Need an exercise tracker however can’t determine whether or not to purchase a Fitbit wristband or fork out for the fairly pretty Apple Watch, now at Collection 8? We pit Apple Watch vs Fitbit to see which comes out greatest on varied points: health monitoring, heart-rate monitoring, design, worth, apps, battery life, telephone calls, music, and so forth.
Apple is understood for its smartwatches, and Fitbit for its exercise trackers and health and well being smartwatches. However the boundaries and features are getting blurred with Fitbits wanting extra like watches with enticing touchscreens, and Apple including extra well being options to its Watch.
Even smarter Sense and Versa Fitbits don’t run a number of apps like a smartwatch, however they’re immediately comparable on a lot of their fitness-measuring features, design themes and features. And most characteristic on-wrist notifications equivalent to Caller ID, Texts and WhatsApp—which, to be honest, are probably the most used non-fitness apps on most smartwatches anyway.
As a direct comparability, we’ll take a look at the Apple Watch (together with the Watch SE, Collection 8 and Apple Watch Extremely) vs the Fitbit Cost 5, Versa 3 and Versa 4, and top-end Fitbit Sense and Sense 2. The rationale we embrace the older Versa 3 and unique Fitbit Sense is that they’re really extra feature-full than Fitbit’s later smartwatches as Fitbit leans nearer to its proprietor Google’s Pixel Watch, which incorporates Fitbit in-built.
There are money-off offers on the very newest Fitbit Cost 5, Sense and Versa 3; see our roundup of one of the best Fitbit offers. And look out for one of the best Apple Watch offers too.
Each Apple and Fitbit make wonderful merchandise, so it’s a matter of deciding which options actually matter to you. We are going to concentrate on well being and health as a core requirement, however there’s extra to each manufacturers than simply these features.
Exercise monitoring
Conserving match doesn’t imply it’s a must to be a gymnasium freak or marathon runner. Conserving lively all through the day affords actual well being advantages too, and each the Apple Watch and Fitbit exercise trackers are very good at getting you shifting extra.
The Apple Watch and Fitbit exercise trackers measure steps taken, distance travelled and energy burned. Additionally they present you what number of minutes you’ve been lively in the course of the day. Every tracks your progress over time and may retailer historic knowledge, and also you set each day targets for your self.
As well as, the Apple Watch Collection 6 and later, together with Fitbit smartwatches (excluding the Versa Lite Version) all have a barometric altimeter that counts distance climbed (take the hilly route residence, not the flat one). The Fitbits additionally sync weight knowledge from elective Fitbit Aria scales, whereas the Apple Watch will play good with some other well being and health app that syncs with Apple Well being on iPhone.
In consequence, the Fitbit fashions vary from on a regular basis health and lively health (similar to the Apple Watch) and additional to sports activities and efficiency health—with the Cost 5, Sense and Versa 3 and 4 supporting working, cross-training, biking, energy and cardio exercises.
Severe runners dismissed the unique Apple Watch and Fitbit for his or her wants, preferring the Ionic or different devoted working watches from the Garmin or Suunto. However that modified with the discharge of the Apple Watch Collection 2, which featured a built-in GPS similar to the Fitbit Cost 4, Versa 2/3/4 and Sense.
The Watch Collection 3 and Watch Collection 8 have quicker processors (the latter’s processor is way quicker so hundreds apps faster) and however nonetheless weak battery life, topping out at 18 hours on common. A model with built-in 4G can also be obtainable so it will possibly work with out having to take your iPhone with you whenever you train.
This makes it a more in-depth match to the Fitbit Sense and Versa 3 & 4, which (with comparable built-in GPS, music controls, notifications and contactless funds) can handle most of your train wants with out requiring you carry a telephone or pockets round. Fitbit sadly eliminated numerous the apps and music controls with its newest Versa 4 and Sense 2 smartwatches.
Health is clearly on the core of the Fitbits, whereas the Apple Watch counts exercise monitoring amongst its many options.
The Apple Watch affords two foremost health apps: Exercise, which is all about well being, motion, wellness and your each day routine; and Exercise App, which tracks working, biking and strolling. All this knowledge is collected in your iPhone by way of the Exercise app, though you will get a extra holistic view of their well being through the use of the Well being app in your iPhone, which integrates knowledge from a number of sources, not solely the Watch.
Apple makes use of motion and calorie burn fairly than steps, which is Fitbit’s major metric—though Fitbit additionally measures energy and different metrics. Apple sticks to motion fairly than energy for customers aged 13 and beneath.
Learn right here for some nice suggestions and recommendation on the best way to use the Apple Watch Exercise app.
Whereas they work brilliantly with the iPhone, Fitbits don’t formally assist Apple’s Well being Package.
You possibly can see at a look how far you’re along with your each day motion and well being targets by wanting on the Apple Watch’s colourful three rings, which gentle as much as present your progress. The Transfer ring exhibits energy burned. The Train ring shows what number of minutes of brisk exercise you’ve achieved. And the Stand ring exhibits how typically you’ve stood as much as cease sitting down. The purpose is to finish every ring every single day. It’s an amazing motivation instrument.
Apple defines train as any exercise that’s equal to a minimum of a brisk stroll. The Watch appears to be like at your coronary heart price and motion knowledge, so simply going for a stroll may not transfer that inexperienced ring as a lot as you’d assume. It needs you to get your coronary heart pumping a bit quicker. The Apple Watch learns your habits so will push you more durable the extra lively you recover from time.
We love the Apple Watch’s ping to remind you when you’ve been sitting round too lengthy—time to stretch the legs and get the center price up for a bit, or a minimum of get up. Principally, it’s a get-off-your-arse alert, from the haptic pulses to your wrist to notifications, that you just’ve been idle for an extended time period. You possibly can really get an alert even when standing up as a result of what the Watch is definitely measuring is your lack of shifting about.
Fitbit’s Reminders To Transfer works in the identical method, and is discovered on all Fitbits.
The Apple Exercise app provides you real-time stats for train time, distance walked/run, energy burned and tempo, and though it was initially irritating to make use of, a redesign means it’s not solely simpler to make use of, however importantly now works with 80 % of gymnasium gear, so that you’ll get the info from the working machine or bike you employ at your native.
Setting targets: Fitbit wins
One large distinction right here is that Apple doesn’t allow you to set your self targets for steps or different metrics, aside from calorie burn. If burning energy just isn’t your prime goal, then it is a particular limitation of the Watch.
As compared, Fitbit lets you set your self particular targets for Steps, Distance, Energy Burned, Energetic Zone Minutes, Flooring Climbed and your Hourly Exercise Objective.
Coronary heart-rate monitor: slim Fitbit win
The Apple Watch and heart-rate-checking Fitbits use one thing referred to as—deep breath now—photoplethysmography to measure your coronary heart price. This makes use of inexperienced LEDs on the underside of the wristband to detect blood quantity and capillary-size adjustments beneath strain. When your coronary heart beats, your capillaries develop and contract based mostly on blood quantity adjustments. The LED lights replicate on the pores and skin to detect blood quantity adjustments.
Blood is crimson as a result of it displays crimson gentle and absorbs inexperienced gentle. When your coronary heart beats, the blood move in your wrist—and the inexperienced gentle absorption—is larger.
The Fitbits monitor your coronary heart price repeatedly, 24/7. They’ll retailer coronary heart price knowledge at 1-second intervals throughout train monitoring and at 5-second intervals all different instances.
Alternatively (or ought to I say wrist?) the Apple Watch checks your coronary heart price solely each ten minutes in the course of the day. Nevertheless, it does report your coronary heart price repeatedly when the Exercise app is turned on, so that you get fixed suggestions throughout coaching classes. The Watch’s built-in heart-rate monitor does assist exterior heart-rate displays too.
Apple has improved the Coronary heart Price app, which now measures your resting coronary heart price and your restoration coronary heart price, and may give you notifications if something appears awry.
The Apple Watch Collection 8 comes with watchOS 9 pre-installed. watchOS 9 contains a raft of recent options and enhancements, together with automobile crash detection, Coronary heart Price Zones; customizable exercises; a Multisport exercise that routinely switches between any sequence of swimming, biking, and working; Race Route, which helps you to compete towards your greatest time working or biking a well-recognized route; Automated observe detection; Working Type metrics; Working Energy; Medicine logging and reminders; Sleep Phases; AFib Historical past; Temperature adjustments; and extra.
Fitbit says that the Sense and Versa 3 have additionally improved heart-rate measurement, because the LED sensors have nearer contact with the wrist.
The Apple Watch has the power to detect and warn of a protracted elevated coronary heart price when not exercising, and is ready to spot low charges too (which may very well be an indication of bradycardia, when the center just isn’t pumping sufficient oxygen-rich blood across the physique). It additionally appears to be like out for irregular coronary heart rhythms, notifying you of potential atrial fibrillation.
Sufferers visiting medical doctors typically complain of coronary heart issues that aren’t taking place proper then, so having detailed and long-term coronary heart knowledge on file within the Well being app is doubtlessly useful.
Let’s take a look at these coronary heart sensors and the way they will detect sickness in additional element under.
Checking coronary heart irregularities: Draw
Measuring coronary heart price additionally permits for the units to examine when the center’s rhythm is irregular—which could be a signal of atrial fibrillation (AFib), a number one explanation for stroke.
Each Apple and Fitbit embrace the power to measure an individual’s electrocardiogram (ECG) sign.
The Fitbit Sense and Apple Watch embrace ECG exams. For instance, by putting a finger on the Digital Crown of the Watch you will get it to run an electrocardiogram (ECG) take a look at on you.
Every ECG app is CE marked and cleared within the European Financial Space and FDA-approved within the US.
Notice that the U.S. Worldwide Commerce Fee has determined that the Apple Watch infringes ECG patents from medical machine firm AliveCor, so this may very well be a blocker for this geature sooner or later.
Checking blood oxygen (SpO2) ranges: Apple win
The stability of blood-oxygen saturation is significant to well being.
Low blood oxygen ranges may point out a situation referred to as Hypoxemia. Most individuals don’t have the persistent well being circumstances (bronchial asthma, coronary heart illness, and persistent obstructive pulmonary illness) that require them to observe their blood oxygen degree, however when you do, then having an SpO2 sensor might be very useful.
A traditional SpO2 studying is often between 95 and 100%.
Each the Apple Watch and the most recent Fitbit smartwatches provide SPO2 sensors to detect blood-oxygen saturation. Each permit on-demand readings of your blood oxygen, however Apple’s answer is extra versatile.
The brand new Apple Watch can take a blood O2 studying in simply 15 seconds at any time of day, whereas Fitbit solely measures your blood-oxygen ranges when you sleep, and it’s a must to bear in mind to modify the clock face for it to take a studying except you subscribe to Fitbit’s Premium service.
Fitbit customers require a Premium subscription to then observe developments over time within the Well being Metrics dashboard inside the Fitbit app.
You too can learn your blood oxygen ranges utilizing a pulse oximeter. Right here’s what that’s and the place to purchase one.
Calorie counting: draw
The fundamental method for shedding weight is to depend energy in and guarantee you’re expending extra energy out by means of train. Each the Watch and Fitbits show you how to depend these energy.
The Apple Watch makes use of movement and coronary heart price knowledge to find out calorie depend, which then dictates the Transfer metric of the Exercise app. As you proceed to put on your Apple Watch it can higher study your habits, common coronary heart price ranges, and regular exercise ranges, serving to to make calorie counts extra correct.
Not like Fitbit, Apple splits aside “resting energy” (energy you burn simply by current) and “lively energy” (burnt by means of extra vigorous exercise). The Transfer ring is concerned about Energetic, not Resting energy, which is a bit extra rigorous than Fitbit’s strategy. Fitbit permits for “resting energy” too.
Your Resting Metabolic Price (RMR) is the variety of energy that your physique burns when you are at full relaxation (with muscle tissue relaxed, equivalent to asleep) to maintain itself alive (maintain important organs equivalent to your coronary heart, mind, nervous system, lungs, kidneys, liver, muscle tissue, and pores and skin) and digest meals. (Technical bit: Resting Metabolic Price just isn’t the identical as Basal Metabolic Price (BMR), which excludes the energy burned digesting meals.)
In case you set your calorie-burn goal excessive on the Apple Watch you’ll have to stroll the equal of 20,000 Fitbit steps.
The likes of the Versa and Sense acknowledge whenever you’re working and routinely enter Run Mode—beginning the GPS or related GPS—and even routinely pause whenever you do. The newest Apple Watch variations additionally does this.
Fitbit estimates the variety of energy burned based mostly in your BMR (Basal Metabolic Price), calculated utilizing your peak, weight, age, and gender. The trackers that measure coronary heart price go into extra element, with the calorie burn estimate taking coronary heart price under consideration.
Fitbit calorie monitoring begins at midnight and incorporates the energy burnt whereas sleeping—which is clearly missed by the Apple Watch that has to cost in a single day. Whenever you sync your tracker, Fitbit replaces the estimated calorie burn along with your tracker’s knowledge.
You too can manually log health actions, so the energy burned throughout these actions are additionally taken under consideration. Whenever you log your meals every day you possibly can set a Fitbit Meals Plan that estimates your each day calorie consumption, and information the variety of energy you’ve gotten burned and eaten to date within the day.
Sleep monitoring: Fitbit win, Apple enhancing
Scientists are more and more linking weight acquire and poor metabolism to sleep deprivation, so getting an excellent evening’s sleep must be a part of your well being, health and weight-loss technique. Sleep loss can result in an elevated prevalence of diabetes and weight problems. We must always all be aiming for 8 hours of sleep per day.
Eight hours is a worthy purpose, however unrealistic for a lot of (equivalent to dad and mom!). Between 6 and seven.5 hours is possibly a aim you’ll hit extra typically.
As a result of its battery life is restricted (see under), Apple recommends the Watch be charged each evening. The Apple Watch’s battery life is way improved, nevertheless, so can (on gentle, non-GPS use) final practically three full days and two nights. However to get anyplace close to this degree of battery life you’ll must cease monitoring exercises, decrease your app use and switch off the always-on show.
However that isn’t as spectacular as Fitbit battery life that may final every week or extra between costs.
With watchOS 9 Apple provides a Sleep app to the Collection 3, 6, 7, 8 and entry-level SE Watches. It helps you determine a daily bedtime routine and maintain observe of your sleep developments evening after evening.
Apple Sleep makes use of movement sensors, heartbeat sensors, and microphones to detect micro-movements to trace of how deeply customers are sleeping. Watch will sync with the iPhone or iPad to point out visualisations of the durations of wake and sleep, plus a chart displaying weekly sleep developments. In watchOS 7 and later, Apple additional improved the providing with the addition of breath price monitoring.
Evaluating Apple’s Sleep app to Fitbit’s is revealing, as my colleague David Worth describes in his in any other case glowing Apple Watch 8 evaluate. Regardless of loving the most recent Apple Watch, he used to interchange it with a Fitbit at bedtime! He’s extra impressed with the sleep-tracking in watchOS 9: “Apple Watch’s sleep monitoring characteristic has acquired so much higher this 12 months. Up to now I’ve complained that it’s far much less refined than the monitoring provided by rival wearables, however now you get broken-down instances for Awake, REM, Core and Deep sleep phases, together with estimates of the particular sleep you’ve had versus the time spent in mattress.”
In case you use the most recent Fitbits to trace your sleep, you possibly can see a report of the Sleep Phases you cycle by means of at evening. Whilst you’re asleep every evening, your physique usually goes by means of a number of sleep cycles: Mild Sleep, Deep Sleep, and REM sleep that’s related to dreaming.
Fitbit goes into a lot better element on the completely different Sleep Phases you undergo, and now affords a nightly Sleep Rating on the standard of your sleep.
Sleep phases are historically measured in a lab utilizing an electroencephalogram to detect mind exercise together with different programs to observe eye and muscle exercise. Fitbit’s trackers can’t match this degree of medical accuracy however can estimate your sleep phases each evening.
Fitbit estimates sleep phases utilizing a mix of motion and heart-rate patterns. Whilst you’re sleeping, your machine tracks the beat-to-beat adjustments in your coronary heart price, often called coronary heart price variability (HRV), which fluctuate as you transition between gentle sleep, deep sleep, and REM sleep phases.
Apple
Like Fitbit watches, Apple use the Watch’s accelerometer and coronary heart price sensor to find out whenever you’re in REM, Core, or Deep sleep phases, in addition to primary sleep period that the Apple Watch already options. Customers are capable of view detailed details about the time and high quality of their sleep with extra metrics together with coronary heart price and respiratory price, in sleep comparability charts within the Well being app. This will help diagnose potential circumstances like apnea.
Apple added fast-charging to the Apple Watch 7 and later, which is able to remind you when it’s time to cost it earlier than you go to mattress.
However Apple wants to noticeably enhance the Watch battery life if it’s going to be as efficient on this key well being measurement as Fitbit.
Apps: Fitbit wins on health, Apple on every thing else
Apple’s Exercise and Exercise apps look wonderful, in fact, however Fitbit’s interesting multi-phone app options extra health stats and knowledge graphics. Fitbit additionally wins by having a wealthy desktop dashboard to gather and arrange your exercise knowledge.
The Versa 3 & 4 and Sense 1 & 2 work with the Fitbit Coach and Premium, which mix dynamic video exercises with Audio Teaching classes to assist customers improve endurance, velocity and kind. With pricing of £7.99 or $9.99 a month, Fitbit says its Premium service will develop to incorporate superior instruments with a library of packages and exercises to ship customized adaptive well being and health teaching.
Apple has launched its personal Health+ with exercises and trainers for £9.99 or $9.99 a month, and it’s suitable with most Apple units together with Mac, iPad and Apple TV. Although the providing was initially restricted, it has expanded to incorporate the likes of Yoga and HIIT.
The Versa and Sense would possibly measure up higher towards the Apple Watch if they’d a much-expanded vary of non-fitness apps. Proper now its apps are very restricted outdoors of Fitbit’s spectacular well being and health features, plus notification options.
Fitbit is definitely shifting backwards by way of apps, eradicating most from its newest smartwatches, the Versa 4 and Sense 2. Fitbit’s proprietor Google is pushing smartwatch customers to its newer Pixel smartwatch, with Fitbit in-built.
If you’d like a wide range of non-health apps then the Watch or an Android equal will go well with you higher than a Fitbit, though they do characteristic Caller ID, textual content message and calendar alerts on display screen.
Carrying each Watch and Versa and Sense we discovered that probably the most used Apple Watch apps had been Notifications, that are ably dealt with by the Fitbit smartwatches too—and in a much less graphic method by the less-smart Fitbit trackers too. If the Apple Watch has a “killer app” it’s in all probability Exercise—so the Fitbits compete very favorably for the most-used each day apps regardless of providing fewer third-party apps.
Different Apple apps embrace Calendar, Digicam Distant, Climate and Apple Maps. And there’s an enormous vary of third-party apps for the Apple Watch.
With the Watch, you can even create an album of images saved in your watch and share these with individuals. You too can create a Watch face with certainly one of your images because the background.
The Fitbits are restricted virtually solely to health options. As well as, the Encourage 2 & 3, Cost 5, Versa 3 & 4 and Sense all characteristic Caller ID and Textual content notifications, buzz and present on display screen who’s calling when your telephone (iPhone, Android or Home windows Telephone) rings.
Music: Apple wins
You are able to do so much with music on the Apple Watch if you’re utilizing Apple Music. You possibly can add music to your library, take away songs, mark what you want, add songs to the queue, browse an artist’s music, and look at the contents of albums and playlists.
You possibly can play music saved on Apple Watch, scroll by means of album art work, then faucet a playlist or album to play it.
You even have a specific amount of management when utilizing Spotify on the Apple Watch: Play, pause, and skip music and podcasts; management quantity; browse playlists and tracks; add songs to your Spotify library; get information about what’s enjoying; and save your favorites.
Fitbit’s music choices depend upon the smartwatch mannequin. Beforehand, you may obtain 2.5GB of music (about 300 songs) or podcasts to the Ionic, Versa and Versa 2. However, frustratingly, with the Sense and Versa 3, you need to use solely obscure premium streaming providers Pandora and Deezer, or use the watch to regulate Spotify Premium in your telephone.
Fitbit has once more gone backwards with the Versa 4 and Sense 2, which take away music controls altogether.
For precise offline music storage on the wearable, Apple wins simply —though provided that you employ its Music service or Spotify.
Design: Fitbit catching up
There are a lot of completely different mixtures of Apple Watch sorts, sizes and straps, from the straightforward Sport to the Watch Hermès Version. Apple’s Jonathan Ive (now departed from Cupertino) scored one other design success with the Watch, and it’s actually fairly lovely. The selection of straps for the Watch is immense, and customers reward their robustness—the place older Fitbit bands used to fail extra incessantly.
Fitbit’s tracker wristbands are much more minimal, with easy screens (see under) and stark straps, obtainable in a variety of a number of colours. You possibly can put on Fitbits such because the Encourage 3, Luxe or Cost 5 along with your common wristwatch, however I wouldn’t put on an Apple Watch with a traditional watch on the identical arm—the identical is true of the Versa and Sense Fitbits, although.
The Apple Watch is your foremost watch, not one other wristband. The Fitbit Cost 5 or Encourage 3 can simply be worn as your solely watch, too, in fact, however can journey additional up the wrist when you nonetheless love your common timepiece.
Strap alternative: The Fitbit Versa (under) and Sense appears to be like so much just like the Apple Watch, however have a smaller however nonetheless respectable vary of straps—with a alternative of colours in Small and Giant sizes. There are extra luxurious straps additionally obtainable at additional price: Stainless Metal hyperlinks or Mesh, plus Leather-based.
If you’d like a watch to appear like a watch, then the Apple Watch and Fitbit Versa or Sense are for you. As a private choice, we discovered the slimmer Fitbits to be probably the most snug of all of the smartwatches we examined.
The Fitbit Encourage 3, Luxe and Cost 5 are additionally snug, and, the truth is, largely it’s tough to let you know’ve acquired one on in any respect, as they’re so light-weight.
Display: Apple wins
Apple Watch vs Fitbit specs and dimensions: The Fitbit Sense and Versa fall barely behind the smaller model of the Apple Watch Collection 8. Each Fitbits are outfitted with a 1.58-inch show with a decision of 336 x 336 pixels, whereas the 41mm Apple Watch Collection 8 sports activities a 1.69in show at 430 x 352.
The size of the Sense and Versa 3 pebble are 40.48mm.
All Fitbits use an AMOLED show, which affords deeper blacks and sharper particulars than the unique Versa.
The Apple Watch show elevated with the Collection 7, leaping up from 40mm and 44mm to 41mm and 45mm respectively, the place it stays with the Collection 8. Whereas it doesn’t sound like so much, mixed with smaller bezels, there’s a 20% improve in total show dimension.
The brand new Apple Watch 8 is available in 41mm (430 x 352 pixels) and 45mm (484 x 396) sizes.
The 40mm Apple Watch SE has a 324 x 394 decision. The 44mm Apple Watch SE has a 368 x 448 decision.
The Apple Watch’s touchscreen is a colourful magnificence. The Versa and Sense’s coloration screens should not as lush as Apple’s, however do permit for greater than the opposite Fitbit exercise trackers’ minimal appears to be like—the Encourage 3, Fitbit Luxe and Cost 5 boast a small however coloration display screen.
As a result of the display screen is small, you would possibly choose utilizing the Apple Watch’s Digital Crown to navigate as your finger will cowl an enormous chunk of the show. Swiping works nice, although, and that is obtainable on the Cost 5, Luxe, Versa and Sense in Fitbit’s line-up.
You additionally get customisable watch faces with Apple, from digital and analogue chronometer and photograph backgrounds to the Siri-powered watch faces and extra, with an ever-expanding assortment of faces. There’s additionally a variety of issues from each Apple and third-party apps, permitting you to get info just like the climate, air high quality and extra at a look.
You too can choose watch faces on the Ionic, and even design your individual, however it will possibly’t compete within the complication division.
The Watch fared very effectively in US Shopper Reviews exams to see how scratch-proof its display screen is. The Sport mannequin was impervious to all however a masonry drill bit, and the Sapphire display screen of the highest Watch couldn’t be scratched in any respect! With iPhone-like Gorilla Glass the Ionic’s display screen can also be spectacular.
If you’d like your wrist’s display screen to be at all times on, then solely the Fitbit Versa and Sense and Collection 6, 7 & 8 plus Extremely of Apple Watch provide this feature—helpful throughout exercises or cycle rides whenever you may not wish to elevate your wrist to your face.
There’s actually much less alternative or frivolity with Fitbit, which sticks to its easy digital show on all however the Sense and Versa, which may present different faces when you fancy it. However their less-flashy shows imply large additional battery life for the Fitbits in comparison with the rapidly tiring Apple Watch.
GPS: Apple wins on built-in
The unique Apple Watch didn’t have built-in GPS—it paired with the iPhone in your pocket and used its GPS as a substitute. That was an issue for runners away from an indoor treadmill. Sure, you possibly can carry your telephone round with you on a run, however the Watch sells itself as a devoted train machine, and with out GPS it’s not so for runners. That downside was solved with the Collection 2, which means the present Collection SE and eight all have GPS built-in.
Utilizing a climbing app ViewRanger you possibly can choose from close by hikes, get notifications about scenic factors whereas en-route, ensure you don’t go off the path, and report your exercise monitoring, all utilizing the Watch’s GPS.
The Apple Watch Nike+ is designed particularly for runners, with a light-weight aluminium physique, a particular lively watch face, and a perforated Sports activities band for higher air flow. Whereas working, you will get a distraction-free show of the space and your tempo or a complicated mode with extra particulars about your exercise.
The highest-end Apple Watch Extremely contains a dual-frequency GPS for precision.
Working GPS eats battery life, and that’s one thing that the Watch doesn’t have oodles of. Severe runners are in all probability higher suggested to go for a devoted runner’s watch from the likes of Garmin, however the Apple Watch is now a correct contender.
The Fitbit Versa, Sense and non-smartwatch Cost 5 even have GPS built-in.
The Fitbit Versa Lite, Versa 2, Luxe and Encourage 2 & 3 want to attach along with your smartphone for GPS performance, though they are going to work with iPhone, Android and Home windows Telephone in comparison with the Apple Watch’s iOS-only compatibility. The Ionic does have a built-in GPS, and as talked about earlier will routinely flip this on when it acknowledges you’ve gotten began a run.
To get comparable options with the opposite Fitbits you need to use the MobileRun app, which provides you the power to trace runs, walks, and hikes utilizing GPS. The MobileRun characteristic is obtainable for all customers of GPS-enabled units working the Fitbit apps for iOS, Android, and Home windows Telephone.
The Apple Watch may also be tied to different iOS apps, equivalent to MotionX GPS and RunKeeper, that use the iPhone’s GPS.
Fitbit’s A number of Sport Mode additionally permits you to observe your biking (distance, location, common velocity, coronary heart price and energy burned).
The Apple Watch’s Maps app, nevertheless, lends itself to lengthy runs, particularly in new places. Each Watch and Fitbit smartwatches have Climate apps so you possibly can inform whether or not to place a coat on earlier than you allow the home.
The Apple Watch Collection 6 launched a built-in Compass to the vary, with extra location knowledge, equivalent to heading, incline, latitude, longitude and present elevation. The Apple Compass has been improved on the most recent watchOS 9.
Most up-to-date fashions of Apple Watch additionally provide Worldwide SOS, which works by urgent and holding the facet button to name the emergency providers.
Telephone calls in your wrist: Apple wins however Fitbit catching up
With the Apple Watch you possibly can each make and obtain voice calls in your wrist. You possibly can even use Siri for hands-free dialling, just by elevating your wrist and talking.
If somebody calls you when you’re sporting your Apple Watch (and it’s inside vary of your iPhone, or a mobile mannequin that may work independently of the telephone), you’ll be alerted by a refined vibration in addition to an audible ringtone when you haven’t set the machine to silent.
Take a look at your watch and also you’ll see who’s calling, together with a solution or decline button. If it’s somebody you wish to speak to, faucet the inexperienced reply button. There are a built-in speaker and microphone, so that you’ll be capable to chat with out getting your iPhone out of your bag or pocket. In case you don’t need everybody else to have the ability to hear your dialog you could use a Bluetooth headset, or switch the decision from the Watch to your iPhone.
The one Fitbits with a microphone are the Versa 2, 3 & 4 and Sense, which makes use of the mic to function Amazon’s Alexa and Google Assistant (often a greater voice assistant than Siri however Siri on Watch can provide you with instructions or play you a track).
With each the top-end Fitbit Sense and Versa, now you can take hands-free Bluetooth calls with the on-device microphone and audio system, ship incoming calls to voicemail, and management quantity with out reaching for a telephone. Android customers may reply to textual content messages on-the-go with voice-to-text instructions.
Likewise, the Apple Watch has a microphone and a speaker, so you possibly can speak to it and it will possibly speak to you. You too can use the mic to do voice dictation, ship audio messages, and chat to mates by way of the Telephone app. It additionally boasts as much as 32GB of storage so you possibly can maintain a bunch of your dearest images in your wrist.
However, in fact, the Apple Watch pairs solely with Apple’s iPhone, so Android customers ought to take into account Fitbit their pal, or look to different smartwatches from the likes of Samsung and Google’s personal Pixel smartwatch.
Battery life: Fitbit wins, no contest
The Apple Watch has so many potential makes use of (make calls, view images, ship and examine messages, change music, examine climate, exercise monitoring, digital funds, and, er, inform the time) that its battery runs down so much quicker than normal exercise trackers.
Apple says you’ll rise up to 18 hours of lively and passive use with the SE and Collection 8: that’s 90 time-checks, 90 notifications, 45 minutes of nonstop app use, and a 30-minute exercise with Bluetooth music playback from the watch. So you could cost each evening except you employ it solely to inform the time during which case you would possibly get three days out of it in Energy Reserve Mode.
The newest Apple Watch Extremely boasts a 36-hour battery life—as much as 60 hours on low energy settings, claims Apple.
As talked about earlier, Apple Watch has much-improved battery life, and with gentle use (Exercise monitoring, Time and Notifications similar to on a Fitbit) can final practically two full days—and crucially a few nights for sleep monitoring. However Apple acknowledges the weaker battery life by not having sleep monitoring as a built-in app.
The Apple Watch is wise about saving what battery life it has. The watch face at all times turns off each 15 to twenty seconds. Whenever you put your arm down the display screen goes black (or dims when you’ve acquired an always-on mannequin). Whenever you increase your wrist, the display screen returns.
You too can put it into “Energy Save Mode” within the Exercise app in your telephone to show off heart-rate monitoring fully throughout runs—though that’s not nice for studying extra about your run. Severe runners need element earlier than, throughout and after the run, and don’t wish to carry their iPhone and their Watch with them.
Fitbits final so much longer between costs, at round 5 days. The Cost 5 can run for as much as every week; the Encourage 3 for 10 days. Fitbit re-charging time is round two hours, across the identical as with the Watch. In case you use the Fitbit’s or Watch’s GPS so much then battery life will drop significantly. With GPS turned on the Fitbit will fade by 10 hours, and the Watch by 5.
Anybody who’s a eager tracker consumer will know the worry if you end up all of a sudden alerted to a fading battery. Each step have to be counted. Overuse your Watch, and it’d die throughout a exercise or simply shifting round in the course of the day.
Learn the way to get longer Fitbit battery life.
Water resistance: Apple Watch Extremely wins
The Apple Watch SE and Collection 8 are waterproof, “as much as 50 meters”—though it’s actually not for deep water, as Apple explains: “Which means it might be used for shallow-water actions like swimming in a pool or ocean. Nevertheless, Apple Watch shouldn’t be used for scuba diving, waterskiing or different actions involving high-velocity water or submersion under shallow depth. Stainless-steel and leather-based straps should not water resistant.”
Divers fare higher with the strong Apple Watch Extremely, which may attain depths of 100m (beneath ISO normal 22810), though Apple says that the Extremely “shouldn’t be used for diving under 40 meters”. A Depth app makes it appropriate for snorkeling or informal underwater exercise. With it, you possibly can see the time, present depth, water temperature, period beneath water, and most depth you’ve reached.
The Fitbits are swim-proof and secure within the water at 5 ATM (50m). Fitbit additionally recommends taking its wristbands off earlier than showering as a result of, as with all wearable machine, it’s greatest on your pores and skin if the band stays dry and clear. See: Are Fitbits waterproof? for extra particulars.
The Apple Watch and Fitbit smartwatches provide swimming monitoring options. Each the Watch and Fitbit Sense characteristic a gyroscope for extra correct swim measurements.
Rewards: Fitbit loses its medal, Apple wins
After they attain their private bests or hit milestones, Apple Watch customers get a particular badge for every achievement, which is then saved within the Exercise app on their iPhone.
Fitbit used to dish out plenty of enjoyable badges for achievements, tying them to comparative distances, so that you’d get a Sahara badge whenever you’ve walked the equal distance (not all in at some point!).
Sadly, Fitbit eliminated such badges and challenges at first of 2023, claiming that they had been not often used.
An actual motivational plus with Fitbit (and lots of different exercise trackers) is the power to compete towards mates. This can be a enjoyable option to push your self that bit additional: stroll that escalator, go away the elevate and take the steps.
Apple Watch homeowners can share their Exercise circles with your mates to maintain one another motivated, however this isn’t as straightforward as with Fitbit, and also you’re much less prone to have a bunch of Watch-owning acquaintances except you spend numerous time hanging out at an Apple Retailer!
With Apple, you possibly can invite mates to compete in a seven-day competitors the place you each earn factors by filling your Exercise rings.
Apple affords achievement badges for the primary time you carry out new workout routines, exercise information, 7-workout weeks, and transfer targets and streaks. There are month-to-month challenges, too.
Discover My…: Apple wins, Fitbit catching up
Smartwatches aren’t low-cost, and generally you mislay one. If it falls off your wrist whereas out on a run, your probabilities of discovering it unaided are slim.
Fortunately, Apple has constructed its Discover My tech into its Apple Watch, similar to it has with most of its merchandise. Routinely enabled, this makes use of Wi-Fi or mobile connections in Areas Providers to detect the place your Apple machine was final recorded. Apple Watch with GPS can use GPS and a trusted Wi-Fi connection.
In case your Apple Watch is paired along with your iPhone, it’s arrange routinely whenever you activate Discover My iPhone.
You possibly can see your Apple Watch units on a map, play a sound to search out it, show a message on a misplaced Watch, lock it till you get well it, and even erase it when you don’t. In case your Apple Watch goes lacking, you possibly can instantly lock it from iCloud.com or your paired iPhone. Whenever you discover it, you possibly can unlock it.
It’s not doable to make use of such know-how with most Fitbits. The corporate has lately partnered with location specialist Tile to combine its device-finding software program with the entry-level Fitbit Encourage 2. We hope, and count on, the opposite Fitbits to have Tile tech added quickly.
For different Fitbits, you want the app and a few luck. Examine the Fitbit app to see the final time your machine synced. If it synced lately, then it’s in all probability inside the vary of your telephone, so take your telephone to the place you assume you misplaced it, and attempt to sync. In case you’re in luck and the Fitbit is inside 30 toes Bluetooth vary, the Fitbit will sync, proving it’s close by.
You too can strive utilizing a Bluetooth locator app that will help you discover your machine inside about 100 toes if its battery remains to be dwell.
Evaluating all of the fashions: Apple Watch vs Fitbit
Whereas it’s an amazing entry-level health tracker, the Fitbit Encourage 3 is possibly too primary to be in contrast with the Apple Watch.
The Fitbit Cost 5 just isn’t a smartwatch. Its apps are primary, though it has seen an improve from monochrome to paint touchscreen. However apart from that, it’s an exercise tracker that provides numerous health and sensible options, together with built-in GPS, heart-rate monitor, automated exercise detection, altimeter, smartphone notifications, contactless funds, and even stress monitoring. Costs begin at: US $149 / £129.
The Fitbit Versa 3 is a smartwatch with an amazing coloration touchscreen that permits for brighter graphics and on-screen exercises, plus an always-on show possibility. It has a microphone and speaker for telephone calls, and has each Alexa and Google Assistant voice instruments, music management, and a few smartwatch apps. Costs begin at US $169 / £169.
The Fitbit Versa 4 smartwatch matches the Versa 3 on most appears to be like and options, however crucially is restricted on others (equivalent to third-party apps, Google Assistant and music management), making the Vesra 3 the higher health smartwatch, and it’s cheaper too. Costs begin at US $229 / £199.
The Fitbit Sense provides a bunch of sensors which might be constructed round well being in addition to health. It has stress-management instruments based mostly on sensors that measure Electrodermal Exercise (EDA) and Pores and skin Temperature. There’s SP02 monitoring for blood oxygen and electrocardiogram (ECG) to examine your coronary heart’s rhythm with excessive and low heart-rate notifications. Costs begin at US $279 / £219.
As with the cut-down Versa 4, the Fitbit Sense 2 has been hobbled by Fitbit/Google to push the Pixel Watch, so we choose the cheaper unique model. Costs begin at US $299 / £269.
Google, which purchased Fitbit in 2019, now has its personal smartwatch, the Pixel Watch. It boasts much more apps than the Fitbit Sense or Sense 2 however, regardless of having Fitbit options baked in, doesn’t have as many well being and health sensors because the cheaper Fitbit smartwatch. Costs begin at $349 / £339.
The Apple Watch SE is the entry-level mannequin, however matches the higher-end Apple Watch fashions on many options, though lacks a number of the well being and health features. For primary health monitoring, it’s an amazing worth smartwatch in both 40mm or 44mm sizes. Costs begin at US$249 / £259.
The Apple Watch Collection 8 has a bigger show (41mm or 45mm) that curves across the edges (that may be set to always-on), together with ECG, blood oxygen monitoring, quicker charging and a extra superior coronary heart sensor. Whereas the SE has an aluminum case, the 8 has choices in stainless-steel, too, with extra coloration and band choices. Costs begin at US$399 / £419.
The Apple Watch Extremely is the final word Apple Watch and is priced accordingly. It has a bigger, brighter 49mm show (410 x 502 pixels) and is tremendous powerful, made with titanium. Whereas not matching Fitbit’s battery life, its 36-hour period smashes the SE and eight’s 18 hours. It’s waterproof as much as 100m, in comparison with the opposite Watch and Fitbits that may attain 50m, so is a greater possibility for divers. Its GPS is extra correct than the opposite smartwatches reviewed right here. Costs begin at US$799 / £849.
Worth: Apple getting cheaper
After all, worth is essential when selecting between Fitbit and Apple Watch.
Nobody ever accused Apple of promoting low-cost merchandise. Its capability to make the trade’s costliest merchandise into bestsellers is the explanation that it’s one of many richest firms on the planet. And the Apple Watch, whereas by no means the most costly watch on the planet, is the priciest smartwatch.
However Apple has now minimize the entry-level Apple Watch worth all the way down to Fitbit smartwatch ranges of affordability. Fitbit nonetheless has less expensive choices for trackers that aren’t smartwatches, although.
The Apple Watch SE is the entry-level Apple Watch, priced at US$249 / £259 for the 40mm variant and US$279 / £299 for the 44mm variant, with the mobile mannequin costing US$50 / £60 extra.
Collection 8 Apple Watches are a noticeable bounce up in price, beginning at US$399 / £419 for the 41mm model, with the metal variant costing much more extra (from $699 / £729), and the mobile mannequin of every additionally prices extra (US$499 / £529 for the aluminum physique).
The Apple Watch Extremely is on one other degree however not too far off the metal Collection 8, beginning at US$799 / £849.
Purchase on the Apple Retailer US, Apple Retailer UK or Apple Retailer AU.
Fitbit wristbands begin at US $99 / £84 for the Fitbit Encourage 3. The Fitbit Cost 5 is priced at US $149 / £129, the Fitbit Versa 3 at US $169 / £169, and the Fitbit Sense at US $279 / £219. Don’t trouble with the costlier however cut-down Versa 4 or Sense 2.
Even the most costly Fitbit is across the identical worth as the most cost effective Apple Watch—even the Watch SE. Notice you could typically choose up a Fitbit cheaper on-line from shops equivalent to Amazon, whereas Apple not often affords reductions.
See our up to date roundup of the greatest Fitbit offers.
After all, you get an entire lot extra performance on your cash with the Apple Watch, but when it’s exercise monitoring you’re after then you definately save a bunch going for a Fitbit.
Compatibility: Apple is iPhone solely
Fitbit is suitable with iOS and Android. You don’t must have a smartphone for Fitbit to work, as you possibly can sync with the superb desktop Fitbit Dashboard, nevertheless it’s good to have extra syncing alternatives and be capable to see some fancy stats and graphs on the go.
Whereas solely the Versa 3 and Sense smartwatches can run apps themselves, these Fitbit wristbands might be built-in with apps equivalent to MapMyRun, MyFitnessPal, Runkeeper, Endomondo, Strava and extra. Later Versa 4 and Sense 2 are severely cutback in relation to third-party apps.
Google’s Pixel Watch, as you may think, is Android solely.
For apparent causes Apple Watch is suitable with iOS units solely, so the iPhone is the one smartphone that can work with it, and you actually need one for it to make sense.
Apple Watch can run different health apps, equivalent to Nike+Run Membership, Runtastic Professional, Pocket Yoga, Map My Run, Endomondo, and Cyclemeter GPS, with extra being added on a regular basis.
Listening to: Apple wins serving to your ears
Apple launched a Noise app in watchOS 6 that measures ambient sound ranges and period of publicity. watchOS 7 added additional aids to listening to well being with headphone audio notifications.
It will present how loudly you’re listening to sound by means of your headphones when utilizing an iPhone, iPod contact or Apple Watch, and the way these ranges could influence listening to over time.
Apple will let you know when your listening has reached 100% of the secure weekly listening quantity as decided by the World Well being Group.
The Well being app may even management the utmost degree for headphone quantity.
Fitbit Premium vs Apple Health+
Each Apple and Fitbit have particular subscriber providers, the place additional options, some stats, and customized insights have to be paid for.
Apple’s Health+ is, because the identify implies, targeted on exercises and health, whereas Fitbit Premium takes in health, well being, diet and wellbeing.
Apple’s Health+ subscriber service is pretty new. It prices $9.99 / £9.99 per thirty days or $79.99 / £79.99 per 12 months. Health+ might be shared amongst as much as six members of the family for a similar worth. Whenever you purchase an Apple Watch, new customers get three months of free Health+.
It consists of residence exercise packages that complement the Watch’s health options so your exercise is tracked alongside the exercises movies that may be watched in your iPhone, iPad or AppleTV.
Exercise classes embrace Excessive-Depth Interval Coaching (HIIT), Energy, Yoga, Dance, Core, Biking, Treadmill (for working and strolling), Rowing, and Conscious Cooldown.
Digital trainers tailor the exercise to your required degree.
After the exercise, you possibly can see your exercise metrics, equivalent to coronary heart price, period, tempo and energy burned. As you hit varied targets, the Watch’s Exercise ring is mirrored on the exercise’s video display screen.
Fitbit Premium has been going for longer and affords heaps extra than simply exercises, together with guided packages that will help you keep lively, eat and sleep effectively, and handle stress.
It’s priced equally to Apple’s service, at $9.99 / £7.99 per thirty days or $79.99 / £79.99 per 12 months, so a bit cheaper within the UK when paid month-to-month.
It options video and audio exercises (strolling, weights, cardio, dance, martial arts, yoga, and extra) that may be seen in your telephone by way of the Fitbit app, and even some in your Fitbit watch.
Subscribers obtain customized insights, Sleep Rating breakdown, and a Wellness Report based mostly in your stats. There are additionally Premium-only challenges.
There’s a three-month free trial of Fitbit Premium, and new customers get free Premium when shopping for a tracker or smartwatch, as much as a 12 months’s value with the Fitbit Encourage 2.
There isn’t any household membership possibility for Fitbit Premium.
Fitbit additionally affords Fitbit Premium & Well being Teaching membership (US just for now), for $54.99/month. This service permits you to work one-on-one with an expert well being coach to get particular person assist and a customized motion plan, with limitless in-app messaging and data-driven steering.
Which do you have to purchase: Fitbit or Apple Watch?
If health is your major focus then we predict the Fitbit trackers come out on prime (particularly when you’re into multi-sports), however the Apple Watch, in fact, affords much more than simply exercise monitoring and heart-rate monitoring.
The increasing Apple Watch app ecosystem will make the Watch a way more versatile wearable than a devoted health band. And the brand new Apple Watch Collection 6 with built-in GPS and 4G is a serious advance in Apple creating a correct exercise tracker, regardless of its improved however comparatively poor battery life.
However that comes at a fairly steep worth.
The Fitbits provide a lot better battery life (the Cost 5 lasts as much as every week!), and so don’t must be charged each evening when you sleep. Solely the costly Apple Watch Extremely will get shut at a day and a half.
Detailed sleep monitoring might be practically as enlightening to the state of 1’s well being as one’s daytime train routine. Whereas Apple has added a Sleep app, its weaker battery life makes this troublesome for customers. Sleep monitoring on the Fitbit is way simpler, though Fitbit does conceal a number of the metrics again for its Premium subscribers.
And we love the motivation provided by Fitbit’s Associates league.
Crucially, when you’ve got an Android, the Apple Watch is solely not for you. With out an iPhone, it’s fairly ineffective.
Apple Watch customers don’t have to get a Fitbit in addition to their prized digital timepiece, however runners and the health nuts ought to take into account including some third-party apps or a devoted sports activities watch from Garmin, Suunto or Polar, or check out the Ionic.
After all, one large benefit of the Apple Watch is its capability to make and obtain telephone calls, matched solely by the Fitbit Versa 3 & 4 and Sense 1 & 2.
So for health and exercise monitoring we vote for the Fitbits, however applaud Apple for the Watch’s health apps that ought to push Watch homeowners to rise up and transfer about extra – one thing all of us gadget homeowners may do with to cease us sliding into unhealthy life.
Try our Which Fitbit is Finest roundup right here.
