Getty
Whether you’re pounding the pavement on a 5 kilometre run, lifting weights at the gym or doing laps at the pool, having the best fitness tracker by your side can help you stay focused and maybe even achieve bigger goals. Depending on the fitness tracker, you’ll be able to monitor your vitals, track your workouts and even keep an eye on things like your menstrual cycle.
In the past few years, fitness trackers have come a long way, with both bands and watches getting more stylish. Now there are also smart rings, which offer many of the same functions and features as other fitness trackers, but in the form of a shiny ring on your finger.
So, if you’re thinking about investing in fitness tracker but aren’t sure where to start, we’ve picked out some of the best fitness trackers in Australia based on different goals, designs, apps and costs. We’ve also considered customer ratings and reviews to help you decide on what will work for you.
2024’s top fitness trackers
- V-Fitness Momentum Everyday Smart Watch 3.0, $69, Big W, here’s why
- Garmin Vivosmart 5, $249, Myer, here’s why
- dddd, price, brand, here’s why
The best fitness trackers 2024
01
V-Fitness Momentum Everyday Smart Watch 3.0
from $69 at Big W
Best for: an affordable and stylish fitness tracker
A great smart watch and fitness tracker shouldn’t break the bank and the V-Fitness Momentum Everyday Smart Watch 3.0 from Big W is a steal at just $69. Not only can you email, make calls and text from the watch but you can also monitor your heart rate, blood oxygen levels and track exercise and sleep patterns.
While there are only a handful of customer ratings on Big W, they are all four or five stars. One customer summed it up as: “tremendous value for money” in their five star review. The app is also free (with in-app purchases) and has a rating of 4.5 on the App Store and 4 on Google Play.
Key features:
- Water resistant up to a maximum of 3 metres
- Fitness tracker to monitor important daily activities such as exercise and sleep
- Up to 5 days battery life
- Ability to connect Amazon Alexa
Also available at:
02
Apple Watch Series 10
from $649 at Apple
Best for: tracking fitness beyond working out
As far as fitness watches go, it doesn’t get much better than the newest version of the Apple Watch. Like most smart watches, the Apple Watch connects to your phone and can make calls, send emails and receive calls. But as a fitness tracker, the Apple Watch is teeming with state of the art capabilities such as heart rate monitoring, blood oxygen stats, an ECG app and an ovulation tracker.
Though it comes in as the most expensive fitness tracker on this list, the Apple Watch’s staggering health monitoring capabilities makes it one of the best fitness trackers on the market, and possibly the best if you have an iPhone. It also has an impressive 4.8 star average rating from over 500 customers, based on Google review data, with one reviewer who bought it from The Good Guys saying it was “worth the upgrade”.
Key features:
- High- and low-heart-rate notifications
- Cycle tracking with retrospective ovulation estimates
- ECG app
- Swim-proof
- Blood Oxygen app
Also available at:
03
Garmin Vivosmart 5
from $249 at Myer
Best for: a no-frills fitness tracker
The Garmin Vivosmart 5 is a no-fuss fitness tracker that’s great if you don’t need all the features of a smart watch or a fitness band that has features targeted to more competitive or serious sports training goals. The Garmin Vivosmart 5 is easy-to-use and is loaded with great features to track your activity all day and night. From heart rate, stress tracking, Body Battery energy monitoring and women’s health you’ll get a clear picture of your health and fitness.
“A solid minimalist smartwatch for those that want to keep on top of their fitness goals,” one customer summed up in a five-star review on the Myer website, where it has an average rating of 4.6 stars.
Key features:
- Water resistant
- 168 hour battery life
- Heart rate monitor
- Blood oxygen sensor
- 1 year warranty
Also available at:
04
Fitbit Inspire 3
from $179 at Rebel
Best for: beginners and those who love simplicity
The Fitbit Inspire 3’s lightweight design and minimalist aesthetic makes it the perfect low-maintenance fitness buddy. Though this fitness tracker looks small, it’s packed with a tonne of fantastic features that will keep you on top of your health and workout regimens. From tracking for steps, distance and calories to the SmartTrack feature for 20 different exercise modes, this watch will help keep you on top of your exercise goals.
“No GPS but otherwise does everything the bigger Fitbits do,” one customer said in a recent four-star review on the Rebel Sport website, where it has an average rating of 4.5 stars. “Small and light but still great UI (User Interface), the app syncs with other health apps too.”
Key features:
- Up to 10 days battery life
- Daily readiness score signals when it’s time to workout and rest
- Sleep monitoring
- Always-on wellness tracking
Also available at:
05
Oura Ring Gen 3
from $597.41 at Amazon
Best for: the ultimate smart ring
With a huge following and an innovative yet stylish design, it’s safe to say Oura rings have changed the fitness tracker game. This stylish and subtle ring can be seen on the fingers of celebrities like Jennifer Aniston, Prince Harry and US Olympic swimmer Katie Ledecky, to name a few. But if you didn’t have one you might not even realise someone was tracking their activity, rest and recovery from a piece of jewellery.
It also has an average of 4.5 stars from over 1200 reviews, according to Google review data, with one customer who had been using it for over a year sharing: “I’ve been so impressed with the accuracy and insights – my HRV levels when I’ve had one glass of wine too many on a Friday night are enlightening (depressing). I particularly love the way resilience level is demonstrated – very powerful.” But while this is the fitness ring everyone wants, keep in mind that it does have subscription fees on top of the purchase price.
Key features:
- Research-grade sensors to measure heart rate, temperature and more
- Up to 7 days of battery life
- Compatible with Android and iOS
- Choice of colourways and wide range of sizes
- App subscription fees of AUD$9.99 a month or AUD$109.99 annually
06
Kogan Aura Smart Ring
from $99.99 at Kogan
Best for: budget fitness tracking with a smart ring
If you don’t want to fork out hundreds of dollars on a fitness tracker and don’t want one as visible as a watch or band could be, the Kogan Aura Smart Ring is an affordable and functional option. Its advanced health monitoring features include real-time heart rate tracking, steps, stress levels, exercise stats and and detailed sleep analyis, with no subscription required for the app. It’s also light and comes in black, silver or rose gold finishes.
Key features:
- Comprehensive health tracking with no subscription required
- Sleep optimisation insights
- Stylish rose gold, silver or black finish
- Water-resistant construction
- Extended battery life and app compatibility for iPhone and Android devices
07
Garmin Venu 3S
from $599 (usually $749) at Myer
Best for: advanced health insights and Android devices
The Garmin Venu 3S is designed to give you a comprehensive overview of your fitness and other wellbeing goals, with customised workout and training plans, GPS tracking, sleep monitoring, stress tracking and more. It also includes a wheelchair mode that tracks pushes rather than steps, automatic nap detection, Garmin Pay, music storage and even a Health Snapshot feature so you can share key data with doctors or coaches.
“Have been wearing the watch for a few weeks now, it’s an upgrade from my almost 3 year old Venu Sq2. Loving it,” one customer shared in a five-star review on Myer, where it has an average rating of 4.8 stars. “Battery life is good, sleep tracking is better than my old watch, and there [is] lots of great features.”
Key features:
- Health tracking options include energy levels, breathing, hydration, sleep, stress, heart rate and menstrual cycle
- Battery life of up to 10 days
- GPS, bluetooth calling, music storage and Garmin Pay
- Water rated to 5 ATM, making it suitable for swimming
- Compatible with Android and iOS operating systems
Available at:
Is it worth getting a fitness tracker?
Whether or not a fitness tracker is worth it depends on your goals, budget and if you think you’ll actually use it.
The best fitness trackers offer data that can help you manage your fitness, wellbeing and overall health goals but some are more accurate and detailed than others. So the insights shouldn’t be viewed as a replacement to, for example, visiting your doctor and getting medical testing done when it’s needed.
But if you have specific fitness or wellbeing goals, or you’re just curious, then a fitness tracker can give you all kinds of insights and information to help you reach your goals – and plan new ones.
Bottom line? Some people love them and some people won’t touch them, but wherever you land on that scale, the most important thing is to find what works for you.
