Skip the $400 smartwatch: these 5 fitness trackers cover what most people need

The Fitbit Charge 6 does almost everything most people want from a tracker in a light, comfortable band. It tracks steps, heart rate, sleep and dozens of workouts, and built-in GPS means you can leave your phone at home on runs. Owners like the bright color screen, the return of a physical button and Google Maps and Wallet support on the wrist. Battery life stretches several days in typical use. The weak spot is the subscription: Fitbit Premium unlocks deeper insights, and Google keeps some features behind it. Even without paying, the Charge 6 covers the essentials very well.

The Fitbit Inspire 3 is the tracker for people who want the basics and nothing else. It's light enough to forget you're wearing it, which makes it great for sleep tracking, and battery life runs well beyond a week in many owner reports. The color screen shows steps, heart rate and notifications, and the Fitbit app remains one of the easiest to understand. There's no built-in GPS, so it borrows location from your phone for outdoor workouts. The small screen also limits what you can see at a glance. For a first tracker or a gift, it's an easy recommendation.

If paying for a subscription bothers you, the Garmin Vivosmart 5 is the answer. Every metric lives in the free Garmin Connect app, including sleep scores, stress tracking and Garmin's Body Battery energy estimate. It's comfortable, the screen is easy to read, and battery life lasts around a week for many owners. The band is simple to swap, which helps it last. Like the Inspire 3, it relies on your phone for GPS, and its monochrome screen looks dated next to Fitbit's color displays. But for data you own without recurring fees, it's a great value.

The Forerunner 55 is a favorite among reviewers for new and casual runners. Its built-in GPS is dependable for pace and distance, and Garmin's daily suggested workouts adjust based on your recovery. It also tracks cycling, swimming and more, plus sleep and stress. Battery life is long enough that many owners only charge it once or twice a week. The five-button design is simple to use with sweaty fingers. It isn't a smartwatch: you won't get apps, payments or a fancy touchscreen. If running is your main goal, though, it does the job reliably for less than most GPS watches.

If you have an iPhone and want both fitness tracking and smartwatch features, the Apple Watch SE 3 is the value pick. It tracks workouts with built-in GPS, closes Apple's activity rings, monitors sleep and offers crash and fall detection. It also handles texts, calls, Apple Pay and thousands of apps. Owners love how it fits into iPhone life. The big trade-off is battery: you'll charge it about every day, much more often than a band. It doesn't work with Android phones. For iPhone users, though, it's more capable than any band on this list.