Fitbit and Garmin have been dominating the wearables space and are among the go-to brands when it comes to wearable trackers. Their Fitbit Charge 4 and the Garmin vívosport are among the fitness activity trackers that also feature basic smartwatch capabilities and built-in GPS. While they offer a lot of similar features, they have differences that will make you choose one over the other. Our thorough comparison below will help you choose which fitness tracker is better for you.
With built-in GPS and 24/7 heart rate monitoring, the Charge 4 is an essential upgrade for fitness fans.
Navigation
Fitbit Charge 4 vs Garmin vívosport Comparison Chart
| Model | ||
|  | |
| Price | Check Price | Check Price |
| Display | Grayscale OLED Touchscreen | Always-On Color Touchscreen |
| Display Size | 1.4″ x 0.9″ | 0.38″ x 0.76″ |
| GPS | Built-in | Built-in |
| Call & Text Alerts | Yes | Yes |
| Quick Replies | Yes | No |
| Smart Awake | Yes | No |
| Water Resistance | Waterproof for up to 50 meters | Waterproof for up to 50 meters |
| Heart Rate Monitor | Yes | Yes |
| Heart Rate Variability | No | Yes |
| Pedometer | Yes | Yes |
| Altimeter | Yes | Yes |
| Calorie Burn Tracker | Yes | Yes |
| Sleep Reports | Yes | Yes |
| Blood Oxygen Level | Yes | No |
| Swim Tracking | Yes | No |
| Female Health Tracking | Yes | Yes |
| Bluetooth | 4.0 | 4.0 |
| Contactless Payment | Fitbit Pay | No |
| Spotify Control | Yes | Yes |
| Compatibility | Apple iOS 12.2 or higher Android OS 7.0 or higher Windows 10 version 1607.0 or higher | iOS Android |
| Battery Life | Up to 7 days GPS: Up to 5 hours | Up to 7 days GPS: Up to 8 hours |
| Charger | USB | USB |
| Colors | Black Rosewood Storm Blue/Black | Small/Medium: Slate, Fuchsia Focus Large: Slate, Limelight |
| Year of Release | 2020 | 2017 |
Design and Display
The
While the
Don’t expect much as well when it comes to reading notifications or messages on the vívosport. It’s easier to read texts and alerts on the Charge 4 as it has a much bigger screen. Perhaps the vívosport makes up for its small screen by equipping the tracker with an always-on display. With this, you won’t have to rely on pressing a button or raising your wrist to see the display, such as the case with the Charge 4.
They both sport a touchscreen display, but the
Monitor your heart rate and activities nonstop with the Garmin vívosport that boasts up to 7 days of battery life.
Watch Bands
The
A major dealbreaker for the
On the other hand, the
GPS
Both the
Unlike many other fitness trackers in the market, the
Another helpful feature available in the Charge 4 is its heat map that shows the intensity of your workout or your level of exertion throughout your route. The high-intensity points are shown in red (see photo above).
With built-in GPS and 24/7 heart rate monitoring, the Charge 4 is an essential upgrade for fitness fans.
Health and Fitness Tracking
The Charge 4 and the vívosport offer similar features, but the Fitbit can track blood oxygen levels
Both Fitbit and Garmin have nailed health and fitness activity tracking, making them highly trusted brands in the wearables space. Both the Charge 4 and the vívosport offer the following features that will help you better understand your health and fitness data:
- set fitness goals and track your progress
- monitor your heart rate, including your resting heart rate (the Charge 4 alerts you when there’s an irregularity in your heart rate)
- get reminders to move or hydrate
- track sleep stages and give insights for better sleep quality and overall health (Fitbit’s interface is hard to beat)
- monitor menstrual cycles
- track and record steps, distances, pace, and calorie burn
- map your workout routes
- track distances, calorie burn, and heart rate while swimming
- measure elevation (e.g track floors climbed, altitude level, etc.)
- get guided breathing sessions based on your heart rate
On to the differences in their health and fitness tracking features:
- The
Fitbit Charge 4 comes with an SpO2 sensor that can detect your blood oxygen level. This data can be beneficial in better understanding your sleep quality. - Fitbit highlights the Active Zone Minutes in its Charge 4. Based on your heart rate metrics and goals, the Active Zone Minutes will give bespoke recommendations to help you reach your targets.
- The
Garmin vívosport can detect your heart rate variability (HRV) and stress levels. Fitness enthusiasts, particularly those who train a lot, will find the HRV data helpful to identify peak and recovery times.
Connectivity and Compatibility
Both the
Setting up your device with the
Both the Charge 4 and the vívosport are compatible with iOS and Android devices. However, if you own a Windows smartphone, then the Fitbit will be the better fit for you as Garmin is not available in Windows.
Monitor your heart rate and activities nonstop with the Garmin vívosport that boasts up to 7 days of battery life.
Smart Features
Both the Charge 4 and the vívosport offer basic smartwatch features such as alerts and weather; the Charge 4 can be used for contactless payment
Apart from the built-in GPS, the Charge 4 provides another reason to leave your phone behind during runs or other activities: Fitbit Pay. Equipped with NFC (Near-Field Communication) connectivity, you can use the Charge 4 to pay in any establishments that accept contactless payment methods such as Google Pay, Apple Pay, and Garmin Pay, among others. On the other hand, the
Both the Charge 4 and the vívosport can receive notifications and call and text alerts. However, only the
Battery Life and Additional Features
Both offer up to 7 days of battery life and are waterproof for up to 50 meters
Longer battery life means you can wear your fitness tracker as often as possible, thus allowing for more consistent monitoring of heart rate and other activities. Long battery life is especially crucial for sleep tracking. Both the
In addition, heavy use of their built-in GPS depletes the battery significantly faster. With the GPS on, the Charge 4 only lasts up to 5 hours while the vívosport offers more usage time at 8 hours. Both the
You can use them while swimming, but only the Charge 4 has a dedicated swim mode. These are only good for casual swimmers though. If you want an activity tracker than can better give you data on swimming, perhaps the Garmin Swim 2 will suit your needs better.
Verdict
The
While the Fitbit Charge 4 and Garmin vívosport offer similar health and fitness tracking features, we’ll have to award the winner in this comparison to the Charge 4. At a glance, it is slightly more expensive than the vívosport. However, if you put the interchangeable straps into consideration, the
Perhaps you might want to opt for the Garmin vívosport if you require the heart rate variability, stress level data, and a longer battery life when used with GPS. Some may also favor the vívosport’s slimmer profile, but the lack of replacement band options and having to send the fitness tracker to Garmin for band replacement can be a huge hassle.
FAQs
It’s not exactly black and white as both are excellent brands and have key features that set them apart. Garmins are typically the go-to tracker of sports enthusiasts while Fitbits are solid options for users who want to track their sleep and everyday activities.
The
It will still track your steps when you’re pushing a cart or stroller or pulling luggage, but it’s not as accurate.
Fitbits can track steps reliably, thanks to their three-axis accelerometer. With the onboard GPS of the Charge 4, you can expect a more accurate distance and pace tracking as well.