Best Fitbit 2021

Best Fitbit iMore 2021

• Best overall: Fitbit Sense
• Best value: Fitbit Inspire 2
• Best smartwatch: Fitbit Versa 3
• Best tracker: Fitbit Charge 5
• Best fashion forward: Fitbit Luxe
• Best kids: Fitbit Ace 3

Best overall: Fitbit Sense

The Fitbit Sense is by far Fitbit's most advanced and feature-packed smartwatch and possesses all of the premium features Fitbit offers. It's outfitted with smart tech like voice assistant, music, customizable apps, and the ability to make and receive calls right from your wrist, on top of a built-in GPS, Active Zone Minutes, and all-day activity tracking. Plus, some advanced features like EDA, ECG, and Sp02 monitoring.

The EDA scan app detects electrodermal activity, which may indicate your body's response to stress, and reveals a graph in the Fitbit app to illuminate it. You'll receive a daily stress management score to better understand how your body is handling stress. The on-wrist skin temperature sensor tracks your skin temperature each night to show how it varies from your personal baseline, so you can monitor trends over time.

The ECG app will assess your heart for any rhythm irregularities. If it picks up anything unusual, you'll be notified immediately and can share the results with your doctor. The Sense tracks SpO2, the level of oxygen in your blood, to help you learn when there may be an indication of important changes in your wellbeing. See your SpO2 nightly average and range with a SpO2 clock face, and view trends over time with Fitbit Premium.

Active Zone Minutes are a heart-based training tool that buzz your wrist when entering your personalized target heart rate zone. This feature enables you to effectively and accurately track your calorie burn and get the most out of every workout. You can view how your heart rate changes along your workout routes in your workout intenisty map in the Fitbit app.

This smartwatch offers up to six days of battery life, depending on how you use it. Note that the battery life significantly diminishes while you're using GPS. You'll also get smart tech like voice assistant so you can check the news or set alarms, media play, stream, and storage, and customizable apps.

Purchasing this product comes with a free six-month trial of Fitbit Premium for new Premium users only. After six months, or if you're already a Premium user, a monthly membership is required to access all of the features the Fitbit Sense has to offer. This smartwatch is pricey, but it is jam-packed with the best features Fitbit has to offer..

Best value: Fitbit Inspire 2

If you're looking to save some money and don't mind sacrificing a few features, Fitbit Inspire 2 might be the option for you. The Inspire 2 has a sleek, lightweight design if you're into wearing something low-profile on your wrist. It features Active Zone Minutes and all-day activity tracking. That means it will give you a buzz when you reach your target heart rate zones and will keep tabs on your daily steps, distance, hourly activity, and calories burned.

Like all Fitbit smartwatches and trackers, it's swim-proof up to 50 meters. It offers 24/7 heart rate monitoring to help you maximize your exercise sessions, see heart rate zones, track sleep stages, and effectively track calorie burn. It has killer battery life and can operate for up to 10 days on a full charge.

On the downside, sleep tracking seems to be hit or miss. It tracks based on movement, so it might assume you're asleep if you don't move. That being said, if you're a super active sleeper, it might not be able to track your sleep at all because it thinks you're awake. Also, note that this is a tracker, not a smartwatch, so you won't be able to do things like downloading your favorite apps or store and stream music. There is no built-in GPS, but you can connect to your phone's GPS to track distance and pace.

Best smartwatch: Fitbit Versa 3

The Fitbit Versa 3 is a motivational health and fitness smartwatch with new features like built-in GPS, workout intensity maps, Active Zone Minutes, and Sp02 monitoring.

Active Zone Minutes focus on heart-based training and let you know when you reach target heart rate zones. The built-in GPS tracks your distance, pace, and workout intensity within the Fitbit app. When you check your workout intensity map in the app after you exercise, it will display your heart rate zones throughout your route so you can see where you put in the most effort.

The Versa 3 offers oxygen saturation (Sp02) monitoring that measures the level of oxygen in your blood. You can see your Sp02 nightly average and range right on your wrist with one of the Sp02 clock faces and view trends over time. It has a battery life of up to six days, depending on how you use it, and offers advanced sleep tracking.

You can track your time in light, deep, and REM sleep and receive a Sleep Score to better understand your sleep quality. You can use the Smart Wake feature to wake you during the optimal stage of sleep, so you feel refreshed and ready to conquer your day. It's loaded with all of Fitbit's featured health and fitness tracking. Plus, it's lightweight and swim-proof up to 50 meters.

On the downside, there is no personal music storage on the Versa 3. You can store music for offline use via Pandora or Deezer Premium (sold separately), but you won't be able to upload your own tunes on this watch. You can stream playlists from Spotify, Pandora, and Deezer, but you must be connected to your phone via Bluetooth. You also won't get EDA scans or ECG monitoring like you do with Fitbit Sense.

Best tracker: Fitbit Charge 5

Fitbit Charge 5 has arrived. It's by far Fitbit's most advanced tracker to date. On top of what we loved about Fitbit Charge 4, Charge 5 hosts new EDA and ECG scans, as well as a Daily Readiness Score to help make the most of your day (although they're not available yet).

Stay on top of your heart health with ECG monitoring. The Fitbit ECG app checks your heart for atrial fibrillation — a heart rhythm irregularity so you can share the results with your doctor. EDA scans detect tiny changes in your skin's stress level, which indicates your body's physical response to stress.

Use your Stress Management Score to see how daily routines, including exercise, mindfulness, and sleep, help to manage your stress levels. Active Zone Minutes help with heart-based training and give your wrist a buzz when you reach your personalized heart rate zones. You can see how your heart rate changed along your workout routes with workout intensity maps.

Daily Readiness Scores help optimize your energy. This score tells you if you're ready for an intense workout, should take it easy, or must prioritize recovery. It's based on your sleep, exercise, and heart rate variability.

Fitbit Charge 5 has you covered when it comes to all-day activity and sleep tracking. You can even make contactless purchases with Fitbit Pay, and you'll get up to seven days of battery life depending on your usage. Make Charge 5 your own with a customizable watch face and interchangeable bands. This feature-heavy tracker is a great value.

Best fashion forward: Fitbit Luxe

Fitbit Luxe was designed with the fashionista in mind. This fitness tracker has serious style. This fashion-forward fit band features a slim design, polished stainless steel casing, and a bracelet-like band, making it a gorgeous piece that works with any outfit or occasion. When it comes to features, it's got plenty.

Fitbit Luxe features Active Zone Minutes, 24/7 heart rate, Sp02 monitoring (which Sp02 watch face), all-day activity and sleep tracking, stress management tools, and guided breathing sessions. It's outfitted with SmartTrack, which automatically recognizes and records your workouts. It offers 20 pre-loaded exercise modes, so you'll get real-time stats while you sweat.

It only has a five-day battery life, which is a lot less than some of Fitbit's other trackers like Fitbit Inspire 2. It also does not have built-in GPS, though you can connect to your phone for connected GPS tracking.

Best kids: Fitbit Ace 3

Fitbit Ace 3 is Fitbit's latest kid-friendly tracker. Animated clock faces grow and develop as your kids move throughout the day. This nifty fitness tracker features all-day activity tracking to show your kids healthy habits that lead to healthier lifestyles. It offers sleep tracking so you can set bedtime reminders and alarms.

The Ace 3 is waterproof up to 50 meters, so your kids can rock it in the bath, lake, or pool. They can also challenge their families to step competitions and send approved friends messages or cheers in the Fitbit app. Kids earn virtual badges and get to have fun on-screen celebrations when they reach their goals. On the downside, you can't download apps on this tracker, and it's not well suited for older kids. Also, the features are pretty limited.

Bottom line

Fitbit's offerings are extensive. It's easy to get lost in the sea of Fitbit products and accessories. After researching extensively, we feel the Fitbit Sense is the best overall because it's loaded with all of the premium features Fitbit has to offer.

It delivers comprehensive health and fitness tracking. This advanced smartwatch gives a huge bang for your buck and pulls out all the stops when it comes to features, versatility, and style. However, whether you're looking for a feature-heavy smartwatch or a basic fitness tracker, Fitbit has you covered. It has everything from top-of-the-line smartwatches to kid-friendly, basic fitness trackers, so take a look.

Credits — The team that worked on this guide