The definitive information for these selecting between an Apple smartwatch or Fitbit tracker.
Apple and Fitbit are two of the largest names within the wearables enterprise, however they take drastically totally different approaches to health monitoring, well being monitoring, and good options.
Apple stays the smartwatch trade’s premier participant, with Apple Watch fashions persistently rating on the summit of our high smartwatch rankings, but the selection is extra restricted than Fitbit’s wares. Apple’s watches are additionally solely appropriate for iPhone customers.
However, Fitbit’s two smartwatches and three health trackers are suitable with iOS and Android units, providing a extra easy and intuitive method to day by day exercise monitoring and wellness. The model’s monitoring additionally performs a key position in Google’s Pixel Watch vary.
We’ve spent years utilizing units from Apple and Fitbit, understanding their advantages and pitfalls inside and outside. Right here’s how they examine throughout all the important thing areas.
Important studying:
Fitbit wearables: Transient overview
Fitbit has extra choices than Apple, providing each smartwatches and health trackers. Beneath is a fast breakdown of the collections.
Versa and Sense smartwatches
The Versa 4 and the Sense 2 are Fitbit’s newest smartwatches, launched in 2022. They’ll even be the final from the model, with Google confirming in August 2024 that there won’t be any new models produced.
Nonetheless, they’re nonetheless strong wearables to contemplate (for now). They don’t come near the performance of an Apple Watch (or Pixel Watch, under), so it’s higher to think about them as Fitbit trackers in a watch physique, relatively than ‘correct’ smartwatches.
The Versa 4 and Sense 2 look very related, although the latter does carry severe well being sensors comparable to ECG, pores and skin temperature, and an electrodermal exercise (EDA) sensor that tracks stress. The Versa 4 nonetheless has SpO2, GPS, and coronary heart charge monitoring, and its lesser performance means it’s cheaper.
Google Pixel Watch – the unofficial Fitbit
Fitbit’s monitoring has been integrated into every iteration of the Google Pixel Watch, with the watch sequence now in its third technology.
With an AMOLED show and entry to a variety of apps, the Pixel Watch 3 represents the head of the Fitbit expertise. It packs all of the options, sensors, and monitoring suggestions of the Sense 2 however with a a lot friendlier working system (Google’s Put on OS).
The one downside is the battery life. The 45mm model is comparatively succesful, lasting round two days on a single cost, although the 41mm version remains to be restricted to round 24-28 hours from our testing. Fitbit’s much less feature-packed watches can final for much longer than both.
Cost, Luxe & Encourage trackers
These are the basic, wristband-style health tracker units Fitbit is finest identified for.
The Fitbit Inspire 3 is its entry-level tracker. It’s brimming with options, together with coronary heart charge, SpO2, temperature sensor, and a shade display. It affords loads of bang, for a sub-$100/£100 buck.
Probably the most superior is the Charge 6, the flagship health tracker. It brings all of the options from the Sense 2 (GPS, ECG, stress monitoring, pores and skin temperature), places it in a wristband type issue, and provides built-in Google providers (Pay/Maps) over its predecessor.
Then there’s the ageing Fitbit Luxe, a health tracker that’s a little bit of a throwback to the Fitbit Alta with its slim, fashion-focused design and is the one Fitbit health tracker to incorporate a shade touchscreen show. It additionally options core health monitoring options, a coronary heart charge monitor, and a SpO2 sensor.
Apple Watch fashions: Transient overview
Apple could not match Fitbit’s sheer quantity of wearables, however there at the moment are three distinct variations of the Apple Watch to contemplate. Nonetheless, warning: all three of the fashions under are anticipated to be refreshed in September 2025.
The Apple Watch Series 10 is the newest center baby, coming in a 42mm or 46mm case that includes a really edge-to-edge show. You get 1-2 days of battery life, solid-performing GPS, ECG readings, gesture management, a temperature sensor for superior girls’s well being monitoring, and way more.
Beneath that sits the Apple Watch SE, which was final up to date in 2022. It is available in 44mm and 40mm case sizes and sometimes solely offers round 24 hours of battery life. Notably, it lacks the ECG, and the edge-to-edge, always-on show of the Sequence 10 (and under). Nonetheless, it does have all of the fundamentals, comparable to entry to the App Retailer, Apple Pay, and strong GPS.
The flagship mannequin stays the Apple Watch Ultra 2, launched in 2023. It is available in a single 49mm measurement (in titanium or black), which suggests it’s fairly enormous and is designed for outside and excessive sports activities. It’s rugged, affords 100m water resistance, dual-frequency GNSS, and likewise options 2-3 days of battery life as commonplace.
Google Pixel Watch 3 vs. Apple Watch Sequence 10
Every model’s newest watches ship comparable options, sensors, and monitoring smarts. We nonetheless favor the Sequence 10 for Apple’s consideration to the little particulars in watchOS 11 and the superior integration with the iPhone, however, in reality, there’s little to separate them.
On the appears entrance, there are AMOLED shows throughout each units and detachable bands with loads of first and third-party strap choices.
Each can be found with or with out LTE help, offering phone-free help for options like good assistant help (Google Assistant for Pixel Watch 3; Siri for Apple Watch Sequence 10), music playback through Bluetooth headphones, and notifications/calls.
The Apple Watch can solely be paired to iPhones, whereas the Pixel Watch 3 solely works with Android.
Each provide ECG sensors to measure coronary heart charge rhythms, alert the person to low/excessive coronary heart charges, and measure blood oxygen ranges (for wellness functions). Strong GPS and coronary heart charge monitoring are additionally current throughout exercise monitoring and exercise monitoring.
The Pixel Watch 3 retains Fitbit at its core, with step counts, stress monitoring, and super-reliable sleep monitoring underpinning the expertise. The Apple Watch affords motivating activity-tracking options through the Transfer, Train, and Stand rings, and its native sleep monitoring is way improved. There’s little to choose between them.
Battery life can be very related, with the smaller editions of each watches lasting for over 24 hours (however not way more) and the larger fashions usually lasting for not less than a few days.
- Winner: Apple Watch Sequence 10
Apple Watch SE vs. Fitbit Versa 4
The Apple Watch SE and the Fitbit Versa 4 are the smartwatches under the 2 talked about above, with some larger options omitted to maintain the worth down.
By way of design, they give the impression of being much like these pricier Apple and Fitbit smartwatches, with the Sequence SE supplied in two measurement choices (40mm and 44mm) and the Versa 3 solely 40mm. They each provide AMOLED shows with the choice of an always-on mode and related waterproofing that make them secure for swimming and showering as much as 50 meters depth.
Options-wise, the SE affords notifications, on-wrist music, Siri management, Apple Pay, and an LTE model – in addition to the mighty App Retailer. The Versa 4 has related help, swapping Siri for Google Assistant or Alexa, however doesn’t provide any type of LTE connectivity. There’s nothing in the way in which of apps for Fitbit.
As well being and health trackers, the SE misses out on the ECG and blood oxygen sensor on the Sequence 10, however nonetheless has a really dependable optical coronary heart charge monitor (and may pair up exterior coronary heart charge sensor). The Versa 4 additionally has a strong optical coronary heart charge monitor, and can always scan for coronary heart charge rhythm points.
Each have loads of sports activities modes together with GPS, however the Apple Watch is by far the higher exercise companion. Each are wonderful sleep trackers too – though Fitbit’s presentation of coronary heart charge, wellness metrics, and sleep knowledge is easier and simpler to grasp.
Battery life is a win for Fitbit, with the Versa 4 going for every week in comparison with a day for the SE, and it’s additionally less expensive. But, it seems like a totally nerfed smartwatch expertise in comparison with the SE, and, because of this, we don’t advocate it until you’re an Android person.
- Winner: Apple Watch SE (2022)
Apple vs. Fitbit: Exercise, well being, sleep, and stress monitoring
In the event you care about steps, competing towards associates to maintain energetic, and making small, however necessary adjustments to get you shifting round extra frequently, this is a crucial part for you.
Fundamental health monitoring
Fitbit is thought for health monitoring, and, if you happen to’re in search of an method that makes it straightforward to grasp and soak up your stats and hold a verify of your day by day progress, it’s nonetheless up there with the most effective. Most units on this vary provide a complete suite of coronary heart charge metrics, temperature sensing, and stress administration options.
Apple is a superb match for Fitbit by way of wellness options, however typically its presentation is much less user-friendly.
Its Exercise Rings method to staying motivated and competing towards Apple Watch-owning associates works properly. It collects an incredible quantity of well being knowledge – greater than Fitbit – however the Apple Well being app isn’t as participating to browse, and get an outline of your stats.
Whichever platform you facet with right here, we expect you’ll be well-catered for right here.
Winner: Fitbit
Coronary heart well being
Each platforms prioritize permitting customers to trace their coronary heart charge and acknowledge how it may be used to point that one thing won’t be fairly proper.
For the Fitbit units that help it, the optical coronary heart charge sensor can assess excessive and low coronary heart charges, observe resting coronary heart charge, and repeatedly monitor coronary heart charge to establish traits. The Fitbit Sense 2, Cost 6, and Pixel Watch units provide an ECG sensor to offer medical-grade readings, whereas any Fitbit machine will repeatedly scan for irregular coronary heart charge rhythms.
Along with coronary heart charge sensing, some premium fashions present temperature monitoring, which might be utilized alongside coronary heart charge info to establish once you won’t be properly.
The Apple Watch is not any slouch on this division, and the newest editions (Sequence 10 and Extremely 2) can outlast Fitbit on this space. They’ll carry out ECG readings, however they’re additionally accepted for atrial fibrillation detection through sleep monitoring. Its optical coronary heart charge sensor is designed for steady monitoring of coronary heart charge, together with throughout sleep, and affords related excessive and low coronary heart charge alert notifications.
These two wearable platforms provide a few of the finest coronary heart charge monitoring options and help, doubtlessly elevating the alarm when a problem arises and displaying traits to assist perceive adjustments in coronary heart charge knowledge.
Winner: Apple
Sleep monitoring
Apple’s sleep monitoring has massively improved since its launch a couple of years in the past – and there’s now little to choose between the 2. It is a staple for Fitbit and in our years of testing its sleep monitoring, it nonetheless affords a few of the most dependable knowledge from the wrist.
Fitbit affords a breakdown of sleep phases, coronary heart charge, blood oxygen ranges, and helpful Sleep Scores. Nonetheless, you’ll must pay for Fitbit Premium to see all the information.
Apple now affords knowledge on sleep phases, nevertheless it places extra emphasis on creating bedtime schedules. Constant bedtimes/wake instances are one of many few controllable parts of sleep and may result in higher relaxation. Apple’s sleep monitoring can be linked to alarms, and the iPhone will react to bedtimes set on Apple Watch and switch off notifications half-hour earlier than mattress.
Fitbit’s sleep monitoring is a richer and extra participating expertise, however Apple’s (used correctly) is a extra direct route to raised sleep. Take your decide.
Winner: Draw
Stress and restoration
Apple and Fitbit have constructed options round stress monitoring, however the latter presently does extra on this entrance.
The Loosen up mode is its most simple function, utilizing the onboard optical coronary heart charge monitor and coronary heart charge variability measurements to supply personalised respiration workouts.
Within the Fitbit companion app, more moderen units just like the Luxe, Versa, Cost 5, and Sense 2 provide Stress Administration scores, providing you with a single rating primarily based on resting coronary heart charge, sleep, and exercise logged to grasp how a lot stress your physique is below.
The Fitbit Sense 2 and Pixel Watch 2/3 take issues additional by repeatedly monitoring your physique’s responses through an electrodermal exercise sensor. As proven above, that is another device to grasp your physique’s response to emphasize.
Fitbit additionally has the Every day Readiness Rating for Premium members. Based mostly on day by day exercise stats, sleep, and coronary heart charge knowledge, this function tells you ways well-rested and recovered you might be for the day. The Vitals app launched by Apple in watchOS 11 is successfully its reply to this.
Apple shops most of its wellness options inside the Mindfulness app. Right here, customers can take time to launch a respiration train, mirror, or log their temper state. It’s not as ‘scientific’ as Fitbit’s monitoring, however it’s nonetheless easy and efficient.
Winner: Fitbit
Ladies’s well being monitoring
Each Apple and Fitbit provide women-specific health-tracking options.
The Fitbit app has a menstrual well being tile that permits you to log your interval signs, observe your cycle, and look at your fertile window. You can too obtain push notifications about your predicted interval begin date, whereas the Pixel Watch 3’s temperature sensor is harnessed to enhance accuracy.
This is similar on the Apple Watch Sequence 8-10 and Extremely 1/2. The temperature sensor will retrospectively verify when a cycle occurred, whereas symptom enter will assist predict the subsequent cycle. The supported Apple smartwatches may also search for irregularities and shifts in your cycle that might well being situation indicators.
Winner: Draw
Apple vs. Fitbit: Sports activities monitoring
GPS-tracked out of doors exercises
Fitbit’s extra premium units—the Versa 4, Sense 2, and Cost 6—all have built-in GPS, whereas the others depend on a cellphone’s connection. The Pixel Watch vary, as you’ll count on, additionally options unbiased GPS – and may fireplace that knowledge out to third-party apps like Strava.
The Apple Watch Sequence 10 and SE have built-in GPS, and the Extremely 1/2 options dual-frequency GNSS, which is way extra correct in built-up areas, or below tree cowl.
The Apple Watch (significantly the Extremely vary) has carried out higher in our GPS testing. It affords an expertise on par with high sports activities watches from Garmin, whereas the most effective of Fitbit’s monitoring (through the Pixel Watch 3) nonetheless isn’t fairly on that stage.
Winner: Apple
Swimming
The Fitbit Cost 6, Encourage 3, Luxe, Versa 4, and Sense 2 can observe swims (pool solely) and will provide you with core stats like distance tracked and tempo, with some extra metrics within the companion Fitbit app. The Pixel Watch vary, nevertheless, may also observe out of doors swims.
The Apple Watch fashions talked about on this piece are all geared up to trace swims within the pool and open water – and the Sequence 10/Extremely 1/Extremely 2 are even good for diving with an onboard laptop. Every affords wealthy metrics with some nice third-party apps. The accuracy of the Apple Watch is nice too, so it’s a dependable swim companion too.
Winner: Apple
Coronary heart charge in exercises
Apple’s sensors and algorithms are extra correct than what we’ve discovered with the Fitbit vary, making them a greater match if you happen to care about monitoring coronary heart charge throughout train, however the Google Pixel Watch vary isn’t too removed from Apple’s commonplace.
Each platforms will allow you to observe coronary heart charge throughout train, view coronary heart charge zones, and present coronary heart charge readings. Each Fitbit and Apple do a very good job in regular intensities. If you ramp up the depth, the newest Apple Watch fashions provide a few of the finest wrist-based monitoring throughout train we’ve ever seen,
Plus, with the Apple Watch, you’ll be able to pair up Bluetooth-enabled exterior coronary heart charge sensors, if you wish to get probably the most dependable knowledge. That’s not potential with Fitbit’s core units.
In the event you care about coronary heart rate-focused train metrics, each provide insights into VO2 max. That is known as Cardio Health Rating on Fitbit, and Cardio Health Ranges in Apple Well being.
In the event you make the most of coronary heart rate-focused coaching apps within the Apple App Retailer, it’s also possible to glean extra insights out of your coronary heart charge knowledge throughout exercises.
Winner: Apple
Fitbit app: An outline
The Fitbit app is your house to have a look at stats, modify machine settings, obtain apps, and alter watch faces (in case your machine helps it). Except you may have a Pixel Watch, through which case you’ll have each the Fitbit app for monitoring stats and the Watch app for all the things else.
One of the crucial interesting issues about Fitbit’s platform is that it’s designed to be an important place for these beginning their well being and health journey to spend time. The entire knowledge is properly displayed, there are good social features and the power to tackle associates in challenges and it’s an app that’s straightforward to navigate.
Fitbit has began to supply richer well being metrics in recent times for issues like coronary heart charge variability, blood oxygen, temperature, and sleep coronary heart charge. These metrics may give you a way of your common well-being. Nonetheless, a few of these extra metrics require Fitbit’s Premium subscription service.
That Premium service additionally grants entry to exercise packages and extra mindfulness options. Fitbit performs properly with third-party apps like Strava, too, so it’s not a wholly closed-off platform.
Apple Watch apps
In case you have an Apple Watch, you’ll doubtlessly need to take care of a couple of apps if you wish to profit from the expertise. The principle Watch app is the place you get arrange, tinker with settings, and alter watch faces.
You even have Apple Well being, your hub for all health-centric knowledge from the Watch and third-party apps and units. There’s additionally the Health app, the place you’ll be able to hold nearer tabs on closing your rings or your tracked train. That is additionally the place you’ll be able to entry the paid-for Health+ platform.
Three apps sound like so much to take care of, however the excellent news is that the apps are straightforward to familiarize yourself with. Apple Well being is the busiest of the three and may take time to grasp the place varied bits of knowledge dwell (and which you truly care about).
By means of Apple’s Watch app, you even have entry to the Apple App Retailer, which elevates what the Apple Watch is able to and is the most effective smartwatch storefront.
Exterior of Health+, all these apps are free to entry and use.
Apple vs. Fitbit: The decision
We’ve outlined the important thing variations between Apple and Fitbit and what every affords, highlighting their clear strengths and weaknesses. Right here’s our perspective on the largest wins and losses.
Why select an Apple Watch?
Decide the Apple Watch if you happen to personal an iPhone and crave the most effective smartwatch expertise at first. Whether or not it’s cellphone integration with features like notifications, connectivity, app help, or music options, Apple excels in comparison with Fitbit.
We’d additionally say that Apple affords higher, extra dependable sports activities monitoring, which is prolonged vastly by that app help. The guts charge monitoring whether or not through ECG (on supported fashions) or the optical sensor, is properly executed and feels properly correct.
Why select Fitbit?
Fitbit is finest if you’d like one thing that works with Android and iOS units, otherwise you’d relatively have a tool able to lasting every week (in comparison with the 1-3 days on the Apple Watch).
Fitbit’s units are a few of the best to make use of, significantly for health monitoring, and the information presentation is way extra user-friendly. It additionally pays a lot nearer consideration to emphasize, mindfulness, and psychological well-being.
