Fitbit Inspire vs. Flex 2: Should you upgrade?

Fitbit Inspire HR
Fitbit Inspire HR (Image credit: iMore)

Fitbit Inspire vs. Flex 2: Should you upgrade?

Best answer: If you are looking to purchase a new Fitbit and are deciding between the Inspire and the Flex 2, the choice is easy. The Fitbit Inspire is the best choice, as it is newer and more feature-rich. If you already own a Flex 2 and are wondering if it's worth upgrading to the Inspire now, it's still probably worthwhile.Latest model: Fitbit Inspire ($70 at Amazon)Older device: Fitbit Flex 2 ($213 at Amazon)

Breaking down the two

Both Fitbits will track your steps, distance, calorie burn, exercise, and sleep. You'll get move reminders as well as notifications from your smartphone on both, though you can get more types of notifications on the Inspire. Battery life extends to about five days on both. Bands can be swapped out for different looks on the Fitbit Inspire. You can swim with both devices, as they are both waterproof.

The differences count

The most apparent difference between them is that the Flex 2 does not have a screen, and the Inspire does. Not only can the Inspire's screen tell you the time, but having your current stats in a dashboard on your wrist can inspire you to make healthier choices.

You can also see your exercise stats as your work out with the Inspire. There's a button on the Inspire so you can start and stop exercises manually if you wish, while you must rely on auto-tracking on the buttonless Flex 2. The Inspire has female health tracking and food logging, whereas the Flex 2 does not.

Fitbit doesn't even make the Flex 2 anymore; it's been replaced by the Inspire line. You can still find it, with the price greatly inflated, but I'd strongly recommend buying the Inspire instead.

Karen S Freeman
Contributor

Karen is a contributor to iMore.com as a writer and co-host of the iMore Show. She’s been writing about Apple since 2010 with a year-long break to work at an Apple Store as a product specialist. She's also a contributor at TechRadar and Tom's Guide. Before joining iMore in 2018, Karen wrote for Macworld, CNET, AppAdvice, and WatchAware. She’s an early adopter who used to wait in long lines on release days before pre-ordering made things much easier. Karen is also a part-time teacher and occasional movie extra. She loves to spend time with her family, travel the world, and is always looking for portable tech and accessories so she can work from anywhere.