These Affordable Yet Effective Pedometers Will Motivate You to Move More

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We updated this article in December 2022 to add more information about each featured product, based on extensive research done by our team.

Looking for a little motivation to get those steps in? The best pedometer (aka step 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 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'.

While there are plenty of souped-up fitness trackers available, 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, says James 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.

And truly, accuracy is one of the most important factors to consider when purchasing a pedometer. To double-check if yours is tracking the right number 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.

Meet the experts: James Shapiro, is a NASM-certified personal trainer and sports performance coach. Lyuda Bouzinova, ACE-certified personal trainer and co-founder of Mission Lean.

Our top picks

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.

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.

The product also has over 1,800 5-star reviews on Amazon, with users noting it's long battery life and simple tracking features are particularly nice. "Very simple to use. Battery lasts and lasts. Gives you all the helpful information you need without all the complexity of a modern health app. I use it all the time since I bought it and have yet to put in one of the eight new batteries I bought. I count steps every now and then and it is accurate for me," notes one reviewer.

*This model is temporarily out of stock but should be restocked soon.

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.

Plus, for anyone who likes to show off a bit of personal style, this pedometer comes in eight different colors. And with more than 11,200 5-star reviews on Amazon, you know it's a good product. "I was looking for something that I didn't need to charge, and I don't like wearing a watch, so this is perfect. I put it in my pocket in the morning and at the end of the day I put the step count into Apple Health app to keep track of the steps," shares one happy customer.

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,” says Bouzinova. 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!

It's worth noting that Fitbit has also released the updated version, the Charge 5, so if you're looking for the same style of streamlined health tracker with a few extra features, you may want to upgrade. It offers a "daily readiness score" to let you know if you're recovered from your previous workout routine, and also tracks your blood oxygen, heart rate variability, and skin temperature variation. The touchscreen display is also in full color with a brightness that's twice as strong as the previous model.

Both versions of the device come highly rated and reviewed, with the Charge 4 boasting over 62,000 5-star reviews on Amazon. The Charge 5 isn't quite there yet, given its more recent release date, but it's well on its way with more than 22,000 5-star reviews.

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, and is offered in four different colorways. And, with more than 5,500 5-star Amazon reviews, you know it's a solid pick.

"This is a pretty reliable pedometer. My wife uses it a lot, she just keeps it in her pocket and checks her total steps at the end of each day. She hasn’t checked to see if it gives an exact count of every step she takes, but it compares favorably to my Samsung Active 2 watch. It easily meets her need to gauge relative activity from one day to the next," shares one Amazon reviewer.

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. Choose between five different color options—black, blue, pink, purple, or yellow.

This pedometer is also a customer favorite, having accumulated more than 1,400 5-star reviews on Amazon. One customer sums up the benefits quickly, "It's simple, small, easy to read and motivates me to move more."

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. Plus, it's one of the most affordable options on this list, so it's great when you want something inexpensive, but effective.

Pro tip: affix it to an area close to your waist, arm, or leg, for the most accurate reading.

When you want an affordable fitness watch that offers more than the average pedometer at an incredible price, Fitbit Inspire 2 is hard to beat (unless you choose to upgrade to the recently released Inspire 3). This wearable does a lot more than just count steps. You can earn Active Zone Minutes as you progress toward your weekly goal of 150 minutes of exercise (you can customize this amount, if desired), and use a wide variety of exercise modes to track goals like distance, intensity, and calories burned. Plus, if you wear the watch at night, it gives you a Sleep Score to better understand the quality of rest you're getting! With more than 51,000 5-star reviews on Amazon, it's clearly a popular fitness-tracking pick.

As mentioned, there is a more recent version available, as well. The Inspire 3 has the same slim and simple look as the Inspire 2, but it offers more health-tracking features, like a Stress Management Score, irregular heart rhythms notifications, and sessions for relaxed breathing and mindfulness. You can also set it up to integrate with your smartphone to receive text notifications.

You can do just about everything with the 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. Plus, while it's still one of the most expensive pedometer-enabled options on this list, it's got almost all the high-tech features you could ever ask for, and it's more affordable than some of the more recently released Apple watches, like the Series 8 or the seriously tricked out Apple Watch Ultra.

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 4, you can sync the data on the device to a free smartphone app (for both iOS and Android) through Bluetooth—so no cords required! Plus, unlike most smartwatch options that have to be recharged once or twice a week, the vivofit 4 comes with a battery that lasts more than a year. It's also water resistant for swimming and showering, so you don't have to worry about getting it wet.

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. The watch also includes a 6-month subscription to Fitbit Premium to unlock even more mindfulness features, such as positive affirmations, mindful eating, and a library of guided meditations.

Also, because the Sense is a smartwatch, you can set it up to send and receive messages. With its built-in speaker and microphone, you can also take and receive calls without using your phone, listen to music, and send voice-to-text messages, as long as your phone is nearby.

The Sense is a popular option, with more than 29,000 5-star reviews on Amazon. "I love my Fitbit and when I accidentally leave it on the charger, I am lost without it! I love the longer charge! I use it to listen to audio books and keep track of my daily exercise!" shares one reviewer.

How to choose the best pedometer

✔️ 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. (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.

✔️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!).

Are pedometers worth it?

Generally speaking, yes, pedometers are worth it. They're an affordable and easy way to measure daily activity and to assess changes in how much you're walking each day. For those who don't know their "starting point" in terms of activity level, pedometers help you gauge starting point, set goals, and make gradual changes designed to improve overall health. Plus, given the added features on many pedometers, they can streamline your overall routine, allowing you to manage other health markers like sleep, stress, and readiness for exercise. To get unbiased feedback on your daily activity, pedometers are a great investment.

Do you really need to walk 10,000 steps per day?

While 10,000 steps per day is an often-cited activity goal, it's actually not the be-all, end-all of goals. In fact, if you're starting with a low activity level (say, 3,000 steps per day), the idea of tripling your daily activity could feel overwhelming. Recent research indicates that while 10,000 steps per day certainly bolsters heart health outcomes and weight loss, overall improvements in total activity should be the initial goal. Case in point, one 2021 study found that for every 1,000-step increase in average daily steps was associated with a decrease in depressive symptoms. Small, progressive changes can pay off, and should be the cornerstone of initial step-goal efforts.

So, rather than aim for 10,000 steps per day, you might want to monitor your activity for a week, then set a daily goal to increase your average daily step count by 500 steps each subsequent week. This means if you're starting with an average of 3,500 steps per day, the following week you might try to hit 4,000 steps per day. And the week after that, 4,500 steps per day. And in terms over reducing the risk of all-cause mortality and cardiovascular disease? Hitting between 7,000 and 7,500 steps per day can make a big difference according to two separate 2021 studies.

In other words, 10,000 steps per day may boost your overall health to a greater degree, but you can see significant improvements in overall health by simply increasing your daily average step count from your initial starting point.

How we chose the best pedometers

We consulted with fitness experts Shapiro and Bouzinova to learn what pedometer features are particularly important when it comes to tracking health metrics. We also examined popular pedometer options across major retailers and read through hundreds of reviews to determine which products should be features on this list.

Why trust us

For more than 70 years, Prevention has been a leading provider of trustworthy health information, empowering readers with practical strategies to improve their physical, mental, and emotional well-being. Our editors interview experts to help guide our health-focused product selections. Additionally, Prevention also examines hundreds of reviews—and often conducts personal testing done by our staff—to help you make informed decisions.

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