Fitbit Inspire 3 vs Fitbit Charge 5: Which is Better?
By Linus T.
Updated Jun 2023
Fitbit released the Inspire 3 in August 2022 to replace its predecessors from two years ago, the Inspire 2. Within their fitness tracker range, the Fitbit Inspire 3 is considered the budget option, while the Fitbit Charge 5 comes out at the top.
We’ll compare the two models in our Fitbit Inspire 3 vs Fitbit Charge 5 review to see which one you should choose when it comes to value, design, features and performance.
On our list
#1 Price
#2 Design & Display
#3 Health & Fitness
#4 Power & Performance
Fitbit Inspire 3
Health & Fitness Tracker
Do what you love and feel your best. All you have to do is wear it.
Fitbit Charge 5
Advanced Fitness Tracker
Do what's best for your body with an ECG app for your heart & an EDA sensor for your stress.
1. Price
Fitbit Charge 5
At regular retail prices, the Fitbit Charge 5 cost roughly 50% more than the Inspire 3, which is understandable since it is Fitbit’s higher-range model. However, depending on where you live and ongoing promotions, the price difference between the two models can vary from as little as $20.
The difference in price between the two models isn’t that significant and in most cases wouldn’t be a dealbreaker in the decision-making.
2. Design & Display
Fitbit Inspire 3
The Fitbit Charge 5 & Inspire 3 have rather similar specs when it comes to their display. They both feature a full-colour AMOLED display with a touchscreen interface. You can also toggle the display to be always on for greater convenience during your workouts.
Side-by-side, it is obvious that the Charge 5 has a larger screen size at 21.93 x 14.75 mm. It sports a wider design while the Inspire 3 has a slimmer profile. This boils down to personal preference of how you like the fitness tracker to look on your wrist.
3. Health & Fitness
Fitbit Charge 5
The Fitbit Charge 5 & Inspire 3 both have an amazing line-up of health & fitness features. On the health side, you have access to heart rate, stress and sleep tracking. They also have red and infrared sensors for SpO2 monitoring to help you better understand the distribution of blood oxygen in your body.
You also get a wide selection of exercise modes — like running, cycling, swimming, and more — to help you track these activities in real time and provide live stats on your performance.
Both devices also come with a free 6-month trial of Fitbit Premium, giving you access to features like Daily Readiness Score and Sleep Profile.
As the more advanced model, the Fitbit Charge 5 comes with a greater array of functions compared to the Inspire 3. First of all, it has a built-in GPS & GLONASS sensor, allowing you to get precise location tracking with it to aid with pace & distance measurement for your walks & runs — with no phone needed.
The Charge 5 is also equipped with multi-purpose electrical sensors that are compatible with ECG apps to detect heart rhythm irregularity known as atrial fibrillation. These same sensors can also be used to get instant feedback on your stress so that you can proactively manage your well-being better.
4. Power & Performance
Fitbit Inspire 3
Both the Fitbit Charge 5 & Inspire 3 have great battery life. They can last you up to a week on a single charge. The Inspire 3 does stand out with its longer battery life over the Charge 5, coming in at 10 days versus 7 days respectively. A general understanding is that with the additional sensors present in the Charge 5, the daily battery consumption is a lot higher. Nonetheless, being able to charge your fitness tracker once a week is more than a great convenience.
When it comes to day-to-day use, the Fitbit Charge 5 stands out with its Fitbit Pay feature. You can easily make purchases from your wrist using Fitbit Pay without having to pull out your wallet or bring it along for runs.
Compare Fitbit Inspire 3 vs Fitbit Inspire 2
Final Thoughts
The Fitbit Charge 5 definitely stands out against the Fitbit Inspire 3. Sporting a larger display with a couple more sensors, the Charge 5 gives you access to more health & wellness solutions.
More doesn’t always mean better if they aren’t necessary for you. If you don’t see yourself using the GPS and are okay with basic heart-tracking data, the Fitbit Inspire 3 is a great fitness tracker to own. But if you do, pay a little more and go for the Fitbit Charge 5.
If you like to read more about Fitbit smartwatches, check out our other relevant guides here:
Fitbit Inspire 3 vs Fitbit Inspire 2
Fitbit Charge 5 vs Fitbit Charge 4
Fitbit Sense 2 vs Fitbit Sense
Fitbit Sense vs Fitbit Versa 3
Fitbit Versa 3 vs Fitbit Versa 2
Fitbit Charge 6 vs Fitbit Charge 5
Fitbit Charge 6 vs Fitbit Inspire 3
Fitbit Charge 6 vs Fitbit Luxe
Fitbit Charge 6 vs Garmin Vivosmart 5
Explore the full collection for Fitbit on Amazon.com or visit our Official Fitbit Singapore Store.
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