These are the Best Fitness Trackers for Beginners in 2025
Key Findings
Our picks for the best fitness trackers for beginners include all-rounders like the Fitbit Charge 6, stylish options like the Apple Watch SE, and Android-friendly picks like the Galaxy Watch 7. For those who prefer watch alternatives, devices like the Oura Ring and Bellabeat Leaf offer discreet, non-wrist tracking.
Starting your fitness journey can feel overwhelming, but having the right tools makes all the difference.
We have put together this list of the best fitness trackers for complete beginners to help put you on the right track. Discover some of the easiest ways to monitor activity, set goals, and build healthy habits.
From step counts to sleep tracking, today’s trackers are smarter, sleeker, and more beginner-friendly than ever before.
What is a Fitness Tracker?
A fitness tracker is a wearable device or gadget designed to monitor health and activity metrics like steps, heart rate, sleep, calories burned, and sometimes even stress or blood oxygen.
For beginners, fitness trackers are valuable because they simplify health data into easy-to-understand goals, like hitting 10,000 steps or closing daily activity rings.
Unlike advanced sports watches that cater to athletes, beginner-friendly fitness trackers focus on simplicity, affordability, and motivating you to stay active.
Many now connect seamlessly to apps that provide personalized coaching, progress charts, and reminders, making it easier to stay consistent.
Neura Health makes it easier than ever for beginners to track progress by consolidating all their data into a single app. Personalized AI insights and recommendations are then driven by your complete health profile.
The Top Fitness Watches for Beginners
Choosing your first fitness watch can feel daunting, but the right one should be simple to use, comfortable to wear, and with enough features to help you meet your goals.
Here are some of the best options for 2025, from dedicated fitness devices to all-rounder smart watches, each with unique strengths for different types of beginners.
1. Fitbit Charge 6 – Best All-Round Beginner Tracker
Fitbit has long been one of the top-rated fitness trackers for beginners, and the Charge 6 continues that tradition with a sleek design and easy-to-use app. It tracks steps, calories, heart rate, and sleep, while also offering guided breathing sessions and stress management features.
With Google Maps and YouTube Music integration, it goes beyond fitness, offering lifestyle conveniences as well. Battery life is solid at up to 7 days, and the simple interface makes it unintimidating for first-time users.
Best for: Beginners who want a balance of affordability, accuracy, and ease of use with a supportive app ecosystem.
2. Apple Watch SE 3 (2025 Edition) – Best Fitness Watch for Women
The Apple Watch SE offers a blend of health, safety, and gender-specific features that make it particularly appealing for women. Beyond step counts and heart rate, it includes cycle tracking, sleep monitoring, mindfulness reminders, and access to Apple Fitness+.
Safety features like fall detection and emergency SOS provide peace of mind, while interchangeable bands and sleek styling mean it doubles as an everyday smartwatch. Battery life is 18–20 hours, so it requires nightly charging.
Best for: Women who want a stylish, multipurpose smartwatch that supports fitness, health, and daily life in one device.
3. Samsung Galaxy Watch 8 – Best Android Fitness Watch
Samsung’s Galaxy Watch 7 is the top choice for Android users thanks to its deep integration with Samsung Health. It tracks sleep stages, heart rate, stress, body composition, and workouts with impressive accuracy.
A standout feature is its excellent battery life compared to many smartwatches, typically lasting 2–3 days on a single charge. With customizable watch faces and a polished design, it’s both functional and fashionable.
Best for: Android users who want seamless ecosystem integration with robust health tracking features.
4. Garmin Venu Sq 3 – Best for GPS and Outdoor Activities
Garmin is another top-rated, though lesser-known, fitness tracker. Renowned for its GPS precision, the Venu Sq 3 brings that expertise to a beginner-friendly, budget-conscious package. It offers accurate outdoor tracking for walking, running, and cycling, making it perfect for those who enjoy exercising outside.
Garmin Coach provides personalized training plans, while the bright AMOLED screen makes it easy to see stats on the go. Battery life lasts around 6 days, with GPS use reducing it somewhat.
Best for: Beginners who want reliable GPS tracking and structured guidance for outdoor workouts.
5. Amazfit Band 7 – Best Budget Fitness Watch
The Amazfit Band 7 is proof that fitness tracking doesn’t have to break the bank. Despite its low price, it offers step counting, heart rate monitoring, sleep tracking, and over 120 workout modes. One of its standout features is the battery life: up to 18 days on a single charge.
While it lacks some advanced features like ECG or body composition analysis, it’s more than enough for beginners who want the basics.
Best for: Budget-conscious beginners who want essential tracking with excellent battery life.
6. Withings ScanWatch 2 – Best for Health Monitoring
Withings brings a unique hybrid design to the world of health & fitness wearables, combining a traditional analog watch face with advanced health sensors. It tracks heart rate, SpO2, sleep, and activity, while also offering ECG functionality for detecting irregular heart rhythms.
Its understated design makes it look like a classic wristwatch, which appeals to users who don’t want their fitness tracker to look like tech. The battery lasts up to 30 days, one of the best in this category.
Best for: Beginners who prioritize long battery life and advanced health monitoring in a discreet, stylish package.
Fitness Trackers You Don’t Have to Wear on Your Wrist
Not everyone likes the feeling of a smartwatch or wants to wear a device on their wrist all day.
Luckily, there are plenty of trackers that are not watches that still offer powerful insights, in more discreet or unconventional forms.
1. Oura Ring Gen 4
The Oura Ring has quickly become one of the best non-wrist fitness trackers for beginners, thanks to its sleek design and powerful sleep analytics. Worn like a normal ring, it measures heart rate, body temperature, and overall readiness, giving you a daily score that reflects how well you’ve recovered.
It’s comfortable enough to wear 24/7, including overnight, making it one of the best choices for people who prioritize sleep health, and our top pick for the best sleep tracking rings in 2025.
Best for: Anyone who wants advanced sleep and recovery tracking in a subtle, stylish form factor that doesn’t feel like tech.
2. Whoop Strap with Clothing Integration
The Whoop platform is designed for serious fitness tracking, focusing on strain, recovery, and sleep. Beyond its strap, Whoop also offers sensor integration into specialized clothing such as compression shirts, leggings, and sports bras.
This means you can track all your biometric data without wearing anything on your wrist. The continuous monitoring gives deep insights into training readiness and recovery, making it especially useful for athletes or those training intensely.
Best for: Fitness enthusiasts who want detailed recovery and performance insights but prefer not to wear a bulky watch.
3. Bellabeat Leaf
Bellabeat Leaf is a unique tracker designed specifically for women, with an emphasis on holistic wellness. It can be clipped to clothing, worn as a necklace, or styled as a bracelet, blending seamlessly into daily outfits.
The Leaf tracks activity, sleep, stress levels, and even menstrual cycles through the companion app, making it both discreet and practical. It runs for months on a coin-cell battery, so there’s no need for frequent charging.
Best for: Women who prefer a jewelry-style tracker that combines lifestyle and fitness insights without the look of traditional wearables.
Final Thoughts: Best Fitness Trackers for Beginners
The best fitness tracker for beginners in 2025 depends on your lifestyle and comfort level.
Wrist-based trackers like the Fitbit Charge 6 or Samsung Galaxy Watch 8 provide robust all-round features, while options like the Oura Ring or Bellabeat Leaf offer discreet alternatives.
The key is to choose a tracker that feels intuitive, motivates you to stay active, and fits naturally into your daily routine.
By starting simple and focusing on consistency, you’ll quickly see how small steps add up to long-term health and fitness progress.
Article FAQ
What are fitness trackers?
Fitness trackers are wearable devices or gadgets that monitor health metrics like steps, heart rate, sleep, and calories burned. They help users set goals and stay consistent.
What are the best fitness trackers for beginners?
Top beginner-friendly trackers include the Fitbit Charge 6, Apple Watch SE, Samsung Galaxy Watch 8, Garmin Venu Sq 3, and Amazfit Band 7. Each offers easy-to-use features tailored to new users.
How do fitness trackers play a role in fitness motivation?
By setting daily goals, tracking progress, and offering reminders, fitness trackers turn activity into a game-like experience. This consistent feedback helps keep users motivated.
Are fitness trackers accurate for calories burned?
Most fitness trackers give estimates rather than exact numbers. They are generally useful for spotting trends, but calorie counts can vary depending on the device and individual.
How accurate are fitness trackers for sleep?
Fitness trackers can track sleep duration reliably, but accuracy for sleep stages (REM, deep sleep) is less precise compared to lab studies. They’re best for spotting patterns over time.
Do I need a smartwatch or a basic fitness tracker?
It depends on your goals. A basic tracker is great for steps, sleep, and heart rate, while a smartwatch offers added features like GPS, apps, and safety alerts. Beginners often start with simpler trackers.
