Comparing the best fitness trackers and heart rate monitors for Australians in 2026 — the Apple Watch SE 3 (best all-round smartwatch), Garmin Vivoactive 6 (best for training data), Fitbit Charge 6 (best slim band) and the Ultrahuman Ring AIR (best screen-free, no-subscription option). What each costs, what it tracks, and who each suits.
Several of our free health calculators — Target Heart Rate, Resting Heart Rate, HRV and Calories Burned — work from numbers you provide. You can get those numbers manually (a 15-second pulse count, a stopwatch and some maths), but a dedicated tracker makes it faster and more consistent, especially for resting heart rate first thing in the morning and overnight heart rate variability, both of which are easy to miss by hand.
The Apple Watch SE 3 is the most sensible entry point into the Apple Watch line for anyone who already owns an iPhone. It covers the fundamentals — continuous heart rate, workout tracking, sleep score and an always-on display — without paying for the higher-end Ultra or Series models.
| Detail | |
|---|---|
| Price (from) | AU$399 |
| Heart rate tracking | Continuous wrist-based heart rate, plus workout-specific tracking |
| Water resistance | 5ATM — suitable for swimming |
| Extras | Built-in GPS, S10 processor, Sleep Score, Workout Buddy |
| Best for | iPhone owners who want one device that's a smartwatch first and a fitness tracker second |
Limitation: It only works properly alongside an iPhone, and battery life (roughly a day with the always-on display active) is shorter than dedicated fitness trackers or Garmin watches, which typically run for several days to weeks.
Garmin's fitness lineup is built around training rather than general smartwatch features, and it shows in the depth of data on offer. The Vivoactive 6 covers around 80 fitness modes along with real-time heart rate, heart rate variability, blood oxygen saturation, and stress tracking, making it the strongest option here for anyone using our HRV and Target Heart Rate calculators regularly.
| Detail | |
|---|---|
| Price (from) | Vivoactive 6 sits above the entry-level Vivosmart 5 (AU$229); check current Vivoactive 6 pricing at your retailer of choice |
| Heart rate tracking | Real-time heart rate plus overnight heart rate variability (HRV) and blood oxygen |
| Fitness modes | Around 80 built-in sport and activity profiles |
| Extras | Stress tracking, women's health tracking |
| Best for | Anyone who trains regularly and wants HRV and recovery data alongside heart rate zones, on any phone (Android or iPhone) |
Limitation: Garmin's app and menu system has a steeper learning curve than Apple Watch or Fitbit, and its smartwatch features (notifications, apps) are secondary to its fitness focus.
The Fitbit Charge 6 is a slim wristband rather than a full smartwatch, which suits people who want continuous tracking without a bulky watch face. It covers heart rate, steps, distance, activity recognition, calories burned and sleep in a lightweight, all-day-wearable form factor.
| Detail | |
|---|---|
| Price | AU$259.99 |
| Heart rate tracking | Continuous wrist-based heart rate |
| Tracked metrics | Steps, distance, fitness activities, calories burned, sleep |
| Best for | People who want a slim, low-profile band for all-day and overnight wear rather than a smartwatch |
Limitation: Some of Fitbit's deeper health insights and historical trend views sit behind a Fitbit Premium subscription — check the current app requirements before buying if that matters to you.
Smart rings are the option for people who want serious tracking with zero screen on their wrist. The Ultrahuman Ring AIR is a titanium ring covering continuous heart rate, HRV, sleep stages, recovery and temperature — and unlike Oura, its core metrics don't sit behind a monthly membership.
| Detail | |
|---|---|
| Price | Around AU$599 |
| Heart rate tracking | Real-time heart rate via finger-based sensor |
| Subscription | No subscription required for core metrics (heart rate, HRV, sleep, recovery) |
| Best for | People who want detailed recovery and sleep data without a screen on their wrist or an ongoing subscription fee |
Limitation: No display — all data lives in the companion app, and finger-based optical sensors can be more sensitive to fit and finger temperature than wrist sensors.
You don't need any device to use our heart rate calculators. A manual 15-second pulse count multiplied by four gives a workable resting heart rate, and that number is all our Resting Heart Rate Calculator and Target Heart Rate Calculator need. A tracker simply removes the manual counting and adds trend data over time.
Work out your training zones from your age and resting heart rate — no device required.
Try It Free →There's no single best tracker — only the best fit for your phone, budget and how much training data you actually want. iPhone owners who want one all-round device should look at the Apple Watch SE 3. Anyone serious about training zones and recovery, on any phone, gets the most out of the Garmin Vivoactive 6. People who want a slim, low-profile all-day band should consider the Fitbit Charge 6. Anyone who wants deep recovery and sleep data with zero wrist screen — and no ongoing subscription — should look at a premium smart ring like the Ultrahuman Ring AIR.
Whatever you choose, our free calculators turn the numbers your tracker gives you into something useful — training zones, calorie estimates and recovery trends — with no account or subscription required on our end.