Fitbit Comparison

Posted by John 05/10/2018 0 Comment(s)

There is a big choice now when it comes to choosing a Fitbit so I have made up a comparison table (shown at the bottom of page) and then some brief pros and cons for each device. I hope this helps you to make the right choice when choosing a Fitbit!

ACE FITBIT

The Ace Fitbit tracker is reasonably priced and pretty much the same price as the adult Alta, which makes sense because pretty much it IS the Adult Alta but with a smaller band and the ability to use the children’s app which allows parent control of settings and data. It does not have smart features such as text and phone notifications. I would recommend this for kids up to 12 but not for over that. There is a 20 dollars difference between this and the Alta (119.95) so it makes sense to get the Alta for older kids. Its main difference between the cheaper Flex (59.95) is that it tracks sleep which is useful information to know about a child and I think is worth paying the extra money for this and the parental control aspect.

Pros

Tracks steps, active minutes and sleep.
Rewards kids for hitting goals with celebratory messages and achievement badges. Kids can challenge others to step competitions plus send each other messages or cheers
A showerproof tracker that survives splashes and spills.
Has a battery life of up to 5 days depending on usage.
In the Fitbit app, parents create an account for their child under a family account and can check their child’s activity anytime.
Tracks your child’s sleep duration and sets bedtime reminders in the app.

Cons

Just mainly tracks steps and does not for example track heart rate activity
Splash-proof only so you cannot swim with it.
Fits a small wrist size between 5.0 and 6.1 inches (125 mm - 155 mm) in circumference. Ensure to check wrist size for children 8 and upwards, (Tip use phone charger cable to measure wrist. E.g. iPhone SE is 5 inches) Might need to purchase extra band.
Not waterproof so a child would have to be trusted to remember to take off or parent will have to remember when a child is going swimming.

ZIP FITBIT

The ZIP Fitbit is a good solution for the first timer or beginner. It reliably tracks steps and the battery lasts quite a while without having to charge. Also very discreet. Worth considering though that for an extra $20 you could get the features of a Flex 2 such as, swim tracking (therefore waterproof), hourly activity notifications, text, App and call notifications and sleep tracking.

Pros

Fitbit Zip syncs your daily stats to your computer and and shows your progress in easy-to-read charts and graphs.
Comfortably clips to your belt, pocket or bra, giving you the flexibility to wear it discreetly and keep your data confidential.
No need to plug-in. Just play. Zip is powered by a watch battery.
Good social aspect: Invite friends and family to compete in activity challenges & on the leaderboard.

Cons

No function to count stairs.
Battery life reported at 1-2 months as opposed to 6 months. Tips to prolong battery (Close the app when you're not syncing, only use the app on one device.)
Quite small so easily lost. Make sure and check dimensions.
Reported that the bottom of the clip can break off easily.
No LED display so unable to view in the dark.
Not waterproof, only splash proof.

FLEX 2 FITBIT

Overall the FLEX 2 Fitbit is a step up (pardon the pun!) from the Fitbit ZIP and includes a lot of extra features as shown above. A lot of people like the waterproof and swimming feature but be aware that you need to move arms for steps to be counted. Worth getting extra features if you have used a step counter before and will get the use out of it.

Pros

SmartTrack: Automatically track activities like running, sports and aerobic workouts, then see exercise summaries in the Fitbit app.
Automatically track how long and how well you sleep.
Track swimming (waterproof).
Call & Text Notifications:
Reminders to Move: Flex 2 sends Reminders to Move.
Long Battery Life: 5-day battery life depending on usage.
Stylish accessories you can pop this device into to make it look like jewelry. Removable tracker fits in bands, bangles & pendants.
Track water consumption.

Cons

The display does not show you your steps, miles, hours slept while in progress, etc. Instead, you have to tap it to see your progress in lights.
Doesn’t measure stairs unless you use a larger strap and put on your ankle.
Colors can fade due to chlorine and the screen on the tracker easily scratches if not careful.
Counts arm movements as steps.(same with all)
Will NOT sync with your PC unless you have Windows 10. Needs a dongle which is not standard.
Be aware that the device can slip out of the band.
Batteries usually last up to 2 days and not 5.
Does not show clock time on the display.

FITBIT Alta HR

The Fitbit Alta Hr is very slim with stylish designs which is a big plus for some people but is it that worth the extra $70 that you have to pay instead of the Flex 2? The sleep cycle analysis is another big plus with this tracker which might persuade people to pay the extra but the heart rate tracking aspect has its inaccuracies. This could be said though for a lot of wrist heart rate devices. It does show the time if that is important to you but unlike the Flex 2, it does not have swim tracking, therefore, it is not waterproof. What else does it have that the Alta does not? A customizable clock face and calendar alerts appear to be the only other difference.

Pros

SmartTrack: Automatically track activities like running, sports and aerobic workouts, then see exercise summaries in the Fitbit app.
Automatically track how long and how well you sleep and gives in-depth analysis of sleep cycle.
Call & Text Notifications:
Reminders to Move:
Longer Battery Life: 7-day battery life depending on usage.
Track your heart rate.
Slim and accessory bands have a variety of stylish color schemes and are reasonably priced.

Cons

Visibility very poor on sunny days
The lift-to-wake feature not sensitive enough and you might need to tap it to bring to life.
Short power cable which can be annoying.
Heart rate measurement has varied measurement reliability and can be 10-20 beats out. Also distorted by sweating. (That’s because it measures from the wrist pulse which is not as strong as the heart pulse.) The more complex the workout where your arm does more inconsistent moving can also affect the accuracy of heart rate measurement.
Automatic tracking does not pick up combo workouts like cardio Pilates very well unlike the Charge HR 3 band which has manual control over tracking.
Does not track stairs.
No swimming tracker and just splash proof not waterproof.

Charge 3 HR

The Charge 3 Fitbit is in the category of a smartwatch. This is the same price as the Alta Hr Fitbit but with the extra features including floors climbed, female health tracking, guided breathing sessions, swim tracking, multisport tracking, connected GPS(have to have a phone connected) quick replies and make payments. I think the long list of extras means the charge 3 wins out easily on features. The only extra that the Alta has that the Charge3 does not have is the designer accessories. This begs the question though do you want to wear a smartwatch like the Charge3 all the time or just have your normal watch and have a stylish band like the Alta HR as an accessory.

Pros

Automatically track how long and how well you sleep and gives an in-depth analysis of sleep cycle.
Call & Text Notifications and reminders to Move:
Longer Battery Life: 7-day battery life depending on usage.
Track your heart rate.
Female Health Tracking: Track periods, record symptoms and estimate ovulation and fertility windows.
Real-time Pace and Distance: Connect Charge 3 with your phone's GPS to see pace and distance on screen during outdoor runs and rides.
Water Resistant to 50M
Personalized Guided Breathing to help you relax.
Exercises like running, swimming, elliptical, sports and more are automatically recorded for you with SmartTrack.
Smarter, Sharper Touchscreen
Durable, Lightweight Design: With aerospace-grade aluminum, a smooth-flush case and Corning® Gorilla® Glass 3.

Cons

No date on screen but update coming soon to fix that.
No built in GPS which is disappointing so you have to connect to your phone.
Contactless payment only on special editions.

Versa Fitbit

This Versa Fitbit is a health and fitness smartwatch that lasts 4+ days and features 24/7 heart rate, phone-free music, apps, coaching and more. This has nearly all of the features of the Ionic but is a $100 cheaper. It also looks better than the Ionic. It is a great smartwatch for the price. It has these extra features compared to the Charge 3 Fitbit, Personalised On-Screen coaching, apps, store music and designer accessories.

Pros

Has most features except the Adidas On-Screen Workouts and built-in GPS
More stylish looking than the more expensive Ionic Fitbit.
Super lightweight
Good quality watch-style clasp which are also interchangeable with many different coloured metal, fabric or silicon versions.
Touch screen speed slightly faster and more responsive than the Ionic.
Customize your own watch faces to make the Versa look how you want it to.
Store and play 300+ songs on your watch—plus download your own or curated playlists from Deezer.

Cons

A bit cheap looking aesthetically wise as a result of super lightweight material.
The bands are really hard to change
Don't buy this watch for the NFC unless you confirm that it will take your bank first. Have realistic expectations about what stores and vendors will actually accept “Fitbit Pay”
Poor selection of apps.
No inbuilt GPS Uses your phone's GPS, You have to remember to disconnect from WiFi before doing any runs near your local router. The device won’t start logging whilst the phone attempts to connect to the WiFi.

Ionic Fitbit

The Fitbit Ionic is a good smartwatch but not a great one. More like a very good fitness tracker than a smart watch. It has these extra features compared to the Versa inbuilt GPS, Adidas On-Screen Workouts but does not have designer accessories which the versa has.

Pros

Personalised guidance and insights. Your favourite songs and apps. All features including Personal Coaching, Built-in GPS, Stores Music, Heart Rate, 5 Day Battery.
Water-Resistant and Swim Tracking
Female Health Tracking
Popular Apps
Wallet-free Payments
Notifications & Quick Replies*
4 Day Battery which is excellent for a smartwatch.

Cons