Thinking of getting a Fitbit but wondering if it’s worth your time and money? I’ve shared my experience of having a Fitbit Charge 2 and have explained some of the key features from the most popular models.
What features do all Fitbits have?
Pedometer
Every Fitbit will act as a pedometer by allowing you to count your steps and distance travelled. No matter which Fitbit you choose, you’ll also get a range of notifications directly to your mobile via an easy-to-use app.
Sleep monitoring
All Fitbits will record your sleep by monitoring your heart rate and movements during the night. This is a really interesting feature because you may be surprised at the results. Did you know that the average person wakes up several times in the night without realising it? Even if you think you’ve slept like a log, chances are this isn’t actually the case – you just don’t remember all the times you were awake.
Removable strap
Every Fitbit has a removable strap and interchangable accessories. One of my favourite things about this is that you can buy new straps quite cheaply online. I’ve got three different straps for my Fitbit – one I wear day-to-day, another I wear for the gym, and then the third is a sophisticated black one I wear for ‘best’.
There are so many beautiful straps to choose from. There are colourful Fitbit wristbands, leather straps designed to make your fitness tracker look like an ordinary watch, and straps with pretty patterns printed on them.
Rechargeable battery
All Fitbits have a rechargeable battery, so there’s no need to buy new ones. One annoying thing is that the charger for one type of Fitbit may not be the same as the charger for another Fitbit. This can be frustrating if your Fitbit needs charging at work, for example, and all your colleagues have different Fitbits to you.
What can I use the Fitbit app for?
While the Fitbit tracker itself has a range of features, you can use the Fitbit app to track your progress and monitor your health.
No matter which Fitbit you choose, you can use the Fitbit app to track:
- Daily, weekly, monthly step count
- Number of floors climbed
- Number of miles walked
- Your water consumption
- Weight loss
- Calories consumed
- Sleep quality
- Resting heart rate
- Periods (This is one of my favourite features. If you have periods, tell the app when your period starts and ends and over time, it’ll get really good at predicting when you’re due. You’ll get a notification a couple of days before)
Are Fitbits worth the money?
In my opinion, Fitbits are worth the money as long as you make the most of them and don’t just shove yours in a drawer after wearing it for a couple of weeks.
I bought my Fitbit Charge 2 at the start of 2019 and I definitely feel I’ve gotten my money’s worth from it – this is despite not using all the features.
I use my Charge 2 for the following:
- Counting my steps. I try to aim for 10,000 steps or more a day – though I don’t beat myself up if I don’t manage it
- Reminding me to move. Since I work from home, it can be tempting to spend all day sat on my arse. Having a Fitbit serves as a great reminder to get up off the sofa and move every so often. I’ve set it to vibrate after long periods of inactivity
- Recording my exercise. When I go to the gym, I use my Charge 2 to track the type of exercise I’m doing and the intensity of my workout. I like looking at the Fitbit app afterwards to see how long I spent in Fat Burn, Cardio and Peak heart rate zones
- Tracking my periods. Until getting a Fitbit, I’d never before tracked my periods so this has been a really interesting and educational feature
- Keeping an eye on the time without looking at my phone constantly. I know, I know, I could do this with a regular watch. But why wear a regular watch when a Fitbit will tell the time and so much more? I dated a guy last year who inexplicably wore a Fitbit on one wrist and a traditional watch on the other and it annoyed me tremendously because what’s the point?!
I don’t use my Charge 2 to track calories consumed or meals eaten. I used my Fitbit’s sleep monitoring features for the first few months but rarely wear it to bed nowadays. I find its sleep features really interesting and useful, but I prefer to sleep without it on – largely because I don’t want a dirty watch that I’ve been wearing all day in bed with me. Saying that, I could always buy an extra strap to wear exclusively for bed.
What’s the difference between a Fitbit fitness tracker and a smartwatch?
Generally speaking, fitness trackers are designed with fitness and health in mind whereas smartwatches are designed for keeping up-to-date with messages, emails and calendars.
Fitbit has a selection of fitness trackers and smartwatches. But unlike other smartwatches, Fitbit’s creations do still offer a wide range of fitness features.
Fitbit trackers:
- Charge 2
- Charge 3
- Inspire
- Ace 2
Fitbit smartwatches:
- Versa
- Versa 2
- Ionic
Which Fitbit is the best value for money?
This depends on what you’re looking for. If you’re not the biggest fitness fanatic or data geek and you’re just looking for a tracker to encourage you to move more, I don’t think there’s any point going for one of the more expensive models or updated versions of old classics. I mean, I’ve got no intention of upgrading to a Charge 3 until my Charge 2 is dead to the world. It works just fine for what I want to do! To help you decide which is best for you, here are a few key features for each Fitbit model.
Some of the models included below are trickier to get a hold of now that Fitbit has introduced updated versions.
Fitbit Charge 2
The Fitbit Charge 2 trackers have been around since September 2016, meaning those obsessed with having the very latest tech are unlikely to be satisfied with its offering. However, it’s easy to use, nice to look at, and has tons of features to help you get more active and track your fitness journey.
Fitbit Charge 3
The Fitbit Charge 3 is the latest model in the Charge series and therefore has some advantages over its predecessor.
The Charge 3’s OLED display is 40% bigger than the Charge 2’s, it comes in a higher resolution and automatically adjusts to lighting conditions.
The Charge 3 is also thinner and more lightweight than the one that came before.
While the 2 was splashproof and sweatproof, the newer model copes better in water and is water resistant up to 50m.
Another improvement is the battery life. Fitbit Charge 3 tends to last 7 days before it needs charging whereas the Charge 2 usually lasts 5 days.
Fitbit Inspire & Fitbit Inspire HR
The Fitbit Inspire series have many of the features that other Fitbits do, including activity tracking, sleep monitoring, reminders to move, goal celebrations and on-screen notifications. They also happen to be cheaper.
At the time of writing, Fitbit Inspire is £64 on Amazon. Fitbit Inspire HR is £79.
The Inspire models are more petite than the Charge models, giving them a more delicate and minimal design. The only difference between the Inspire and the Inspire HR’s design is the band. The Inspire HR’s band is made of a softer, more flexible material. It also has a more traditional buckle and keeper closure. You may find this easier to use than the Fitbit Inspire’s buckle and clasp.
Fitbit Inspire doesn’t have a heart rate monitor, whereas Fitbit Inspire HR does.
If you’re looking for built-in GPS, the Inspire models aren’t right for you. They have connected GPS, meaning you can track your location using your phone, but you Fitbit itself won’t monitor this for you.
Both trackers are water-resistant down to 50m and you can use it to track your swimming sessions.
Fitbit Ionic
One of the most expensive trackers in the Fitbit collection, Fitbit Ionic is one for those willing to invest mega bucks into a smartwatch that also boasts fitness features. It has more features than the other in the Fitbit collection and is probably the best option for any tech nerds with a love for the latest gadgets and tons of data.
In addition to having built-in GPS, it also stores and plays music – a great tool to have if you’d like to go for a run without your phone.
Introducing Fitbit Ionic from Awais Rizwan on Vimeo.
Fitbit Versa 2
The Fitbit Versa 2 covers all the aspects of a health and fitness watch, measuring steps, heart rate, distance, calories burned, floors climbed, active minutes, hourly activity, and sleep.
It provides on-screen notifications from your phone, silent alarms, cardio fitness levels, workout and other exercise modes such as swimming and weights, female health tracking, and wellness features, plus music controls and even Amazon’s Alexa voice assistant.
The Fitbit Versa 2 is a great option if you want a smartwatch without forking out as much money as you would if you were to purchase the Ionic.
FitBit Versa – Fit For All Fit from Jeff Kwiatek on Vimeo.
Please note that this post includes affiliate links to Fitbit products. This means that if you make a purchase after clicking one of the links in this post, I’ll make a small commission at no extra cost to you.
