Bluetooth heart rate monitor sports watches

The 13 Best Heart Rate Monitors of 2023

Christine Many Luff is a personal trainer, fitness nutrition specialist, and Road Runners Club of America Certified Coach.

Verywell Fit articles are reviewed by nutrition and exercise professionals. Reviewers confirm the content is thorough and accurate, reflecting the latest evidence-based research. Content is reviewed before publication and upon substantial updates. Learn more.

John Honerkamp is an RRCA and USATF-certified running coach, celebrity marathon pacer, and recognized leader in the New York City running community.

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Marley Hall is a writer and fact checker who is certified in clinical and translational research. Her work has been published in medical journals in the field of surgery, and she has received numerous awards for publication in education.

From improving your fitness and performance to managing your heart health and stress levels, there are plenty of beneficial reasons to use a heart rate monitor. The two main types of heart rate monitors are chest straps and wristbands or watches.

When selecting a heart rate monitor, it’s important to consider how and why you’ll be using it. A wristband or watch is generally more comfortable on long runs or rides while chest straps provide more precise readings for heart rate training. Another feature to consider is ease of use. If the device is complicated, it’s not helpful. We reviewed the heart rate monitors in our roundup for these features as well as durability, comfort, and connectivity. An RRCA and USATF-certified running coach from our Review Board reviewed this information for accuracy regarding how to choose the right device for any given activity and how to read the results.

Here are the best heart rate monitors on the market.

Best Overall

POLAR H10 Heart Rate Monitor

Versatile, comfortable, and extremely accurate, the high-quality Polar H10 heart monitor is one of the best heart rate monitors money can buy which is why we selected it as our best overall. With built-in memory, precise readings, extra-long battery life of 400 hours, and Bluetooth and ANT+ compatibility with apps, watches, and cardio machines, it has everything you need. It’s perfect for runners, cyclists, swimmers, and other fitness enthusiasts.

The strap is made of a soft, comfortable fabric and is machine-washable. Although some chest strap monitors tend to slip, the H10 has silicone friction dots along the strap to minimize shifting, as well as a buckle that easily adjusts for a good fit.

Price at time of publication: $90

Key Specs:
Type: Chest strap | Battery Life: 400 hours | Water-resistance: Waterproof up to 30 meters | Connectivity: Bluetooth and ANT+

Best Budget

Willful Waterproof Sports Watch

If you’d like to try using a heart rate monitor but don’t want to make a huge investment, this smartwatch is an affordable pick with lots of the features of more expensive devices. In addition to heart rate monitoring, you can use it to track activities such as steps, distance, pace, calories burned, workout routes, and active minutes.

You can also use it to get calendar reminders, text alerts, and phone notifications on the go. Useful tools such as sleep tracking, deep breathing guide, and movement reminders can all help you lead a healthier lifestyle.

Price at time of publication: $70

Key Specs:
Type: Wristband | Battery Life: 7 days (rechargeable) | Water-resistance: Waterproof up to 1.5 meters for 30 minutes | Connectivity: Bluetooth

Best Armband

Wahoo Fitness Tickr Fit Heart Rate Monitor Armband

• Lightweight and comfortable
• Sweatproof and waterproof
• Can simultaneously connect to multiple devices

For simplicity and comfort, the Wahoo Tickr Fit heart monitor is a great choice for athletes to use with fitness apps, GPS watches, or machines such as your Peloton.

With a streamlined design and secure, fully adjustable fit, the armband heart monitor works with more than 50 smartphone fitness apps and tracks your heart rate as well as calories burned and training zones. It can be worn on both the forearm or upper arm, has a rechargeable battery that lasts up to 35 hours, and is waterproof up to 5 feet.

Price at time of publication: $80

Key Specs:
Type: Armband | Battery Life: 35 hours (rechargeable) | Water-resistance: Waterproof up to 5 feet | Connectivity: Bluetooth and ANT+

Best Watch

Fitbit Versa 2 Fitness Smartwatch

If you like the simplicity and comfortable feel of a watch, the Fitbit Versa 2 is a great choice for continuous heart rate monitoring right on your wrist. Additionally, you can track your steps, distance, calories burned, active minutes, sleep metrics, and more.

You can also use it with the Fitbit app to view your fitness and heart rate trends over time. The Versa 2 also uses music apps such as Spotify and syncs with your phone when it’s nearby so you can get call, text, and calendar notifications.

Price at time of publication: $150

Key Specs:
Type: Wristband | Battery Life: Up to 6 days (rechargeable) | Water-resistance: Waterproof up to 50 meters | Connectivity: Bluetooth

Best Earbuds

Jabra Elite Sport

If you love listening to music or podcasts while you’re working out, you’ll appreciate these versatile, multi-tasking wireless earbuds that can monitor your heart rate via your inner ear. With passive noise cancellation and clear sound quality, they’re ideal for listening to tunes or taking a call hands-free on the go (or while working out on rowing or elliptical machines).

The earbuds come with three sizes of EarGels and foam tips for a secure, custom fit that enhances the overall comfort and accuracy of the heart rate sensor. Versatile and durable, they feature a waterproof, sweatproof design, so they can hold up during your toughest, most sweat-inducing workouts.

Price at time of publication: $90

Key Specs:
Type: Earbuds | Battery Life: 4.5 hours of playtime (13.5 hours using portable charging case) | Water-resistance: Waterproof up to 1 meter for 30 minutes | Connectivity: Bluetooth

Best for Runners

Garmin Forerunner 45S Running Watch

While many heart rate monitors are suitable for runners, the Garmin Forerunner 45S stands out for its performance, versatility, and ease-of-use. Ideal for runners of all levels, it allows you to continuously monitor your heart rate at your wrist, while the built-in GPS tracks your distance, pace, and intervals.

Additionally, the Forerunner 45S measures activity, such as steps and calories, and offers coaching plans that provide expert, personalized training right at your fingertips. It also connects to your phone to receive smart notifications for texts and calls and to control your music player. And when you need to get in some cross-training, the Forerunner 45S can record your efforts during yoga, cycling, cardio, and more.

Price at time of publication: $170

Key Specs:
Type: Wristband | Battery Life: Up to 7 days in smartwatch mode and 14 hours in GPS mode (rechargeable) | Satellite System: GPS | Water-resistance: Waterproof up to 50 meters | Connectivity: Bluetooth

Best for Cycling

Suunto 9 GPS Sports Watch

While heart rate monitoring can be useful to cyclists, they also need a device that can provide other metrics as well as navigation. The durable Suunto 9 GPS Sports Watch is a versatile training watch that accurately tracks your heart rate and also features robust GPS capabilities. Suunto’s unique algorithm combines GPS and motion sensor data to improve accuracy, while also extending battery life.

Whether you’re out hiking, running, or riding an exercise bike at home, you can use any of its more than 80 different sports modes. In addition, the watch has a barometer to track weather trends and features storm alerts to help keep you safe while riding. You can also connect it to your phone so you can quickly view incoming messages and calls, notifications, and more.

Price at time of publication: $599

Key Specs:
Type: Wristband | Battery Life: 120 hours of continuous exercise tracking (rechargeable) | Satellite system: GPS, Fusedtrack | Water resistance: Water-resistant up to 100 meters | Connectivity: Bluetooth

Best for Peloton

Scosche Rhythm24 Waterproof Armband Heart Rate Monitor

• Accurate tracking
• Versatile—works with more than 200 fitness apps
• Lightweight design
• Pairs with most devices

To monitor your heart rate while on your Peloton, you’ll need a device that’s compatible with Bluetooth or ANT+ to ensure that it can connect to your bike. The Scosche Rhythm24 heart rate monitor works effortlessly with all devices and equipment that support Bluetooth Smart or ANT+ heart rate data and its lightweight and comfortable design is ideal for Peloton workouts.

It uses optical sensor technology for highly accurate monitoring and can also measure cadence, distance, calories burned, and more. With just a quick glance at the band, you can easily view the indicator LED lights to see which heart rate zone you’re in. In addition to using it with Pelotons and other indoor cycling bikes, the Scosche Rhythm24 works with more than 200 of the most popular fitness apps.

Price at time of publication: $100

Key Specs:
Type: Armband | Battery Life: 24 hours (rechargeable) | Water-resistance: Waterproof up to 10 feet | Connectivity: Bluetooth and ANT+

Best for Triathlon

Garmin HRM-Tri Heart Rate Monitor

Specifically designed for triathletes, this lightweight chest strap heart monitor from Garmin can be used to track your heart rate and other metrics when running, cycling, and open water swimming. Designed with soft, rounded edges and no exposed seams, the strap is extremely comfortable both in and out of the water. Triathletes can pair it with their Garmin wearable to track their data from start to finish.

The HRM-Tri stores heart rate data when you’re swimming and forwards it to your wearable when you’re done. When running, you can use it to get form and dynamic feedback including cadence, stride length, vertical oscillation, ground contact time, and more.

Price at time of publication: $79

Key Specs:
Type: Chest strap | Battery Life: 10 months, assuming 1 hour of use per day | Water-resistance: Waterproof up to 50 meters | Connectivity: ANT+

Best Bluetooth Compatible

POWR LABS Pulsr+ Heart Rate Monitor

• Works with multiple apps
• Wide, adjustable strap
• One-year battery replacement
• Water- and sweat-proof

If you rely on your smartphone to get you through your workouts, you’ll want a heart rate monitor with Bluetooth compatibility. The POWR LABS Pulsr+ allows for easy connectivity with your favorite fitness apps including Strava, Garmin, Wahoo, Peloton, and more. Dual-band Bluetooth 4.0 also means that you can accurately track your heart rate while working out on your home fitness equipment or spin bike.

Editors Notes: «I rarely use a heart rate monitor during my workouts in fear of discomfort. Fortunately, the POWR LABS Pulsr+ features a comfortable, adjustable chest strap that doesn’t dig or pinch my skin. It took me a minute to put it on (you have to wet the conducting gel on the band before setting it in place), but I got used to it after a couple of tries. The Bluetooth compatibility makes pairing it to my Apple Watch easy, and I’m able to monitor my heart rate in real-time. From what I can tell, the feedback is accurate and I appreciate that it can also connect with my home exercise bike.» — Megan Foster, Verywell Fit Product Tester

Designed with an adjustable chest strap, the Pulsr+ can fit comfortably on a variety of body types, and the low-profile design allows for discrete wearability under clothing. While the battery should last six months, the brand offers free battery replacement in addition to a forgiving one-year warranty.

Price at time of publication: $60

Key Specs:
Type: Chest strap | Battery Life: 6 months (free replacements) | Water-resistance: Waterproof and sweatproof. Can’t be worn when swimming | Connectivity: Bluetooth

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