Top Fitbits to Enhance Your Fitness and Health Journey

In 2025, you might be curious about Fitbit’s standing in the wearable tech scene. Even after being acquired by Google, Fitbit continues to be a prominent name in the market. While their trackers may not cater to elite athletes, they excel at monitoring general activity and various health metrics, including EKGs and blood oxygen levels.

We’re currently in a transition phase for Fitbit, moving away from its traditional offerings toward an uncertain future. The year 2023 was particularly tumultuous, marked by several server outages and the controversial decision to phase out legacy community features like challenges. Additionally, starting February 2026, all Fitbit accounts will require Google login, which has raised some eyebrows.

The migration from Fitbit to Google accounts began in 2023 and is necessary for users purchasing the Fitbit Charge 6 or the Google Pixel Watch 4. The Fitbit app has also undergone a Google-inspired redesign, which received mixed reviews from users, prompting Google to make some adjustments based on feedback. Last year, Fitbit’s leadership saw significant changes, with co-founders James Park and Eric Friedman departing as part of broader layoffs at Google. As of 2025, it seems Google’s primary focus is shifting toward its own smartwatch lineup.

The integration of Google into Fitbit’s ecosystem will continue, but there are still compelling reasons to consider their trackers. Fitbit devices are generally budget-friendly, especially during sales, and they come with a free trial of Fitbit Premium, which offers guided workouts, meditations, and deeper health insights. The subscription costs $9.99 per month or $79.88 annually. With the Pixel Watch 4’s launch in October, it’s evident that Google is serious about its wearable technology, featuring improved battery life, a more repairable design, and compatibility with Fitbit’s AI fitness coach.

The Pixel Watch 4, while not branded as a Fitbit, is part of the same family due to Google’s acquisition. This fourth-generation smartwatch boasts a sleek domed display and thinner bezels, enhancing the screen experience. It allows for easy battery and display swaps and offers impressive battery life, lasting between 36 to 42 hours in testing—an upgrade from the Pixel Watch 3’s 32 hours. Charging speed has also improved, going from 14% to 97% in just 44 minutes with Google’s new charger.

The hardware enhancements work seamlessly with Wear OS 6, which features a complete redesign and introduces Gemini to Google’s latest wearable. The raise-to-talk feature enables access to the smart assistant without needing to say “Hey Google” or press a button. AI features like Notification Cooldown and Smart Replies enhance functionality, especially for users with newer Pixel phones. While Gemini in Wear OS 6 has its ups and downs, the redesign complements the Pixel Watch 4’s aesthetics nicely.

The Pixel Watch 4 can automatically track a limited range of exercises, accurately logging walks, runs, and cycling sessions. Its dual-band GPS performed better than the Pixel Watch 3 in initial tests, though it still trails behind the pricier Apple Watch Ultra 3. Both LTE models can send emergency SOS signals via satellite in remote areas without signal. With its blend of hardware, features, and pricing, the Pixel Watch 4 stands out as the best Fitbit option and ranks among the top Android smartwatches.

For those seeking a fitness tracker that resembles a smartwatch, the $199.95 Versa 4 is a more budget-friendly choice. However, the Sense 2 doesn’t offer much more than the Pixel Watch 4, making it less appealing.

The Inspire line has had its ups and downs, but the $99.95 Inspire 3 stands out. With a vibrant color OLED display, it recalls the Fitbit Luxe from 2021, albeit with a matte black plastic case. It’s a straightforward fitness band that doesn’t complicate things. While it lacks built-in GPS, contactless payments, or digital assistants, it compensates with advanced sleep tracking, stress management features, and irregular heart rate notifications. The OLED display is a significant upgrade from the monochrome screen of the Inspire 2, and it still offers around 10 days of battery life—though enabling the always-on display reduces that to about two to three days.

The Inspire 3 also has various accessories, including a discreet clip attachment for step tracking and stylish mesh straps for a more polished look.

The Charge series remains popular, and the $159.95 Charge 6 is no exception. As Fitbit’s higher-end fitness band, it competes well with the more expensive Versa 4, featuring a color OLED screen, EKG, and EDA sensors. It also includes built-in GPS, NFC payments, and SpO2 sensors, though it lacks a digital assistant.

One downside of the Charge 6 is its always-on display, which, while visually appealing, significantly drains the battery. While it boasts an estimated seven days of battery life, that can drop to about two days with the always-on feature enabled. This issue was also present in the Charge 5, but it’s a common trade-off for Fitbit trackers these days.

Overall, the Charge 6 offers excellent value for its price. It’s the only FDA-cleared EKG wearable available for under $200, with EKG and EDA capabilities found only in the Sense, Sense 2, Pixel Watch 3, and Pixel Watch 4. Unless you’re specifically looking for a smartwatch, the Charge 6 is a better overall option.

The Charge 6 also introduces an improved heart rate algorithm, Bluetooth compatibility with select gym equipment, and a few apps, including Google Maps, Google Wallet, and YouTube Music. While YouTube Music requires an additional $10.99 monthly subscription, it’s a step up since Fitbit discontinued onboard music support.

In terms of design, the Charge 6 features a haptic button instead of an inductive groove, which, while not a physical button, has proven to be more reliable than its predecessor.

The $179.99 Fitbit Ace LTE is less of a traditional fitness tracker and more of a smartwatch designed for kids, featuring a mix of games and family-oriented communication tools. Instead of detailed health tracking, it focuses on “active minutes,” which fill a fun progress meter called a Noodle. These active minutes unlock game time and customizations for the kid’s avatar, known as an Eejie.

With a $10 monthly subscription, parents can access real-time location tracking and messaging capabilities through the Fitbit Ace app, allowing communication with preselected contacts. As of November 2024, this includes family members with Ace LTE watches and a family group chat.

The Ace LTE is designed more like an adult smartwatch than other kid-focused devices, using the same charger as the Pixel Watch 3 and offering about a day’s worth of battery life. While my kids enjoy it, they aren’t obsessed, though they do run laps to earn more game time.

Google suggests the Ace LTE is best for kids aged 7 to 11, which seems accurate. My 10-year-old has been using one for about a year, and while it may not be suitable for middle school, it’s perfect for now. We recently got one for my 8-year-old, and it’s amusing to see them text each other from their watches, even if it means my younger one spams the group chat with emojis.

Fitbit officially became part of Google in 2021, and while changes didn’t happen overnight, it’s now Fitbit by Google. The migration to Google accounts began in mid-2023 and will be mandatory for all users by early 2026. Google faced backlash from longtime Fitbit users for discontinuing social features like challenges, although some features returned later. In early 2024, Google laid off around a thousand employees from its hardware divisions, including those working on Pixel, Fitbit, and Nest.

In early 2025, a mandatory software update for Fitbit Versa 3 and Sense users aimed to reduce battery overheating, but it inadvertently reduced battery life for some users from six days to as little as one. However, the promise of a redesigned Fitbit app and an AI-powered health coach indicates that Google is still committed to the Fitbit brand. The hardware advancements seen with the Pixel Watch 4 also suggest ongoing investment in developing innovative wearable technology.

Looking ahead, Fitbit’s head of product announced that new hardware is expected to launch in 2026 alongside the full rollout of the AI health coach, currently in beta for Android users subscribed to Fitbit Premium. However, details about the new hardware remain scarce, and no formal announcement date has been set.