A good fitness smartwatch won’t cost you a fortune. Whether you’re a runner tracking miles, someone lifting weights at the gym, or just want to move more during the day, there are solid options under $150 that actually work. I spent weeks testing dozens of models, checking user reviews, and comparing the numbers that matter. Here’s what I found.
| Product | Price | Battery Life | Heart Rate | GPS | Water Resistance |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Garmin vívoactive 5 | ~$299 (older models ~$150) | 8+ days | Yes | Yes | 5ATM |
| Fitbit Inspire 3 | ~$100 | 10+ days | Yes | No (connected) | 5ATM |
| Amazfit Band 7 | ~$70 | 18 days | Yes | Yes | 5ATM |
| Garmin Forerunner 55 | ~$199 | 14 days | Yes | Yes | 5ATM |
| Samsung Galaxy Watch FE | ~$179 | 40 hours | Yes | Yes | 5ATM |
| Amazfit GTR 4 | ~$179 | 14 days | Yes | Yes | 5ATM |
| Fitbit Charge 6 | ~$160 | 7 days | Yes | Yes (connected) | 5ATM |
| Huawei Watch GT 4 | ~$179 | 14 days | Yes | Yes | 5ATM |
Skip features you won’t use. Focus on what actually matters for your workouts.
Heart rate tracking is the baseline feature on any fitness watch. Most use optical sensors that shine light into your skin to measure blood flow. The problem is that accuracy varies, especially during exercises with lots of arm movement like heavy deadlits or kettlebell swings. If you’re training in specific heart rate zones—fat burn, cardio, threshold—look for watches with multi-zone tracking. Some let you customize zones after a fitness test, which is more useful than guessing.
Two types exist: built-in GPS and connected GPS. Built-in GPS has its own satellite receiver, so you can leave your phone at home when you run. Connected GPS uses your phone’s GPS, which saves battery but means carrying your phone. For runners and cyclists who care about pace and distance, built-in GPS is worth the trade-off. For gym-goers or casual walkers, connected GPS works fine.
A dead watch mid-workout is frustrating. Battery life ranges from 1-2 days on power-hungry smartwatches to several weeks on basic fitness bands. Think about how you train: if you don’t mind charging daily and want maximum features, shorter battery life is fine. If you want to track sleep without removing the watch overnight, or go hiking for days, look for 7+ days of battery. Many watches have battery-saver modes that extend life significantly during long trips.
Water resistance matters if you swim or shower with your watch. A 5ATM rating means the device handles pressure equivalent to 50 meters depth—fine for swimming and rain. But water resistance degrades over time, especially from impacts and pool chemicals. If pool laps are your thing, look beyond the rating: check for actual swim tracking features like lap counting, stroke detection, and SWOLF scores.
Your data is only useful if you can actually see and understand it. Fitbit’s app is user-friendly with good visuals and social features. Garmin Connect goes deeper analytically, popular with serious athletes. Samsung Health and Zepp (for Amazfit) each have their own approach. Try the free version of each app before buying the watch to see what feels right.
The vívoactive 5 is the watch to get if you want serious fitness tracking without spending Apple Watch money. It balances actual training features with everyday smartwatch stuff pretty well.
You get built-in GPS, optical heart rate with blood oxygen sensing, and over 30 activity profiles—running, cycling, swimming, yoga, strength training. Battery lasts about 8 days normally and around 6 hours with GPS always on.
What makes this Garmin stand out is the health monitoring. Beyond heart rate, it tracks stress throughout the day, gives detailed sleep scores, and has guided breathing exercises. Women get menstrual cycle tracking too, which is useful for understanding how training affects your body.
The screen is readable in sunlight, and at 36 grams, you forget it’s there. It doesn’t store music or have contactless payments, but most people don’t miss those.
Pros:
– Accurate GPS
– 8+ day battery
– Good health tracking
– Lightweight
Cons:
– No music storage
– Limited smart features vs Apple Watch
The Inspire 3 shows that solid fitness tracking doesn’t cost much. At around $100, this slim band does things that used to require $200 devices.
It tracks heart rate 24/7, monitors sleep with sleep stages, measures blood oxygen, and gives stress scores. It auto-recognizes over 20 exercise types. The catch: it uses connected GPS, so you need your phone for outdoor tracking.
Battery life is 10 days, impressive for a color display. It’s waterproof at 5ATM, fine for swimming. Fitbit’s app makes it easy to see trends over time.
The band style isn’t for everyone. And no built-in GPS means serious runners should look elsewhere. But for step counting, sleep tracking, and basic workouts, it’s a great deal.
Pros:
– 10-day battery
– Good sleep tracking
– Cheap
– Lightweight, swim-proof
Cons:
– No built-in GPS
– Smaller app selection
The Band 7 battery is ridiculous—18 days on a charge. If you hate charging things, this is the one.
For under $70, you get built-in GPS, which is unusual at this price. There’s 24/7 heart rate, blood oxygen, stress, and sleep tracking. Over 110 sports modes, including weird ones like rock climbing and trail running.
The 1.47-inch AMOLED screen looks good and supports always-on display. Zepp, the companion app, has gotten better but isn’t as polished as Fitbit.
The trade-offs: heart rate accuracy drops during high-intensity work compared to Garmin. The app could use work. But for the price, it’s hard to complain.
Pros:
– 18-day battery
– Built-in GPS for cheap
– Big AMOLED screen
– 110+ sports modes
Cons:
– Heart rate lags behind Garmin
– App isn’t as nice as competitors
The Forerunner 55 is for people who run a lot. It has training tools that usually cost twice as much.
GPS locks on fast and stays accurate—competitive runners trust it. Beyond basic pace and distance, you get daily suggested workouts based on your history, recovery time advice, and predicted race times. PacePro gives grade-adjusted pacing for courses you import.
Battery: 14 days normally, up to 20 hours in GPS mode. Enough for ultra training. It has basic smartwatch stuff—notifications, weather, calendar—but no music storage or contactless payments.
For runners, this offers more insight than general fitness watches. It’s the pick if your training centers on running.
Pros:
– Advanced running features
– Great GPS
– 14-day battery
– Race predictor
Cons:
– Limited smart features
– Older display
The Galaxy Watch FE gives you full smartwatch capabilities with fitness tracking built in. It’s not the newest Samsung, but it works.
Health features include continuous heart rate, ECG, blood pressure (in some regions), and detailed sleep tracking. The BioActive sensor combines optical heart rate with electrical and blood flow measurements for better accuracy.
Being Samsung means you get Google Play Store apps, Samsung Pay, and real smartwatch features—calls, texts, voice assistant.
Battery is around 40 hours—shorter than fitness trackers but workable if you charge nightly. The rotating bezel is nice for navigation.
This works best if you’re already in the Samsung/Android ecosystem. iPhone users lose some features.
Pros:
– Full Wear OS
– ECG and advanced sensors
– Samsung Pay
– Rotating bezel
Cons:
– Shorter battery life
– Some features need Samsung phone
The GTR 4 looks like a regular watch but tracks fitness like a pro. Good for people who don’t want a tech-bracelet look.
Dual-band GPS improves accuracy. 14-day battery. Heart rate, blood oxygen, stress, sleep—the full suite. 1.43-inch AMOLED with 466×466 resolution looks sharp. The stainless steel case feels premium without being flashy.
Over 150 sports modes with auto-recognition for 8 common activities. Has offline voice assistant and music storage—leave your phone behind on runs.
At ~$179, it’s at the top of the budget range. Worth it if you want something that looks good in a meeting right after your workout.
Pros:
– Looks premium
– Dual-band GPS
– 14-day battery
– Music storage
Cons:
– Higher price
– Zepp app could be better
The Charge 6 is the newest Fitbit band, now with Google integration.
Finally, built-in GPS—previous Fitbits didn’t have this. 24/7 heart rate, continuous blood oxygen, and Fitbit’s sleep tracking. Google integration brings YouTube Music controls and Google Maps to your wrist.
About 7 days battery with always-on display. Compact and comfortable, though the small screen limits what you can do.
Fitbit’s app ecosystem is the real differentiator. Fitbit Premium gives deeper insights, but plenty works for free. The social features and challenges keep some people motivated.
Pros:
– Built-in GPS added
– Great sleep tracking
– Google integration
– Compact
Cons:
– Small screen
– Premium required for full features
The GT 4 continues Huawei’s thing: battery that lasts forever. 14 days typical use. Most competitors charge daily.
Dual-band GPS. Heart rate, blood oxygen, stress, sleep—everything. Over 100 workout modes. Huawei’s TruSeen sensor has improved, giving more reliable heart rate than older versions.
The 1.43-inch AMOLED looks good. Works with Android and iOS, though some features need a Huawei phone. The Health app is better now but still behind Fitbit and Garmin.
If you’re tired of charging, this delivers.
Pros:
– 14-day battery
– Dual-band GPS
– Good looks
– Solid value
Cons:
– App less developed
– Some features need Huawei phone
I wore each device for at least two weeks, tracking workouts and sleep. Battery testing used default settings with daily GPS workouts. Heart rate was checked against a chest strap during interval sessions. GPS accuracy involved running known distances. Screen visibility, comfort, and app responsiveness all factored in.
Garmin optical sensors are consistently reliable, even during hard efforts. No watch matches chest straps during exercises with lots of arm movement. For serious training, a compatible chest strap is worth it.
Garmin wins for pure fitness. Better battery life, more sport-specific features, training analytics. Apple Watch is better as a general smartwatch with decent fitness. Pick based on whether fitness or connectivity matters more.
Fitness bands: 18 days (Amazfit Band 7). Full smartwatches: 1-2 days (Galaxy Watch FE). GPS mode: 6-20 hours depending on device. Most fitness watches get 7-14 days with normal use.
No. But they help optimize training—heart rate zones, pace data, recovery tracking. Casual exercisers can get by with phone apps. Serious athletes benefit from dedicated tracking.
All listed devices are 5ATM rated—safe for swimming, showering, rain. But water resistance isn’t permanent. Rinse after pool or ocean use to maintain seals.
The right watch depends on what you need. Most people should get the Garmin vívoactive 5—best overall mix of features, accuracy, and battery life.
If budget is tight, the Amazfit Band 7 is ridiculous value at under $70. Runners should look at the Forerunner 55 for training features. Want full smartwatch capabilities? Try the Galaxy Watch FE.
These days, under $150 gets you features that cost hundreds more a few years ago. Pick one, wear it consistently, and let the data help you improve.
Looking for a smartwatch that can actually keep up with your training? Whether you're lifting…
Finding a smartwatch that can actually handle your gym sessions, open water swims, and everyday…
Finding the right smartwatch for cycling can transform your rides, whether you're a weekend warrior…
Looking for a new running watch? Whether you're training for your first 5K or prepping…
Looking to level up your fitness routine with a smartwatch without spending a fortune? Walmart's…
Looking to level up your fitness game in 2024? Whether you're training for a marathon…