The Fitbit Comparison: Which Model Is Best for You?

When it comes to fitness trackers, Fitbit is the first company that comes to most people’s minds. Fitbit has built a reputation for affordable, feature-packed devices. The company has even turned its hand to smartwatches, giving Apple a run for their money.

Their range has grown over the years, from just a few devices to an eclectic assortment for every situation. With so many options out there, we’ve created this Fitbit comparison to help find the right device for you.

The Best Fitbit Smartwatch:
Fitbit Versa 2

Fitbit Versa 2 Fitbit Versa 2 Buy Now On Amazon $199.73

The Fitbit Versa 2, the company’s fourth attempt at a smartwatch, is arguably the best Fitbit available today. The watch runs Fitbit OS, the company’s smartwatch operating system, and combines all the best features of a fitness tracker with smartwatch convenience.

The Versa 2 has the multiple sensors found on most of Fitbit’s devices, including an always-on optical heart rate sensor. The battery life is around six days, with a full charge taking about two hours. Interestingly, the Versa 2 comes with Alexa integration, too, keeping your digital assistant always within easy reach.

Although the Versa 2 has in-built NFC, it is only used to operate Fitbit Pay, the company’s answer to Google Pay and Apple Pay. However, the service is currently limited to a select number of banks, and, as a result, may not be a useful feature for you.

The watch is water-resistant up to 50 meters and even includes swimming exercise tracking. That’s alongside automatic exercise tracking and manual tracking for up to 15 exercises. You’ll also be able to rest easy knowing that the Versa 2 can track your sleep too.

If you like the Versa 2’s style but aren’t too keen on the price, the Versa Lite is a more affordable option. The Versa Lite is a slightly stripped back edition of the watch to bring the price down. So, there’s no onboard music storage, swimming tracking, tracking of floors climbed, or NFC.

If you’re in the market for a fitness-focused smartwatch, then you may want to check out our Fitbit Versa review. The Versa was the predecessor to the Versa 2, with a similar feature-set but without Alexa integration.

The Best Fitbit Fitness Tracker:
Fitbit Charge 4

Fitbit Charge 4 Fitbit Charge 4 Buy Now On Amazon $149.95

Despite the industry’s best efforts, not everyone wants a smartwatch. If you fall into that camp, then the Fitbit Charge 4 may be just the device for you. The Charge 4 is Fitbit’s most feature-packed fitness tracker, even importing some smartwatch-style notifications.

As with the Versa 2, the Charge 4 is water-resistant up to 50 meters. However, it is designed to look more like a traditional fitness tracker. The device looks more like a wristband than a watch. The black and white screen supports tap and swipe actions and sits in line with the device’s strap.

Fitbit is still best known for its pedometer feature, which is given priority here too. They have taken cues from the Apple Watch, though, with the step count on the standby screen replaced by a circular step goal tracker. That said, your detailed daily activity summary is only a swipe away.

The Charge 4 represents the first time Fitbit has embedded a GPS sensor into one of their fitness trackers. This means you can more accurately measure outdoor exercise, and keep a record of the location of your runs, bike rides, and other workouts. This is one of the tracker’s standout features, as you can now leave your phone at home while exercising.

The device also integrates with Spotify, so you can change tracks and start music directly from your wrist. Unlike Fitbit’s other fitness trackers, the Charge 4 supports Fitbit Pay thanks to the onboard NFC. The device has been designed to maximize battery life, lasting a week on average between charges.

The Charge 4 is the successor to the well-received Charge 3. If you want to know more about the Charge series before investing, check out our Fitbit Charge 3 review.

The Best Fitbit Smartwatch for Exercise:
Fitbit Ionic

Fitbit Ionic Fitbit Ionic Buy Now On Amazon $199.91

You can trace the origins of the Fitbit Ionic back to the company that turned the smartwatch into a mainstream item, Pebble. Fitbit acquired Pebble and then went about releasing the Ionic, their first smartwatch running Fitbit OS.

We reviewed the Fitbit Ionic when it was released and found it to be a promising but flawed device. It excelled at fitness tracking, but the buggy software let it down. However, cumulative updates since then have seen those initial problems ironed out.

The Ionic and Versa both run the same edition of Fitbit OS, so the overall experience is the same between the two devices. Where they differ is in design. The Ionic stands out more. The Versa’s design is like the Apple Watch, but the Ionic is more uniquely distinctive.

One of the reasons for the larger design is the Ionic’s built-in GPS tracker. This means that you can utilize all of Fitbit’s fitness tracking features without the need for a companion smartphone. The Ionic is also water-resistant to 50 meters, making it ideal for outdoor activities. The Gorilla Glass 3 screen means that the watch is durable too.

The Best Affordable Fitness Tracker:
Fitbit Inspire HR

Fitbit Inspire HR Fitbit Inspire HR Buy Now On Amazon $99.88

The Fitbit Inspire HR is the latest addition to Fitbit’s fitness tracker range, replacing the Fitbit Alta 2. The Inspire HR stays with the rounded design first seen on the Charge 3, and the similarities don’t end there. The device is water-resistant to 50 meters, has automatic exercise recognition, and hourly reminders to move.

At first glance, it can be hard to see what differences there really are between the Charge 4 and Inspire HR. The Inspire HR is the affordable, entry-level fitness tracker in Fitbit’s line-up. As a result, the Inspire HR has fewer features. There is no NFC, tracking of floors climbed, or support for on-device quick replies.

Launched at the same time, the Fitbit Inspire takes things a step further to reduce the cost. Sleep stage analysis, guided breathing sessions, heart rate monitoring, exercise tracking, and connected GPS have all been jettisoned to make the device affordable.

While that may sound like a lot of missing features, the Inspire and Inspire HR have all the hallmarks of a Fitbit device. The fitness and sleep tracking are the same as those found on Fitbit’s premium devices and accessed through the app in just the same way too.

Which Fitbit Is the Best for You?

Over the years, Fitbit has added features and incrementally improved their fitness trackers. Their smartwatches have even become firm favorites. The Versa Lite and Inspire HR promise to bring some of those premium features to devices at an affordable price point too.

Which Fitbit is best for you will ultimately depend on what you want to use it for, and which style suits you best. Since Google bought Fitbit, you might want to know how secure your Fitbit data is with Google. And consider pairing your fitness band with one of the best smart scales for better results.

Read the full article: The Fitbit Comparison: Which Model Is Best for You?

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