If you're on a fitness journey, a heart rate monitor (HRM) is an essential tool for gauging your effort during workouts. While most fitness trackers and sports watches can measure your heart rate, this list looks at standalone HRMs you can pair with fitness equipment, your smartphone, and third-party workout apps. We've been reviewing heart rate monitors for more than a decade and put each through a rigorous real-world testing process to evaluate their accuracy, features, and overall value. Our top pick, the Polar H9, offers all the basic features you want at an affordable price and feels comfortable to wear. That said, if you want something even more affordable or feature-rich, our list of the best heart rate monitors has you covered.
Overview
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![Polar H9 Heart Rate Sensor]()
Best for BeginnersPolar H9 Heart Rate Sensor
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![Polar H10 Heart Rate Sensor]()
Phone-Free MonitoringPolar H10 Heart Rate Sensor
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![Polar OH1+]()
Best ArmbandPolar OH1+
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![Wahoo Tickr Fit]()
Most ComfortableWahoo Tickr Fit
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![Wahoo Trackr Heart Rate]()
Best Chest Strap With a Rechargeable BatteryWahoo Trackr Heart Rate
You Can Trust Our Reviews
Deeper Dive: Our Top Tested Picks
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![Polar H9 Heart Rate Sensor]()
Best for BeginnersPolar H9 Heart Rate Sensor
Pros & Cons
Why We Picked It
The Polar H9 costs less than other HRMs that pack more features, but it still covers all the basics. It's comfortable, waterproof, and washable, and you can pair it with a phone, a running watch, or any other fitness equipment thanks to support for ANT+, Bluetooth, and 5kHz transmission. Polar's companion apps offer heart rate-based training options and a simple VO2 Max test, so you can track your fitness progress over time. The H9 doesn't have any onboard memory, though, so it can't store data from your previous training sessions by itself for later upload. Moreover, it supports just a single Bluetooth connection.
Who It's For
Fitness enthusiasts: If you want to track your heart rate during workouts and train using that data, start with the Polar H9. For heart rate measurements, chest straps tend to be more accurate than wrist-based fitness trackers, and the Polar H9 provides an affordable option that nails the basics.
Budget shoppers: While it doesn't have onboard memory, the Polar H9 checks off most of the criteria you'd look for in a heart rate tracker, and at a price that undercuts everything else on this list.
Specs & Configurations
ANT+ Bluetooth Form Factor Chest Strap Learn More Polar H9 Heart Rate Sensor Review -
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![Polar H10 Heart Rate Sensor]()
Phone-Free MonitoringPolar H10 Heart Rate Sensor
Pros & Cons
Why We Picked It
Thanks to its built-in memory, the Polar H10 can store one training session before syncing, and it supports two simultaneous Bluetooth connections. Otherwise, it uses a coin-cell battery, is waterproof and safe for swimming, uses ECG (electrocardiogram) for heart rate measurements (rather than optical), and provides highly accurate results.
Who It's For
Runners and swimmers: Since it's easier to do both activities without your phone, the Polar H10 is worth the upgrade for these athletes thanks to its built-in memory.
Data fanatics: The Polar H10 proved extremely accurate in our testing, and it lets you send your data to two Bluetooth devices at once.
Specs & Configurations
ANT+ Bluetooth Form Factor Chest Strap Learn More Polar H10 Heart Rate Sensor Review Review -
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![Polar OH1+]()
Best ArmbandPolar OH1+
Pros & Cons
Why We Picked It
Comfortable, reliable, and featherlight, the Polar OH1+ is one of the best optical armband heart rate monitors we've tested. A rechargeable battery ensures you never have to buy replacement coin cells, while its Bluetooth and ANT+ connectivity let you use the OH1+ with supported fitness apps (such as Strava) and home gym machines. The OH1 also has onboard memory, so you can record a workout with it and leave your phone behind.
Who It's For
Comfort seekers: The Polar OH1+ should be at the top of your list if you prefer an armband heart rate monitor rather than a chest strap. Its optical tech proved accurate in our testing, and it felt comfortable to wear.
Conservationists: If you dislike buying disposable batteries, the Polar OH1+ comes with a built-in rechargeable one.
Specs & Configurations
ANT+ Bluetooth Form Factor Arm Band Rechargeable Battery Learn More Polar OH1+ Review -
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![Wahoo Tickr Fit]()
Most ComfortableWahoo Tickr Fit
Pros & Cons
Why We Picked It
Setting up and using the Wahoo Tickr Fit armband to measure your heart rate during exercise couldn't be easier. It has a physical button for quickly switching it on and off, and indicator lights to provide feedback on its status. It's comfortable, accurate, rechargeable, and features both ANT+ and Bluetooth connectivity for compatibility with other devices.
Who It's For
Comfort seekers: If you want to forget about your wearable during your workout, check out the Tickr Fit. We appreciate the Wahoo model's vented strap, which makes it very comfortable to wear, though it might not fit around larger forearms.
Newbies: Wahoo's Tickr Fit is particularly easy to set up and use, making it a good fit for those who aren't tech-savvy.
Specs & Configurations
ANT+ Bluetooth Form Factor Arm Band Rechargeable Battery Learn More Wahoo Tickr Fit Review Review -
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![Wahoo Trackr Heart Rate]()
Best Chest Strap With a Rechargeable BatteryWahoo Trackr Heart Rate
Pros & Cons
Why We Picked It
The Wahoo Trackr Heart Rate monitor has one feature that few other chest straps offer: You can recharge its battery. The battery should last about 100 active hours, so you can just plug it in instead of buying and installing a new coin cell. It doesn't have any onboard memory, so you'll need to sync it to an external device to record data. It provides plenty of options for that, with ANT+ for gym workouts and the ability to sync to three different Bluetooth devices at once.
Who It's For
Convenience seekers: If you want the accuracy of a chest strap but don't like dealing with disposable batteries, the Wahoo Trackr Heart Rate is a good choice thanks to its rechargeable cell.
Runners and cyclists: The Trackr Heart Rate is quite comfortable for a chest strap and works reliably during outdoor and gym exercises. Just note that you can't use it to track your heart rate during swims. It’s rated as IPX7 waterproof, so you can leave it on for the swimming leg of a triathlon, but it won't record data while submerged.
Specs & Configurations
ANT+ Bluetooth Form Factor Chest Strap Rechargeable Battery Learn More Wahoo Trackr Heart Rate Review -
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Best For | Best for Beginners | Phone-Free Monitoring | Best Armband | Most Comfortable | Best Chest Strap With a Rechargeable Battery | Best for Beginners | Phone-Free Monitoring | Best Armband |
Form Factor | Chest Strap | Chest Strap | Arm Band | Arm Band | Chest Strap | Chest Strap | Chest Strap | Arm Band |
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Buying Guide: The Best Heart Rate Monitors for 2026
Electric vs. Optical Heart Rate Monitors
First, you need to decide between a classic chest strap that uses an electrical pulse to read your heart rate and something that uses optical technology. Many Fitbit devices, the Apple Watch, and other wrist-based activity trackers rely on the latter, as do sports headphones that record heart rate data via in-ear measurements.
(Credit: Andrew Gebhart)Without getting too technical, chest straps read the small electrical signal your body creates to make your heart contract. Optical technology sends light into the skin and reads what reflects. Based on that information and what we know about how light scatters when it hits blood, these sensors translate the data into a pulse measurement.
Electrical technology tends to be more accurate. Measurements from the arm and wrist are more difficult because those body parts can swing rapidly during activity, thus creating noisier data. In-ear optical HRMs tend to be better than wrist-based ones because the ear doesn't move nearly as much. The skin of the ear works better for optical readings than the skin on the arm, as well.
Are Heart Rate Monitors Accurate?
Now that you know a little about how different HRMs work and why some are more accurate than others, it's important to address the issue of how much accuracy matters. There are generally two reasons consumers (i.e., not medical professionals or elite athletes) want to know their heart rate data: to know their resting heart rate and to use heart rate data for exercise and training.
Resting heart rate is easy to measure. You can read it by feeling your pulse with two fingers and counting it. You can also read it using a free app (such as this one from Azumio) and a smartphone camera. It's simple to calculate resting heart rate with or without a device, as well as compare data across methods.
More importantly, ask your doctor whether they care if your resting heart rate is, say, 58 versus 60. The answer is probably no. It's more important to know whether your resting heart rate is within a healthy range. If your heart rate is 80 when it should be closer to 60, that's a potential concern. The point is that a super fine degree of accuracy isn't important for most consumers.
Similarly, when people use their heart rate for training and exercise, the exact number of beats per minute matters less than the heart rate zone. Many workout apps and smart home gym machines that pair with HRMs either estimate or calibrate custom heart rate zones for you and show them on a graph with the zones blocked out in different colors. The point, again, is that knowing the exact number of beats per minute isn't as important as knowing that the reading falls within a general range.
There is one more use of heart rate data, and here, accuracy does matter more, but it's a different kind of accuracy. Heart rate recovery, or how quickly your heart rate decreases after intense activity, is a great measurement of one's health and fitness. In our testing, chest straps are much more accurate than optical heart monitors for this kind of reading. Optical monitors tend to lag slightly when it comes to detecting rapid heart rate change. Is it enough of a difference to matter to the typical person? Probably not. But if you use heart rate data seriously for fitness, you might care more about this issue.
ANT+ vs. Bluetooth Heart Rate Monitors
Many HRMs use ANT+, a wireless technology that's been around since before Bluetooth became popular and is common in a lot of other sports equipment, from bicycle cadence meters to treadmills. Phones don't typically support ANT+, however. If you want to pair an ANT+ device with a phone and app, you often need an adapter. Heart rate monitors that use Bluetooth are much easier to pair directly with your phone. The most versatile trackers support both ANT+ and Bluetooth.
Armband vs. Chest Strap Heart Rate Monitors
In terms of comfort, chest straps will never get a thumbs-up across the board. Chest straps wrap snugly around the chest at the sternum, and if they're not tight enough, they can slide down or wiggle out of place. Repositioning them while you're in motion is tough. A bad one can chafe your skin, and they're poor at providing visual feedback because you can't see them.
We tend to prefer armbands over chest straps. They're much easier to wear, you can adjust them quickly even while you're in motion, and they don't cause chafing. They often have LEDs that flash different colors depending on your heart rate zone. That's the kind of visual feedback you can't get from a chest strap alone. With chest straps, you typically have to rely on a connected tracker to see your heart rate numbers.
Can Heart Rate Monitors Do Anything Else?
Earlier, we mentioned in-ear optical HRMs. They're neat because they're built into sports headphones, so you essentially get two devices for the price of one. While these devices cost much more than other HRMs, they're a good value if you're also in the market for a new pair of wireless sports headphones.
Let's not forget fitness trackers and smartwatches. Many go beyond basic heart rate monitoring and allow you to take an electrocardiogram (ECG) to assess your heart rhythm for signs of atrial fibrillation (AFib)—an irregular heart rhythm that can lead to serious health problems. That list includes the Fitbit Charge 6, the Apple Watch Series 11, and the Samsung Galaxy Watch 8, among others.