Best Fitbit in 2023

Fitbit wasn't the first company in the fitness tracker game, but they so effectively defined their niche that their name is almost synonymous with fitness trackers. The brand first hit store shelves in 2009 with a simple movement tracker that clipped onto clothing. Since then, the product lineup has evolved to offer a range of fitness trackers and smartwatches. There's a Fitbit for every lifestyle, and this guide will help you find it.

Finding the right Fitbit for your lifestyle and activity level

The Sense 2 isn't the fanciest option in Fitbit's current slate of devices, but it offers everything you'd want in an activity tracker without any extra fluff.

The Sense 2 covers the basics, tracking steps, distance traveled, and estimated calories burned, but that's just the beginning. This tracker is designed to be worn at all times and has the battery life to pull it off; it lasts for 6 days or more between charges.

In addition to tracking your workouts, the Sense 2 monitors stress levels, heart health, and sleep patterns, providing readouts for each and suggestions for reaching your goals. Then it crunches all those numbers over time to calculate a readiness score in real-time, letting you know if it's safe to hit the weights or if recovery time is required. Moreover, the Sense 2 is waterproof up to depths of 50 meters, so it can track your activity on land and in the water.

All that only scratches the surface of what the Sense 2 can do. Track your runs with built-in GPS, monitor skin temperature and oxygen saturation levels, and get smartphone notifications all on a full-color touchscreen. Some features are only available with the included six-month premium membership; fees apply after the trial period.

If you're the sort of person who wants the very best option on offer, the Google Pixel Watch is the Fitbit for you. As the name suggests, the Google Pixel Watch is a fully-fledged, Android-compatible (sorry, Apple users!) smartwatch with Fitbit functionality built right in.

In terms of fitness, health, and wellness tracking, it does nearly everything the Sense 2 does. It tracks your steps, exercise, heart rate, breathing, sleep score, and stress levels. And since it's also a smartwatch, it has a handful of pretty cool extras, like access to your music and podcast library during workouts. It's also water-resistant up to 50 meters deep, so you can wear it for a swim.

Perhaps the most important (and hopefully the most infrequently used) extra is the built-in fall detection and emergency SOS. If you take a spill, your watch can detect that and ask if you're okay. If you are unresponsive, the watch will automatically contact emergency services and your listed emergency contact for assistance. Smartwatch functionality does come with a cost in battery life, you'll only get a day between charges, compared to the week-long battery life of other Fitbit devices.

The Google Pixel Watch comes in two versions, one with a 4G LTE connection, compatible with most major wireless providers, and one with Bluetooth only. While the Bluetooth-only version requires connection with a compatible Android smartphone, the 4G LTE version is entirely independent, keeping you connected without a companion device as long as you're in a service area.

Of every option in Fitbit's current slate, the Charge 5 offers the biggest bang for your buck; it's a robust and well-rounded fitness tracker at a reasonable price. It's clear at first glance, thanks to the slim rectangular display, that this isn't a smartwatch. But that doesn't mean the Charge 5 is lacking functionality.

Sure, it can't send or receive Bluetooth voice calls from your smartphone, but that isn't its purpose. The Charge 5 is a self-contained device intended to be used independently while supplementing some functions with associated smartphone apps.

On its own, the Charge 5 has built-in stress detection, oxygen detection sensor, exercise tracking, and built-in GPS to track runs, even if you leave your phone at home. Using GPS, you can see location information alongside intensity data, highlighting areas of your workout path that got your heart pumping.

When it's time for bed, the Charge 5 detects your sleep patterns, and the Smart wake alarm nudges you when you've reached the ideal sleep stage for waking. Additionally, the watch gathers heart health data in the background, including resting heart rate, heart rate variability, ECG assessments, and irregular heart rhythm notifications. All your data is gathered in a daily readiness score to help you determine when it's time to push or take a break. Everything you might want from a fitness tracker is nicely tucked into this streamlined and comfortable design.

If you've decided on a smartwatch over a fitness tracker, but don't want to break the bank, the Versa 4 has well-rounded functionality for a reasonable price.

The lower price does mean that you're sacrificing some functions compared to other Fitbit-enabled smartwatches. In particular, the Versa 4 lacks the ECG app (which monitors your heart for arrhythmia), the skin temperature sensor, and fall detection. It's also missing some of the stress-related services, including all-day body response tracking and the EDA mindfulness app. That said, the Versa 4 maintains all the core Fitbit functions you'd expect in a fitness tracker.

Whether you're exercising at home, at the gym, or out in the world, the Versa 4 can track your activity with built-in exercise modes. If you're running, biking, or exercising otherwise out in the world, you can plan and track your route using built-in GPS. This means you can leave your phone at home if you want. More than just an exercise tracker, the Versa 4 also keeps an eye on your heart rate around the clock and tracks sleep duration and quality, providing a wealth of well-rounded data.

Oftentimes, smartwatches and fitness trackers are slightly garish. They're usually good at being gadgets but not so good at being fashion accessories. Their screens must be large enough to display crucial information pleasantly while still being small enough to wear comfortably on the wrist. And thick, flexible bands focused on comfort and reliability take precedence over style most of the time.

The Fitbit Luxe endeavors to find the sweet spot between function and fashion with a slim, elegant design. Inside, you'll find all the fitness tracking capabilities you've come to expect from the brand. It's set up to track your sleep stages, chart a sleep profile, and provide a sleep score. You'll also get 24-hour heart rate monitoring and stress management. When it comes time to break a sweat, the Luxe will track your movements and provide real-time data on speed, distance, and more.

The standard version comes in three color options, and you can always swap out bands to match whatever you're wearing. If you want to treat yourself, the Special Edition Fitbit Luxe includes a wristband designed by the fashion label gorjana. The adjustable metal band is composed of elegant stainless steel rings that will look great even at the fanciest events.

Sometimes simpler is better. If you're looking to dip your toe in the Fitbit pool in a simplified way, the Inspire 3 is the most accessible tracker aimed at adults.

Despite the affordable price, the Inspire 3 doesn't skimp on features. You can track many common exercises manually, but you don't have to. The tracker pays attention to your body and detects physical activity automatically. Throughout the day, it will log active minutes, steps, distance, and calories burned. It'll also note your heart rate, respiration, oxygen saturation, and more, then provide a wellness report based on the data. The idea is to wear the tracker nearly all the time, and you can thanks to 10 days of battery life.

You will, however, have to give up a few things. The Inspire 3 can't take Bluetooth calls, can't load additional apps, and there is no built-in GPS. If you want to track your morning run or evening stroll, you'll have to connect the tracker to a smartphone. Fortunately, it is compatible with both Android and iOS.

The Ace 3 is unique among Fitbit's offerings in a few important ways, all aimed at making it more accessible and useful for children ages six and up. The first way it differs is the reinforced silicon casing around the tracker. It's thicker and rises over the display to provide extra bump protection.

The user experience is also streamlined, providing simple information like active minutes, number of steps, and hours of sleep with simple graphics that are easy to understand. And the tracker is water-resistant up to 50 meters deep, so it can stand up to whatever your kid throws at it.

All the activity, sleep, and health data feeds into a smartphone app for parents or caregivers to view. That way, you can keep an eye on your kids' activity and make sure they're getting enough sleep. Speaking of sleep, in addition to tracking hours and sleep phases, the Ace 3 offers bedtime reminders to keep your kiddo on schedule. To sweeten the pot a little bit more, users can earn prizes like digital watch faces and avatars to incentivize exercise and play.

Balancing form and function on your wrist

Fitbit was one of the first names in the wearable activity tracker space, and they're still one of the most reliable. No matter what workout you're planning or where your activities take you, there's a Fitbit for every lifestyle.

The Sense 2 is the best Fitbit model overall, balancing features and comfort in a well-rounded wearable. The diverse data set, tracking, and trends will keep you well-informed about your fitness goals and progress.

If cost isn't an obstacle, and you want the widest feature set, you can't do better than the Google Pixel Watch with Fitbit built in. It's the only device with fall detection and emergency SOS, and you'll also have access to Google's suite of functions, including Google Wallet, Google Assistant, and the Google Play Store. Of course, you'll lose battery life in exchange for all the extra bells and whistles. By contrast, the Charge 5 is undoubtedly the best value, retaining heart rate tracking, built-in GPS, daily readiness score, exercise modes, and more.

Rest assured, there is a Fitbit smartwatch or fitness tracker that will fit your wrist and your lifestyle perfectly.