Choose a fitness band if everyday activity logging and a stated multi-day battery life matter more to you than smartwatch functions. A smartwatch makes more sense when apps and notifications are part of the reason you will wear it. Either way, check swimming guidance, whether GPS works without your phone, phone compatibility and data controls for the exact model.
If you log walks, light runs, cycling or daily movement, consider how comfortable the device is to wear and how easily you can read your activity records. Which? includes comfort, ease of use and tracking accuracy in its fitness-tracker testing.
If pool sessions or mapped runs matter to you, check the exact model’s swimming guidance and whether its GPS is built in or uses a nearby phone. A water-resistance rating alone does not cover every water activity.
Check that the wearable works with your phone before choosing an app ecosystem. If you plan to keep years of activity records or connect other services, review the available export and sharing controls too.
Start with the activities you will record, then check what the device needs from your phone and app.
| Priority | What to check | Your needs |
|---|---|---|
| Everyday wear | Check the fit and controls, and whether you can understand the activity records you use most. Which? assesses comfort, ease of use and tracking accuracy in its tests. | I want something I can wear regularly and use to check walks and daily movement without fuss. |
| Activities and water | Check the exact model’s walk, run, cycle and swim modes. For swimming, read its stated water rating alongside the manufacturer’s permitted uses and care guidance. | Pool swimming is part of my routine, so I need a model whose guidance covers the way I swim. |
| Outdoor routes | Distinguish built-in GPS from GPS supplied by a paired phone. Check battery guidance for the tracking mode you expect to use. | I sometimes leave my phone at home on runs; route recording needs to work without it. |
| Phone and app | Confirm the phone model, operating-system version and account needed for setup. Separate included activity functions from features that require a subscription. | My existing phone needs to pair with the device, and I want to know which app functions I can use without an ongoing subscription. |
| Activity data | Review export and deletion options, connected-app permissions and how to manage sharing before linking another service. | If I change apps later, I want to know how to take a copy of my records and control which services can access them. |
A 50-metre rating does not, by itself, establish suitability for diving or fast-moving water. Apple’s UK guidance distinguishes water resistance from waterproofing.
For swimming, check the exact model’s intended use and follow its care instructions after water exposure.
Connected GPS uses a paired phone for outdoor routes. Garmin states that vívosmart 5 connects to smartphone GPS for walks, runs and rides.
If you leave your phone behind, confirm that the model has built-in GPS. If you normally carry it, check whether connected GPS meets your needs instead.
Some Fitbit Charge 6 app features require a paid subscription, even though the device can be used for activity logging without treating those extras as included indefinitely.
Decide which features you need, then check the current trial eligibility and subscription terms before relying on them.
Continuing to use a subscription-only feature after a trial requires an ongoing subscription.
Activity records shared with another app depend on that connection’s permissions and continued operation. Google Health advises users of affected third-party Fitbit connections to reconnect through the partner app before 30 October 2026.
Review connected services, export options and account controls. If you use a Fitbit-connected third-party app, check whether the reconnection notice applies to it.
Fitbit Charge 6 illustrates a band-style option for everyday activity and outdoor routes.
Garmin vívosmart 5 illustrates a slim tracker for people who take their phone on mapped outdoor activities.
Apple Watch SE 3 illustrates the smartwatch route for someone who wants iPhone-connected functions alongside activity tracking.
These fitness bands and activity-tracking smartwatches cover different ways to log routine movement. Compare each model against your phone, swimming and route-recording needs rather than treating them as interchangeable.
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Consider this band if you want to record outdoor routes without using your phone’s GPS.
Google Store UK specifies built-in GPS and GLONASS, 50-metre water resistance and up to seven days of battery life for Charge 6; use and enabled features affect battery life. Check swimming guidance and phone compatibility for your setup.
The listing advertises a three-month Google Health Premium offer. Check eligibility and subsequent subscription terms if you want a Premium feature.
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This smartwatch is an option to examine if you want activity tracking in a 46mm watch rather than a fitness band.
Before choosing it for pool sessions or phone-free routes, confirm the exact configuration’s swimming guidance and GPS operation. The listing cautions against diving and high-speed water activities; check the fit on your wrist as well.
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Consider this band for routine activity logging if you usually carry your phone on outdoor walks and runs.
Its route-tracking option is described as using a paired phone’s GPS, so check that arrangement before choosing it for mapped sessions. Check the model’s swimming guidance if pool use matters to you.
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This smartwatch suits an iPhone user who wants activity tracking alongside watch apps and notifications.
Apple UK lists GPS for SE 3, while Apple Support UK permits shallow-water swimming under its water-use guidance. Setup requires an iPhone 11 or later with iOS 26 or later. Check carrier and plan requirements before relying on this variant’s cellular functions away from your phone.
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This fitness band is an option for routine movement logging when smartwatch functions are not your main reason to buy.
If you plan to swim or record outdoor routes, check the exact band’s water-use instructions and how route tracking works. The listing cautions against diving, hot showers, saunas and fast-moving water.
Choose built-in GPS if you need to record outdoor routes without carrying your phone. Connected GPS uses a paired phone instead: Garmin UK says vívosmart 5 connects to smartphone GPS for outdoor walks, runs and rides. If you always take your phone, check whether that arrangement meets your needs.
You can use a model for swimming only where its stated rating and manufacturer guidance cover that use. Google Store UK specifies 50-metre water resistance for Fitbit Charge 6, while Apple Support UK says Apple Watch SE 3 can be used for shallow-water swimming. Neither point makes the device suitable for every water sport; follow the exact model’s care guidance.
Google Health says Fitbit Charge 6 works with most phones running Android 11 or newer or iOS 16.4 or newer. Apple Support UK says Apple Watch SE 3 setup requires an iPhone 11 or later with iOS 26 or later. Check your phone’s exact model and software version before choosing either device.
Check the export controls in the ecosystem you plan to use before building up records. Google Health documents an export option for activity and exercise data, and Garmin UK says users can access, export or delete personal data. Apple Support UK explains how to manage Health sharing permissions for individual apps; check what your intended destination app can import as well.