Accessories
The Best Heart Rate Monitors for Zwift
On Zwift, the strap that wins is the one your setup can actually connect to. Apple TV allows two Bluetooth devices in the game; a PC with an ANT+ dongle has no limit at all. Here is how that changes the answer.
The short answer
Quick picks
| # | Product | Best for | Score | Price |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 |  Polar H10 Dual Bluetooth plus ANT+ and session memory — the strap that handles every Zwift setup, including a tablet and a watch at once. | Best for Zwift overall | 9.39.3 out of 10 | $104.49 · View on Amazon #ad We may earn a commission · Price as of October 5, 2026 |
| 2 |  Garmin HRM-Dual The value answer: dual Bluetooth, unlimited ANT+ and a multi-year battery for well under the H10. | Best value dual-protocol strap | 9.09.0 out of 10 | $59.95 · View on Amazon #ad We may earn a commission · Price as of October 5, 2026 |
| 3 |  Polar Verity Sense The strap-free pick, with the same dual-Bluetooth-plus-ANT+ connectivity as the H10 and far better comfort on long sessions. | Best strap-free option for indoor riding | 8.48.4 out of 10 | $104.95 · View on Amazon #ad We may earn a commission · Price as of October 5, 2026 |
| 4 |  Polar H9 Identical sensing to the H10 for less, as long as one Bluetooth connection is enough for your setup. | Best mid-price strap for a single-screen setup | 8.88.8 out of 10 | $69.90 · View on Amazon #ad We may earn a commission · Price as of October 5, 2026 |
| 5 |  COOSPO H808S Dual-protocol heart rate for Zwift at the lowest sensible price — the right first strap, not the last one you will own. | Best budget strap for Zwift | 8.48.4 out of 10 |
Choosing a heart rate monitor for Zwift is a different exercise from choosing one for cycling in general. Every strap on this page measures heart rate competently; what separates them for Zwift is how many devices can listen at once, which protocols they speak, and whether they survive a sweaty hour in a garage. That is because the constraint in a pain cave is almost never the sensor — it is the number of free connections on whatever device is running the game. For the broader question, including outdoor riding and running, our heart rate monitors for cycling roundup covers the same products on different criteria.
The constraint that decides this: how many Bluetooth channels you have
Zwift reads sensors over Bluetooth on every platform, and over ANT+ only on Windows and macOS with a USB dongle. That split matters enormously.
Apple TV is the tight case. Zwift Insider puts it plainly: Apple TV allows two Bluetooth device connections in the Zwift game — technically three, but one is needed for the remote. A smart trainer and a heart rate strap is exactly two. Add a cadence sensor, a Zwift Click or a Zwift Play and you are over the limit. The documented workaround is to pair through the Zwift Companion app on your phone, which bridges Bluetooth signals — but not ANT+ — and you cannot mix native Apple TV pairing with Companion pairing in the same session.
iPad and iPhone are the middle case. More generous than Apple TV, but still a Bluetooth-only stack, so a strap with two Bluetooth connections is the one that lets Zwift and a watch read your heart rate simultaneously.
Windows and macOS are the open case. Add an ANT+ dongle and the problem disappears. ANT+ is a broadcast protocol — the sensor transmits and anything in range listens — so heart rate, cadence, a power meter and a trainer can all come in over ANT+ with nothing competing for Bluetooth channels. Garmin publishes unlimited simultaneous ANT+ connections for the HRM-Dual, which is precisely this property. Our best ANT+ adapters for Zwift covers the dongles, and ANT+ vs Bluetooth for Zwift explains the whole protocol decision.
What else to look for
Both protocols, not one. A strap that only speaks Bluetooth locks you out of the ANT+ escape route if your setup ever outgrows its channels. Every pick here carries both.
Sweat sealing, rated. A trainer session puts more salt on a strap than a road ride does, and corrosion is what kills heart rate straps. Polar rates the H10 and H9 WR30 and the Verity Sense WR50; COOSPO rates the H808S IP67. Our bike trainer sweat protection guide covers the rest of the room.
ECG or optical.Chest straps read the heart's electrical signal directly and respond fast. Optical armbands read blood flow optically and lag behind a sharp change in effort. For sprints and short intervals the strap is the better instrument; for endurance work the armband is close enough and far more comfortable.
Onboard memory.Only the H10 and the Verity Sense have it here. It matters more indoors than out, because a crowded household 2.4 GHz band is where dropouts happen.
Battery format.Garmin quotes up to 3.5 years from the HRM-Dual's replaceable CR2032 at an hour a day; Polar quotes up to 400 hours for the H10 and H9. The Verity Sense is rechargeable at up to 30 hours, which is one more thing to remember.
| Monitor | Sensing | Bluetooth connections | ANT+ | Onboard memory | Water / dust rating |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Polar H10 | ECG chest strap | Two simultaneous | Yes | Yes — one session | WR30 |
| Garmin HRM-Dual | ECG chest strap | Two simultaneous | Unlimited simultaneous | No | WR30 |
| Polar Verity Sense | Optical armband | Two simultaneous | Yes | 16 MB, about 600 hours | WR50 |
| Polar H9 | ECG chest strap | One | Yes | No | WR30 |
| COOSPO H808S | Electrical chest strap | One | Yes | No | IP67 |
Which to buy for your Zwift setup
Apple TV, trainer plus heart rate only. Any strap here works, because you are inside the two-device limit. Buy on comfort and price — the H9 or the H808S.
Apple TV, plus a cadence sensor or Zwift Click. You are over the limit, and no strap fixes that. Pair through the Zwift Companion app, which bridges Bluetooth, and pick the strap you like best. Remember the Companion bridge cannot relay ANT+.
iPad or iPhone, and you also record on a watch. You need two Bluetooth connections: the H10, the HRM-Dual or the Verity Sense.
Windows or macOS with an ANT+ dongle. Connectivity is a solved problem, so buy on comfort, battery and price. The HRM-Dual is the value answer; the H10 adds session memory and the Pro Strap.
You have given up on chest straps. The Verity Sense, and accept slightly softer numbers on short, hard efforts.
Where heart rate fits next to power
Heart rate and power answer different questions, and a Zwift rider who understands both gets more out of either. Power is what you did; heart rate is what it cost you. Power meter vs heart rate monitor is the full version of that argument, and how to improve your FTP covers using both together across a training block. If heart rate is your only data stream today, our indoor cycling accessories checklist covers what else is worth adding, in order.
Out of Bluetooth channels?
See the best ANT+ adapters for ZwiftThe full reviews
Every pick, in detail
#1 · Best for Zwift overall
Polar H10
9.39.3 out of 10#ad We may earn a commission · Price as of October 5, 2026
Dual Bluetooth plus ANT+ and session memory — the strap that handles every Zwift setup, including a tablet and a watch at once.
- Type
- Chest strap, ECG electrodes
- Bluetooth
- Two simultaneous connections
- ANT+
- Yes
- Battery
- Coin cell, up to 400 hours
- Onboard memory
- Yes — one session
- Water resistance
- WR30
What we'd praise
- Two simultaneous Bluetooth connections plus ANT+ — Zwift on the tablet and a watch or head unit at the same time, with no dongle
- ANT+ means a Windows or Mac Zwift setup with a dongle bypasses the Bluetooth channel problem entirely
- Onboard memory records a session even if the pairing drops mid-ride, so the ride is not lost
- Up to 400 hours on a user-replaceable coin cell, and WR30, so sweat is a non-issue
- The Polar Pro Strap is the most comfortable chest strap we have used on a trainer
What we'd flag
- The most expensive strap here
- A chest strap is still a chest strap: it has to be damp to read cleanly at the start of a ride
- Dual Bluetooth does not raise Apple TV's own two-channel limit — that is the host's constraint, not the strap's
The H10 earns the top spot on a Zwift-specific page for one reason: it is the strap least likely to make you choose between devices. Two simultaneous Bluetooth connections mean Zwift on an iPad and a Polar or Garmin watch can both read it at the same time. ANT+ means a Windows or Mac setup with a USB ANT+ dongle can take heart rate off the Bluetooth stack altogether, which is the single most effective fix for a crowded pairing screen.
The onboard memory is the underrated feature for indoor riders. If the Bluetooth link drops mid-session — and on a busy 2.4 GHz household it occasionally will — the H10 has still recorded the session itself. Polar quotes up to 400 hours from a replaceable coin cell and a WR30 rating. Our Polar H10 review covers the strap in full, and Polar H10 vs H9 is the is-it-worth-the-money version.
#2 · Best value dual-protocol strap
Garmin HRM-Dual
9.09.0 out of 10#ad We may earn a commission · Price as of October 5, 2026
The value answer: dual Bluetooth, unlimited ANT+ and a multi-year battery for well under the H10.
- Type
- Chest strap, ECG electrodes
- Bluetooth
- Two simultaneous connections
- ANT+
- Unlimited simultaneous connections
- Battery
- CR2032, up to 3.5 years claimed
- Onboard memory
- No
- Strap
- Washable, replaceable
What we'd praise
- Garmin publishes unlimited simultaneous ANT+ connections — a tablet, an Edge and anything else in the room can all read it at once
- Two Bluetooth connections as well, which is the H10's headline feature for considerably less
- Up to 3.5 years from a user-replaceable CR2032 based on an hour a day — the longest battery life of any mainstream strap
- Broadcasts both protocols simultaneously, so Zwift sees it however your setup is wired
- The obvious choice if your head unit and watch are already Garmin
What we'd flag
- No onboard memory, so a dropped connection means a lost segment of data
- The strap is comfortable but not in the Polar Pro Strap's class
- No 5 kHz analogue band for older gym equipment
The HRM-Dual is named for the thing that matters on this page. It broadcasts ANT+ and Bluetooth at the same time, and Garmin publishes an unusual detail: unlimited simultaneous ANT+ connections, plus two Bluetooth. ANT+ was designed as a broadcast protocol — the sensor shouts and anything can listen — whereas Bluetooth negotiates a connection per partner and caps how many it will hold. For a Zwift room with a tablet, a head unit and perhaps a second screen, that distinction is the whole ballgame.
Battery life is the other standout: Garmin quotes up to 3.5 years from a replaceable CR2032 at an hour a day. The omission is memory — if the link drops you lose that stretch of data, where the H10 would have kept it. For most indoor riders that is a reasonable trade for the price difference. Our Garmin HRM-Dual review covers it properly.
#3 · Best strap-free option for indoor riding
Polar Verity Sense
8.48.4 out of 10#ad We may earn a commission · Price as of October 5, 2026
The strap-free pick, with the same dual-Bluetooth-plus-ANT+ connectivity as the H10 and far better comfort on long sessions.
- Type
- Optical armband
- Bluetooth
- Two simultaneous connections
- ANT+
- Yes
- Battery
- Rechargeable, up to 30 hours
- Onboard memory
- 16 MB, about 600 hours of sessions
- Water resistance
- WR50
What we'd praise
- No chest strap, which for a lot of riders is the difference between wearing a monitor and not bothering
- Two simultaneous Bluetooth connections plus ANT+, same connectivity story as the H10
- 16 MB of memory holds around 600 hours of sessions, so a dropped link costs nothing
- Upper-arm placement is far less sweat-sensitive than a chest strap on a long trainer session
- WR50 and rechargeable, up to 30 hours per charge
What we'd flag
- Optical sensing is less reliable than ECG on hard, short efforts — sprints and the first minute of an interval are where it lags
- Rechargeable, so it is a device you have to remember to charge
- Armband placement has to be snug and in the right spot, which takes a few sessions to learn
A chest strap on an indoor trainer is the most commonly abandoned piece of cycling equipment, and usually for comfort rather than accuracy. The Verity Sense is an optical sensor in an upper-arm band, which removes the problem entirely: nothing across your sternum, nothing to wet before the ride, and nothing that chafes in hour two. Polar quotes up to 30 hours rechargeable, WR50, and 16 MB of memory holding about 600 hours of sessions.
The honest limitation is physiological, not electronic. Optical sensing reads blood flow through the skin, and it responds more slowly than an ECG strap to a sharp change in effort. For steady endurance riding and threshold work, the difference is small. For 30-second sprints or the opening seconds of a VO2 interval, a chest strap is the better instrument. Connectivity-wise it is in the top tier here: two simultaneous Bluetooth connections plus ANT+.
#4 · Best mid-price strap for a single-screen setup
Polar H9
8.88.8 out of 10#ad We may earn a commission · Price as of October 5, 2026
Identical sensing to the H10 for less, as long as one Bluetooth connection is enough for your setup.
- Type
- Chest strap, ECG electrodes
- Bluetooth
- One connection
- ANT+
- Yes
- Battery
- Coin cell, up to 400 hours
- Onboard memory
- No
- Water resistance
- WR30
What we'd praise
- The same ECG sensing, the same 400-hour coin cell and the same WR30 rating as the H10
- ANT+ is included, so a dongle-equipped PC or Mac Zwift setup gets the second-device flexibility anyway
- Takes the Polar Pro Strap if you want to upgrade the comfort separately
- Clearly cheaper than the H10 for a sensor that reads identically
What we'd flag
- One Bluetooth connection only, so Zwift on a tablet and a watch at the same time is not possible over Bluetooth
- No onboard memory
- Less useful than the H10 or HRM-Dual on an Apple TV setup where ANT+ is unavailable
The H9 and the H10 share the sensor. ECG electrodes, ANT+, the 5 kHz band, WR30, the 400-hour coin cell — all the same. What the H9 gives up is the second Bluetooth channel, the session memory and the Pro Strap. If your Zwift setup is one screen and nothing else reading your heart rate, none of those omissions will ever bite you, and the H9 is the better buy.
Where it does bite is a setup with two consumers of heart rate over Bluetooth — Zwift on a tablet plus a watch recording the session, say, or Zwift plus a separate app. On a PC or Mac with an ANT+ dongle that is a non-problem, because ANT+ broadcasts to everything. On an Apple TV, where ANT+ is not an option, it is a real constraint. Polar H10 vs H9 is the full comparison.
#5 · Best budget strap for Zwift
COOSPO H808S
8.48.4 out of 10Dual-protocol heart rate for Zwift at the lowest sensible price — the right first strap, not the last one you will own.
- Type
- Chest strap, electrical
- Connectivity
- Bluetooth and ANT+
- Battery
- Replaceable coin cell
- Water resistance
- IP67
- Compatibility
- Listed for Zwift, Wahoo, Garmin and training apps
- Strap
- Washable, adjustable
What we'd praise
- Both protocols at a fraction of the price of the branded straps, which is the whole argument
- Listed explicitly for Zwift, and ANT+ means a dongle setup sees it without touching the Bluetooth stack
- IP67 and a washable strap, which is what a sweaty trainer session actually needs
- A replaceable coin cell rather than something to charge
What we'd flag
- Build quality and long-term strap durability are not in the Polar or Garmin class
- One Bluetooth connection, no onboard memory
- Less well documented than the branded alternatives when something does not pair
Heart rate is the cheapest useful data stream in indoor cycling, and the H808S is where that gets proven. It broadcasts over both Bluetooth and ANT+, is listed for Zwift directly, carries an IP67 rating and uses a replaceable coin cell. For a rider setting up a pain cave who is already spending real money on a trainer, this is the strap that means heart rate is not the thing they skip.
We do not pretend it matches the branded straps on build. The strap material and the long-term durability are where the price difference shows, and if something refuses to pair the documentation is thinner. But the sensing is sound, the protocols are both there, and it is a genuinely good first strap. Our heart rate monitors roundup covers the wider field, including outdoor use.
Good questions
Frequently asked questions
What is the best heart rate monitor for Zwift?
The Polar H10, because it holds two simultaneous Bluetooth connections plus ANT+ and records the session to onboard memory if a link drops. The Garmin HRM-Dual matches its connectivity — two Bluetooth and unlimited simultaneous ANT+ — for considerably less money, without the memory.
How many Bluetooth devices can Zwift use on Apple TV?
Two inside the Zwift game. Apple TV supports three Bluetooth connections in total but one is needed for the remote. A smart trainer plus a heart rate strap uses both available channels, so adding a cadence sensor or a Zwift Click requires pairing through the Zwift Companion app instead, which bridges Bluetooth signals but not ANT+.
Can I use the Zwift Companion app to connect more sensors?
Yes, and on Apple TV it is the documented way around the two-device limit. The Companion app running on your phone relays Bluetooth sensors to the game. Two caveats: it relays Bluetooth only, not ANT+, and you cannot mix sensors paired natively on the Apple TV with sensors paired through Companion in the same session.
Does a heart rate monitor need ANT+ for Zwift?
Not on Apple TV, iPad or iPhone, which are Bluetooth-only. On Windows or macOS, ANT+ with a USB dongle is the better route because ANT+ broadcasts rather than negotiating per-device connections, so unlimited devices can read the same sensor without competing for Bluetooth channels. Every monitor on this page supports both protocols.
Is an optical armband accurate enough for Zwift?
For endurance and threshold riding, yes. Optical sensors read blood flow through the skin and respond more slowly than a chest strap's ECG electrodes, so they lag on sprints and the first seconds of a hard interval. If your training is mostly steady-state and comfort is why you stopped wearing a strap, the Polar Verity Sense is the better instrument in practice because you will actually wear it.
Why does my heart rate strap drop out on Zwift?
Usually one of three things: a dry strap at the start of a ride, a weak coin cell, or 2.4 GHz congestion from other devices in the room. Wet the electrodes before putting it on, replace the cell as a first diagnostic step, and if the problem persists move heart rate onto ANT+ with a dongle so it is not competing on the Bluetooth stack. A monitor with onboard memory, such as the H10 or Verity Sense, at least keeps the data when it happens.
Can Zwift and my watch read the same heart rate strap at the same time?
Over Bluetooth, only if the strap supports two simultaneous connections — the Polar H10, the Garmin HRM-Dual and the Polar Verity Sense do; the Polar H9 and COOSPO H808S hold one. Over ANT+ it is never a problem, because ANT+ is a broadcast protocol and Garmin publishes unlimited simultaneous ANT+ connections for the HRM-Dual.
How we sourced this
- Zwift Insider — Zwift on Apple TV: pros, cons and quirks (two Bluetooth connections in the game, remote uses one, Companion as the workaround)
- Zwift Insider — Apple TV connection limit
- Zwift — support: pairing devices, ANT+ and Bluetooth
- Polar — H10 and H9 sensor specifications (manufacturer)
- Polar — Verity Sense technical specifications, user manual (manufacturer)
- Garmin — heart rate monitor specifications (manufacturer)
- DC Rainmaker — Garmin HRM-Dual review (dual ANT+ and Bluetooth broadcast)
- ANT+ — standard, device profiles and interoperability (ANT)
Keep going
Read these next
- AccessoriesThe Best Heart Rate Monitors for Cycling, Ranked
- GuidesANT+ vs Bluetooth for Zwift
- AccessoriesThe Best ANT+ Adapters for Zwift
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- ReviewPolar H10 Review
- GuidesPower Meter vs Heart Rate Monitor
- GuidesSmart Trainer Not Connecting to Zwift
- Indoor SetupThe Zwift Setup Guide