Phones & Gadgets
The best Fitbits to buy in 2019
It's tricky to work out which Fitbit is best. We put the Alta HR, Charge 2, Blaze and on test
Joel Watson
Updated: 20 Jun 2019, 12:13
FITBITS come in all shapes and sizes, so we've tried them all out to help you work out which one is the best for you.
Whether you want something cheap and cheerful, or an all-singing, all-dancing fitness tracker, Fitbit have plenty of options.
It's worth noting that all Fitbits can track steps, calories burnt, floors climbed and measure the number of active hours you have in a day.
All of the ones we've reviewed also can track your heart rate, provide notifications when you get texts and calls, and can be used as a silent alarm clock.
We've reviewed Fitbits because they're some of the most sought-after fitness accessories (there's a high chance you'll get one for Christmas at some point!), and they're very simple to get on board with and understand once you own one.
However, there's loads of different makes and models in the fitness tracker space, some of which we've rounded up in our buying guide.
The Fitbit Charge 3 is available to buy right nowCredit: Fitbit
The Charge 3 is Fitbit's latest offering and doesn't disappoint.
It's a notable upgrade on the Charge 2, with a sleeker design and much more comfortable fit that means it can even be worn to bed without becoming an annoyance; handy for sleep tracking.
The Charge 3 is also waterproof to 50 meters if you want to track your swimming or you just want to take it running in a downpour.
While £129.99 is a little pricey for an activity tracker, it does feel like decent value for money, and will hopefully be even better once Black Friday rolls around on November 23.
For the full review click here
£129.99 from Fitbit - buy here
The Alta has a very slim design
The Alta HR has similar features and price to the Charge 2, but it's in a much smaller package.
Featuring a heart-rate monitor and smart exercise tracking, I found the Alta HR's most impressive feature to be its battery life.
It can go almost a full week without charge, and with its short charging time (1-2 hours) it's pretty low maintenance.
Unlike the Charge 2, the Alta HR has a pretty small profile on the wrist with its slim screen and it doesn't seem to snag on clothes half as much as its larger cousin.
You can forget you're wearing the Alta HR
Used in the gym or on the sports pitch, you forget it's there - just how it should be - and it can provide a host of useful data once you've cooled off.
It's also small enough to wear at night without being uncomfortable, which is handy, because with its heart rate monitor it provides some detailed feedback on your sleep patterns.
While the Alta HR's post-workout feedback is less comprehensive than the Charge 2's, I much preferred it and would have happily carried on wearing it for longer than a week.
The Versa is the latest Fitbit to be released
The Versa is effectively a Blaze 2.0. Sitting between the Blaze and Ionic in terms of price, Fitbit's latest offering has got a mish-mash of their features.
The design is definitely an improvement on the Blaze, although I still prefer the look of the Ionic.
The Versa is comfortable to wear too; most of the time I wore mine I forgot it was there, even when I wore it to bed.
The new Fitbit distinguishes itself from the Blaze by being fully waterproof to 50 metres and its internal memory that lets you store up to 300 songs and sync them to your wireless headphones; a handy feature.
The Fitbit Versa will be a nice option once the price comes down a little
Considering the Ionic only costs £40 more on Amazon, I think you'd be better off buying the more expensive model, as you get a little more for you money and the design is better.
But when the Versa's price starts coming down, which it will do in the coming months, it'll be a nice upgrade to the Blaze.
The Ionic has all the bells and whistles attached
The Ionic is Fitbit's most premium offering and rivals the Apple Watch for features.
Its exercise tracking is excellent and ties in brilliantly with the heart rate monitor and built-in GPS to provide detailed feedback on your workouts and runs.
Runners get the benefit of popular app Strava being available on the Ionic, which combines with the built-in GPS and allows you to explore popular running routes in your area and set yourself goals as well as comparing your data with friends.
Combined with an internal memory that can hold 300 songs and play them through Bluetooth headphones, the Ionic is an outstanding accessory for runners.
The smart watch has tracking for various types of workout available, including running and cycling, and since it's completely waterproof, it can handle swimming as well.
The Ionic is waterproof and has settings to track your swim
One of the Ionic's other party tricks is contactless payments, where cards synced up to the app can be used to pay in the same way as contactless bank cards.
It's a cool feature, but as with features that provide snippets of news (Flipboard), or help you adjust the lighting in your home (Hue), it's a bit gimmicky and those functions are better performed on a smartphone.
In all, the Ionic is a very impressive bit of kit. Its GPS tracking, automatic workout recognition and the fact that it's waterproof mean it's a great asset for runners, swimmers and everyone who wants to track their progress as they exercise.
Battery life: Up to five days, or 10 hours when continuously using GPS
Price: £279.99 at Fitbit's online store - buy here
If money was no object, I'd buy the Ionic. It's comfortable to wear, provides a great amount of workout data and could be a must-have for serious runners with its GPS and music storage.
However, if I were spending my own money, I'd have the Versa. While it doesn't have quite the same number of features as the Ionic, it's still got plenty to offer runners, gym-goers and other athletes.
You can still sync it with your phone to track your runs with GPS and it's comfy enough to wear at the gym or on the sports field.
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If you're wondering how to get a Fitbit the cheapest, we've got an article that will help you do just that.
We've also rounded up the best exercise trackers on the market if you want to check out some alternatives.
And you can find all of our tech recommendations in our dedicated Sun Selects section.
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