Full-on smartwatch
If you're in the market for a smartwatch with a fitness focus, it's hard to do better than Fitbit Versa in both price and versatility.
Pros
- Over 100 apps
- Swim-proof
- Gorgeous color display
- On-screen coaching
Cons
- More expensive than other trackers
- Kind of large for smaller wrists
Fashionable and functional
If you're looking for a fitness tracker that looks as good on the town as it does in the gym, then the accurate Alta HR is great option.
Pros
- Sleek design
- Designer band options
- Smartphone notifications
- 7-day battery life
Cons
- Not swim-proof
- Pricey for just a tracker
The breakdown
The Fitbit Versa is Fitbit's latest outright smartwatch, and it has all the smarts you'd want in a wearable, including quick replies to texts, other phone notifications, the ability to store up to 300 songs, and a lot more. The best part is that it's pressed better than many leading smartwatches. The trade-off is that its app gallery is still lacking just a tad.
The Fitbit Alta HR is Fitbit's tracker with a bit of a fashion focus, with tons of designer bands to choose from, as well as many third-party options. It's Fitbit's slimmest tracker with a heart rate monitor, making it a less clunky option for folks who like to where their tracker anywhere and everywhere.
| Header Cell - Column 0 | Fitbit Alta HR | Fitbit Versa |
|---|---|---|
| Step counter | ✔ | ✔ |
| Floors climbed | Row 1 - Cell 1 | ✔ |
| Multisport tracking | Row 2 - Cell 1 | ✔ |
| Heart rate monitor | ✔ | ✔ |
| Sleep tracking | ✔ | ✔ |
| Swim-proof | Row 5 - Cell 1 | ✔ |
| Smartphone notifications | ✔ | ✔ |
| Quick replies (Android only) | Row 7 - Cell 1 | ✔ |
| App gallery | Row 8 - Cell 1 | ✔ |
| Weather updates | Row 9 - Cell 1 | ✔ |
| Female health tracking | Row 10 - Cell 1 | ✔ |
| Guided Breathing sessions | Row 11 - Cell 1 | ✔ |
| Connected GPS | Row 12 - Cell 1 | ✔ |
| On-screen workouts | Row 13 - Cell 1 | ✔ |
| NFC payments | Row 14 - Cell 1 | Only on special edition |
| Stores music | Row 15 - Cell 1 | ✔ |
| Designer accessories | ✔ | ✔ |
| Personalized on-screen coaching | Row 17 - Cell 1 | ✔ |
The main difference here, and what should ultimately be your deciding factor is whether or not you want a smartwatch. Really take a look at the features and consider whether or not it's prudent for you to spend the additional $70 on the Versa.
Sure, it's cool to have a wearable that lets you respond quickly to texts, view on-screen coaching, and use a pile of apps (exercises apps, services apps like Starbucks, and many, many others). But if you think the novelty will wear off after a couple weeks and you merely want to see when someone messages you or your have a calendar event, then the Alta HR is more than enough.
If you'd like smartwatch features along with excellent fitness tracking, grab the Versa.
For a $200 smartwatch, the Fitbit Versa is excellent. If you want great fitness tracking, lots of apps, and a good-looking smartwatch, you'd be hard-pressed to find a better option.
While it is expensive, the Aria 2 works flawlessly within the Fitbit ecosystem of trackers.
Fitbit's Wi-Fi syncing is incredibly convenient, and when combined with a tracker, it paints a full picture of your overall health. It may lack certain metrics, but if those don't matter to you, then it's negligible.
