The 10 Best Heart Rate Monitors Reviewed

Whether you are tracking your heart rate to know when you’re in the perfect fat-burning zone or are worried about entering dangerous territory while exercising, there is no need to purchase a heart rate monitor and a dedicated fitness tracker separately. With the Fitbit Surge, you can have both in one package.

Few Fitbits actually have the ability to measure your heart rate – it’s just not something these handy devices automatically come with, since they are primarily step counters. In fact, the only other Fitbits with this ability (the Charge 2, Alta HR, and Blaze) are also listed on this page. This one will also keep track of various kinds of exercise, from cycling to running and many other calorie-burning activities.

To help you stay in shape, this watch will count the calories you’ve burned, the distance you’ve traveled, and, unlike the FitBit Alta, Charge 2 and Blaze, will count the number of stairs you climb. You can also use the Fitbit app to track your water intake, calorie consumption, dietary balance, and much more. You can even use the app to communicate and challenge your friends to meet workout goals.

GPS, Decent Battery Life, and More

This is the only Fitbit on our list that has built-in GPS tracking, which comes in handy when you lose it and helps to map out your actual running, walking, or cycling routes.

Though others like the Fitbit Charge 2 and Blaze can keep tabs on your location when linked with your phone (or another compatible device) by Bluetooth, this is the only one which can do it all on its own, which is perfect for people who don’t want to fuss with carrying a cell phone while they work out.

Seven days of battery life lands it squarely in the average range among the others on this list. It doesn’t really hold a candle to options like the Garmin Vivoactive, which can last up to 21 days. A whole week is still plenty, though, and allows you to get through a lot before having to charge it up again.

Also worth noting is the fact that this device will track your sleep habits and tell you about incoming texts and phone calls. Though it does not store music like Samsung Gear Fit2, you can control the music on your connected device using this watch.

When comparing this watch to the others we’ve chosen to review, it’s easy to see that it falls somewhere in the middle in terms of capability. While it does not have features like guided breathing or idle alerts, it does have a large touch display that can be set to different watch faces, tracking abilities for several different sports, and last but certainly not least, is fully waterproof.

However, these features alone don’t really justify its cost. Near the top end of the price range among these watches and fitness trackers, most people would expect this one to have almost as many functions and abilities as our top options (such as the Fitbit Surge, Fitbit Blaze, and Apple Smart Watch).

What makes it worth this price, though, is its overall quality. Garmin is a company known for the integrity with which they build their various products. From GPS trackers to sonar devices and even autopilot controls for airplanes, Garmin has always built quality tools and accessories. They know the importance of having a device that will not fail you when you need it most and which will withstand the elements.

In the case of the Vivoactive 3, they build a sturdy device (with the latest type of Gorilla Glass) that flawlessly connects with your other devices – and it still feels and looks like a normal watch.

Fully Waterproof

Part of its durability and strength is evident in the fact that this watch is completely waterproof. Though we do not suggest wearing this watch while scuba diving (the pressure would be bad for it), we can confidently tell you that it is built to handle showers, rain, swimming pools, and so on. The heart rate tracker will work even when submerged in water.

Fitness Tracker Capabilities

The Garmin Vivoactive will measure your step count, distance, speed, and stairs climbed. Change the sport setting to track the intensity of other workouts, such as golfing, biking, and running. Since it is fully waterproof, you can keep tabs on your swimming habits on top of everything else.

Keep an eye on your progress outdoors using the built-in GPS system. Since it’s built-in, you can track your routes without being connected to your cell phone. Leave the phone (which is most likely not waterproof) at home and enjoy every run and hike a little more.

Given its size, you might be surprised at what you can do with the Gear Fit2. It will, of course, monitor your heart rate. Unlike some which do so on a continuous basis, this one will require you to hit a button and remain still for a moment to get a more accurate reading. Using directional arrows, it will show you your highest and lowest recent readings, and it will prominently display your rate along with an indication of whether the rate is normal given your activity level.

Additional features include GPS, sleep monitoring, calorie burn calculations, and sport modes. You can connect this device to your phone to receive notifications and can even answer texts with pre-written responses.

For the Music Lover

Do you like some tunes while working out? Do you, in fact, have a hard time picturing any sort of workout without music? If that sounds like you and you’re looking for a heart rate and activity monitor for all your athletic needs, this one is certain to impress you. Not only is it a great heart rate monitor and exercise tracker, it is the only one we found worth mentioning which allows you to store your own music.

Some smartwatches and wristbands (such as the Fitbit Blaze) give you access to your cell phone’s music storage and enable you to switch among songs or adjust the volume. Very few are actually music players in their own right, though. This Samsung not only allows you to store MP3s and other audio files on its 2GB of storage, it also connects to Spotify so that you can stream your favorite songs whatever you may be doing.

A Potential Downside

Unfortunately, this watch’s battery life is not great. Consumers seem to find that it doesn’t stay running for as long as they would hope, or even as long as Samsung says it will. Others say, however, that this issue can be avoided by turning off the auto light-up feature which makes the face of the watch light up as you move. By just doing this, battery life is extended greatly.

Are you looking for something that will walk you through a guided breathing exercise and monitor your sleep habits, but don’t want to pay $200 or more for other features you won’t really use? If you also prefer a sleek wristband-style watch: the Fitbit Charge 2 might be just what you are looking for.

The built-in guided breathing app can help take you to a place of calm. It tutors you in regulating your breathing, which brings more oxygen into your system, and with practice will even get an anxious, rapid heart rate under control. Whether you need to cool down after an intense workout, need to relax during times of stress, or just want to add a little bit of Zen to your day, this app (also included in the Letscom and the Fitbit Blaze) will help you achieve your deep-breathing goals.

This fitness wristband tracks more than just your number of sleeping hours – it also tracks your sleep cycle. If you experience problems with sleeping, this could give you some insight into this by telling you during which part of your sleep cycle you usually experience difficulties.

What Else?

Built without certain high-end features like the guided on-screen workouts and hands-free calling abilities built into the Fitbit Blaze, the Charge 2 manages to stay within an acceptable price range, even if working within a strict budget. It still packs a lot of punch though, with both basic and advanced functions.

Its ability to connect to the Fitbit app on your cell phone or computer means that it can help you track more than just your heart rate and basic fitness goals. It can, for example, also log your food and water intake to deliver a clearer picture of your overall health. You can even challenge your friends, family members, or coworkers to friendly step and workout competitions.

GPS connectivity allows you to map out your routes as you go for walks, runs, or bike rides. Multisport tracking allows you to tell your device what type of workout or sport you are pursuing so that it can log that data accurately. Finally, a buzzing idle alert will tell you when you’ve sat for too long and gently urge you to get up and move around.

If you have a difficult time reading the figures on your current watch-style heart rate monitor, you may want to stop and take a look at this large-faced device from Garmin. It has a classic round face which will please anyone who isn’t into the square-style watch trend. However, there’s more to this watch than just its appearance: it’s also packed with many of the same features and functions that can be found in the other choices on our list.

The large display allows you to easily see colorful readouts of your heart rate. An easy-to-understand setup shows a range on the right side of the screen where resting, low, medium, high, and extremely high heart rates are represented by the colors grey, blue, green, orange, and red (respectively). A large heart is also displayed above the actual BPM measurement, colored to match your heart rate level so that you can simply glance at your watch to know if you are in a safe yet fat-burning range.

What Else Can It Do?

In addition to showing your heart rate on its large screen, it also monitors your steps, sleep, location, workout duration, distance, and more. It will even connect to your phone to track all of this information in a feature-rich app comparable to that of any Fitbit. It will even give you weather forecasts so you can effectively plan outdoor workouts and other everyday activities.

An advanced watch face which you can read even in direct sunlight is very useful whenever you are outdoors. Like every Garmin watch on our list, this one is 100% waterproof so you can wear it while you swim. In addition, its multi-sport tracking allows you to gain insights about your performance whatever your preferred game.

On our list of reliable, popular heart rate monitoring fitness trackers and watches, the Fitbit Alta HR manages to land itself squarely in the middle. Coming in around $150, its price is average. At 7 days, its battery life is average. Even its abilities, as you will see, are neither exceptional nor inferior.

Shares Some Abilities with Others

As you might have guessed if you’ve read this far, this hybrid watch/wristband will track your heart rate. It displays your heart rate with a simple number on the main screen. Though this isn’t as convenient as the color-coded readouts you see on watches like the Garmin Forerunner, it still gives you an accurate readout, so you can either use common sense to figure out whether it’s in the desired zone or you can grab your phone, load up the app, and compare your current heart rate to your past measurements.

Like many of the other heart rate monitors we’ve selected, this hybrid will track your steps, distance covered, and calories burned. By tracking your sleeping hours, the Alta (again, like many of the other fitness trackers on this list) helps you work toward getting the right amount of sleep. Its app will assist you to figure out the best time for you to go to bed and which activities prompt an easier, more restful night’s sleep. Unlike similar products, though, it also tracks your sleep stages. This feature is only shared by a few others, such as the Fitbit Blaze and the Fitbit Charge 2.

Although it does not offer guided breathing and cannot plot your running routes with GPS, it does give you reminders to move when you’ve been idle too long – a very useful feature if you don’t have a sit/stand desk. It’ll also give you notifications from your cell phone for texts, calls, and calendar alerts.

Unlike the Fitbit Alta HR, which finds itself squarely in the mid-range of all measures we use for evaluation, the Letscom actually comes in higher on functionality and versatility, while still costing less than you’d expect.

This slim wristwatch hybrid has many of the same impressive features as some of the models priced at over $200. Like our Garmin watches, this one is completely waterproof and perfectly okay to use while swimming. The built-in guided breathing app will walk you through a few moments of peace and calm whenever you need to bring your heart rate and stress levels under control. Multi-sport tracking allows you to keep tabs on all your fitness goals and how you’re getting closer to achieving them. Sleep tracking lets you see what works and doesn’t when you are struggling to get a proper night of sleep.

Notifications from your cell phone and even weather information is loaded directly to your watch from your cell phone. Though you cannot return calls and texts the way you can with the Fitbit Blaze and the Apple Smart Watch, simply getting those notifications on a device this inexpensive is pretty useful.

What’s the Catch?

Probably since Letscom isn’t really a big name in the world of wearable devices, this watch/wristband hybrid is significantly less expensive than many others with similar attributes. Overall, though, consumers appear to be very happy with its performance. Another thing worth noting, however, is that while it is compatible with iOS and Android, it will not connect to your Windows devices – computers, cell phones, or tablets.

Though this certainly isn’t the only product on our list with guided breathing, it is the one we consider the best thanks to its many other qualities. We don’t make these determinations haphazardly, but it had average or above-average ratings and abilities in all categories we looked at when comparing and contrasting the fitness trackers on the market. If it hadn’t had guided breathing we still would have found a way to give it special recognition based on those alone.

So, what is guided breathing and how is it important? Something also incorporated into the Fitbit Charge 2 and the Letscom, guided breathing is a special app whereby your device will walk you through simple deep breathing exercises for a short period of time. Though many of us can do this ourselves, it is often helpful to have someone else guide us through it – especially if you suffer from anxiety.

In general, guided breathing is a great way to cool down after a workout or to relax whenever you are feeling stressed. As far as heart health goes, guided breathing is a great way to slow a speeding heart rate.

Many Great Qualities

Along with guided breathing, the Fitbit Blaze incorporates multi-sport tracking. The combination of different types of tracking allows you to make sure your heart rate stays in a good zone while you work out, and to compare the impact of different workouts on your aerobic performance. Like the Fitbit Alta HR and the Charge 2, this one will give you buzzing reminders to get up and move if you’ve sat idle too long.

What really makes it stand apart from the others are its on-screen workouts, which is something none of the heart rate monitors we’ve reviewed can manage. Whether you’re a beginner or just looking for some motivation, the colorfully guided workouts are just what you need.

Want to take calls and answer texts on the treadmill without having to grab your phone? The hands-free call and text functions mean you can keep working out while maintaining a call or quickly respond to friends and family.

It’s clear to see at a first glance that Apple chose to set this watch apart from other brands by adding a variety of awesome features and abilities, while also making it fun.

Like all of the others, this watch will monitor your heart rate and count your steps. Like most, it will track how many active minutes you had in the course of your day and the overall distance you’ve traveled. A unique “standing ring” will track how often you get up from your desk to take a standing break.

The wide variety of colored and patterned watch bands, integrated apps, and the vibrant, crystal clear display are just small parts of how Apple has tried to make this Smart Watch a little different. Bands are available in bright colors, subdued ones, or less-flashy blacks and greys. You can select rubbery or canvas bands, making this watch one of the most versatile we’ve seen in terms of style.

Call and Text Capable

It isn’t just about heart rate and fitness tracking, though; this watch also allows you to receive calls and answer texts. Most of the others we have listed here will give you notifications about calls and texts, but will not allow you to actively interact with them without picking up the phone. This watch, on the other hand, has a speaker and a microphone so that you can speak directly into the watch to take calls hands-free.

Don’t want to fish out your phone to answer a text message or decline a call? Use your Apple Smart Watch. You can’t use the watch to type, but you can select from a variety of pre-set messages.

Even More

Check your calendar, read your emails, and see the weather and even sports statistics. Want to pay quickly at a store or restaurant? Apple Pay let’s you use your watch to complete payments at supporting vendors. It’s even connected to Siri, which allows you to get information whenever you have a general question. Use the GPS maps app to get directions without letting driving instructions interfere with your conversation – the Smart Watch will use vibration instead of audio commands to let you know when to turn.

Garmin is respected for the quality with which it makes each of its products. Their wearables are designed by the same people as the wayfinding and engineering devices they’ve been known for years – and they are just as durable and reliable. This monitor is fully waterproof and is built to take a bit of rough handling: you can wear it mountain climbing or swimming in open water. Alternatively, you can just put it on to walk around the block; it will still work.

This smart activity tracker includes a heart rate monitor – and it’s not the other way around. First and foremost, this is an activity tracker. It counts your steps and allows you to track information about the speed, distance, and intensity of various workouts. It will also track your heart rate along the way. If you’re just looking for a basic heart rate and step counter, this isn’t for you. This is for those people who want to hit the ground running, literally.

We chose the Vivosmart HR as our favorite waterproof option, despite the fact that the Vivoactive HR, Forerunner 235 and the Letscom are all also waterproof. We prefer this one above the rest because, like all Garmin products, it is built well. We also chose it because we believe that its abilities (though slightly less impressive than some of the others) are worth much more than its pretty affordable price.

But It Doesn’t Have GPS!

Fret not. Though we realize that the Vivosmart HR does not include GPS integration like the Garmin Vivoactive HR or the Fitbit Surge, there is a special, upgraded version of the Vivosmart – the Vivosmart HR+ which does have integrated GPS. Integrated GPS means that you won’t need your cell phone with you to record your exercise routes – the watch will do it itself and upload the information to your app when you are back within the range of Bluetooth connectivity to your phone.

The HR+ also includes Garmin Move IQ, which improves the watch’s ability to track your motions. Essentially, this function makes it more sensitive to your limbs’ movement so that it can accurately detect even minor changes in position.

These extra features may mean a world of difference to some of our readers, while others would be just fine without them. The upgrade will cost you somewhere between an extra $75 and $100 – but serious trail runners tend to have their phones with them in any case.