Looking for a little motivation to get those steps in? The best pedometer (aka fitness tracker) will help you reach your goals.
That competition with yourself to walk just a bit farther each day is more than just a head game—science agrees that it's a pretty powerful force. A large review of research published in the Journal of the American Medical Association found that people using a pedometer were more active, had healthier weights, and decreased their blood pressure compared to those who didn’t. Plus, besides the whole body benefits, you'll also feel pretty proud of yourself whenever you hit those 10,000 daily steps (or more!).
And there's more—many fitness trackers or step-tracking apps also have bonus features like heart rate tracking, sleep analysis, mindfulness moments, and even the ability to play music that really gets you to steppin'. Check out our tips for how to choose the best pedometer for you, and the best pedometers for tracking your steps this year.
While there are plenty of souped-upfitness trackersavailable, sometimes simple is best—and most affordable. You most likely already have a pedometer in your pocket: Smartphones typically have apps to track your steps walked and stairs climbed, along with distances, saysJames Shapiro, a NASM-certified personal trainer.
However, all that tracking eats up battery life and requires you to take your phone absolutely everywhere (including on trips to and from the bathroom). On top of that, previous research shows that the results from smartphone apps in comparison to pedometers might not be as accurate while tracking slower speeds.
Accuracy is one of the most important factors to consider when purchasing a pedometer, says Destin. To double-check if it’s tracking the right amount of steps, simply clip your pedometer onto your waistband (line it up directly below your armpit), set the device to zero, and walk 100 steps, counting them as you go. At the end, your pedometer should be within that range, give or take five steps. Here’s what else to keep in mind when looking for a pedometer:
.Discover 101 Calming Walks with Writing Promptsshop.prevention.comSHOP NOW✔️ Battery life: You can choose between a device with a small, circular replaceable battery or a rechargeable battery. If the thought of needing to charge another device is exhausting, opt for a replaceable battery. For many people, needing to charge a device every few days gets in the way of regular use.
✔️Calorie counters and activity trackers: If overall fitness and weight loss is your goal, look for these two functions on your pedometer. An activity tracker lets you know if you’re reaching the minimum physical activity guidelines for overall health, says Destin. (That’s 150 minutes of moderate activity each week, or 75 minutes of vigorous activity each week.) Meanwhile, tracking the calories you burn reveals how hard you’re exercising and what you need to do to maintain or meet your weight loss goals, he adds.
✔️A 7- to 30-day log: The log will allow you to see your progress. To Destin, this is almost more important than your actual steps. “I have people focus on their step trend rather than the exact count. I ask them: ‘Are you doing more than yesterday or last week or last month?’” he says.
✔️Display: Look for a display that’s easy for you to read and functionality that makes sense to you. Overly fussy devices may come with exciting features, but ultimately, if it’s too complicated to follow, you won’t bother engaging with the features (or device!).
The very best pedometer for you will always be the one you wear consistently, so to help you wade through the options, we've rounded up our favorites in a variety of categories.
Best Overall: Omron HJ-321 Tri-Axis Alvita PedometerOmronamazon.com$26.99SHOP NOW
This pedometer is from a company known for its blood pressure accessories and wearables, so you know it's good quality. It tracks steps, distance, and calories burned and is easy to use and small enough to hold on even the longest walk.
Best User-Friendly: 3DFitBud Simple Step Counter Walking 3D Pedometer with Lanyard3DActiveamazon.com$39.99$24.99 (38% off)SHOP NOW
If you're looking for something no-fuss that's easy to figure out, this pedometer is about as uncomplicated as it gets. Amazon users love it for its simple interface, as well as the lanyard it comes with that makes it easy to throw on and forget about as you run errands or just walk around the house. This pedometer is a no-frills way of tracking your steps. And on top of that, the display is massive and simple to read. The pedometer also goes to “sleep” when you’re not moving—a total win if you want extra-long battery life.
Best High-Tech: Fitbit Charge 4 Fitness and Activity TrackerFitbitamazon.com$149.95$114.00 (24% off)SHOP NOW
Keep this tracker on 24/7 and you’ll learn all about the number of steps you take, your heart rate, the calories you burn, your active minutes, and even your sleep quality in a day. It's also waterproof and has the ability to provide insight into swimming workouts, too. “The only pedometer I have ever used is Fitbit and I thought its element of competition among peers and daily and weekly challenges were great—especially for new exercisers,” saysLyuda Bouzinova, ACE-certified personal trainer and co-founder ofMission Lean. Connect with friends on the Fitbit app, and you can compete to see who hits the most steps, along with other fitness goals. Bonus: It reminds you to move each hour, so you won't stay stagnant while working from home for too long!
Best Sensor Technology: 3DTriSport Walking 3D PedometerRealaltamazon.com$24.99SHOP NOW
The Realalt 3DTriSport Walking 3D Pedometer has a high-quality sensor that makes it able to track your steps, distance covered, calories, and time spent exercising no matter where it's located (even buried deep in your bag!). This battery-operated pedometer will track your activity for 30 days before resetting, and it also allows you to set up a step goal. A step goal is important, says Bouzinova, because when you meet it, you’ll have “a feeling of accomplishment that helps with motivation.” The 3DTriSport comes with both a clip and a lanyard.
Best Easy to Read: Ozo Fitness CS1 Easy Pedometer OZO Fitnessamazon.com$21.98SHOP NOW
With its large numbers and simple screen, you’ll be able to see your step count for the day at a glance—without fumbling for your reading glasses or cycling through a confusing series of settings. And the OZO Fitness CS1 SC2 tracks just your steps, so no toggling through various modes to find what you're looking for,
Best Clip On: PINGKO Outdoor Multi-Function Portable Sport PedometerPINGKOamazon.com$10.99SHOP NOW
This cute little pedometer is light enough and small enough to bring with you anywhere—clip it on your purse, a fanny pack, even your waistband. It's easy to use and view and tracks your steps and the distance traveled. Pro tip: affix it to an area close to your waist, arm, or leg, for the most accurate reading.
Best Overall: Fitbit Inspire 2 Health & Fitness TrackerFitbitamazon.com$99.95$84.00 (16% off)SHOP NOW
Fitbit wearables now do a lot more than just count steps. Earn Active Zone Minutes as you progress toward your weekly 150 minutes of exercise and use 20 plus exercise modes to track goals like distance, calories burned, and more. You can count your steps, distance, and hourly activity. And stay on top of your time in light, deep, and REM sleep—you can even get a Sleep Score to better understand the quality of rest you're getting!
Best Fitness Features: Apple Watch Series 6Applewalmart.com$349.00SHOP NOW
Do just about everything with the new Apple Watch Series 6. Besides tracking steps and your sleep, monitoring your heart rate, and giving you the ability to contact emergency services with Emergency SOS, you can subscribe to Fitness+ to access a library of trainer-led workouts to boost your exercise routine, as well as audio-led walks featuring inspiring guests.
Best Value: Letscom ID115Pro Letscomwalmart.com$25.76SHOP NOW
If you're looking for all the features of a great fitness tracker at an affordable price, try the LETSCOM ID115Plus HR. You can track your steps, as well as your activity across all types of other exercises, from yoga to hiking to cycling. And, it comes in lots of different colors to match any workout gear.
Best Data Visualizer: Garmin vívofit 4Garminamazon.com$79.99$69.91 (13% off)SHOP NOW
For some people, the spirit of competitiveness or a love of data makes them want to be able to compare their step count over wide swathes of time—more than the typical 30-day memory on basic pedometers. Enter smartphone apps, which track data and create engaging visualizations so you can see your steps over time (as well as your sleep and other exercise activity). With the Garmin vívofit 3, you can sync the data on the device to a free smartphone app (for both iOS and Android) through Bluetooth—so no cords required!
Best Stress Management: Fitbit SenseFitbitamazon.com$299.95$226.84 (24% off)SHOP NOW
Tame stress while you count your steps with the Fitbit Sense. It's a smartwatch with all the activity tracking you're looking for, plus a special sensor that detects and tracks your response to stress. Then, access a huge range of mindfulness tools to help calm and relax you. You can also subscribe to Fitbit Premium to unlock even more mindfulness features, such as positive affirmations, mindful eating, and a library of guided meditations.
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Madeleine BurryMadeleine Burry is the former associate managing editor for Parents.com, and is currently a freelance writer, editor, and content strategist, with work appearing in Women’s Health, Health.com, and other online publications.Alyssa JungSenior EditorAlyssa is a senior editor for the Hearst Lifestyle Group Health Newsroom, supporting Prevention, Good Housekeeping, and Woman's Day. This content is created and maintained by a third party, and imported onto this page to help users provide their email addresses. You may be able to find more information about this and similar content at piano.io