Best Pedometers
"Choose something you want to put on first thing in the morning and keep on until you get ready for bed,” Jim Karas, Founder of Intelligent Fitness and Wellness, says. “If you like it enough to wear it all the time, you'll get all the data it provides without having to remember to put it on before exercise or other activity.” Before discussing about the best pedometers available in the market, lets look at some of the important factors to be considered before purchasing one.
What to Look for in a Pedometer
Accuracy
If you’re using a pedometer, you likely care about how your steps impact your life, meaning you want a product that can track your movement without fault. “Accuracy is one of the most important factors to consider when you’re choosing a pedometer,” says Christine Luff, ACE-CPT, a certified running coach through Road Runners Club of America. “A high-quality, reliable pedometer may cost a little more, but it’s worth the investment to know that you’re getting reliable results.”
Style
Pedometers can be worn a few ways—in a lanyard around your neck, clipped onto your waistband, or on your wrist like a watch. The style that suits you best will depend on what you're planning on using your pedometer for and how often you plan to use it. Luff notes that a wristband style is the most popular. “It won’t get in the way or distract you as you’re walking. It’s also easy to check your progress as you’re moving,” she says. The more convenient and accessible your pedometer, the more likely you’ll be to use it.
Battery Life
Most pedometers boast long-lasting batteries, which is good news for anyone who wants to cut down on recharge time or frequency. But remember, low-tech options tend to have longer-lasting batteries than high-tech options, so keep these tradeoffs in mind as you shop.
Special Features
Some pedometers only include the basics, such as tracking steps, activity time, and distance. But as you work your way to higher-tech options, you may find special features like all-day heart rate tracking and more. Luff notes that you can find water-resistant pedometers which are great for anyone who exercises outdoors or wants to track swim workouts. Additionally, she says that heart-rate tracking is a neat feature for anyone that wants to measure the intensity of their workouts, but that it’s not necessary—especially if the price point is a major factor.
How does a pedometer help people reach their fitness goals?
Pedometers can help you reach your fitness goals in a few different ways. For starters, a pedometer can help you understand how much you’re already exercising on a day-to-day basis. “Many people are surprised to find out that they don't move as much as they thought,” Daniel Sullivan, C.P.T., a Dallas-based personal trainer, says. “Wearing a pedometer will help you become more aware of how you move throughout the day, and to work toward moving more.” Once you understand how much you’re already exercising, you can set goals to work out more—and you can use your pedometer to track your progress. “Holding yourself accountable is absolutely critical to your success,” Sullivan says. “Pedometers will not only help keep you on track, but they will also encourage you to build other healthy habits, like trying new workouts, as your fitness level increases.”
What does a pedometer measure?
In its most basic form, a pedometer measures the number of steps you take while wearing it. But often, you’ll find that even no-frills pedometers will measure distance walked and time spent walking, too. If you’re willing to invest in a higher-tech option, you can often track other forms of exercise (like cycling and swimming), as well as more advanced metrics (like heart rate, blood oxygen level, sleep quality, and more).
Can a pedometer be used for bike riding?
Basic pedometers are designed to track steps, so they may not be able to track your cycling workouts effectively. That said, there are plenty of fitness trackers out there that are capable of tracking both walking and cycling workouts in great detail. And if you’d prefer a biking-centric fitness tracker, you can always buy a bike computer, like our best for cycling pick—the CAT EYE Velo 7 .
How does a pedometer count steps?
Pedometers typically track steps by picking up on the way you move when you walk. Your hips may move up or down—or your body may sway from side to side. And many pedometers use these motions to determine how many steps you’ve taken.
With so many pedometers out there, it's hard to find the best one for your needs, so we did the research for you. Here are some of the best pedometers on the market.
Best Overall: Fitbit Inspire 2 Fitness Tracker
Pros
Cons
No custom home screen
Font may be hard to read
May buzz frequently
Style: Wristband
Battery Life: Ten days
Water-Resistant: Yes (up to 164 feet)
Heart Rate Tracking: Yes
Bluetooth-Enabled: Yes
Fitbit's Inspire 2 pedometer tracks your steps, heart rate, calories burned, active minutes, and sleep status, all while keeping you, up to date on text and call notifications. You can also set silent alarms that buzz your wrist to wake you up—a great feature for those who want to avoid waking up a roommate or partner. With a sleek design, goal-setting capabilities, and complimentary app access, this is an affordable pedometer that anyone can use, no matter how advanced or novice they are. The battery lasts for up to ten days and the device comes with a convenient charging cable. The best part? You can use the pedometer to record a wide range of workouts, including walks, swimming, and bike rides.
Best Splurge: Fitbit Versa 2
Pros
Water-resistant
Alexa- and smartphone-compatible
Works with Spotify, Pandora, and Deezer
Cons
Style: Smartwatch
Battery Life: Six days
Water-Resistant: Yes (up to 164 feet)
Heart Rate Tracking: Yes
Bluetooth-Enabled: Yes
FitBit’s Versa 2 is the Cadillac of pedometers. Along with tracking your steps and distance, heart rate, calories, active minutes, floors climbed, hourly activity, and sleep status, it seamlessly connects to your other devices—something that many pedometers are unable to do. Not only can you connect it to your phone for call and text notifications, but you can also connect it to your Amazon Alexa to control your other smart home devices with the sound of your voice. Additionally, you can download Spotify or Pandora playlists directly to your watch to listen to on long walks. Plus, the battery lasts for up to six days
Best for Runs: Garmin Vivosmart 4
Pros
Cons
Style: Smartwatch
Battery Life: Seven days
Water-Resistant: Yes (up to 164 feet)
Heart Rate Tracking: Yes
Bluetooth-Enabled: Yes
Built with an ultra-slim design, Garmin’s Vivosmart 4 tracks your heart rate, steps, distance, and sleep status. It dives deeper into your sleep status with advanced monitoring of your REM cycle, gauging your blood oxygen levels by its wrist sensor. The pedometer takes the same deep dive with your heart rate, assessing your daily stress level. It also allows you to set timers for your activity, pushing your running to the next level. With a simple smartphone connection, the Vivosmart 4 provides vibration notifications for calls and texts, as well as GPS tracking to help you see your route. The battery lasts up to one week.
Best for Cycling: CAT EYE Velo 7
Pros
Cons
Style: Bike computer
Battery Life: Three years
Water-Resistant: Yes (but no standard provided)
Heart Rate Tracking: No
If you want the ability to track distance while cycling, CAT EYE’s Velo 7 Speedometer easily clips into the front of your bike—a majority of users find installation to take ten minutes or less. The device tracks your distance, speed (current, average, and max), and elapsed time while sensing when you’re stopped at a light for complete accuracy. The battery lasts up to three years, so you can install the device without worrying about replacing it often.
Best for Walks: iGANK Simple Walking Pedometer
Pros
Easy to wear
Simple and user-friendly
Long-lasting battery
Cons
Style: Clip-on (carabiner)
Battery Life: One year
Water-Resistant: Not listed
Heart Rate Tracking: No
Bluetooth-Enabled: No
The iGank Simple Walking Pedometer is just that—an affordable addition to your workout equipment that tracks your steps, as long as it’s on your person. You can clip it onto your belt loop, throw it in a backpack, or simply carry the device and it will track how far you go. The pedometer’s battery life lasts up to 12 months, and it can be reset each day (or each walk) when you press the button on the back of the device.
Best for Hikes: Polar Grit X Outdoor Watch
Pros
Cons
Backlight not very bright
GPS may not be very reliable
Heart rate monitor lacks accuracy
Style: Smartwatch
Battery Life: Seven days
Water-Resistant: Yes (up to 328 feet)
Heart Rate Tracking: Yes
Bluetooth-Enabled: No
When hiking, some pedometers struggle to track steps when you're headed up or down a hill. Luckily, the Polar Grit X features ascent and descent detection which accurately understands how your speed and heart rate change as you tackle your hike. Since the Polar Grit X is designed with the outdoors in mind, it's durable and can hold up to falls, humidity, and extreme temperatures. And since it’s water-resistant (up to 328 feet), you can even take it swimming.
Best with App: Fitbit Charge 3 Fitness Activity Tracker
Pros
Water-resistant
24/7 heart rate tracking
Smartphone-compatible
Cons
Style: Wristband
Battery Life: Seven days
Water-Resistant: Yes (up to 164 feet)
Heart Rate Tracking: Yes
Bluetooth-Enabled: Yes
Fitbit Charge 3 Fitness Tracker:
The Fitbit Charge 3 provides everything (and more) that most people need including tracking steps, distance covered, heart rate, calories, and sleep status. Plus, it offers call and text alerts, Bluetooth capability, 15 different exercise modes, and it’s water-resistant. Along with premium features and a full week of battery life, users gain access to FitBit’s app where all of their personal data can be found and compared to set new fitness goals. You can also use the app to connect with other FitBit users and gain personalized guidance that relates directly to your stats.
Best No-Frills: Realalt 3DTriSport Walking 3D Pedometer with Clip and Strap
Realalt 3DTriSport Walking 3D Pedometer Review
Pros
Cons
Style: Clip-on
Battery Life: One year
Water-Resistant: Not listed
Heart Rate Tracking: No
Bluetooth-Enabled: No
If you're looking for a basic step counter, the Realalt 3DTriSport is a great option. The device counts your steps, amount of calories burned, and distance walked. You can set daily goals too, and the large display makes everything easy to read. The tracker comes with a lanyard, allowing you to comfortably wear it around your neck, clip it onto your waist, or place it in your pocket. It comes in multiple colors, so you can pick the one that best fits your style.
Best Battery Life: iTouch Wearables Slim Waterproof Fitness Activity Tracker
Pros
Cons
Style: Wristband
Battery Life: 20 days
Water-Resistant: Yes (up to 98 feet)
Heart Rate Tracking: Yes
Bluetooth-Enabled: Yes
The iTouch Slim Fitness Tracker allows you to track your steps, stationary minutes, heart rate, calories, and sleep status on its thin, water-resistant model. Its Bluetooth capabilities connect to your phone to receive call and text notifications. But the best part? The iTouch Slip Fitness Tracker’s rechargeable battery lasts up to 20 days on a single charge. Its sleek design is perfect for anyone looking for a stylish pedometer, and comes in a range of unique colors and designs.
Fit bit.
Health is wealth. Unless we keep our health fit we cannot tackle our day to day work. To keep yourself fit you should undergo some sort of exercises on a regular basis either walking, jogging,running, cycling etc. We should maintain our health and should be followed. There are many means to monitor fitness. Many PEDOMETERS are in the market which are very useful to maintain our activity.
I am impressed by Fit bit Versa 2 which has many features and very sensitive information is stored. Our every day to day activities can be traced at any time. The dates are synced with Android, it can be viewed on mobile phones. Weekly performances are also furnished.
The following features are available.
The Versa 2 is the latest smartwatch from Fit bit
More attractive and stylish design
Has 1.4 inches wider
More interactive AMOLED display
4 days battery life.
A fitness focused smart watch
Well equipped to track active life
15 preloaded sport modes
Able to track your steps,heart rate,sleep,calories
Onscreen workout modes that coaches your favorite moves.
Microphone provided that support Amazon Alexa
Get instant information on weather,News
Set up alarm reminders
Having swim proof
Compatible with both Android and IOS devices.
I strongly recommend Fit bit Versa 2 for people who really want to make sure that their activities are up to their requirements
