The 8 coolest screen-free fitness trackers you can buy in 2026 from the Garmin Cirqa to the Google Fitbit Air

Date:
Wed, 19 Aug 2026 16:32:24 +0000

Description:
2026 is the year screenless wearables took off: here are 8 of the best trackers you can buy.

FULL STORY ======================================================================Copy link Facebook X Whatsapp Reddit Pinterest Flipboard Threads Email Share this article 0 Join the conversation Follow us Add us as a preferred source on Google Newsletter Subscribe to our newsletter Just as smartwatches like phones were starting to get dull, with incremental upgrades every year and people beginning to tire of wearing screens, along comes a plethora of high-profile category disrupters to help people track their fitness without getting notifications on their wrists.

These 'focus' wearables are becoming more popular by the week, and I'm seeing more and more screenless trackers in gyms, on the start lines of local races, and out and about in town. It's no longer unusual to see someone wearing an analog watch on one hand, and a fabric-wrapped fitness band on the other or
a discreet smart ring on the index finger. Without further ado, check out my picks of the coolest screenless fitness trackers to buy right now, from the trending Garmin Cirqa and Google Fitbit Air to little-known gems like the Amazfit Helio Strap and RingConn Gen 3 then read on to find out why you should get one. The best screenless fitness trackers of 2026 Garmin Cirqa Amazon 179 Shop Now View Details Google Fitbit Air Amazon 49.99 Shop Now View Details Whoop 0 Healf 44 Shop Now Amazfit Helio Strap Amazon 99.90 Shop Now 17% OFF Polar Loop Polar UK 124.09 149.50 Shop Now View Details Oura Ring 5, Silver EE 399 Shop Now RingConn Gen 3 smart ring, Gold Amazon 309 Shop Now View Details Samsung Galaxy Ring, Gold Amazon 199.99 Shop Now Why get a screenless fitness tracker? Screenless smart bands and smart rings are having a moment. They aren't necessarily new Whoop and Oura have been around for ages, but both are traditionally premium devices relying on subscriptions. Now, with the release of other smart rings and high-profile competitor bands from the likes of Google and Garmin, people have lots of different options
for every budget.

Cheaper devices include the super-popular Google Fitbit Air and the lesser-known Amazfit Helio Strap wristbands. You can watch my video review of the Google Fitbit Air below it's lovely and discreet, weighing just five grams.

Subscribing to the AI-powered premium tier is totally optional too, while the Amazfit Helio Strap is perfectly serviceable without a subscription at all. Fitbit Air Review: the affordable fitness tracker with a CATCH - YouTube
Watch On My pick of the bands, however, is the recently launched Garmin Cirqa . The Cirqa is a great device, taking the basic Whoop concept and adding a tactile start-stop button as well as stronger haptic feedback. It also interfaces with the excellent Garmin Connect app to give you useful training information without as much clutter as Fitbit's Google Health app and its AI chatbot tier. No subscriptions here, either, unless you want coaching. Get daily insight, inspiration and deals in your inbox Sign up for breaking news, reviews, opinion, top tech deals, and more. Contact me with news and offers from other Future brands Receive email from us on behalf of our trusted partners or sponsors By submitting your information you agree to the Terms & Conditions and Privacy Policy and are aged 16 or over.

You can watch our video review of the Garmin Cirqa below. I spent a week with the Garmin Cirqa, and its my clear winner over Whoop and Fitbit Air - YouTube Watch On As for smart rings, Oura and Samsung remain the twin jewels of this category, but they're facing competition from upstarts like RingConn and its RingConn Gen 3 . Our reviewer said the Gen 3 had "excellent battery life, comprehensive health tracking and a comfortable design, all without a monthly subscription".

However, the Oura Ring 5 is a new launch for this year, and despite its premium price, the Oura platform has become an impressive AI-powered health tool with all sorts of features, from bloodwork insights to user-generated tags like 'bath', 'meditation' or 'meeting' providing context to your fluctuating stress levels. Check out our Oura Ring 5 video review below. Oura Ring 5 review: so petit, I (nearly) forgot I was wearing it - YouTube Watch
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Link to news story: https://www.techradar.com/health-fitness/fitness-trackers/the-8-coolest-screen -free-fitness-trackers-you-can-buy-in-2026-from-the-garmin-cirqa-to-the-google -fitbit-air


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