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Fitbit is the best-known name in fitness tracking with its wide array of trackers.
We did the research and testing to bring you the best Fitbits you can buy.
Our top pick is the Fitbit Charge 3 because it offers the most features for a reasonable price.
With its wide selection of high-quality fitness trackers, Fitbit is a reputable brand that has undeniably made a name for itself with its user-friendly app, many style options, and fitness features that can meet the needs of everyone, no matter their activity level. When you think of fitness tracking, it's likely one of the first names that come to mind.
However, Fitbit has a wide range of trackers now that run the gamut from a very basic activity tracker to a smart fitness watch that can do all kinds of things. We've tested most of Fitbit's wearables to see which ones are best for different styles and use cases. To determine which Fitbit is best for your needs, there are a few things you'll want to keep in mind as you read about what each device offers.
Pricing: Fitbit has a tracker in every price range from $60 to $270. For the most advanced features, you will pay a higher price. If you're looking for a simple fitness tracker that covers the bases and won't break the bank, the Fitbit Zip is a good option. If you want something mid-range with a heart rate monitor and more advanced workout tracking, the Versa, Alta HR, or the Charge 3 won't disappoint. Finally, the Fitbit Ionic doesn't come cheap, but it does offer a lot of fitness and smartwatch features.
Design: Arguably one of the biggest advantages Fitbit has over competitors is the variety of different designs and accessories it offers. The Fitbit Zip offers the least number of choices when it comes to style, but all the other Fitbits come in many colors and offer different bands. Keep in mind, even though you do have the option to switch out bands, the extra accessories do come at an additional cost. If you're just diving into the fitness tracker world, it's best to make sure you like the band that comes with the device you're looking at first, and then go for the extras later.
Features: Fitbit doesn't skimp on features either. Even its simplest devices will give you step tracking and good battery life, as well as wireless syncing and access to Fitbit's user-friendly app. Consider what features matter most to you to help you decide which device will best suit your needs. For example, if working out is important to you and you want to see how exercising affects your daily activity, you'll likely want a device with a heart rate monitor.
We'll break down each product on this list so you can weigh out your options and decide which Fitbit will benefit you the most.
Disclosure: This post is brought to you by the Insider Picks team. We highlight products and services you might find interesting. If you buy them, we get a small share of the revenue from the sale from our commerce partners. We frequently receive products free of charge from manufacturers to test. This does not drive our decision as to whether or not a product is featured or recommended. We operate independently from our advertising sales team. We welcome your feedback. Email us at insiderpicks@businessinsider.com.
Why you'll love it: The Fitbit Charge 3 lets you track your workout in real time on its bright, easy-to-read screen, plus, it has a heart rate monitor and sleep tracking.
Fitbit's best fitness tracker is the Charge 3 with its bevy of activity tracking features, good-sized screen, and decent price point.
The Charge 3 has dedicated functions for recording a wide range of activities, including running, cycling, cardio, and strength training. Its large display is perfect for tracking your results in real time while working out. When I tested the previous version, I could quickly check my heart rate to make sure I was within the range I wanted to be, and see how far I was into my workout with the timer. You can also use the button on the side to go through menu options.
When I’m not running, I’m a big fan of interval training and HIIT (High Intensity Interval Training) workouts, so I was happy to see that the Charge has an interval timer option. It also lets you pause and resume workouts, and if you do forget to start an activity or workout it can automatically detect an activity session and start monitoring it.
The Charge 3 does offer connected GPS via your smartphone for walking, running, and hiking while you’re outdoors so you have the option to track your distance in more than just steps. While there were times that the connected GPS wasn’t 100% accurate, it was nice to have the option at least — especially as a runner. It should be noted that while the Charge 3 is swimproof, so it can go in the pool with you.
If you’re looking for built-in GPS or even more advanced features, you’ll want to look at the Ionic, but if not, the Charge 3 is a great all-around fitness tracker that covers the necessary bases. In addition to tracking steps, the Charge 3 also measures stairs climbed, calories burned, resting and active heart rate, and offers in-depth sleep tracking.
With the sleep tracking, it was interesting to see where I stood on average with other women around my age within the app. If you’re feeling stressed, this tracker also offers breathing exercises to help you relax.
The battery life of the Charge 3 lasted me about six days, even when I had notifications for texts and calls activated.
Although it has a bigger screen, this tracker still manages not to be overly bulky, even on my small wrist. I found the wristband to be extremely comfortable, and love that Fitbit offers a ton of different colors and interchangeable band options.
Most reviewers love the Charge 3, especially those who upgraded from the original Charge HR.
Pros: Comfortable design, lots of color and band options, large display, built-in heart rate monitor, in-depth sleep tracking, advanced workout features, real-time workout tracking on screen, long battery life
Why you'll love it: The Fitbit Versa is the best-looking smartwatch-style tracker the company has made yet.
If you want a great fitness tracker with a few key smartwatch features, the Fitbit Versa is a great choice. It's the best looking Fitbit smartwatch so far, and it has a nice unisex design that works equally well for men and women.
The Versa tracks your fitness metrics just like every other Fitbit in our guide. It has a built-in heart rate monitor and it uses your phone's GPS to track workouts. It doesn't have standalone GPS like the Ionic, though, so runners who like to leave their phones behind may be disappointed.
As a smartwatch, the Versa isn't as fully featured as the Apple Watch or Android Wear watches, but it has more than enough smart features to keep most people happy — so long as you want a fitness tracker first and a smartwatch second. As a fitness tracker, the Versa is great. It has excellent pre-set workouts you can follow, you can swim with it on, it has a personal coach, tracks your sleep and activity, and you can see how your workout is going in real time for more than 15 types of exercise.
The Versa can hold about 300 downloaded songs and it works with Deezer or Pandora. Unfortunately, other music streaming services like Spotify and Apple Music are MIA. Again, this only matters if you leave your phone behind because otherwise, you just play music on your phone. You can also pair wireless headphones to the Versa if you do want to leave your phone behind.
The app and watch face selection is still fairly limited, but hopefully more developers will add apps as time goes on. You can get notifications for texts, calls, and WhatsApp messages on the Versa, which is a nice touch. Sadly, iPhone owners can't reply to messages on the watch, though Android users have the option to reply with a few canned responses.
From a distance, the Versa almost looks like the Apple Watch, but close up, it looks much more like the now-defunct Pebble Time Steel. The screen is more square in shape than the curvy rectangular Apple Watch, but it still looks quite nice if slightly less polished. The Versa is good enough looking that you could easily wear it to work or with a nice outfit, and it looks equally good on men and women.
The case is made out of aluminum and you can get it in silver, rose gold, or black finishes. Each Versa comes with both small and large silicone wristbands in either gray (for silver), black (for black), or pink (for rose gold). There are some special-edition bands, too.
You can also choose to buy additional wristbands made from leather, metal, or silicone. Those come in a variety of fun colors and styles. The only downside is that they cost extra.
I tested the silver Versa with the gray silicone wristband and a special Horween leather wristband. Both options looked great with the Versa, and I liked wearing the leather one for work and other nice occasions. The silicone one is perfect for workouts, yoga, and running because it can handle sweat without being damaged. — Malarie Gokey
Pros: Good fitness tracking, heart rate monitor, uses phone's GPS, notifications, some apps, can choose your watch face, good looking
Cons: Bezel isn't as slim as it could be, few apps, no built-in GPS
Why you'll love it: If you’re looking for a fitness tracker with a super slim, sleek design, but don’t want to give up the ability to track your heart rate, the Fitbit Alta HR is perfect for you.
I tested the Alta HR myself, and I can confidently say that its slim design makes it the best-looking Fitbit I've tried. It's a nice option for women with smaller wrists who want to track activity in style.
While you do give up some more advanced features like being able to track workouts in real time on a larger screen, you still have access to your basic stats like steps, heart rate, and calories burned on the smaller screen. It also has a decent battery life and lasted me almost a week before I had to charge it.
Fitbit offers an impressive number of colors and different styles of bands to choose from with the Alta, so you can easily go from a more casual look to one that’s better suited to going out for the evening. It’s slim design also makes it possible to wear other bracelets on the same wrist. Even by itself, it isn’t overly obvious that you’re wearing a fitness tracker.
If you choose to change up the band, it can be snapped on and off easily. I tested one of the leather bands and was impressed with both the comfort and the quality. The Alta HR comes in three sizes: Small, Large, and Extra Large so you can find your perfect fit.
While it does have plenty of features to offer, this tracker doesn’t have some of the more advanced features found in the Charge 2 or the Ionic. It lacks GPS capabilities and the ability to track workouts in real time. However, it will automatically record activities like running, and workout information can also be logged into the app. If you do want more advanced stats for workouts or specific activities like running or cycling, you won’t find those features here.
It should also be noted that the Alta HR is water and sweat resistant, but not waterproof. This won’t be a tracker that you’ll be showering or swimming with.
Despite some of the features it lacks, this fitness tracker still offers plenty. Steps, heart rate tracking, sleep tracking, and calories burned are all here. The Alta HR will also receive smartphone notifications so you’ll know when you’re getting a text or call.
I was especially glad that the accurate sleep tracking is still present in the Alta HR. I like that you can see specific percentages of the sleep stages you were in, including deep, light, and REM sleep throughout the night, as well as the time spent awake.
As with all other Fitbits, the Alta HR syncs with the Fitbit app, so you can keep all your information in one place and view your progress over time.
The reviews for the Alta HR are positive overall. Users who liked the original Fitbit Alta loved the addition of the heart rate monitor to the original sleek design, and others liked the slim fit for all-day comfort as well as the accurate sleep tracking.
Pros: Ultra-sleek design, comfortable fit, built in heart-rate, accurate sleep tracking, ability to receive smartphone notifications
Cons: Smaller screen, no on-screen workout tracking, no GPS capabilities, not waterproof
Why you'll love it: The Fitbit Ionic tracks your daily activity, gives you in-depth workout stats, and real-time coaching, plus, it has smartwatch features.
While it definitely has a place in the smartwatch arena, the Ionic puts fitness tracking first, which isn’t a bad thing if your main priority is to track daily activity and workouts. The smartwatch market is continuing to grow, and with big contenders like Apple dominating the scene, it makes sense that Fitbit released its own version of a smartwatch. I tested the Ionic and was impressed with all the features it offers.
Design wise, the Ionic isn’t the sleekest looking smartwatch out there. It’s angular and bulky — especially on my small wrist. However, despite being on the bulky side, I still found it comfortable to wear throughout the day. People with larger wrists may find it to be the perfect size, too.
Though it does offer in-depth sleep tracking like the Charge 2 and the Alta HR, because of its bigger design I didn’t find it to be the most comfortable thing to wear to bed. I did love it’s bright, full-color display that made it easy to go through all my stats for the day.
Like most of the other Fitbits, the Ionic comes in multiple colors and with multiple strap options that can be easily snapped on and off. The Ionic is also waterproof so swimmers rejoice — you can now track your laps in the pool. It also has a decent multi-day battery life. While testing, it lasted almost 5 days for me before I had to recharge it.
So what does the Ionic do? If you look at it as a stand-alone fitness tracker, it does its job extremely well. It tracks steps, calories burned, and floors climbed. In addition, it offers heart rate monitoring, sleep tracking, and has a built-in GPS. I especially appreciated the built-in GPS as a runner. It was nice not to have to take my phone with me on my runs to track distance. The Ionic can also store music.
The Ionic has plenty of tools to improve your workout experience. You can track workouts in real time on the large screen, and get coached through actual workouts on the watch. Three basic workouts are included with the Coach app. It will also automatically sense an exercise or activity if you forget to start the timer for a workout. It’s also compatible with Bluetooth headphones for listening to stored music or coaching cues.
While it does extremely well as a fitness tracker, there is still some work to be done on the smartwatch front. However, if fitness is your focus and you just want the main features a smartwatch offers, you won’t be disappointed. You can receive call, text, and calendar notifications, check the weather, sync additional workouts with Strava (if you have an account), and even make payments with your watch (similar to Apple Pay).
While apps are available, there is currently a limited selection, which will hopefully improve over time. As far as displaying the time goes, there are multiple options for customizing your watch face. One of my favorites was under the Fitbit Labs section, which features a watch with an interactive pet that you “feed” with steps. My Cat Luna, with a cute green-eyed kitty, definitely inspired me to walk a little further each day. The dog lovers won’t be disappointed either as there are dog options, too. Fitbit aims to please everyone with all the different displays to choose from.
While reviews were positive overall, some reviewers would like to see more apps become available for the Ionic, and do complain that the display can be a little slow at times. I had no issues with the display except when working out — I do wish that it would stay on a little longer and react more quickly. Otherwise, I enjoyed working out and running with the Ionic and loved the full-color screen with the interchangeable clock faces.
This reviewer says it best: If your main priority is to have a reliable fitness tracker, with smartwatch features being secondary you’ll be happy with the Ionic. It may not have all the smartwatch features of the Apple Watch, but it goes above and beyond as an advanced fitness tracker.
Why you'll love it: If you have a young child who has been begging you for a Fitbit, or you’re looking for a simple, sturdy fitness tracker that you don’t have to wear on your wrist, the Fitbit Zip is the device for you.
The Zip is a great basic fitness tracker if you’re just entering the world of wearables, or you have a young kid who’s interested in owning a Fitbit for themselves. Rather than deter them from something that could help them build healthy habits, start them off with the Zip. If it’s you who wants to get in on the Fitness tracker action, but you don’t need something with all the bells and whistles, this device is great for kids and adults alike.
Bonus? If you decide to upgrade to a tracker with more advanced features, it gives you something fun to pass along to younger members of the family to encourage them to be more active.
Out of all the devices Fitbit currently offers, the Zip is the outlier of the bunch when it comes to looks. Rather than being worn on the wrist, it’s designed to be clipped to your clothing, also making it the more discreet looking tracker of the bunch if you don’t feel like wearing it out in plain view.
For such a small tracker, it offers a large tap display so you can easily see your daily stats. These stats can then be synced with your smartphone and stored in the Fitbit app. The Zip offers the least amount of style options, but it does come in two colors: Charcoal and magenta.
It also offers up to 6 months of battery life, so you won’t have to constantly charge it. The inexpensive 3v coin battery is replaceable, so while you won’t have to charge the Zip, you will have to get a new battery when the old one gets low.
As far as features go, it functions mainly as a reliable pedometer. If you’re more interested in tracking your steps throughout the day than having any other fancy features, the Zip will suit you just fine. Its simplicity is also great for kids, who won’t need a lot of the high-tech extras, but will get a kick out of seeing how many steps they can get in a day. However, if you want to keep track of your heart rate and track your sleep, you’ll have to look elsewhere.
In addition to steps, it will also track your distance according to steps taken, as well as the calories you’ve burned. You can also log any exercise in the app, so you can keep track of the workouts you’ve done during the week, and for the month, using the monthly exercise calendar.
The Zip is sweat, rain, and splash proof, but not waterproof, so you won’t want to take this swimming with you. This is the tracker to consider if you’re not 100% sure how you feel about having something wrapped around your wrist for all hours of the day, but you want to give tracking your daily activity a shot without spending a lot of money. Most users find the Zip reliable and accurate, and love its simple design and discreet size.
Fitbit also launched a rebranded version of the Alta called the Fitbit Ace. Because it costs nearly $100, we still recommend the Zip for kids instead.
Pros: Doesn’t need to be worn on the wrist to function, reliable step counting and distance tracking, tracks calories burned, up to 6 months of battery life, wireless syncing to app, relatively affordable
Cons: No heart rate tracking or sleep tracking, not waterproof, limited color and design options
