Fitbit vs Garmin: a battle between two fitness giants that’s been debated for quite some time.
Fitbit vs Garmin: A battle between two fitness giants that’s been debated for some time.
Fitbit is one of the most well-known fitness tracker companies out there. The brand name has been given the “Kleenex effect” by many, in that people refer to their fitness trackers as “a Fitbit” no matter what brand of fitness tracker they’re actually wearing. Garmin is more well known for its fitness smartwatches that have more advanced features for more serious athletes.
Since we last spoke about the Fitbit vs Garmin debate, things have changed. A lot. The two companies used to be in many of the same product categories and compete directly with one another, but that’s not necessarily the case anymore. Fitbit has essentially cornered the low-end smartwatch and fitness tracker markets (at least in the US), while Garmin is far and away the leader in the GPS fitness watch space.
Oh, and Fitbit was acquired by Google at the beginning of November 2019, so the future of Fitbit’s hardware hardware and services is a little muddy. We explored some ideas about the acquisition here, so check out our analysis if you’re interested in learning more about the Google-Fitbit deal.
Right now, though, we’re comparing Fitbit vs Garmin. Let’s get to it!
Fitbit vs Garmin: Fitness trackers
As stated, things have changed a bit in recent years. Fitbit is still releasing multiple fitness trackers every year, while Garmin has slowed this part of its product portfolio as of late. Fitbit currently has four newer fitness trackers for sale on its website. Garmin has four as well, but three of them are quite old.
Fitbit fitness trackers
Credit: Jimmy Westenberg / Android Authority
Fitbit Charge 4 (Amazon): The Fitbit Charge 4 is the company’s flagship fitness tracker. It’s the first Fitbit tracker with onboard GPS — something users have been clamoring for for years. All Charge 4 models have access to Fitbit Pay and come with many smartwatch features found in devices like the Versa 2 or Ionic.
Fitbit Charge 3 (Amazon): The Fitbit Charge 3 is essentially a cheaper Charge 4. It has nearly the same design and feature set, only the Charge 3 doesn’t have onboard GPS. You’ll also need to spring for the special edition model if you want Fitbit Pay support. If you’re doing that, of course, you might as well just buy the Charge 4.
Fitbit Inspire HR (Amazon): The Fitbit Inspire HR and Inspire (below) have taken the place of the Alta series in Fitbit’s lineup. The Inspire HR is smaller than the Charge 4 and has fewer features and a worse display, but makes up for those things with a decent spec sheet.
Fitbit Inspire (Amazon): The Fitbit Inspire is the same exact thing as the Inspire HR, just without the heart rate sensor.
Fitbit Ace 2 (Amazon): The Fitbit Ace 2 is Fitbit’s second kid-friendly fitness tracker. It’s very similar to the Fitbit Inspire, but with a more durable form factor. It can track your children’s activity throughout the day, provide bedtime alerts, silent alarms, and more.
What about the Fitbit Zip? Fitbit hasn’t released a true follow-up to the clip-on Zip fitness tracker, but there’s a decent alternative. The company sells clip-on accessories for the Fitbit Inspire (non-HR model) that essentially turn the device into a Fitbit Zip.
Also read: The most common Fitbit problems and how to fix them
Garmin fitness trackers
Garmin Vivosmart 4 (Amazon): The Vivosmart 4 is Garmin’s latest activity tracker. It’s small, has a much improved display over its predecessor, and it has a built-in pulse oximeter. Recently, Garmin rolled out connected GPS functionality to it, too.
Garmin Vivosport (Amazon): The Garmin Vivosport is a few years old at this point, but it’s the company’s most powerful fitness tracker. It has a built-in GPS and heart rate sensor, it’s accurate, water resistant, and it’s pretty cheap because it’s been on the market since 2017.
Garmin Vivofit 4 (Amazon): The Vivofit 4 is also a couple years old, but it’s still a solid cheap fitness tracker. It has one-year battery life, an always on display, and it’s water resistant. We just wish it had ANT+ HR sensor support (its predecessor did), and slightly better activity tracking capabilities.
Garmin Vivofit Jr. 2 (Amazon): This is Garmin’s latest fitness tracker for kids. It comes in a bunch of fun designs, it’s swim-friendly, has a one-year battery life, and will keep track of your children’s steps taken and sleep.
Related: The best Fitbit alternatives
What if you want something a bit more powerful than the devices listed above? Something with a bigger screen? Luckily both companies have you covered.
Fitbit vs Garmin: Smartwatches and sport watches
Fitbit is still relatively new to the smartwatch market, with only three devices out right now. The company’s devices are improving with every iteration, but they’re still notably behind other brands when it comes to smartwatch features.
Fitbit smartwatches and sports watches
Credit: Jimmy Westenberg / Android Authority
Fitbit Versa 2 (Amazon): The Fitbit Versa 2 is Fitbit’s second real attempt at a smartwatch for the masses. It’s small, light, gives you smartphone notifications, and even has Amazon Alexa built in. The OLED display is a big improvement over the first-gen Versa, too. It’s a good fitness tracker, though unfortunately there’s no built-in GPS.
Fitbit Ionic (Amazon): The Fitbit Ionic is the Fitbit smartwatch you should buy if you need an onboard GPS. It’s a good smartwatch and fitness watch, but it is pretty bulky and won’t fit everyone’s wrists.
Fitbit Versa Lite (Amazon): The Fitbit Versa Lite is essentially a cheaper Versa (first-gen) with a few less features. There’s no music storage, no Fitbit Pay, and no Wi-Fi support. We fully recommend the Versa 2 over the Versa Lite at this point, but this watch can be found on sale quite often.
Fitbit Versa (Amazon): The original Fitbit Versa is growing long in the tooth at this point. It’s the company’s first smartwatch for the masses and can often be found on sale on Amazon. It’s still a very capable fitness tracker, though we do recommend the Versa 2 line over the original Versa, hands down.
Smartwatches and sports watches are Garmin’s bread and butter. We’re going to talk about the company’s five main fitness watch series, but do note that the company sells plenty more devices on its website.
Garmin smartwatches and sports watches
Credit: Jimmy Westenberg / Android Authority
Garmin Venu (Amazon): The Garmin Venu is the company’s first AMOLE
