Shoppers rave about cheap Fitbit alternative that's 'faster and has a better app'

SHOPPERS say they have switched from Fitbit to a little-known, cheaper alternative.

Google-owned Fitbit is one of the leading fitness smartwatch brands, aside from the more expensive Apple Watch.

But for those who just want to track steps, sleep, and exercise, there are some options.

Chinese company Xiaomi is known for making budget smartphones like the recent Redmi Note 13.

But not everyone realizes that the company also makes smartwatches and fitness bands that won't break the bank.

The Xiaomi Smart Band 8 is one such example, currently costing just £35 on Amazon.

It has a rating of 4.5 out of 5 stars based on more than 2,800 reviews.

One buyer described it as the “hands down winner” against Fitbit.

“It's a little bulkier, but the screen, responsiveness, wrist turn time, superior mobile app, and customizable watch faces that let you display more than ONE STATISTIC on the watch make it no contest,” the customer wrote.

“I now have some beautiful watch faces that show me everything I want at a glance.

“I am very happy with this, always nice to see that the cheaper product is also the better one.”

Xiaomi claims the watch's battery will last up to 16 days with “normal daily use” and will take about an hour to fully charge.

Besides the usual tracking features, it also has a stress level monitor and health management for women.

However, not everyone is convinced.

Another owner wrote that the sleep tracking tool is “bad.”

“If I wake up several times during the night and take at least 15 minutes to fall asleep, sometimes no awakening is recorded at all,” they wrote.

“The time to fall asleep is also very inaccurate. It is more like the lying time that is recorded.

“Fitbit Versa 3 (my predecessor) was a lot more expensive but also a lot more accurate.”

All prices in this article were correct at the time of writing, but may have changed since then.

Always do your own research before making a purchase.