If you’re on the hunt for one of the best fitness trackers, chances are, you’ve already seen the likes of Fitbit and Garmin doing the rounds.
But, question - are there any that actually look good, too, and don’t take up half your arm or clash with your newest trench coat?
PSA: healthy living can be fashion-forward, too - as our edit of fitness trackers proves. Here at Marie Claire UK, we’ve long been championing the intersection between fitness and fashion - that is, finding kit that not only does the job but looks the part, too. (Scroll our edits of the best gym leggings, best running trainers, and best sports bras, here).
That’s why we tasked seven different members of the Marie Claire UK editorial team with testing out some of the most highly-rated fitness trackers on the market. We looked for trackers that not only accurately recorded our health data, from stress levels to sleep scores but looked good day-to-day, too. Because yes, there is a balanced middle ground and yes, you can find a one-size-fits-all to wear from gym to gin. Without further ado - keep reading for our favourites. Don't miss our extensive WHOOP 4 review and Lumen tracker review, while you're at it, or Editors picks of the best Fitbits currently available to buy.
Testing process
So, how did we test the fitness trackers? Good question.
Each staff member took home a tracker for a month and put them to the test over workouts, walks and more. They also wore them day-to-day and were asked to comment on how they felt to wear them to work, too. The main judging factors were as follows:
- Ease of use: Was the fitness tracker easy to use and were the stats simple to navigate?
- Price: Was it an affordable price point, and did it feel like a worthwhile investment?
- Battery life: How long did the battery last, and was it easy to charge?
- Connectivity: Does it connect to an app? If so, was this easy to do?
- Design: Was the design simple and did it look fashionable enough to be worn day-to-day? Were there different sizing or strap options?
12 best elegant fitness trackers to buy now
Oura Gen 3 review
Tested by: Sunil Makan, Editor
Ever since seeing the Oura ring flood my Instagram feed, I knew I wanted to test it, and embarking on a health journey in my thirty-sixth year seemed like the perfect time to do so.
I wear rings - particularly chunky ones - so it didn’t feel cumbersome for me, but I can imagine that it might take some getting used to. The design, however classic and contemporary it is, might be considered on the masculine side of things. I’d very much like to try the brushed metal options, which would fit in with my overall aesthetic much more seamlessly.
How accurate is the Oura ring? When it comes to accuracy, here’s what I found. I have a smartwatch (the Apple Watch SE) that measures my heart activity and sleep too, so it was interesting to see whether the data would match up. I compared the data from my watch (via the Welltory app synched to my phone) and the Oura ring, and for the most part, they gave very similar readings (with differences of up to 30 minutes).
It is recommended that you wear the ring on your index finger or middle and ring finger, however, the ring that I had only managed to go on my little finger. So it’s worth noting that results might have varied.
Is it waterproof? I was actually quite nervous about taking the ring into water - I once got into a thermal pool with a very popular brand of fitness tracking watches which turned out to be a bad idea - so I’ve been dutifully taking it off every time I was in the shower or washing my hands. That said, having just come back from a holiday in Greece, I can fully report that after several swims in the ocean and pool, the ring was still working (and obviously recording my exercise). Officially it is water-resistant up to 100 meters.
Overall: I'll keep the ring - I’m actually considering losing the watch altogether. It’s the perfect way to keep track of your health without it being massively intrusive. I particularly enjoyed the sleep scoring and "Readiness" factor (a score that shows you how you might be able to handle the day ahead) and concise weekly reporting. There’s also the option to explore breathwork and guided meditations via the app on your phone.
WHOOP 4.0 review
Tested by: Ally Head, Senior Health Editor
Was it accurate? WHOOP has long been hailed as the fitness tracker of all fitness trackers, with celebrities and athletes alike swearing by their stats (we’re looking at you, Tom Daley). But it’s slightly different to other competitors. How? Well, it continuously collects data about everything from your recovery, to training, to sleep, to stress, versus other wearables that collect data during workouts and shut-eye.
You have to wear it for a few weeks before it starts feeding back your data, but I've never had more insight into my overall fitness levels, recovery score, and so on, and it was very accurate when cross-referenced with my Garmin.
It's worth pointing out, here - it's different from other fitness trackers in this round-up as it's aimed at educating you on your overall health and wellbeing primarily, as opposed to showing you your workout stats in real-time. It doesn't have a watch face - rather, it sends all data to the app on your phone. When testing for running, I found not being able to see my pace on my wrist a bit inconvenient, but it was interesting to see the stats on my performance post-workout.
Was it detailed enough? Arguably too much so - I can imagine for those who don't like data overload, the WHOOP 4.0 may be too much.
That said, I found the Whoop absolutely fascinating. It works by educating you on what they call your “optimal strain score”, calculated from your daily strain, recovery, and sleep. This basically means how well rested and prepared your body is for the day, based not just on past workouts, but on mental strain, too. On days when I thought I'd got 8 hours plus sleep and couldn't work out why I felt tired, my strain score reflected that my sleep was more broken than I thought, plus I was still recovering from yesterday's interval training session, too. I found it comforting to know that I should take training a little easier on those days.
Similarly, I loved the recovery function, which is calculated from your heart rate variability (there are elements of this on certain Garmins). I’m a marathon runner so having the app tell me when rest was actually more important than recovery was a godsend. For more details, read my full WHOOP review, here.
Overall: The Whoop 4.0 is smaller, sleeker, and can sit in their newly launched bras, too - a neat addition if you don’t like being able to visibly see your fitness tracker.
Garmin Venu 2S review
Tested by: Sofia Piza, Freelance Producer and Writer
How accurate? The Garmin Venu 2S is one of the most efficient smartwatches I've ever used. Its design is very simple, so it feels like a piece of jewellery rather than a smartwatch.
While it wasn’t the easiest to navigate at first - it took me a while to get my head around the different buttons and functions - it connected to the Garmin Connect app pretty easily, which showed me information about my health as well as a large roster of exercises.
Does it track stress levels? I liked that the watch has a strong focus on wellbeing and tracks your stress levels, often notifying you when these are too high. To help support this, the watch is also able to provide timed breathing exercises to help stabilise your breathing.
Overall: I really enjoyed using the Garmin Venu 2S and would definitely recommend it. It was simple to use but shared insightful health stats. All in all, it's a very well-rounded smartwatch that provides accurate workout-tracking tools with a strong focus on wellness while looking fashionable, too.
Apple Watch Series 7 review
Tested by: Ally Head, Senior Health Editor
How accurate? I was pleasantly surprised by the Apple Watch Series 7 when I tried it. On the fitness front, the GPS was more accurate than I expected, as was the heart rate accuracy. That said, I did have difficulty with tracking certain workouts - take one of my favourite reformer Pilates classes, for example, where it based my stats on a brisk walk and said some readings couldn't be taken.
Did it look good? I’m normally a bit of a Garmin snob - I’ve had my Forerunner 935 for years now and have worn it for seven marathons as it's ridiculously accurate. That said, I don’t wear it often day-to-day as it’s chunky and doesn’t often go with my office outfits.
The Apple Watch Series 7, on the other hand, is super sleek in design and goes with pretty much everything - it’s definitely the prettiest fitness tracker I’ve tested. it’s really easy to see how many steps you’ve hit, plus whether you’ve hit your daily standing goal, with a quick wrist flick.
Overall: I normally actively choose not to wear a fitness tracker that buzzes with phone notifications as I don’t like being constantly drawn back to my devices, and the Apple Watch is definitely a culprit on this front (however, you can turn them off, if you agree). It looks good, is super simple to use, and feels light on your wrist, too - lots of plus points from me.
Huawei Watch Fit 2 review
Tested by: Grace Lindsay, Writer
Is it accurate? If you're looking for a more fashion-forward watch that doesn't compromise on any of the health stats, you can't go wrong with the Huawei Watch Fit 2. When testing it, I loved that this fitness watch looks like an actual watch - as someone who is used to wearing more aesthetically-focused designs, this was a fitness tracker I could totally get on board with. In fact, I got lots of compliments while wearing it.
The stats were pretty accurate when compared to readings from the other competitor watches I tried, and the screen was a lot bigger, making it much easier to use and navigate.
Does it have a wide range of features? One standout of the Huawei Watch Fit 2 was the wealth of features available on the watch - it literally comes with all the features you could imagine, from inbuilt workouts to sleep tracking, data on your breathing, and insights into your menstrual cycle, too. I also loved the fact that I could create a training plan through the app, perfect for someone like me, who's keen to implement products into my day-to-day that help me focus on my fitness.
Overall: I'm a fan - as you can tell. It's cute but offers a thorough insight into your health and wellbeing, too. Not to mention at under £150, it won't break the bank, either.
Fitbit Versa 4 review
Tested by: Ally Head, Senior Health Editor
Is it accurate? The new Fitbit Versa 4 has been dubbed the most advanced smartwatch from the brand, so as a Health Editor, I was eager to test it out. I trialled my first Fitbit back in 2015 and trained for my first-ever marathon using one. While they’re certainly great at pulling health stats, they weren’t so great on accurate stats and battery life back in the day - which is why I was pleasantly surprised to find that the Versa 4’s stats were similar enough to my much-loved Garmin Forerunner, and the battery life lasted around four to five days.
What are the fitness trackers USP's? They’ve got a snazzy new stress monitor which I found super useful and It was more effective at reminding me to slow down and breathe than other competitor models I’ve tried. It promises to monitor your heart rate variability, skin temperature, and more.
Overall: While it wasn’t the easiest to set up and navigate - it took me around an hour to get it up and running, and for me to understand what buttons meant what - once you’ve got the hang of it, it’s simple enough. Plus, it looks great, accurately records your health stats, and lasts nearly a week. I'd buy if you exercise a few times a week and love tracking your workout classes and steps - Garmins are still my go-to for marathon running.
Fitbit Inspire 3 review
Tested by: Grace Lindsay, Writer
Is it accurate? When testing, I found the Fitbit Inspire 3 is the perfect introduction to the world of fitness watches. Not only did it look super sleek on the wrist, but I found it easy to set up and simple to navigate, too. It's smaller than other competitors and so not as obvious on your wrist, yet still, from my testing, accurately tracked my high intensity interval training workouts, daily steps, sleep, and water intake.
It's much more affordable than other models on the market at under £100, but as above, the screen is also significantly smaller, meaning it might be harder to use if you have difficulty with your sight or will be using it every day.
What features stood out the most? Two features that really stood out to me when testing were the "Relax" and "Stress Management" features, in which you can see how your body responds to stress and even take part in a two-minute-long guided meditation.
Overall: It's not the most advanced of watches, but it doesn't pretend to be. For example, it doesn't have an inbuilt GPS tracker and won't give you race day predictions like Garmins will. That said, if you're after a more simple tracker that will help guide your general fitness, it's not a bad option.
Garmin Lily review
Tested by: Zoe Anastasiou, Acting Fashion Editor
Is it accurate? After wearing this watch, I can understand why people fall utterly in love with their fitness trackers. There's certainly a sense of achievement that comes with mastering your step count each day, or seeing if you've been able to keep your stress levels down.
I found it largely very accurate - that said, I was slightly dubious about how accurate the sleep tracker is. There were times when I knew I'd woken up in the middle of the night and it hadn't been registered.
That said, if you're not super fussed about the sleep stats, the rest of the tracking was spot on. It has an inbuilt GPS and connects to an app, which was simple enough to set up. The app is great for being able to clearly chart your success and improvements as it creates graphs and graphics for your sleep, stress, activity, and more.
What did it look like? Historically, I've been hesitant to wear a fitness tracker due to aesthetics but the Garmin Lily feels quite chic compared to most. It has a sleek design and feels elevated, not like a traditional fitness tracker.
Overall: I found it chic, easy to use, and the battery life lasted around four to five days. Do note, though, that the watch face isn't constantly on, so you do need to tap it to see the time/steps/etc
Huawei GT3 Pro review
Tested by: Andrea Thompson, Editor-in-Chief
Was it accurate? In a word, yes. The Huawei GT3 Pro comes with over 100 workout modes and really accurately tracked each activity I tested it on, from swimming to running. I thought this watch was super streamlined, light, and elegant in design, too, with a nice high-res screen which made it easy to read on the go or when exercising. It was simple to set up and sync with my Google Pixel and playlist, too.
Who is it best for? If you're a runner who likes to track their performance and heart rate over time, like me, this is a great buy and very easy to use. It's not just for running, either - it can track strength training workouts, water-based activities like swimming, and even skiing.
I also liked that it features a period tracker and sleep and stress tracker, all of which required nothing more than a simple setup. The day-to-night theme is a nice decorative touch, too.
Overall: I liked this watch - it looked good and gave me lots of insights into my daily movement. I'd recommend it.
Polar Ignite 2 review
Tested by: Ana Ospina, Senior Art Editor
Is it accurate? If you’re looking for a cross between a fitness tracker and a stylish watch, I really recommend the Polar Ignite 2. When testing, I found that it not only offered detailed tracking of my workouts, but sleep, energy, and stress levels too - I particularly liked that it told me how well my body had recovered from my workout.
I also loved the sheer amount of metrics I got from each workout - the activity tracking was fast, accurate, and comprehensive, and gave me personalised guidance for my workouts, sleep, and recovery. As well as its fitness functions, it offers music controls and weather information.
Did it look good? It’s sleek and smart and looks just like a traditional watch. The round black watch face comes in three colourways, gold, rose gold, and black pearl - I tried the rose gold - and is designed to be worn 24 hours a day, so it can track all aspects of your wellbeing accurately.
I liked the way it looked - it’s surprisingly lightweight and the strap is mostly breathable. If you like a watch that isn’t too bulky, then this one is for you. With only one button and a touch-screen, it is much sleeker than other sports watches.
Overall: In my opinion, the Polar Ignite 2 fitness watch is a really good choice if fitness is your priority, as it’s so thorough. The battery life is good (it lasted me five to six days), it's stylish, and it offers tracking for a wide range of activities. It's not the simplest to set up - I found getting used to the navigation of the watch a bit daunting at first and the mobile app a bit confusing - but I got my head around it pretty quickly.
Google Pixel 3 review
Tested by: Ally Head, Senior Health Editor
How accurate? When I heard that Anya Culling, one of the UK's fastest female marathon runners, was a fan of the new Google Pixel 3, I couldn't wait to test the new design. Previous iterations haven't been the most user-friendly, you see, and have been criticised for a slightly too small watch face and thick, cumbersome frame. The new Google Pixel 3 has none of these issues, though, with two different size options (41mm and 45mm) and a lightweight, easy-to-slip-on design. I found the data to be both accurate and easy to decipher, with handy training prompts generated by AI "coaches" and a daily readiness score calculated via your heart rate variability (HRV), sleep quality, and resting heart rate.
I liked that the watch offers a wealth of data on things like your running cadence, paces, and predictions, but that you're not overwhelmed by it, rather, given a cheery morning "brief" (or overview) of that day's stats. If you want to learn more, it's all there, but you're not overloaded with data first thing when you've barely woken up yet.
Does the Google Pixel 3 have GPS? As with previous designs, the watch does have an in-built GPS tracker and I found it to be impressively accurate, alongside its heart rate sensor. There are a whole load of other impressive functions, too - take the offline maps feature, which allows you to download your run route prior to leaving the house and follow it no matter your signal.
Also worth noting is that developers have given the device its brightest and dimmest display ever, meaning I didn't have any issues with seeing the screen mid-workout. I was also pleasantly surprised with how well the battery life lasted - mine, around two days before it needed a charge and a 35% improvement on their last design - and further, how quickly it charged (20% faster than the version 2, meaning you could easily whack it on charge for ten minutes or so before your morning run and it would be good to go for the day).
Overall: As a diehard Garmin fan, I was pleasantly surprised by the Google Pixel 3. It's got everything you could want from a fitness tracker and doubles as a handy smartwatch, too, showing your email, phone, and message notifications. I also liked that it doesn’t swerve health and fitness tracking in battery saver mode, like many other iterations on the market. Bottom line: if you're a Pixel user, you can't go far wrong with the new design.
Coros Pace 3 review
Tested by: Sophie Cookson, eCommerce Analyst
How accurate? I've been testing the Coros for three months and really can't rave about it enough. I'm currently weeks out from my first marathon and the many great features of the watch have made training so much easier. It has a really accurate GPS tracker which helps me to not only track my run distance, but pace and splits, too. For my longer runs, the GPS navigation feature has been super handy, making sure I don't get lost on new routes, and I like that you can create your own route within the app, preparing a route which then gets sent to your watch (normally, I end up stopping and starting loads if I get lost, which hasn't happened since I've been using the watch). It's not just designed for runners, though - I've also used it for cycles and swims, which are super easy to track thanks to the many different activity modes (think triathlon, cycling, open water swimming, strength training and more). I love that it's multi-faceted and offers the ability to track and then store the data of each workout you do, although do note that it's not suitable for more intense underwater activities, like diving.
What are the features like?: Extensive but easy to use. I loved that you can also create workouts and training plans in the app which auto-sync to the watch, encouraging you to stick to your designated weekly workouts. The watch also tracks your recovery and running fitness, which means you'll also know when you need to take a rest day or when your fitness is improving. While I haven't used it to track my sleep, there is the option to do this, with detailed data on sleep patterns and your overnight heart rate variable (HRV). All of your stats can then be auto-pulled through to third-party apps like Strava and Apple Health, which again just made training and sticking to my plan all the easier. (If you use Nike Run Club, Kmoot, or Adidas Running, you can connect to these, too).
Overall: I was really impressed with the Coros Pace 3 - it has everything and more that you'd want from a fitness tracker. While it is bulkier than my old fitness watch, I love the teal colourway and that it comes with strap options (nylon or silicone). The main standout was its battery life - I'm currently training for my first marathon and the battery lasts for around 15 days of continuous use without needing charging. This makes life so much easier, as I'm not constantly having to remember to make sure it's got enough battery.
