One of the main issues faced by those looking to upgrade their fitness tracker is budget vs quality. You want a good tracker that can record your workouts and sleep without paying an arm and a leg, which is reasonable enough. For a budget under £100, there's only one fitness tracker I recommend to my friends.
The Fitbit Inspire 3 retails at £89.99 RRP, but it's just £59.99 in the Amazon sale right now, so you might be able to see why. The Amazon Spring Sale starts today and lasts until Monday, but I can't guarantee this deal will be live then if past Prime Days are anything to go by, so it's worth snapping up now.
As a keen runner, hiker, gym-goer, and the digital health editor at woman&home, I reckon I've had my hands on almost 100 fitness trackers over the last five years. I've tested all the best Fitbits, models from Garmin, Polar, Apple, Huawei, Samsung, Coros, and many more. Yet, as much as I love the advanced smartwatches, my first go-to is the Fitbit Inspire 3 whenever I recommend a fitness tracker to a friend.
What makes the Fitbit Inspire 3 so great?
The Fitbit Inspire 3 is a discreet watch that sits smartly on the wrist with its slim design, small display size, full-colour screen, and choice of three colours. It has over 20 workout modes and offers full sleep analysis, making it easy to log your runs, walks, swims, gym sessions and more. Provided you wear it to bed, you'll also be able to record the duration and the quality of your sleep. In the Fitbit app, which is free to download and use, you'll also find all your data from your nights' sleep and workouts, revealing the quality of your sleep and the different heart rate zones of your workout.
Whether your goal is to do 10,000 steps without leaving the house or your first Couch to 5km, the Fitbit Inspire 3 can take you there. On the screen, you'll always be able to see your heart rate, calorie burn for the day, and step count, so I found the watch can keep you accountable to more daily movement without even starting a workout.
While not exclusive to the Fitbit Inspire 3, buying this watch does give you access to six months of Fitbit Premium. Here, you'll find one of the best workout apps with on-screen workouts from the likes of Davina McCall and Les Mills. You'll also find recipes (I can recommend the Peanut Butter Energy Balls), to help combine your new step count goal with healthy and exciting food choices.
You'll also be able to set a timer (useful when you're cooking without any hands free, in my experience), set an alarm, and see call and text notifications from your phone on your wrist.
It's a winner for anyone just looking to start making healthier lifestyle choices, like doing more exercise or sleeping better. You don't need to invest in the latest and best fitness trackers to start making a change - this budget-friendly Fitbit is more than enough, trust me.
What are the downsides?
The same issue of price vs quality still applies to the Fitbit Inspire 3 to a certain degree. If you're looking to train for a marathon or take on a serious sporting challenge, you would be better off with an alternative device - like the Coros Pace 3 or one of the best Garmin watches. These can deliver more useful insights into your workout, such as cadence and stride length for running.
The Fitbit Inspire 3 doesn't have in-built GPS either. This means you'll always need to have your phone with you when you're using this watch to record a workout - otherwise, you won't be able to get data for distance and speed or record your route. Out of all the possible missing features, though, this is minor. When do you leave the house without your phone anyway?
