Are Fitbit devices still worth buying in 2024?

Main points

• Most of Fitbit’s best features are available on Pixel Watch 2.
• The company recently detailed Fitbit Labs, but the service doesn’t yet have a release date.
• Fitbit devices have suffered service outages, feature outages and a lack of support in recent months.

Google acquired Fitbit more than three years ago. Since then, we’ve seen a ton of Fitbit features trickle into Google’s products. The Google Pixel Watch 2’s Fitbit functionality has matured so much that Cam Bunton called it a “Fitbit in disguise” when he reviewed the Pixel Watch 2.

When Google acquired Fitbit, some speculated that it did so in part to quickly grow its health-tracking capabilities and benefit from Fitbit’s healthcare relationships. At the time, the search giant wasn’t directly competing with Apple and Samsung in the space, so it made sense to acquire a company that had excelled in the space for decades. But where does Fitbit go now?

What’s wrong with Fitbit?

While Google’s touch functionality is present on Fitbit devices, it almost feels like an afterthought. It’s no surprise that artificial intelligence is the main technology Google introduced to Fitbit. Announced in October 2023, Fitbit Labs (available only to Premium subscribers) will use AI to help you make sense of the data it collects, providing deeper health insights and guidance tailored to your specific needs. Google initially said the feature would launch in early 2024, but so far there’s no word on when exactly it will be available to users.

While Google’s touch functionality is present on Fitbit devices, it almost feels like an afterthought. It’s no surprise that artificial intelligence is the main technology Google introduced to Fitbit.

Beyond Fitbit Labs, the focus seems to be on Google’s wearables rather than Fitbit’s. The Fitbit brand has not released many products. The latest one was the Fitbit Charge 6 released in September 2023. While the Charge 6 does have a lot going for it, it’s an expensive option for a fitness tracker and lags behind other options, in part because of its reliance on subscriptions.

Fitbit has had its share of problems over the past few years. There have been several major service outages over the last year, as it removed popular community features and challenges and quietly stopped selling devices in more than a dozen countries. Some users also mentioned that firmware updates shortened the battery life of their fitness trackers. Recently, Google removed all third-party apps and clock faces in Europe due to regulatory issues. When talking to friends who use Fitbits, they mentioned that they’ve had a lot of issues over the past few years, as well as limited support for their products.

Fitbit has had its share of problems over the past few years. There have been several major service outages over the last year, as it removed popular community features and challenges and quietly stopped selling devices in more than a dozen countries.

All of these issues are certainly concerning and make us question what’s going on with the company. It feels like Google is trying to push customers toward Google Wearables while borrowing the same health tech that has made Fitbit so great for so long.

Is a Fitbit worth buying in 2024?

Knowing all the issues plaguing the brand, it begs the question: are Fitbits worth buying right now. While most companies focus more on high-end smartwatches, which isn’t Fitbit’s strong suit, there are still plenty of great fitness trackers to choose from.

Amazfit is a great budget brand for fitness trackers (and more advanced smartwatches), and Polar and Garmin also make a few fitness trackers. Additionally, Apple and Samsung, while focusing more on smartwatches, offer many of the same features as Fitbit.

It’s hard to recommend the Fitbit when there are so many other options on the market that are actively getting support and new features and aren’t experiencing major outages. Also, I’ve never been a fan of Fitbit’s subscription model. The options above give you powerful access to health and fitness tracking and coaching without paying a subscription fee on top of the cost of purchasing a wearable device. While there are still some worthy Fitbit devices on the market, we recommend spending your money on a device that’s more likely to receive long-term support and allow you to use it without paying any extra fees.