Wrist worn fitness trackers have rapidly grown in popularity in the last few years, and so far are the dominant force in the wearable tech sector.

Time is of the essence for fitness tracker manufacturers, just 6 months ago you would have bought one without a heart rate monitor and thought nothing of it, but moving into 2015 a built-in HRM is fast becoming a requisite for the fitness tracking populous.

So we compiled the list best fitness trackers 2015 with built-in heart rate monitor so you can have a look at your top options for a fitness tracker without the need for a chest strap. The list is in no particular order, and note that some of the trackers have not been released at the time of this post. Included in the list are the other features of each device, such as smart notifications (calls, text, email, social networks).

Also, the waterproof ratings for fitness trackers could confuse the pants back underneath Superman’s tights! So, I did my best to explain the capabilities of each device. Generally, water resistance ratings are based on laboratory pressure tests comparable to a swimmer sitting still under water at a certain depth.

Mio ALPHA 2

Using electrocardiogram (EKG) accurate data, the MIO ALPHA 2 matches or surpasses the performance of high quality heart rate monitor chest straps, even when being used by cyclists or runners with a very high level of performance (according to Mio). If you are looking for a fitness tracker with proven heart rate accuracy, the ALPHA 2 is a good choice!

• Tracking: EKG-accurate heart rate, calories, distance, steps, watch

• Sleep Tracking: The Mio ALPHA 2 has no sleep tracking mode

• Mobile App: Compatible with iOS and Android

• GPS: The Mio ALPHA 2 doesn’t have a built-in GPS

• Battery Life: Mio ALPHA 2 has a battery life of up to 24 hours in workout mode, and up to 3 months just using the watch function with heart rate monitoring turned off

• Water Resistant: 3 ATM (30 meters). Can be used for swimming

• Smart Notifications: No

• Vibration Alerts: No

Mio Alpha 2

          

Mio Fuse

Mio FUSE is a sleek-looking smartband with EKG accurate heart rate tracking that doesn’t require a chest strap. With Mio Fuse you can monitor the intensity of your workouts and your movement throughout the day for a more comprehensive look at exertion, recovery, and overall fitness, and it also functions as a watch.

• Tracking: EKG-accurate heart rate, calories, distance, steps, watch

• Sleep Tracking: Mio Fuse has no sleep tracking mode

• Mobile App: Compatible with iOS and Android

• GPS: Mio Fuse doesn’t have a built-in GPS

• Battery Life: Approximately 6-7 days with 1 hour of workout time per day

• Water resistant: 3 ATM (30 meters). Can be used for swimming

• Smart Notifications: No

• Vibration Alerts: Yes

Mio Fuse

         

Fitbit Charge HR

With the Fitbit Charge Hr you can get your heart rate reading and other stats with a glance. You can set targets and adjust your workouts on the spot to ensure you are optimising your performance without over training. The Charge HR features automatic sleep mode, and it will display incoming caller ID on its OLED display. The Charge HR is the follow-up to the best-selling fitness tracker so far, the Fitbit Flex. Now the Charge HR is the best selling fitness tracker in the world, and with good reason!

• Tracking: Continuous heart rate, distance, calories burned, floors climbed, active minutes, steps, watch

• Sleep Tracking: Fitbit Charge HR features sleep tracking

• Mobile App: Compatible with iOS, Android, Windows Phone

• GPS: Fitbit Charge HR doesn’t have a built-in GPS

• Battery Life: 5-6 days between charges

• Water Resistant: Although the Fitbit Charge HR has a 1 ATM (10 meters) water-resistant rating it’s not recommended for swimming

• Smart Notifications: Incoming calls

• Vibration Alerts: Yes

Fitbit Charge HR

         

Fitbit Surge

Train smarter with the Fitbit Surge! Being dubbed the ‘Super Watch’ it tracks all your activities with advanced features and options. Set new goals and raise your fitness bar with the Fitbit’s flagship fitness tracker. It’s GPS-enabled, features automatic sleep tracking, and delivers smart notifications from your mobile to your wrist. Fitbit recently announced that a dedicated cycling mode will be coming to the Fitbit Surge in April.

• Tracking: Continuous heart rate, distance, calories burned, floors climbed, active minutes, steps, ambient light, average speed, watch

• Sleep Tracking: Fitbit Surge features sleep tracking

• Mobile App: Compatible with iOS, Android, Windows Phone

• GPS: Fitbit Surge features a built-in GPS

• Battery Life: Up to 5 days (without GPS), Up to 10 hours (with GPS)

• Water Resistant: 5 ATM (50 Meters). Although it has a 5 ATM rating, it’s not recommended for swimming

• Smart Notifications: Incoming calls, text

• Vibration Alerts: Yes

Fitbit Surge

        

Jawbone UP3

The Jawbone UP3 proclaimed by its makers to be the most advanced activity tracker known to man is jam-packed full of cutting-edge sensors. Jawbone UP3 automatically recognises your activities and learns about its user over time. The UP3 takes a different approach to heart rate monitoring as it tracks ‘Resting heart rate’ rather than continuous. Update: Continuous heart rate monitoring has been added to the UP3. With the Jawbone UP3 you’ll get advanced sleep analysis. It comes in a variety of designs and could almost pass as a fashion accessory.

Update: The Jawbone UP3 will not be water-resistant enough for swimming after all! The UP3 is about to (finally) start shipping, but not before Jawbone introduced two new bands, the UP2 and UP4.

• Tracking: Resting and continuous heart rate, distance, calories burned, elevation, steps, respiration, skin temperature, ambient temperature

• Sleep Tracking: Jawbone UP3 features advanced REM and non-REM sleep monitoring

• Mobile App: Compatible with iOS and Android

• GPS: Jawbone UP3 doesn’t have a built-in GPS

• Battery Life: Around 7 days between charges

• Water Resistant: 1 ATM (10 Meters) but not recommended for swimming

• Smart Notifications: Calls, text, email, social Me

• Vibration Alerts: Yes

Jawbone UP3

        

Microsoft Band

The Microsoft Band is the first device powered by Microsoft Health. Track your daily activities and review your statistics with a glance at the band’s bright display. Microsoft Band learns about its wearer over time. It features Microsoft’s digital assistant Cortana (Windows Phone only) so you and your band can chat to each other.

See also | Microsoft Band 2

The MS Band  brings smart notifications, such as emails, texts, incoming call alert, Facebook alerts and Tweets straight to your wrist, and has a vibration motor. Microsoft Band is also compatible with third-party apps such as MyFitnessPal.

• Tracking: Continuous heart rate, distance, calories burned, steps, UV, skin temperature, speed, watch

• Sleep Tracking: Microsoft Band features sleep monitoring

• Mobile App: Compatible with Windows Phone, iOS and Android

• GPS: Microsoft Band features a built-in GPS

• Battery Life: 1-3 days depending on settings and use (i.e GPS, Vibrate etc)

• Water Resistant: Microsoft Band is not waterproof , although Microsoft say that light rain shouldn’t hurt it

• Smart Notifications: Calls, email, text, social

• Vibration Alerts: Yes

Microsoft Band

        

LifeTrak BRITE R450

LifeTrak Brite R450 gives you all the activity tracking features you would expect from a fitness device in 2015 plus a little more. The LightTrak feature follows your exposure to regular and blue light levels, then R450 will let you know if you need more or less natural light which can help to improve your mood and energy levels throughout the day. It supports smartphone notifications, including IM, SMS and social notifications such as Facebook, Twitter and Whats App.

• Tracking: Continuous heart rate, distance, calories burned, steps, ambient light, watch

• Sleep Tracking: LifeTrak BRITE R450 features sleep monitoring

• Mobile App: Compatible with With iOS and Android

• GPS: LifeTrak BRITE R450 doesn’t have a built-in GPS

• Battery Life: Around 6 months (replaceable coin cell)

• Water Resistant: Up to 30 meters. LifeTrak Brite R450 can be used for swimming

• Smart Notifications: Calls, email, text, social, calendar alerts

• Vibration Alerts: Yes

LifeTrak Brite R450

         

Samsung Gear Fit

The Samsung Gear Fit is a sleek-looking fitness tracker/smartwatch hybrid with a 1.84-inch Curved Super AMOLED 432 x 128 px touchscreen display. The Gear Fit will deliver smart notifications, such as email, sms, social and incoming calls to your wrist along with all the fitness stats you would expect from a high quality tracker. It also has a ‘Find My Device’ feature. Gear Fit offers you a variety of background colors, wallpapers and clock designs. It allows you to look at your screen horizontally or vertically as it rotates to adjust to your viewing position.

• Tracking: Heart rate, distance, calories burned, steps, watch

• Sleep Tracking: Samsung Gear Fit features sleep monitoring

• Mobile App: Compatible with Android

• GPS: Samsung Gear Fit doesn’t have a built-in GPS

• Battery Life: Around 3 days between charges

• Water Resistant: IP67 water-resistant up to 1 meter. (Not Recommended For Swimming)

• Smart Notifications: Calls, email, text, social, calendar alerts

• Vibration Alerts: Yes

Samsung Gear Fit

         

Epson Pulsense PS-500

The Epson Pulsense PS-500 is a decent looking fitness tracker/watch. Be inspired to move toward a higher performance level with heart rate monitoring made easy via the LED lights on the face of the watch and real-time data displayed on the LCD. Review stored data with the easy-to-use Pulsense app, and easily transfer activity and heart rate data from the wristband to your mobile.

• Tracking: 24 hour Heart rate, distance, calories burned, steps, watch

• Sleep Tracking: Epson Pulsense PS-500 features sleep monitoring

• Mobile App: Compatible with iOS and Android

• GPS: Epson Pulsense PS-500 doesn’t have a built-in GPS

• Battery Life:  Up to 5 days without optical heart rate monitoring, 2 days with heart rate monitoring switched on

• Water Resistant: 3 bar (not recommended for swimming)

• Smart Notifications: Calls, email, text, calendar alerts

• Vibration Alerts: Yes

Epson Pulsense PS-500

        

Epson Pulsense PS-100

The Epson Pulsense PS-100 is virtually the same as the PS-500 under the hood, the difference is that the PS-100 has a simplified LED display, and the PS-500 has an LCD display. The Epson Pulsense PS-100 has a tidy design and comfortable fit. It will provide you with customised progress reports, calender goals and plenty of biometric data to help you understand and increase your fitness level.

• Tracking: 24 hour Heart rate, distance, calories burned, steps

• Sleep Tracking: Epson Pulsense PS-100 features sleep monitoring

• Mobile App: Compatible with iOS and Android

• GPS: Epson Pulsense PS-100 doesn’t have a built-in GPS

• Battery Life:  Up to 6 days without optical heart rate monitoring, 2 days with heart rate monitoring switched on

• Water Resistant: Up to 30 meters, but not recommended for swimming. (I know, the water resistant ratings make little sense!)

• Smart Notifications: Calls, email, text, calendar alerts

• Vibration Alerts: Yes

Epson Pulsense PS-100

   

         

Withings Pulse O2

The Withings Pulse 02 will give you a heart rate reading when it’s touched for a few seconds, it also measures your blood oxygen level. The Pulse is a removable module that can be worn on the wrist or simply slipped into your pocket. There is a tidy LED screen which displays symbols, numbers and bars. This tidy tracker by Withings has a very decent battery life of up to 2 weeks between charges, an app that runs on Android and iOS, and an automatic Run Detection feature.

• Tracking: Heart rate, distance, calories burned, steps, elevation, blood oxygen level, watch

• Sleep Tracking: The Withings Pulse 02 features sleep monitoring

• Mobile App: Compatible with iOS and Android

• GPS: The Withings Pulse 02 doesn’t have a built-in GPS

• Battery Life:  Up to 2 weeks between charges

• Water Resistant: The Withings Pulse 02 is only splash proof and is not for swimming

• Smart Notifications: No

• Vibration Alerts: No

Withings Pulse 02

        

Basis Peak

The Basis Peak is owned by Intel and comes with the slogan ‘The Ultimate Fitness and Sleep Tracker’. The goal of Basis and Intel was to create a fitness tracker with the most advanced features on the market. Basis Peak is far better looking than its predecessor, the B1. It brings smart notifications to your wrist for incoming calls, text, and emails. It features skin temperature and galvanic skin response sensors, optical HRM, gesture control – Body IQ, advanced sleep tracking, magnetic charging and a high contrast capacitive touchscreen protected by Gorilla Glass 3.

• Tracking: Optical heart rate, calories burned, steps, skin temperature, perspiration, watch

• Sleep Tracking: The Basis Peak features advanced sleep monitoring

• Mobile App: Compatible with iOS and Android

• GPS: The Basis Peak doesn’t have a built-in GPS

• Battery Life:  Up to 4 days between charges

• Water Resistant: 5 ATM (50 meters) Basis Peak can be used for swimming

• Smart Notifications: Calls, email, text, calendar alerts

• Vibration Alerts: Yes

Basis Peak

        

Adidas MiCoach Fit Smart

If you are looking for a fitness band to be worn for training sessions only, and one that can help guide you to the next level, then the Adidas MiCoach Fit Smart should be on your list! The sporty looking band is made of soft silicone, and although appears a little bulky, is very comfortable to wear. The Fit Smart features a bright, customisable display, vibrating alerts, magnetic charging and is known for accurate tracking data. It may not have as many features as some other leading fitness trackers, but what it does, it does well!

• Tracking: Optical heart rate, distance, calories burned, steps, stride rate, watch

• Sleep Tracking: The Adidas MiCoach Fit Smart doesn’t feature sleep monitoring

• Mobile App: Compatible with iOS, Android and Windows Phone

• GPS: Adidas MiCoach Fit Smart doesn’t have a built-in GPS

• Battery Life:  5 days, with a one-hour workout each day

• Water Resistant: Sweat-resitant only, not for swimming

• Smart Notifications: No

• Vibration Alerts: Yes

Adidas MiCoach Fit Smart

        

Jaybird Reign

The Jaybird Reign does things a little differently, instead of continuous heart rate monitoring it measures the variability in time between each heart beat (Heart Rate Variability – HRV). Reign is a powerful activity tracker that can detect patterns of fatigue and recovery. It has an automatic sleep recognition feature, and plenty of activity and sports categories, such as running, cycling, walking and swimming all which it recognises automatically. This decent looking smart band is made from soft silicone, provides a comfortable fit and comes in black white or yellow. Jaybird Reign has a simple but effective series of red and green LED’s which indicate your progress and tell the time (in a slightly unusual kind of way)

• Tracking: Heart rate variability, steps, distance, calories burned, watch

• Sleep Tracking: Jaybird Reign features sleep monitoring

• Mobile App: Compatible with iOS and Android

• GPS: Jaybird Reign doesn’t have a built-in GPS

• Battery Life: 4-5 days between charges

• Water Resistant: Jaybird Reign is waterproof and can be used for swimming

• Smart Notifications: No

• Vibration Alerts: No

Jaybird Reign

        

Wellograph Wellness Watch

The Wellograph Wellness Watch is a powerful fitness and activity tracking tool, although it looks more like a swanky smartwatch. It has a anodized aluminum and stainless steel base, and a 1.26 inch, 168×144 monochrome LCD display which is protected by Sapphire glass. Wellograph is equipped with a Tri­LED heart rate Sensor which replicates the action of a human finger taking a pulse. This premium fitness tracker has a long battery life of up to a week and is charged with a magnetic charging dock.

• Tracking: Heart rate, steps, distance, calories burned, watch

• Sleep Tracking: Wellograph now features sleep monitoring

• Mobile App: Compatible with iOS, Android and Windows Phone

• GPS: Wellograph doesn’t have a built-in GPS

• Battery Life: Around 7 days between charges

• Water Resistant: Wellograph has a water-resistant rating of 5 ATM (50 meters). It can be used for swimming

• Smart Notifications: No

• Vibration Alerts: Yes

Wellograph Wellness Watch

        

Garmin Forerunner 225

The FR225 is Garmin’s first wearable with a built-in optical heart rate monitor, although it’s not continuous and only counts your BPM during workouts.  It is mostly geared up for running, but comes with the range of activity tracking features found on the Vivofit series. The FR225 has customizable data screens, heart rate zones, goals, alerts, and a move alert which is similar to the Move Bar on the Vivofit.

See also | The new Garmin Vivosmart HR

The FR225 can be paired with an external Garmin HRM and cadence foot pod. It has a 1.0″ 180 x 180 color display and comes with all the benefits of a built-in GPS.

• Tracking: Heart rate, distance, calories burned, steps, elevation, speed, pace, watch

• Sleep Tracking: Garmin Forerunner 225 features sleep monitoring

• Mobile App: Compatible with iOS, Android and Windows Phone

• GPS: Garmin Forerunner 225 features a built-in GPS

• Battery Life: Up to 4 weeks in watch mode; up to 10 hours in GPS mode with optical HRM

• Water Resistant: 5 ATM (up to 50 meters). The FR225 has no dedicated swim mode

• Smart Notifications: No

• Vibration Alerts: Yes

Garmin Forerunner 225

        

 

 

 

 

 

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