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Some of these even allow you to track your speed, distance, and breathing rate.

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

Nowadays, you can track just about anything through your phones. From walking apps tracking your steps to tracking the calories you burn, even keeping tabs on your medications. But there’s more data that you can be looking at to be sure you’re reaching your peak physical performance. The best heart rate monitors will help you stay on top of monitoring your heart rate and other conditions without interfering with your workout.

If you’re wondering why it's necessary to track your heart rate, health experts claim it’s beneficial to understand how well your body is functioning overall. “The ​​heart rate is a measurement of how many times the heart squeezes to pump blood out to the body every minute. And blood is important because it carries oxygen and nutrients needed to support all of the body's organs,” explains Nishant Shah M.D., co-chair of the American College of Cardiology Digital Health and Devices Work Group and associate professor of medicine at Brown University Alpert Medical school. “The heart rate is an important part of understanding how well the heart is supporting those other organs,” he says. Tracking your heart rate can also help you learn how your heart performs at its highest and lowest, allowing you to see when something may be wrong. “Hearts that are healthier tend to recover more quickly,” says Nicole Harkin, M.D., board-certified cardiologist based in San Francisco and founder of Whole Heart Cardiology. The good news is that there are plenty of options to choose from when it comes to heart rate monitors. From fitness trackers to smartwatches to rings, read on to learn how to find the best pick for your health and budget.

We consulted with cardiologists Dr. Shah and Dr. Harkin for their favorite choices and online reviewers who have shared some of their own insights.

“My personal preference is the Apple Watch, simply because I’m in the Apple environment,” says Dr. Shah. “It talks to my phone, to my laptop, and plays well with my other devices. In addition to heart rate monitoring, it can also measure the actual heart rhythm with an electrocardiogram. It provides oxygen levels and a whole bunch of other things, like step counts that help me understand my health better.”

“Most of my patients have better success with long-term heart rate monitoring using watches such as the Fitbit,” says Dr. Harkin. This sleek watch doubles as an accessory with a tracker and offers up to five days of battery life without having to stop for a charge, according to the brand. You can also track how hard your heart is working with the Active Zone Minutes feature.

Another pick of Dr. Shah’s, this smartwatch offers a bunch of heart-tracking features. It has real-time ECG Monitoring that gives accurate readings, according to the brand. And it has an atrial fibrillation feature, a common form of irregular heart rhythm that can lead to blood clots. It stores the data gathered from monitoring, which can also be viewed on your smartphone.

“Chest straps can be a bit more reliable,” says Dr. Harkin. And her next pick comes with an electrode pad sensor to track the heart rate and provides detailed running metrics, including stride length, vertical ratio, and ground contact time. It’s also small, lightweight, and can connect to any Bluetooth smart technology.

We partnered with BodiMetrics to create this Prevention circul+ ring. It’s the only wearable pulse oximeter on the market that provides continuous monitoring to accurately measure heart rate, blood oxygen, finger temperature, and heart rate variability. It also records a single-lead ECG and blood pressure. Plus, the oximeter has been validated for all skin tones. It also has a unique patented design, according to Neil Friedman, COO of Bodimetrics, which allows the sensor to be stabilized against the bottom of the finger for accurate measurement. It’s made of stainless steel and durable plastics and comes in three different sizes to fit any of your fingers.

This iconic chest strap monitor is known for its superb accuracy, a comfortable fit, and all-around versatility thanks to Bluetooth and ANT+ (a wireless sensor network) compatibility. “This has been a fantastic heart rate monitor. It quickly pairs with my Apple Watch 4 and continuously monitors my heart rate, without gaps like when I used the sensor on the Apple Watch. I can tell it’s working because my watch displays my heart rate, but the green light sensor on the underside of the watch isn't flashing. This tells me the Polar H9 is providing the heart rate data,” wrote one satisfied customer.

Besides offering superior sound quality and a secure fit, these wireless earbuds also come equipped with a heart rate monitor. It’s able to read your heart rate through the blood passing through your ears, unlike the way smartwatches and fitness bands read the blood flowing at your wrist. “I have been using these for three months now and I’m very happy with the connection,” wrote one reviewer. “The heartbeat monitor seems to be accurate and gets a read relatively quickly after putting them on.”

“I think this ring, in particular, may be more comfortable for people that don't want to have something on their wrist when they go to sleep,” says Dr. Shah. “It has the same health monitoring features as traditional smartwatches but offers a different way of getting the same information and potentially getting better sleep tracking than some of the other devices.”

✔️ Check if the product really works. “Does it actually do what it says in terms of tracking your heart rate? You’ll want to ask questions like what data it has, does this particular device track the heart rate relative to some other gold standard?” advises Dr. Shah. “And do some research about the company and their technology,” he adds.

✔️ Look for something comfortable. “If it’s not comfortable, you’re more likely to forget to keep it on and it's not going to provide much useful data,” says Dr. Harkin. So make sure you test out how the product feels before committing to it.

✔️ Make sure it’s easy to use. Any kind of technological device you purchase should communicate with you specifically. “It should have an easy-to-read display, older individuals may prefer something with a larger interface,” says Dr. Shah. “The information should also be digestible at your education level. If it’s confusing, it won’t be of much use,” Dr. Shah adds.Now that you’ve got a better idea of how to select the right heart rate monitor, we’ve rounded up some of the best user-friendly picks.