What are the best fitness trackers with heart rate monitoring?

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score 23 · Accepted Answer

Fitbit Charge 2

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Top Pro

Gives you a lot of features for the price

It gives you a lot of stats on your activities thanks to the GPS, altimeter, and heart rate monitor. It can track your sleep, show you alerts directly on the display, and offers a variety of helpful features such as reminders to move and a breathing function that helps you relax. See More

Top Con

No media controls

Specs

Altimeter:Yes

Heart rate:Yes

GPS:Uses smartphone GPS

Waterproofing:Water-resistant

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Top Pro

Reminds you to move throughout the day

The fitness tracker will give you hourly reminders to get up and move for a few minutes, so you're not spending your whole day hunched over a desk. See More

Top Con

No smart alarm

Although the feature has been requested by the community since 2014. See More

Top Pro

Great choice of replacement bands

Including regular vinyl bands, leather, metal, luxury, etc. See More

Top Con

No actionable notifications / Call and text only

You can only see call and text notifications, no Facebook, Twitter, email, etc. And you can only see them, you cannot reply, delete, dismiss, etc. See More

Top Pro

Only needs to be charged every 4-5 days

Compared to other fitness trackers with large display screens, and Charge 2 has an impressive battery life. It can go 4-5 days without needing to be recharged, so there is minimal interruption to your tracking. See More

Top Con

Lavender band turns blue after a short period of wear

The specific color of band can start to turn blue after only the first day of wear. It very quickly looks stained and dirty. See More

Top Pro

The large display is easy to read

The Charge 2 has a very clear black and white display that's easy to read in both light and dark settings. It gives you a lot of activity stats directly on the display, which keeps you from needing to frequently check the smartphone app. See More

Top Con

Lower quality screen that scratches easily

Rather than gorilla glass which is commonly used in the more expensive trackers, the Charge 2 fitness tracker uses a thick plastic display screen. It makes the device appear lower quality and scratches very easily. See More

Top Pro

Works with non walking/running activities

For example you can go on a bike ride and as long as the app is installed on your mobile device and you take the mobile with you, it will combine data from the mobiles GPS with what the watch records in order to create more accurate information for the user. See More

Top Con

Weak vibration causes alerts to easily go missed

The Charge 2 has a very weak vibration that is easy to miss, especially when you're active. As a result, it's easy to miss silent alarms or reminders to get up and move. See More

Top Con

Not waterproof

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The Best 1 of 13 OptionsWhy?

My Recommendation for Fitbit Charge 2

My Recommendation for Fitbit Charge 2

Gives you a lot of features for the price

No media controls

Reminds you to move throughout the day

No smart alarm

Great choice of replacement bands

No actionable notifications / Call and text only

Only needs to be charged every 4-5 days

Lavender band turns blue after a short period of wear

The large display is easy to read

Lower quality screen that scratches easily

Works with non walking/running activities

Weak vibration causes alerts to easily go missed

Not waterproof

12 Other Options Considered

My Recommendation for Fitbit Charge HR

My Recommendation for Fitbit Charge HR

Continuously measures your heart rate and intensity level to give you 24 hour stats

May break after only a few months of use due to durability issues

The app and web platform do an excellent job of keeping you motivated

Won't turn on if you completely let the battery run out

Battery lasts a week or more on a single charge

Known to cause rashes

Multifunction display

Excellent customer support

My Recommendation for Apple Watch

My Recommendation for Apple Watch

Apps for monitoring heart rate outside of fitness

Expensive

Heart rate monitoring

Works only with iPhones

Works well with iPhone

Provides GPS data for GPS-enabled workout/fitness apps

Can stream audio to bluetooth headphones for activity without a phone

Can be connected to a cellphone for being able to be contactable without a phone

Haptic feedback for notifications

Sensitive touch

My Recommendation for Fitbit Blaze

My Recommendation for Fitbit Blaze

Long battery life for being so feature-rich

Inconvenient to charge

Tracks your activity in a large variety of ways

Poor use of the large display

Wide range of wrist straps available for a more personalized look

Very easy to read, even in bright sunlight

Media control

Interesting design

My Recommendation for Samsung Gear Fit2

My Recommendation for Samsung Gear Fit2

Works as a music player so it can be your sole device during exercise

Auto tracking can be inaccurate

Keeps you constantly aware of your progress without needing to look at your smartphone

Easy to lose the tracker because of a weak clasp

Large, clear display that's easy to read

GPS drains the battery extremely fast

Onboard GPS

Lots of options for personalizing the appearance

My Recommendation for Garmin Forerunner 235

My Recommendation for Garmin Forerunner 235

Ideal tracker for runners

Has trouble tracking heart rate during intervals

Customize the display screen to display the data most important to you

Needs to be recharged often

Quickly picks up a GPS signal

Extremely lightweight and comfortable

My Recommendation for Jawbone UP4

My Recommendation for Jawbone UP4

Advanced metrics tracking system

No display

Integrates with an impressive list of third-party apps

Can't track elevation

Allows setting goals, alerts and reminders in order to motivate

Typically, it doesn't last more than 1 year

Has a social component

Integrates with Jawbone's free app for logging food & drink

Can be used to log workout

Accurate step counter

7-day battery life