Should I buy a fitness tracker or a smartwatch?

Both smartwatches and fitness trackers (aka activity trackers) can help you stay connected, track your daily activities and monitor your progress towards fitness goals. But there are differences between the two types of device, so you'll need to decide which features are most important to you. 

Generally speaking, fitness trackers are more focused on health and activity monitoring than on smart notifications. Some smartwatches are targeted at fashion-conscious people who also want to keep fit, but there are plenty that straddle both camps, offering looks, sophisticated health features, advanced smart features and detailed sports tracking. 

Once you’ve decided, browse our fitness tracker reviews and smartwatch reviews to find one that's right for your budget. Plus check our guide to the best smart rings.

What is a fitness tracker?

A fitness tracker is a device you wear on your wrist to perform the core function of tracking activity, including steps, heart rate, sleep and different types of exercises. 

More detailed fitness metrics are usually interrogated via a corresponding app on a phone, though you can also control most of the essential functions on the tracker's small screen.

Fitness trackers usually have fairly basic additional functions, such as time and date and the ability to to preview messages and notifications from your phone, but while smartwatches still lead the way in terms of more advanced features, modern fitness trackers are offering more smart functionality of their own. 

What is a smartwatch?

Smartwatches are more advanced than fitness trackers and blur the line between a traditional watch and a 'wearable', with many designs aping classic watches, even including rotating bezels to scroll through features. 

You can expect a smartwatch to act as more of a direct companion to your mobile phone, allowing you to preview and respond to messages, make contactless payments, and even browse the internet, though in a fairly limited way. Another potentially helpful benefit is being able to store and play back music via wireless headphones, which would allow you to leave a smartwatch at home, for example if you're going out for a run.

Smartwatches often include a wider range of trackable activities and specialised features, and with larger displays it's generally easier to interact with the watch on the move.

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How much should I expect to spend on a fitness tracker or smartwatch?

You can buy both fitness trackers and smartwatches online for as little as £2, but we don't recommend these ultra-cheap models, even if you're tempted by their visual resemblence to expensive brands like Apple. Our investigations found that buying cheap wearables can put your data at risk. 

We've reviewed smartwatches ranging from £30 to over £800 and fitness trackers ranging from under £40 to nearly £200. 

Spending more usually means you get more features, such as multi-sport tracking or, on a smartwatch, the ability to make calls without your phone.

Other things affecting price are the design and material. Some devices have a range of design options available, such as a choice of leather, woven or metal straps, or limited-edition versions endorsed by celebrities. 

You'll generally need to spend at least £40 for a decent fitness tracker, and you'll generally need to spend at least £150 for a Best Buy smartwatch. In both cases, you might be able to nab one for less in the sales. 

All that said, a higher price is no guarantee of quality. We’ve found fitness trackers and smartwatches that are expensive but inaccurate, uncomfortable and/or awkward to use.

Why choose a fitness tracker over a smartwatch?

In short: go for a fitness tracker if you're primarily interested in tracking exercise, rather than more advanced smart features that complement a phone. 

Fitness trackers can record everything from day-to-day activity such as tracking your steps, calories or sleep to particular types of exercise or sports, such as running, cycling, swimming or golf. Some have more advanced sensors for tracking, such as heart-rate monitors, and some basic smart notifications such as text or email. Those with built-in GPS are able to operate independently of your phone, meaning you can leave it at home while out for a run or cycle.  

Basic trackers are available at lower prices than smartwatches, so they're a good option if you're on a stricter budget. However, outside the sphere of exercise and activity, devices vary in how versatile they are for other functions, such as smart notifications from a phone, music playback and third-party apps.

The best trackers are accurate, comfortable and a breeze to use. The worst over or understate your data, and can be a pain to wear and use. If you think a fitness tracker is the best option for you, find out which models impressed in our tests – take a look at our round-up of the best fitness trackers.

Why choose a smartwatch over a fitness tracker?

In short: go for a smartwatch if you like the idea of a miniature smartphone on your wrist, or you're looking for special sports-tracking features. 

The biggest strength of smartwatches is their ability to link together notifications from your smartphone – such as texts, calls, emails, directions, calendar appointments and social media messages – with comfort and style. 

The best let you easily view and respond to notifications, dictate text or email responses, or send 'smart' replies, and most should at the very least handle the basics of fitness and activity tracking. A smartwatch will also allow you to see more details of your exercise or smart notifications at a glance without taking your phone out, by virtue of having a bigger screen than a fitness tracker. 

Some, as we've mentioned, are packed with sensors and technology for specific activities such as running, swimming or exploring the great outdoors. These might include:

• altimeter - uses barometric pressure or GPS data to tell you how high above sea level you are, so you can locate yourself on a map
• barometer - picks up changes in atmospheric pressure, so you can predict whether the weather is going to worsen or improve. Some can even alert you if they sense a storm coming
• navigation features - location-tracking services (such as GPS, Glonass and Galileo), a compass, visual maps and the option to save 'memories' of routes you've taken and add descriptions to them 
• thermometer - can help you plan what to wear when going on a long hike
• running metrics - such as pace, cadence, elevation, customisable workouts and detailed insights into your performance and recovery time
• swim-specific metrics - such as pace, distance, SWOLF (a measure of your swimming efficiency)
• compatibility with a chest heart-rate monitor - these are more accurate than heart-rate readings taken from your wrist.

Some are built to be especially durable, with a strong strap and scratch-resistant screen. But not all smartwatches are made equal, so check our smartwatch reviews to see which models impressed in our lab tests. 

Do any devices offer the best of both worlds?

There are a few mid-range, decent smartwatches that offer more yet cost less than some fitness trackers. 

The line between fitness trackers and smartwatches (and those geared at fashion, and those geared at sports) is getting increasingly blurred. 

That’s why we put fitness trackers and smartwatches through the same tests, to find out whether any devices can perform well in both capacities. 

But we know that they're still perceived slightly differently by shoppers, so we evaluate them accordingly, placing a greater emphasis on smart functionality when we rate smartwatches.

 Apple has also done a good job of building strong fitness and activity tracking functionality into its Apple Watches, along with the most sophisticated smart features and good looks. 

While it might be tempting to splash out on an Apple Watch in the hope of covering all bases, though, bear in mind that it won't be suitable for everyone. 

If you're super into a particular sport, the Apple Watch might not go far enough in terms of the metrics it gives you. If you're mainly after something fashionable, you could buy a stylish Wear OS watch instead.  

You'll also need an iPhone to be able to use an Apple Watch.  

Head to our best Apple Watch to buy guide to find out more about how the different Apple Watches compare to each other. 

Can a fitness tracker save you money on private medical insurance?

Private medical insurance or health insurance premiums are typically based on factors such as age, medical history, lifestyle and coverage options. 

Some private medical insurance providers offer incentives or discounts for policyholders who demonstrate healthy behaviours, such as exercising regularly. In some cases, this involves logging data from your fitness tracker or smartwatch to show evidence of activity levels. 

Having an active and healthy lifestyle can suggest to insurers that you pose a lower risk. Regular exercise and healthy habits, which insurers consider when setting premiums, are associated with lower mortality rates and reduced chances of chronic diseases. 

However, beyond incentives, such as a lower excess the more activity you do, the impact on health insurance premiums isn't likely to be significant, and will vary depending on the insurer and the specifics of the policy.

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A fitness tracker or a smartwatch are both great ways of recording progress in a home gym, as well as outside. Read our best home gym equipment guide for more on setting one up.