The 6 Best Fitbits: Which Is Best for You?

A quick look at the best Fitbits

• Best overall smartwatch: Fitbit Versa 3
• Best fitness tracker: Fitbit Charge 5
• Best for battery life: Fitbit Inspire 3
• Best for high tech features: Fitbit Sense 2
• Best affordable: Fitbit Versa 2
• Best for kids: Fitbit Ace 3

Devices with more features have a higher retail cost. Furthermore, the quality of the tracking and sensors tends to be better on higher priced Fitbits.

Smartwatch devices are almost always more expensive than their nonsmartwatch counterparts. They offer full functionality and smartphone integration but aren’t necessary if you’re just looking for basic fitness tracking.

Most devices come with a free trial — or a yearlong subscription — to Fitbit Premium, an online portal that provides personalized insights on your activity levels. The standard subscription is $9.99 per month or $80 per year.

Here are the top six Fitbit products on the market.

Healthline’s picks of the best Fitbits

Best overall smartwatch

Fitbit Versa 3

• Price: $$$
• Colors: midnight/soft gold aluminum, black/black aluminum, pink clay/soft gold aluminum

The Fitbit Versa 3 is the best overall smartwatch, as it offers a good compromise between price and features.

The Versa 3 has excellent functionality at a more affordable price than the more high tech Fitbit Sense with features, such as:

• GPS
• Alexa and Google Assistant
• music playback

The Versa 3 is a particularly good option for athletes, as the watch has built-in GPS and provides real-time feedback on your pace and distance, so you can leave your phone at home.

While it doesn’t offer stress tracking, skin temperature monitoring, or irregular heart rate alerts, the Versa 3 still provides basic heart rate monitoring and detailed sleep insights. It also tracks your health metrics over time.

Using Bluetooth, the watch also allows you to:

• take phone calls
• receive smartphone notifications
• use Fitbit Pay
• control music or podcasts from your wrist

Best overall fitness tracker

Fitbit Charge 5

• Price: $$
• Colors: black/graphite stainless steel, lunar white/soft gold stainless steel, steel blue/platinum stainless steel

The Fitbit Charge 5 is a newer offering from Fitbit that’s designed to help you make more informed decisions about your health.

Like the Fitbit Sense and Versa, the Charge 5 provides a personalized score called Daily Readiness, which uses data from your sleep score, activity level, and heart rate variability to determine whether your body is ready for a workout or needs a recovery day.

Additional features include:

• built-in GPS
• Bluetooth connectivity
• Fitbit Pay
• standard fitness tracking

It also comes with electrodermal activity (EDA) and ECG sensors, which help you keep tabs on your stress levels and heart rhythms, respectively.

Notably, if listening to music is one of your top priorities, you’ll want to consider the Sense instead, as it offers more robust music controls.

Unlike the previous Charge model, the Charge 5 features a vibrant, crisp color display. It also comes with a comfortable infinity band that uses a peg-and-loop closure design, so you don’t have to worry about the strap hanging loose or getting caught.

Compared with other Fitbit devices, the Charge 5 has a shorter battery life of 7 days. And keep in mind that if you use continuous GPS or always-on display, your battery will drain even faster.

Even so, Healthline editor Alice Porter has found that the battery life is good and the app is easy to navigate. She says the Charge 5 is more durable and comfortable than her Versa 2.

“It does not have as many features but is reliable as a fitness tracker,” she says. She recommends it for people looking for a fitness tracker for more casual use. “It would be less useful for serious athletes or very active people who want a more adaptable and useful fitness tracker.”

Best for battery life

Fitbit Inspire 3

• Price: $$
• Colors: midnight zen/black, lilac bliss/black, morning glow/black

With its long battery life and affordable price, the Inspire 3 might be a great “set it and forget it,” no-frills fitness tracker.

The Inspire 3’s battery can last 10 days between charges. The most exciting update is the new full-color display. Amazon user reviews say the new color display doesn’t shorten battery life, even when set to always-on.

The revamped Inspire 3 is slightly longer and wider than the Inspire 2, and Fitbit says its silicone band has been redesigned to better fit your wrist. Major new health features include oxygen level tracking (especially useful in our post-COVID-19 world), and always-on wellness tracking.

This tracker may not be for hardcore athletes as it’s:

• lacking built-in GPS
• unable to track floors climbed or incline
• limited in tracking features

The Inspire 3 is best for monitoring the basics, like step count and heart rate.

Best for high tech features

Fitbit Sense 2

• Price: $$$
• Colors: shadow gray/graphite aluminum, lunar white/platinum aluminum, blue mist/soft gold aluminum

The Sense 2 is more than just a fitness tracker — it’s a bona fide smartwatch. Fitbit touts it as its most advanced, which also means it’s the most expensive of currently available models.

But you get what you pay for, with a robust array of features not available on traditional Fitbit trackers, like multiple kinds of detailed stress and wellness tracking.

Serious athletes rely on the Sense 2 for its:

• built-in GPS and workout intensity map
• all-day activity tracking
• 40+ exercises modes
• 50 m water resistance

New health features include an ECG app that can detect heart rhythm irregularities and automatically share them with your doctor. Like its little sibling the Inspire 3, the Sense 2 can also monitor your oxygen levels (SpO2).

Navigate your Sense 2 hands-free with Amazon Alexa, pay on the go with a built-in Google Wallet, and seamlessly respond to phone calls and texts without ever touching your phone.

The Sense 2 has a battery life of up to 6 days — especially impressive considering it has oh-so-many features.

Best affordable

Fitbit Versa 2

• Price: $$
• Colors: black/carbon aluminum, stone/mist gray aluminum

The Fitbit Versa 2 offers many of the same features as the Versa 3 but at a lower price.

The watch boasts Bluetooth capabilities and Amazon Alexa, in addition to tracking your:

• activity
• sleep
• heart rate

However, it doesn’t include GPS, which may be a major downside if you plan on using your watch for outdoor activities like running and hiking.

Still, if you’re looking to gain insights into your general health habits, the Versa 2 is a great basic option for under $200.

Healthline Market Wellness editor Melissa Lee purchased the Versa 2 primarily to track steps on walks, but has found it to be an extremely versatile fitness tracker.

“There are over 20 different fitness modes that you can choose from, which I personally like, being that my physical activity varies,” she says. “I rotate between cardio, weightlifting, pilates, and yoga, oftentimes all in the span of 1 week.”

She also likes that you can turn it to silent mode so you don’t constantly get buzzes for texts, calls, and hourly step notifications.

“It’s an extremely versatile fitness tracker with a decently sized screen and Bluetooth capabilities,” she says.

Best for kids

Fitbit Ace 3

• Price: $
• Colors: black/sport red, cosmic blue/astro green, special edition Minions yellow

The Fitbit Ace 3 is designed to encourage your kids to stay active without excessive technological distractions.

In addition to standard step tracking, the device features family challenges, virtual badges, and onscreen celebrations to motivate the whole family to stay active.

Kids may love the device’s interchangeable accessories, while parents might appreciate parental control settings and a protected Kid View home screen.

The Ace 3 is heavily rubberized and exceptionally durable, which is helpful if it’s dropped. It offers up to 8 days of battery life.

Fitbit product comparison chart

Curious how all the Fitbit products compare? The chart below highlights the key features of these six Fitbit models:

Keep in mind the prices listed above reflect the current list price and may vary by retailer.

How to choose the best Fitbit for you

To choose the best Fitbit, take stock of your budget and the features you want, keeping in mind that there’s a direct trade-off between the cost of a device and its features.

Here are some considerations:

• Add-ons like built-in GPS or skin-conductance stress (psychological or physiological arousal) tracking greatly increase the cost.
• If you’re looking for a basic device for keeping tabs on your movement throughout the day, opt for a more affordable Fitbit activity tracker, such as the Inspire 3 or Ace 3.
• If you want to control your music or have built-in GPS and real-time fitness tracking, it’s worth spending extra on a smartwatch like the Versa 3 or Sense.
• The newer Fitbit Charge 5 is a great middle-of-the-road option if you want more high tech features without compromising on the slim profile of a tracker.

What is Fitbit Premium? And is it worth paying for?

Most Fitbit purchases include either a free 6-month or 1-year trial of Fitbit Premium.

Fitbit Premium is a subscription-based app that offers:

• personalized insights and graphs
• a detailed breakdown of your sleep score, including:
  • rapid eye movement (REM) sleep
  • when you wake up in the night
• workout videos
• health tips
• recipes

In fact, here’s a complete list of features only available on the Fitbit Premium app, plus the author’s hands-on review:

• Health insights: Perhaps one of the most helpful features of the Fitbit Premium app is the ability to view advanced insights into your data, along with personalized guidance for improving various aspects of your health.
• Wellness report: My favorite aspect of the app is the downloadable wellness report, which allows you to view trends in your health and fitness data over 30-day, 3-month, 6-month, and 1-year increments.
• Step-by-step programs: Looking to improve your sleep quality or become a more mindful eater? The app provides guided programs to help you reach your wellness goals.
• Mindfulness audio tracks: The app includes a library of mindfulness audio tracks designed to help with body positivity, stress reduction, and sleep.
• Wellness challenges: These challenges allow you to compete against your friends and family members.
• Guided workouts: The app offers more than 150 workout videos and audio tracks to help you get more movement throughout the day.

After the trial period, access to Fitbit Premium costs $9.99 per month.

Personally, I’m in the middle of my free Fitbit Premium trial using the Fitbit Sense, and I find the app to be super helpful. In particular, I enjoy being able to track my sleep trends over time.

While I still have a few months to go, I plan on continuing my subscription once my free trial ends.

Of course, not everyone will find these extra features worth an extra $10 per month. But, you’ll have at least 6 months to try Fitbit Premium for free to see how much you actually use it.

Frequently asked questions about Fitbits and fitness trackers

What is Fitbit’s biggest competitor?

There are many activity trackers on the market. Fitbit’s biggest competitors include Garmin products, Samsung Galaxy smartwatches, and the Apple Watch.

Which Fitbit is the most affordable?

The Fitbit Inspire 3 is the least expensive Fitbit currently available for adults. It’s simple to use but still has attractive features such as heart rate monitoring and sleep tracking.

Which Fitbit is best for tracking sleep?

All Fitbits have sleep tracking. However, the Sense, Charge, and Versa integrate easily into the Fitbit app and provide more detailed metrics, including sleep stages, duration, and more.

Which Fitbit is most comfortable to sleep in?

The Inspire 3’s slim and lightweight design makes it arguably the comfiest sleeping companion.

Is Apple or Fitbit better?

One isn’t better than the other — it depends on your needs. Diehard Apple fans may prefer an Apple Watch for its seamless integration with their existing Apple products.

Folks who prefer Android or don’t want a full-on smartwatch may do better with a Fitbit. Think about what your needs are and go from there:

• simple fitness tracking?
• feature-heavy smartwatch that integrates with your phone?
• long battery life?
• lightweight design?

Is Fitbit still worth buying?

Absolutely! Fitbits have come a long way since they were introduced way back in 2009. Even the lowest priced ones have tons of cool features, and can track your sleep and heart rate in addition to your workouts.

Which Fitbit version is the best?

With a range of Fitbits available in different sizes, colors, and price points, there’s likely an ideal model for everyone.

If you’re an athlete, a lover of high tech gadgets, and have a larger budget, the Fitbit Sense 2 may be right up your alley, with its many apps and features — including:

• an ECG app
• GPS
• Amazon Alexa

If looking stylish is your top priority, the Fitbit Luxe may be your best bet, with its limited edition stainless steel bracelet bands and unique color options. The Luxe is also a top choice for those who want detailed wellness tracking in addition to the standard fitness tracking.

The Fitbit Versa 3 is beloved by serious athletes, while the Charge 5 is preferred by those who want a simple, effective fitness tracker.

The bottom line

Fitbit offers a range of fitness trackers and smartwatches that provide robust fitness monitoring.

While all devices include basic tracking features, the smartwatch devices have additional capabilities that mostly involve integration with your smartphone. Built-in GPS and other add-ons are available on higher priced devices.

Regardless of your specific needs, Fitbit has a tracking device that may suit your goals and budget.