If you’re like me, then keeping track of your physical fitness during a busy everyday life can get complicated. It’s hard to count steps when you’re worried about your next meeting. Fitness trackers for women, however, are an automatic way to get a clear picture of your daily activities levels. If you’re a woman, though, you may be looking for a tool that is made to help keep track of your body.
Best Fitness Tracker For Women List
Best Fitness Tracker For Women Reviews
Garmin Vivosmart 4
The Garmin Vivosmart 4 is another great choice for a good fitness tracker for women. It handles all of your daily needs from a fitness tracker, like your step count and heart rate. It has all the standard sensors but adds in a few extra functions like its Body Battery readout to tell you just how worn out you’re feeling on a scale of 0 to 100. The tracker only has to be charged once a week from a full battery, and the charge time is about 2 hours.
The Vivosmart 4 has a lower price than most trackers with these features. It can easily be found for around $100. The only downside is it doesn’t have GPS capability, so if you are looking to track frequent hikes or you cycle outdoors, another tracker would be better.
Bellabeat Leaf Urban
The Bellaleaf urban is a fun and fashionable fitness tracker for women with several different designs. It doesn’t have any buttons or displays like most other trackers. Instead, you can use the app to track your fitness levels, menstrual cycle, meditation, sleep cycle, and stress levels. The device is made to be worn as a clip, bracelet, or necklace and uses hypoallergenic metals. It has a small internal battery that needs to be replaced every six months. This non-chargeable unit is able to be worn 24/7, but is only splash-proof. It does have a wonderful menstrual tracker that even keeps up with ovulation.
You can set alarms for birth control or even track your pregnancy health. The app even has guided meditation settings to listen to after work. The tracker has a 30-day money-back guarantee and a one-year limited warranty. The price of the tracker differs by design, but the standard models usually cost between $110 to $130.
Fitbit Charge 3
The Fitbit Charge 3 is a great choice of fitness tracker for athletes and everyday people just looking to be healthy. It has a ton of features that makes it a high-quality tracker. The Fitbit Charge 3 can monitor your stress levels and walk you through breathing exercises to control it.
The Charge 3 is also waterproof up to 50 meters, making it a no brainer for swimmers who need a reliable fitness tracker for women. You would expect a tracker with these features to be pretty expensive, but the Charge 3 can be found for a reasonable price. It can usually be found at around $120. The tracker comes with Fitbits limited one year warranty.
Apple Watch Series 5
If you have an IOS device then one of the best activity trackers for women you can get is the Apple Watch. The Series 5 contains a heart monitor, a menstrual tracker, and several other unique features to create a versatile device. The device is able to let you switch through music on the go and even check your text messages.
For a woman who is busy with business, this can be a handy tool. The menstrual tracking is a bit lackluster compared to other brands and barebones. It does give you a roundabout cycle estimate but doesn’t track ovulation or pregnancy. It is also powered by a lithium-ion battery. If you’re using the GPS tracker you will have to charge it every day.
The Apple Watch does come with a one-year warranty and Apple care. You can even take it to an Apple store for quick repairs. Keep in mind that like most Apple products the watch is sold at a steep price-point and usually sits around $400.
Fitbit Alta HR
The Fitbit Alta HR is perfect if you want a fitness tracker for women, but you want something less flashy. Its slim design is unimposing and blends with any attire. It comes in a ton of color options, and the bands are replaceable, so you don’t have to settle for just one. The tracker comes with all the usual sensors to track your health and wellness, such as a heart rate monitor and accelerometer. It can track sleep patterns and doesn’t have to be removed often with its long-lasting battery. The app it connects to gives you tons of information about your daily routines. This is a great device for someone who is just starting to count their steps.
It’s a great fitness tracker for the cost too. This tracker comes with a one year warranty. It covers repairs and replacement for defects. The Alta HR can usually be found for around $100.
Choosing a Fitness Tracker for Women
Choosing a fitness tracker for women can be difficult for a variety of reasons. For starters, not all trackers will work with your phone, and some wouldn’t pass as business attire. Below are all the things you need to consider before picking out a tracker. Keep in mind what price points you want to buy a tracker at and what type of workouts you most often find yourself doing.
Materials
I’m not going to lie; I’m as tempted as the next girl to pick one of those cheap trackers on platforms like Wish. In reality, though, I know that it would probably break on me or, at the very least, break-out my sensitive skin. Just like with the jewelry you will be wearing all day, a fitness tracker needs to be made of quality materials. You’re going to want to look for trackers that are made out of stainless steel or other durable metals. You should also look for trackers that use hypoallergenic bands. If the tracker gives you the ability to switch your band out, that’s even better.
If a tracker isn’t made of strong materials, then you will find it rusting from sweat after repeated use. Bands made out of cheap rubber-like materials or plastic can cause painful rashes for sensitive skin. Even if you are buying a brand name watch, be sure to check the materials the band is made with. Many people suffer from silicone allergies and may buy an expensive watch only to have an adverse reaction from wearing it. Next, consider how well the tracker will fit into your everyday life. If you have to dress in business attire, then some fitness trackers may throw off your whole outfit. For the fashion cautious, there are specially designed trackers that can double as nice jewelry. These trackers often don’t have displays or buttons, however.
Waterproof Materials
Next, you will want to think about what types of activities you enjoy doing. If you like swimming, then you will want a fully waterproof tracker. If you only like to work out near water, though, you will just need a tracker that is splash resistant. Finally, if you’re buying a watch, check the processor to see how fast it will run apps and make sure it is compatible with your phone. Most importantly, check the materials of the band to make sure it isn’t made out of materials you are allergic to. If you’re set on a certain tracker but are allergic to silicone, check to see if the band is interchangeable.
Keep in mind that some models will claim to be waterproof, but have small print. These trackers are often only waterproof to a certain depth or time period. Read closely to see how far down you can swim with the tracker before it breaks. Many fitness tracker for women aren’t able to be taken on activities that involve rough water sports or scuba diving.
Modes
Depending on whether you get a fitness tracker for women or a smartwatch, you can expect a few different features. Regardless of which device you choose, though, you’re going to need a few key features. To begin with, the tracker should be able to have a step tracker that correctly records your steps. This includes the ability to sense both light and heavy steps. You will also want your meter to not mistake simple movement, such as shifting positions in your chair as a step. A best tracker for women should also come with an app that is easy to pair with your device. The app should be able to quickly sync with your tracker to give you accurate and up to date results.
If your tracker doesn’t track all types of calorie-burning, then it should have the ability to add in exercises. This is especially important for the woman who prefers to use swimming as a primary source of exercise. After you have a good step tracker with a competent app, you can look into additional features.
Extra Features of Women’s Activity Tracker
To begin with, some watches and trackers will have heart rate monitors. This can help keep a closer check on your activity level. Other trackers may offer a display that you can check on the go. These displays can often show the steps you’ve taken, calories burned, and the time. Others will come with guided meditation included in the app. The tracker will be able to detect your stress levels to help you pick a mediation that works best for you. Other trackers can be worn as you sleep to give you a better picture of your sleep habits. This can be a great feature for those who seem to always feel tired no matter how much sleep they get.
SmartWatch Features
If you have chosen to go with a smartwatch as your tracker, then there are a variety of extra features available. Many smartwatches will allow you to check text and accept calls while you exercise. Others like the Apple Watch will give you direct control over your music, podcasts, and audiobooks. A smartwatch also connects to a wide variety of apps to give you news and weather updates. If you find yourself on the go, then a smartwatch may be a better solution than a plain Fitbit.
Smartwatches also have features built-in to help you enhance your workout routine. If you enjoy running, for example, then the GPS feature is a fun tool. The GPS routes can help you find interesting routes for your daily run or guide you to new scenic spots on a walk around your city. To use GPS, the device will need to be paired with a working smartphone, and the feature does tend to drain the battery on both devices much faster. Some watches will also have app options to give you a premade workout routine. This can be helpful on days that you are stuck inside the house due to bad weather.
Check Compatibility
No matter which smartwatch you choose, though, make sure it is compatible with your devices. Many watches will only be compatible with Android-powered phones, while Apple watches can only be used with IOS devices. If you get a brand name watch, you will also find that they are much easier to pair to your phone. IOS devices especially have been updated to pair with an Apple watch in a matter of minutes.
Some off-brand Android watches may be a bit harder to match with your phone, though. Keep in mind that smartwatches can cost way more than a Fitbit. Apple products are known to cost hundreds in particular.
Menstrual Cycle
As a female, I know how busy life can get, especially between kids, school, and work. Even when you have a regular cycle, it can be pretty easy to mix things up. This can lead to extra stress, especially if you are trying to avoid becoming pregnant. On the flip side, for women who are trying to conceive, it can be even more important to track your cycle. Ovulation, the period where a woman is able to become pregnant, only lasts for a few days. It happens around halfway through your cycle and can be difficult to keep up with. Trackers that have a heavy focus on menstrual tracking will often offer tools to figure out the period of time that you are most fertile.
Good apps will even let you add in symptoms that you have around different parts of your cycle. This can help you to catalog your monthly cycle and predict your period better. Some apps even come with alerts that will pop-up when it has calculated that your next period is supposed to begin.
Additional Features of Best Fitness Trackers For Women
In addition, more women targeted devices will even have special alarms for birth control. On the flip side, if you’re already pregnant, then you can use the app to track and make a note of your pregnancy period. To make a menstrual tracker work, though, you will need to put in the information for the tracker to look off of. During your first few cycles with the tracker, be sure to update your app as soon as your period starts. This will give the tracker an accurate window of when it starts and how long your period lasts for.
This will also help the app to predict the right ovulation period. This, of course, will be a bit harder to track for irregular periods that have no pattern. Lastly, keep in mind that periods have a mind of there own and things like stress can cause them to come early or late.
Battery
Next, consider what type of battery you are willing to put up with. Most of all, trackers will use lithium-ion batteries that need to be charged. Depending on the amount of activity you use the tracker for each day, you could end up only having to charge it every other day. Some models, like smartwatches, though, will have to be charged every single night. The amount of power zapped will also increase depending on what apps you choose to run. For example, using a GPS app to plan out and follow a jogging path will drain your phone and watch twice as fast. Trackers with always-on displays will also burn through power much faster. Many of the models that are made to charge at night won’t easily be able to track your fitness throughout the whole day or your sleep patterns at night.
If you are looking for a tracker that is a 24-hour wear, look for one powered by a watch battery. These batteries will likely have to be replaced every three to six months. This allows the watch to be constantly worn. This way, your every move is being tracked, instead of having to break up the tracking sessions. Keep in mind that these batteries may have to be removed with special tools, and battery costs can add up over the years. As for the rechargeable watch, most of them come with simple charging bases that can be plugged into your wall.
Price and Warranty
Pricing is always one of the biggest factors I consider when bringing home a new purchase. I don’t want to always go with the cheapest option, but when I’m spending more money, I need to know the products worth the extra cash. Fitness trackers are no different; the high-end fitness trackers should have much better features than the off-brand ones sold at bargain stores. When comparing these trackers, make a list of what features are a must and which ones are just a nice bonus. If you want menstrual tracking, for instance, then watches compatible with period apps may be a better choice for you. On the flip side, if you just want to track how many calories you are burning, then why spend the extra cash? Quality trackers can easily range between $50 to $500 depending on what type of tech you are looking for.
Proper Coverage
Another big thing you need to check for with any product is the warranty. A company that provides an extremely limited warranty, or no warranty at all isn’t trustworthy. Why would you want to put your hard-earned money behind a product that the brand itself doesn’t believe in? Look for products that have at least a one-year limited warranty that will cover factory defects. Of course, brands like Apple will offer super care for their products. Apple watches come with apple care and the ability to use Apple stores for a quick turn around. While you won’t get this with many other brands, they shouldn’t make you pay for shipping due to a factory error. If you do need to do a repair on your watch, check with the company first as you can easily void the warranty coverage.
FAQs
Are fitness trackers worth it?
For me, they are a great tool for more accurately tracking my fitness, but it varies from woman to woman. If you are heavy into the fitness scene, then a tracker is almost a must. Trackers are great for keeping workout plans on track, especially if you love cardio. If you are tracking what you eat vs. calorie burning, they are also an effective tool. More times than I like to admit I have accidentally eaten more than I burned off. Trackers help to reign me back in with hard numbers that let me know what I’ve burnt. Before, I was just trying to remember my stair steppers, calorie count. This makes them a great tool for anyone new to fitness too. If you’re first starting out, keeping up with all the numbers can be a tedious task.
A fitness tracker for women helps you to keep everything organized in one place. The people I wouldn’t recommend a tracker for users who don’t really like to exercise or simply walk a set amount of laps around a pre-measure track every few days. These consumers aren’t as likely to get many benefits from the tracker and may feel like they wasted their money. If you are in this category and still want a tracker, though, then I recommend investing into a smartwatch that can do a plethora of activities for you.
Are Garmin’s better than Fitbits?
It honestly depends on your preference. That being said, the general consensus is that Fitbits and Garmins are made for two different audiences. Fitbits are a popular device that is easily accessible and understandable by just about anyone. It is a great device for those just looking to get a bit more steps in throughout the day or someone who wants a simple workout routine to keep in shape. Garmins, on the other hand, are more prevalent in the athletic community. Many pro athletes prefer Garmins as they are made to help track rougher fitness routines. Garmin also tends to have more features than a simple Fitbit. Garmin has several more types of trackers that offer a wide range of sensors and more complex sets of data. Utimately though, the choice is up to the individual person and their needs.
Where is the best place to wear a Fitbit?
Depending on what version of the Fitbit you have, this answer can change. Generally, You should pick your Fitbit up off the charger after you have woken up in the morning. This will allow the Fitbit to correctly track your activity throughout your workday and exercise time. Fitbits are especially useful on the track, during sports, or even at the gym. Just make sure if you are going for a swim to make sure your model is completely waterproof. Activities that are done far under the surface of the water like scuba diving can be damaging to fitness trackers. If you are in a high contact sport like hockey or wrestling, you may also want to consider the durability of your Fitbit. Be sure to take your Fitbit off at the end of every day to at least wipe down your wrist and your device.
How to Charge a Fitness Tracker?
Charging depends on what model of fitness tracker or smartwatch you buy. Many models like the Apple smartwatch will come with a charging dock that you can plug into the wall. Other models will come with both outlet and USB charging so that you can connect your tracker to your computer. The more complicated part is figuring out just how long to charge your tracker for. Overcharging a lithium-ion battery can cause it to decorate at a much faster rate, but you don’t want to undercharge your tracker either. Most trackers will be fully charged with a couple of hours and will give you alerts when they run low on power. Trackers with a display are a bit easier to gauge than ones that you need to check the app for.
The amount of time a full charge will last can greatly vary between devices. Some trackers will only run for around twelve hours, while others can go for two days without needing a charge. Smartwatches are devices that are usually constantly connected to your mobile device and will most likely be out of power by the end of each day. Check the product details of each watch closely to see what the company says about charge times. If the time is too short to last through your workday, then look for models who consume less power.
How Does a Fitness Tracker Work?
Best activity trackers for women are based around an older piece of technology called a pedometer. Pedometers have long been used in all types of devices to track music; in fact, even some video games used the tools. Modern fitness trackers use an accelerometer. Accelerometers like their name states measure movement based on the rate of acceleration. This way, the meter can use the pre-programmed date to gauge if you’re walking, moving in your chair, or doing heavy cardio. Some more expensive fitness trackers have extra sensors in them to detect heartbeat and the altitude at which you are currently working out. Trackers that measure your pulse often have optical sensors built-in. These sensors shine a light on your skin and take in data to determine your pulse.
To transfer all this data to your phone, these devices use Bluetooth. Bluetooth is especially important in smartwatches that show text messages or up to date data on a GPS route. This technology has also become way more accurate as the years have gone on. This is because the trackers have collected a wide range of data from different people thanks to the increased popularity of the fitness tracker.
Conclusion
Fitness trackers for women are a personal item, and a wide range of different options are available. For women looking for a tracker, many now come with menstrual tracking, and some even help with ovulation. There are also different tiers of trackers for people who are more into sports than others. Even fashionable trackers have been made, and some devices are even disguised as fashionable jewelry. The most important things to look for are a tracker with the features you want at a price point you are comfortable with. In the case of a smartwatch, you need to double-check that the device will be compatible with your phone. You should also check to see how waterproof the tracker is. Many people will still run during light showers, but this can be enough to ruin some fitness trackers.
