Fitbit Sense vs. Apple Watch Series 6: Which should you buy?

Deciding between Fitbit Sense (the best Fitbit ever), and Apple Watch Series 6 (the best Apple Watch to date) is a tough choice as they’re two of the best fitness wearables available. Both offer advanced features when it comes to health and fitness monitoring. They’re capable of tracking every part of your day and will keep you on track to wellness. Deciding which to buy comes down to your lifestyle, budget, and operating system.

Fitbit Sense vs. Apple Watch Series 6: Breaking it down

When it comes to comprehensive health and fitness monitoring, Fitbit Sense is a worthy adversary of Apple Watch Series 6 — they have a lot of features in common. But when you consider the Series 6’s advanced navigation, safety tracking, and optional built-in cellular, this Apple Watch offers a bit more. However, it’s important to keep in mind that those additional features come at an additional cost. Let’s break down the specs to see exactly how these two differ.

	Fitbit Sense	Apple Watch 6
Display type	AMOLED	LTPO OLED
Display size	1.58 inches	1.78 inches (44mm) 1.65 (40mm)
Display always-on	Yes	Yes
Water-resistant (5ATM)	Yes	Yes
Internal storage	4GB	32GB
Built-in cellular	No	Yes (optional)
Bluetooth	Yes	Yes
WiFi	Yes	Yes
Smart assistant	Amazon Alexa/Google Assistant	Siri
Built-in GPS	GPS/GLONASS	A-GPS/GLONASS/GALILEO/QZSS
Safety tracking	No	Yes
Preloaded maps	No	Yes
All-day activity tracking	Yes	Yes
Sleep tracking	Yes	Yes
Swim tracking	Yes	Yes
Stress monitoring	Yes	Yes
Sp02 monitoring	Yes (with Sp02 watch face)	Yes
ECG tracking	Yes	Yes
Heart rate monitoring	Yes	Yes
Sensors	Accelerometer, altimeter, heart rate monitor, gyroscope, ambient light, pulse oximeter, ECG, thermometer	Accelerometer, altimeter, heart rate monitor, compass, gyroscope, ambient light, pulse oximeter, ECG, thermometer
Battery life	6+ days	18 hours
Compatibility	iOS + Android	iOS only
Customizable watch face	Yes	Yes
Interchangeable bands	Yes	Yes
Customizable apps	Yes	Yes

As you can see, Fitbit Sense hosts nearly the same sensors as Apple Watch Series 6, minus a compass for advanced health and fitness monitoring. Plus, it offers fast charging, longer battery life, and iOS and Android compatibility. Apple Watch Series 6 features more in terms of built-in cellular, advanced navigation, safety tracking, and preloaded maps, but it’s much more expensive. So, which is for you? Let’s find out.

Fitbit Sense vs. Apple Watch Series 6: Fitbit Sense makes sense

Source: Joe Maring / iMore

If you’re looking for comprehensive health and fitness monitoring, and don’t have the need to go phone-free or use advanced navigation, Fitbit Sense makes sense. It’s the best Fitbit because it’s loaded with Fitbit’s most advanced sensors, making it a great value. It offers features like EDA scans and ECG monitoring to help manage stress and keep tabs on your heart health.

Although its navigation system isn’t as advanced as Apple Watch Series 6, it is outfitted with built-in GPS, so you can track your workout routes. Active Zone Minutes give your wrist a buzz when you reach target heart rate zones, and you can view how your heart rate changes along your routes in your workout intensity map in the Fitbit app.

Fitbit’s most advanced sensors bring comprehensive health and fitness monitoring to Fitbit Sense.

Your Daily Readiness Score is a new Fitbit feature. It’s a score based on your exercise, sleep, and heart rate variability to help optimize your energy throughout the day. It will tell you if you’re ready for a tough workout, if you need a lighter training session, or if you must rest and recover.

When it comes to music, you can store and play music and podcasts on Deezer or Pandora, and control Spotify straight from your wrist. However, Fitbit Sense only offers 4GB of storage, so your storage space is minimal, especially in comparison to the 32GB on Apple Watch Series 6. However, you still have the option of downloading a few favorite playlists to motivate your workouts.

Fitbit Sense vs. Apple Watch Series 6: Adventure with Apple Watch Series 6

Source: Karen S. Freeman / iMore

If you’ve got the budget for it, and you love exploring and adventuring, Apple Watch Series 6 is your best bet. It offers an advanced navigation system that includes A-GPS, Glonass, Galileo, and QZSS to pinpoint your location worldwide. The Maps app comes pre-downloaded on this watch, so not only will you always know where you are, you can also get turn by turn directions to wherever you need to go.

A key difference between the Sense and Apple Watch Series 6 is safety tracking. Series 6 has it, the Sense does not. This means that Apple Watch can detect if you’ve taken a hard fall and connect you with emergency services if you’re immobile. You can also get immediate help in an emergency — even when traveling internationally, by pressing and holding the side button.

If you love to explore, you’ll benefit from the advanced navigation, safety tracking, and built-in cellular on the Series 6.

Another important difference between these two wearables is the optional built-in cellular system on Apple Watch Series 6. This means you can text, make calls, and answer emails with ease; anytime, anywhere — completely phone-free. Again, if you’re someone who loves exploring the great outdoors, this is a desirable feature to have. From hiking the mountain tops, to surfing the waves, you’ll always be connected.

When it comes to media, you can store, stream, and play your favorite tunes, audio books, and podcasts via Apple Music. Apple Watch Series 6 has 32GB of storage, so there is ample space to download your desired media.

Fitbit Sense vs. Apple Watch Series 6: Customization, compatibility, and battery life

Source: Lory Gil / iMore

Both Fitbit Sense and Apple Watch Series 6 feature customizable watch faces, apps, and interchangeable bands, but the Apple Watch has a lot more options when it comes to colors and materials. Fitbit Sense has three band and casing options, whereas Apple Watch Series 6 has a plethora of band and casing material and color combinations. If you’re a fan of major personalization, Apple Watch Series 6 is the right fit.

When considering compatibility, Fitbit Sense is the obvious choice for Android users, as it’s compatible with both iOS and Android. Apple Watch Series 6 is only compatible with iOS. Fitbit Sense has Apple Watch Series 6 beat in battery life. It offers six plus days of battery depending on your usage, while the Apple Watch Series 6 offers only up to 18 hours.

Unlike the Apple Watch Series 6, Fitbit Sense offers fast charging. You can get a full day’s charge in just 12 minutes. This is a valuable feature to have if you’re someone who is always on the move.

Fitbit Sense vs. Apple Watch Series 6: Which should you buy?

Source: Fitbit

The Fitbit Sense and Apple Watch Series 6 offer comprehensive health and fitness monitoring. The choice on which to buy comes down to compatibility, budget, and lifestyle. If you’re an Android user, or someone who wouldn’t necessarily benefit from advanced navigation and safety tracking, Fitbit Sense is a great value. It’s outfitted with high-tech sensors and offers much longer battery life and fast charging at a hard to beat price.

If you love personalization, have the budget for it, and frequently adventure and explore around the world, Apple Watch Series 6 is your best bet. You can make it uniquely your own, and its advanced navigation, safety tracking, and built-in cellular features ensure you’ll always stay safe and connected. Ultimately, both of these wearables are great products and will keep you on the right track to health.