© Prostock-studio / Shutterstock.com
Fitbit and Apple Watch are two of the most popular fitness trackers on the market today. Both devices have captured the attention of many consumers because of their various features, design, and utility. On paper, the Fitbit vs Apple Watch comparison seems tricky, as the devices appear to be pretty similar.
Both offer beautiful designs and unique functionality that can keep you motivated and on track with your health and fitness goals. In fact, the differences between these two devices are slight when it comes to core functionality, but there are some aspects that set one apart from the other — like the price. To help you navigate the tough choices, here is a complete comparison between Fitbit and Apple Watch!
Fitbit vs Apple Watch: Side-by-Side Comparison
| Fitbit | Apple Watch | |
|---|---|---|
| Release Date | 2009 | 2015 |
| What it is | A wrist-worn activity tracker that records your daily activity, whether you are walking, running, swimming, cycling, or working out at the gym. | A smartwatch to get updates about health and fitness plus mobile notifications. |
| Battery life | Up to 6 days | Up to 18 hours |
| Sensors | ECG, heart rate alerts, EDA, skin temperature sensor, heart rate alerts, SpO2 | Gyroscope, altimeter, electrical heart rate, optical heart rate |
| Features | Smartphone notifications, on-wrist calls, voice assistants, offline music playback, Fitbit pay, third-party apps | It captures heart rate, sleep, navigation, GPS tracking, activities performed, calories burned, emergency call alerting, music, phone notifications, and other data. |
| Models | Fitbit Versa 3, Fitbit Inspire 2, Fitbit Charge 5, Fitbit Sense, Fitbit Luxe, Fitbit Ace 3, Fitbit Charge 4, Fitbit Versa 2, Fitbit Ionic, and Fitbit Aria Air | Apple Watch 3, Apple Watch SE, Apple Watch 6, and Apple Watch 7 |
| Available colors | Black, blue, plum, tangerine, slate | Blue, Green Red, Midnight, Starlight |
Fitbit vs Apple Watch: History
Apple
The Apple Watch is a device that has been hyped up to be the next big thing in smartwatches. The device has been around for a couple of years, but it took time to gain mainstream acceptance. It was only in 2015 that Apple started selling the watch in stores, and it was only then that people started getting excited about the device.
The Apple Watch uses an Apple operating system called iOS and has many pre-installed apps. These allow you to customize your experience with the phone app by integrating them into your watch.
Fitbit
Fitbit is a company that makes fitness trackers, smartwatches, and other health-related wearables. The company has been around since 2009 and has sold more than 120 million wearable devices since 2010. It has 29 million users spread over more than 100 countries. Fitbit was the sixth-largest wearable technology business in terms of shipments in 2019.
It is accessible on Android, iOS, and desktop computers. To pair your Fitbit tracker, you must have the Fitbit app installed on your mobile device. You can also use the Fitbit app to view your health and fitness information.
Fitbit vs Apple Watch: What’s the Difference?
If you’re looking for a fitness tracker that will help you reach your fitness goals, then Apple Watch and Fitbit are both excellent choices. They both serve as a way to keep track of your activity, set goals, and motivate you to meet them. However, they offer different features and come with different pros and cons. Let’s take a closer look at them.
#1: Smartwatch Features
Naturally, you may want your wearable to do more than just monitor your health. Every Apple Watch model includes alerts, alarms, timers, a large app store, Siri, and other features. Fitbit also provides basic functionality, such as notification mirroring, although its app store falls short of Apple’s. Every Apple Watch enables NFC payments via Apple Pay. However, only a few Fitbit models accept NFC payments via Fitbit Pay.
Fitbit’s most recent smartwatches also use Alexa or Google Assistant instead of Siri, but none of the company’s activity bands support voice control. In addition, no Fitbit has LTE or cellular capabilities. In contrast, the Apple Watch with Cellular, which starts at $499 for the Apple Watch 6 and $329 for the Apple Watch SE, is a wearable that can receive calls and send texts independently from your phone.
#2: Available Models
Apple has four models of Apple watch on the market. The current models use Use WatchOS 8, Apple’s latest wearable operating system, which introduced additional mindfulness tools, an overhauled pictures app with a new portrait watch face, a pilates training mode, and improved outdoor cycling features (including more accurate calorie counting for e-bikes).
Series 3
For those looking for the most affordable Apple Watch with a heart rate capability, the Series 3 is a wonderful option. But the design is already old, with a smaller screen than the others and watch faces that can only be used with more recent gadgets.
SE
- LEAVE YOUR PHONE IN YOUR POCKET: Apple Watch SE GPS Model lets you call, text, and get directions from your wrist, while leaving your phone in your pocket. It offers multiple connectivity options,...
- LARGE RETINA OLED DISPLAY: The SE sports a bright LTPO OLED Reti display, giving you a bright screen you can view at a glance, even in bright sunlight. A variety of watch faces are available for the...
- LOADED WITH FEATURES: When paired with your iPhone, you can make calls and send texts from your wrist, vigate with Maps, buy items with Apple Pay, and use your voice to activate Siri. Made to last in...
- WORKOUTS THAT DON'T QUIT: Cycling, yoga, swimming, high-intensity interval training.the list goes on. You me it, Apple Watch measures it. Set workout-specific goals, see full summaries when you’re...
- GET LOST IN YOUR MUSIC: With Apple Music on your wrist, you’ve got 60 million tracks of musical motivation to take you places. You can also catch up on the latest podcasts or listen to an audiobook...
The SE is a fantastic middle-level watch. If you’re looking for an Apple Watch that can detect irregular heartbeats, you won’t find one here because it lacks the ECG. However, it still has all of the other Series 4 and later capabilities. So, if you have a little extra money, it’s still a great entry-level tablet.
Apple Watch 6
- LEAVE YOUR PHONE IN YOUR POCKET: Apple Watch Series 6 GPS Model lets you call, text, and get directions from your wrist, while leaving your phone in your pocket. It offers multiple connectivity...
- ALWAYS-ON RETINA DISPLAY: You no longer need to raise your wrist or touch the screen to see the time or other information on your watch face, because the display never sleeps. All you need to do is...
- ECG ON YOUR WRIST: With the ECG app, Apple Watch Series 6 is capable of generating an ECG similar to a single-lead electrocardiogram. It’s a momentous achievement for a wearable device that can...
- WORKOUTS THAT DON'T QUIT: Cycling, yoga, swimming, high-intensity interval training.the list goes on. You me it, Apple Watch measures it. Set workout-specific goals, see full summaries when you’re...
- GET LOST IN YOUR MUSIC: With Apple Music on your wrist, you’ve got 60 million tracks of musical motivation to take you places. You can also catch up on the latest podcasts or listen to an audiobook...
For a substantially higher price, the Apple Watch 6 offers many additional functions for tracking your health and well-being, such as blood oxygen monitoring and an on-demand ECG. Since fitness tracking was the Apple Watch‘s key feature in 2020, you won’t go wrong if that’s your main priority.
Fitbit Versa 3 and the Fitbit Sense
- Receive a Daily Readiness Score that reveals if you’re ready to exercise or should focus on recovery (requires Fitbit Premium membership. Premium content recommendations are not available in all...
- Run, bike, hike and more phone-free—and see your real-time pace & distance—with built-in GPS. Then check out your workout intensity map in the Fitbit app
- Active Zone Minutes uses your resting heart rate to gauge exercise effort and gives you a buzz when you step up the intensity so you can make the most of your workouts. Fitbit Versa 3 is water...
- Better track heart rate 24/7 with PurePulse 2.0, Fitbit’s enhanced heart rate technology
- Use Google Assistant or Amazon Alexa Built-in to get quick news, set bedtime reminders and alarms, control your smart home devices and more just by speaking to your watch
The first Fitbit product was released in 2009, and since then, the company has made waves by designing smartwatches that prioritize fitness. It culminated in 2020 with Google’s announcement that it was purchasing Fitbit to expand its wearable arsenal. Fitbit devices also work with iOS, so they’re a terrific option regardless of the smartphone you use. They’re not only compatible with Android, though.
- EDA Scan app detects electrodermal activity which may indicate your body's response to stress and a built-in skin temperature sensor logs yours each night so you can see when it varies.Band Size :...
- Assess your heart for atrial fibrillation –a heart rhythm irregularity- and easily share results with your doctor (The Fitbit ECG app is only available in select countries. Not intended for use by...
- An on-wrist skin temperature sensor tracks yours each night so you can see how it varies. You can also see your nightly blood oxygen levels at a glance with our collection of clock faces.Maximum...
- High & low heart rate notifications alert you if yours seems above or below your average
- Battery lasts 6 plus days plus, fast charging gives you a full day’s charge in just 12 minutes (Varies with use and other factors; up to 12 hours with continuous GPS)
There is a Fitbit for everyone, ranging from basic activity tracks for counting your steps and heart rate to full-featured smartwatches. The recently released Fitbit Versa 3 and the Fitbit Sense are the closest alternatives to the Apple Watch.
#3: Design
The Apple Watch’s square form hasn’t changed much since its introduction in 2015. The series 7 screen is the largest and most durable yet (41mm x 45mm). Many of the Fitbit’s variants still maintain the original design’s appearance of an activity band. The Versa 3 and the Sense feature a larger, square face, but the Inspire 2, Charge 5, and Luxe models are all compact trackers.
You may alter the appearance of your wearable with different bands from Apple and Fitbit. The greatest Apple Watch bands include the Solo Loop and double-loop Hermes leather straps. Although the Fitbit Luxe is compatible with a stylish metal chain from the jewelry brand gorjana, most of Fitbit’s bands are silicone. Every Apple Watch is swim-resistant, making it durable enough to withstand exercises done underwater. Fitbits’ water resistance varies depending on the model.
#4: Battery Life
Fitbit easily tops the competition in terms of battery life. While many Fitbit trackers and watches can last for days or even weeks without charging, the Apple Watch only has an 18-hour battery life, requiring daily charging. But, with a more sophisticated operating system and a larger selection of services, the Apple Watch offers a more refined user experience than even the most expensive Fitbit smartwatch. By providing a powerful experience on the wrist, the Watch is essentially a Swiss Army Knife and is designed to lessen wearers’ reliance on their smartphones.
#5: Fitness and Health Features
Both the Fitbit and Apple Watch models come with a ton of fitness and wellness functions. These wearable devices can track your heart rate, steps, calories burned, exercises, and sleep. Fitbit offers a more thorough examination of sleep cycles, whereas Apple Watch is more concerned with creating a nighttime routine and setting daily sleep goals.
Route Tracking
Beyond those fundamental parameters, you should carefully consider the device’s specifications before purchasing it. For starters, while not every Fitbit has GPS, every Apple Watch does. Only the Charge 4, Versa 3, and Sense are capable of route tracking independently of your phone.
Blood Oxygen Readings
Similarly to Fitbit, not all Apple Watch models include blood oxygen (SpO2) readings. The Fitbit with the GPS and the Apple Watch 6 come with pulse oximeters, while the Apple Watch SE and Apple Watch 3 do not have this feature. Both the Fitbit Sense and the Apple Watch 6 include ECG readings.
Fitness Detection
Fitness detection is another fantastic feature available on the Apple Watch 3. For instance, the Watch will display a message asking if you want to track your walk after 10 minutes. If you select “Yes,” the first 10 minutes of your journey will have already been recorded, making the full trip trackable. Since the release of WatchOS 8, your watch can now automatically track cycling as well, so your daily commute to work will count toward your goal.
Fitbit excels at fitness tracking, as you might assume; once the app is downloaded onto your phone, simply sync your device, and a wealth of health and fitness data will be at your fingertips, all displayed in a clear and easy-to-interpret style. You can use the Fitbit app to register your hydration, establish weight goals, log food, and track your menstrual cycle, in addition to your Fitbit device’s heart rate, sleep, and activity data.
Stress Management
Aside from your physical health, you may wish to use your smartwatch or activity band to improve your mental health. Although the Apple Watch includes a breath app, Fitbit trackers have an advantage in stress management. The Fitbit Sense even has an EDA sensor that measures stress, and the Fitbit app includes meditation methods and other actionable suggestions.
Fitbit vs Apple Watch: 6 Must-Know Facts
- Fitbit released its first Fitbit tracker in 2009, whereas Apple Watch launched in 2015. Both wearables aim to help you keep track of your health and fitness with a few simple tools and features.
- Fitbits are mostly cheaper than Apple Watches.
- The battery life on a Fitbit is longer than an Apple Watch’s battery.
- The activity tracking features on both devices are nearly identical.
- Fitbit has a wide range of models compared to the Apple Watch, which is only available in four models.
- Apple Watches are exclusively compatible with the iPhone series, which is unfortunate for people who are not committed to Apple’s closed ecosystem. In contrast, Fitbit is a fitness-focused wearable that works with iOS and Android devices.
Fitbit vs Apple Watch: Which One Should You Use?
So, which one is better, Fitbit or Apple Watch? The Fitbit costs less than the Apple Watch, but it also has fewer features. One of the biggest differences between these two watches is their tracking of different data types. With the Apple Watch, you can measure things like heart rate and other vital signs.
With the Fitbit, however, you can only measure heart rate, sleep, and other general stats like the steps taken. The Apple Watch allows you to make phone calls from your wrist and send text messages through Siri. Despite their differences, the Fitbit and Apple Watch are great fitness trackers that help you record your day-to-day activity to reach your health goals. The ultimate choice is up to you and depends entirely on the kind of features you prioritize.
NEXT UP…
- WHOOP vs. Apple Watch: How to Know Which is Best for You
- Fitbit Sense vs Galaxy Watch 4: Which Is Right for You?
- Apple Watch Ultra vs. Garmin GPS and Other Fitness Trackers
Last update on 2023-06-03 / Affiliate links / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API
