The new term is (nearly) here, and with it comes a renewed sense of routine. From sprinting between lectures and walking to part-time jobs to just trying to stick to a gym habit, a fitness tracker can help you stay accountable and make sense of the chaos.
The good news? You don’t need to splash out on a full-fat smartwatch to get useful insights into your health and activity.
We’ve rounded up the best budget fitness trackers under £100 that are actually worth your time. These aren't just cheap plastic step counters pretending to be smart, but devices that deliver the features you need (like heart rate tracking, sleep analysis, and long battery life), without the extras you probably won’t use.
Xiaomi Smart Band 9
RRP: £34.99
Don’t be fooled by the price: the Smart Band 9 is shockingly good for under £40. The AMOLED display is sharp and bright, the UI is smooth, and you get over 150 workout modes, heart rate tracking, SpO2 monitoring and stress tracking. Battery life is excellent too, lasting up to two weeks on a single charge.
It also supports "Pebble Mode," which lets you wear the tracker on your shoe for cadence-based running stats, something you rarely see at this price. It’s ideal for students who want a slim, lightweight device that just works and looks decent with any outfit.
Fitbit Inspire 3
RRP: £84.99 (often discounted to £59.99)
Fitbit’s most affordable tracker, the Inspire 3, still packs a punch, with all-day activity tracking, automatic workout detection, 24/7 heart rate monitoring and excellent sleep tracking features. You’ll also get a 6-month trial of Fitbit Premium, which gives you access to more detailed wellness reports, guided workouts and mindfulness tools – handy during exam stress.
The Inspire 3 has a sleek, understated look that won’t scream “tech” on your wrist, and it plays nicely with both Android and iOS phones. It’s also one of the easiest trackers to set up, making it a great gift pick for first-year students.
Huawei Band 9
RRP: £49.99 (currently down to £29.99)
Huawei’s Band 9 is quietly one of the best value wearables out there, combining a sharp AMOLED screen with stress and sleep tracking, heart rate and SpO2 monitoring, plus over 100 workout modes.
The updated TruSleep 4.0 tech now uses heart rate variability (HRV) to give better sleep insights, ideal for late-night library sessions and erratic schedules.
It’s super lightweight, has a solid 14-day battery life, and works well with Android (though iPhone integration is more limited). If you want reliable data in a stylish form factor, the Band 9 is hard to beat at this price.
Amazfit Bip 6
RRP: £79.99
The Amazfit Bip 6 is one of the most complete smartwatches you can get for under £100, offering a big, bright 1.97-inch AMOLED screen, built-in GPS, and over 140 workout modes. It even includes offline maps and Zepp Coach AI guidance, features normally reserved for more expensive models.
Health tracking is robust, with continuous heart rate, stress, sleep and SpO2 monitoring powered by Amazfit’s latest BioTracker sensor. You also get Bluetooth calling and support for voice assistant replies via Zepp Flow. Battery life is strong, with up to 14 days of typical use (and even longer in battery saver mode).
