The GGR team has tested dozens of wearable devices over the years, with models from Fitbit and Apple frequently topping our lists of the best fitness trackers and smartwatches. While these brands aren’t the only ones producing wearable technology, they’re certainly two of the most dominant, so we were excited to put them head to head to see how they compare.
Earlier in 2024, Google announced they would no longer produce Fitbit smartwatches like the Fitbit Sense 2 and Fitbit Versa 4, and the Fitbit website has been shut down. Similarly, the Apple Watch Series 9, the latest model we tested, is no longer available on Apple’s website. Therefore, for this Fitbit vs Apple Watch comparison, we’ll pit the newly-released Apple Watch Series 10 against Fitbit’s most recent fitness tracker, the Fitbit Charge 6 (which we have tested).
Fitbit Charge 6
Fitbit Charge 6
Product Highlights
- Fitbit’s No. 1 fitness tracker
- Built-in GPS
- Tracks exercise, sleep, stress, and heart rate
- 7-day battery life
- 3 colors available
Pros & Cons
Pros
- Built-in GPS for phone free workouts
- Features ECG app
- Tracks sleep
- 7 day battery life
- Heart rate appears on connected exercise equipment
Cons
- Google account required
- Reviews said watch disconnects sporadically
- Full functionality requires Fitbit premium
- Customer reviews frustrated with customer support
- Music controls only work with Youtube Music app
Bottom Line
The Fitbit Charge 6 is the newest version of Fitbit’s Charge series. It is an affordable fitness tracker with a lot of functionality like exercise, heart rate, and sleep tracking. It will work best if you are in the Google/Android ecosystem. Access to some data requires a Fitbit premium subscription. Customers generally liked the affordable watch, however, if they encountered an issue they were frustrated with the customer support.
Apple Watch Series 10
Apple Watch Series 9
Product Highlights
- Pricing starts at $399
- 18-hour battery life
- Seamless integration with other Apple devices
- Tracks heart rate and steps
- Can track body temperature and energy expenditure
- Optional data plan available
- Added data unlocks calls and texts without your phone
Pros & Cons
Pros
- Tracks heart rate, body temperature, ECG readings, and more
- Stream music, calls, and texts with a data plan
- Works seamlessly with other Apple products
Cons
- Battery only lasts up to 18 hours
- Sensors don't work well with tattooed skin
- Not much different from previous models
Bottom Line
The Apple Watch Series 9 is a fantastic smart watch with integrated health and fitness tracking, especially for those who use other Apple products. The battery isn't very long, and the design hasn't changed much over the years, but this is a great choice for those who want a smartwatch that functions like a small iPhone.
Fitbit vs Apple Watch Comparison Chart
| Fitbit Charge 6 | Apple Watch Series 10 | |
| Price | $159.95 | $399-$699, depending on the material and finish and whether you choose a GPS-only or GPS + Cellular model |
| Display | AMOLED display | LTPO3 OLED Always‑On Retina display |
| GPS | Yes | Yes |
| Metrics tracked | Step count, cardio fitness level, heart rate, daily readiness score, active zone minutes, sleep score, SpO2 (blood oxygen level), skin temperature, stress levels, workout intensity (in the Fitbit app only), resting heart rate, breathing rate, menstrual health, ECG (with a separate app) | Heart rate, ECG (with a separate app), sleep apnea detection, respiratory rate, wrist temperature, sleep duration, sleep stages, cycle tracking, fitness activities, daily steps, calories burned, fall detection |
| Water resistance | Up to 50 m | Up to 50 m, depth gauge to 6 m |
| Subscription required? | No, some features require a membership to Fitbit Premium ($9.99/mo or $79.99/yr) | No |
| Battery life | Up to 7 days | Up to 18 hours with normal use; up to 36 hours in low power mode |
| Warranty | 1 year | 1 year |
Quick Look: Fitbit vs Apple Watch
In addition to well-known brands like Garmin and Samsung, Fitbit and Apple have strong reputations in the world of fitness trackers and smartwatches. Two of the latest models from each brand include the Fitbit Charge 6 and the Apple Watch Series 10 (which many call the best Apple Watch to date).
The Charge 6 is more of a fitness tracker and the Apple Watch Series 10 is categorized as a smartwatch. However, both devices offer workout tracking capabilities, phone notifications, tech features like contactless payments, and various health and sleep insights.
Who Should Buy the Fitbit Charge 6
- Anyone who doesn’t mind paying extra for premium app features
- Folks looking for a fitness tracker with a long battery life
- People who don’t have an iPhone
Who Should Buy the Apple Watch Series 10
- Mac and/or iPhone users
- People wanting a watch with a larger display
- People wanting a device that can function as more than just an activity tracker
Key Similarities Between the Fitbit Charge 6 and Apple Watch Series 10
- The Fitbit Charge 6 and Apple Watch Series 10 are both wearable devices you wear on your wrist.
- You need to set up an account with either brand to use their wearables. For the Apple Watch, you’ll need an Apple account. For the Fitbit, you’ll need a Google account.
- Both devices offer multiple customizable watch faces.
- Both devices can show email, text, and app notifications, as well as alert you to incoming phone calls.
- You can track dozens of workout modes on both watches.
Important Differences Between the Fitbit Charge 6 and Apple Watch Series 10
- The Fitbit Charge 6 is compatible with Android or iOS devices. While the Apple Watch can sync with an Android phone, it requires a workaround that may not be feasible if you don’t know someone with an iPhone.
- There is only one case size for the Fitbit Charge 6. There are two case size options for the Apple Watch Series 10: 42 millimeters or 46 millimeters.
- The Apple Watch Series 10 offers fall detection functionality, but the Fitbit Charge 6 does not.
- The Fitbit Charge 6’s battery can last up to 7 days (though using the SpO2 features and always-on display will cause it to drain faster). The Apple Watch Series 10 only lasts up to 36 hours, even in low power mode.
- You can answer phone calls directly on the Apple Watch Series 10, which isn’t possible on the Fitbit Charge 6.
- The Fitbit Charge 6 is several hundred dollars cheaper than the Apple Watch Series 10. That said, both devices are usually discounted during major shopping holidays like Black Friday.
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Fitness Tracking
The Apple Watch Series 10 offers a ton of fitness tracking via the Workout app. Some of the workout types you can track include running, walking, cycling, using the elliptical, hiking, rowing, stair stepping, and swimming. There are also multi-sport tracking features for activities like triathlon training. There’s even an option for wheelchair users to track wheelchair-pushing workouts.
Tracking workouts is also possible on the Fitbit Charge 6. Like the Apple Watch Series 10, the Fitbit Charge 6 tracks dozens of workout modes. If you own a compatible cardio machine, you can even sync the wearable device to your machine to see your heart rate data in real time.
Both devices have built-in GPS, so you don’t need to take your phone with you to track your route when you go for a run or walk outdoors. They also track metrics such as time spent in various heart rate zones and calories burned. However, you should take the calories burned with a grain of salt. A 2022 systematic review1 showed that the energy expenditure on fitness trackers can be off by more than 30%.
The Fitbit Charge 6 and Apple Watch Series 10 both also offer a daily score that shows how recovered you are and how much training you can handle on any given day.
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Health and Wellness Metrics
Both devices offer pretty robust health tracking. They offer heart rate monitoring and track skin temperature, blood oxygen level (SpO2), resting heart rate, and breathing rate. The Apple Watch Series 10 also tracks stress levels via heart rate variability (HRV). The Fitbit Charge 6 can provide a daily stress management score, but a detailed score breakdown requires a Fitbit Premium membership.
Notifications about a high or low heart rate or irregular heartbeat are also available on both devices, though you’ll need to download separate ECG apps to use these features.
Like other smartwatches in the Apple ecosystem, such as the Apple Watch SE, the Apple Watch Series 10 offers fall detection functionality and medication reminders.
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Sleep Tracking
The Apple Watch Series 10 and Fitbit Charge 6 both offer sleep tracking metrics, such as time asleep, time spent in different sleep stages, and movement disturbances. The Fitbit Charge 6 provides a daily sleep score while the Apple Watch does not. However, the Apple Watch Series 10 has sleep apnea detection, which the Fitbit Charge 6 doesn’t offer.
You should also know that many of the advanced sleep metrics on Fitbit are only available in the premium version of the app. Apple doesn’t require a separate subscription to view advanced sleep insights.
Cycle Tracking
The Apple Watch Series 10 offers cycle tracking via the Cycle Tracking app, which will alert you when your next cycle or fertile window is about to start. It also allows you to log your symptoms or other details about your period. If you wear your Apple Watch to sleep, it can track your wrist temperature and eventually learn to make more accurate predictions about your cycle.
Fitbit offers similar cycle tracking, although it’s better to use the Fitbit app on your phone to log symptoms, estimate your ovulation window, and view more trends about your cycle. The Fitbit Charge 6 will only display basic data, like when your period is about to start.
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Tech Capabilities and Phone Notifications
The Fitbit Charge 6 can show app notifications, text messages, email notifications, and phone call notifications as long as your phone is within 30 feet of the device. The Apple Watch Series 10 does all of that as well but also allows you to take phone calls directly from your wrist. However, the exact functionalities available depend on the model you get. If you choose the GPS-only model, you’ll need to be connected to your iPhone via Bluetooth or WiFi to receive notifications. If you opt for the GPS + Cellular model, you can receive notifications on your watch even if your phone isn’t nearby.
Because the Apple Watch Series 10 has a speaker and microphone, it allows you to stream Apple Music and Apple Podcasts. You can’t stream music via third-party apps directly on the Fitbit Charge 6, but you can use the device to control what’s playing through YouTube Music on your phone. You need a YouTube Music Premium subscription to do this, though.
The Fitbit Charge 6 and Apple Watch Series 10 support contactless payments through Google Wallet and Apple Pay, respectively. The Charge 6 also syncs with Google Maps to show step-by-step navigation on your wrist, and the Apple Watch Series 10 syncs with Apple Maps.
You can use Siri on the Apple Watch, but the Fitbit Charge 6 doesn’t come with a voice assistant.
Battery Life
The Apple Watch Series 10 has a battery life of up to 18 hours. Using it in low power mode will increase the battery life to up to 36 hours. It takes about 30 minutes to charge the watch from 0% to 80%.
The Fitbit Charge 6 has a battery life of up to 7 days, though using certain features like the always-on mode or SpO2 readings will drain the battery faster. Charging it from 0% to 100% takes about 2 hours.
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Company Policies
Google offers a 1-year warranty and a 45-day return policy (from the date of shipment) on all Fitbit-branded devices. You can finance the Fitbit Charge 6 for 12 months if you buy it from Google’s online store. Retailers like Amazon or Best Buy may have different return windows and financing options.
Apple offers a 1-year warranty and a 14-day return policy on all products purchased on apple.com. The Apple Watch Series 10 also comes with 90 days of free technical support. As with Fitbit, Apple Watches purchased from other retailers are subject to those stores’ return policies.
Fitbit vs Apple Watch: Final Thoughts
The Apple Watch Series 10 and Fitbit Charge 6 are two excellent wearable devices with many health and fitness tracking capabilities. But if you’re still not sure who the clear winner is in the Fitbit vs Apple Watch debate, consider the following points:
- The Apple Watch Series 10 is the best smartwatch option for users who are already part of the Apple ecosystem.
- The Fitbit Charge 6 is ideal for Android users or people who prefer a more budget-friendly fitness tracker (though you will have to pay for Fitbit Premium for some advanced sleep and health metrics).
- The Fitbit Charge 6 is also the better choice for anyone who doesn’t want to charge their device frequently. Its battery lasts up to a week, while the Apple Watch’s battery lasts 36 hours at the most.
Fitbit vs Apple Watch: FAQs
Is it better to get an Apple Watch or a Fitbit?
If you’re an Android user, it’s better to get a Fitbit. You can connect an Android phone to an Apple Watch, but you need someone with an iPhone to set it up for you. If you have an iPhone, you can use either an Apple Watch or a Fitbit. That said, we recommend the Apple Watch because it tends to be more durable and offers more tech features.
Which lasts longer, a Fitbit or an Apple Watch?
In my experience, Fitbit devices only last about a year or two. On the other hand, some GGR team members have had their Apple Watches for several years.
Are Fitbits being phased out?
Google has confirmed that the Fitbit Sense 2 and Fitbit Versa 4 will be the final smartwatches with Fitbit branding. The Pixel Watch will instead be Google’s primary smartwatch. However, you can still buy Fitbit fitness trackers, like the Fitbit Charge 6, Fitbit Inspire 3, and Fitbit Luxe.
Does Fitbit work well with an iPhone?
Fitbit-branded devices are compatible with and sync pretty seamlessly to iPhones. You just need to ensure your iPhone operates on Apple iOS 15 or higher and download the Fitbit app to your phone from the App Store.
References
- Germini, F., Noronha, N., Borg Debono, V., Abraham Philip, B., Pete, D., Navarro, T., Keepanasseril, A., Parpia, S., de Wit, K., & Iorio, A. (2022). Accuracy and Acceptability of Wrist-Wearable Activity-Tracking Devices: Systematic Review of the Literature. Journal of Medical Internet Research, 24(1), e30791. https://doi.org/10.2196/30791
