Unlocking the secrets to your optimal fitness and health has never been easier, thanks to heart rate monitor watches (sometimes called smartwatches). Whether you're a dedicated fitness enthusiast or a competitive athlete, these wrist companions offer a wealth of insights into your well-being. Beyond just tracking heart rate, the best heart rate monitor watches provide a holistic view of your health, monitoring stress levels, sleep patterns, workout intensity, and more. Some even go the extra mile with features like GPS tracking, music streaming, and specialized sport functions. To find the best heart rate monitor watches on the market, we started by speaking to two industry experts to learn more about what key features to look for when shopping. With their guidance, we also tested 11 options from top, trusted brands. Throughout our testing process, we evaluate each device for its ease of setup and use, comfort, accuracy, and value. We also had a certified personal trainer from our Review Board review this article for accuracy, including how to use a heart monitor watch's results to enhance your workout and wellness routines. Our Top Picks Best Overall: Best Budget: Best for Running: Best With GPS: Best for Sleep: Best With App: Best for Triathletes: Best Stylish: Best Battery Life: In This Article Our Picks We Also Tested What to Look For How We Tested Our Experts FAQs Why Trust Verywell Fit Our Ratings Ease of Setup 4.9/5 Comfort 4.8/5 Ease of Use 4.7/5 Accuracy 5/5 Value 5/5 Pros Easy to use Comfortable design Extensive tracking capabilities Cons Requires specific charger Metrics Tracked: Heart rate, steps, calories burned, sleep, and more | Battery Life: 5 to 6 days |Waterproof: Yes, up to 164 feet (5ATM) | GPS: Yes |Our Overall Rating: 4.9/5 Best for data-driven fitness enthusiasts and everyday athletes, offering a comprehensive and holistic health tracking experience. Garmin’s Vivomove Sport Watch stood out as a top performer among the heart rate monitor watches we tested. Its user-friendly interface, comfortable design, and precise tracking of heart rate, steps, and activities set it apart. The watch goes beyond basic metrics, also monitoring sleep, calories burned, oxygen saturation, menstrual cycle, and more. Plus, the accompanying app makes it easy to grab the stats you want and ignore the rest. In testing, the watch proved easy to set up and connect to our phone. Along with health metrics, we also loved monitoring our fitness training with the GPS to track distance for running, walking, cycling, and swimming. Whether you aim to improve fitness or leverage heart rate data for training, this watch can help you stay within specific heart rate zones through alerts and track your VO2 max (maximal oxygen consumption). We also love that you can customize your watch with three face colors and over a dozen bands. Our Ratings Ease of Setup 3.4/5 Comfort 3.7/5 Ease of Use 4.3/5 Accuracy 4.4/5 Value 4.5/5 Pros Charges quickly Lightweight and low-profile Long battery life Cons Unclear instructions Display is bright at night Metrics Tracked: Heart rate, steps, calories burned, sleep, and more | Battery Life: Up to 18 days |Waterproof: Yes, up to 164 feet (5ATM) | GPS: No |Our Overall Rating: 4.2/5 Best for beginner and budget-conscious users wanting to track data with a discreet, low-profile band. At its price point, Amazfit’s Band 7 Fitness Tracker delivers a solid amount of data, from activity tracking to monitoring sleep quality. It also includes indoor and outdoor running, biking, swimming, jump roping, and gym workouts. In testing, we especially loved the sleep feature that allows the watch to wake you up based on your personal sleep rhythm, ensuring an optimal wake-up time within a 30-minute window of your alarm. It’s a great option for beginners, offering basic and straightforward tracking. The low-profile watch felt lightweight and comfortable when we strapped it on our wrist. The rubber material is gentle on the arm, without pulling at hair, and its button-free construction avoids any catching. We also love that it charges to full battery within an hour, and the battery life can extend up to 18 days (depending on your activity level). Our Ratings Ease of Setup 4.7/5 Comfort 5/5 Ease of Use 4.8/5 Accuracy 4.9/5 Value 5/5 Pros Lightweight Easy to use Accurate run tracker Cons Data may be overwhelming for some Metrics Tracked: Heart rate, steps, calories burned, sleep, and more | Battery Life: Up to 20 days | Waterproof: Yes | GPS: Yes, up to 164 feet (5ATM) |Our Overall Rating: 4.9/5 Best for runners who want a comprehensive overview of running data and a rich array of health metrics Whether you’re training for a race or passionate about tracking your runs, Coros’ Pace 2 GPS Sports Watch is your ideal companion. The customizable activity tracking screen provides detailed insights into your runs, including stride length, elevation gain, fastest mile, heart rate, and effort expenditure. Plus, the accurate GPS allows you to plan routes, and the watch and app will help keep you on track. The data tracking isn’t limited to running, we also used this watch to monitor sleep, recovery, and other workouts. It seamlessly syncs with the Coros app and other third-party fitness apps (like Nike Run Club, Strava, and more) to help you reach your goals. The watch is also incredibly lightweight, so it never interferes with our fitness or daily life. Our Ratings Ease of Setup 4.1/5 Comfort 5/5 Ease of Use 4.6/5 Accuracy 3.7/5 Value 4.7/5 Pros Lightweight Easy to use Variety of features Cons Calories burned seemed high Required a restart Metrics Tracked: Heart rate, steps, calories burned, sleep, and more | Battery Life: Up to 7 days |Waterproof: Yes, up to 164 feet (5ATM) | GPS: Yes |Our Overall Rating: 4.4/5 Best for runners, hikers, cyclists, and outdoor fitness enthusiasts who want to plan and track routes. With integrated GPS, Fitbit’s Charge 5 allows you to track your routes, distance, and pace with unparalleled accuracy—making it an ideal choice for runners, hikers, cyclists, and outdoor enthusiasts. Tracking all activities proved easy with a simple press of a button. Plus, the watch even automatically detects workouts. Beyond its advanced GPS capabilities, the device offers basic functionalities like tracking calories burned, sleep scores, heart rate, and much more. It feels super comfy on our wrists, with a lightweight, sweat-resistant band that doesn’t cause chafing. We also appreciate that the device seamlessly connects to your phone via Bluetooth, providing convenient access to text and call notifications. It also leverages features like Find My iPhone and integrates with the Fitbit app for easy stat viewing. Pros Easy to set up and use Comfortable and lightweight Good value Cons Step count may be overestimated Metrics Tracked: Heart rate, steps, calories burned, sleep, and more | Battery Life: Up to 10 days |Waterproof: Yes, up to 164 feet (5ATM) | GPS: Yes | Our Overall Rating: 4.7/5 Best if you want to improve your sleep and overall health and wellness. Fitbit’s Inspire 3 offers a range of helpful features, from activity tracking to monitoring step counts, but what we appreciate most is the sleep data it provides. It accurately tracks each sleep stage, detailing the duration spent in each stage and providing an overall sleep score. The app also allows you to monitor stress levels and daily readiness for exercise. The setup proved intuitive, requiring just a few clicks. The compatible Fitbit app is also user-friendly. Notably comfortable, the band never caused any pinching, tugging, or rubbing on our wrist during any activity or sleep. We also love that you can customize the band types and colors to suit your style. Pros Quick to charge and long battery life Comfortable and lightweight Extensive tracking capabilities Cons Doesn’t connect to many third-party apps Metrics Tracked: Heart rate, steps, calories burned, sleep, and more | Battery Life: Up to 10 days | Waterproof: Yes, up to 164 feet (5ATM) | GPS: Yes | Our Overall Rating: 4.3/5 Best if you want a heart rate monitor watch with smartwatch capabilities. Fitbit’s Sense 2 proved incredibly straightforward to set up and use. In addition to its lightweight design and water-resistant features, it offers comprehensive fitness and health tracking capabilities. The watch itself provides a wealth of data, covering fitness tracking, step counts, oxygen saturation, stress notifications, sleep scores, and more. For even more in-depth analysis, the intuitive app delves further into each category. We were particularly impressed with how quickly it charged to full battery and the extended battery life, setting this watch apart from some competitors. Plus, we love that you can customize both the watch face and band to fit your lifestyle and preferences. Our Ratings Ease of Setup 5/5 Comfort 4.8/5 Ease of Use 4.9/5 Accuracy 4.8/5 Value 3.6/5 Pros Extensive training and recovery data GPS guidance Long battery life Cons Feels slightly bulky Metrics Tracked: Heart rate, steps, calories burned, sleep, and more | Battery Life: Up to 100 hours | Waterproof: Yes, up to 328 feet | GPS: Yes |Our Overall Rating: 4.6/5 Best for multisport enthusiasts seeking advanced features, including GPS guidance and personalized recovery data. Polar’s Vantage V2 Watch, a smartwatch and training companion in one, offers turn-by-turn guidance for running, biking, or hiking routes. It also provides insightful feedback on training load and recovery both during and after your workouts. We think this device is well worth the investment for serious athletes and fitness enthusiasts because it provides all the data you need for optimal performance and (importantly) recovery after training. Easy to navigate, surprisingly comfortable, and equipped with extensive data support for workouts, recovery, and overall health, this watch stands out. We found its activity tracking, including run distance, to be precisely accurate. We also love the customizable tracking screen that lets you choose which metrics are most important to you. Our Ratings Ease of Setup 4/5 Comfort 4.5/5 Ease of Use 5/5 Accuracy 5/5 Value 4.5/5 Pros Comfortable design Easy to set up and use Variety of features Cons Limited customizability Metrics Tracked: Heart rate, steps, calories burned, sleep, and more | Battery Life: Up to 5 days | Waterproof: Yes, up to 164 feet (5ATM) | GPS: Yes |Our Overall Rating: 4.6/5 Best if you want a sleek, stylish watch to elevate your health and fitness. Garmin’s Lily Watch seamlessly blends style and functionality, letting us effortlessly transition from a spin class to brunch without skipping a beat. In testing, the metrics proved spot-on, and we love how many activities there are to choose from. We also enjoyed receiving texts, calls, and calendar reminders right from the watch, so we didn’t need to pause mid-workout. Setting up and using this device is a breeze. The Garmin Connect app tracks an extensive array of wellness metrics—including sleep, stress, and hydration intake—allowing us to easily view and digest data. Plus, it’s super comfortable to wear (even during sleep) because of its lightweight and streamlined style. Our Ratings Ease of Setup 4.5/5 Comfort 4.2/5 Ease of Use 4.7/5 Accuracy 4.4/5 Value 4/5 Pros FSA-eligible Oximetry and ECG measurements Easy to set up and use Cons Must enter your weight Metrics Tracked: Heart rate, steps, calories burned, sleep, and more | Battery Life: 30 days |Waterproof: Yes, up to 164 feet (5ATM) | GPS: Yes | Our Overall Rating: 4.4/5 Best if you want to monitor helpful health data without the hassle of frequent battery recharging. While it looks like a traditional fashion-forward watch, Withings’ ScanWatch offers comprehensive health and fitness data beyond aesthetics. As the first FDA-approved heart rate monitor watch capable of tracking heart rate rhythm (via ECG) and oxygen saturation, it enhances sleep quality by detecting breathing disturbances. We also love using the GPS to track pace, distance, and route during swimming and running sessions. What’s most impressive, though, is the 30-day battery life—which we found particularly advantageous for sleep tracking since you won’t have to charge your watch overnight. We also love that you can customize the watch with different colored faces and various band styles to fit your individual style and needs. We tested 11 heart rate monitor watches, but only 9 of them earned a sport in our final list of recommendations. Though these two showcased some promising features, they ultimately failed to meet our standards in one or more key categories. To find the best heart rate monitor watches, we tested 11 options from top, trusted wellness tech brands. When testing, we evaluate each option based on the following key criteria: Throughout our research, testing, and reporting, we consult with experts to deepen our understanding of the importance of heart rate monitoring and to gain insights into key factors to consider when shopping for a watch. Their insights also contribute to refining our testing process, ensuring it is both accurate and reliable. Yes, heart rate monitor watches can be accurate, but their reliability varies. For the utmost precision, consider opting for a heart rate monitor with a chest strap. Many watches can provide valuable insights into your heart health by indicating whether your heart rate is above or below the optimal range during rest periods, Sarabella says. However, if you suspect any potential heart issues, consult your doctor immediately. Relying solely on a smartwatch for monitoring is not a substitute for professional medical advice. Wear it just above where your wrist connects to the base of your hand—it should fit snugly but not be overly tight, Morse says. For the most accurate information, you want to wear it as often as possible (even if you’re primarily using it for training purposes). Heart rate monitors can help you learn more about your health and reach your fitness goals. With a diverse array of options available, spanning various price points and functionalities, there's a suitable choice for everyone. But remember, these devices are not necessary for living a healthy life. Sarah Anzlovar, MS, RDN, LDN is a registered dietitian, indoor cycling instructor, runner, former triathlete, and overall fitness enthusiast. She uses heart rate monitor watches to support her own health and training, as well as to help many of her clients improve their fitness.Best Overall
Garmin Vivomove Sport
Key Specs
Who It’s For
Why We Love It
Potential Flaws
Best Budget
Amazfit Band 7
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Who It’s For
Why We Love It
Potential Flaws
Best for Running
COROS Pace 2
Key Specs
Who It’s For
Why We Love It
Potential Flaws
Best With GPS
Fitbit Charge 5
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Who It’s For
Why We Love It
Potential Flaws
Key Specs
Who It’s For
Why We Love It
Potential Flaws
Key Specs
Who It’s For
Why We Love It
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Best for Triathletes
Polar Vantage V2 Smartwatch
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Who It’s For
Why We Love It
Potential Flaws
Best Stylish
Garmin Lily
Key Specs
Who It’s For
Why We Love It
Potential Flaws
Best Battery Life
Withings ScanWatch Hybrid Smartwatch
Key Specs
Who It’s For
Why We Love It
Potential Flaws
Heart Rate Monitor Watches We Also Tested
What to Look for When Shopping for Heart Rate Monitor Watches
How We Tested the Best Heart Rate Monitor Watches
Our Experts
Frequently Asked Questions
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Why Trust Verywell Fit
Unlock Peak Performance With Our Top, Tested Heart Rate Monitor Watches (2024)
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