Fitbit Versa 4 vs Apple Watch Series 9
🗓️ Release Year
1️⃣ Fitbit Versa 4: 2022
2️⃣ Apple Watch Series 9: 2023
🏃 Activity
1️⃣ Fitbit Versa 4: The Fitbit Versa 4 provides comprehensive activity tracking, capturing steps, distance, calories burned, and floors climbed with precision. Its Active Zone Minutes feature is a key tool for optimizing workout effectiveness by tracking time spent in personalized heart rate zones. The integrated built-in GPS facilitates accurate real-time pace and distance monitoring for outdoor activities such as running, cycling, and hiking, offering valuable data without requiring a paired smartphone.
2️⃣ Apple Watch Series 9: The Apple Watch Series 9 is a powerful and intuitive smartwatch offering advanced activity tracking with enhanced performance. Powered by the new S9 SiP, it provides faster and more accurate tracking of steps, distance, calories burned, and active minutes. Its comprehensive workout modes and detailed metrics are designed to help users monitor and improve their fitness across a wide range of activities.
❤️ Health Monitoring
1️⃣ Fitbit Versa 4: Utilizing advanced PurePulse 2.0 technology, the Versa 4 offers continuous 24/7 heart rate monitoring, providing insights into resting heart rate trends and real-time heart rate zones during exercise. It integrates advanced sleep and stress management features for a more holistic view of the user's well-being.
2️⃣ Apple Watch Series 9: This device is a robust health companion, featuring continuous heart rate monitoring, ECG functionality for detecting signs of irregular heart rhythms, and SpO2 monitoring for blood oxygen levels. The temperature sensor offers deeper insights into overall wellness and cycle tracking, while enhanced health algorithms provide more precise data analysis.
🔋 Battery Life
1️⃣ Fitbit Versa 4: A significant advantage of the Versa 4 is its impressive battery life, offering over 6 days of power on a single charge. The inclusion of fast charging capabilities means a full day's power can be acquired in just 12 minutes, minimizing downtime and ensuring consistent tracking.
2️⃣ Apple Watch Series 9: The Apple Watch Series 9 provides up to 18 hours of battery life on a single charge under normal usage, and up to 36 hours in Low Power Mode, similar to its predecessor. Fast charging capabilities minimize downtime, ensuring consistent tracking throughout the day and night.
😴 Sleep Tracking
1️⃣ Fitbit Versa 4: Detailed sleep tracking on the Versa 4 monitors sleep duration and analyzes sleep stages (light, deep, and REM). It provides a comprehensive Sleep Score and personalized insights within the app to help users understand and improve their sleep quality effectively.
2️⃣ Apple Watch Series 9: Advanced sleep tracking on the Apple Watch Series 9 monitors sleep stages (light, deep, and REM), sleep duration, and provides detailed sleep analysis within the Health app. It also tracks blood oxygen levels and wrist temperature during sleep, offering valuable insights into sleep quality and recovery.
📍 GPS Tracking
1️⃣ Fitbit Versa 4: Equipped with built-in GPS, the Versa 4 accurately tracks real-time pace and distance for outdoor activities independently of a smartphone. Post-workout, users can review detailed route maps and intensity zone breakdowns directly within the Fitbit app.
2️⃣ Apple Watch Series 9: With built-in GPS, the Apple Watch Series 9 accurately tracks outdoor activities like running, cycling, and hiking without needing a paired iPhone. It provides precise route mapping, pace, and distance data, essential for monitoring performance during outdoor workouts.
🏋️ Workout Modes
1️⃣ Fitbit Versa 4: Supporting an extensive library of over 40 workout modes, the Versa 4 caters to a wide array of physical activities, from running and cycling to swimming, HIIT, strength training, and yoga. During workouts, it displays live performance statistics, including heart rate, pace, and calorie burn, to inform training intensity.
2️⃣ Apple Watch Series 9: The Apple Watch Series 9 supports a wide variety of workout modes, including running, walking, cycling, swimming, yoga, hiking, and more. Users can select specific modes to get tailored real-time statistics and post-workout analysis within the Fitness app.
💫 Exercise Recognition
1️⃣ Fitbit Versa 4: The integrated SmartTrack technology offers automatic detection and recording of common exercises such as walking, running, cycling, and elliptical workouts. This feature streamlines the tracking process, ensuring activities are logged even if the user forgets to manually start a workout.
2️⃣ Apple Watch Series 9: The smartwatch features automatic exercise recognition for common activities such as walking, running, and cycling, ensuring that workouts are logged even if the user forgets to manually start tracking, providing a more complete record of physical activity.
🍎 Compatibility
1️⃣ Fitbit Versa 4: The Versa 4 ensures broad compatibility with both Android and iOS devices, connecting via Bluetooth and Wi-Fi. Android users benefit from Google Fast Pair for quick and effortless initial setup.
2️⃣ Apple Watch Series 9: Seamlessly integrating with the Apple ecosystem, the Apple Watch Series 9 requires an iPhone XS or later running the latest iOS version for full functionality. It connects via Bluetooth and Wi-Fi, offering tight integration with Apple Health and other Apple services.
📲 App Support
1️⃣ Fitbit Versa 4: Synchronization with the feature-rich Fitbit app provides users with a centralized platform for comprehensive health tracking and in-depth fitness insights. Compatibility with popular third-party applications like Strava, Google Fit, Apple Health, and MyFitnessPal allows for seamless data integration into existing fitness ecosystems.
2️⃣ Apple Watch Series 9: Leveraging the App Store, the Apple Watch Series 9 provides access to a vast ecosystem of third-party apps, enhancing its capabilities for fitness, productivity, communication, and entertainment. The Apple Health app serves as a central repository for all health and fitness data.
💡 Smart Features
1️⃣ Fitbit Versa 4: Beyond fitness, the Versa 4 offers notable smart features, including the reception of call, text, and app notifications. Integration with Amazon Alexa and Google Assistant provides convenient voice control. Support for Fitbit Pay and Google Wallet enables contactless payments directly from the wrist.
2️⃣ Apple Watch Series 9: As a full-featured smartwatch, the Apple Watch Series 9 provides comprehensive smart capabilities, including on-wrist notifications, enhanced Siri with on-device processing, Apple Pay for contactless payments, and cellular connectivity for calls and messages without an iPhone. The innovative Double Tap gesture provides a new way to interact with the watch, and advanced safety features like Fall Detection and Crash Detection are included.
💦 Water Resistance
1️⃣ Fitbit Versa 4: With a 5 ATM water resistance rating (up to 50 meters), the Versa 4 is built to withstand swimming, showering, and general water exposure, making it a versatile companion for various activities.
2️⃣ Apple Watch Series 9: With a WR50 water resistance rating, the Apple Watch Series 9 is suitable for swimming and showering, making it a durable companion for everyday wear and aquatic activities. It is capable of tracking swimming workouts.
⌚ Display Quality
1️⃣ Fitbit Versa 4: The device features a bright and highly responsive AMOLED touchscreen display. An always-on display mode offers convenient at-a-glance access to information, and customizable watch faces allow for personalization of the visual interface.
2️⃣ Apple Watch Series 9: The Apple Watch Series 9 features an even brighter Always-On Retina LTPO OLED display, offering a peak brightness of 2000 nits for exceptional visibility in direct sunlight. It provides sharp resolution, deep blacks, and vibrant colors, enhancing the visual experience.
👌 Ease of Use
1️⃣ Fitbit Versa 4: The Versa 4 is designed for intuitive interaction, featuring a responsive touchscreen complemented by a haptic side button for efficient navigation. Its seamless synchronization with the Fitbit app facilitates effortless data tracking and analysis.
2️⃣ Apple Watch Series 9: The device offers an intuitive user interface with a combination of the responsive touchscreen, Digital Crown for precise scrolling, and a physical side button for navigation. watchOS is optimized for easy navigation, and the new Double Tap gesture adds a convenient way to interact one-handed.
✨ Design and Comfort
1️⃣ Fitbit Versa 4: The Versa 4 features a sleek and lightweight aluminum case paired with a comfortable soft silicone band, ensuring suitability for all-day wear. The design supports interchangeable bands, offering options for personalization to match individual style preferences.
2️⃣ Apple Watch Series 9: The Apple Watch Series 9 features a sleek and refined design with a lightweight aluminum or stainless steel case. It offers a comfortable fit for all-day wear and comes with a wide variety of interchangeable bands for extensive personalization, balancing aesthetic appeal with functional design.
🩸 SpO2 Monitoring
1️⃣ Fitbit Versa 4: An integrated SpO2 sensor allows for tracking blood oxygen levels specifically during sleep. This provides valuable data that can help users identify potential breathing irregularities during the night and gain insights into their respiratory health.
2️⃣ Apple Watch Series 9: Equipped with an SpO2 sensor, the Apple Watch Series 9 allows for on-demand spot checks and background monitoring of blood oxygen saturation levels. This feature provides valuable data for assessing respiratory health and overall well-being, especially during sleep and at altitude.
💖 ECG Functionality
1️⃣ Fitbit Versa 4: It is important to note that the Fitbit Versa 4 does not support ECG (Electrocardiogram) monitoring.
2️⃣ Apple Watch Series 9: The Apple Watch Series 9 supports ECG (Electrocardiogram) functionality through the ECG app, allowing users to record a 30-second ECG to detect signs of atrial fibrillation (AFib). This feature provides valuable heart health data that can be shared with healthcare professionals.
🧘 Stress Tracking
1️⃣ Fitbit Versa 4: Stress levels are monitored through the analysis of heart rate variability (HRV). The Versa 4 provides access to guided breathing exercises and mindfulness tools within the app, offering practical resources for stress management.
2️⃣ Apple Watch Series 9: While not a dedicated stress tracking metric, the Apple Watch Series 9 contributes to stress insights through features like Mindfulness and Breathe apps, heart rate variability (HRV) data, and sleep analysis, helping users understand their body's response to stress and find moments of calm.
🩹 Recovery Tracking
1️⃣ Fitbit Versa 4: The Daily Readiness Score is a key feature that assesses the body's preparedness for strenuous activity by analyzing sleep quality, recent activity levels, and heart rate variability. This helps users make informed decisions about when to push their limits and when to prioritize rest.
2️⃣ Apple Watch Series 9: Recovery is primarily tracked through detailed sleep analysis, heart rate variability (HRV), and insights provided within the Apple Health and Fitness apps based on workout data. While not a single "recovery score" like some dedicated sports watches, the collected data helps users understand their body's state and inform rest and training decisions for optimal performance.
💳 Subscription
1️⃣ Fitbit Versa 4: The core functionalities of the Versa 4 are available without a subscription. However, access to advanced insights, a wider range of guided workouts, and more in-depth sleep tracking features requires a Fitbit Premium subscription ($9.99/month or $79.99/year).
2️⃣ Apple Watch Series 9: No subscription is required to access the core features and data tracked by the Apple Watch Series 9 through the Apple Health and Fitness apps. Optional services like Apple Fitness+ require a separate subscription.
🏷️️ Price
1️⃣ Fitbit Versa 4: $229.95
Check Fitbit Versa 4 Price *2️⃣ Apple Watch Series 9: $399.00
Check Apple Watch Series 9 Price ** If you buy through these links, we may earn a small commission at no extra cost to you