Finest Fitbit health trackers and watches in 2025

Editor’s word: Amazon Prime Day kicks off on July eighth; nevertheless, if you wish to get a head begin in your on-line purchasing, we’ve rounded up one of the best early Prime Day offers you’ll be able to already get.

In 2025, you may marvel if Fitbit remains to be related. Regardless of getting acquired by Google, Fitbit stays one of the crucial recognizable names within the business. Fitbit trackers aren’t meant for essentially the most hardcore of athletes, however they’re nonetheless wonderful units for monitoring general exercise in addition to monitoring sure well being and wellness metrics like EKGs and blood oxygen ranges.

That mentioned, it is a transitional interval from the Fitbit of outdated to no matter Fitbit will likely be sooner or later. 2023, specifically, was a messy 12 months. There have been a number of Fitbit server outages, and I wasn’t impressed with the choice to sundown legacy group options like challenges or the truth that all Fitbit accounts will quickly require you to log in by way of Google. Talking of which, the Fitbit-to-Google account migration began in 2023 and is required for those who purchase newer merchandise just like the Fitbit Cost 6 or Google Pixel Watch 3. The Fitbit app additionally bought a brand new, extra Google-like makeover, which didn’t go over nicely with many customers. (Google has since made changes primarily based on suggestions.) And in 2024, a lot of Fitbit’s management, together with co-founders James Park and Eric Friedman, left the corporate as roughly a thousand Google staff have been laid off.

You may have a look at how Google has dealt with the Nest acquisition as a highway map to how issues are going. The Googlefication of Fitbit will proceed, however there are causes to stay with its trackers within the meantime. Fitbit trackers are comparatively inexpensive, particularly since they usually go on sale. All of the units additionally include a free trial to Fitbit Premium, the corporate’s subscription service that provides guided exercises, meditations, and entry to extra in-depth metrics. To this point, it seems Google takes its Pixel Watch lineup significantly, too. With the Pixel Watch 2, the corporate expanded prolonged guarantee entry and improved alternative choices. You simply need to go in with eyes large open.

When you’re not useless set on a Fitbit specifically, try our information to one of the best health trackers and watches.

The existence of the Pixel Watch, now in its third technology, has thrown a wrench into Fitbit’s smartwatch lineup. Technically, it’s a Google product, however Google owns Fitbit, so that they’re all Google merchandise now. Fitbit powers the entire Pixel Watch’s well being and health options. However actually, that is the smartwatch that Fitbit by no means may handle to construct by itself.

The Pixel Watch 3 is a major replace over its predecessors. It lastly looks like Google’s not enjoying catch-up to its rivals. This 12 months, the screens are brighter, the bezels are smaller, and there’s now a 45mm measurement for bigger wrists. The bigger measurement doesn’t look chunky, both. Internally, the processor and well being sensors are the identical as final 12 months, although the third-gen gadget has an extremely wideband chip that lets you unlock Pixel telephones and a few BMW automobile fashions.

It’s bought the identical stunning design with a round domed show that appears far more elegant than the squircle Versa or Sense smartwatches ever did. In your wrist, it appears like a watch, not a tracker dressed up as one. The show is a bit fragile for our style, however as 2023, you may get a Most well-liked Care prolonged guarantee within the US and Canada. That is one purpose we advocate the Pixel Watch 3 over the unique since no less than you might have a extra inexpensive fallback ought to one thing occur to your show. Google additionally introduced an choice the place you’ll be able to skip buyer assist and mail in damaged, out-of-warranty Pixel Watch units for discounted replacements.

As for health options, the Pixel Watch 3 is significantly better for runners than it was. It features a new operating dashboard, superior type analytics, customized operating exercises, and even AI-generated exercise options. It’s additionally launched a brand new metric known as Cardio Load, which measures the depth of your exercises and suggests a goal primarily based in your health targets. It’s conceptually just like Garmin’s Coaching Load. The Each day Readiness Rating has additionally been revamped and is not locked behind the Fitbit Premium paywall. On the well being entrance, European customers now have Lack of Pulse. If the watch detects you’ve misplaced your pulse, it’ll name emergency companies in your behalf. The characteristic isn’t accessible but within the US, although, as FDA clearance remains to be pending.

Moreover, Google has strengthened the watch’s integrations with its personal companies in addition to different Pixel units. As an illustration, you might have offline Google Maps and a Google Dwelling Tile. You may view your Nest Doorbell digicam feed or management your Google TV out of your wrist, and there’s additionally the choice to file audio with the Recorder app and switch it to your cellphone. With Name Help, you should utilize your watch to inform anybody calling you want an additional second to select up the cellphone.

If all you need is a health tracker that appears like a smartwatch, you’ll be able to take into account the $229 Versa 4 because it’s the extra budget-friendly choice. However there’s no actual level within the Sense 2 because the Pixel Watch 3 can do all the identical issues — and extra.

The Encourage line hasn’t all the time felt, nicely, impressed. However the $99.95 Encourage 3 is completely different. With a coloration OLED show, it’s paying homage to the Fitbit Luxe of 2021, solely with a matte black plastic case as a substitute of a steel one. It’s an incredible throwback to traditional Fitbits for individuals who solely need the fundamentals.

The Encourage 3 doesn’t overcomplicate issues. It’s a health band. You received’t get built-in GPS, contactless funds, or digital assistants. Nonetheless, what it lacks in smarts it makes up for with Fitbit’s superior sleep monitoring, stress administration options, and irregular coronary heart charge notifications. The OLED show can also be a step up from the Encourage 2’s monochrome display screen, and you continue to get 10 days of battery life. (Although it’s extra like two to 3 for those who allow the always-on show.)

The Encourage 3 has a wide range of equipment, together with a clip attachment if you wish to observe steps discreetly. There’s even a gold or silver mesh strap if you wish to costume it up a bit.

To be trustworthy, the Encourage 3 and Luxe are fairly comparable, and so they’re usually across the identical worth. It’ll boil down as to whether you assume the Luxe’s nicer case is value buying and selling half the battery life for — the Luxe will get an estimated 5 days as a substitute of 10.

Finest Fitbit health tracker

The Cost collection has all the time been common, and the $159.95 Cost 6 isn’t any exception. It’s Fitbit’s higher-end health band however simply competes with the costlier Versa 4 on options. It contains a coloration OLED display screen plus an EKG and EDA sensor. You additionally get built-in GPS, NFC funds, and SpO2 sensors — the one factor you’re actually lacking is a digital assistant.

The one qualm now we have with the Cost 6 is the always-on show. Whereas it’s stunning, it’s a serious battery drain. The Cost 6 has an estimated seven days of battery life, however that dwindles all the way down to about two you probably have the always-on show enabled. This is identical challenge that we had with the Cost 5, however it’s pretty typical for Fitbit trackers lately.

Altogether, although, you’re getting a hell of loads for the value. It’s the one FDA-cleared EKG wearable you will discover for below $200, and the one different Fitbits able to EKG and EDA readings are the Sense, Sense 2, and the Pixel Watch 2. So except you’re useless set on the smartwatch type issue, the Cost 6 is the higher general deal.

In comparison with its predecessor, the Cost 6 additionally provides an improved coronary heart charge algorithm, Bluetooth compatibility with some gymnasium tools, and some apps — particularly Google Maps, Google Pockets, and YouTube Music. Whereas YouTube Music works nicely, I’m not stoked that it requires an extra $11 month-to-month subscription. That mentioned, it’s higher than nothing, as Fitbit discontinued onboard music some time again.

By way of {hardware}, the Cost 6 additionally contains a haptic button as a substitute of an inductive groove. It’s not a bodily button, which is a little bit disappointing, however it’s extra dependable so far than the inductive groove, so I’d depend this as a internet constructive.

You can technically get the Cost 5 at a reduction. Nonetheless, I’d solely try this if it’s considerably cheaper and worth is your primary consideration. The haptic button, whereas not what I needed, is much better than the inductive groove and you’ve got extra app choices. Flip-by-turn navigation can also be useful for walks, and it no less than gives some type of music playback.

The $179.99 Fitbit Ace LTE isn’t actually a standard health tracker, although it does observe energetic minutes. As an alternative, it’s a smartwatch with a mixture of kid-friendly video games and actions and considerate, family-oriented communication options. It’s a walled backyard, however an lovable one.

As an alternative of rigorously monitoring well being stats, the Ace LTE tracks “energetic minutes,” which fill a cute progress meter known as a Noodle that runs across the face of the watch. Lively minutes earn time with the Ace LTE’s built-in video games that, mixed with actions, unlock customizations to your child’s avatar (known as an Eejie) that lives within the watch, in addition to its little home. You may as well unlock completely different video games and digital objects by connecting completely different watch straps.

With a $10/month subscription, you get real-time location monitoring and each voice and textual content messaging to preselected contacts by way of the Fitbit Ace app (somewhat than the usual messaging and cellphone apps). As of November 2024, that features different members of the family with Ace LTE watches, in addition to a household group chat between dad and mom and youngsters.

I like that the Ace LTE is constructed extra like a cross-platform smartwatch for adults than different child watches we’ve used, just like the plasticky Garmin Bounce. It makes use of the identical charger because the Pixel Watch 3, and will get a couple of day’s value of battery on a cost. My youngsters take pleasure in it however aren’t obsessive about it — although they’ve been recognized to run laps up and down the hallway to earn extra sport time.

Google says the Ace LTE is greatest fitted to youngsters aged 7 to 11, and that sounds proper. My oldest is 10 now, and he or she’s been utilizing an Ace LTE for a couple of 12 months. As soon as she hits center college, I believe she’ll be annoyed that she will’t use it to speak to her associates. However for now it’s nice. We not too long ago bought one for our 8-year-old, and it’s wild that they will textual content one another from their watches. It additionally means my 8-year-old can spam the group chat with emoji, however that’s superb too.

— Nathan Edwards, senior critiques editor

Must you even purchase a Fitbit proper now?

Fitbit formally grew to become a part of Google in 2021. Nothing modified in a single day, however technically, it’s Fitbit by Google now. The Fitbit-to-Google migration began in earnest in the summertime of 2023, and new customers will likely be requested to log into Fitbit utilizing their Google accounts. In 2025, this will likely be obligatory for everybody. In February 2023, Google angered longtime Fitbit customers by shuttering longtime social options like Challenges and eradicating step streaks. (Step streaks have since been added again and expanded to Android.) In the meantime, the Versa 4 and Sense 2 weren’t as feature-rich at launch in comparison with their predecessors, main some to really feel that Google purposefully did this to place the highlight on its Pixel Watch. There have been additionally a number of main server outages in 2023.

There’s some rigidity right here and the way forward for Fitbit {hardware} is murky. Particularly given the truth that Google laid off a couple of thousand staff from its {hardware} departments spanning Pixel, Fitbit, and Nest. When you’re shopping for a tracker for the primary time and need it to final you some time, it’d make extra sense to go for a Garmin or Amazfit tracker. Equally, for those who’re seeking to improve to an older Versa or Sense smartwatch, you may need to see the place the mud settles. Nonetheless, if you need a Fitbit, then go forward. When you’re not in a rush or are undecided, now will not be a foul time to sit down again and observe.

Replace, July seventh: Added Fitbit Ace LTE as greatest Fitbit for teenagers, changing Fitbit Ace 3. Adjusted pricing and availability.