Best Fitbit 2022: Top Picks For Fitness Tracking
When searching for the best Fitbit, it can be a little tricky at times to figure out exactly how much you need to spend with so many options to choose from.
Fortunately, we’ve compiled a list of our top picks, based on features, prices, and reviews, whilst highlighting some of the key details that make these fitness trackers stand out from the crowd.
Whether you’re searching for something for fitness tracking, like this Charge 5, or you’re after something packed with technology, like this Fitbit Sense, we’ve got you covered right here.
We also discuss the latest news surrounding Fitbit devices and have answered some of the most commonly asked questions to help inform your decision on whether a Fitbit is right for you.
Best Fitbit
Best Fitbit – Fitbit Versa 3
Heart Rate Tracking: Yes | Sleep Tracking: Yes | GPS: Yes | Water Resistance: up to 50m | Bluetooth: Yes | Quoted Battery Life: 6+ days | Touchscreen: Yes | Mobile Payments: Yes
In terms of the best Fitbit available, the Versa 3 ticks a lot of boxes which helps establish it as one of Fitbit’s top fitness trackers.
It is styled like a smartwatch and comes with a range of handy features that make it a bit more complete than previous iterations in the Versa range.
Most importantly, Fitbit advertises the Versa 3 comes with improved heart-rate tracking accuracy during intense exercise, making it a great option for anyone who enjoys fast-paced workouts like a spin class on a or CrossFit in their .
All in all, the Versa 3 is not just a great fitness tracker but is also a useful smartwatch to be used every day thanks to its impressive quoted battery life and convenient, time-saving features like mobile payments.
Best Fitbit On A Budget – Fitbit Inspire 2
Heart Rate Tracking: Yes | Sleep Tracking: Yes | GPS: Via connected phone | Water Resistance: up to 50m | Bluetooth: Yes | Quoted Battery Life: 10 days | Touchscreen: Yes | Mobile Payments: No
The Inspire 2 has been designed with the more casual user in mind like someone who is just starting their journey of building healthier habits and creating a more active lifestyle.
It comes with a number of key health tracking features including sleep monitoring, 24/7 heart rate, menstrual health, food, and hydration intake, meaning it should be a great option for everyday use, especially as the Inspire 2 boasts the longest battery life out of the entire Fitbit range.
Moreover, it also comes with Fitbit’s Active Zone Minutes feature which monitors the time you spend in the fat burn, cardio, and peak heart-rate fitness zones which have been designed to motivate you during challenging workouts.
Included in its relatively low price tag is a one-year free trial to Fitbit Premium, helping make this band even greater value for money in comparison to other, slightly more premium watches available from Fitbit.
Best Fitbit For Fitness Tracking – Fitbit Charge 5
Heart Rate Tracking: Yes | Sleep Tracking: Yes | GPS: Yes | Water Resistance: up to 50m | Bluetooth: Yes | Quoted Battery Life: 7 days | Touchscreen: Yes | Mobile Payments: Yes
While the Fitbit Charge 4 features as part of our list, the Charge 5 is the latest model which, Fitbit boasts, is its most advanced health tracker to date.
It’s designed as a band, which is more common among fitness trackers, as it keeps the device more compact and subtle to help you maintain focus as you exercise.
In terms of its features, you get a daily readiness reading based on your exercise, sleep, and heart rate, a stress management score, heart health notifications with a companion ECG app, and general health metrics including your SpO2 and breath rate.
Ultimately, if you’re into your exercise and are searching for a relatively inexpensive fitness device, then the Charge 5 could be the watch for you.
Best Smart Fitbit – Fitbit Sense
Heart Rate Tracking: Yes | Sleep Tracking: Yes | GPS: Yes | Water Resistance: Yes | Bluetooth: Yes | Quoted Battery Life: 6+ days | Touchscreen: Yes | Mobile Payments: Yes
The Sense is very similar to the Versa 3 but comes with a few extra features which make it one of the smartest and more premium watches in the Fitbit range.
Some of these additional features include an FDA-approved ECG sensor and blood oxygen reading which help keep you notified and up-to-date with your heart’s health, so would likely be a great choice for someone who loves looking at all their body’s statistics.
The stats continue as the Sense also gives you electrodermal activity and skin temperature readings, meaning it could, in theory, give you a heads up when you’re beginning to come down with an illness like a cold.
On the whole, the Sense provides a great option for both serious fitness tracking thanks to its GPS monitor, water resistance, and many other features, and everyday use with its sleep tracking and mobile payment capabilities.
Best Fitbit For Everyday Wear – Fitbit Luxe
Heart Rate Tracking: Yes | Sleep Tracking: Yes | GPS: Via connected phone | Water Resistance: up to 50m | Bluetooth: Yes | Quoted Battery Life: 5 days | Touchscreen: Yes | Mobile Payments: No
The Fitbit Luxe is designed to be chic and stylish for everyday wear with its compact, jewelry-like aesthetic.
It’s not all about the looks though, as this device is packed with fitness tracking technology such as sleep, heart rate, and calorie tracking.
The Luxe also provides you with a daily readiness score which is designed to reveal if you’re ready to work out or should focus on recovery.
With a 5 day quoted battery life as well, this Fitbit Luxe looks to be an excellent choice if you’re looking for an effective fitness tracker to wear every day.
Latest Fitbit News
As fitness technology improves, so too do Fitbit’s smartwatch and health tracking devices. We’ve highlighted some of the latest news surrounding them right here.
Fitbit Adding Major New Heart Health Feature
Fitbit has released a new firmware update that gives its most recent fitness trackers the ability to detect signs of atrial fibrillation without you having to open the app.
Atrial fibrillation is a form of irregular or unusually fast heart rhythm that may be a sign of potential health problems.
While your device can’t diagnose the condition, it can give you a warning which you can then follow up on with a healthcare professional.
The Fitbit Luxe, Charge 5, Charge 4, Charge 3, Versa 3, Versa 2, Versa Lite, Sense, and Inspire 2 will all receive this new feature over the coming weeks in the US.
Google Pixel Smartwatch To Feature Fitbit Integration
At the start of last year, Google announced it had finalised the acquisition of fitness tech giant Fitbit. Since then though, we haven’t really seen the two brands combining with one another.
This looks like it’s about to change though as leaked images of the new Google Pixel smartwatch show the Fitbit logo on the display, therefore suggesting Google may finally be integrating its high-profile acquisition with its tech.
Stay tuned for more updates on the device right here.
Fitbit Is Preparing New Versa, Luxe, And Sense Wearables
According to 9to5Google, Fitbit is preparing to launch new Versa 4 and Sense 2 smartwatches, as well as a Fitbit Luxe 2 band.
Interestingly, none of the new devices are expected to feature Wear OS technology, with the code reportedly referencing a “software bridge” that shares data between the device and phone using Bluetooth.
Wear OS is said to use a different method of sharing data between your phone and watch, meaning it’s unlikely we’re going to see this technology on a Fitbit device anytime soon.
Nonetheless, there’s been no word on when the three new wearables will be released, so make sure you stay tuned to find out more right here.
Frequently Asked Questions About Fitbit’s
With so many different models to choose from, you probably have a few queries about Fitbit, but we’re here to clear up some of the most common questions.
What Does A Fitbit Do?
A Fitbit device is typically used for fitness tracking as it can count your steps and monitor your heart rate, not only during exercise, but throughout your everyday life.
With that being said, most models also come with a few extras to help you achieve your fitness goals. These extras can include the following depending on the device:
- Sleep tracking
- Blood oxygen monitoring
- GPS tracking during exercise
- Storing and listening to music
- Receiving call and text notifications
- Contactless payments
You can also use Fitbit’s social platform to share your stats, achievements, and more with your friends to help motivate one another to keep working hard.
Does Fitbit Track Blood Pressure?
At this moment in time, Fitbit devices do not measure blood pressure; however, most smartwatches and trackers do include a relative SpO2 sensor.
That said, it would seem Fitbit is exploring ways to implement such technology in the future according to Fitbit’s forums. This included running a study into blood pressure tracking last year.
Is A Fitbit Worth It?
The answer to this question will vary depending on your available budget and whether you need a fitness tracker to monitor your exercise and everyday life.
For example, if you run regularly and want something to track your stats so you can keep track of your progress, then picking up a top Fitbit like the Charge 4 could be your answer.
You may also simply want a Fitbit for everyday tasks like counting the number of steps you take in a day.
With that being said, a Fitbit may not necessarily be 100% accurate, however, it can still be a useful tool for tracking your workouts, calories, and everyday life, especially if you regularly use the same watch to give you consistent readings over a long period of time.
What’s The Difference Between A Fitbit Tracker And Smartwatch?
Generally speaking, Fitbit’s fitness trackers are more compact bands to help keep you focused on your exercise. This means they typically feature smaller screens to relay only the most important fitness metrics back at you.
Smartwatches are normally a bit bigger and more akin to a regular watch. They usually come with larger screens to deliver, not only tracked fitness statistics, but also notifications and updates from your parent device as well.
How Long Do Fitbit’s Take To Charge?
The instructions that come with your watch should tell you how long your particular device takes to charge, however, most instructions state they typically take between 1-2 hours to charge fully.
How you check your Fitbit’s battery life does vary, but for the Versa 3 and the Sense, for example, all you have to do is double-tap the touch screen display and a percentage will appear to tell you how much charge your device has.
Can You Use Your Fitbit Without The App?
Simply put, no don’t need your phone and the app nearby to use your Fitbit.
After initially creating your Fitbit account, you can leave your parent device behind and just use the band to continually record data providing it has a built-in GPS.
Once you’re within 30-feet of the parent device you used to sign up with, then your Fitbit should automatically synchronise in the background.
As a side note, you can also get MobileTrack which lets you use the Fitbit app without a Fitbit device by using your phone’s sensors to track basic activity data including steps, distance, and calories burned.
Does Fitbit Work Without A Subscription?
No, you don’t need to pay for a Fitbit subscription to use its software.
However, if you want to take your training to the next level, then you can get Fitbit Premium which grants you access to a few additional features like premium challenges for extra motivation, plus information about your heart rate, resting heart rate, SpO2 levels, and skin temperature variants.
Fitbit Premium also gives you access to over 200 activities and 100 mindfulness sessions so provides you with more variety when working out.
Does A Fitbit Require WiFi?
Fitbit devices don’t need an active internet connection 24/7 which means you to take them with you wherever you go and they should still function as expected.
It’s actually the parent device that needs an internet connection; however, this is only required when you sync data to the Fitbit server.
Your parent device may be a laptop or PC, but can also be a smartphone which is more likely to have an internet connection at all times through 3G or 4G data.
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