There has been a lot of debate recently about which brand of smartwatch is the best. With Fitbit recently being acquired by Apple, it may be time to reconsider your decision.
The garmin vivoactive 4 is a smartwatch that Garmin released in 2018. It features a GPS, heart rate monitor, and the ability to track swimming.
When you think about the finest activity and fitness trackers, Garmin or Fitbit come to mind. A variety of sports and performance wearable gadgets are available from these two top companies.
Furthermore, with new product releases every few months, choosing which activity tracker is right for you may be difficult. But, if you have to choose between these two brands, which one is really the best?
If you’re searching for a variety of smart gadgets, such as watches, handhelds, or fitness activity trackers, Garmin has a larger selection than Fitbit. Fitbit is renowned for its simplified interface and features, which appeal to fitness and health aficionados because of their simplicity.
Choosing a fitness tracker is difficult, and that’s before you consider if you need a GPS, a heart rate monitor, a sleep monitoring gadget, a calorie counter, and so on…the list goes on. But don’t worry; I’ll walk you through the main distinctions and specifications of these two powerful brands below.
Read on to see whether a Garmin or a Fitbit is the ideal fitness tracker for you.
Who Makes the Most Effective Activity Trackers?
It will always be subjective to determine which of these two companies provides the finest overall fitness trackers. Consumers are loyal to brands for a variety of reasons, which is why a more focused focus on fitness tracking and advanced features, as well as categories like user-friendly tracking features, stress tracking features, and how these features are tailored to a variety of user needs, can help produce a more objective comparison.
Let’s take a deeper look at both Garmin and Fitbit to see how they become the industry leaders in fitness trackers.
Garmin and Fitbit Have a Long History Together.
Garmin was established in 1989 and is now the world’s top navigation system supplier. As a result, it should come as no surprise that GPS is included as standard on the majority of their wearables.
Garmin sought to expand their product offering in 2003, after a decrease in sales due to the introduction of the iPhone and Google Maps software. They launched a line of slick-looking running watches.
This area of expertise has grown, and they now offer a plethora of all-singing, all-dancing wearables aimed at cyclists, triathletes, golfers, and other hard-core sports fans, ranging from activity trackers to watches.
At a glance, here’s everything Garmin has to offer.
What is the best Garmin activity tracker to buy?
Fitbit began as a small start-up in 2007 when its founders recognized a need for cheap activity trackers in the market. Fitbit was formerly exclusively sold directly to consumers, but now it can be purchased in all major stores, demonstrating how far the company has gone.
They create inexpensive innovation and have produced a variety of forward-thinking, smart wristbands for daily usage over the last ten years.
At a glance, here’s all you need to know about Fitbit.
Should you purchase a Fitbit tracker or a Fitbit Charge?
Setting an Example for Others to Follow
As fresh advances have come to the fore, the power for hi-tech wearable dominance has often shifted between the two companies. Garmin released their own activity applications, whereas Fitbit has focused on software improvements throughout the years.
New companies like Jawbone and Misfit, as well as important power players like Apple and Samsung, are vying for a piece of the wearable pie that is becoming more saturated.
What is An Activity Tracker, And What Distinguishes The Best From The Rest?
Obesity is still a problem in America, and it will only become worse unless we make a concerted effort to exercise. Activity trackers are a wonderful method to keep track of how much we move and to motivate us to take more steps while burning calories.
But, honestly, how different can an activity tracker be? The answer is… very different! There are so many gadgets on the market, each claiming to provide something unique, that choosing between them may be difficult.
As they go head to head in the battle of the wearables, I’ll give you my honest view on the features that Garmin and Fitbit provide on their activity trackers.
Most activity trackers now include steps, distance, elevation, calories, and frequently sleep tracking as standard features, thus the major variations are in the data supplied.
Location mapping, heart rate monitoring, recovery time analysis, V02 max estimates, and pace warnings are all examples of this. Another significant difference, and perhaps the most crucial, is the price.
Let’s take a look at some of the brand’s similarities and distinctions.
Garmin vs. Fitbit: What They Have in Common and What They Don’t
Garmin and Fitbit have more similarities than differences in the Garmin vs. Fitbit comparison. Each of these may be used to compare and contrast Fitbit and Garmin in each key area.
Features for Tracking Your Fitness
Garmin has a higher rate of innovation and design concepts being adopted on a regular basis than other companies. Many of Garmin’s tracking functions are frequently duplicated and improved in subsequent Fitbit models.
Calories burnt, steps done, and sleep cycle monitoring are all included in Fitbit vs. Garmin models, with some changes and additions specific to each brand with each new release.
GPS
When it comes to GPS monitoring, Garmin tends to dominate the market, but Fitbit also frequently updates and adds unique GPS tracking capabilities to all of its trackers.
In the fitness gadget world, no company can really match with Garmin when it comes to GPS tracking.
Monitoring of the Heart Rate
The heart rate monitoring capabilities of each new gadget are constantly improved by each manufacturer. Pulse Ox and VO2 max are paving the way for more and more capabilities in this sector, and Garmin seems to be more ready to try new and better methods to track heart rate monitoring in this area.
Support for music
Fitbit music compatibility is available on a variety of devices, although there seem to be limits in terms of flexibility and storage capacity. Garmin has steadily increased the number of music options available on several of its devices.
Fitness Trackers from Fitbit
Fitbit is best known for its activity trackers, and although it is expanding into other areas such as smartwatches, its core devices like the Alta and Alta HR, as well as the Flex 2, provide a great variety of fitness measurements and wellness features.
Fitbit has collaborated with many applications, such as Strava, to make tracking and sharing your fitness activities straightforward and easy to share with others.
Here are three of the most recent Fitbit fitness trackers, along with a comparison of their features.
Charge 4 by Fitbit
Fitbit fitness monitoring is excellent since you’ll always have a trustworthy device to help you assess your limitations and potential, and with the Fitbit Charge 4, the sky’s the limit.
GPS tracking, Active Zone Minutes, Sp02, training modes, and sleep monitoring are just a few of the features on this sleek, swim-proof tracker that will help you better understand your exercises and your body.
Plus, with features like Fitbit Pay and up to a 7-day battery life, you’ll have greater convenience and motivation to achieve your fitness goals on the move.
During outdoor runs, rides, hikes, and other activities, you can utilize GPS to view your speed and distance on the screen, as well as a workout intensity map in the app that displays your heart rate fluctuations throughout your route.
This interesting function, Active Zone Minutes, notifies you when you achieve your goal heart rate zones during activity and rewards you for earning additional minutes outside of exercise.
You can also utilize the Fitbit Charge 4’s 24-7 heart rate to monitor resting heart rate and better calculate calories burnt.
You can check your SpO2 nightly average and range on the wrist and see trends over the previous week in the Fitbit app for optimum health monitoring.
You can also keep track of your skin temperature each night to see how it compares to your own baseline, which is an often-overlooked activity monitoring metric.
Pros:
- With 50+ goal-based training modes, you can keep track of your exercises in real time.
- Swim-proof and water-resistant to a depth of 50 meters, so you can keep track of your swims, wear in the shower, and more.
- When utilizing the built-in GPS, the battery life may last up to 7 days and 5 hours.
- Track your sleep phases and check your ‘Sleep Score’ in the app to see how well you slept.
Cons:
- Overheating is a problem for you.
- Long-term usage of the Fitbit Charge 4 has been linked to wrist pain.
Versa 3 by Fitbit
The Fitbit Versa 3, a smartwatch with everything you need in a fitness tracker, is another newer model in the series. With a built-in GPS, you can keep track of your speed and distance while leaving your phone at home.
You can also receive call, text, and app alerts, utilize Google Assistant or Amazon Alexa built-in, manage Spotify, Deezer, and Pandora, and accept Bluetooth calls hands-free when your phone is close using the built-in mic and speaker.
These convenience features, such as simple app use while exercising, are a significant step forward for fitness trackers in general, and the Fitbit Versa 3 offers many of them.
You’ll have all the incentive you need to achieve your health and fitness goals with Active Zone Minutes, 20+ workout modes, and a 6-day battery life with 12-minute quick charging.
You can run, cycle, hike, and more without using your phone, and you can even monitor your speed and distance in real time thanks to the built-in GPS.
The Active Zone Minutes function is similar to the Fitbit Charge 4 in that it utilizes your resting heart rate to determine exercise difficulty and alerts you when you increase the intensity so you can get the most out of your exercises.
With a variety of SpO2 clock faces to select from, the Fitbit Versa 3 enables you to monitor your nightly blood oxygen levels at a glance when it comes to sleep tracking.
You can also use the Fitbit app to monitor your patterns over time in the ‘Health Metrics’ dashboard to see if there are any signs of major changes in your health.
Pros:
- By speaking to your watch, you can receive fast news, set sleep reminders and alarms, manage your smart home devices, and more with Google Assistant or Amazon Alexa Built-in.
- Take Bluetooth calls hands-free, transfer callers to voicemail, and control the volume with the built-in mic and speaker.
- From your wrist, you can save and play music and podcasts on Deezer, Pandora, and Spotify.
Cons:
- Many restrictions apply to app synchronization and storage.
Fitbit Sense is a wearable computer.
Fitbit Sense is a sophisticated health wristwatch that leads you toward improved health by helping you tune in to your body.
With this model, you can monitor your heart for AFib (atrial fibrillation) directly from your wrist, identify and manage stress, better understand your sleep quality, and even track trends in your skin temperature or well-being with SpO2.
In addition, new Fitbit Premium customers may get a 6-month free trial of customized advice and enhanced insights with the Fitbit Sense.
A useful EDA (electrodermal activity) Scan app monitors electrodermal activity, which may reflect your body’s stress reaction, and a built-in skin temperature sensor records your EDA each night so you can observe how it changes. This function has been very useful for me since I have trouble sleeping at times.
If you have a heart issue, being able to test your heart for atrial fibrillation – a heart rhythm irregularity – and quickly share the findings with your doctor is a great method to figure out when and how much physical activity or stress causes AFib abnormalities.
You may also see your nighttime blood oxygen levels at a glance by selecting from a variety of clock faces.
Fitbit Sense has a battery life of 6+ days, and quick charging offers you a full day’s charge in only 12 minutes.
Pros:
- During runs, hikes, rides, and other activities, use the built-in GPS to view pace and distance without having to look at your phone, and use the built-in mic and speaker to accept Bluetooth calls hands-free when your phone is close.
- Simply talk to your watch to receive fast headlines, set sleep reminders and alarms, manage your smart home devices, and more with Google Assistant or Amazon Alexa Built-in.
Cons:
- GPS tracking problems have been reported by users.
Fitness Trackers from Garmin
Even though it prioritizes functionality above aesthetics, Garmin competes well in the activity tracker market. Its wide variety of watches includes everything from basic functions like step counts, distance, and calories to more sophisticated features like pre-loaded sports applications.
If you want to monitor GPS data from your phone, Garmin has an in-built capability on several of its watches, while Fitbit utilizes sensors and can only track GPS data from your phone.
Garmin has ingeniously created its own community software in the shape of Garmin Connect is a service provided by Garmin. for tracking and submitting your fitness activities.
When looking at all of Garmin’s numerous capabilities in one device, these contrasts really start to show through in the Garmin vs. Fitbit discussion. Here is a comparison of three of the top Garmin fitness tracker models, as well as a review of each.
Vivosmart 4 by Garmin
In one small gadget, the Vivosmart 4 activity tracker combines elegance, comfort, and a broad variety of essential tracking functions.
This compact, swim-friendly wearable is jam-packed with fitness and wellness features that will help you live a better, more active life. You may estimate blood oxygen saturation while sleeping using a wrist-based Pulse Ox sensor, or you can spot-check your oxygen levels at any moment throughout the day.
The way the Pulse Ox sensor on the Vivosmart 4 calculates and measures your body’s blood oxygen saturation depends on a variety of variables, including your general health and fitness. Pulse Ox may be used to determine how well your body absorbs oxygen.
You may use it to take a spot measurement at any moment to learn more about your body or set it on overnight to assess your SpO2.
Body Battery energy tracking on the Vivosmart 4 is a new Garmin function that utilizes a mix of stress, heart rate variability (HRV), sleep, and activity data to measure your body’s energy reserves at any one time, so you can organize your day to maximize activity and rest periods.
The Body Battery energy monitoring alone makes the Garmin Vivosmart 4 worthwhile.
Pros:
- This compact, water-resistant activity tracker has attractive metal accents and a bright, easy-to-read display.
- The wrist-based Pulse Ox sensor can measure blood oxygen saturation levels throughout the night and provides enhanced sleep monitoring including REM sleep.
- Estimated wrist-based heart rate, all-day stress tracking, relaxation breathing timer, Vo2 Max, body battery energy meter, and other fitness and health monitoring features are available.
- There are timers for walks, runs, weight training, yoga, pool swims, and other activities.
- Vibration alerts are available for all notifications, including calls, texts, and more.
Cons:
- It focuses on health data rather than exercise monitoring.
Forerunner 45 by Garmin
The Forerunner 45 GPS running watch is a Garmin wristwatch with a lot of activity and health monitoring capabilities.
It may be worn both day and night to track daily steps, distance, calories expended, and even sleep. This wristwatch also has all-day stress monitoring for tracking your health throughout the day.
Use the relaxation breathing timer for a few minutes of guided breathing to help quiet your mind and body if your stress level begins to rise.
This simple running watch is ideal for everyday runs, workouts, and even that impending 10K you may have been persuaded to do.
The built-in GPS monitors your location while running and provides precise data such as distance, speed, and intervals. Sweaty hands can easily mark a lap or stop the timer thanks to the device’s simple button interface.
Day and night, the Forerunner 45 calculates heart rate at the wrist.
The Forerunner 45 is compatible with Garmin Coach’s adaptive training programs if you need a boost. Expert coaching and free training programs that adapt to you and your objectives are included in these plans.
To be honest, it’s a surefire method of getting to the finish line. It may even help you forecast your race time if you include it in your training plan.
The Forerunner 45 is still an excellent device within this niche if you want the advantages of an activity tracker on a wristwatch.
Pros:
- Garmin Coach training plan assistance on a GPS running watch
- This simple running watch calculates your heart rate at the wrist and includes GPS to monitor your speed, distance, intervals, and other stats.
- Compatible with free Garmin coach adaptive training programs, which provide expert, customized coaching to your wrist.
- Smart alerts for incoming messages and calls, automated uploads to our Garmin Connect online community, live tracking, and controls for music playing on your linked compatible smartphone are just a few of the connected capabilities.
- Tracking and safety Incident detection (during certain activities) transmits your location in real time to emergency contacts through your connected compatible smartphone.
- Running, cycling, indoor track, treadmill, elliptical, cardio, yoga, and more sports applications are available.
- In smartwatch mode, the battery lasts up to 7 days; in GPS mode, it lasts up to 14 hours.
Cons:
- Some of the later tracker features, such as body battery energy, are missing from this watch.
Vivofit 4 by Garmin
The thin wristband tracker is a more appealing option for many people who want a more streamlined appearance, and the Vivofit 4 is one of the outstanding models in this design choice.
Vivofit 4 comes in a variety of colors and has a unique design with metal trim accents and a bright, easy-to-read display that matches your style.
If battery life is a problem, the display only turns on when you need it, which is handy if you’ll be on the go all day. It also auto-adjusts to ambient light levels when turned on, making it viewable even in strong sunshine.
vvosmart 4 is the ideal match for your lifestyle, whether you’re heading to the workplace, the gym, the pool, or anyplace in between.
The Vivofit 4 tells you if you’re having a peaceful, balanced, or hectic day, as well as everything in between.
This model estimates and shows your stress level by tracking your HRV (the time interval between each pulse).
The Garmin Connect app also has an optional ‘Relax Reminder’ function that you may enable. It will vibrate on your wrist and show a message (“Take a minute to breathe?”) if your stress level rises throughout the day, letting you know it’s time to relax.
This model can give you an indication of your current fitness level based on the increased heart rate data obtained from your wrist and a VO2 max estimation.
In general, as your aerobic fitness improves, so does your VO2 max. Vivofit 4 can calculate your fitness age based on your VO2 max, a number that you may be able to lower over time with hard work and exercise.
The Vivofit 4 is a fantastic model to consider if you want a strong fitness tracker with an ultra-slim design.
Pros:
- Estimated wrist-based heart rate, all-day stress tracking, relaxation breathing timer, Vo2 Max, body battery energy meter, and other fitness and health monitoring features are available.
- There are timers for walks, runs, weight training, yoga, pool swims, and other activities.
- Vibration alerts are available for all notifications, including calls, texts, and more.
Cons:
Which App Is Better: Fitbit vs. Garmin Connect?
Both companies offer a primary app that is tailored to the device you’re using.
App Fitbit
The Fitbit app is more succinct and focused in its presentation of all of the important data in one easy-to-read layout.
In terms of social features and a community element among other Fitbit users, the Fitbit app is a little more like other popular applications, which is something that Garmin tries to avoid in favor of keeping the device and Garmin Connect 100 percent customized to the individual.
Garmin Connect
Garmin Connect is the primary app that connects all of your Garmin devices. Each device has its own protocol and presence inside Garmin Connect, as well as a wealth of valuable and in-depth information on every element of a performance measure.
Garmin Connect is also much more prolific in terms of additional and premium features that it makes available to all of its customers on a regular basis.
Summary
Both brands are well-known, well-tested, and capable of doing the task they were created for. You can’t go wrong with a Garmin or a Fitbit gadget when it comes to buying a wearable.
I would recommend a Fitbit to anybody who is new to activity trackers since they are cheap, fashionable, and simple to use, and they include all of the essential features a first-time user might want.
A Garmin watch, on the other hand, is the ideal training partner if you want to up the pace in terms of your fitness. These watches are targeted at serious sports fans, with a variety of in-depth workout assessments, training programs, and insight. Garmin also offers a good selection of both trackers and smartwatches, depending on your needs.
Garmin vs Fitbit is a debate that has been present for a while. The garmin watch is the best option for those looking to buy an activity tracker.
Frequently Asked Questions
Which brand is better Fitbit or Garmin?
Garmin is a more well-known brand in the fitness industry, but Fitbit has a better reputation for being cheaper and having a wider variety of products.
Is Garmin a good smartwatch brand?
Yes, Garmin is a good smartwatch brand.
Is Fitbit and Garmin the same company?
No, Fitbit is a company that makes fitness trackers and Garmin is a company that makes GPS devices.
