Best Fitbit 2024: Which Fitbit tracker is right for you?
Our guide to the very best Fitbits, from the Inspire to the Versa
Working out which Fitbit is best for you can be a headache. Search for Fitbit on Amazon and you’re presented with a huge amount of choice: even if you discount all the skins and third-party trackers piggybacking off the brand name, there are no fewer than ten Fitbits vying for attention. How do you pick between them?
With this guide, we aim to clear up any confusion you might have and help you decide which is the best Fitbit for you. In addition to the models listed below, however, there may be older Fitbit devices still on the market in small numbers. While Fitbit may have officially discontinued these following the release of its newest trackers, some still make a good purchase. Just because the Fitbit Blaze doesn’t make this list, for example, doesn’t mean it’s not worth looking at for the right price. It goes without saying, however, that if the price exceeds a more modern counterpart listed below, then you should stick to the Fitbit trackers below.
Best Fitbit: At a glance
| Best-value Fitbit smartwatch | Fitbit Versa 3 (~£170) | Check price at John Lewis |
| Best all-round Fitbit | Fitbit Charge 5 (~£100) | Check price at Fitbit |
| Best-value Fitbit | Fitbit Inspire 3 (~£70) | Check price at Fitbit |
| Best Fitbit smartwatch | Google Pixel Watch 2 (~£399) | Check price at Fitbit |
| Best for health and wellbeing features | Fitbit Sense (~£190) | Check price at Amazon |
How to choose the best Fitbit for you
As we’ve mentioned, when it comes to Fitbits, the sheer amount of choice can be dizzying. We’ve outlined some key questions here to ask yourself when making your decision, to help you find the right Fitbit for you.
What features should I look for?
To avoid overloading you with information and putting you off Fitbits for good, this guide isn’t quite as exhaustive as it could be. Instead, here are some of the standout features you should consider before you buy a Fitbit:
- Connected or built-in GPS? In the world of fitness trackers, GPS is crucial. However, it’s important to bear in mind that not all Fitbits have this built-in. Those that don’t will instead offer connected GPS, meaning they rely on your smartphone’s GPS features. So, if you don’t want to take your phone out on your runs all the time, look for a Fitbit with built-in GPS, such as the Versa 3, Charge 4, Ionic or Sense. With the exception of the kids’ Fitbit Ace, all of the wearables in our roundup offer at least connected GPS.
- Fitness and wellbeing features: All Fitbits will offer activity and sleep tracking features, although some might offer more exercise modes than others, as well as other features such as stress management and Active Zone Minutes (Fitbit’s goal-based metric that will tally up the number of minutes you spend exercising). On top of this, Fitbit Premium offers more advanced features such as guided workouts, meditation and further fitness tracking insights, if you’re willing to pay a subscription fee (note that the Inspire 2 comes with one free year of Fitbit Premium). It’s worth checking out our full reviews if you want the full details on what to expect from the different Fitbit models, as well as the key specs.
- Heart-rate monitoring: Today, most Fitbits will be able to monitor your heart rate. Indeed, this is the case with the vast majority of the picks on our list. However, some basic models such as the Alta and the original Inspire don’t offer heart-rate monitoring features. It’s also worth pointing out that some Fitbits, such as the Versa 3 and the Fitbit Sense, boast an improved “multipath” heart rate sensor that Fitbit claims offers more accurate readings.
- Smartwatch or fitness band? Are you concerned only with fitness tracking, or do you want a Fitbit with more smart features? While the slim fitness trackers keep things simple, Fitbit smartwatches such as the Versa series, the Sense and the Ionic will, in addition to having a bigger display screen, come with additional features such as the ability to store music, respond to texts and answer calls (the Sense and the Versa 3 have a speaker and microphone built in to allow you to take calls from your wrist). Bear in mind, though, that such fancy Fitbits will inevitably be more expensive.
Do I even want a Fitbit?
If you’ve read this far, you might be tempted to ignore this question. However, in today’s market, Fitbit doesn’t hold the monopoly on fitness trackers. You’ve got plenty of options from brands such as Garmin, as well as Huawei and Xiaomi, for example. So, if you really want to do your research and get the full rundown, we recommend also reading some of our other roundups, listed below:
- Best sports watches
- Best fitness trackers
- Best waterproof fitness trackers
- Best running watch
- Best golf GPS watch
- Best Garmin watch
Otherwise, read on for our pick of the best Fitbits to buy.
The best Fitbits you can buy in 2024
Update: Fitbit recently announced the arrival of a handful of new wearables, including the Sense 2, Inspire 3 and Versa 4. We’re working on bringing you full-length reviews of the new fitness trackers, so keep an eye out on our site, as well as on our roundup below.
1. Fitbit Versa 3: Best-value Fitbit smartwatch
Price when reviewed: £170 | Check price at John Lewis
The Versa is Fitbit’s most popular smartwatch-style tracker and made a big splash when it was first introduced. Sleek, stylish and lightweight, it’s a decent alternative to more expensive rivals from Apple and Samsung.
The main drawback of the original was the lack of integrated GPS, meaning you couldn’t track speed, pace and position without taking your phone in your pocket while you worked out.
That all changes with the Versa 3, the first Versa smartwatch to feature built-in GPS. That’s not where the upgrades stop, either. The Versa 3 also comes with an upgraded “multipath” heart-rate sensor, a screen that fills more of the front of the watch body, plus the ability to take phone calls. Though it’s not live in the UK yet, Google Assistant will also be coming to the Versa 3 in a later update.
Read our full Fitbit Versa 3 review
Key specs – Screen type: Colour AMOLED; Battery life: 6 days (48 hours with always-on-display enabled); Replaceable strap: Yes; GPS: In-built; Heart rate: Yes; Altimeter: No
2. Fitbit Sense: Best for health and wellbeing features
Price when reviewed: £190 | Check price at Amazon
As the successor to the Fitbit Ionic, the Sense has its focus largely set on health and wellbeing tracking and it’s stuffed with new features. These include an EDA (electrodermal activity) sensor to measure stress, the ability to take ECG and SpO2 readings, and Fitbit’s latest “multipath” heart-rate sensor.
In addition to this, the Sense comes with the usual sports tracking modes as well as built-in GPS, over six days of battery life and the ability to take calls if you’ve got your phone nearby (as with the Versa 3, the addition of Google Assistant is coming soon). That said, at a retail price of £300, it’s far from the cheapest Fitbit out there, and those looking for a wearable specifically for running/activity stats might be better off with a Garmin Forerunner 245 or Vivoactive 3.
Read our full Fitbit Sense review
Key specs – Screen type: Colour AMOLED; Battery life: 6 days (12 hours with continuous GPS enabled); Replaceable strap: Yes; GPS: In-built; Heart rate: Yes; Altimeter: Yes
3. Fitbit Charge 5: Best all-round Fitbit
Price when reviewed: £100 | Check price Fitbit
Following in the footsteps of the excellent Charge 4, the Fitbit Charge 5 makes a few crucial improvements, not least of which is a sorely needed design overhaul. The Charge 5 is ten per cent thinner than the previous iteration, with a gently curved colour AMOLED display that softens the corners and brings verve to a previously square and monochrome watch face.
By incorporating built-in GPS with additional sensors like the ability to perform electrocardiogram (ECG) tests and to measure electrodermal activity (EDA, or sweat to you and me), the Charge 5 records just about anything you might want recorded, filtering the information into Fitbit’s excellent companion app in a digestible manner.
While it does cost more than the Charge 4 at launch – and removes the ability to control Spotify – it comes with six months of free access to Fitbit Premium, which usually costs £8/mth, to help you mix up your workouts. Coupling that with seven days per charge capacity, this is a smartwatch that will assist your step up in fitness when and where you can.
Read our full Fitbit Charge 5 review
Key specs – Screen type: Colour AMOLED; Battery life: 7 days (GPS and always-on display switched off); Replaceable strap: Yes; GPS: Built-in; Heart rate: Yes; Altimeter: No
4. Fitbit Inspire 3: Best-value Fitbit
Price when reviewed: £70 | Check price at Fitbit
If you’re looking for a straightforward, pragmatic fitness tracker, the Fitbit Inspire 3 is the way to go. The successor to the Inspire 2, the Inspire 3 is sleeker, packed with features and a genuine improvement. Equipped with a colour AMOLED display, blood oxygen measurement, steps, sleep, active minutes, and calorie tracker, it is the perfect companion for the casual fitness fan.
Although it still doesn’t come with GPS capabilities, the Fitbit Inspire 3 can track your pace and position via the Fitbit app, as long as you carry your phone during a run, walk or hike. The battery life also remains impressive at up to ten days.
Stylish, efficient, and excellent value for money, the Fitbit Inspire 3 is a banker for those looking to take the next step in their fitness journey.
Read our full Fitbit Inspire 3 review
Key specs – Screen type: Colour AMOLED; Battery life: 10 days; Replaceable strap: Yes; GPS: Connected only; Heart rate: Yes; Altimeter: No
5. Google Pixel Watch 2: Best Fitbit smartwatch
Price when reviewed: £399 | Check price at Fitbit
When it comes to choosing a smartwatch, you need something that stands out above the rest, and the Google Pixel Watch 2 does exactly that.
The Pixel 2 is a step up from the older model. Having replaced the ancient Exynos 9110 chipset with the Snapdragon SW5100, Google has made the watch’s performance both faster and more energy efficient, and with the inclusion of a slightly larger battery and speedy charging, improved the battery life as well.
As with its predecessor, the smartwatch runs on Google’s Wear OS platform, which not only integrates Fitbit features, but also allows you to install apps from Google’s app ecosystem — including Spotify, Google Calendar, and WhatsApp – and gives you easy access to the Google Assistant on your wrist.
In addition to the performance upgrade, the Pixel 2 comes equipped with a new continuous electrodermal activity (cEDA) sensor to monitor stress levels by tracking your heart rate and heart rate variability.
There’s also a new Safety Check feature, which works by setting a timer and designating one or two emergency contacts before heading out on a run, walk, or hike. When the timer ends, the watch will ask you to confirm your safety, and, if you don’t, an SOS message will be sent out with your location for help.
If you’re looking for an all-round smartwatch that can do it all and do it well, the Google Pixel 2 has you covered.
Read our full Google Pixel Watch 2 review
Key specs – Screen type: Colour AMOLED; Battery life: Up to 24 hours; Replaceable strap: Yes; GPS: Yes; Heart rate: Yes; Altimeter: Yes
6. Fitbit Versa: Best budget Fitbit smartwatch
Price when reviewed: £70 | Check price at Amazon
This is now Fitbit’s oldest Versa (particularly with the introduction of the Versa 3), but it’s still one of the best-value Fitbit smartwatches you can buy. While not the most fully featured, the Versa is a better overall buy than the Ionic for three reasons: weight, looks and price. It’s a more comfortable fit, it has something of the Apple Watch about it, and it goes for £100 cheaper than the top-end product.
Yes, it lacks GPS, meaning you’ll need to take your phone out if you want to track your runs accurately, but if you’re happy with that, then there’s simply no contest.
Read our full Fitbit Versa review
Key specs – Screen type: Colour LCD; Battery life: 4+ days; Replaceable strap: Yes; GPS: Connected only; Heart rate: Yes; Altimeter: No
7. Fitbit Inspire 2: Best budget Fitbit
Price when reviewed: £50 | Check price at John Lewis
As a great-value fitness tracker, we really liked the Fitbit Inspire HR, and it stands to reason that we should also look favourably on its follow-up, the Inspire 2.
Launched at £90, the same retail price as the Inspire HR, the Inspire 2 is very similar to its predecessor, in a similarly good-looking sleek (though more rounded) package. Where it stands out, however, is the battery life, offering up to ten days from a single charge – double that of its predecessor. The Inspire 2 also comes with the Active Zone Minutes feature that was introduced earlier in 2020 and 24/7 heart-rate monitoring. Much like the Inspire HR, though, you’ll have to make do with connected GPS. In other words, you’ll need to take your phone out with you if you want speed and positional data from your workouts.
Read our full Fitbit Inspire review
Key specs – Screen type: Monochrome OLED; Battery life: 10 days; Replaceable strap: Yes; GPS: Connected only; Heart rate: Yes; Altimeter: No
8. Fitbit Luxe: Best Fitbit for the fashion-conscious
Price when reviewed: £100 | Check price at Fitbit
As far as fitness-tracking features go, the Fitbit Luxe is relatively basic, even disappointing in some respects: there’s no GPS, heart-rate tracking accuracy leaves a lot to be desired, and the screen is frustratingly small.
But, arguably, the real point of the Luxe isn’t it’s performance or apps – it’s all about the looks. The Luxe is Fitbit’s first fitness tracker in which aesthetics take centre stage, and they don’t disappoint. This sleek and stylish wearable comes in a range of designs that look fantastic, from soft gold stainless steel with a lunar white wristband, to a special edition gold link bracelet (which will cost you an extra £70).
The Fitbit Luxe does a good job of nailing basic fitness and activity metrics. Sleep tracking is impressive, it’s got a good battery life, and it also comes with 6 months of Fitbit Premium. But because of the flaws mentioned above, it’s hard to recommend it on performance alone. Instead, the Luxe is primarily for those who consider fashion as a top priority.
Read our full Fitbit Luxe review
Key specs – Screen type: Colour AMOLED; Battery life: 5 days; Replaceable strap: Yes; GPS: Connected only; Heart rate: Yes; Altimeter: No
9. Fitbit Ace 3: Best Fitbit for kids
Price when reviewed: £50 | Check price at Fitbit
When it comes to encouraging your kids to be more active, the Ace is a great little device.
The third generation in the Ace line makes some improvements on its predecessor: the monochrome POLED screen is brighter and easier to read, you can set bedtime reminders, and the battery life has been boosted from “up to five days” to “up to eight days”.
There’s no GPS or heart-rate monitoring (despite the presence of a sensor on the back on the device), but there’s plenty of features to like about the Ace 3: most notably the ability to set targets for steps, “active minutes” and sleep. It’s simple, affordable and easy-to-use, making it the perfect choice for little ones, helping them to develop healthy habits.
Read our full Fitbit Ace 3 review
Key specs – Screen type: Monochrome OLED; Battery life: 8 days; Replaceable strap: Yes; GPS: No; Heart rate: No; Altimeter: No
10. Fitbit Sense 2: Buy the Fitbit Sense instead
Price when reviewed: £180 | Check price at Fitbit
Usually, when a company releases a successor to an older model, upgrades are made to improve on the first one. However, in this instance, Fitbit has missed the mark.
The Sense 2 is a good-looking watch, and in its defence, comes equipped with some handy new features. One of these is the addition of Google integration, allowing access to Google Maps and Google Pay, something that the original Sense previously lacked.
The other is the new physical button – a step up from the capacitive sensor on its predecessor. But with those upgrades, come a handful of downgrades. Downloading third-party software via the App Gallery is no longer supported, internal storage cannot be used for music, and controlling on-phone audio via music control is out the window, too. There’s no longer built-in Wi-Fi, meaning firmware updates are delivered slowly via Bluetooth, and the GPS accuracy is below par.
The watch’s new continuous electrodermal activity (EDA) measurement is worth having, but it can’t make up for the Sense 2’s deficiencies. It’s for these reasons that we cannot recommend it over the original Fitbit Sense, which, in the words of our expert is: “undeniably better value”.
Read our full Fitbit Sense 2 review
Key specs – Screen type: Colour AMOLED; Battery life: Six days and up; Replaceable strap: Yes; GPS: Yes; Heart rate: Yes; Altimeter: Yes
11. Fitbit Versa 4: A stripped-down version of its former self
Price when reviewed: £160 | Check price at Fitbit
The Versa 4 is another anti-climatic upgrade from Fitbit. The smartwatch has seen some beneficial improvements, but the unnecessary removal of key features lets it down.
It still maintains built-in GPS, heart rate, sleep, stress and blood oxygen monitoring – which in itself makes it a handy choice for the causal fitness goer. And, the new addition of 40 tracked exercises in contrast to the previous 20 is a nice touch, especially for A to B activities, like running, cycling and kayaking.
However, the Versa 4, ultimately, is a stripped-back version of its predecessor. You can no longer use the internal storage for music, the Wi-Fi has been disabled and the downloading of third-party apps is no longer an option, leaving you only with Fitbit’s pre-downloaded choices. On top of that, the GPS performance leaves a lot to be desired, providing inaccurate readings and lacking consistency.
If you’re happy to keep it simple, the Versa 4 is a good-looking smartwatch that covers most of the basics. But for the reasons outlined above, we can’t recommend it over the Versa 3 while it remains available.
Read our full Fitbit Versa 4 review
Key specs – Screen type: Colour AMOLED; Battery life: Six days and up; Replaceable strap: Yes; GPS: Yes; Heart rate: Yes; Altimeter: Yes