Fitbit Charge 6 vs Garmin Vivosmart 5: Which fitness tracker is right for you?
By Naila Syifa
Updated Feb 2024
Fitbit and Garmin are two of the biggest names in fitness tracking technology. Fitbit's latest model Charge 6 offers some impressive features that make it a strong contender to Garmin Vivosmart 5, which also has some unique features that set it apart.
In this article, we will dig deeper beyond the surface and compare the Fitbit Charge 6 and Garmin Vivosmart 5 in terms of five important aspects to help you decide which one is the right choice for you.
| Specs | Fitbit Charge 6 | Garmin Vivosmart 5 |
|---|---|---|
| Buy on Amazon | Buy on Amazon | |
| Price | $159.95 | $149.99 |
| GPS | Yes, built-in | Yes, connected |
| Battery Life | 7 days | 7 days |
| Water Rating | 5 ATM | 5 ATM |
| Exercise Modes | Yes | Yes |
| SmartTrack | Yes | No |
| Daily Readiness | Yes | No |
| Body Battery | No | Yes |
| Heart Health | Yes | Yes |
| Sleep Tracking and Score | Yes | Yes |
| Mindful Breathing | No | Yes |
| Stress Tracking | Yes | Yes |
| Smart Notifications | Yes | Yes |
| Maps | Google Maps | No |
| Payment | Google Wallet | No |
| Music Control | Yes | Yes |
| Safety & Tracking | No | Yes |
Key Takeaways
Fitbit Charge 6 has a built-in GPS, while Garmin Vivosmart 5 relies on your phone's GPS. Charge 6 stands out with its Google features like Google Maps, Wallet, and YouTube music control. Meanwhile, Vivosmart 5 edges ahead with its Body Battery, Breathwork activity, and Safety and Tracking features.
Fitbit Charge 6
Fitness Tracker with Google Essentials
✓ Built-in GPS
✓ 40+ exercise modes
✓ YouTube music controls, Google Maps, Google Wallet
✓ 7-day battery life
Garmin Vivosmart 5
Fitness Tracker for Health & Life
✓ Built-in sports apps
✓ Body Battery energy monitoring
✓ Safety and tracking features
✓ 7-day battery life
#1 Price
Fitbit Charge 6
The Fitbit Charge 6 and Garmin Vivosmart 5 are not very different in terms of price. The Vivosmart 5 is only around $10 cheaper, retailing at US$149.99 compared to the Charge 6 which is priced at US$159.95. This small price difference makes it important for you to consider which device will meet your needs the best so that your purchase will be worth it.
#2 Design & Display
Garmin Vivosmart 5
Fitbit Charge 6 has a rectangular screen with housing made of aluminum, glass, and resin. The band is made of silicone and is available in 3 different colors: obsidian, porcelain, and coral. If you don't like any of the color options, you can always swap out the band for any other accessory bands available for purchase. One design element that makes the Charge 6 stand out is its side button, providing easy and quick navigation to the home screen or to see your stats.
Garmin Vivosmart 5 features a similar rectangular design, but its silicone band is textured, giving a more sporty look and grippy feel. The display is an OLED touchscreen with a resolution of 88 x 154 pixels. It also has a physical button for better navigation, but instead of being on the side, it's on the bottom of the screen. The Vivosmart 5 comes in black, white, and cool mint color options, and is available in 2 sizes to suit your wrist better.
Both fitness trackers have a water rating of 5 ATM, meaning that they are water resistant to 50 m. This makes them both suitable for swimming and showering, but not for diving or snorkeling.
#3 Health & Fitness Features
Fitbit Charge 6
The Charge 6 and Vivosmart 5 enable you to keep track of important health metrics such as heart rate, blood oxygen, respiration, stress, menstrual cycle in women, and more. If an abnormal heart rate is detected, such as a high or low heart rate, you will get notified immediately to take action.
Both devices also track your sleep stages and provide you with a sleep score, allowing you to have insights into your sleep quality to improve it better. The Charge 6 has some advantages with its Sleep Profile feature, which gets you matched with a sleep animal and see a personalized analysis of your sleep every month. The Charge 6 can also serve as a Smart Wake Alarm, vibrating on your wrist to wake you up during your optimal sleep stage.
In terms of workout and fitness features, both models support a range of exercise modes (or called the sports apps in Garmin) to allow you to track a variety of different activities, such as running, biking, yoga, pool swimming, and more. An all-day activity tracking is also supported in both devices, which counts your steps, calories burned, and active minutes throughout the day.
Garmin Vivosmart 5
Garmin Vivosmart 5 offers some additional features unavailable in the Fitbit counterpart, including the Body Battery energy monitoring feature which tracks your body's energy levels throughout the day, and the Breathwork feature that guides you into mindful breathing for when you want to relax or focus.
However, Fitbit Charge 6 also comes with some unique features that make it stand out from the Vivosmart 5, such as the Daily Readiness Score which shows how ready your body is for a workout each day. The Vivosmart 5 also measures skin temperature variation and can be connected to compatible gym equipment to show your heart rate in real time. It also comes with an ECG app to assess your heart rhythm for atrial fibrillation (AFib) and an EDA Scan app for stress management.
#4 Smart Features
Fitbit Charge 6
Both fitness trackers are also equipped with a range of smart features that allow you to stay connected to your phone without having to take it out of your pocket. One of them is the smart notifications feature, which lets you receive calls, texts, and app notifications on your wrist. Some other smart features that both devices share are the Find My Phone and music control feature.
Fitbit Charge 6 has some additional smart features that set it apart from Garmin Vivosmart 5, including Google Maps for navigation, Google Wallet for mobile payments, YouTube music control, and a built-in GPS for accurate tracking of your outdoor workouts without needing to bring your phone.
Garmin Vivosmart 5 doesn't have those features. It also supports GPS only when connected to your phone's GPS. However, it does come with unique features unavailable in the Fitbit Charge 6, such as the Safety and Tracking features. When detects an incident during select outdoor activities, the Vivosmart 5 can automatically send messages and your real-time location to your emergency contacts.
#5 Battery Life
Garmin Vivosmart 5
The battery life of a fitness tracker is an important consideration as it affects how often you need to charge it, and how convenient it is to use. However, the Fitbit Charge 6 and Garmin Vivosmart 5 have no difference in terms of battery life. They both last around 7 days, which is impressive enough for their features.
Fitbit Charge 6 vs Garmin Vivosmart 5
Final Thoughts
Fitbit Charge 6
When it comes to choosing between the Fitbit Charge 6 and Garmin Vivosmart 5, it really depends on your needs and preferences.
If you prefer a wide range of health and fitness features and want to have access to some unique smart features such as Google Maps and Google Wallet, then the Fitbit Charge 6 is the way to go.
However, if you are looking for features like Body Battery energy monitoring, Mindful Breathing, Safety and Tracking features, then the Garmin Vivosmart 5 has got you covered.
If you like to read more on Fitbit fitness trackers and smartwatches, check out our other relevant guides here:
Best Fitbit Smartwatch & Fitness Trackers
Fitbit Charge 6 vs Fitbit Charge 5
Fitbit Charge 6 vs Fitbit Inspire 3
Fitbit Charge 6 vs Fitbit Luxe
Fitbit Charge 5 vs 4
Fitbit Luxe vs Fitbit Charge 4
Fitbit Sense vs Fitbit Versa 3
Fitbit Versa 3 vs Fitbit Versa 2
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