The Best Fitness Trackers of 2026: Garmin, Google Fitbit, and More

like every piece Like the gear you wear on your body day-to-day, fitness trackers are incredibly personal. The right tracker for you should be comfortable, accurate, and tailored to your lifestyle, including your favorite workouts and health goals. Do you bike, row or do strength training? Do you run on the trails for hours at a time, or do you just want a reminder to stand up every hour? Do you want to wear it on your wrist or your finger, or tuck it into your sports bra?

No matter what your needs are, there’s never been a better time to find a powerful, sophisticated tool to help you customize your workout or jumpstart your routine. We test dozens of fitness trackers every year while you run, climb, hike, or just watch workout videos on your iPad at night to provide these options for you.

Our top choice for most people Garmin Vivoactive 6 ($300)Which works well with Android and iOS, but we also vouch for the latest Oura Ring 5 ($399) and the budget-friendly Google Fitbit Air ($100). For more wearables, check out our guides to the best smartwatches, best smart rings, and best sleep trackers.

Overall best fitness tracker

Garmin makes some of the most accurate fitness trackers on the market, and the Vivoactive 6 is the best midrange option for most people. It strikes a solid balance between smartwatch features and fitness tracking, with support for both iPhone and Android users.

Why WIRED recommends: The Vivoactive 6 is precise, comfortable, and packed with useful health features without feeling bulky. It uses Garmin’s proprietary algorithms to power features like Morning Report and Body Battery, which provide daily information about your sleep, recovery, and readiness. It also has built-in satellite connectivity and GPS, so you can track outdoor workouts without bringing your phone with you. It also features incident detection, which alerts emergency contacts if a serious fall is detected.

Garmin’s biggest advantage is its free Connect platform, which enables health and fitness tracking without requiring a subscription. The company continues to add new software features through regular updates without a paywall.

trading off: Garmin launched Connect+, a $70-a-year subscription that includes extra features like live tracking and access to Garmin’s AI-powered Active Intelligence. Former editor Adrienne So doesn’t think most people need it, but it’s worth considering if you’re looking for a completely subscription-free experience. The Vivoactive 6 may also seem superfluous to casual users who just want basic activity and sleep tracking.