Which Fitbit fitness tracker should you buy?

The Fitbit is one of the most popular fitness trackers on the market. But with five different options -- plus the special basic Fitbit Ace 3 for kids -- it can be hard to know which Fitbit makes the most sense for you, especially when a lot of the features overlap. For example, every Fitbit is water resistant down to 50 meters so you can work up a sweat or even take a swim while keeping your smartwatch or fitness tracker on your wrist.

They all offer a smart wake alarm, too. This handy feature that lets you set the general time you want to wake up in the morning and when it gets close to that time, your Fitbit will monitor for the optimal sleep stage and wake you up. That way, you can start your day feeling refreshed, rather than groggy.

So what are the important differences between each of the latest Fitbits on the market? Here's a quick guide to help you figure out what each one can do so you can decide which one fits you best. And then do some shopping -- all these Fitbit models are all on sale for Black Friday and Cyber Monday.

Best Fitbit for daily use: Fitbit Versa 4

The Fitbit Versa 4 is a smartwatch and fitness tracker in one, featuring built-in Google apps like Google Maps and Google Wallet, along with the ability to make on-wrist calls when it's connected to your phone via Bluetooth. You can also get text and calendar notifications as well as notifications from your other favorite apps.

The fitness tracker can track heart rate, skin temperature, breathing rate and blood oxygen levels while also tracking steps, calories burned, distance and other activity metrics throughout your day. It can track over 40 exercises and even give you a personalized cardio fitness score based on how well your body uses oxygen during a workout. That way, you can get a better sense of what your current fitness level is and what you should focus on to improve it.   

This makes it a great choice for anyone who wants a watch that can track their workouts and provide key performance and fitness insights but also gives you the versatility and functionality of an everyday smartwatch. The 4.4-star rated Fitbit Versa 4 is $150 on Amazon as a Cyber Monday deal, reduced from $200.

What we like about the Fitbit Versa 4:

• Convenient smartwatch features like on-wrist calling and app notifications, built-in Google Maps and your choice of Google Wallet or Fitbit pay.
• Track your heart rate, blood oxygen, skin temperature, breathing and activity levels.
• Track heart rate variability and get notifications when your resting heart rate changes, which can be an early indicator of poor sleep quality, stress, overtraining or a potential heart condition worth consulting your doctor about.

$150 at Amazon

Best Fitbit for stress management: Fitbit Sense 2

The Fitbit Sense 2 is the smartwatch that does it all. Answer calls on your wrist. Pay with Fitbit Pay or Google Wallet using your watch. Track your routes with built-in GPS. And, of course, it comes with all your essentials like heart rate, blood oxygen and activity tracking.

On top of those features, the Sense 2 adds an EDA sensor so you can take an ECG to get a more accurate heart rate reading. But the most standout feature that separates the Sense 2 from the pack is the all-day body response tracking. 

Using the EDA sensor, skin temperature sensor and heart rate sensor, the Sense 2 constantly monitors for fluctuations in your stress level throughout the day. When it spikes, you'll get a notification so you can pause to reflect or use the built-in mindfulness and breathing exercises to relax.

At the end of the day, you'll get a report that shows when your physical stress levels spiked and dropped so you can better identify patterns around when, where and why you're feeling stressed.

At $300, it's the most expensive Fitbit in the lineup but those advanced health and wellness features make it worth the price for anyone who's trying to improve their overall wellness alongside their workout performance. Fortunately, it's been reduced to $200 for Black Friday 2023.

What we like about the Fitbit Sense 2:

• With on-wrist phone calls, built-in Alexa and notifications from your calendar, email and other apps, the Sense 2 is a fully-functional smartwatch with all the bells and whistles.
• The all-day body response tracking uses advanced tracking features to continuously monitor your physical stress levels so you can look for patterns and identify the best ways to reduce your stress.
• Use Fitbit Pay or Google Wallet with your watch.

$200 at Amazon

Best Fitbit for intense workouts and training sessions: Fitbit Charge 5

The Charge 5 is the ideal fitness tracker for athletes who don't like the bulk of a smartwatch but still want some of that functionality. It's a slimmer, lighter-weight wearable than the Versa 4 or the Sense 2 so it won't feel clunky even when you're running or lifting weights. But it still has Fitbit Pay and built-in GPS so you can leave your phone at home and still have a way to navigate and buy a snack or drink while you're out.

Like the Sense 2, it's got a skin temperature sensor and an EDA sensor so you'll get those more detailed insights into your health and wellness with this Fitbit, too. You can even take an ECG for a more accurate read on your heart rate. The key difference is that the Charge 5 won't continuously monitor changes in your skin's electrical charge for an all-day body-response tracking like the Sense 2.

In fact, the only other major features missing from the Charge 5 compared to the Sense 2 is the on-wrist calling function and the built-in Alexa. So if you're willing to make those sacrifices, the Charge 5 also makes a great budget-friendly alternative to the Sense 2 or the Versa 4. You can get the popular fitness tracker for $140, reduced from $150. No wonder it's earned over 17,800 five-star ratings on Amazon.

What we like about the Fitbit Charge 5:

• This fitness tracker includes all the most advanced features for health, fitness, stress and sleep tracking.
• The Charge 5 is the only other Fitbit aside from the Sense 2 that comes with an EDA sensor so you can take an ECG and track your stress levels.
• The built-in GPS lets you track your route and navigate back home during your run or bike ride without your phone in tow.  

$140 at Amazon

The best Fitbit for beginners: Fitbit Inspire 3

The Fitbit Inspire 3 is a great introductory fitness tracker for people who are trying to incorporate more exercise into their routine. It's lightweight and unobtrusive so you'll barely notice it's there, but it can still give you comprehensive insights into your overall health and fitness levels along with periodic reminders to get moving if you've been sitting too long.

The slim, lightweight Inspire 3 can go up to 10 days in between charges, giving it the longest battery life of any Fitbit. Part of that extended battery life is the result of ditching the built-in GPS you get with the Versa 4, Sense 2 and Charge 5. But you can still connect to your phone's GPS via Bluetooth so you don't completely lose that functionality.

Aside from GPS, the Inspire 3 is also missing a temperature sensor and EDA sensor but it still packs many of the advanced health and activity tracking features you look for in a Fitibit. That includes heart rate, blood oxygen levels and your daily activity levels. It can even send you notifications when your heart rhythm shows signs of being irregular.  

At $70 (reduced from $100), the 4.4-star rated fitness tracker is also the most budget-friendly option from the Fitbit lineup (with the exception of the Fitbit Ace 3 which is built for kids).  

What we like about the Fitbit Inspire 3:

• The battery lasts up to 10 days in between charges.
• The budget-friendly fitness tracker still offers the essentials like heart rate, blood oxygen and activity tracking.
• The slim, lightweight design is super comfortable for wearing all day long.

$70 at Amazon

A stylish Fitbit that doubles as jewelry: Fitbit Luxe

The Fitbit Luxe is a fitness tracker designed for people who don't like the look of fitness trackers. It's slim, sleek and comes with a variety of stylish bands including a timeless gold stainless steel link band that looks more like a bracelet than a fitness tracker. You can also change the clock face on the display to better coordinate with your outfit for the day.

It's not all about the looks, though. The Luxe also boasts all your fitness tracking essentials like heart rate, blood oxygen and activity. In terms of functionality, it's on par with the Inspire 3 but with a shorter battery life. Get the stylish fitness tracker for $80 while it's on sale for Cyber Monday, reduced from its usual price of $130.

What we like about the Fitbit Luxe:

• The sleek, stylish fitness tracker that looks more like fashion accessory.
• Aside from the battery life, the fitness tracking features you get are on par with the Inspire 3.
• Customize the watch face to coordinate with your outfit.

$80 at Amazon

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