Activity tracker vs smartwatch: These are the best fitness bands you can buy right now

It’s the ‘almost not there’ form and lightweight appeal that makes fitness bands still relevant when smartwatches have gone mainstream

If you’re reading this, you’re probably one of those users who still wants to hold on to your heirloom watch or collection of fashion watches. And yet, you still need all the fitness tracking that smartwatches bring to the table. The key difference between smartwatches and fitness bands during the 2010s was price. Budget smartwatches under Rs 5,000 have smashed that price divide. Then it was functionality. But advanced fitness trackers like Fitbit’s Charge 5 come with quite a few wellness features that are not found on large screen smartwatches.

If you’re still in the market for a fitness band or activity tracker in 2023, it’s likely to be for the longer battery life or an unobtrusive wearable that you can wear on the wrist that you don’t wear your conventional wristwatch.

Smartwatches are dominating the wearable segment worldwide. It’s the same case in India where homegrown brands offer large screen smartwatches for under Rs 3,000. It’s not just about screen size, smartwatches also offer key wellness features. The Apple Watch leans on a well-tuned WatchOS and a whole bunch of apps. Some of these smartwatches also offer LTE connectivity, allowing you to leave your phone at home when you’re heading out for a run. And then there’s the onboard memory that doesn’t just allow you to store apps but music, too. If LTE connectivity or a large display or music storage are not deal breakers for you and if you don’t want to keep charging your wearable frequently, then all you need is a fitness band.

Your choice of fitness band might boil down to functionality. Fitbit’s Charge 5 is one of the most premium bands and offers ECG monitoring and also keeps tab of your stress levels. Aside from step and calorie burn counts, some of these bands also offer advanced sleep tracking and SpO2 tracking that monitors your blood oxygen levels. You also get multiple exercise modes that track your different workouts. But most of all, it’s the ‘almost not there’ form and lightweight appeal that makes fitness bands still relevant when smartwatches have gone mainstream.

Here's our list of the best bands you can buy right now

Fitbit Charge 5 | Price: Rs 12,799

This is a wearable that almost always triggers the activity tracker vs smartwatch debate. Do you really need a bulky watch when your tracker can get advanced wellness tracking done? It boasts of advanced wellness features like an ECG tracker and a skin temperature sensor that you will find on Fitbit’s premium smartwatches like the Sense 2. It’s also one of the best looking bands with its aluminium chassis and a vibrant OLED display. The Charge 5 comes with in-built GPS that tracks your runs without your smartphone.

Redmi Smart Band Pro | Price: Rs 1,999

Redmi’s smart band is a compelling proposition after a recent price drop that has seen it drop just under Rs 2K. It delivers on one of the key purchase drivers for most buyers – battery life. You can stretch the 14-day battery life to 20 days with power saving mode on. The 1.47-inch AMOLED display is one of the talking points of this wearable and also offers an always-on option. This Redmi band tracks more than 110 workouts and auto detects 3 workouts.

Realme Band 2 | Price: Rs 2,999

Our favourite feature of this wearable is the bold 1.4-inch display (167 x 320 pixels) that peaks at 500 nits of screen brightness. You get excellent visibility even when you’re outdoors. You can customise your look with a universal 18mm interchangeable strap and more than 50 watch faces. It’s water resistant up to 50 metres and offers 12 days of battery life on a single charge.

Amazfit Band 7 | Price: Rs 3,499

An 18-day battery life is one of the biggest selling points of Amazfit’s Band 7. This despite a vivid 1.47-inch AMOLED display (with an always-on mode). You can plunge into the pool with this band – it’s 5ATM water resistant (up to 50 metres). This band offers SpO2 monitoring and also the convenience of Amazon Alexa built-in. The Band 7 offers 120 Sports modes.

GOQii Vital 4.0 | Price: Rs 1,889

This one packs quite a few wellness features for its sub Rs 2,000 price tag. Aside from 24x7 heart monitoring, sleep tracking and SpO2 tracking, you also get a body temperature tracking. This wearable comes with an AMOLED display and is IPS68 certified for dust and water resistance. Aside from multiple workouts you also get 3 months of free health and fitness coaching.