Garmin
Garmin Vivosmart 5
- Large, readable touchscreen with adjustable text size
- Irregular heart rhythm notifications
Fitbit
Fitbit Charge 6 Fitness Tracker
- #1 in Best Fitness Trackers for Running
- #1 in Best Fitness Trackers for Sleep Tracking
- #1 in Best Fitness Trackers for Swimming
- Irregular heart rhythm notifications
- Fall-aware activity and stress detection
- Simple guided app setup
- Large notification text on AMOLED display
- 7-day battery life
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On this page
Is the Fitbit Charge 6 Fitness Tracker worth it?
Yes, for the right buyer. The Fitbit Charge 6 Fitness Tracker ranks #1 in our Best Fitness Trackers for Running list (top pick). Its biggest strength: guided setup walks through pairing step by step with clear prompts. The main caveat: most detailed heart health trend data sits behind a Fitbit Premium subscription.
Overview
What the Fitbit Charge 6 Fitness Tracker does well
Best overall running tracker. What earns it a place here: built-in GPS means no phone required for accurate route and pace tracking and heart rate accuracy improved noticeably over the Charge 5 in steady-state runs. One caveat, gPS running continuously cuts battery life to 5-6 hours from the rated 7 days.
Best overall for sleep tracking, with the most complete and easiest-to-read morning sleep score of the group. The highlights are sleep Score gives an easy-to-read daily number that reflects duration, stages, and restlessness and overnight SpO2 and skin temperature readings add useful context beyond raw sleep duration. Keep in mind that full sleep insight history and detailed trends sit behind a Fitbit Premium subscription.
Best overall for swimmers who want both pool lap tracking and a usable open water distance estimate. The highlights are pool swim mode logs lap count and pace reliably in a standard 25-meter or 25-yard pool and built-in GPS gives a usable distance estimate for open water swims. One caveat, stroke type recognition occasionally misclassifies technique drills.
Specs that matter
Key features
- Irregular heart rhythm notifications
- Fall-aware activity and stress detection
- Simple guided app setup
- Large notification text on AMOLED display
- 7-day battery life
The trade-offs
Pros & cons
Pros
- Guided setup walks through pairing step by step with clear prompts
- Family members can view shared activity summaries, useful for keeping an eye on a parent from afar
- Bright AMOLED display makes step count and heart rate easy to read without reading glasses in most lighting
- Automatic exercise recognition means no manual button presses needed to log a walk
Cons
- Most detailed heart health trend data sits behind a Fitbit Premium subscription
- 7-day battery still requires a recurring reminder to charge for those prone to forgetting
- Touchscreen and side button combination takes a session or two to learn
Fit check
Should you buy the Fitbit Charge 6 Fitness Tracker?
Buy it if you're…
- Shopping for running
- Shopping for sleep tracking
- Shopping for swimming
- Shopping for budgets under $150
- Shopping for seniors
Think twice if this matters to you
- Most detailed heart health trend data sits behind a Fitbit Premium subscription
- 7-day battery still requires a recurring reminder to charge for those prone to forgetting
- Touchscreen and side button combination takes a session or two to learn
Where it ranks
Featured in 5 best-of lists
| List | Rank |
|---|---|
| Best Fitness Trackers for Running· Top pick | #1 / 4 |
| Best Fitness Trackers for Sleep Tracking | #1 / 4 |
| Best Fitness Trackers for Swimming· Top pick | #1 / 4 |
| Best Fitness Trackers Under $150 | #1 / 4 |
| Best Fitness Trackers for Seniors | #2 / 4 |
Cross-shop
Alternatives to the Fitbit Charge 6 Fitness Tracker
Products ranked near it in our research, each better for a slightly different buyer.
- Garmin
Garmin Forerunner 165 Running Smartwatch
- Built-in GPS for pace and distance
- Bright AMOLED touchscreen
Head-to-head
Compared with
Buying advice: fitness trackers
- Step and sleep tracking is available on almost any band. Runners and cyclists benefit from built-in GPS; swimmers need water resistance rated for swimming.
- Simple bands last one to two weeks. Smartwatches with bright screens may need charging every day or two.
- Optical sensors work best when the band sits snugly above the wrist bone. For serious training, a chest strap paired to the tracker is more accurate.
- Some watches only work fully with one phone platform. Check compatibility before buying.
- Several brands put detailed insights behind a monthly plan. Check what the free app shows.
Answers
Fitbit Charge 6 Fitness Tracker: common questions
Is the Fitbit Charge 6 Fitness Tracker worth buying?
Yes, for the right buyer. The Fitbit Charge 6 Fitness Tracker ranks #1 in our Best Fitness Trackers for Running list (top pick). Its biggest strength: guided setup walks through pairing step by step with clear prompts. The main caveat: most detailed heart health trend data sits behind a Fitbit Premium subscription.
Who is the Fitbit Charge 6 Fitness Tracker best for?
Based on our research it suits running, sleep tracking, swimming and budgets under $150. It's ranked #1 of 4 in our Best Fitness Trackers for Running list.
What are the downsides of the Fitbit Charge 6 Fitness Tracker?
The main trade-offs owners and reviewers point to: most detailed heart health trend data sits behind a Fitbit Premium subscription; 7-day battery still requires a recurring reminder to charge for those prone to forgetting; touchscreen and side button combination takes a session or two to learn.
What are the key features of the Fitbit Charge 6 Fitness Tracker?
Irregular heart rhythm notifications, Fall-aware activity and stress detection, Simple guided app setup, Large notification text on AMOLED display and 7-day battery life.
What are the best alternatives to the Fitbit Charge 6 Fitness Tracker?
Worth comparing: Garmin Vivosmart 5, Amazfit Band 7 and Garmin Forerunner 165 Running Smartwatch. Each ranks near it in our research for a slightly different buyer.
Where can I buy the Fitbit Charge 6 Fitness Tracker?
It's sold on Amazon. Prices and stock change often, so check the current listing before you buy, our link takes you straight to it.
Does the Amazfit Band 7 really last 18 days on a charge?
Close to it under moderate use. In testing with the always-on display disabled, occasional workout tracking, and continuous heart rate monitoring, the battery lasted 15 to 17 days before needing a charge. Enabling the always-on display or using GPS-connected workout tracking daily shortens this noticeably, closer to 9 to 11 days, which is still well above most competitors.
Does the Amazfit Band 7 have built-in GPS?
No, it uses connected GPS through a paired phone via the Zepp app. This works for tracking route and pace during runs or rides as long as the phone is nearby, but there's no standalone GPS chip for phone-free route tracking, similar to the Garmin Vivosmart 5's approach.
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Other fitness trackers we recommend
- Garmin
Garmin Vivosmart 5
- Large, readable touchscreen with adjustable text size
- Irregular heart rhythm notifications
- Garmin
Garmin Forerunner 165 Running Smartwatch
- Built-in GPS for pace and distance
- Bright AMOLED touchscreen
