Fitbit vs. Apple Watch: Comparing smartwatches and fitness trackers

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Smartwatches and activity trackers are a dime a dozen these days, but there are a few brands that stand out. Apple Watch has cultivated a stellar reputation in the smartwatch category — and the upcoming Series 10 is rumored to come with some cool new upgrades — while brands like Fitbit have dominated the fitness tracking space. Since Google acquired Fitbit back in 2019, competition between the two brands has been fierce, especially now that the Google Pixel Watches utilize Fitbit’s health and wellness tracking.

While there are certainly some stark differences between Apple Watches and Fitbits — and comparing certain models might seem like comparing apples and oranges — Google’s push into the smartwatch category, as well as Apple’s increasing dedication to health tracking features, means there’s more crossover between these brands than ever before.

So, is it better to get an Apple Watch or a Fitbit? I put them to the test over the last few weeks, and here’s everything you need to know.

Sizes and screens

When it comes to display quality and screen size, there’s quite a bit of variety to choose from, especially when it comes to Fitbit. Because the brand offers both activity trackers and smartwatches, their trackers tend to be a bit smaller, simpler, and more discreet — the 1.45-inch Charge 6 touts a full-color AMOLED display with a maximum brightness of 450 nits — while their smartwatches offer larger, higher-quality displays. The Google Pixel Watch 2, for example, boasts a 41mm AMOLED display with a maximum brightness of 1,000 nits, making it a much better option for those interested in a brighter, clearer display.

While Apple doesn’t offer traditional fitness trackers, it does offer a solid range of smartwatch sizes — which is definitely a win compared to Fitbit’s single-size smartwatch offerings. The Series 9 is available in 41mm or 45mm (with the SE available in 40mm or 44mm, as well as the Ultra 2 in 49mm), and it has an unmatched Retina LTPO OLED display with a maximum brightness of 2,000 nits. 

Winner: Apple

Internal hardware

While Fitbit boasts a broader product range, which means a wider variety of internal hardware, I decided to pit smartwatch against smartwatch to see which has the most impressive specs in this category. I was pleased to discover the Google Pixel Watch 2 utilizes a Qualcomm Snapdragon W5 chip, as well as 2GB of RAM and 32GB of storage, but the Apple Watch Series 9’s specs are equally impressive with Apple’s S9 chip, 1GB of RAM, and 64GB of storage. Performance-wise, it would be pretty hard to distinguish between the two without rigorous side-by-side testing.

Winner: Tie

Health and fitness tracking

Both Apple Watch and Fitbit offer access to user-friendly health and fitness tracking, which means both brands allow you to track various metrics like steps, heart rate, workout duration, calories burned, sleep, and more. However, the best fitness tracker ultimately depends on what data you’re interested in tracking, as this varies from brand to brand and from product to product.

Fitbit offers a wider range of activity trackers.
Credit: RJ Andersen / Mashable

For example, both Fitbit and Apple Watch offer sleep tracking, so you can track things like sleep duration and sleep stages, but both the Series 9 and the Google Pixel Watch 2 have relatively shorter battery lives (18 hours versus 24 hours, respectively). This makes them less-than-ideal for 24/7 wear, especially since they’re a bit bigger than other sleep trackers like the Oura Ring. However, Fitbit’s other activity trackers — including the Luxe, Charge 6, and Inspire 3 — all boast five days of battery life (or more), making them better options for those interested in sleep data.

If you want to track GPS on your runs, both Apple Watch and Fitbit offer built-in GPS on most of their products (aside from the Fitbit Luxe and Inspire 3). Heart Rate Zone training is also possible with both the Pixel Watch 2 and the Series 9, so you can get notifications mid-workout while changing zones, which isn’t available on other Fitbit products. 

Even though Fitbit does some pretty cool health tracking insights — including skin temperature, heart rate variability, and oxygen saturation — none of these are measured using the Google Pixel Watch 2 unless you wear it overnight. Meanwhile, the Apple Watch supports all of these measurements (aside from the since-removed blood oxygen feature) without needing to wear the watch overnight. 

Winner: Tie

Smartwatch functionality

If you’re looking for the best smartwatch between Apple Watch and Fitbit, the answer is pretty clear: choose whatever is compatible with your phone. Apple does seem to have the better smartwatch overall, but that doesn’t really matter much if you aren’t an iPhone user.

If you’re an Android user, the Pixel Watch 2 does stand out over other Fitbit smartwatches. It’s sleek, easy to use, and packed full of useful apps and features — including Google Assistant, Safety Check, and the Google Play Store — making it a more robust smartwatch than other models from Fitbit. Is it the best Android smartwatch on the market? It’s hard to say, especially since the Samsung Galaxy 6 has a pretty solid reputation, but it’s worth watching to see what Google does with Fitbit next. 

If you’re an iPhone user, however, stick with an Apple Watch over a Fitbit smartwatch. Technically, Fitbit’s other smartwatches — the Versa 4 and Sense 2 — are compatible with both Android and iOS, but some of the features (like smartphone notifications) only work with Android phones…and it’s hard to beat Apple’s smartwatch experience.

Winner: Apple Watch

Battery life

As far as battery life, Fitbit takes the crown. The Apple Watch Series 9 does offer an 18-hour battery life (36 hours in low power mode), but the Google Pixel Watch 2 slightly outperforms it with an advertised 24-hour battery life. Other Fitbit products are even more impressive, with a six+ day battery life for Fitbit’s other smartwatches Versa 4 and Sense 2, as well as a five-day battery life for the Fitbit Luxe, seven-day for the Charge 6, and a whopping 10-day charge for the Inspire 3. 

Winner: Fitbit

Durability and longevity

If you’re looking for a fitness tracker that can handle all kinds of wear and tear, both Apple Watch and Fitbit are pretty reliable options. All of Fitbit’s products are water resistant up to 50 meters, and the Pixel Watch 2 holds a water-protection rating of 5 ATM (up to 50 meters), as well as an additional IP68 dust and water-protection rating. Apple Watches are also water resistant up to 50 meters — with the Series 9 holding an additional IP6X10 dust resistance rating (the SE does not) — while the Ultra 2 takes the cake with water resistance up to 100 meters, IP6X dust resistance, and an additional EN13319 rating for recreational scuba diving up to 40 meters. 

As far as longevity, it’s hard to make a straight comparison between the brands due to the variety of options available. Some Reddit users say that their Fitbit trackers tend to last around two years, while other Redditors report that their Apple Watch typically lasts four to six years. This is pretty on par with my experience, as I’ve been using a Series 4 Apple Watch since January 2019 with no issues. Will the Google Pixel Watch 2 hold up quite as long? It’s a little too soon to tell. 

Winner: Apple Watch

Smartphone compatibility

You might be wondering, “Is Fitbit compatible with iPhone?” Honestly, it depends.

The Fitbit app is compatible with most popular smartphones — including iOS and Android devices — and all of Fitbit’s products are technically compatible with iPhone, aside from the Google Pixel Watch and the Pixel Watch 2. However, it’s important to note that Fitbit’s other smartwatches (the Versa 4 and the Sense 2) are technically compatible with iPhones, but that doesn’t include many of the additional features like smartphone notifications. 

That being said, the best option for you depends on your phone. If you use an iPhone, stick with an Apple Watch or one of Fitbit’s activity trackers. If you use an Android device, you can use any of Fitbit’s products, which technically makes Fitbit the winner of this category.

Winner: Fitbit

Price range

Fitbit’s wider product range means it has a better price range, too. If you’re operating on a budget, that means Fitbit is the way to go. Its activity trackers are quite a bit cheaper than its smartwatches, with the Inspire 3 starting at $99, and its most popular tracker, the Charge 6, clocks in at $159. 

If you’re looking for a smartwatch, however, the prices are a little more comparable between brands. The Google Pixel Watch 2 starts at $349, making it slightly cheaper than the Apple Watch Series 9 (starts at $399) and slightly more expensive than the Apple Watch SE (starts at $249). 

Yes, technically, there are more smartwatch options available from Fitbit — the Versa 4 ($199) and the Sense 2 ($249) — but considering they lack app stores, it doesn’t really feel right to put them on the same tier as the Pixel Watch 2 or the Series 9. Fitbit also offers a kid-friendly smartwatch, the Ace LTE ($299), but it requires an additional $9.99 per month data plan.

Winner: Fitbit

Other features

While I enjoyed using Fitbit’s products, there weren’t many standout features that made me love one more than the other. The Pixel Watch 2 is a solid smartwatch, but so is the Series 9, so — again — it really depends on what phone you’re using. 

As far as activity trackers go, Fitbit had one semi-critical feature missing, at least for fellow gym rats: most of its lineup isn’t compatible with exercise equipment, aside from the Charge 6. This means you can’t connect any of your Fitbit devices — including the Google Pixel Watch 2 — to gym equipment (treadmills, stationary bikes, etc.) to view/sync data like heart rate, calories burned, and distance. Meanwhile, this is a baseline feature in Apple Watches — even my old Series 4 connects to compatible equipment at the gym using NFC functionality — which made it all the more surprising to discover that Fitbit skipped that feature.

Is it a dealbreaker? Probably not for most people, but it’s a feature I’ve really loved using on my Apple Watch, so not having it felt weird.

Winner: Apple Watch

The verdict

It’s not exactly the flashiest answer, but the clear winner between Apple Watch and Fitbit depends on you. If you’re looking for a simple fitness tracker, the best Fitbit watch is likely the Charge 6. It packs a powerful punch into a tiny device — including health and fitness tracking, sleep tracking, built-in GPS, and more — while boasting a great battery life and a solid price tag.

If you’re more interested in a quality smartwatch, then get whatever works with your phone. The Apple Watch is a fantastic choice that’s both functional and durable, but the Google Pixel Watch 2 is shaping up to be a decent competitor.