Wearable
Trackers
Make sense of the numbers from your Fitbit or Apple Watch — and learn how much to trust them.
More Wearables calculators
Your tracker counts steps — we make them mean something
Fitbits, Apple Watches and other wearables are excellent at one thing: counting steps. But turning those steps into an accurate distance, and knowing how far to trust the result, is where people get stuck. Every device estimates distance by multiplying your steps by a stride length — and the way it arrives at that stride is what separates an accurate reading from a rough guess.
These guides cover the two most popular trackers and the question behind all of them — accuracy. Use the Fitbit steps to miles tool to convert and fix your Fitbit distance, the Apple Watch steps to miles guide to convert and calibrate your Watch, and how accurate are step counters for the evidence on what these devices get right and wrong.
The one upgrade that helps every device
Whatever you wear, the biggest accuracy gain comes from a correct stride length. On Fitbit you can enter a measured stride directly; on Apple Watch you calibrate it through GPS-tracked outdoor walks. Either way, replacing the generic average with your real gait is what makes daily distance trustworthy — and our steps to distance calculator shows you how to measure it.
Frequently asked questions
Why does my tracker show a different distance than this site?
Each device estimates your stride length differently — Fitbit from height and sex (or a custom value), Apple Watch from GPS calibration over time. Our calculators use an average or your entered height, so small differences are expected and usually mean your device has learned your personal stride.
Which step tracker is most accurate?
For everyday walking, leading wrist trackers are all accurate to within a few percent. The most accurate tracker for you is the one you wear consistently and have calibrated to your stride.