Buy a fitness tracker without a screen
A screenless fitness tracker tracks your activity, heart rate and sleep without a display getting in the way. You can view your data in the app on your phone and wear a device that’s small, light and discreet. In this overview, you can compare screenless trackers based on measurement features, battery life and comfort, with independent reviews and the current lowest prices included. If you’d prefer a display after all, have a look at the standard fitness trackers or all the smartwatches. Use the filters to find the tracker that suits how you want to wear it.
What should you look out for in a screenless fitness tracker?
A screenless tracker is designed to measure, not to be operated. This results in a smaller, lighter device that you can wear day and night, but you can only view your data once you open the app. The points below will help you decide whether this trade-off is right for you.
What you give up without a screen
Without a display, you can’t read anything directly from the device itself. Control is limited at best, to a button or a tap gesture; you configure settings via the app. What a tracker alerts you to varies by model: some notify you of an alarm or a call with a vibration, whilst others simply track your activity. If you want to monitor your pace and distance whilst running, check whether the model has built-in GPS or uses your phone’s GPS for this purpose. If you’re primarily interested in reviewing your data afterwards rather than monitoring it whilst exercising, then the lack of a screen is actually an advantage.
Wearing style and fit
Screenless trackers are worn around your wrist as a strap, or on your finger as a smart ring. For accurate measurement, the most important factor is how snugly the device fits against your skin, as a tracker that slides back and forth will produce erratic heart rate readings. You can adjust a wristband using the clasp to ensure a snug fit. With a ring, you determine the size in advance, usually using a sizing kit from the manufacturer, and this is more accurate: fingers get thicker and thinner due to heat, exertion and the time of day. Order that sizing kit well in advance of your purchase and wear the trial ring for a day, including overnight, as you cannot adjust a ring that doesn’t fit. If you’re specifically looking for a smart ring, you’ll find them in their own category on this site.
Measurement features
Focus on the metrics you’ll actually use, not on the number of them. Heart rate, sleep and daily activity are found on virtually every screenless tracker; more specialised metrics vary by model and brand.
- Sleep: shows how long and how restfully you sleep. A tracker without a screen is barely noticeable at night, making it easier to wear it all night long.
- Recovery and exertion: translates heart rate and rest into a daily score, which is useful if you’re training to a schedule.
- Skin temperature and blood oxygen levels (SpO2): additional measurements that are mainly reflected in trends, rather than as a single snapshot value.
Filter by the metric you’re buying the tracker for, to keep the list manageable.
Battery and charging
No screen means lower power consumption, and that’s the practical advantage of these trackers: they usually last several days on a single charge. This makes a particular difference when tracking sleep, as a tracker left on the charger overnight won’t record anything during the night. Do bear in mind the charger, as it’s usually model-specific: rings come with their own charging cradle or charging case, which you mustn’t lose.
App and subscription
With a screenless tracker, the app acts as the entire control panel, so it carries more weight in your decision than it would with a smartwatch. Check two things before you buy. Firstly, whether the app works on your phone, as not every tracker supports Android and iOS equally well. Secondly, check whether the brand requires a subscription for more detailed analyses. A tracker with an ongoing subscription may end up costing more in the long run than a model that includes everything at the time of purchase, so look beyond the initial cost.
Also bear in mind that you’re tied to the brand: if the manufacturer stops supporting the app or providing updates, you’ll be left with a tracker that no longer displays anything. And because your measurements are stored in the app and usually on the manufacturer’s servers, it’s wise to check what happens to your health data.
Who is a tracker without a screen for?
Choose based on when you wear it, as this is where this category differs most from a smartwatch.
Choose a tracker without a screen if you mainly want to monitor your sleep, recovery and daily activity and don’t want to be distracted by notifications.
Choose a standard fitness tracker or smartwatch if you want to see your data in real time whilst exercising, or receive messages and calls on your wrist.
