6 Best Fitbit Smartwatches and Trackers
A comparison of the best Fitbits on the market.
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Fitness trackers log your daily steps and help you keep track of how much you're moving — and according to a survey from the Good Housekeeping Institute, 75% of people said a fitness tracker helped kick their drive to exercise into high gear. But new trackers and smartwatches do all that and so much more. A leader in the wearable tracker category, Fitbit has become a total household name. And that's no surprise to us: The experts and engineers in the GH Media & Tech Lab have evaluated trackers from dozens of brands over the past decade and Fitbit devices always top our tests.
We continuously evaluate Fitbit products and other brands’ fitness trackers based on ease of use, durability, and performance. After our experts look at the products, we ask consumer testers to use the trackers for two weeks and give feedback on ease of use, comfort, design, and fitness motivation. We also test the accuracy of the step counting and heart rate monitoring, validate any waterproof claims, and conduct drop tests.
Why are Fitbits so popular?
Fitbit makes a product that's high-quality in design and performance, and the brand continuously adds new features to bring your stats to life so you can make real changes and better track your growth. Your Sleep Score helps you understand how well-rested you are and your Cardio Fitness Score shows where you stand compared to other women your age. Not to mention, Fitbit's platform and app have created a real sense of community for people across the globe.
Sure, if you have an Apple Watch you can share your progress with friends and family, but Fitbit takes that one step further: You can find free workouts in your town, join sponsored races, and connect with other Fitbit users to stay motivated. And let's not forget one of the main factors when deciding which device to buy: the cost. Fitbit's latest rival to the Apple Watch, the Versa 2, is nearly $200 less expensive than the Apple Watch Series 5 with many of the same features.
One of the other things that sets Fitbit apart from other brands is its easy-to-use Fitbit app. The app works with all of its devices, and you can use it to set goals for yourself, track daily, weekly, and monthly progress, and connect with friends and other Fitbit users. We like that the lively, active community helps makes it feel more like a social media platform than a traditional fitness-tracking app. You can also keep track of what you eat in a day and how much water you drink. Fitbit's new platform, Fitbit Premium. is a subscription-based service ($9.99 per month or $79.99 for the year) that unlocks more personalized features, like insights and guidance into your progress, resources and recipes to help you make better food choices, custom fitness plans, and more.
Which Fitbit is best?
You'll first want to decide whether you want a smartwatch or a fitness tracker. The line between the two is getting more and more blurred, but one of the main differences is that you can download apps on a smartwatch. Trackers are more focused on fitness tracking rather than all the extras. In Fitbit's case, its smartwatches have larger screens (great for on-screen workouts) and work with apps like Spotify, Uber, Starbucks, and even The New York Times. Our favorite Fitbit smartwatch is the Fitbit Versa 2, while our favorite Fitbit tracker is the Fitbit Inspire HR.
At the basic level, Fitbit trackers record many of the same stats — steps taken, miles covered, floors climbed, and calories burned. Many also come equipped with features like heart-rate monitoring, call and text notifications, and card-free payment options. At the very high-end of the bunch, you can even get built-in GPS or Amazon Alexa voice assistant. You can even set activity reminders if you don't take 250 steps over an hour. We recommend deciding which extras are important to you and whether they're worth the money.
So if you're ready to up your exercise routine, hit 10,000 steps a day, or just get better insights into your daily activity, cardio fitness level, sleep quality, and overall health, it's time for a Fitbit. Here are our expert-approved picks for the best Fitbit to suit every need, no matter your budget or fitness level:
If you're looking for a more affordable smartwatch that can rival the Apple Watch, this is it. Our experts said the same thing about the original Versa, and the updated version only has more. It does everything you want from a fitness standpoint: tracking activity and heart rate, reminding you to move, and auto-detecting and logging workouts.
We were blown away by how intuitive it is to navigate, a few swipes and you can see your stats, check any texts or calls or start an on-screen workout. What's new? It comes with a microphone and built-in Amazon Alexa, Fitbit Pay, better sleep tracking, and one extra day of promised battery life (now five!).
A new software update will push many of Versa 2's innovative features to the rest of Fitbit's smartwatch lineup. But this model will get some special upgrades like an improved always-on display so you can see all your stats in a quick glance, along with new Alexa capabilities.
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While the Inspire HR isn't the least expensive Fitbit, you won't find better fitness tracker that also monitors you heart rate for this price. This does nearly all of the same things as the Charge 3 (minus Fitbit Pay and some extra stats) with a thinner, more straightforward screen.
Continuous heart rate monitoring isn't just for telling you about, well, your heart rate. Having 24/7 tracking also enables the tracker (and app) to give you better insights when it comes to sleep quality and calories burned. If you have any interest in tracking your heart rate or the extra stats, our experts say the $30 price difference is a no-brainer.
Fitbit Versa Lite
The Versa Lite looks (and works) almost exactly like the Versa 2, but sacrifices some flashier features to cut $50 from the price. If you can do without Amazon Alexa, Fitbit Pay, music storage, on-screen workouts, and a few fitness stats, we think it's an impressive smartwatch value. You'll get all the other great features that the Versa 2 offers and a four-day promised battery life.
Like all the other smartwatches and trackers, you can customize the look of this device. Swap the band for dozens of other styles (everything from leather to stainless steel links) that work with either Versa model.
The Ionic combines everything you love about Fitbit smartwatches with useful sports-focused features and a more rugged, durable design and built-in GPS. Our engineers first reviewed this in 2017 and gave it high marks for its swim-proof design, and larger rectangular screen (ideal for following on-screen workouts) that feels more substantial on your wrist.
We like that you can download music, apps, and Fitbit Pay, and then leave your phone at home for long runs or bikes. Plus, if you have an Android smartphone, set up quick replies for responding to texts right from the watch.
This is the only Fitbit device with GPS, which we think is great, but if you use it continuously, you'll have to charge your watch more often than the promised four days since GPS drains the battery.
Fitbit Charge 3
If you want a fitness tracker with stellar battery life and all the features of a smartwatch, without any of the bulk, this is the Fitbit for you. It packs nearly all the tracking capabilities (plus Fitbit Pay, guided meditations, and call and text alerts) and gives the same useful insights as the other models.
What sets this tracker apart is its promised battery life — a whopping seven days. We love that you can charge the device just once a week and, otherwise, wear it 24/7 for everything from sleeping to showering. This helps with accountability since there's little reason to take it off!
Fitbit Inspire is a solid, sleek wearable that has all the features you want in a fitness tracker, without any extra bells and whistles. This is the perfect intro model for someone who is new to wearable tech or unsure if a tracker would even be useful for them. You still get the standard things like activity and sleep tracking, calories burned, call and text alerts, and reminders to move — at a fraction of the cost. Plus, Fitbit's platform and app are top-notch no matter what tracker you have.
Since it doesn't monitor your heart rate, you don't have to just wear it on your wrist like the other models. If you're not into the bracelet style, swap the band for a clip that you can attach to your belt, pocket or even your bra.
Nicole Saporita was an editor and writer at Good Housekeeping from 2014 to 2020, where she researched, wrote and reported original content for the Good Housekeeping Institute and several other departments, including health, travel and family.
