Best Heart Rate Monitors for Cycling & Zwift (2026)

Quick answer: The Polar H10 (~$89.95) is still the most accurate heart rate monitor you can strap on for cycling — it's the same ECG-based sensor sports labs use as their reference device. But "most accurate" isn't the only filter that matters for an indoor setup. If you run Zwift on a laptop or tablet while a Garmin Edge or TrainerRoad reads the same heartbeat on a separate device, you need a strap broadcasting Bluetooth and ANT+ at the same time — not one or the other. That short list is the Polar H10, the Wahoo TRACKR (~$99.99, the one Zwift's own gear store actually sells), the Garmin HRM-Dual (~$59.99, the budget dual-band pick), the Polar Verity Sense (~$104.95, the armband alternative) and the Scosche Rhythm+ 2.0 (~$79.99, a budget armband that still includes ANT+). Skip the COROS Heart Rate Monitor for this specific job — it dropped ANT+ entirely to save battery.

Open the door on a serious indoor setup and count the screens. There's a laptop or Apple TV running Zwift on the TV, maybe a phone clipped to the bars running Zwift Companion so you can steer and chat without touching a keyboard, and — if you're the type who also logs to TrainerRoad or a Garmin Edge out of habit — a second device pulling the exact same heart rate feed. That's not an edge case. That's a normal Tuesday for anyone who's turned a spare room into a pain cave.

Most heart rate straps were never built for that. A strap that only speaks Bluetooth Low Energy is, by the base spec, closer to a one-to-one connection than a broadcast — it hands its data to one app on one device, and the second app that goes looking often finds nothing, or fights the first one for the link. ANT+ doesn't have that problem: it's a broadcast protocol, so it doesn't care how many receivers are listening.¹ Buy a strap running both radios and you stop juggling which device gets the "real" connection.

Why Does a Cycling Heart Rate Monitor Need Both ANT+ and Bluetooth?

Two different radios, two different jobs. ANT+ is a broadcast standard — a heart rate strap running ANT+ can be picked up by your bike computer, a smart trainer app and a training-log watch all at once, with no pairing dance and no limit on how many devices are listening.¹ Bluetooth Low Energy, the standard your phone and laptop use, was built around a single central device holding a connection to a single peripheral. Modern straps work around that with firmware that opens two or three simultaneous Bluetooth "slots," which is genuinely useful, but it's still a finite, managed list — not a broadcast.

Here's what that looks like in an actual pain cave. DC Rainmaker tested the Garmin HRM-Dual by running TrainerRoad on an iPad over Bluetooth, Zwift on an iPhone over Bluetooth, and a Garmin Forerunner 935 over ANT+ — all three at once — and all three connections held.⁴ That's the exact scenario a chest-mounted trainer setup creates constantly: one device for the game, one for the permanent training log, sometimes a third for a fan controller or a fitness app that only wants Bluetooth. A dual-band strap is the only kind of hardware that shrugs that off instead of making you choose.

There's also a mundane, physical reason ANT+ earns its keep indoors: a pain cave is a small room stuffed with 2.4 GHz radios. Your smart trainer is broadcasting power and cadence over both Bluetooth and ANT+, your Wi-Fi router is nearby, a headwind fan might have its own app, and if you train in a shared space or a studio, every other rider's gear is doing the same thing at once. ANT+ and Bluetooth both live on that same crowded band, and neither is magically immune to it — but a strap that can fall back to whichever radio is behaving that day gives you a second chance a single-protocol strap doesn't.

Do You Need a USB ANT+ Dongle for Zwift?

Only sometimes, and it depends entirely on what you're running Zwift on. Zwift connects to sensors over Bluetooth or ANT+, but iOS, Android and Apple TV can only ever use Bluetooth — there's no ANT+ radio on any of those platforms, full stop.³ If your setup is an iPad propped on the bars, the ANT+ side of your strap isn't doing anything for Zwift itself; it's sitting there for whatever second device you also want fed.

Windows and Mac are the exception. A PC can read ANT+ directly with a USB stick — commonly cited options run from about $16 for a budget stick up to roughly $50 for Garmin's own — and Zwift Insider's own testing recommends pairing the dongle with a USB extension cable to keep it away from the metal case and other radios for a cleaner signal.³ If you already run Zwift on a laptop with decent Bluetooth range, you may never need a dongle at all; if you've fought Bluetooth dropouts on that same laptop, a $16 ANT+ stick is one of the cheapest fixes in this hobby.

1. Polar H10 — Best Overall for Cycling & Zwift

Polar H10 — the strap other heart rate monitors get measured against. Image: Polar.

Around $89.95 (September 2026) · Chest strap · ANT+ and Bluetooth simultaneous

There isn't much drama here. The H10 reads your heart's electrical signal instead of guessing from blood flow, which is why it's the device sports scientists strap on when they're validating something new, and why it's the accuracy pick in our gym heart rate monitor guide too.⁷ For cycling specifically, what matters is that it runs ANT+ and Bluetooth at the same time out of the box, no firmware update required, so it pairs with Zwift on your laptop and a Garmin Edge on your bars without either one dropping the other.

It also has the least maintenance drama of anything here: a coin-cell battery good for roughly a year of daily training, and a straightforward strap-and-battery swap when it finally needs one, instead of a proprietary charging cable. The honest downside is the one thing it can't fix — it's a chest strap, and if the wet-electrode ritual and the elastic band genuinely bother you, no amount of accuracy changes that. The armbands further down this list exist for exactly that reason.

2. Wahoo TRACKR — Best for Multi-Screen and Wahoo Setups

Wahoo TRACKR — rechargeable, ANT+ plus up to 3 Bluetooth connections. Image: Amazon product listing.

Around $99.99 (September 2026) · Chest strap · ANT+ and up to 3 Bluetooth connections

This is Wahoo's current chest strap, and it's worth clearing up a common point of confusion first: the older TICKR is genuinely discontinued. Wahoo has shifted its whole chest-strap line to TRACKR — the third generation of the TICKR family, replacing both the 2nd-gen TICKR and TICKR X — and as of this writing the original TICKR listing on Amazon shows no stock and no restock date. If you already own one, keep using it; if you're buying today, this is the one Wahoo actually sells.

On paper it's built for exactly this article's problem: ANT+ plus up to three concurrent Bluetooth connections, a rechargeable battery Wahoo rates past 100 hours, and it's sold directly through Zwift's own gear store — about as clear a compatibility signal as you'll find.⁸¹⁰ It's the natural pick if you're already running a Wahoo ELEMNT head unit or a KICKR trainer and want one less brand in the mix.

One honest caveat, straight from Zwift Insider's own testing: the TRACKR's strap is noticeably shorter than the old TICKR's — the adjustable range shrank from about 6 inches down to 3 inches at full extension, and at least one reader reported it wouldn't close around a larger chest at all.² If you're a bigger rider, check the sizing before you buy, or lean toward the H10 instead — which is exactly the call Zwift Insider's own reviewer made, concluding it's "hard to recommend it above the more feature-rich and proven Polar H10."² We still think TRACKR earns its spot here for the Wahoo-ecosystem rider; just don't buy it assuming it fits like the old strap did.

3. Garmin HRM-Dual — Best Budget Dual-Band Strap

Garmin HRM-Dual — the cheapest strap here that still runs both radios. Image: Amazon product listing.

Around $59.99 (September 2026) · Chest strap · ANT+ and 2 concurrent Bluetooth connections

Garmin's entry-level strap is the cheapest way into this list by a wide margin, and it isn't a cut-down product for it — the name is literal, it transmits your heart rate over ANT+ and Bluetooth Smart concurrently.⁹ DC Rainmaker's testing found it holds two simultaneous Bluetooth connections on top of unlimited ANT+, and specifically validated the scenario this whole article is about: TrainerRoad on an iPad and Zwift on an iPhone, both over Bluetooth, plus a Garmin Forerunner 935 over ANT+ — all three connected at once and holding.⁴

The other detail worth knowing: it takes a user-replaceable CR2032 coin cell rated for up to 3.5 years at an hour a day, per Garmin's own manual — a different battery and a longer rated life than the Polar H10's CR2025, so don't grab the wrong one if you own both.⁹ It skips running dynamics and the other extras Garmin's pricier HRM-Pro Plus adds, but none of that matters on a bike — for turning a spin bike or trainer session into clean, dual-broadcast data at the lowest price here, this is the one to buy.

4. Polar Verity Sense — Best Armband (Skip the Chest Strap Entirely)

Polar Verity Sense — optical, worn on the bicep, still ANT+ and dual Bluetooth. Image: Polar.

Around $104.95 (September 2026) · Upper arm · ANT+ and dual Bluetooth

If the chest strap itself is the problem — not the accuracy, just the elastic band and the wet-electrode routine — the Verity Sense is the one to buy instead of quietly skipping heart rate data altogether. It's an optical sensor worn high on the bicep, a spot with strong blood flow and almost none of the wrist's flexion problems, and our own chest strap vs. armband vs. wrist accuracy guide covers why that position holds up so much better than the wrist in the validation literature.

For this list specifically, it checks the box that matters: ANT+ and dual Bluetooth broadcasting together, the same as the H10, so it drops into a Zwift-plus-Garmin setup exactly the same way. It also does two things no chest strap on this page does — it has a clip for swimming, and it stores a session in onboard memory if you'd rather leave your phone off the bars entirely. It feeds the same free Polar Flow platform as the H10, so the two make a genuinely interchangeable pair depending on which one you feel like wearing that day.

5. Scosche Rhythm+ 2.0 — Best Budget Armband With ANT+

Scosche Rhythm+ 2.0 — the budget armband that didn't drop ANT+. Image: Amazon product listing.

Around $79.99 (September 2026) · Upper arm · ANT+ and up to 3 Bluetooth connections

Scosche has been making this armband for long enough that DC Rainmaker's testing carries real weight: in steady-state riding it tracked "virtually identical to the chest straps," with only a 2-4 second lag showing up during hard intervals — close enough that the gap won't change how you train.⁶ It shipped with a single Bluetooth connection at launch, but Scosche pushed a firmware update in November 2021 adding a second and third concurrent Bluetooth channel on top of its existing unlimited ANT+, so current units already have the multi-device broadcasting this whole list is built around.⁶

Honest caveat from the same review: the strap only fits arm circumferences of roughly 17-40 cm, which caused real fit problems for larger arms in testing — check that range before you buy if you're not a small-to-average build.⁶ Battery is a rechargeable 24 hours of use, up from the original Rhythm+'s 8, and there's no workout storage or HRV capture on board — it's built to be a clean, unfussy secondary sensor, not a training computer.

Even Cheaper: COOSPO H9Z

If $79.99 is still more than you want to spend on an armband, COOSPO's H9Z chest strap runs Bluetooth 5.0 and ANT+ together for well under $40 — a real dual-band option, just from a newer brand with a much shorter track record than Polar, Garmin, Wahoo or Scosche. We haven't put it through the same scrutiny as the five picks above, so treat it as a "good enough to try" budget option rather than an endorsement on the same level.

Skip This One for Zwift: the COROS Heart Rate Monitor

COROS Heart Rate Monitor — a fine armband, just Bluetooth-only. Image: COROS.

Worth calling out directly, because it's a genuinely good product that ranks well on our gym heart rate monitor guide — and the wrong pick for this one. COROS built the HRM around a newer Bluetooth chip that simply doesn't include ANT+ hardware at all, trading the protocol for better battery life and lower power draw. DC Rainmaker's review confirmed it outright: "ANT+ need not apply, it's not included," while noting it still reaches three concurrent Bluetooth Smart connections, which covered most single-device needs well enough back in 2023.⁵

That trade is fine — great, even — if you only ever pair it with one watch for lifting or running. It's the wrong call the moment you want Zwift on one device and a Garmin Edge or TrainerRoad on another reading the same strap at once, since Bluetooth alone can't broadcast the way ANT+ does. Different job, different guide — that's why it's on our gym list and not this one.

The Cycling & Zwift Heart Rate Monitor Comparison Table

*Reference prices at the time of writing; check the live listing for what you'll actually pay at checkout.

Chest Strap or Armband — Which Actually Works Better on a Trainer?

Outdoors, airflow evaporates sweat before it becomes a problem and a chest strap barely notices. Indoors, there's none of that. A trainer session produces more sweat than an equivalent outdoor effort and it has nowhere to go, which is exactly the condition that makes an electrode lose contact or a strap slowly ride down over a 90-minute Zwift race. That argues for wetting the electrodes properly before you clip in, using a strap with real grip silicone, or skipping the chest entirely for one of the two armbands on this list — none of that is unique to indoor riding, but a long trainer session runs longer and hotter than most gym sessions, so it shows up more often here. For the accuracy science behind all three wear positions, our chest strap vs. armband vs. wrist guide has the validation studies; this page is about which hardware survives the specific job of feeding Zwift and a second device at once.

Worth a separate note if you came here from our gym and HYROX heart rate monitor guide: that page optimizes for lifting and interval accuracy on one device. This one optimizes for a completely different failure mode — a strap that reads perfectly but can't feed two apps at once. Same accuracy science, different filter, different roster as a result. For the full picture across chest straps, armbands, wrist bands and rings alike, see our complete screen-free tracker rankings.

Best Heart Rate Monitor for Cycling & Zwift FAQ

Sources

1. Cyclingnews — What is ANT+ and why do I need it for cycling indoors?: ANT+ broadcast to multiple receivers vs. Bluetooth's one-to-one design.
2. Zwift Insider — Wahoo TRACKR Heart Rate Monitor Initial Review: strap-length shrinkage vs. TICKR, fit complaints, and the reviewer's own preference for the Polar H10.
3. Zwift Insider — Recommended ANT+ Sticks (Dongles) for Zwift: iOS/Android/Apple TV are Bluetooth-only; ANT+ requires Windows or Mac plus a USB stick.
4. DC Rainmaker — Garmin HRM-DUAL In-Depth Review: two concurrent Bluetooth connections plus unlimited ANT+; live demo of TrainerRoad and Zwift over Bluetooth plus a Garmin watch over ANT+, all three at once.
5. DC Rainmaker — COROS Heart Rate Monitor (Optical Band) In-Depth Review: confirms no ANT+ chip, three concurrent Bluetooth connections only.
6. DC Rainmaker — Scosche Rhythm+ 2.0 In-Depth Review: accuracy vs. chest straps, the November 2021 firmware update adding dual/triple Bluetooth, and the 17-40cm strap-size limitation.
7. DC Rainmaker — Polar H10: Very Long Term In-Depth Review: ANT+/Bluetooth simultaneous broadcast and long-term accuracy as the industry benchmark.
8. Wahoo Fitness — TRACKR Heart Rate Monitor: official price and "ANT+ and up to three Bluetooth connections" spec.
9. Garmin — HRM-Dual Specifications: user-replaceable CR2032 battery rated up to 3.5 years at 1 hour/day.
10. Zwift Store — Wahoo TRACKR Heart Rate Monitor Chest Strap: sold directly through Zwift's own gear store.

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