Best 2024 Smartwatches for step counting accuracy

#1 Xiaomi Redmi Watch 5
4.8

Step counting accuracy received limited but very positive evidence, with one reviewer finding exercise-mode counts nearly exact.

Pros: battery life, display quality

Cons: smartphone notifications, sleep tracking accuracy

#2 Garmin Lily 2
4.5

Step tracking is praised as accurate and reliable in the reviews that evaluate it directly.

Pros: battery life, style and design

Cons: sleep tracking accuracy, workout tracking variety

#3 Garmin Forerunner 165
4.5

Step counting was reported as close to other tested devices.

Pros: value for money, GPS accuracy

Cons: recovery insights, onboard music storage

#4 Samsung Galaxy Watch FE
4.5

Step counting had limited but positive evidence, with one reviewer finding it very close to manual counts.

Pros: smartwatch features, health tracking accuracy

Cons: value for money, software smoothness

#5 Ticwatch Atlas
4.5

Step counting gets limited but positive support, with one reviewer finding it surprisingly consistent.

Pros: battery life, display quality

Cons: operating system experience, voice assistant quality

#6 Ticwatch Pro 5 Enduro
4.2

Step counting ranged from very good to estimated, with one reviewer finding perfect clicker-counter alignment and others seeing discrepancies.

Pros: battery life, value for money

Cons: operating system experience, voice assistant quality

#7 Amazfit T-Rex 3
4.0

Step counting was only directly judged once, where it stayed close to a Garmin comparison.

Pros: value for money, mapping and navigation

Cons: heart rate accuracy, recovery insights

#8 Fitbit Ace LTE
4.0

Step counts were presented as credible for an active child, but the evidence is limited to one reviewer’s experience.

Pros: coaching features, value for money

Cons: battery life

#9 Xiaomi Redmi 5 Active
4.0

Step counting was judged fine, with no major pedometer issues reported by the reviewer who assessed it.

Pros: call handling, smartwatch features

Cons: display quality, value for money

#10 Xiaomi Watch 2
4.0

Step counting was included in a positive basic-tracking judgment from one reviewer who felt daily steps were handled well.

Pros: value for money, smartphone notifications

Cons: battery life, operating system experience

#11 OnePlus Watch 2R
3.5

Step tracking was split: one reviewer found it around 1,000 steps low, while another found the difference from Garmin nearly negligible.

Pros: battery life, value for money

Cons: companion app quality, charging convenience

#12 Garmin Lily 2 Active
3.5

Step counting is described as close but slightly high, with limitations when the arm is not moving normally.

Pros: battery life, GPS accuracy

Cons: onboard music storage, mapping and navigation

#13 Google Pixel Watch 3
3.3

Step counting was acceptable in some tests but inconsistent in others, with one reviewer noting false overnight steps and another saying Apple and Pixel matched reasonably well.

Pros: battery life, display quality

Cons: GPS accuracy, charging convenience

#14 Samsung Galaxy Watch Ultra (2024)
3.3

Step counting was acceptable but imperfect, with one reviewer tolerating discrepancies and another noting phantom steps while driving.

Pros: battery life, sleep tracking accuracy

Cons: wellness insights, style and design

#15 Samsung Galaxy Watch 7
3.0

Step-counting evidence is limited and mixed, with one reviewer saying differences were not great but not disastrous.

Pros: value for money, wellness insights

Cons: battery life, cross-platform compatibility

#16 CMF Watch Pro 2
2.8

Step counting was mixed, with one reviewer seeing close daily totals while others called the pedometer or step estimates untrustworthy.

Pros: value for money, battery life

Cons: GPS accuracy, sleep tracking accuracy

#17 Suunto Race S
2.8

Step counting was mixed: one review found totals similar to comparison devices, while another found counts far enough off to be noticeable.

Pros: value for money, battery life

Cons: heart rate accuracy, onboard music storage

#18 Polar Vantage M3
2.7

Step counting is a weak point in the limited evidence, with reviewers saying Polar overcounted or felt less trustworthy than Garmin.

Pros: value for money, GPS accuracy

Cons: heart rate accuracy, companion app quality

#19 Xiaomi Redmi Watch 5 Lite
2.5

Step counting was a weak point for daily tracking, although one reviewer found exercise-session step counts much more accurate than all-day totals.

Pros: display quality, battery life

Cons: sleep tracking accuracy, voice assistant quality

#20 Polar Grit X2 Pro
1.5

Step counting was a major weakness because non-step activities and even driving inflated totals.

Pros: GPS accuracy, mapping and navigation

Cons: value for money, companion app quality