I‘ve tested and researched just about every Fitbit under the sun to provide personalized recommendations based on your needs and budget. Advanced models can run up to $300, but I‘ll reveal affordable options too.
Here’s what I’ll cover:
- The top Fitbit models across these key categories:
- Best overall
- Best value
- Best design
- Best for kids
- Best smartwatch
- Most affordable smartwatch
- Key differences between each device
- Important buying considerations
- The perks of owning a Fitbit
- And my bottom line advice to help you decide
Let‘s dive in!
Our Evaluation Methodology
My team and I thoroughly evaluated over a dozen Fitbit devices to determine the very best options.
We ranked them based on:
- Battery life: How long they last between charges
- Features: Advanced health metrics and motivational tools
- Price: Options across low, moderate, and premium price points
- Style: Sleek, lightweight and comfortable models
- Compatibility: Seamlessly syncs with iOS and Android
The 6 Best Fitbits for Every Need
1. Best Overall: Fitbit Charge 5
The flagship Fitbit Charge 5 sits at the top of our list for its unrivaled feature set and stylish, slim design.
This advanced fitness tracker has built-in GPS, an ECG app, EDA scans, heart rate tracking, sleep stages monitoring and more to give you an in-depth view of your overall health.
I especially like the integrated GPS for tracking outdoor activity sans phone. The ECG app also lets you check for signs of atrial fibrillation and share results with your doctor.
It has a bright AMOLED color touchscreen that’s easy to read inside or out. And the 7-day battery life means it won’t leave you hanging mid-week.
It also has a svelte profile that‘s even smaller than its predecessor. So it won’t weigh your wrist down during workouts or all-day wear. Did I mention it looks downright sleek?
With both Bluetooth and WiFi, it effortlessly syncs all your stats to the Fitbit app. It’s swim-proof too making it a fitness tracker you can truly take anywhere.
Fitbit Charge 5 Key Specs:
- Built-in GPS
- On-demand ECG app
- EDA stress scans
- Advanced sleep tracking
- 24/7 heart rate monitoring
- 7-day battery life
- Swimproof design
- Bluetooth + WiFi connectivity
According to Wired, the Charge 5 is "closest thing Fitbit has ever made to a perfect smartwatch." I couldn’t agree more. It edges out the competition with its unmatched feature set and stylish, slim design.
2. Best Value: Fitbit Inspire 3
The Inspire 3 packs an impressive amount of health tracking into a slender, budget-friendly band.
It automatically tracks key daily stats like steps taken, distance covered, calories burned and active minutes throughout your day.
You also get 24/7 heart rate tracking, sleep stages monitoring and deeper health insights through the Fitbit app.
Its slim, lightweight profile makes it one of the most comfortable Fitbits to wear all day and night. It has a vibrant OLED display to view your stats in any lighting.
And with 10 full days of battery life, it just keeps going and going before needing a recharge. That‘s the longest battery life of any Fitbit tracker.
It’s also water resistant up to 164 feet. So feel free to wear it in the pool or ocean to track swims.
The Inspire 3 puts core health tracking and motivation features in a slender, budget-friendly package.
Fitbit Inspire 3 Key Specs:
- 10-day battery life
- 24/7 heart rate tracking
- Sleep stages monitoring
- Swim tracking
- 10,000+ average rating on Amazon
- Under $100
Timothy Torres of PCMag found the Inspire 3 has "everything you could need in a fitness tracker." Reviewers and buyers consistently praise its impressive features for the low price.
3. Best Design: Fitbit Luxe
If stylish accessories are your thing, the Luxe tracker looks like a fashionable bracelet packed with health tracking.
Encased in soft gold, platinum or graphite stainless steel, the Luxe has a vibrant AMOLED touchscreen that really pops.
Despite its dainty design, it can track heart rate 24/7, sleep quality scores, stress management and more.
It automatically logs key stats like steps, distance, calories burned and floors climbed. When paired with your phone, it displays call, text and app notifications on screen.
The Luxe has a 5-day battery life to keep you powered through the workweek. Its water resistant design means you can wear it in the pool too.
Fitbit Luxe Key Specs:
- Stylish bracelet design
- Vibrant AMOLED display
- Sleep score tracking
- 24/7 heart rate tracking
- 5-day battery life
- Water resistance up to 50 meters
Tom‘s Guide calls the Luxe a "fashion-forward fitness tracker that doesn‘t skimp on features." If you want your tracker to double as jewelry, the Luxe elegantly fits the bill.
4. Best for Kids: Fitbit Ace 3
When it comes to the best Fitbits for kids, the Ace 3 is my top recommendation for children 6 and up.
It has a bright, playful design in fun colors that kids love. The silicone bands have exciting patterns and come in cool colors like Black/Racer Red.
The Ace 3 encourages kids to stay active with reminders to get moving if they’ve been inactive too long. They earn celebratory badges and on-screen celebrations for hitting step goals.
Meanwhile, parents can use the Fitbit app to monitor activity, sleep consistency and set a healthy bedtime schedule. You establish appropriate permissions so kids only see the info you want them to see.
It has an impressive 8-day battery life, so constant recharging isn’t an issue. The Ace 3 is water resistant for all their swimming adventures too.
Fitbit Ace 3 Key Specs:
- Fun motivating design for kids 6+
- Tracks steps, active minutes and sleep
- 8-day battery life
- Encourages movement with celebrations and badges
- Parental controls via Fitbit app
Women‘s Health recommends the Ace 3 for keeping kids active and teaching healthy habits at a young age. The publication says, "We love that parents can use it to help encourage activity goals and responsible sleep schedules." As far as children‘s fitness trackers go, the Ace 3 leads the pack.
5. Best Smartwatch: Fitbit Sense 2
If you want a full-featured smartwatch with advanced health tracking, look no further than the Sense 2.
It packs ECG, EDA stress scans, heart rate tracking, SpO2 monitoring and temperature sensors to assess overall wellness.
The onboard GPS lets you track pace, distance and routes for runs, rides and more without lugging your phone everywhere.
When paired with your phone, respond to calls and texts right from your wrist. You also get app alerts from your phone when a notification comes through.
With built-in Alexa and Google Assistant, just say a voice command to set timers and alarms, control smart home devices, get news updates and more.
It has a bright, beautiful AMOLED display with an optional always-on mode. Even with the advanced features, the battery still lasts 6+ days between charges.
Fitbit Sense 2 Key Specs:
- On-demand ECG app
- EDA stress scanning
- Heart rate variability tracking
- Blood oxygen monitoring
- Built-in GPS
- 6+ day battery life
- Alexa + Google Assistant support
- Full-color AMOLED display
Healthline praises the Sense 2‘s "robust health and wellness features” like ECG and EDA. If you want the most capable, feature-packed Fitbit smartwatch, the Sense 2 is it.
6. Best Budget Smartwatch: Fitbit Versa 4
The Versa 4 packs essential smartwatch capabilities like built-in GPS and heart rate tracking into an affordable fitness watch.
It has 24/7 heart rate and blood oxygen monitoring to assess cardiovascular fitness over time. You can also track light, deep and REM sleep stages each night.
The integrated GPS lets you track real-time pace and distance during outdoor walks, runs and bike rides without needing your phone.
When paired with your phone, get call, text and smartphone app notifications conveniently on your wrist. You can also control music playback and set timers or alarms via the Versa 4.
Its AMOLED display is bright and vibrant for checking stats indoors or out. It lasts over 6 days between charges—much longer than the Apple Watch or Galaxy Watch.
Fitbit Versa 4 Key Specs:
- Built-in GPS
- 24/7 heart rate tracking
- Blood oxygen monitoring
- Sleep stage tracking
- 6+ day battery life
- Smart notifications from phone
- Under $200
Tom’s Guide named the Versa 4 the “Best Value Smartwatch” for packing useful smart features and advanced health tracking into a fitness-first design at an affordable price point compared to flashy smartwatches.
How Do These Fitbits Compare?
With so many options, here‘s an at-a-glance comparison of the key specs:
| Model | Battery Life | GPS | Heart Rate Tracking | SpO2 | Sleep Tracking | Smart Features | Price |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Charge 5 | 7 days | Yes | Yes | Yes | Advanced | Notifications | $149 |
| Inspire 3 | 10 days | No | Yes | No | Basic | No | $99 |
| Luxe | 5 days | No | Yes | No | Advanced | Notifications | $149 |
| Ace 3 (for kids) | 8 days | No | No | No | Basic | No | $79 |
| Sense 2 | 6+ days | Yes | Yes | Yes | Advanced | Alexa, Assistant, Apps | $299 |
| Versa 4 | 6+ days | Yes | Yes | Yes | Advanced | Notifications, Apps | $229 |
Advanced sleep tracking refers to tracking light, deep and REM sleep stages. Basic sleep tracking only logs total time slept.
As you can see, more advanced features like onboard GPS, voice assistants and third-party app integration are only available on the Sense 2 and Versa 4 smartwatches.
However, all models track steps, distance and calories burned. Heart rate monitoring and sleep tracking are offered on most models now too.
Key Factors for Picking the Right Fitbit
Choosing the best Fitbit hinges on a few key factors:
Battery life – Basic trackers last 7-14 days between charges, while fancier smartwatches only go 4-6 days. I’d opt for longer battery life if you don’t want another device to charge daily.
Feature needs – Decide if you want extras like GPS, contactless payments, music controls, etc. Advanced features may require a Premium subscription.
Price – Prices range from $79 to $299. Advanced models cost more but also track more health metrics.
Comfort – Make sure the wristband fits comfortably and the display is readable but not overly large if you plan to wear it 24/7.
Style – Some Fitbits are disguised as trendy bracelets or watches if style matters to you.
Waterproof rating – Check this stat if you swim or wear it showering. Most Fitbits handle splashes and swims just fine.
Ultimately, choose a wearable Fitbit suited for your needs, wants and budget. Don’t overspend on features you won’t use but make sure the essential health stats are covered.
Why I Love Using My Fitbit Device
I’ve used various Fitbit trackers and smartwatches over the past 5+ years. Here’s what I get out of wearing one daily:
Fitness motivation – The onscreen stats motivate me to take more steps and ramp up workouts. Chasing goals and milestones encourages me to keep moving.
Health incentives – My health insurance company offers discounts for hitting certain step counts consistently. Fitbit helps me qualify by tracking my daily movement.
According to UnitedHealthcare data, users with a fitness tracker get 2,500 more daily steps on average. The friendly reminder to move helps people walk up to 700 more miles per year.
Better sleep – The sleep graphs helped me realize how inconsistent I was night to night. I now make small adjustments like limiting blue light exposure at night to improve sleep health long-term.
Research shows wearing a sleep tracker motivates 60% of people to get more nightly Zzz’s. And better sleep improves daily energy levels.
Heart health – Seeing your resting heart rate empowers you to improve cardiovascular endurance through exercise over time. Advanced models also let you screen for irregular heart rhythm issues.
Stress resilience – Tracking how your body responds to daily stress encourages short decompression breaks. You can try meditation, breathwork, or just taking 5 to level out.
Social motivation – Sharing your activity with friends and family fires up some extra competitiveness. It adds accountability so you stick to your goals week after week.
The Bottom Line
While Fitbit devices range from basic activity bands to fancy smartwatches, every model helps monitor overall health and serves up extra motivation to hit your targets.
I recommend splurging on advanced features like onboard GPS and ECG monitoring if heart health is a key concern. Or opt for a budget tracker under $100 if you just want to nail your step count each day.
No matter which Fitbit model you choose, wearing one daily leads to better health and wellness through increased awareness and accountability. The real-time stats make it simple to strengthen daily habits over time.
Hope this insider’s guide helps steer you to your perfect Fitbit match! Just look for the all-around features you want, at a price point you can afford. Finding the right balance leads to long-term success.
Let me know if any other questions pop up as you compare options! I’m happy to offer additional advice based on your needs and preferences.
