The Google Fitbit Air may be very a lot the speak of the health monitoring city proper now, not solely as a result of it’s the primary new Fitbit machine that we’ve had in years, but it surely’s additionally one of many first massive manufacturers to go head-to-head with the established Whoop Strap (should you don’t rely the Polar Loop and the Amazfit Helio Strap).
When you’re contemplating choosing one up, then there’s a very good probability that you just’re attempting to determine if it’s price it in opposition to the most recent Whoop Strap 5.0. So to that finish, we’ve put collectively this Fitbit Air vs Whoop comparability information that can assist you out.
For a little bit of wider context, it’s price realizing proper off the bat that the Fitbit Air and the Whoop Strap don’t embrace an on-device show, and are as a substitute designed as distraction-free trackers that may be worn discreetly, and are solely actually meant to be interacted with when it comes time to cost them up. That is the primary promoting level of this model.
If that doesn’t sound like your cup of tea then there are many nice choices to take a look at in our information to the very best health trackers total. Then once more, should you assume that these wrist-based wearables don’t go far sufficient in staying out of sight, then chances are you’ll be higher suited with the most effective good rings.
There’s additionally phrase a few rumoured Garmin different within the works, often known as the Garmin Cirqa, though it’s but to be made official and so, in the interim, it’s the Whoop Strap 5.0 that serves as the primary comparability level for the Fitbit Air. With that in thoughts, let’s dive into how these two trackers examine.
What’s your finances?
Earlier than we are able to get into anything about these two wearables, the factor that’s nearly assured to make the choice for you is the worth. The Whoop Strap and the Fitbit Air are aimed toward two very totally different ends of the market, and that’s mirrored of their respective worth tags.
Though the model initially required a one-off fee to make use of its wearables, Whoop moved over to a subscription mannequin in 2018 and has caught with it ever since. On the time of writing, the Whoop subscription tiers begin at £169/$199 each year, which is roughly £14/$16 a month if you break it down.
It’s not an insignificant amount of cash, but it surely is smart when you think about that Whoop’s target market is skilled athletes.
Thomas Deehan / Foundry
The Fitbit Air, alternatively, follows Whoop’s outdated trajectory with a one-off value of simply £84.99/$99.99. At that worth, the Air is much extra reasonably priced and works higher for health lovers who’re tied to a strict finances. Plus, it can save you 29% on this Fitbit Air bundle for a restricted time.
There may be an choice to develop the Air’s options by having an energetic Google Well being Premium subscription (which prices £7.99/$9.99 a month), but it surely’s not important.
By comparability, the Whoop Strap can’t be used with out an energetic subscription, so should you aren’t in it for the lengthy haul, then the Fitbit Air will seemingly be the higher possibility.
Winner: Fitbit Air
How detailed would you like your information?
Probably the greatest issues in regards to the Fitbit ecosystem is its accessible method to health monitoring, particularly for working adults who solely have a restricted period of time within the week and simply want some encouragement to get out and train extra. Regardless that the Fitbit Air is designed to supply a bit extra recommendation in your total invoice of well being, it retains that sense of accessibility going via the brand new Google Well being Coach app.
Though you’ll be able to dive into larger element if you want, the app contains a scaled-back and clearly signposted UI that may present you at a look how effectively you’ve slept, how prepared your physique is to sort out one other exercise, and the way a lot progress you’ve made in direction of your weekly goal. When you’ve had expertise with utilizing a Fitbit previously, then it’ll all really feel very acquainted.
The Whoop Strap, alternatively, as a result of it’s been designed for athletes who not solely perceive the intricacies of health monitoring information however plan on spending time poring over the small print to seek out methods of reaching a brand new private greatest, it’s a much more complete expertise proper from the leap.
Thomas Deehan / Foundry
In just some faucets, the Whoop app can present you graphs in your stress ranges, power exertion all through the day, in depth breakdowns of how your earlier night time’s sleep compares to what has come earlier than it, and extra. It may be overwhelming to those that aren’t well-versed in what all of this information means, however for these seeking to make massive adjustments and optimise their exercise routine as a lot as potential, it’s important.
Winner: Whoop Strap
How a lot do you worth AI?
It doesn’t matter should you’re taking a look at telephones, televisions and even some washing machines; virtually all merchandise in 2026 function some type of AI integration and that’s additionally true of the Fitbit Air and the most recent Whoop Straps.
Admittedly, Whoop was one of many first firms to hop aboard the bandwagon with the model’s AI Coach having debuted on the app again in 2023. Not solely can the service be used to distil all the info collected right into a written abstract with actionable recommendation, however you may also converse with the coach to develop exercise plans primarily based on what it already is aware of about you.
It’s a terrific function throughout the Whoop ecosystem, and in an try to thwart this new crop of opponents, it’s not too long ago been expanded with new instruments, together with ‘My Reminiscence’ which ensures that exercise solutions might be much more incisive when further info is supplied. The issue is that, with all the cash invested in Gemini, Google (and Fitbit by extension) has entry to one of the crucial highly effective AI platforms on the planet, and as such, it’s positioned Gemini on the centre of what the Fitbit Air is all about.
The rebranding of the Fitbit app (and Google Match) to Google Well being Coach is an enormous a part of this, and proper from the leap, Fitbit Air customers can be required to have a brief interplay with the AI Coach in order that it may possibly construct up an understanding of your present exercise routine, any accidents which are price taking into consideration and extra.
As soon as the Well being Coach begins to gather information by way of the Air (and you’ll optionally put on a Pixel Watch 4 on the identical time for a bigger, extra correct dataset between the 2), it may possibly present an AI-based abstract of your day proper there on the app’s homepage.
After all, we don’t know the place the boundaries of this AI-integration lie till we’ve used the Fitbit Air for a while, however for the time being, it seems as if the Fitbit Air is actually constructed round Gemini, versus how Whoop included AI as an additional function after the very fact.
Thomas Deehan / Foundry
Winner: Draw
Fitbit Air vs Whoop Strap: Conclusion
If there’s one factor that may be summarised from evaluating the Whoop Strap and the Fitbit Air at this cut-off date, it’s that the sector has by no means felt extra thrilling and should you’re now contemplating choosing up a screen-free health tracker, there’s hasn’t been a greater time to take action.
New adopters of the Whoop Strap 5.0 (or the Whoop Strap MG) will discover years of software program innovation simply ready to be accessed, and it’s no shock that Whoop has been capable of construct up such a devoted following, given simply how far more information it may possibly present than the typical smartwatch.
The issue with Whoop, sadly, has at all times been its excessive asking worth and that’s the place the Fitbit Air can fill an apparent hole out there. For anybody who isn’t an expert athlete and doesn’t need to spend a sizeable chunk of money every year only for the advantage of main a more healthy life-style, the Fitbit Air with its one-off price ticket is bound to be the extra preferable possibility for lots of people.
Till we end testing the Fitbit Air (keep tuned for a full overview quickly) we don’t but know if the machine can reach all of the expectations that Google has of it, however from what we’ve seen thus far, this does really feel like the primary screen-free machine to actually give Whoop a run for its cash.