Fitbit wearables: Daily activity and sleep tracking

Fitbit's brand is synonymous with the fitness wearable market, having been an early pioneer of the step-tracking platform. Originally launching back in 2007 delivering belt-clip pedometers designed to track step counts and distance travelled, the brand quickly developed into wrist-mounted fitness trackers with integrated heart-rate monitors and intelligent activity-tracking features.

Today, the company has a range of products available, from its intelligent digital scales to its Bluetooth sports headphones, all of which work together through the Fitbit mobile app to help deliver a holistic approach to personal health development.

In December 2016, Fitbit acquired Pebble, including much of the technology behind the Pebble smartwatches and key personnel, which it used to help launch its Fitbit Ionic smartwatch.

Improve your health with a Fitbit from Rebel Sports from rebel Sport

Whether you want the premium functionality of the Fitbit Ionic or the fashion versatility of the Fitbit Flex, Rebel Sports has a wide range of Fitbits on offer.

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The full range of Fitbit wearables

Since entering the wearable technical-gear market back in 2007, Fitbit has built up an impressive line of products to choose from, with fitness trackers at a range of price points as well as fitness accessories to help manage and monitor your health.

Fitbit Ionic

The latest flagship fitness tracker from Fitbit is the company's most advanced yet. Classified more as a smartwatch than a fitness band, the Ionic tracks your activity and sleep like other Fitbit devices, but features extra heart-rate lights (red and infrared) which can detect the oxygen level in your blood. Fitbit also has an API for developers to develop dedicated apps for the Ionic, while integrated GPS and NFC payments via Fitbit Pay mean you won't have to worry about not having your phone when working out.

Fitbit Blaze

Sitting halfway between a smartwatch and a fitness tracker, the Fitbit Blaze is packed full of Fitbit's unique technology. It looks a bit like a smartwatch, but it has a unique design that allows you to remove the tracker from the band. It tracks steps, sleep and heart rate effortlessly and can also automatically detect certain sports without manual activation. Like a smartwatch, it can receive notifications from your smartphone, while the integrated GPS keeps tabs on your actual movements when you go for a run or a hike.

Fitbit Charge 2

The original Fitbit Charge was the first Fitbit to take wrist-mounted tracking mainstream, but it lacks the integrated heart-rate monitor that enables Fitbit to keep track of just how hard you work out or see when you slip into another sleep stage. The Charge 2 is a powerful wrist-mounted device that offers the same tracking features of Fitbit's premium smartwatches, but without an integrated GPS and a much more basic display. With its heart-rate monitor, interchangeable bands and powerful companion app, the Charge 2 is a solid general-use fitness tracker.

Fitbit Alta HR

This diminutive tracker is impressive for just how much change went into the internals in order to add heart-rate tracking over the original Alta, without severely impacting battery life. With the same technology as the Charge HR in a more delicate package, the Alta HR is one of the better value fitness trackers on the market, thanks to its impressive active-sports, step and sleep tracking as well as its seven-day battery life.

Fitbit Alta

At first glance, there's almost nothing to differentiate the Alta from the Alta HR, other than the integrated heart-rate sensor on the bottom of the device and the price tag. If you're not too fussed on tracking your exertion level through your heart rate or getting a detailed analysis of your R.E.M sleep, the Alta offers the same results as the Alta HR for fitness tracking but can be found at a bargain price if you shop around thanks to the HR variant's existence.

Fitbit Flex 2

The waterproof Flex 2 is one of the most versatile trackers in Fitbit's line-up, thanks to its removable tracker design. This design means you can easily interchange the Fitbit Flex 2 between accessories, with Fitbit offering a range of wrist and pendant jewellery designs to house the device. That includes designer bangles and a 22K gold pendant. It's also one of the few Fitbit trackers that can handle being on your wrist while you swim, keeping tabs of your strokes as you do your laps.

Fitbit Zip

Released in 2012, the Fitbit Zip is one of the least expensive in the collection and one of the smallest. A clip-on device rather than a wrist-mounted tracker, Fitbit Zip tracks the number of steps you take, how far you have travelled and the number of calories burned. It doesn't include any sleep-tracking data. More than a pedometer, this wearable device is able to sync your data with your mobile phone and to leverage Fitbit's app for ongoing health tracking.

Other Fitbit products

In addition to its range of fitness trackers, Fitbit also has a range of other products to help users take control of their fitness.

Fitbit Flyer

Listening to music is a critical part of many people's workout regimes, so Fitbit has moved into the active wireless headphone market. The Fitbit Flyer fitness headphones are sweatproof and come with an extensive array of earpieces to help guarantee a comfortable and secure fit. Alongside music and phone controls, Fitbit promises six hours of continuous playback from the Flyers, which should be long enough for all but the most active among us.

Fitbit Aria 2

For many people, exercising is a pathway to weight loss, and research has proven that regularly monitoring your weight can help you lose it faster. The Aria 2 Wi-Fi smart scale measures both weight and body fat for up to eight separate users, automatically syncing the data to individual Fitbit accounts, which can then be monitored via the Fitbit app.

Discontinued Fitbit wearables

• Fitbit One. Released on the same day as the Fitbit Zip, the Fitbit One offers more for the athlete in the way of counting the number of stairs climbed, tracking vigorous activity and sleep activity. This clip-on smart device is also compatible with both iOS and Android operating systems.

• Fitbit Flex. Fitbit introduced the Flex in May of 2013. A wrist device, the Fitbit Flex tracks movements around the clock, even as you sleep. Since it's water-resistant, you can use the wearable tech while showering and swimming. It will last up to seven days on one charge. The Flex uses a simple string of lights to help you track your goals, but you will need to sync with your mobile phone for detailed information.

• Fitbit Charge. The Charge is more of a smartwatch, displaying incoming calls from your synced mobile phone. It also has a bracelet-like slim design, with a small screen that scrolls the time, fitness stats and battery status.

• Fitbit Charge HR. Marketed as an active fitness tracker, the Charge HR has all of the fitness tracking software of the Fitbit Flex and Charge, except it has added a sensor to track pulse and heartbeat.

• Fitbit Surge. Fitbit classifies the Surge as a performance fitness device rather than a traditional fitness tracker or smartwatch. Introduced in 2014, it was the first wearable gear from Fitbit that resembled a watch more than a bracelet. It has more functions as well, including GPS, text message notifications, music controls and multi-sport tracking.

There was also a Fitbit Force released in 2011 that was similar to the Fitbit Flex. Unfortunately, a large number of consumers complained of skin burns and rashes when wearing the fitness tracker. As a precautionary measure, Fitbit stopped manufacturing these products and issued a recall. Any individual who returned the Fitbit Force received a full refund on their purchase and sincere apologies from Fitbit who claimed the rash either came from nickel used in the casing or the glue used to assemble the band.

Accessories

As Fitbit developed its wrist-mounted wearables and improved their tracking prowess, the company also increased the number of style options, allowing users to purchase custom-designed bands to suit different styles and moods.

You can now purchase premium bands in a range of colours and textures for the Fitbit Flex 2, Aria, Aria HR, Charge 2, Blaze and Ionic devices through either the Fitbit website or certain retail partners.

Perhaps the best example of this is the partnership with acclaimed designer Tory Burch. You can choose to have your Flex 2 fitness tracker worn around the neck as a metal pendant or a metal hinged bracelet. The Alta and Alta HR also have Tory Burch designed bands.

The Fitbit App

While Fitbit is arguably a hardware company, the core component of the Fitbit experience is the mobile app for iOS and Android. A free download, the app wirelessly connects to your Fitbit tracker via a low-powered Bluetooth connection to offer 24/7 tracking of your activity.

Within the app, you can set your wellness goals, from the number of steps you want to take each day, to the number of hours you want to sleep, to how much weight you want to lose. As you use your Fitbit device, the app will collect the data, giving you insights over time into your performance.

The app also offers the ability to track your water consumption and the food that you eat, while heart-rate trackers can also offer detailed looks at your heart rate over time through the app's interface.

Compatible Apps

One of the most powerful features of the Fitbit ecosystem is its open API, which allows other services to either use the information from your Fitbit to monitor your health or deliver information into the Fitbit app.

This could be anything from a more detailed analysis of your eating habits to tracking your activity via a dedicated running or cycling app. Here's a full list of Fitbit compatible apps:

Improve your health with a Fitbit from Rebel Sports from rebel Sport

Whether you want the premium functionality of the Fitbit Ionic or the fashion versatility of the Fitbit Flex, Rebel Sports has a wide range of Fitbits on offer.

View details

Shirley Liu

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Shirley Liu is Finder's global program manager. She was previously the publisher for banking and investments and has also written comparisons for energy, money transfers, Uber Eats and many other topics. Shirley has a Master of Commerce and a Bachelor of Media, Journalism and Communications from the University of New South Wales. She is passionate about helping people find the best deal for their needs.