8 Best Step Tracker for your Fitness Goals – Buyer’s Guide
Are you passionate about running and see it as a way to keep you healthy? Are you looking for the Best Step Tracker? If yes, then you should really be making good use of the technology available to comply with your fitness goals. Turn your passion of running into a beneficial activity, and make yourself competitive by tracking your stats! Yes, thanks to the Fitbit, Jawbone and other alike brands that have multi-feature wearable bands or step trackers, that monitor your body while you walk, jog, run or even sleep! If you are not having a huge budget for such gadgets, then worry not. Brands such as Xiaomi Mi provides amazing alternatives at affordable prices, with amazing accuracy and features.
Technological advancement has enabled us to stuff more and more features into single device, and the reduction in size of electrical equipments has led us to make more accurate devices with smaller size. Many wearable step trackers come with additional features which are discussed below. These little wearables are packed with various sensors, such as temperature sensors, motion sensors, heart rate sensors and what not! We have gathered the recent best available step or fitness trackers for you, from various cost segments, but before we jump on to the reviews, let us go through some important details, followed by a little guide, to make you aware about the choices you have. This way you can get rid of your confusion and chose the right tracker for yourself.
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Why should I use fitness trackers?
This question must have crossed your mind, if you are planning to buy – or not to buy, a fitness or step tracker. If budget is worry for you, then you are at the right place, because we have listed the best wearable trackers, for all budgets, ranging from prices as low as 999 to as high as 11,999. So you can skip all the hard work, and make the investment as per your pocket.
But do you have others questions in mind? Fitness trackers or step trackers not only have this step counting feature, but they have other uses as well, and you will surely be wanting to buy one once you get to know what all it comes with.
Features such as the following are available:
- monitoring calories burnt
- heart rate monitoring
- distance covered
- alarm
- splash proof
- water proof
- phone notifications
and the list can go on.
Not only this, but using these fitness trackers you can also sync your physical activity stats with apps available on your smartphone, and compare your stats for a desired period. This will keep you motivated throughout, and make you more competitive against yourself. Staying fit is not an easy task, so you can rely on these gadgets to keep record of your activities, while you focus on your health.
Even when you are sitting idle for too long, some trackers come with a vibration feature, which is activated if you are sitting idle for a specified duration. This reminds you to not keep sitting in your workplace, and go around and stretch a little. You probably are now convinced that investing a little in such an amazing gadget is really worth, so lets take you to some tips that you must know before you go for the purchase.
Buyer’s Guide for Step (fitness) Trackers
- Features do vary with the price segment, but then again, probably you don’t need all of the above listed features, so you must pay for only what you need! Look for what features you need.
- If you are too much into water activities, then opt for a water proof band, because they really are made for the purpose, so they won’t let you down.
- Some bands are compatible with wide range of mobile apps, so they can easily sync your stats so you could compare them. Check out the ones compatible with your smartphone’s OS. In case you don’t use a smart phone, even then you will find an option. (We have covered it for you!)
- Brands are one thing to worry about, as there are numerous brands which provide a lot of features at jaw dropping low price. But be careful, because you might be played off, as those bands will have a huge error rate, and your statistics will be all dimble wimble! We have listed the trusted brands for you, so you won’t have to worry about this point.
- Build quality is a concern for many. A decent band looks good on your hand and make you feel comfortable. Again, we have covered this for you.
- Confused about the prices differences? High price can be due to various reasons, such brand value can be one of them, and where it is manufactured can be another. Also, a high-priced device must be having more robust features, or they might provide you with a higher level of accuracy in recording your stats. So have a look on the trackers below, while keeping all these points in mind.
Best Step Tracker Guide
Well, now you can move on and check out these best 8 step trackers (fitness trackers) in their price segment.
1.Bingo M2 Smart Band
It is a relatively new entry in the sector of smart wearables, but has gained the trust of users in very less time post launch. This band is compatible with Android and iOS, and connects with Bluetooth 4.0 and lower versions. You can also download it’s application on your smart phone, where you can get all stats. It is fully protected form dust, and it can stay in static water for up to 30 minutes, in a depth no more than a meter.
It is IP67 certified, which means it is dust resistant and water proof up to a depth of 1 meter, and can stay safe for 30 minutes. At such affordable price, this step tracker provides heart rate monitor too, and it’s accuracy is not too bad as well. So you can consider this tracker as an entry level device, providing you a look at what all you can achieve with fitness trackers.
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2.Fitmate Fitness Tracker Z1
Fitmate Fitness Tracker Z1 comes with a series of built in apps, which makes it a ‘direct buy and set to use’ product. It has support for Android and iOS, and syncs via Bluetooth 4.0. This fitness tracker monitors your sleep as well as your physical activities. It has a good build quality with a good texture, but the clasp is a little risky, and it feels that the device might fall off your wrist, though it actually does not happen! The device updates itself whenever required, so you don’t have to worry about any updates.
It provides more than average battery back up on a single charge, and can last up to 7 days against the average of 5 days. And the material is sweat proof, so you can wear it without any worries during your physical activity. This band is priced good for all the features it provide. A little issue with this step tracker is that some times it can lag for up to 10 or 15 minutes before getting synced automatically with your smart phone.
Suppose you dismiss a miss call alert in your phone’s notification panel, but it might stay on your step tracker band for a while before it updates and removed the notification. Most of us can overlook this drawback as we are more focused on the tracking features, but for some of us this can be a serious bugging issue. So note this point if you are a perfectionist.
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3.Mi Band 2
A more precise and elegant successor to Mi Band 1, this is an amazing product with an amazing price. Mi has already made it’s place in the smart phone category, and it’s step trackers are no less. Most people trust this brand due to the good response from the Mi’s range of reliable smart phones, which are easily affordable and have not faced any critical issues.
Mi Band 2 is another brilliant product from the Mi team. It can easily integrate with the Mi Fit app, and is compatible with Android and iOS. The design is great with nice finishing, and is available in 4 colors. It is also IP67 certified, which means that is resistant to dust and it is also water resistant, of course, up to a certain limit.
This step tracker provides the largest battery back up of 20 days on a single charges, against the average of 5 days. So if you are looking for a long lasting fitness tracker, buy this one right away without thinking again. It is also the best choice for those who love to travel a lot, as it can last much longer than any other tracker out there.
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4.iWOWN i5 Plus
iWOWN i5 Plus is a good product based on build and quality. It lacks a heart rate monitor at this price, where as Mi Band 2 which is cheaper, offer more features. But then, it has an additional feature, that it can click pictures from your smart phone. Also, it is compatible with Windows OS (phones) as well, which is a good news for the Windows phone users. It syncs automatically with your device, and has the best sync timing as compared to the above 3 trackers. This band has a nice texture, and is available in 3 different colors. It can fit well on your hand, thanks to the multi fitting clasp with so many holes.
The brand is less known among the crowd, but don’t let the brand popularity weigh your decision because this product does what it’s made for. Though this phone does not has heart rate monitoring, but it covers this up by providing you with a feature of clicking pictures using your phone, something which is not available in any other fitness tracker in this list.
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5.Fitbit Flex 2
Fitbit is among the best available brand in the segment of wearable step trackers and fitness bands. The price of the product is no doubt a little high, but you get amazing build quality too, along with the most accurate tracking of your activities. Also, wear it while swimming without worrying, and it will record the stats for that too.
The tracker is removable so you can fit it into any band or bangles as well if you don’t like wearing it on your wrist. The Fitbit app is amazing, and it’s products sync seamlessly with this app. This step tracker is available for Android, iOS and Windows phones, covering over 200 mobile phones.
It also has a Smart Track feature, which automatically detects the activity you are performing, and start recording the stats accordingly. It lacks a display screen, and yet gives a battery backup of 5 days, which is kind of down point, as compared to the Mi Band 2, which provides a back up of up to 20 days, at a much lower price. But we recommend this band because of the accuracy it provides, and because of the superior build quality and the wide support it provides.
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6.Fitbit Alta Fitness Tracker
The Fitbit Alta Fitness Tracker is one of the best step tracker in the premium sector, and combines a lot of features, while maintaining it’s light weight. Unlike Fitbit Flex 2, this one has a OLED screen instead of LED lights. The tracker is not removable though. This step tracker can be customized with it’s range of metallic and leather wrist bands, but they need to purchased separately, but they do make it look even more cool on your wrist.
Also, this fitness tracker comes with a tap-to-awake feature, where you can just tap the screen and it will wake up! A feature that makes it stand apart from its competitors is that it also gives you calendar alerts, apart from the usual call and SMS notifications. It also carries the high level of accuracy of tracking your activities, and the band material is premium, thanks to this price! Also, the finish gives it a rich look and it does feel comfortable on the hands.
It is sadly not swim proof like the Fitbit Flex 2, so this point can be a decider for you in case you are a pro swimmer! Trusted by users worldwide, this product is the best in terms of quality and accuracy, so it is worth your investment if you have a budget for it. Don’t think twice about it, just go ahead with your fitness goals!
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7.Jawbone UP3 Sleep
“But it for what it does. Wear it for how it looks.”. This is what Jawbone UP3 is all about. Personally we feel the Fitbit Flex 2 and Fitbit Alta are a better alternative to this product, as far as the price is concerned. But this product is available at a good discount price, so you can have a comparison among the features. It has a Smart Coach feature, which keeps you informed about healthy choices, and knows your activity records to provide better suggestions.
Also, another amazing feature is that you can challenge your friends for various activities, and you can track their progress and compete against them. This feature is indeed great, as it will motivate you to burn those extra calories with more passion.
The outer material is partly of aluminium grade, and although it is water proof, this product is not recommended to be worn while showering or swimming. It also helps you to evaluate your nutrition score based on various food items that you consume, as they have a large database of food items with their nutritional values.
The Jawbone UP app is highly appreciated by various reputable names in the technical industry, so this device faces no issues related to syncing, and all your information is handled perfectly. Also, this device provides high accuracy in tracking your activities.
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8.Fitbit Charge 2
Fitbit Charge 2 is one of the most expensive fitness tracker. But if you really are a fitness freak and you are among those who give priority to accuracy, then go for it. The features it provides are worth the price. It also among the most sold device by Fitbit.
The PurePulse feature is the attention grabber in this product, where you can monitor your heart rate live, which is acquired from your wrist…cool, isn’t it?
Also, the Smart Track feature itself detects the activity you are performing, such as trekking or running, and you don’t have to manually tell it. It also has all the other basic features which we have come across so far. It is also compatible with Windows phones, which is something that Jawbone UP3 does not have!
Another key feature in Fitbit Charge 2 is that it provides personalized breathing sessions based on your real-time heart rate, which is monitored by PurePulse. It can also be customized using the various option available for Fitbit bands, but you will have to shell extra money for that.
This band has a rich and aesthetic look, and it is power packed with all the basic and advanced features one could use, so consider this one for sure.
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Do let us know about what you think about the review, and if you find any mistake in the content, we would be grateful if you could contact us and notify!
If you feel that we have missed out any better product which should have been on this list, then feel free to mention it in the comments below.
