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Which Fitbit fitness tracker should you buy in 2024?

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2 years ago

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Which Fitbit fitness tracker should you buy in 2024?

Fitbit

The Fitbit is one of the most popular fitness trackers on the market. But with five different options — plus the special basic Fitbit Ace 3 for kids — it can be hard to know which Fitbit makes the most sense for you, especially when a lot of the features overlap. For example, every Fitbit is water resistant down to 50 meters so you can work up a sweat or even take a swim while keeping your smartwatch or fitness tracker on your wrist.

They all offer a smart wake alarm, too. This handy feature that lets you set the general time you want to wake up in the morning and when it gets close to that time, your Fitbit will monitor for the optimal sleep stage and wake you up. That way, you can start your day feeling refreshed, rather than groggy.

So what are the important differences between each of the latest Fitbits on the market in 2024? Here’s a quick guide to help you figure out what each one can do so you can decide which one fits you best.

Best Fitbit for daily use: Fitbit Versa 4


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The Fitbit Versa 4 is a smartwatch and fitness tracker in one, featuring built-in Google apps like Google Maps and Google Wallet, along with the ability to make on-wrist calls when it’s connected to your phone via Bluetooth. You can also get text and calendar notifications as well as notifications from your other favorite apps.

The fitness tracker can track heart rate, skin temperature, breathing rate and blood oxygen levels while also tracking steps, calories burned, distance and other activity metrics throughout your day. It can track more than 40 exercises and even give you a personalized cardio fitness score based on how well your body uses oxygen during a workout. That way, you can get a better sense of what your current fitness level is and what you should focus on to improve it.   

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This makes it a great choice for anyone who wants a watch that can track their workouts and provide key performance and fitness insights but also gives you the versatility and functionality of an everyday smartwatch. The 4.4-star rated Fitbit Versa 4 is $200 on Amazon.

What we like about the Fitbit Versa 4:

  • Convenient smartwatch features like on-wrist calling and app notifications, built-in Google Maps and your choice of Google Wallet or Fitbit pay.
  • Track your heart rate, blood oxygen, skin temperature, breathing and activity levels.
  • Track heart rate variability and get notifications when your resting heart rate changes, which can be an early indicator of poor sleep quality, stress, overtraining or a potential heart condition worth consulting your doctor about.

$200 at Amazon

Best Fitbit for stress management: Fitbit Sense 2


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The Fitbit Sense 2 is the smartwatch that does it all. Answer calls on your wrist. Pay with Fitbit Pay or Google Wallet using your watch. Track your routes with built-in GPS. And, of course, it comes with all your essentials like heart rate, blood oxygen and activity tracking.

On top of those features, the Sense 2 adds an EDA sensor so you can take an ECG to get a more accurate heart rate reading. But the most standout feature that separates the Sense 2 from the pack is the all-day body response tracking. 

Using the EDA sensor, skin temperature sensor and heart rate sensor, the Sense 2 constantly monitors for fluctuations in your stress level throughout the day. When it spikes, you’ll get a notification so you can pause to reflect or use the built-in mindfulness and breathing exercises to relax.

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At the end of the day, you’ll get a report that shows when your physical stress levels spiked and dropped so you can better identify patterns around when, where and why you’re feeling stressed.

Regularly listed at $300, it’s usually the most expensive Fitbit in the lineup but those advanced health and wellness features make it worth the price for anyone who’s trying to improve their overall wellness alongside their workout performance. 

Right now, you can get the premium stress management smartwatch at Amazon for just $200.

What we like about the Fitbit Sense 2:

  • With on-wrist phone calls, built-in Alexa and notifications from your calendar, email and other apps, the Sense 2 is a fully-functional smartwatch with all the bells and whistles.
  • The all-day body response tracking uses advanced tracking features to continuously monitor your physical stress levels so you can look for patterns and identify the best ways to reduce your stress.
  • Use Fitbit Pay or Google Wallet with your watch.

$200 at Amazon

Best Fitbit for intense workouts and training sessions: Fitbit Charge 6


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The Fitbit Charge 6 is a slim, lightweight wearable — more so than other Fitbits. So it won’t feel clunky even when you’re running or lifting weights. It has Fitbit Pay and built-in GPS so you can go on a run without your phone, and still be able to navigate your way home (or pay for a coffee).

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This makes the Charge 6 the ideal fitness tracker for athletes who don’t like the bulk of a smartwatch but still want some of that functionality.

The Charge 6 also has a skin temperature sensor and an electrodermal activity (EDA) sensor so you’ll get detailed insights into your health and wellness. You can even take an ECG for a more accurate read on your heart. That said, the Charge 6 won’t continuously monitor changes in your skin’s electrical charge for an all-day body-response tracking like the Sense 2 above or the Pixel Watch 2 below.

You can get the popular fitness tracker for $140 on Amazon (reduced from $160). No wonder it’s earned over 2,000 five-star ratings on Amazon after being out for less than a year.

What we like about the Fitbit Charge 6:

  • This fitness tracker includes all the most advanced features for health, fitness, stress and sleep tracking.
  • The Charge 6 is the only Fitbit aside from the Sense 2 that comes with an EDA sensor so you can monitor your stress levels.
  • The built-in GPS lets you track your route and navigate back home during your run or bike ride without your phone in tow.  

$140 at Amazon

The best Fitbit for beginners: Fitbit Inspire 3


Amazon

The Fitbit Inspire 3 is a great introductory fitness tracker for people who are trying to incorporate more exercise into their routine. It’s lightweight and unobtrusive so you’ll barely notice it’s there, but it can still give you comprehensive insights into your overall health and fitness levels along with periodic reminders to get moving if you’ve been sitting too long.

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The slim, lightweight Inspire 3 can go up to 10 days in between charges, giving it the longest battery life of any Fitbit. Part of that extended battery life is the result of ditching the built-in GPS you get with the Versa 4, Sense 2 and Charge 5. But you can still connect to your phone’s GPS via Bluetooth so you don’t completely lose that functionality.

Aside from GPS, the Inspire 3 is also missing a temperature sensor and EDA sensor but it still packs many of the advanced health and activity tracking features you look for in a Fitibit. That includes heart rate, blood oxygen levels and your daily activity levels. It can even send you notifications when your heart rhythm shows signs of being irregular.  

At $100, the 4.4-star rated fitness tracker is also the most budget-friendly option from the Fitbit lineup (with the exception of the Fitbit Ace 3 which is built for kids).  

What we like about the Fitbit Inspire 3:

  • The battery lasts up to 10 days in between charges.
  • The budget-friendly fitness tracker still offers the essentials like heart rate, blood oxygen and activity tracking.
  • The slim, lightweight design is super comfortable for wearing all day long.

$100 at Amazon

A stylish Fitbit that doubles as jewelry: Fitbit Luxe


Amazon

The Fitbit Luxe is a fitness tracker designed for people who don’t like the look of fitness trackers. It’s slim, sleek and comes with a variety of stylish bands including a timeless gold stainless steel link band that looks more like a bracelet than a fitness tracker. You can also change the clock face on the display to better coordinate with your outfit for the day.

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It’s not all about the looks, though. The Luxe also boasts all your fitness tracking essentials like heart rate, blood oxygen and activity. In terms of functionality, it’s on par with the Inspire 3 but with a shorter battery life. 

Get the stylish fitness tracker while it’s on sale at Amazon for $98, reduced from its usual price of $130.

What we like about the Fitbit Luxe:

  • The sleek, stylish fitness tracker that looks more like fashion accessory.
  • Aside from the battery life, the fitness tracking features you get are on par with the Inspire 3.
  • Customize the watch face to coordinate with your outfit.

$98 at Amazon

Honorable mention: Google Pixel Watch 2


Amazon

While it doesn’t have the Fitbit name, the Pixel Watch 2 does have Fitbit technology since Google bought the leading fitness tracker brand in 2019. That includes blood oxygen tracking, a skin temperature sensor and a continuous electrodermal activity (cEDA) sensor. Like the Sense 2, the Pixel Watch 2 continuously measures changes in the electrical currents on the surface of your skin to help track your stress levels.

Those new sensors give the Pixel Watch 2 the ability to offer new health insights like a sleep score and daily readiness score. One of the most impressive additions is “body response,” a measure of stress and excitement that can send you a notification when it detects heightened stress and take you through guided breathing or mindfulness exercises to help you find your calm.

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Beyond stress management, the new Pixel Watch 2 packs tons of new fitness tools. You can now do heart rate zone training with real-time feedback and coaching during your workout when you go above or below your target zone. You can also do pace training, with similar real-time alerts when you go above or below your target pace.

Get the stylish smartwatch at Amazon for $350.

Top features of the Pixel Watch 2:

  • New Gmail and Calendar integrations let you reply to emails and accept or decline invites from your watch.
  • Safety Check lets you set a timer for your watch to check in and, if you don’t confirm you’re ok, it will send your real-time location to your emergency contacts or contact emergency services for you.
  • Google Assistant lets you request health and fitness insights with your voice.
  • Automatic exercise detection is available for seven exercises.
  • The improved aluminum housing is 30 grams lighter, making it more comfortable to wear while working out.

$350 at Amazon

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Fitness

Fitness trainer with 18 years of experience shares why exercise is crucial for kids: ‘Not just about health and fitness’

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8 minutes ago

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February 27, 2026

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Fitness trainer with 18 years of experience shares why exercise is crucial for kids: ‘Not just about health and fitness’

Exercise is often spoken about in the context of physical fitness – stronger muscles, better stamina and improved overall health. But its value, especially for children, extends far beyond the body. Regular physical activity can quietly shape character, teaching lessons about effort, patience, discipline and resilience that mirror how the real world works. From learning to cope with discomfort to understanding that progress takes time, exercise can become a powerful training ground for life itself.

Exercise is important for kids. (Image generated via Google Gemini)

Also Read | Chennai fitness trainer with 18 years of experience shares 5 simple things to focus on for long-term fitness

Chennai-based fitness trainer with 18 years of experience, Raj Ganpath – founder of the Slow Burn Method, co-founder and head coach at Quad Fitness, and author of Simple, Not Easy – is shedding light on why exercise is important for kids, with the benefits going beyond health and fitness. In an Instagram video shared on February 27, he explains how the impact of exercise extends far beyond physical wellness, shaping resilience, discipline and long-term character development.

Embracing discomfort

According to Raj, exercise is one of the healthiest ways to help children learn how to sit with discomfort in a safe, structured and sustainable way. Life inevitably brings challenges and unease – something adults understand well – but many children today are shielded from situations that test their resilience.

He explains, “Exercise is a great way to experience this discomfort in a safe and sustainable manner. Lifting weights, holding a plank, doing cardio, repping till it burns, all of these things are opportunities to embrace discomfort, opportunities to put themselves in a place where they’re not comfortable and learn from it, opportunities to practice physical and mental resilience.”

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Learning hardship

The fitness trainer emphasises that hardship is an inevitable part of life, and meaningful success often requires pushing through moments of difficulty. While most adults recognise this truth through lived experience, children may not always have the same exposure to challenge. Raj believes exercise can bridge that gap.

He elaborates, “It will teach them that they need to do hard things if they want to accomplish something. Getting through a very hard workout, setting a goal and achieving it, completing a task. All of these things are not just random chores. These are incredible opportunities – opportunities to experience hardship and build fortitude.”

Delayed gratification

In today’s fast-paced world, the desire for instant gratification is stronger than ever – and children are growing up at the centre of it. With technology, streaming platforms and 10-minute delivery services, almost everything is available at the tap of a screen. As a result, the ability to wait, persist and work steadily towards a long-term goal can easily take a back seat. Exercise, notes Raj, offers a powerful counterbalance.

He explains, “Everyone wants everything right away today. This is true for us adults too, but it is even more true for our kids because this is the only world they know. A world where everything happens right then and right there, whenever they want it, wherever they want it. Exercise will teach them to wait, to be patient, to trust the process, to fail and still keep going, to work towards something larger that they will get much later. This is a very important character building quality and will serve them well for many, many years to come.”

The fitness trainer concludes, “Exercise is not just about health and fitness. It is a simulation of life itself. A ready-made character building tool available to you to help prepare your kids for life, the raw and real life that they’re going to have to deal with no matter what. So make sure they build the habit and make sure they embrace it.”

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Note to readers: This article is for informational purposes only and not a substitute for professional medical advice. It is based on user-generated content from social media. HT.com has not independently verified the claims and does not endorse them.

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What Are “Movement Snacks”? How To Try This Trending Fitness Hack

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12 hours ago

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February 26, 2026

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What Are “Movement Snacks”? How To Try This Trending Fitness Hack

The World Health Organization says the average adult is supposed to get 60 minutes of moderate to vigorous activity five days a week, which sounds somewhat doable until it’s 9 p.m., your kids are finally in bed, and you just want to fall onto the couch and dissociate. But more and more people online are talking about “movement snacks” — little bite-sized amounts of exercise you can do throughout your day to meet your 60-minute goal without having to make special time for one big workout. Because yes, we all want to be our healthiest, but sometimes a HIIT class at the gym is just not in the schedule.

We asked personal trainers and fitness coaches for their favorite movement snacks you can do in the office, around the house, and on busy weekends when everyone’s home.

How much exercise is a person really supposed to get?

While the WHO recommends 60 minutes a day, the CDC is a little more lax, recommending at least 150 minutes of moderate-intensity physical activity a week, or about 30 minutes a day, five days a week. While it may feel like you’re the only one struggling to fit a workout into your daily routine, you’re far from alone. In fact, it’s always been hard for most Americans. So, while movement snacks may be a cute new term we’re all hearing for the first time, fitness pros have been promoting bite-sized exercise forever.

“I work with busy professionals, so I’ve been integrating micro workouts of two to 10 minutes into my clients’ lifestyles for almost 20 years,” says Andrea Marcellus, certified personal trainer and CEO of AND/life.

The most important thing for your health isn’t getting all your daily movement done in one big, perfectly curated workout — it’s about being consistent, Marcellus says. Movement snacks can help you stay consistent because you don’t have to budget a big chunk of time; instead, you can fit something simple into your day when you have three minutes to spare. Hell, you don’t even have to change clothes or go anywhere.

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“Most people think movement only counts if it’s a workout. That mindset is what keeps people sedentary. In reality, your body doesn’t care if steps come from a hike, a gym session, or pacing when you’re on a call,” says Lindy Royer, physical therapist and balanced body educator. “This is where you win the game — by stacking movement into things you’re already doing.”

Movement Snacks To Try Throughout Your Day

  • Set an alarm on your phone to chime every hour — that’s what women’s fitness coach Allison Kalsched tells her clients. When it goes off, stand up and do 10 bodyweight squats. Then go back to work. When you get tired of squats, mix in walking lunges, push-ups (it’s fine if they’re modified!), or dead bugs. Throw on 30 seconds of jumping jacks or high knees for bone-building benefits, which is important for women in menopause, she adds.
  • Take a micro walk. “Five minutes or 500 steps is my absolute favorite,” says Dr. Milica McDowell, doctor of physical therapy, author of the forthcoming book Walk, and exercise physiologist at US Physical Therapy. “It changes mood, lowers blood pressure, boosts mental clarity, and can help you get your cumulative steps in.”
  • Dance to your new favorite song with your kids or all by yourself. “Dance party was big with my kids after dinner,” Marcellus says. “It takes four to 10 mins and helps kids burn off dinner energy, while also giving parents a metabolic boost.”
  • Stop and do 60 reps of any full-body exercise, like squats, lunges, or jumping jacks — this usually takes about two minutes, no matter which one you choose, Marcellus says. Or, hold a plank for one to two minutes.
  • Pair walking with habits that already exist to get your steps in, like marching in place while brushing your teeth or doing a lap inside the house while your food is in the microwave. “This means you’re not adding time — you are upgrading your time,” says Royer.
  • Count your housework. Sweeping, mopping, vacuuming, general domestic labor — these things totally contribute to your total exercise time each day, says Royer.
  • If you go up or down the stairs at home, just… do it two or three times. That little extra here and there adds up, according to Royer.

The best advice is to focus not on “how can I move right now?” but “how can I do something that isn’t sitting right now?” Royer says. “The real truth that most people ignore is that sedentary time is the real enemy, not a lack of workouts. Focus on breaking up your sitting time. Build in frequent movement snacks. You’re not looking for perfection, just something more than nothing. You don’t need more time; you actually just need more conscious efforts to move.”

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At 66, Judy Murray swapped skipping for rebounding – here’s why it’s so effective for midlife women

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1 day ago

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February 26, 2026

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At 66, Judy Murray swapped skipping for rebounding – here’s why it’s so effective for midlife women

A household name synonymous with tennis, Judy Murray has branched out in recent years when it comes to fitness. While the coach and former player still frequents the court – it’s integral to her day job, after all – she has incorporated several other activities into her routine, including one you might be unfamiliar with: rebounding.

Rebounding

In an interview with The Times, Judy explained that while skipping had been part of her tennis routine for years, she’d decided to replace it with rebounding – jumping on a trampoline – due to the impact skipping started to have on her joints and legs. And she’s onto something – a NASA study found rebounding to be up to 68% more effective at working the muscles and joints than treadmill running – something scientists call mechanical loading, which is crucial for bone, muscle and tendon health.

It doesn’t have to be expensive, either. Judy told The Times that she had bought a mini trampoline for £24.99 and that she used it in one-minute bursts.

‘Rebounding can be a smart swap for women in midlife, particularly if high-impact skipping or plyometric training has started to feel unforgiving on the joints,’ says personal trainer Michael Baah. ‘As oestrogen declines during perimenopause and menopause, we typically see reductions in bone mineral density, muscle mass and tendon elasticity,’ he explains. ‘High-impact ground reaction forces from traditional skipping can be effective for bone health, but they also place substantial load through the knees, hips and Achilles.’ Rebounding, on the other hand, ‘absorbs some of the ground reaction force, reducing peak stress through the joints, while still stimulating muscle activation in the calves, glutes and core.’

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It shouldn’t replace strength training, adds Baah, which ‘remains the most effective intervention for combatting age-related sarcopenia and maintaining metabolic health,’ but it’s an incredibly valuable conditioning tool ‘for women who want to protect their joints while maintaining cardiovascular fitness.’

Below, we also look at the other workouts Judy has turned to in recent years to stay strong and active while protecting her joints – and why you should try them, too.

She swims

‘As I get older I have found a lot of things I enjoyed doing really impact my knees and hips, but a lot of things I can do in water…I also realise I have five grandchildren now. I want to be able to run after them and pick them up and put them down with relative ease,’ Judy told The Times. ‘I have a whole routine I do in the swimming pool and there is no impact in the water. It is a better way to do some of the things I used to do.’

Indeed, not only does swimming protect your joints, but it’s also effective for cardio fitness. ‘The biggest advantage of swimming is that it is low impact. The buoyancy of water significantly reduces joint loading, making it an excellent option for people with joint pain or who have a lower tolerance to impact,’ personal trainer and nutritionist Georgia Garlick previously told WH. ‘It is a true full-body exercise, involving the upper body, trunk, hips and legs simultaneously.’ On average, she added that moderate swimming burns 500-700 kcal per hour – typically more than moderate cycling.

She has started playing golf

Judy has also discussed how participating in Strictly Come Dancing back in 2014 instilled in her a desire to continue challenging herself and trying new things – no matter her age. In that vein, ahead of her 65th birthday, she told HELLO!, that she had taken up golf. ‘I’m addicted to it, it is so incredibly relaxing,’ she said. ‘It gets me out in the fresh air and away from my phone and because it’s not as physically demanding as running around a tennis court, it suits me now that my arms aren’t as strong as they once were.

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‘As we get older it’s so important to keep trying to find things that stimulate you, make you think and keep you socially connected – and golf ticks all of those boxes.’

A review published in the British Journal of Sports Medicine linked golf to an increased life expectancy, reduced risk of chronic disease and improved mental health.

She plays pickleball

While padel has become hugely popular, it seems that its sibling pickleball – which combines tennis, badminton and table tennis – is more up Judy’s street. After trying the sport herself, she’s since campaigned to get more people involved. ‘It’s just fun and engaging, and it’s incredibly inclusive. And for Scotland, it’s a perfect fit for us. We have terrible weather, we have badminton courts everywhere – in every community centre and sports centre. Even church halls have badminton courts,’ she told The National. ‘In terms of setting up quickly, wherever you are, I think it’s a perfect fit for getting more people more active.’

Judy added that she sees it as a perfect transition from tennis to something that will let her play a similar game for longer.

She stretches regularly

The final touch to Judy’s fitness routine? A dedicated stretching routine. ‘Since I turned 60, I’ve realised how important it is to stretch to stay mobile and flexible if I want to stay active with my grandchildren,’ she told HELLO!.

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While we don’t know the specifics of Judy’s stretching routine, even dedicating just a few minutes daily to mobility can supercharge longevity.

There is an ideal routine based on science, though. According to a panel of experts convened by the American College of Sports Medicine, who reviewed a range of studies, you should:

  • Do flexibility exercises (stretches, yoga or tai chi) for all major muscle-tendon groups – neck, shoulders, chest, trunk, lower back, hips, legs and ankles – minimum two to three times per week.
  • Spend 60 seconds on each exercise. If you can hold a specific stretch for 15 seconds, try repeating it three more times and if you can hold it for 20 seconds, two more repetitions would be ideal.

As Judy regularly says, though, it’s about finding forms of exercise that you enjoy, as you’ll be far more likely to find the time – even if it’s for five minutes – to get stuck in.

Hannah Bradfield is a Senior Health and Fitness Writer for Women’s Health UK. An NCTJ-accredited journalist, Hannah graduated from Loughborough University with a BA in English and Sport Science and an MA in Media and Cultural Analysis.  She has been covering sports, health and fitness for the last five years and has created content for outlets including BBC Sport, BBC Sounds, Runner’s World and Stylist. She especially enjoys interviewing those working within the community to improve access to sport, exercise and wellness. Hannah is a 2024 John Schofield Trust Fellow and was also named a 2022 Rising Star in Journalism by The Printing Charity.  A keen runner, Hannah was firmly a sprinter growing up (also dabbling in long jump) but has since transitioned to longer-distance running. While 10K is her favoured race distance, she loves running or volunteering at parkrun every Saturday, followed, of course, by pastries. She’s always looking for fun new runs and races to do and brunch spots to try.

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