7 Best Fitbit For Seniors in 2021 [Most Accurate Health/Fitness Tracking]

Seniors need to take good care of themselves and we need to take care of them as well. But, sometimes it’s hard to foresee a medical crisis. Although, taking some basic precautions are necessary all the time, keeping a track of their health can help avoid big problems. That’s where smartwatches and fitness bands come in.

Fitbit has a great emphasis on health and fitness tracking. They’re also one of the most trusted smartwatch brands when it comes to activity/fitness tracking. They’re easy to use, accurate thereby making them the best option for seniors, but the brand has many models with different feature set, thereby choosing the perfect fitbit for your elderly can be a difficult task.

Since you’re already in search of a Fitbit for your elderly, I wouldn’t be spending more time talking more about the brand and how accurate their tracking is, I’d rather focus on helping you find the right Fitbit that’s suitable for your senior.

Based on my experience, a smartwatch that’s meant for seniors should come with accurate tracking sensors. It must be able to do basic activity/fitness tracking such as: heart rate, sleep cycles, steps per day, skin temperature, blood oxygen levels, body glucose levels, etc. Besides, if your elderly has cardiac issues, then try to spend a little more on a watch that comes with an ECG scanner.

Earlier, I used to first think that a smartwatch wouldn’t make sense for elderly people, but ever since I’ve gifted a smartwatch to my grandfather, he wears it regularly, tracks his sleep, activity, blood oxygen, body glucose levels, and has also set medication reminder.

Also, it doesn’t just end at purchasing a Fitbit, you’d have to make sure that your elderly wears it regularly and tracks all the activities. Believe me, it may seem easy, but this is the most toughest part. I couldn’t get my grandfather habituated to a smartwatch for 3 weeks, but I didn’t give it up.

7 Best Fitbits for Seniors in 2021

To create this list I’ve made sure that the basic features are available in every single device on the list. Especially things like heart rate monitoring, sleep tracking, step counting, etc. Features like ECG & Blood Oxygen Monitoring, are recommended if your budget allows. In the end, it is all about what exact features you do require and if you’re willing to invest in things like Fitbit Premium.

I’ve evaluated every device on the list with hours of research, testing, and comparing, so be rest assured that any of the model in this list won’t provide a bad experience and shall have all the important features suited towards seniors.

Not everyone can afford the most expensive smartwatch, that’s why I’ve included devices at various price points, so no matter what your budget is, you can surely find something your price range. So, shall we begin with the list?

1. Best Overall: Fitbit Sense

Wondering which is the best Fitbit for your senior?

It doesn’t matter what the use-case is, the Fitbit Sense is the best Fitbit watch for your elderly. Not only does it houses flagship features, comes with modern design, but also has advanced health-centric sensors such as ECG, Blood Oxygen, HR, etc.

As far as compatibility goes, Fitbit does support both iOS and Android. So, your current smartphone be it Google Pixel, Motorola, OnePlus or the flagship Samsung Galaxy device, all are compatible with the Sense. Now, for connectivity, you have Bluetooth 5.0 & 802.11 b/g/n Wi-Fi for wireless communications alongside, GPS, GLONASS for location info & navigation. That’s actually pretty solid.

This is the most expensive device in Fitbit’s line up, so of course, it is the most well designed and premium built offering. The case is made out of Aluminum with a Stainless Steel bezel on top. This is currently the only Fitbit that uses stainless steel and around the outer bezel, you also get a black, inner bezel. That’s where the display starts.

The company has gone with a 1.59-inch OLED panel. It has around 1000 nits of brightness which is more than enough for good outdoor visibility. Thanks to OLED technology, it also has an infinite contrast ratio, vibrant colors, and better battery efficiency compared to LED-backlit displays.

Now, for seniors, the essential health features matter a lot, and thankfully, the Fitbit Sense has a lot of those. The Sense is the first Fitbit smartwatch to accommodate an ECG sensor. That combined with all-day heart rate monitoring, can be a lifesaver for users with pre-existing heart conditions or even unexpected heart problems for people who don’t have a medical history of heart diseases.

Other than that, there is also Blood Oxygen Monitoring which can also be a lifesaver in recent times. There is also a skin temperature sensor, sleep tracking, stress tracking, swim tracking, distance tracing, workout tracking, guided breathing sessions, and more. Seniors may not necessarily use all of these features but, they can definitely do light indoor workouts and check their skin temperature, now and then.

Let’s talk performance now. Fitbit isn’t necessarily known for having super fast and smooth performance on their devices and although the Sense is their flagship, that fact didn’t really change.

The device can perform operations without having stutters or any noticeable lag. But, it isn’t even close compared to what Apple or Samsung smartwatches offer with their flagships.

Fitbit’s software is a different story though. It is pretty user-friendly with easy-to-access menus and easy-to-use apps. It also has a decent amount of third-party apps available in the app store. For voice assistance, you can choose between Amazon Alexa or Google Assistant.

Moreover, this smartwatch has a longer battery life which is aimed to last up to 7 days of mixed-use on a single charge. Now, considering the fact that seniors won’t necessarily use all the features, all the time, chances are that they will end up with a few days more. So, battery life isn’t really a concern here.

The Fitbit sense is the best Fitbit that money can buy right now and features like ECG, Heart Rate Monitoring, Blood Oxygen Monitoring can be really helpful at times. So, if you’re buying for yourself or for a parent, and you have the budget, I’d recommend the Fitbit Sense without a single doubt.

2. Best with SPO2: Fitbit Versa 3

In case the Sense is a bit out of your budget but you still want to retain as many features from that device as you can, the Fitbit Versa 3 is as good as it gets. You do give up on a few premium aspects but you get almost the same experience and it does have most of the features from the Sense.

As we’ve seen earlier, Fitbit smartwatches support iOS and Android both the platforms. Now, the connectivity options also remain the same with Bluetooth 5.0, 802.11 Wi-Fi for wireless communications, and all those smartphone notifications & Bluetooth calls. For navigation and location info, there is GPS & GLONASS.

Talking about design and build quality, it is similar to the Sense while missing out on the Stainless Steel component. So, in this case, the body is entirely made out of Aluminum. However, you still have the sensor component instead of a physical button. The display still has the black inner-bezel around and the OLED panel also remains the same at 1.59-inches. It got the same peak brightness, vibrant colors, and improved battery efficiency as well.

Compared to the Sense, the only major feature that is missing on the Versa 3 is the ECG sensor. You still get Heart Rate Monitoring & Blood Oxygen Monitoring which are extremely useful when it comes to keeping the vitals in check for seniors. You also get support for Sleep Tracking, Daily Workout Tracking, Distance Tracking, Step Counting, and more.

If your elderly/you wish to track your yoga sessions, you can do that too.

Performance is pretty similar to its more expensive sibling. So, it’s not super fast or anything but, it does perform operations without any significant lag or stutter. Anyway, you won’t have any issues in day-to-day use case scenarios.

But, as I’ve mentioned previously, the hardware in Fitbits can really use an upgrade. Fitbit OS also works exactly the same way. It is pretty user friendly and there are a good number of third-party apps in the Fitbit app store.

You can also get more than hundreds of watch faces but, unlike the Apple Watches, you can’t customize or create one by yourself which is not a deal breaker for elderly as they don’t care much about the Watch Faces. Thankfully you do get both Amazon Alexa and Google Assistant as your choice of smart assistants.

The battery life is around 6 days on a single charge with mixed usage. Now, of course, seniors won’t be pushing this thing all the time, so the device should last a few days more. We also compared Fitbit Versa 3 with Apple Watch 6 and found that the battery life is way better.

So, the Fitbit Versa 3 is essentially a Fitbit Sense with no ECG and no Stainless Steel bezel. If that sounds like a good enough sacrifice considering the extra amount of money you’re going to save, then sure, save the extra cash and go for the Versa 3. If you do think that ECGG might be necessary though, spend the extra cash and get the Sense.

3. Best Fitness Tracker: Fitbit Charge 4

Now, in case you don’t want a full-fledged smartwatch, you can get away with a fitness band instead. The Fitbit Charge 4 is the best fitness band that the company currently makes. It has a premium build quality and all the important health and fitness features that you can generally find in a good fitness band.

The compatibility factor is the same in all modern Fitbits so, even this one supports iOS and Android. For connectivity options we have Bluetooth 4.0, 802.11b/g/n Wi-Fi, and GPS. they could have gone with slightly better connectivity options but, it’s a fitness band after all, so the choice is up to you.

The design signature isn’t the most stylish one out there but, the build quality is how you know that it is indeed a premium device from the company. It does look like a regular fitness band but while most other ones are made out of plastic, the Charge 4 is made out of Aluminum. So, it is a lot more sturdy and in case you want some styling on top, you can get some of the premium band options that the company sells separately.

The 1-inch OLED display is a monochrome panel and it does show all those health stats and notifications. It’s also plenty bright, so outdoor visibility ain’t gonna be an issue either.

The ECG and Blood Oxygen Monitoring are simply not here, but, you still get Heart Rate Monitoring which is a must in any fitness wearable for seniors right now, and the other stuff like Sleep Tracking, Step Counting, Distance Tracking, Swim Tracking, are all present. Workout tracking is there too, so those light yoga sessions can be tracked too.

There are no solid performance gains in any fitness band and this one is no exception. However, it’s not sluggish in this case and the device is pretty fluent at performing operations. There is no significant la or stutter but, that’s all I can say.

The software is a bit different as you lose some of the features of a full-fledged smartwatch but, Fitbit does keep a lot of them, so the software works pretty well. That’s until you’re happy with the inbuilt stuff and you don’t need a voice assistant.

The battery life is pretty good. It can go up to 7 days on a single charge with mixed usage. Now, using the essential features only, most of the time will extend the battery life for a few more days Even when the battery is at its peak usage, it should be pretty great.

Overall, if you’re looking for a flatline premium fitness band, it doesn’t get much better in the Fitbit world. The Fitbit Charge 4 is a great fitness band with all the important health & fitness features and sturdy build quality. In case you are looking for something fancier, check out the next device on the list.

4. Best Thin Fitbit: Fitbit Inspire 2

The Fitbit Inspire 2 falls into the fancy category with sleek and modern looks. It is similar to the Charge 4 as far as functionality goes but it does lose the premium build quality and some of the customization choices. In case the Charge 4 wasn’t really your speed, you may like this on better.

Just like other Fitbits, the Inspire 2 supports both iPhones and Android smartphones. Now, for connectivity, we do have GPS for tracking and Bluetooth 4.2 with 802.11 b/g/n Wi-Fi for all wireless communication and sending health data to your smartphone. This isn’t the most up-to-date connectivity setup but it does the job.

The design, as you probably guessed already, is one of the most impressive factors about Inspire 2. It has a plastic build but the trimmed off band area and the sleek profile make it look stylish and modern. You do lose the Aluminum build but in case you care about style more than you care about the build, this one is going to be more delightful to your eyes.

As mentioned earlier, the health and fitness options are pretty similar to the Charge 4. There are all-day Heart Rate Monitoring, Sleep Tracking, Step Counting, Distance Tracking, Swim Tracking, and various workout-tracking modes as well. Again you do not get any of those premium features that are available on the Fitbit smartwatch range but, at least the basics are done well.

Performance is also similar to the Charge 4 with no significant lag or stutter. Can Fitbit use an upgrade in the hardware area for the Fitness Band department? Well, of course, but, unlike a smartwatch, you won’t really notice a huge difference. But, some performance improvements would be appreciated.

The battery life is actually better with up to 10 days on a single charge. This is one of the higher battery backups in the Fitbit range of devices and also something that the other Fitness Bands don’t quite match up to. So, if it’s the battery life you’re after, this is one great option.

So, in the end, the Inspire 2 is about style & great battery life. If you are after those things, then you should be really happy with Inspire 2. In case you or the senior person you’re buying the device for, needs a better build quality and maybe a more streamlined design, on your wrist, then the Charge 4 is a more suitable option for you.

5. Best Value for Money: Fitbit Versa 2

Now, there will be some users who don’t need all of the new premium health features and you still need a good smartwatch that’s also a bit cheaper, then the company is still selling the Fitbit Versa 2. As the name suggests, it is indeed the predecessor to the Versa 3 that we talked about earlier.

Just like its successor, the Versa 2 does support both Android and iOS powered smartphones. For connectivity, Fitbit has included GPS & GLONASS for tracking and navigation alongside, Bluetooth 4.2 & 802.11 b/g/n Wi-Fi for all your wireless communications. Not the best set of connectivity options but, considering this model is a generation older, this is somewhat reasonable.

The design is pretty similar to the Versa 3 with a squircle frame made out of Aluminum and black bezels around the display. There is a physical button though, in case you weren’t a fan of the haptic sensor.

The display is a smaller 1.4-inch OLED panel and it’s still plenty bright to be visible outdoors. Overall, the display should not be much different from its successor, just a tad smaller. On top, the display is protected by Corning Gorilla Glass so scratch resistance is good too.

The health and fitness options are definitely stripped down but it isn’t much different than its successor. There is Blood Oxygen Monitoring but no  ECG sensor. You do get all the essentials. The Heart Rate Monitoring runs all day and during workouts, it’ll run in smaller time gaps compared to regular wear scenarios.

There is also Texting, Sleep Tracking, Step Counting, Swim Tracking, Distance Tracking, and it also has more than 15 workout modes. All of the stats are accessible through the Fitbit companion app and more detailed stats can be accessed with a Fitbit Premium membership.

Performance isn’t much different than the Versa 3. As I’ve mentioned earlier, Fitbit hasn’t really done a big performance upgrade in a while. Anyway, you won’t really notice any lags or super slow app launch times on the Versa 2 but again, it isn’t even close to what Apple & Samsung currently provide.

Unless you’ve used any of those before, you won’t really notice. The software part is also the same with support for third-party app downloads and music streaming over Bluetooth. Unlike the Versa 3, there is no Google Assistant support but, you do get Amazon Alexa.

Battery life is actually pretty good with up to 6 days of mixed-use on a single charge. Now, using the GPS all the time or streaming music for long periods will drain the battery way faster. But, considering the general use case scenarios for seniors, this shouldn’t really occur frequently.

Overall, the Fitbit Versa 2 is a great smartwatch and as it’s a generation old now, the price is lower as well. So, in case you don’t want the newer model, get the Versa 2 and you should be good to go. If you want ECG though, you kinda have to go with the Sense.

6. Best Under Budget: Fitbit Versa Lite

Now, perhaps you’d like a more streamlined option where you just get the basic options and the price is even cheaper, the Fitbit Versa Lite is a great option for that. This is a toned-down version of the regular Fitbit Versa and it doesn’t support Fitbit Pay, unlike the newer Versa models.

Compatibility is actually similar to the other Fitbits, so Android and iOS are supported. For connectivity, there is Bluetooth 4.0, 802.11 b/g/n Wi-Fi for wireless communications alongside, GPS for tracking. Overall, these are decent options for the price.

The design & build is also familiar with a squircle shape and Aluminum body with a physical button on the side. The build quality is good with a solid feel and sturdy construction. The display is actually a bit different. The 1.4-inch display is actually using an LCD panel instead of an OLED panel. That means it isn’t as color-rich or as battery efficient as OLED. It’s still perfectly good for daily use though, but it’s not as good as the more premium models.

A mentioned earlier, the Fitbit Versa Lite has all the basic health and fitness options. So, a 24/7 Heart Rate Monitoring, Sleep Tracking, Swim Tracking, Guided Breathing Sessions, Workout tracking, Step Counting, Distance Tracking, and more. You don’t get Blood Oxygen Monitoring, but, that’s one of those premium features that you have to give up if you’re getting this one.

The Performance is actually similar to the Versa 2. The device can perform operations with ease and without any significant stutters or lag. However, you’ll be able to store lesser apps compared to its more expensive sibling and the software might be ever so slightly different. But, overall it’s the same Fitbit OS that you get on the other devices on this list. For the price, the performance is fine I’d say.

Battery life is actually a weak spot for this device. Unlike some of the pricier options, the versa lite only gets about 4 days of mixed-use on a single charge. That’s actually not super bad considering Apple does even less but, compared to other Fitbits, it’s a bit lower. Also, the LCD display might be one of the reasons behind the same.

Overall, if you want to save some extra cash and you’re okay with not having the premium stuff or Fitbit Pay for that matter, then the Fitbit Versa Lite is a great option. If you’d like longer battery life or features like a SpO2 sensor, you have to go for the Versa 2.

7. Best Fitness Band: Alta HR

The Alta HR is a one of a kind fitness band from Fitbit. It came out a while back but, it does have all the basic fitness tracking features that most modern fitness trackers from the company have. The main reason why you might be interested in the design and the reasonably standard feature set that holds tight even after years of release.

Compatibility is pretty straight forward with support for iPhones and Android smartphones. For connectivity, there is Bluetooth 4.0 for communications and basic GPS for tracking purposes. There is no Wi-Fi so, keep that in mind. Also, this isn’t the most compelling set of connectivity options and as the device is a bit old by now, I can’t really blame Fitbit.

The build quality is surprisingly good with an Aluminum case with a glass top. The narrow profile makes it one of the best thin options out there. The 1.0-inch OLED panel is reasonably bright and has a great color volume. The overall design looks premium and the silicone band is pretty sturdy as well.

The health and fitness options are pretty standard. There is heart rate monitoring, sleep tracking, step counting, activity tracking, and more. These are pretty standard options and the heart rate monitoring and step counting, alongside workout tracking for freehand ones are the things seniors would probably use the most. So, that’s actually a good number of features minus the premium smartwatch stuff.

There is no significant performance reduction compared to the newer models. But, it might be ever so slightly slower. The performance isn’t something you’re gonna be looking for in a device like this. But, day to day operations can be handled without any major bumps on the way.

The battery life is actually pretty good. Thanks to the OLED panel, the Alta HR can go up to 7 days on a single charge. That is of course with mixed usage, so in case the usage is light with occasional heavy use, it can last a bit longer.

So, if you liked what the Charge 4 offered but, you wanted a more narrow profile smartwatch, the Alta HR is as good as it gets. In case you don’t mind picking up an older model, you won’t be disappointed with the Alta HR.

Frequently Asked Questions

Verdict

If you made it this far, hopefully, you already have your favorite Fitbit in mind. But, in case you still haven’t decided on which one to get, let me make this easy for you. Check out the list below where I have categorized specific devices for specific users.

• If you’re looking for the best Fitbit money can buy and you need ECG, get the Fitbit Sense, it has all the features your elderly would need.
• If you don’t need the ECG, go for the Fitbit Versa 3 or Versa 2 instead.
• If you’re looking for a stylish fitness band, pick up the Fitbit Inspire 2.
• If good build quality is your jam, the Fitbit Charge 4 & Alta HR are the best in the Fitness Band section and the Sense is the most premium built Fitbit available, right now.

If you are in your 40s or higher I recommend getting a smartwatch or at least a fitness band for yourself. Even if you think these things aren’t required, in a moment of emergency, these may end up saving your life.

So, having information about your health available to you at all times can help you a lot at times. Even if you aren’t an expert or have difficulty checking these things you can ask someone to check them for you on a regular basis.

I hope you found the perfect fitness device for yourself But in case you would like to see some other options, we have a lot more articles on our site so check those out as well.