If you’ve looked around at the gym lately, you’ve likely seen smartwatches, clip-on monitors or tech-embedded rings adorning the bodies of the gym goers all around you. While fitness trackers were once reserved for use in university performance labs or medical settings, they’re now popular among exercisers of all ability levels. And, as the technology expands, you’ll be seeing even more of these devices enter the market — the $62 billion fitness tracker industry is expected to grow 21% by 2032.
Early fitness trackers, like simple clip-on pedometers or wearable wristbands, focused primarily on gauging daily step counts and heart rate. Newer devices, however, track everything from sleep and stress levels to oxygenation and fertility. Do these high-tech devices actually help make you fitter? With so much data available, do they contribute to information overload, or are they the missing tool that could help you make better decisions about your health? Are fitness trackers worth it?
Ultimately, experts agree: Fitness trackers can be a great tool when used correctly. But, they aren’t a one-size-fits-all solution or a magic bullet for all your exercise-related challenges. Here’s why.
What are fitness trackers?
A fitness tracker is worn on the body (or held, like an iPhone) to measure or estimate data points including step counts, calories burned, distance traveled, heart rate, sleep time or respiration. Some trackers (like smartwatches) can also display smartphone notifications, receive calls, store music and offer GPS data for outdoor workouts.
“Fitness trackers use advanced sensors to monitor key metrics like heart rate, movement patterns and respiratory rates — providing valuable real-time data about your body’s response to training,” explains Laura Sommer, DPT and owner of In Motion Physical Therapy.
There are a range of different types of fitness trackers available, including basic activity trackers like pedometers or apps like Apple Health, general or sport-specific smartwatches, heart-rate-monitoring chest straps or arm bands and even rings.
Wearables vary widely in price, but the more expensive models are usually able to measure multiple metrics. In addition to the gadget’s base price, some trackers, like Whoop and Oura, require a monthly or annual subscription.
What are the benefits of using a fitness tracker?
Fitness trackers are popular for a reason. “From a psychological perspective, fitness trackers are like having a workout pal strapped to your arm. You’re more accountable with your health choices when someone (even if that someone is a watch) is keeping an eye on you,” says Millica McDowell, a physical therapist and VP at Gait Happens.
Sara Swaneck, a clinical psychology doctoral student and strength instructor at Spire Fitness in Milwaukee, says that she used fitness trackers to keep herself accountable as she trained for a HYROX competition. “Having my Apple Watch motivated me to workout so I could ‘close my rings’ every day by meeting my exercise and movement goals. Having the Oura Ring motivated me to increase my sleep and reduce my stress levels since I could see the data,” she says.
Fitness trackers also offer a digital way to track progress toward performance goals or health improvements, a proven method for regulating healthy behaviors.
“One of the biggest values in a tracker is being able to see your trends over time to ensure that your workouts are actually achieving what you’re trying to do in the first place. Use your tracker to monitor trends (like calories burned over a month and resting heart rate patterns) to make sure what you’re doing on a daily basis is actually having a positive impact on your physiology,” says Ashley Selman, founder of Evolution Trainers and SeliStrength.
Some trackers even offer personalized training and recovery coaching with feedback based on your physiological data trends to help optimize your long-term healthy habits.
What are the drawbacks to fitness trackers?
Fitness trackers aren’t medical-grade devices, so their data may occasionally be inaccurate. Step counts tend to be the most accurate metric across most devices, but studies show discrepancies in energy expenditure (calories burned) and sleeping/wake up times, which can skew a tracker’s recommendations for recovery and training protocols.
Beyond inaccuracies, fitness trackers largely don’t account for a comprehensive health and fitness outlook.
“For example, trackers don’t really measure strength or muscle [mass]. Muscle is our biggest determinant of metabolism and ability to store glucose and have better blood sugar numbers. If you’re only tracking heart rate, this leaves out a whole other part of the health equation,” says Selman.
Also, access to so much data can also be distracting — and overwhelming — if you’re not sure what metrics to focus on. With that in mind, a fitness tracker is best utilized in tandem with a guiding goal and training plan to help keep you focused on the results you’re hoping to see without getting bogged down in the up-to-the-second minutiae.
Are fitness trackers right for you?
Knowing whether to jump on the fitness tracker bandwagon — and which tracker to consider buying — comes down to your personal wants and needs as well as your lifestyle. Start by assessing which metrics matter to you in relation to your health and fitness goals — and decide whether data motivates you. For instance, if you set a daily step goal of 8,000 steps, will it motivate you to take an after-dinner walk if you know you’re at 6,500 steps at 5:00 pm? Will seeing the “rings close” on your daily goals help feed your desire to keep up the good work?
For Swaneck, tracking daily activity and rest were both important as she worked toward completing her race.
“With the Apple Watch, I looked primarily at my heart rate during workouts, especially when I ran, to track which zone I was in. I also used it to look at total workout time. For my Oura Ring, I looked at sleep data, as well as my recovery score, which is based on sleep and activity levels. This information helped me tailor my workouts based on how recovered I was from the day before. It also helped [me] gauge when I should implement meditation and self-care,” says Swaneck.
It’s important to consider how a tracker might fit into your lifestyle too. Ask yourself if you’re willing to wear a tracker to bed if you want to track sleep and recovery, if you’ll feel comfortable wearing a wristband or ring while exercising or if you’ll have the inclination to charge (yet another) device. Finally, ask yourself if the data may be overwhelming to you in a way that interferes with progress, or if you think it could lead to an unhealthy obsession with metrics and numbers.
“If you notice that the fitness tracker is making you more anxious or creating a feeling of shame if you’re not meeting your goals, it might be best to ditch the tracker and focus on the process, like the number of days you’re working out or the number of minutes you’re spending running rather than closely tracking your pace. Sometimes the stress of your sleep score makes it that much harder to sleep!” explains Sommers.
How to choose a fitness tracker
There are plenty of trackers out there, but not every tracker is suited for every person.
As you research which type of tracker is best for you, compare models and read reviews from reputable sources with an eye on the metrics, features and price points that fit your lifestyle best.
Fitness trackers are can be a major investment, but if data is motivating to you and you have a plan on how to integrate tracking into your goals, wearables can be a useful tool in your “get fit” arsenal. Yahoo Life is currently testing a range of the most popular fitness wearables and will have testing complete at the beginning of 2025. Models being tested include the Oura Ring, Whoop, Samsung Galaxy Watch 7, TicWatch Atlas, Garmin Venu 3S and more.
FAQs
How accurate are fitness trackers?
Fitness trackers are not medical-grade devices, so data has the potential to be inaccurate. Check in physically and mentally to assess fitness progress and recovery beyond the numbers.
How much should I spend on a fitness tracker?
Consider which features you’re looking for, as well as your budget. A higher price doesn’t always correlate with what works best for your personal routine. For instance, some pedometers cost less than $10 — if you don’t plan to track more metrics than that, there’s no reason to lay out the extra cash. However, if you prefer a watch or band that offers all the data along with smart notifications, expect to spend several hundred dollars.
Do I need a smartwatch or a basic activity tracker?
This depends on your goals and lifestyle. Determine which features you want and whether you’d prefer a smartwatch’s visual interface and additional smartphone-connected features. If you’re more of a low-tech person, it’s likely best to go with a low-tech activity tracker.
Can fitness trackers help me lose weight?
Fitness trackers provide insight into health and movement trends that can help inform and guide a weight loss plan. They can also help you track your progress along the way and keep you accountable. That said, the data alone can’t help you lose weight. The power for change remains in your work ethic, not the wristwatch.
Are fitness trackers waterproof?
Some fitness trackers are waterproof up to specific depths or time limits. Check the tracker’s specifications before taking it in the shower or pool to make sure you don’t damage your wearable.
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Our health content is for informational purposes only and is not intended as professional medical advice. Consult a medical professional on questions about your health.