Buying guide for best Fitbits
Moving your body is important, but if you struggle to stay as active as you'd like or you want to keep on top of your training routine, you might be tempted to buy a Fitbit. They're perhaps the best-known of all activity trackers, but with multiple models available, choosing the best one isn't as simple as you might hope.
To get the lowdown, the BestReviews Testing Lab tried five Fitbits. Our testers wore them over extended periods, going about their usual activities and fitness routines and assessing how these devices performed. Based on this data and other research, we've compiled a list of the best Fitbits along with other information to help you pick the right one for you.
This article compares some of the best Fitbits on the market to help you decide. These include our top Fitbit overall, the Fitbit Charge 6. We love the comprehensiveness of its features, with built-in GPS, YouTube Music controls, automatic exercise tracking and more than 40 exercise modes.
Expert tip
Since Google now owns the Fitbit corporation, expect new product updates and better integration with Android-based products going forward.
BestReviews Electronics Expert
Which Fitbit is best?
Best of the best
Product Specifications
Heart Rate Monitoring: Yes | Activity Tracking: Yes | Battery Life: 7 days | Water Resistance: Yes | GPS: Yes
This Fitbit was a favorite of ours during testing. When we tried the health features, we found the heart rate monitor, electrocardiogram (ECG) readings, stress level readings and blood oxygen levels consistent and accurate compared to the Apple Watch 6. The sleep tracking was also accurate (as far as we could tell) and provided useful information.
Fitness tracking is at the heart of the Fitbit, and we were pleased with how it performed in this arena. It has more than 40 exercise modes and automatic exercise tracking. It logs all of your movement throughout the day. We found the step counter and distance tracker fairly accurate compared to the one on the Apple Watch 6. Since it has GPS, it can map routes and give you related data about hikes, runs and bike rides. It's also water-resistant to 50 meters, so you can wear it while you swim.
Overall, this Fitbit impressed us. We found it easy to use (although the size of the screen was occasionally an issue). It's light and easy to wear, with the added bonus of looking stylish and not too bulky. A practical, mid-range choice, it would be great for most buyers — although some might want the advanced features that come with top-of-the-line Fitbits.
Best bang for the buck
Product Specifications
Heart Rate Monitoring: Yes | Activity Tracking: Yes | Battery Life: 10 days | Water Resistance: No | GPS: No
Not everyone needs a high-end Fitbit. If you're looking for something with basic tracking capabilities at an affordable price, this is a great choice. While some things about it frustrated us, such as its small screen and slow response times, we generally found it to be a solid fitness tracker for the price. And the battery can last for up to 10 days, which is impressive.
The fitness-tracking results were comparable to the Apple Watch 6, which means the readings are likely to be reliable. The heart rate monitor gave accurate readings and the oxygen saturation readings also appeared accurate. We also liked that it's able to track menstrual cycles, too.
The sleep-tracking data was fairly superficial compared to higher-end Fitbits, so if this is something you're particularly interested in, the Inspire 3 might not be the best Fitbit for you. It's also not suitable for swimming and doesn't have GPS for route mapping. However, the low price point helps to balance out these flaws.
Best Fitbit for kids
Product Specifications
Heart Rate Monitoring: No | Activity Tracking: Yes | Battery Life: 8 days | Water Resistance: Yes | GPS: No
Fitness trackers for kids can be controversial. You don't want young people to internalize unhealthy messages about body image and exercise or focus too much on calories or step goals. However, this Fitbit for kids puts the focus on fun. We like that there are cool animations on the screen and kids can compete in challenges and earn badges.
It's great for active kids who want to learn more about fitness or find new ways to move their bodies. Because it's water-resistant, it's perfect for kids who love to swim. It connects to a family account, so parents have control, though the setup can be confusing, especially if you aren't already a Fitbit user.
It tracks activity and offers some basic sleep-tracking information, but it doesn't have GPS or heart rate monitoring. All in all, it's a solid, simple tracker that's fun for kids.
Best-looking Fitbit
Product Specifications
Heart Rate Monitoring: Yes | Activity Tracking: Yes | Battery Life: 5 days | Water Resistance: No | GPS: No
If you want a fitness tracker that doesn't look too much like a fitness tracker, the Fitbit Luxe is ideal. It's slim and stylish and comes in black, lunar white and orchid pink with metallic accents to complete the look. During testing, we noted that it might pass for jewelry or a standard watch at a distance.
The setup was easy, and it was simple to operate in general. With the fitness-tracking and heart rate monitor, we felt we were able to learn more about our fitness levels, but we appreciate that people with serious training goals might need more data. We also liked the sleep-tracking information.
With a reasonable price point, this is a great choice for those who want basic activity tracking, sleep tracking and stress management in a good-looking package.
Best smartwatch
Product Specifications
Heart Rate Monitoring: Yes | Activity Tracking: Yes | Battery Life: 6 days | Water Resistance: Yes | GPS: Yes
This is the perfect Fitbit for anyone who wants high-end fitness tracking capabilities along with smartwatch features. Its health features include a heart rate monitor, skin-temperature sensors, ECG readings, stress tracking, blood oxygen tracking and menstrual-cycle logging. We tested its heart rate, ECG and stress-tracking functions against an Apple Watch 6 and found them accurate.
We also found it gave us accurate readings of step count and distance traveled. Because it has built-in GPS, it can track your route and pace. We like that it effectively and automatically detected exercise and pinged, asking if we wanted it to track the activity. What sets this tracker apart from more basic Fitbits is its smart features. It has Alexa built in, so you can use it in much the way you'd use an Echo device. You can also use it to pay with either Fitbit Pay or Google Wallet.
While this is objectively one of the most advanced Fitbits available, its high price point and bulkier size mean that some people would prefer a cheaper, slimmer option. It's really only worthwhile if you want to use the smart features it offers.
Best budget smartwatch
Product Specifications
Heart Rate Monitoring: Yes | Activity Tracking: Yes | Battery Life: 7 days | Water Resistance: Yes | GPS: Yes
The Versa 4 also has smart features, but they come at a lower price point than the Sense 2. It's actually quite similar to the Sense 2 but with a few key differences. The build feels a little flimsier and less well designed, it doesn't offer all-day response tracking for stress, and it isn't compatible with the ECG app to detect heart problems.
In our testing, we found the activity-tracking accurate. It covered fewer metrics than the Apple Watch 6 we used for comparison, but it could still track plenty of data and log more than 40 activity types. We also like the sleep insights, which matched up well with our perceived quality of sleep.
As for the smartwatch features, they're nice to have, but we did encounter a few issues, such as finding the weather app inexplicably difficult to set up. Overall, this is a solid Fitbit with smartwatch capabilities for around $50 less than the Sense 2.
Best for Android users
Product Specifications
Heart Rate Monitoring: Yes | Activity Tracking: Yes | Battery Life: 24 hours | Water Resistance: No | GPS: Yes
While not a Fitbit by name, the Google Pixel Watch 2 uses Fitbit technology to run its health and fitness tracking and Google for its smart home and smartwatch functions. If you want a smartwatch that also tracks health and fitness data rather than a device that's first and foremost a fitness tracker, this gives you the best of both worlds.
It's an excellent choice for Android users, particularly those with a Pixel phone, because you can control your Pixel phone camera from this watch. We like that it automatically detects and logs workouts and helps with pace training if you want to improve your times. It also has a heart rate monitor and detects other health metrics, such as skin temperature and blood oxygen levels.
One of the things we love about this watch is how handy it is outside of health and fitness tracking. It has Google Home built in to control smart home devices. It offers fall detection, safety checks and emergency location sharing. You can use apps to call, text, respond to emails, pay for goods and much more. We think it's an excellent choice for Android users who aren't worried about the Fitbit name — you still get that same Fitbit technology built in.
Best design
Product Specifications
Heart Rate Monitoring: Yes | Activity Tracking: Yes | Battery Life: 5 days | Water Resistance: No | GPS: No
If you like the Luxe but want something that looks even less like a Fitbit, this is the answer. It has all the same specs as the Luxe we tested in terms of activity tracking, sleep tracking and health data. However, instead of a standard band, it has a gold-colored Parker link bracelet strap made by jewelry brand Gorjana.
Unless someone got up close, they'd assume it was a regular bracelet or a standard bracelet watch. Nobody needs to know that you're wearing a Fitbit. It costs around $100 more than the standard Luxe, but if design is important to you, this is an obvious choice.
Expert Tip
Treat your Fitbit’s screen like any other: Keep it clean using non-abrasive cleaners and a microfiber cloth. Using commercial glass cleaner can permanently mar your Fitbit, so don’t use it.
BestReviews Electronics Expert
How does a Fitbit work?
To track your activity, Fitbits use a three-axis accelerometer to follow your movements. An accelerometer converts motion, or acceleration, into digital measurements when you’re wearing the tracker. By compiling this data, the tracker can give you a detailed account of the frequency, duration and intensity of your activity. Because it uses a three-axis accelerometer, a Fitbit is much more accurate than an old-fashioned, single-axis pedometer.
Though extra functionality varies depending on the device, most Fitbits track the following:
- Calories burned
- Steps taken
- Distance traveled
- Sleep quality
Fitbit also has a version for kids: the Ace 3. Of course, there are different considerations when making a fitness tracker for little ones, and this one is focused on fun and movement rather than calorie burning and workouts. Through animated faces, badges and challenges, it encourages kids to move more for the fun of it. We love that it's swimproof and also includes sleep tracking.
Expert TIp
If your Fitbit supports smartphone notifications, you can moderate which apps are able to communicate. So if you want to make sure to get text messages, but don’t need wrist notifications from Candy Crush, you can set it based on your preferences.
BestReviews Electronic Expert
Benefits of a Fitbit
A Fitbit tracker makes you keenly aware of how much you’re moving and how many calories you’re burning each day. It also allows you to set goals, such as 10,000 steps a day, and because you can easily see your progress, it provides extra motivation to make sure that you reach that goal number.
You also don’t have to remember to log your workouts. The Fitbit does it automatically, so you always know exactly how long and how hard you’ve exercised.
The Fitbit app also allows you to track your water and food intake, as well as your weight, so it’s easy to get a complete picture of your fitness journey. If you have a tracker with a heart rate monitor, you can also get more out of your workouts by seeing how hard you’re working and pushing yourself a little harder if necessary.
Key considerations
Display size
Fitbit trackers have screens that display the fitness data that’s been recorded. You simply press a button to scroll through the information while you’re wearing the device.
Some screens are larger than others, though, so they’re easier to read and can display more data. If you need a Fitbit with a larger screen, the Sense 2 and Versa 4 both have large screens, while the Charge 6 and Luxe have more compact screens.
Some Fitbits also have touchscreen capabilities to make them even more user-friendly.
Battery life
All Fitbit trackers have a rechargeable battery that you can charge with the included cable. However, the battery life varies depending on the model. Battery life is usually somewhere between 5 days (for the Luxe) and 10 days (for the Inspire 3).
Expert Tip
If you’re planning on using a Fitbit for sleep tracking, make sure the wristband is comfortable enough to sleep with. If it’s not, consider a Fitbit that works with standard watch band sizes so you can find a more comfortable band.
BestReviews Electronics Expert
Standard features
It's important to know what to expect from a Fitbit. Below, we go over some of the standard features you can expect to find on most Fitbits, as well as some less common features that you'll find on some but not all models.
Fitness categories tracked
All Fitbit trackers record steps taken, distance covered and calories burned. Many also track how many flights of stairs you climb and active minutes you have each day. They can also track specific workout types, such as hiking, running and bicycling, rather than just basic steps. All can detect, or you can choose from, at least 20 exercise modes, but some (such as the Charge 6 and Versa 4) have more than 40. The Fitbit trackers that also have smartwatch features can provide workout summaries and pace for your workouts.
Clock
Most Fitbit trackers feature a clock so you know what time it is as you work out. It also allows you to track the specific duration of a workout, and, of course, replaces a non-fitness wristwatch. Every Fitbit and other activity tracker on our list has this function, including the Charge 6 and Inspire 3.
Music controls
For anyone who enjoys listening to music while working out, Fitbit with music controls can be convenient for managing your playlist. Instead of dragging your smartphone or iPod out of your pocket to adjust the volume or change the song, you can do it through your Fitbit’s display screen without missing a step. Some, such as the Versa 4, even let you play music directly from the Fitbit.
Reminders to move
Staying committed to being active means avoiding prolonged periods where you’re just sitting or lying down. Some Fitbit trackers provide reminders to move each hour, so you can make a point to take a walk around your office or to the corner store. In most cases, the tracker vibrates to let you know that you haven’t met the activity goal for the hour yet. Fitbits with reminders to move include the Inspire 3 and Charge 6.
Sleep tracking and silent alarm
Part of a healthy lifestyle is getting enough sleep, so many Fitbit models offer sleep tracking, including the Luxe and the Sense 2. These trackers let you know how many hours of sleep you’re getting each night. You can also set a silent alarm to wake you in the morning: your tracker will vibrate to let you know that it’s time to wake up. It’s a great option for getting yourself out of bed without disturbing anyone else.
Some trackers provide more detailed sleep monitoring information, such as how many minutes you were awake or restless during the night, which can help you see how good a night’s sleep you had.
Heart rate monitor
For serious fitness tracking, choose a Fitbit with a heart rate monitor. Most Fitbits currently available have a built-in heart rate monitor, including the Sense 2 and Charge 6. These trackers use LED lights to detect blood volume changes, which are then run through algorithms to measure your heart rate automatically.
The monitors indicate several different heart rate zones, such as resting, fat burning, cardio, and peak. Using these zones, you can ensure that you’re getting the most out of your workout by pushing yourself into the peak zone for high-intensity training.
Water resistance
All Fitbits are water-resistant to some extent. That means you can splash or sweat on the monitor without worrying about damaging the tracker. However, you can’t use most of the models to track swimming. If you’re an avid swimmer, select a Fitbit that is specifically marketed as swim-proof. The Sense 2, Versa 4 and kids’ Ace 3 are all swim-proof.
Smart features
If you want a fitness-oriented smartwatch, Fitbit offers a couple of options that will meet your needs. Unlike the traditional Fitbits, these models have special smart features that integrate more thoroughly with your smartphone and provide functionality beyond fitness tracking. For instance, the Versa 4 and Sense 2 both have Alexa built in.
GPS
If you’re an avid runner or biker, your Fitbit’s GPS capabilities allow you to track the route that you take during a workout. As a result, you’re able to get an extremely accurate measurement of the distance you’ve covered, as well as the pace. After your run, you can even see a map of your route, overlaid with your speed and heart rate during different segments. Most new Fitbit models have GPS built in, including the Inspire 3, Sense 2 and Charge 6.
Call, text and calendar notifications
If you sync your phone with your Fitbit smartwatch, you’ll receive call and text notifications on your tracker. In most cases, the wristband will vibrate to alert you of an incoming message and then flash the call or text info across the display. The Versa 4 and Sense 2 are two of the Fitbits that offer call, text and app notifications.
This can be an especially helpful feature if you need to stay in touch with your family or office during a workout, because you won’t have to pull your phone out of your pocket to know who’s trying to reach you.
A smartwatch Fitbit model can also alert you to appointments on your calendar so you don’t miss any important meetings.
On-screen workouts and guided breathing sessions
When you need help coming up with an effective workout routine, a Fitbit smartwatch tracker can come in handy. Most new Fitbits offer on-screen workouts that require little or no equipment and can be done in a small space so you can do them almost anywhere. The bad news is you generally need to pay for a Fitbit premium subscription to access these workouts.
Some Fitbit models, such as the Luxe, also offer guided breathing sessions to help you relax. You can choose from two- and five-minute sessions that help slow your heart rate and lower your stress level.
Expert Tip
Your Fitbit will provide you with a lot of health data that you can bring to doctor’s appointments like your yearly physical. The information can help your physician better understand your health and eating habits.
BestReviews Electronics Expert
Fitbit prices
Fitbits come at a variety of price points, so there’s likely an option to meet any budget. In general, they range in price from $60 to $250.
Basic trackers
These trackers, which record data for steps, distance covered, flights of stairs and calories burned, cost between $60 and $100 and are a good option for those just beginning their fitness journey. The Inspire 3 is a great budget choice.
Advanced trackers
The Fitbits that track your sleep and heart rate, as well as remind you to move, are typically priced between $130 and $160. These are good options for more serious athletes, runners and walkers. The Charge 6 falls in this price range.
Smart trackers
Smartwatch Fitbit trackers that provide all of the fitness-tracking capabilities and special features, such as GPS, call and text alerts, on-screen workouts and music controls, range from $180 to $250. These are best for more serious fitness enthusiasts and people who want to integrate their workout technology with their daily life. High-end smart trackers include the Sense 2 and Versa 4.
How we tested
We tested five of our top Fitbit models to get a better idea of how they perform. Our testing was based on a range of comparison points, assessing their health features and fitness-tracking, sleep-tracking and stress-tracking capabilities. We wore them daily, including during exercise and workouts, over an extended period of time to see how they performed in the real world. For the Fitbits we didn't test, we extensively researched them, looking at their features and performance.
FAQ
Q. Can I wear my Fitbit all the time?
A. Yes you can, but it can cause skin irritation in some users. To avoid having the strap irritate your skin, make sure to keep it clean and dry and don't secure it too tightly. You should also give your wrist a break by removing your Fitbit for an hour after extended periods of use
Q. Do Fitbits detect health problems?
A. It might be possible for Fitbits to detect certain health problems. For instance, Fitbit users have access to the Cardiogram app. This paired with a heart rate monitor means that they can potentially detect conditions such as atrial fibrillation, hypertension and sleep apnea. However, they aren't foolproof, so if you have reason to be concerned about your health but your Fitbit hasn't detected anything, it doesn't mean there's definitely nothing wrong. If you have any worries about your health, be sure to see a healthcare provider.
Q. Are Fitbits accurate?
A. Yes and no. While they're quite accurate, they can undercount or overcount steps, and they can also miscalculate energy expenditure. One study published in the National Library of Medicine found Fitbit step counts to be "acceptably accurate" around half the time.
