Best Fitbit Alternatives in 2018
Fitbit trackers are great, but are they the be-all and end-all?
Fitbit has a growing line of fitness trackers and even a smart scale, but they're not the only company that produces these types of devices. There are many, many other fitness trackers and bands out there with their own apps and functions.
When selecting which one is the best for you and your lifestyle, it's best to consider the best of what's around. Here's our list of some of the top dogs!
- Mistfit Shine 2
- Samsung Gear Fit2 Pro
- Apple Watch Series 3
- Garmin vivosport
- Moov Now
- Xiaomi Mi Band 2
Misfit Shine 2
The Misfit Shine 2 is a large improvement upon its predecessor and it's the perfect alternative to the Fitbit Flex 2. For one, it's a little less expensive (usually around $80); for another, it comes in more colors (12), so you can be a little more picky with your personal style. The Shine 2 is watch-shaped with colored LEDs around the face, making it just as simple as the Flex 2, but less obviously a fitness tracker.
The Shine 2 automatically tracks steps, distance, calories burned, and your sleep, and you can get vibration alerts for texts and calls, as well as movement reminders and alarms. It even lets you control some smart home devices with its smart button.
The Misfit Shine 2 is swimproof, takes a coin battery that lasts 6 months, and the second-generation band is designed to be more comfortable.
Samsung Gear Fit2 Pro
iMore and Android Central's Daniel Bader called the Samsung Gear Fit2 Pro "The best fitness tracker for most people" in his review, and aside from the Fitbit Charge 2, that's probably pretty accurate. The Gear Fit2 Pro has a gorgeous display that shows you detailed counts for your daily goals, the time, your pulse (thanks to the built-in heart rate monitor), and more.
The Gear Fit2 Pro has built-in GPS, and you can even listen to music without your phone around, with the Spotify app baked right in. There are two styles to choose from (black and red), a bunch of sweet Under Armour apps and others, and it automatically detects your activity and logs it accurately. All that and it's certified water-resistant up to 5 atmospheres, so take it with you when you swim!
The Samsung Gear Fit2 Pro is compatible with both Android and iOS, and at roughly $200, there's a lot of value here.
Apple Watch Series 3
Of course the Apple Watch isn't just a fitness tracker — in fact, that's just a perk, but through its integration with Apple's Health app, the watch is the perfect fitness companion. You can listen to all of your favorite music, download tons of your favorite fitness apps, actually read and respond to texts, read email, receive call notifications (and make calls if you grab the LTE version), and track all of the metrics that go into painting the picture of your overall health. Track steps, distance (with built-in GPS), route, calories burned, your heart rate, and more.
The Activity rings give you a visual representation of your daily progress, making reaching your goals that much more satisfying. There are also awesome sports bands, and it's swimproof, so anywhere you work out, the Apple Watch Series 3 can work out with you.
Pricing starts around $329 for the basic silver, gold, and space gray aluminum Apple Watches, all with Apple's "fluoroelastomer" Sport Bands. Cellular Apple Watches start at $399.
Garmin vivosport
Garmin, maker of fine GPS products for the last 28 years, has an awesome line of fitness trackers, including the affordable ($150) vivosport, which is a great replacement for the Fitbit Alta HR. The vivosport features built-in GPS for monitoring your route, distance, speed, and more, and its built-in heart rate monitor is always keeping an eye on your ticker. The heart rate monitor helps to estimate your "VO2 max", which is a measurement of the rate at which you can bring oxygen into your body. It then uses that to estimate your "fitness age". Basically, it's a great way of keeping tabs on yourself and your overall fitness level. If you're a fully able 25-year-old dude and your fitness age is 50, you need to get your ass in gear.
The heart rate monitor also helps deliver metrics concerning your stress level; this aspect is meant to help your spot physical or emotional sources of stress in the moment to help your relieve it. I'm not sure how accurate it is, but it's a very cool implementation in the name of mental and physical health.
The vivosport kind of looks like the Fitbit Alta HR, with a bit more of a robust design, and it comes in black, black with red, or black with green for around $150.
Moov Now
The Moov Now is unique to this list in that it doesn't track steps. Now that's something you might think would be a basic qualification when it comes to make a best" list, but hear me out on this one. The Moov Now tracks activity. It gives you audio coaching in real time, taking you through routines for running, cycling, cardio boxing, and body weight exercise. In terms of activity tracking, the Moov Now does so in a "3D" fashion, wherein it takes into account the type of movement you're performing. Its swim tracking is quite advanced, able to discern the type of stroke you're using, the number of strokes, lap analysis, and it'll give you tips on getting better.
The battery lasts up to 6 months, and I really like Moov's bands, which have holes for breathability. There are seven color options to choose from, starting around $55.
Xiaomi Mi Band 2
If you're looking for a ver budget-friendly alternative to Fitbit, then Xiaomi's Mi Band 2 should be at the top of your list. At roughly $30, it features an OLED display, IP67 water-resistance (don't swim with it), a heart rate monitor, and it gives you reminders to move, call and text notifications, including on-screen icons — not just vibrations.
In terms of activity tracking, the Mi Band 2 is a bit more rudimentary than other options, but hey, for $30, a display, heart rate monitor, and more is a ton of value. The Mi Band 2 can also track your sleep, and everything you want to know is there for your in the companion Mi Fit app, which shows you all of your health data, including trends over time, measurements, and more.
What's your favorite non-Fitbit fitness tracker?
Sound off in the comments below.
Updated May 2018: I've completely overhauled the list will all-new picks for the best alternatives to Fitbit.
from iMore - Learn more. Be more. http://bit.ly/2GRHpzM
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