Conclusion from the fitness tracker test

Fitness trackers collect personal data and health data and save them in an app on the smartphone, which usually sends its data to the manufacturer's cloud. This type of stored data is subject to the strict legal protection of the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR). In February 2021, COMPUTER BILD checked whether the providers comply with the applicable regulations for the most popular fitness apps - and once again found that no provider protects the data "well".

 Ring instead of bracelet: The Oura Ring 3 fulfills the tasks of a fitness tracker in a different (body) part.

Fitness tracker as a ring: Oura keeps an eye on her fingers

There is an alternative to the classic fitness tracker on the wrist: The Oura Ring 3 sits on the finger, and from the outside it is indistinguishable from a piece of jewelry. Like any tracker, the gadget transmits its fitness data to an app. The Oura app provides extremely interesting insights into your own physical constitution. The manufacturer focuses on an analysis of sleep, heart and movement data that help health-conscious people to recognize how they can do their body good. Because the ring is expensive (from 314 euros) and membership (six months included, then 5.99 euros) permanently incurs additional costs, the Oura Ring 3 is an expensive fashion and fitness accessory.

Every fitness tracker requires a compatible smartphone to set up and use. When buying, make sure that your smartphone goes with the bracelet of your choice. The following applies to Android phones: If in doubt, also check with the manufacturer to see whether they list your smartphone model in the appropriate place. The following table gives a rough overview.

Conclusion from the fitness tracker test

Recording sleep and counting steps - all of the fitness trackers in the test can do that. At most, Fitbit excels here with a somewhat nicer and more detailed sleep analysis. The second important point, heart rate measurement, is first of all a good grip on your wrist, and secondly, some models fell in the test - Huawei Watch Fit , Honor Band 6 and Xiaomi Mi Band 6- with inaccuracy. Two other points play an important role when making a purchase: Nothing works without compatibility with the smartphone. And if you want smart functions, you will most likely find what you are looking for with the test winners, Fitbits Charge models of generations 4 and 5. They come with the payment service Fitbit Pay and, in combination with the Android mobile phone, send a quick response instead of just mirroring incoming messages like the competition. If you want more cleverness, you have to increase your budget and look for a smartwatch .