Fitbit Versa 2 vs Charge 3 (2021): Which Fitness Tracker Should You Get?

Fitbit’s lineup of fitness trackers continue to be popular, and the new Versa 2 aims to welcome new fans to the fold. How does the latest Fitbit smartwatch compare against one of its best-selling trackers, the Charge 3? Check out our detailed comparison between the Fitbit Versa 2 and Fitbit Charge 3 to help you choose which one to get.

Fitbit Versa 2 vs Charge 3 Comparison Chart

Model	Fitbit Versa 2	Fitbit Charge 3
Price	Check Price	Check Price
Rating
Display	AMOLED	OLED
Always-on	Yes	No
Screen Size	1″ x 1″	0.78″ x 1.36″
Dimensions	1.6″ x 1.6″ x 0.5″	1.6″ x 1.41″ x 0.89″
Weight	1.41 oz	1.02 oz
Colors	4	2
Call & Text Alerts	Yes	Yes
Water Resistance	Up to 50 meters	Up to 50 meters
Heart Rate Monitor	Yes	Yes
Pedometer	Yes	Yes
Altimeter	Yes	Yes
Calorie Burn Tracker	Yes	Yes
Sleep Tracking	Yes	Yes
Swim Tracking	Yes	Yes
Female Health Tracking	Yes	No
Compass	No	No
GPS	Connected	Connected
Cellular	No	No
Wi-Fi	Yes	No
Bluetooth	Yes	Yes
NFC	Yes	No
Amazon Alexa	Yes	Yes
Compatibility	iOS, Android, Windows	iOS, Android, Windows
Battery Life	6+ days	7 days

Design

The Fitbit Versa 2 has a full color touchscreen while the Charge 3 has a grayscale display.

As you can see, the designs of these Fitbit devices are very different. The Versa 2 has a larger square OLED display that’s much brighter than the Charge 3’s. Moreover, the former has a full-color touchscreen that works much like those on phones, while the latter has a grayscale screen you can really only swipe left and right.

There’s no question that the Fitbit Charge 3 feels much lighter on your wrist, and its narrow display makes it look like an advanced wrist strap. Some will undoubtedly like that it looks discreet and non-flashy, but just as many will prefer having a bright, colorful display that can be further customized with different watchfaces.

This is even made better with a new feature that Fitbit added to the Versa 2: an always-on display option. With the screen always visible it’d feel just like traditional wristwatches, but with all of the advanced digital perks of a smart device. You can display workout metrics and other info this way, which makes it highly convenient to check while you’re in the middle of a routine.

You’ll be able to choose from four color options on the Versa 2 and only two on the Charge 3. If you wish, you can further customize how the Versa 2 and Charge 3 looks with bands which are available in different colors and materials.

Activity Tracking

The Fitbit Versa 2 has female health tracking in addition to all of the fitness tracking features of the Charge 3.

As activity trackers, the Fitbit Versa 2 and Charge 3 offer similar functionalities. They’re equipped with heart rate sensors, pedometers, accelerometers, etc., which enables them to monitor your fitness metrics as long as you’re wearing them. You can select from more than 15 goal-based exercise modes so you can record the appropriate data while you’re working out and compare progress.

Among the supported exercises is swimming, which isn’t a common feature in other activity trackers. As both the Versa 2 and Charge 3 are waterproof up to 50 meters underwater, you can safely track laps on the pool. Both also have sleep tracking, letting you discover the quality of sleep you’re getting, which is essential to overall health.

The sole addition to the Fitbit Versa 2 here is female health tracking. You can log periods and record your symptoms, which helps you figure out patterns in your cycle and how it affects your health and fitness. You can also use its guided breathing sessions for meditation.

Smart Features

The Fitbit Versa 2 has several features not available on the Charge 3, such as Amazon Alexa, Wi-Fi, NFC, and music storage.

Here’s where the Fitbit Versa 2 offers serious advantages. The biggest addition is, of course, Amazon Alexa. It’s built into the Versa 2 device itself so you only need to log in with your account. Once done you can press the side button and ask Alexa questions, start exercises, set alerts, control smart home devices, etc. It’s a bit limited in that you have to read Alexa’s responses on the screen and you’d still need to be connected to your phone’s Alexa.

In addition, the Versa 2 is now equipped with NFC, allowing mobile contactless payments with your smartwatch via Fitbit Pay. This is only available on the Charge 3 Special Edition, which you have to pay extra for. Both can make use of your phone’s GPS to track distance and pace in real time when you go for a run, but we’d have liked it a lot more if it was built in like many other fitness trackers.

If you like listening to music while working out, which is highly likely, you’ll love that you can store songs in the Fitbit Versa 2. It has space for around 300 tracks and you can download Pandora stations or Deezer playlists. You can discover useful apps to install in it, too. Unfortunately, these are not possible with the Charge 3.

Battery Life and Other Features

The Fitbit Charge 3 lasts a bit longer than the Versa 2.

Fitbit designed its fitness trackers to be devices you’d want to wear all the time, so battery life is pretty important. Thankfully, both the Fitbit Versa 2 and Charge 3 impress in this regard, since they can typically last 6 and 7 days on a single charge. This means you can go about your day, sleep at night and wake up without ever having to take off the activity tracker. Except for once a week of course when you need to plug them in for two hours or so.

Verdict

Get the Fitbit Versa 2 if you want a smartwatch and the Charge 3 if you only need an activity tracker.

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It should be pretty clear that the strengths of the Fitbit Versa 2 all lie in its smartwatch features. With Wi-Fi connectivity, built-in NFC, and Amazon Alexa, you can utilize the Versa 2 for more varied tasks. Add in that you can store music in it as well as install other apps, then you’ve got a clear winner if you want your wristwatch to be more than just a fitness tracker.

As such, those who would rather wear other timepieces when they’re not working out might prefer the Fitbit Charge 3, which is a highly focused activity tracker. It may not look as flashy, but it doesn’t have to be if you’re after improving your health and achieving your fitness goals. Plus, it’s a lot more affordable, and that’s of course a pretty important consideration as well.

Last update on 2020-12-23 / Affiliate links / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API