend after looking at what’s available.
Our Top Picks at a Glance
Quick rundown of our favorites:
The Apple Watch Series 9 is the best overall pick if you’re in the Apple ecosystem. The Amazfit Band 7 is the way to go if you want solid tracking without spending much—it’s under $50. Runners should look at the Garmin Forerunner 55 for its specialized training features. And if sleep is your main concern, the Fitbit Charge 6 tracks rest better than anything else at its price.
Now let’s get into the details.
Best Overall: Apple Watch Series 9
The Series 9 is the standard that other fitness watches try to match. It’s expensive—usually $300+—but if you want the full package, this is it.
Health sensors include blood oxygen, ECG, and an always-on altimeter. The new S9 chip makes everything snappier, and the Double Tap gesture actually works well when you’re mid-workout and can’t fumble with the screen.
Fitness tracking covers over 100 workout types, and it automatically detects when you start moving, which is handy. The Activity Rings give you simple visual goals—move, exercise, stand. They’ve become almost addictive for some people.
Sleep tracking got better with recent updates. You get sleep stages and a daily sleep score. It’s not as detailed as a Fitbit, but having everything in one place is convenient.
The catch: battery life stinks. You’ll charge this daily. Also, it only works well with iPhones—if you’re on Android, look elsewhere.
If you’re already in the Apple ecosystem and want the best all-around fitness watch, this is the one to get.
Best Budget: Amazfit Band 7
Not everyone needs to spend $300 on a watch. The Amazfit Band 7 shows you can get decent tracking for under $50.
It handles the basics: steps, calories, heart rate, sleep. The heart rate sensor runs 24/7 and alerts you to anything weird. Sleep tracking is surprisingly thorough—it even detects naps.
The built-in GPS is the real surprise here. Most budget trackers make you carry your phone for outdoor runs, but this one has GPS built in. Battery lasts about 18 days normally, or around 26 hours with GPS constantly on.
You can swim with it—it handles 5 ATM of pressure. It has 120+ sports modes, though don’t expect premium accuracy.
The companion app (Zepp) isn’t as polished as the big names, and notifications can be slow. But for the price? Hard to complain.
If you want your first fitness tracker or need a backup, this is excellent value.
Best for Running: Garmin Forerunner 55
Garmin makes the best GPS sports watches, and the Forerunner 55 is proof. It’s aimed at beginners but has features serious runners actually want.
GPS is accurate and fast to lock on—works well in cities with tall buildings or forests. Battery is ridiculous: 20 days in watch mode, 20 hours in GPS mode. You can run a marathon and still have battery left.
The training features are what set it apart. It suggests daily workouts based on how you’ve been training. It predicts race times for common distances and tells you how long to recover between hard sessions. It even estimates your VO2 max.
The Body Battery feature combines stress, sleep, and activity to show your energy levels each day—useful for knowing when to take a rest day.
The screen isn’t as colorful as AMOLED displays, but it’s much easier to read in direct sunlight, which matters when you’re actually outside running.
If you care about running performance, this is worth the investment.
Best for Sleep Tracking: Fitbit Charge 6
Sleep tracking is where Fitbit excels, and the Charge 6 is their best value option for rest insights.
The new sensor array improves heart rate accuracy during sleep. You get full sleep stage breakdowns—Awake, REM, Light, Deep—and a Sleep Score based on heart rate variability, breathing, and time asleep. It’s more detailed than what you get from Apple or Garmin.
Fitbit includes tools to actually help you sleep. Wind Down mode gives you reminders and a sunset alarm. Guided breathing exercises can trigger automatically at bedtime. The Sleep Profile (requires Premium subscription) gives monthly analysis of your patterns and personalized tips.
As a fitness tracker, it’s solid too. 40+ exercise modes, built-in GPS, and Google integration for music and maps.
The screen is small—if you want a full smartwatch with apps, look at Fitbit Sense. But for pure fitness and sleep tracking in a compact package, this is great.
What to Consider Before Buying
A few things to think about:
Heart rate accuracy varies a lot. Optical sensors use LED lights, and cheaper devices struggle during intense workouts or activities with lots of wrist movement. If heart rate matters for your training, read reviews for your specific activity.
GPS adds cost and battery drain. Built-in GPS means no phone required. Some devices use connected GPS (your phone’s GPS), which saves battery but means carrying your phone.
Battery life matters for sleep tracking. Daily chargers are fine if you’re okay with taking it off at night. If you want to track sleep without charging, look for devices that last several days.
Water resistance: 5 ATM means swimming is fine. Don’t take it diving.
Extra sensors—SpO2, ECG, stress—sound cool but add cost. Think about what you’ll actually use.
How We Picked These
We looked at tracking accuracy from professional reviews and user reports. We compared features to price, including any required subscriptions. We considered how easy each device is to set up and use day-to-day. We checked real battery life from actual users, not manufacturer claims. And we verified everything is actually available at Walmart with competitive pricing.
Which Should You Get?
It depends on your situation:
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Apple Watch Series 9 if you want the best all-around experience and use an iPhone. Yes, you charge daily. Yes, it’s expensive. But the fitness features are comprehensive.
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Amazfit Band 7 if you want basic tracking without spending much. It’s not perfect, but you get remarkable features for under $50.
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Garmin Forerunner 55 if running is your thing. The training tools are genuinely useful, not just marketing fluff.
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Fitbit Charge 6 if sleep is your priority. No one does it better at this price.
Think about what you’ll actually use. Don’t pay for running metrics if you just want step counts. And the best watch is the one you’ll actually wear—data only helps if you check it.
