Background
Fitbit is considered one brand that introduced portable health and activity monitoring gadgets to the market and was a visionary.
As such, Fitbit is still a popular choice, and there are plenty of competitors developing different and improved gadgets like Fitbit.
If you’re aiming for Fitbit alternatives that have it all in terms of smart technology, design, advanced health and fitness monitoring, the Apple Watch 6 is our top pick. It was made to provide quality innovations like ECG, 24/7 heart rate monitoring and devoted modes monitoring for specific sports. It enables you to do all of your major smartphone functions without taking it out of your pocket.
Which Fitbit Alternatives Use Incident Detection Software?
One of the most in-demand features for smartwatches right now is incident detection software. This feature can recognize when the wearer has fallen and it can instantly call pre-selected emergency contacts or the authorities. If you like to have peace of mind that you’re safe, this feature is a must-have.
How Does Incident Detection Work?
Smartwatches can now detect hard falls or incidents via modern motion sensors. These sensors (such as accelerometers and cadence sensors) can detect if you’ve fallen from a stationary position or mid-movement.
When a fall is detected, the watch will start an on-screen alert which a user has 60 seconds to disable. If the user doesn’t turn this alert off, the watch will call the authorities and notify chosen emergency contacts. Some watches, such as the Apple Watch, will give a user extra time to disable the alert if the watch senses movement after the fall.
This feature is sometimes confused with the SOS call feature. The main difference between fall detection and SOS calls is that when a fall is determined the watch will call emergency contacts without being prompted to. With the SOS call feature, emergency calls can be made deliberately via the quick tap of a button.
Does Fitbit Have Incident Detection?
Though Fitbit dominates the market with their sleek design and premium fitness trackers, they’ve not yet added incident detection to their list of smartwatch features. This is unfortunate, as the addition of this feature would help them compete against other smartwatch giants. However, many alternatives to Fitbit do offer this service which is good news to those that want a safe smartwatch.
What Alternative Watches Use Incident Detection?
Apple has offered fall detection software for a while and it’s present on their Apple Watch SE model and all models of watches from Series 4 to 8. The new Apple Watch 8 has the crash detection function. Their incident detection feature knows when you’ve fallen and also calls the emergency SOS services if you’re immobile for more than a minute after.
Garmin has also been quick to offer assistance and incident detection on their devices. You can find the features on their Vivoactive Range, the Fenix series, and various Forerunner watches too. This is perfect for anyone who wants to stay safe when getting active.
The Samsung Galaxy Watch isn’t just an attractive wearable, it also comes with incident detection software too. This watch is popular with elderly clients and active hikers who want to be protected if they ever take a hard fall.
Though Xiamoi’s Mi Band range includes some of the latest updates in smartwatch technology, like Fitbit they’re also lacking incident detection. If this feature is a must-have for you, unfortunately, you might have to consider other smartwatch options. Hopefully, we’ll see an update with this feature for Xiaomi and Fitbit products soon.
Is There a Replacement for Fitbit?
To help you narrow down your search for the best Fitbit replacement for you, we’ve compiled a list of variables to consider.
Because the whole goal of wearing a fitness tracker is to keep tabs on your health, we made sure that all of our options could keep tabs on your calorie burn, walking distance, heart rate, and quality of your sleep, among other things. Despite the fact that these fitness trackers will provide you with useful information, they are not meant to be used for medical purposes. If anything doesn’t seem right, consult your physician, but don’t rely solely on this information to assess your overall health.
You don’t want your fitness band to run out of juice while you’re working out, because it won’t record your progress. Some of the Fitbit alternatives we’ve identified may survive for at least one day before needing to be charged, and some can last for much longer. The amount of battery life you receive depends depend on how often you work out, as well as the brightness of the screen.
The most significant quality to look for in a Fitbit replacement is durability because it will be subjected to sweat, rain, sand, dirt, and regular wear and tear. The IP (Ingress Protection) scale is commonly used to test a gadget’s resistance to dust and water, while some fitness trackers utilise the ATM (atmosphere) measurement instead. All of our recommended fitness trackers are water-resistant.
If you’re looking for a fitness tracker that does more than just keep track of your stats, you’ll want to check out our Fitbit alternatives. Others allow you to interact with smart assistants without lifting a finger, while others can show your text messages. Wearing a Fitbit alternative is mostly for the purpose of monitoring your health.
The Apple Watch Is Still King
The Apple Watch 7, Apple’s newest and best smartwatch, is a prominent alternative to Fitbit’s latest smart fitness tracker, the Sense. One of the best upgrades is their screen size being 50% bigger than the Series 3. Also, there is no need to turn it on to see the time and important details because it has an always-on display feature. You can also personalize your watch by adding any suitable strap of your choice.
- Find some great Apple Watches and matching cases here.
- Learn more about Fitbit Sense here.
This watch alerts you if anything abnormal happens on the inside by keeping an eye on your heart rate. With this wearable, you can observe your ECG anywhere, anytime. It alerts you if the noise level reaches dangerously high levels, and for those who menstruate, it can monitor your cycles.
Fall detection got an upgrade and now accounts for falls that occur without moving, such as fainting. This is important and accounts for many falls making the watch much safer.
You may apply variations to your watch screen to monitor health indicators such as breathing rate, heart rate, and noise level, etc., during the day.
- See how we think the Sense compares to the Series 6 here.
- For Apple Watch Alternative – see this guide.
Apple Watch Series 8
Probably one of the best Fitbit alternatives is the Apple Watch 8. It’s excellent at tracking training statistics. In the Fitness app on your iPhone, you may set workout-specific targets, see complete overviews when you’re finished, and monitor your progress over time. With two separate wheelchair exercises, Apple Watch is also of use to wheelchair users. It was built for underwater activities, and that’s why it has a 50-meter water resistance rating. The Pool Swim workout tracks split and sets and monitors swimming strokes. The Open Water Swim monitors calories, speed, and collective speed when visualizing your track.
![Apple Watch Series 8 [GPS + Cellular 41mm] Smart Watch w/Graphite Stainless Steel Case with...](https://m.media-amazon.com/images/I/51v6beP0MJL._SL160_.jpg)
Runners will get speed and rhythm updates. It can also tell you your current altitude and count steps at a time during an outdoor exercise. It will bind to hundreds of various workout applications to monitor your success and help you achieve your goals. You can keep records of measurements like pulse rate, pace, and diet as it can be synchronized with almost every gym tool.
You don’t need to carry your mobile with you to stay connected. If you opt for the cellular version, you can go everywhere with only your watch. It even has a compass built-in, so you can navigate by looking at the display. It can help you navigate precisely with its built-in Maps app.
This device is expensive, but with all of the features and design included, it’s worth it and is one of our most highly recommended watches on the site. Perhaps its only downfall is the battery life. Namely, due to the always-on-display draining it, you get about 17 hours of use before you need to charge again.
- Check out some tips for improving the Apple Watch battery life here.
Pros:
- Always-on retina display
- Heartbeat and ECG monitoring 24 hours a day.
- Multi-sport tracker
- Health monitor
- Designed cellular connectivity
Cons:
- Expensive
- Limited battery life
Garmin Vivosmart 5
Garmin’s Vivosmart 5 has sophisticated sensors, which can provide you with a better overall picture of your health.
For example, its sleep tracker is the ideal example, as it tracks three types of sleep (light, deep, and REM) as well as your movements. As soon as you wake up, the Vivosmart app (available for iOS and Android) will display a bar graph showing how much time you spent in each sleep stage.
An integrated Pulse Oximeter measures how well your heart and lungs are pumping blood and oxygen to other areas of your body, as well as how well it is being absorbed into your blood. Although a low value may indicate flu-like symptoms, this feature should not be seen as a pain-free portable Covid test.
Fitness band data may be used by Garmin to determine how stressed out your body is, and if it’s a good time to work out or take a rest day, according to the company. There’s an option to conduct a minute of breathing exercises to help de-stress when it detects your stress level.
In addition to being an excellent fitness tracker, the Vivosmart 5 is also a very capable digital device. When it comes to using the Vivosmart while swimming, Garmin claims that you may get up to seven days of use off of a single charge (again, your mileage may vary).
Even if you set it to show all of your phone’s alerts, you won’t have any control over what they do. To avoid being distracted while working out, you can disable notifications, but it’s easier to glance at your wrist for alerts than it is to pull up your phone.
Wearable fitness tracker Garmin’s Vivosmart 5 is a long-lasting, high-performance device with some basic smart functions. This is the one to get if you’re searching for a Fitbit alternative.
Pros:
- It’s easy to see the OLED display in any lighting situation
- New and improved methods for measuring stress and sleep quality
- When compared to previous Garmin smart bands, this one has a more stylish appearance
- a person’s ability to swim
- Powerful and long-lasting
Cons:
- Screen is small and unresponsive at times
- GPS and GPS-tethering are not available
- Inaccurate information might be found on occasion
Garmin Forerunner 245
Garmin is possibly Fitbit’s biggest rival and so deserves its place on a list of Fitbit alternatives. However, Garmin is far more sophisticated and caters to true athletes, whereas Fitbit isn’t quite advanced. Garmins’ cheaper models are probably the best alternatives. Compare it to the likes of the Fitbit Versa 3.
- Find out more about how Garmin and Fitbit compare here.
- Interested in the Fitbit Versa 3? Read our full review here.
The Forerunner 245 is a multi-purpose GPS watch with a plethora of useful features. It includes sophisticated running mechanics such as VO2 max and more. Additionally, wrist-based heart monitoring so you can give your best on a racing day without any worries.
Smart updates, automated accesses, and Connect IQ support for personalised watch faces and applications This watch will approximate your VO2 limit and forecast your race times when combined with your heart rate. Running time info like ground touch time stability, stride duration, and the vertical ratio will help you get in shape too!
It works well with Garmin Connect, which is a companion app. Garmin Connect is a free app that allows athletes to store, schedule, and post their workouts. It will keep records of your workout data and provide you proper guidance following your stats and behaviours, such as movement prompts and other bits of fitness advice. It opens on your laptop or connected smartphone, and you can compete with other people.
While this watch is expensive, we strongly recommend it to athletes and everyone else searching for a built-in GPS watch. The unreliability of software upgrades and the fact that the heart rate sensor isn’t always correct are concerns.
Pros:
- Excellent GPS built-in
- Running and multi-sport watch
- Innovative running mechanics
- Garmin Connect
Cons:
- Expensive
- Inconsistent security updates
- Inaccuracy of heart rate sensor
- Read the full Garmin Forerunner 235 review here.
- If you have a little more budget, check out the Forerunner 245 Music here.
Garmin Fenix 7
Another great Garmin option is the Garmin Fenix 7. With three different case sizes to choose from and an array of colors this is a smartwatch that has a choice for everyone. The watch itself is no joke as it’s one of the highest priced smartwatches on our list. It comes in around $799 give or take depending on which model and make you go for.
So what do you get for all that dough?
The brand describes this watch as a rugged 7-day a week training buddy meant for any physical activity. It’s a multi-sport GPS watch that offers an option for solar charging making it one of the more interesting battery life options on the market.
Features like PacePro give you the virtual coach you need to run with on different terrains to perform your absolute best. And when your body isn’t hold up as well you will know thanks to the heart rate data as well as the oxygen monitoring.
They also have incident detection that alerts selected emergency contacts with your GPS location and your information.
Pros:
- High-tech sports features
- Rugged tough material
- Incident detection
- Solar charging options
Cons:
Xiaomi Mi Band 7
If you’re looking for Fitbit alternatives on a budget, this is similar to models like the Inspire 2.
- Check out the Fitbit Inspire 2 here.
The Xiaomi Mi Band 7 is low-cost fitness tracker provides the best in its price bracket. It comes with pulse monitoring, blood oxygen monitoring and heart rate warning. It also offers sleep time tracking and alerts to help you improve your sleep routine and thus keep you going. Whether you are on the treadmill, workout, outdoor running, swimming, cycling, or simply walking, all are recognised automatically by the activity monitoring. It even keeps track of the calories burned, step count, and the distance travelled.
This fitness tracker is lightweight and rugged, with an AMOLED panel for deeper blacks and more vivid colours. It’s OK to wear it in the shower or monitor your underwater sports as it comes with water resistance up to 50 meters. It features 18mm flexible bands and a rechargeable battery which has impressive 20-day battery life.
You should not expect advanced smart features like phone, message, or even emails because this is just a fitness tracker, not a high-end smartwatch. Its features are still pretty simple, but we believe that it does a good job. At least, exactly what you expect from a fitness tracker with the perspective of its price.
Pros:
- Low cost
- Heart rate control
- Health and fitness recording
- Long battery life
Cons:
- There are no smart features
- Interference is somewhat outdated
- Still want to know more? Read the full review here.
Samsung
Samsung Galaxy Watch5
Pros:
- One of the newest watches on the market
- Specific health and exercise tracking
Cons:
- Battery life at 40 hours
Galaxy Watch Active 3
The penultimate watch is on our list of Fitbit alternatives and another alternative to the Fitbit Sense.
This watch is sleek, rugged, and always ready for underwater activities. Its offered in a range of colors with interchangeable bands, making it a highly customizable device. It has a long battery life and, after a single charge, can be used for several days without any worries. As it’s linked with your smartphone, you can get phone, message, and calendar updates. Naturally, regarding compatibility, Android devices fare better, but iOS devices can be connected too.
When it comes to activity monitoring, it can recognize six different workouts and log up to 39 exercises manually. It allows you to observe your sleep (including nap) habits and cycles, thus helps you get more comfortable sleep time. It also has a heart rate tracking feature that can give you instantaneous warnings if your heart rate rises or falls abruptly.
Despite the manufacturer’s statement that this watch has a long battery life, several users have complained about short battery life and charging problems.
Pros:
- Excellent value for money
- Health and exercise tracking
- A Waterproof Smartwatch
- Long-lasting
Cons:
- Battery life is a drawback
- Charging problems
- Learn more about the Samsung Galaxy 3 here.
Gear Fit2 Pro
The Samsung Gear Fit2 Pro is up to the task if you want to monitor your underwater workouts. It’s water-resistant and ready for aquatic operation. In the pool, the rain and even your bathtub, it will be there monitoring you ever move. Switch on Water Lock Mode to escape any fear of water contact. It can chart your swimming strokes and data because of its water-resistivity of 50 meters.
Spotify allows you to have your favourite playlists just a click away. Up to 500 songs or MP3s can be added. Samsung developed applications in collaboration with Under Armor that enable you to be in healthy competition with your friends by monitoring various workouts whilst also maintaining a healthy diet. This device comes with GPS technology to navigate through and use a heart rate sensor to track your fitness during the day.
Like others, this watch’s battery life is also not great. It lacks battery performance, in the opinion of many users.
- Find out which smartwatches have the longest battery life here.
Pros:
- 50-meter water resistance
- Up to 500 tracks Spotify storage
- Multi-sport monitoring
- GPS is by-default
Cons:
- Compromised battery life
Amazon Halo View
In addition to being one of the newest wearables, the Amazon Halo View is also one of the most user-friendly. Steps, heart rate, activity score and blood oxygen levels are all tracked by the Halo View’s sensors. The full-color screen can send you text messages, show you the time, and even offer you a small nudge to get moving if you’ve been sitting still all day. It can keep track of your exercises as you go. Because the Halo View is entirely water-resistant up to 50 metres, taking it into the water is completely risk-free.
The Halo View’s battery lasts up to a full week on a single charge, and it charges in under two hours.
Pros:
- Affordable
- Automated tracking of workouts
- Programs for Halo have been updated
- Measures for a long battery life SpO2
Cons:
- No GPS
- Heart rate values that were not consistent between tests
- Skin temperature sensor is exclusively utilised for sleep monitoring, not for body fat and tone measurement
- Others are more durable
Whoop Strap
Unlike Fitbit, WHOOP Strap is only compatible with its own exercise service. In exchange for joining WHOOP, a complete training programme that makes use of the band to determine exactly how much exercise you should do depending on your activity level, heart rate, and sleep, you may get the wristband for free.
The WHOOP app (available for iOS and Android) will show you these measurements, as well as a wealth of other data, regarding the health of your body. You’ll be able to see where WHOOP believes you should be headed based on your present performance. Using this band, you’ll get more out of your workouts than if you were to just work out more frequently. The goal is to keep you moving forward at a steady rate so that you never plateau.
Whoop’s service, which includes the WHOOP Strap, costs $18 a month, although it is free to use. It’s possible to try the service out for free for the first six months with a monthly membership that costs $30.
the most up-to-date version of the strap is the WHOOP 4.0.
Pros:
- Affordable
- Bespoke
- Growing community to tap into
- Forever innovating as a brand
Cons:
- Tied to the service
Conclusion
There you have it, the best Fitbit alternatives. We’ve tried to keep these alternate suggestions varied to include smartwatches and basic fitness trackers. Regardless, all of them supply you with a wealth of amazing features and serve the purpose of fitness tracking.
Winning the first place on our list of Fitbit alternatives is the Apple Watch because it’s in a league of its own when it comes to health and fitness monitoring with many other features. It is cutting edge, with an always-on retina touchscreen, 24/7 pulse rate, and ECG tracking. Noise control, menstrual scheduling, GPS, and an embedded cellular device (enabling you to take calls and messages even if away from your cellphone) adds to its features.
We have provided you with a catalogue of options according to your budget or needs.
- If you’d like to specifically compare Fitbit models, head to our other article here.
     |
Last Updated on January 13, 2023
Maygen is a multifaceted writer, proofreader, and experienced smartwatch industry writing and editing professional.
We appreciate her work, contribution to our blog, marketing skills, editing, and expert writing abilities which are second to none.
Truly adept in content strategy and content creation which has immense contribution to our blog.