If physical activity is your main goal, we think Fitbit bands take the cake (especially if you play multiple sports), but the Apple Watch, of course, offers much more than activity tracking and heart rate monitoring.
The Apple Watch’s growing ecosystem of apps will make it a much more versatile device than a fitness bracelet. But that comes at a very high price.
Below, you can find a comparative table of the prices of all the activity monitors of both brands currently available on their respective websites, ordered by brand and from lowest to highest initial cost.
fitbit Prices
Google Pixel Watch US$349.99
Fitbit Sense 2 US$299.95
FitbitSense US$199.95
Fitbit Versa US$199.95
Fitbit Versa 3 US$134.95
Fitbit Versa 2 US$119.95
Fitbit Charge 5 US$119.95
Fitbit Luxe US$129.95
Fitbit Inspire 3 US$99.95
Fitbit Ace 3 US$79.95
Fitbit Inspire 2 US$49.95
AppleWatch Prices
Apple Watch SE (2022) US$249
Apple Watch Series 8 US$399
Apple Watch Ultra US$799
Fitbits offer much longer battery life (the Charge 5 lasts up to a week), so they don’t have to be charged every night while you sleep. Only the most expensive Apple Watch Ultra comes close to a day and a half.
Detailed sleep monitoring can give us as much information about our health as our daytime exercise routine. Although Apple has added a sleep app, poor battery life makes it a problem for users. Sleep tracking on Fitbit is much simpler, although Fitbit hides some of the metrics from its Premium subscribers.
If you have an Android, the Apple Watch simply isn’t for you. Without an iPhone, it’s pretty useless.
Apple Watch users don’t need to have a Fitbit in addition to their prized digital watch, but runners and fitness lovers should consider adding some third-party apps or a dedicated sports watch from Garmin, Suunto or Polar, or try the Ionic. Of course, a big advantage of the Apple Watch is its ability to make and receive phone calls, matched only by the Fitbit Versa 3 and 4 and the Sense 1 and 2.
So we vote for the Fitbits when it comes to fitness tracking, but we applaud Apple for the Watch’s fitness apps, which should push watch owners to get up and move more, something they We could all do well to avoid falling into unhealthy lifestyles.
Comparison of all models: Apple Watch vs Fitbit.
While it’s a great entry-level, the Fitbit Inspire 3 is perhaps too basic to be compared to the Apple Watch.
The Fitbit Charge 5 is not a smartwatch. Its applications are basic, although it has been updated with a color touch screen. But apart from that, it is an activity tracker that offers a ton of fitness and smart features, such as built-in GPS, heart rate monitor, automatic training detection, altimeter, smartphone notifications, contactless payments and even stress monitoring. Prices starting at US$119.95.
The Fitbit Versa 3 is a smartwatch with a large color touchscreen that allows for brighter graphics and on-screen workouts, plus an always-on display option. It has a microphone and speaker for phone calls, and has Alexa and Google Assistant voice tools, music control and some smartwatch apps. Prices from US$134.95.
The Fitbit Versa 4 smartwatch equals the Versa 3 in most aspects and features, but is limited in others (such as third-party apps, Google Assistant and music control), making the Versa 3 the best fitness smartwatch, and you can also find it with some discount. Prices starting at US$199.95.
The Fitbit Sense adds many sensors that are built around health as well as fitness. It has stress management tools based on sensors that measure electrodermal activity (EDA) and skin temperature. It also has SP02 monitoring to measure blood oxygen and electrocardiogram (ECG) to check heart rate with high and low heart rate notifications. Prices starting at US$199.95.
As with the Versa 4, the Fitbit Sense 2 falls behind now that Google has pushed the Pixel Watch, so we prefer the cheaper original version. Prices starting at US$299.95.
Google, which bought Fitbit in 2019, now has its own smartwatch, the Pixel Watch. It has many more apps than the Fitbit Sense or Sense 2, but despite having Fitbit features built in, it doesn’t have as many health and fitness sensors as the cheaper Fitbit smartwatch. Prices starting at US$349.99.
The Apple Watch SE is the base model, but it matches the high-end Apple Watch models in many features, although it lacks some of the health and fitness features. For basic fitness tracking, it’s a good smartwatch and is available in 40mm or 44mm sizes. Prices starting at US$249.
The Apple Watch Series 8 has a larger display (41mm or 45mm) that curves around the edges (which can be set to always-on), along with ECG, blood oxygen monitoring, faster charging, and a more advanced heart sensor. While the SE has an aluminum case, the Series 8 has stainless steel options, too, with more color and strap options. Prices starting at US$399.
The Apple Watch Ultra is the definitive Apple Watch. It has a larger, brighter 49mm screen (410 x 502 pixels) and is super durable, made from titanium. Although it does not match the Fitbit’s battery life, its 36 hours of battery life surpasses the 18 hours of the SE and the 8. It is waterproof up to 100 m, compared to the other Watches and Fitbits that reach 50 m, making it a best option for divers. Prices starting at US$799.
Which one is better for Virtual trainers?
After your workout, you can view workout metrics such as heart rate, duration, pace, and calories burned. As you reach different goals, the watch’s activity ring is reflected on the workout video screen.
Fitbit Premium has been around longer and offers much more than just workouts, including guided programs to help you stay active, eat and sleep well, and manage stress.
Its price is similar to that of the Apple service, US$9.99 per month or US$7.99 per year, that is, a little cheaper in Spain if paid monthly.
It offers video and audio workouts (walking, weights, cardio, dance, martial arts, yoga, and more) that can be viewed on your phone via the Fitbit app, and even some on your Fitbit watch.
Subscribers receive personalized insights, a sleep score breakdown, and a wellness report based on your stats. There are also exclusive challenges for Premium users. You can take advantage of the three-month free trial of Fitbit Premium. New users will get free Premium when purchasing a bracelet or smartwatch, up to one year with the Fitbit Inspire 2.