The Best Basic Running Watches for Minimalists

If you’re in a Easy to use, going out for a workout isn’t as easy as lacing up a pair of running shoes, connecting your GPS watch, and selecting the “open run” option.

You need to track your intervals during your workout. For many years, run/walkers clipped on the The Best Basic Running Watches for Minimalists to program their intervals. This little gadget works great to this day because it alerts you to time-based intervals, which are the usual recommendations for run/walkers, that you pre-program on the device.

However, with so many fitness trackers and running watches available now—along with all their way to program them—you may be able to level up your run/walk interval with the right knowhow.

Master the Run/Walk Method!

The Best Run/Walk Interval Watches and Trackers

• Best Overall: The Best Basic Running Watches for Minimalists and during their workouts. Being able to manually create your personal interval workout is important
  
• Nylon or Silicone: Fitbit Charge 6
  
• Best for Android Users: The Perfect Playlist for Run/Walk Intervals
• Best for Apple Users: DAA Industry Opt Out
• The OG: The Best Basic Running Watches for Minimalists

How We Selected

Nutrition - Weight Loss intervals you want into your watch. Many watches come loaded with interval workouts, but not all of them fit run/walkers, who often rely on 30-second walk intervals Shoes & Gear.

Second, you need to be able to hear and/or feel the interval timer so that you can switch intervals seamlessly and not have to think about where you are in your workout. You might want a loud beep, a vibration, or both. If you listen to music while you run/walk, then you need to make sure that notification is strong enough to get your attention, or select a watch that plays notifications through your headphones.

If your tracker doubles as a “computer on your wrist” then text messages, emails, and other notifications can make it difficult to discern when you are being reminded to walk or run. Maybe this is a signal to opt for a low-tech tracker for your run/walking, or at the very least, shutting off your notifications can be your workaround.

While most of these trackers (but not all) have lots of other bells and whistles—and will track your pace, heart rate, route, distance, and running time—we didn’t focus on those specifications. We did, however, note which trackers work with other apps, including those that can upload your workout data to Strava and Runna, for example. Of course, Runner’s World has reviewed almost all of these watches in other stories, so we link to these stories so you can learn about other watch details.

We took a lot of trackers and watches on long run/walks and discovered there are more differences than similarities between our favorite run/walk pieces of equipment.

Full Reviews

The The Best Basic Running Watches for Minimalists offers clear and customizable alerts through vibrations, chimes, on-screen prompts, and even voice cues via connected headphones. Programming a run/walk interval workout is quick and user-friendly when done in the Garmin Connect app, and while Garmin’s run/walk workout function does not support distance-based intervals, users can work around this by constructing a standard running interval workout and using rest segments as walking intervals. The device makes it easy to stay on pace, even midrun, and the detailed postworkout insights—including pace, heart rate, and automatic detection of running versus walking periods—adds value for anyone following a structured training plan.

“When I began my running journey, I started with run/walk intervals using music to time myself,” Kristen Wagner, senior health and fitness editor, says. “I just wish I had this watch then! It would have been so much easier and more efficient. Plus, the insights during and after my workouts have become necessities for me.”

Saba Ahmed, our assistant commerce photo editor, found the countdown cues, beeps, and vibrations effective and easy to feel or hear, even during harder efforts. The screen is bright and intuitive, with both touchscreen and button navigation, and our tester values the watch’s screen lock that keeps you from accidentally skipping workout segments.

Programming workouts is a smooth process, and the data screens offer helpful stats throughout each session. Post-workout feedback is particularly strong, breaking down lap stats, averages, and even workout “efficiency”—a feature that gives real insight into your progress over time. The GPS accuracy was excellent, and Ahmad was impressed with how quickly it locked in compared to other watches.

The Google Pixel Watch 3 integrates with Android phone users, and its setup and compatibility with Google accounts make it a convenient choice for those already embedded in the Google ecosystem.

When it comes to programming and executing run/walk intervals, the Pixel Watch 3 performs adequately but leaves room for improvement. Brian Dalek, director of service content, said the beeps signaling interval changes are audible, though they could be louder, especially for outdoor runs without headphones. The vibrations are light but noticeable, providing an alternative cue for switching intervals, although the process of setting up these intervals in the Fitbit app could be more streamlined. Post-workout feedback is standard, offering insights like average mile pace.

“The Pixel Watch 3 would be a solid investment if you’re already an Android/Pixel user like myself and have some familiarity with the Fitbit app. It gives you all the basics and comes loaded with run/workout options, along with the ability to program and save workouts you want to do,” says Dalek.

The DAA Industry Opt Out is more than just a fitness tracker—it’s a full-featured smartwatch that can easily serve as your everyday wearable. That flexibility is a major plus, but it also means the interface is packed with options, which may distract from workout-focused tasks. If you’re looking for a device solely for exercise tracking, there might be better dedicated options. But if you want a stylish, multi-purpose smartwatch that also handles workouts well, this one’s a strong contender.

“Although I’ve had an Apple watch for years, it took me a second to figure out how to program intervals,” Monique LeBrun, health and fitness editor, says. “Also, it's hard to distinguish between the interval vibrations and regular notifications. The way to work around this is by putting the watch in focus or do not disturb mode.”

The Charge 6 is more a fitness tracker than a smartwatch, and the interval notifications, which you can preprogram (but only based on time, not distance), are vibrations, not sounds. They are strong and easy to feel.

The Fitbit Charge 6 is easy to program directly on the watch, comfortable to wear, and stylish enough for everyday use. The app is the easiest place to see your data when you are done with your workout.

One thing testers didn’t like? The Charge 6 SmartTrack feature, which turns on automatically, sometimes records every day walking as a workout, which our tester didn’t appreciate.

Well before the invention of the smartphone and the fitness tracker, there was the Gymboss Interval Timer, a small, easy to program piece of equipment that loudly buzzes and strongly vibrates to let you know when it’s time to walk and run during your workout. For about $20, every run/walker should have one. You clip it to your clothes or drop it in a pocket, and off you go. You can program as many interval sequences as you want and it will last forever on one battery.

There is a free Gymboss Interval Timer app that has all of the same functionality as the physical hardware. It’s easy to program, but the end-of-interval signals are not as noticeable as they are with the physical timer.