Stacy Gallagher
Generally, most heart rate monitor/fitness trackers cost between $60-$275. If you pay less than $60 you will find mediocre accuracy which defeats the purpose of tracking. More expensive options with a GPS feature are tailored toward athletes and exercise enthusiasts and may not be necessary.
What sport do you participate in? Swimmers will want a waterproof tracker, but keep in mind that not all water-safe trackers actually track swimming. Runners will probably want a watch that shows time, distance, pace, and lap time, at the very least. Cyclists have even more considerations. There's a difference between tracking how many miles you pedal and calories you burn versus monitoring your power and cadence.
After extensive research we have compiled a list of chest straps and optical sensor options (armbands and smartwatches) for different sports in multiple price ranges. Use the Table of Contents to review our research and see what option might be right for you!
Chest Strap Monitor Comparisons
Chest strap heart rate monitors measure electrical signals generated by your heart when it contracts. The chest strap tends to be more accurate because of this feature, but can be uncomfortable.
Best for Entry-
Level Users
$59.95
This is the best entry- level monitor for anyone with basic needs, including a wide range of compatibility and an excellent companion app.
Best Model
Overall
$89.95
This is the best monitor overall. It has added onboard memory making it more convenient for athletes who hate working out with their phone in tow.
Best Basic
Model
$69.99
This is a basic monitor that can connect to almost any device or app except the Garmin Connect app. It's reliable, accurate and comfortable.
Best for
Runners
$99.99
This monitor is the best to buy if you own a Garmin fitness tracker that works with it. It provides advanced stats, such as oscillation and ground contact time.
Armband & Smartwatch Monitor Comparisons
Optical wrist/arm sensor monitors measure heart rate data using photoplethysmography - small LED lights that refract off of blood flow to determine pulse readings. The optical sensor options are more comfortable, but can have connectivity issues.
Armband Comparisons
Best for
Armband Fans
$84.95
This optical heart rate sensor offers an easy-to-use alternative to heart rate chest straps. Polar leads the industry in heart rate monitor technology.
Best for
Triathletes
$99.99
This is a good alternative to a chest strap with a biathlete and triathlete mode. It connects with nearly any other fitness device on the market.
Best for
Comfort
$79.99
This is one of the easiest monitors to set up and get started. It has a button to quickly switch on/off and uses indicator lights for status feedback.
Best for
Bicyclists
$79.95
This is not the most innovative device, but it's a reliable and reasonably priced option. This is a good upgrade to its predecessor.
Smartwatch Comparisons
Best Overall
Watch
$199.95
This smartwatch is a great upgrade to its predecessor. It has a larger screen, inte- grated GPS for pace/ distance tracking, a blood oxygen sensor and fast charging.
Best for
Runners
$159.99
This smartwatch is also an upgrade. It has a new look and color display, but maintains quality functionality as a fitness tracker for runners and those tracking workouts.
Best for
Swimmers
$149.95
This smartwatch is considered one of the best everyday fitness trackers you can buy. It's upgrade has a sharper screen, longer battery life, a swim-safe build.
Best for
Overall Training
$265.99
This smartwatch is the most compre- hensive. It has a multi-sport GPS with updated technology to monitor heart rate and training load for a complete picture.
Heart Rate Monitor Reviews
Polar H9 Sensor
$59.95
GOLD STANDARD IN HEART RATE MONITORING: Polar has been a leader in the HR tracking market for decades backed by years of scientific research and development.
Polar H10 Sensor
$89.95
GOLD STANDARD IN HEART RATE MONITORING: Polar has been a leader in the HR tracking market for decades backed by years of scientific research and development.
Garmin HRM-Dual
$69.99
The Garmin HRM-Dual is about as simple as it gets. It has good accuracy, but not much additional functionality unless paired with a Garmin watch.
Garmin HRM-Run
$99.99
The Garmin HRM-Run has tailored features for improving step frequency, step length, vertical movement and balance of the ground contact time. It has good accuracy, but not much additional functionality unless paired with a Garmin watch.
Polar OH1
Armband
$84.95
GOLD STANDARD IN HEART RATE MONITORING: Polar has been a leader in the HR tracking market for decades backed by years of scientific research and development.
Scosche Rhythm24
Armband
$99.99
Scosche was the first to create a highly accurate optical sensor armband heart rate monitor rivaling the accuracy of a chest strap.
Wahoo TickrFit
Armband
$79.99
Wahoo TickrFit armband is a product evolution of the successful Wahoo Tickr chest strap. It is easy to set up and sync.
Scosche Rhythm+
Armband
$79.95
Scosche was the first to create a highly accurate optical sensor armband heart rate monitor rivaling the accuracy of a chest strap.
Fitbit Versa 3
Smartwatch
$199.95
Fitbit has been the leader in the smartwatch market since 2007. This smartwatch has a larger screen than its predecessor, 24/7 heart rate tracking, integrated GPS for pace/distance tracking, a blood oxygen sensor and fast charging.
Garmin Forerunner45S
Smartwatch
$159.99
The Garmin Forerunner 45S is an upgrade to the 35S and is considered its entry-level running watch. This watch includes an integrated GPS to take advantage of new running metrics. It has new health and wellness features, 24/7 heart rate monitoring and a stylish circular design.
Fitbit Charge 4
Smartwatch
$149.95
Fitbit has been the leader in the smartwatch market since 2007. This smartwatch has 24/7 heart rate tracking, integrated GPS for pace/distance tracking, and a blood oxygen sensor.
Polar Vantage M
Smartwatch
$265.99
GOLD STANDARD IN HEART RATE MONITORING: Polar has been a leader in the HR tracking market for decades and brings that technology to the Polar Vantage M smartwatch. It has 24/7 heart rate tracking, training load monitoring, long battery life, integrated GPS and even a running power feature. This brings solid training data to the everyday sports enthusiast.
We hope you found this post helpful and informative. In our journey of health we are continually experimenting and stretching our athleticism and longevity. One of the key tools that we have used for years is a heart rate monitor. Here is a post on some beginner tips for using a heart rate monitor - 3 Reasons Why the Use of a Heart Rate Monitor Is Important. Marty really likes the Polar H10 chest strap and I prefer the Fitbit Versa 3 smartwatch.
What brand/style do you like best for your health and fitness goals? Let us know if we should include other options. Leave us a comment below.
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