Fitbit Inspire HR vs Amazfit Bip (2021): Which Affordable Wearable Is Better?

At relatively similar price points, the Fitbit Inspire HR and Amazfit Bip are two activity trackers that are sure to please the budget- and health-conscious crowd. However, is either wearable significantly better than the other to easily be the better choice? We’ve compared each tracker’s specs and features to help you decide which to buy.

Fitbit Inspire HR vs Amazfit Bip Comparison Chart

Design

The Fitbit Inspire HR looks slim and sleek, but the Amazfit Bip has an always-on display.

It’s easy to spot the physical differences between the Fitbit Inspire HR and Amazfit Bip. Where the former tries to itself unobtrusive by being so slim and lightweight, the latter stretches a bit to show off its always-on display. Both do have touchscreens and a single button to wake up the device or take you back to the home page.

The sleek and slim profile of the Inspire HR makes it a tad more classy than the Amazfit Bip, whose polycarbonate construction seems to look like cheap plastic. However, rather than docking a point off it, its almost retro Casio feel will probably make it more attractive to that crowd, especially those who were big fans of the Pebble. Whichever aesthetic pleases you, you’ll be happy to find that both feel very comfortable to wear, and despite their weight differences, neither will seem too heavy compared to other smartwatches.

The OLED display on the Inspire HR makes it much nicer to look at during any time of day. Meanwhile, the Amazfit Bip can be a bit dim in low light conditions, though it has a backlight that turns on when you raise your wrist to glance at it. Perhaps its biggest draw is its always-on display — there aren’t many smartwatches or fitness trackers that have one. For those who are used to wearing digital or analog watches on their wrist, this might be enough reason to simply go for the Amazfit Bip.

Activity Tracking

The Fitbit Inspire HR has swim and female health tracking.

With over 15 goal-based exercise modes supported on the Inspire HR compared to the Amazfit Bip’s 4 sports modes, those who love to have variety in their fitness routines will appreciate Fitbit’s device more. It’s even more attractive if swimming is one of the main ways you exercise, since the Inspire HR is water-resistant up to 50 meters and lets you track distance, pace, and duration. In contrast, the Amazfit Bip is only IP68 certified, meaning it can take a dunk in the water but you better get it out soon.

Fitbit also incorporated female health tracking features into their devices, letting you record your cycles and see how it affects your exercise schedules. It’ll also paint a more complete picture of your overall health. You can monitor sleep quality with both devices though, which is another feature not commonly found in other activity trackers.

Almost all other activity tracking features are present in these two devices. You can track calorie burn, see a snapshot of your cardio fitness, and get reminders to move to avoid being sedentary for long periods of time. As to be expected, the Fitbit App is a bit more developed and comprehensive than the Bip’s Mi Fit app, and you’ll find a larger community to join there given Fitbit’s bigger consumer base.

Smart Features

The Amazfit Bip has a GPS, compass, and altimeter.

If you’re looking to take a smartwatch outdoors, then the Amazfit Bip becomes a much better recommendation. With a built-in low-power GPS+GLONASS chip, a compass, and an altimeter, you’ll be able to pinpoint where you are and where you’re headed with precision. You can still get GPS on the Inspire HR though, but you have to bring your phone along.

There are a few annoying things with some of the features of the Amazfit Bip though. Neither the stopwatch nor the time can run in the background, making them less than optimal for actual use. The touchscreen display also gets disabled after a certain period of time, so you’ll have to press the button to activate it again.

However, the Fitbit Inspire HR has something similarly frustrating, too, at least until you get used to it. The user interface is navigated by swiping on the screen, but some functions can only be found by swiping up or down, instead of left and right. You’ll have to memorize where things are or spend more time than you should trying to find what you’re looking for. Add in the minor annoyance of the screen sometimes not registering your swipe, then it can get irksome indeed.

Compatibility and Battery Life

The Amazfit Bip can last for a month without charging.

Fitbit’s amazing batteries simply pale compared to the gargantuan capacity of the Amazfit Bip. Instead of days, you’ll count weeks before needing to take it off to recharge for a couple of hours before you wear it nonstop again for a month. You can further push the normally 30-day battery life to 45 if you don’t keep the heart rate monitor always turned on. This just adds another point in the Amazfit Bip’s favor if you’re into multi-day camping or trekking.

The Inspire HR isn’t lackluster in this category though, since a 5-day batter life is nothing to sneeze at, especially compared to some higher-end smartwatches. You can definitely keep excellent track of your daily activities and nightly rests without worrying it’ll run out of juice.

Both will work with iOS and Android devices, and the Fitbit Inspire HR has a minor advantage here in being compatible with Windows-based phones. Syncing data between your phone and the wearable is a bit faster on the Inspire HR, although the Amazfit Bip can sync with Apple Health.

Verdict

Different crowds will gravitate towards either the Fitbit Inspire HR or the Amazfit Bip.

Both of these fitness trackers are excellent budget choices, and neither has too big of an advantage over the other to make it the clear recommendation. Instead, you’ll find one wearable to be more attractive to you depending on how you’ll be using the device exactly.

Swimmers and those who love to do different exercises such as yoga, rowing, and even meditation, can fully utilize the more comprehensive tracking features of the Fitbit Inspire HR. That goes double if you’re keen on adding your sleep and cycle information into the mix to get an even better idea of your overall health. All in all, if you’re really looking for an activity tracker that’ll complement a seriously active lifestyle, you’ll likely enjoy everything the Fitbit Inspire HR offers, especially its community-oriented app.

Those whose idea of fitness revolves around enjoying the great outdoors will be much better off with the Amazfit Bip. You’ll get accurate mapping and navigation with its built-in GPS and compass, and even rely on its amazing battery to last you through several days (or weeks!) out in the countryside. Those who have a more casual approach on exercising are also likely to favor it, since its lower price, combined with its features and wear-and-forget battery life, give it amazing value.

Last update on 2022-05-27 / Affiliate links / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API