Whoop vs. Fitbit Air: I’ve tested both trackers for health and fitness, and this model wins

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Fitness bands are making a resurgence, and Google needs in on the celebration. Not too long ago, I received an opportunity to evaluation the most recent Fitbit Air.

The $100 health band takes intention at fashionable choices just like the Whoop as a reasonable different to premium well being trackers (annual subscriptions begin at $200, rising to $360). Whereas Whoop caters to a critical athletic viewers, the Fitbit Air goes extra mainstream, designed for normal customers at a extra approachable worth level (and no subscription required). 

Additionally: I wore Google’s Fitbit Air to track my health for a week, and it’s a serious Whoop rival for less money

The units are comparable. They ditch the display for a band type issue and make the most of apps as the middle of the health-tracking expertise. They each monitor exercise, sleep, restoration, and stress, and, after all, they’ve complicated AI assistants (although Google’s AI Well being Coach is out there solely with its premium membership tier). 

So which do you have to purchase? That will depend on how a lot you are prepared to spend and what you need. Whereas I have not tried the Fitbit Air out but, I’ve in contrast the specs of each units and thought of their product choices to interrupt down the professionals and cons. 

At a look

You should purchase the Whoop band if…

1. You desire a longer battery life 

Whoop’s battery lasts 14 days, whereas the Fitbit Air lasts solely seven. The upper-end gadget will final you twice so long as the Fitbit Air, so you will not need to cost it as incessantly. 

2. You need extra intensive knowledge on demand 

Google’s Fitbit Air gives an analogous health-tracking expertise to different Google merchandise, such because the Pixel Watch. The app supplies insights into your sleep, steps, and readiness. With Google Well being Premium, you need to use the AI Well being Coach to get extra knowledge visualization or evaluate a number of metrics on the identical time, however you will need to go one additional step and ask it to generate this. 

Additionally: Your Whoop app isn’t just for fitness anymore – you can order blood tests through it now

Whoop, however, gives intensive knowledge visualizations you do not have to generate or question an AI assistant for (Whoop gives its personal AI assistant, and was one of many first well being wearable firms to take action). It is a gadget that tracks day by day exercise, however with a larger emphasis on how these day by day selections create a lifetime of longevity. Whoop’s Healthspan function is a superb instance of this: Whoop customers can see how their train, stress, and sleep have contributed to their physiological Whoop age and their tempo of growing older, that’s, how shortly their behaviors are contributing to their lifespan. It is a fairly bio-hacky function you will not discover within the Fitbit Air. 

The app maps your restoration and pressure to point out the connection between your physique’s restoration from intense exertion. One other chart analyzes your sleep to find out whether or not you are getting sufficient or falling quick. Whoop’s Well being Monitor retains an eye fixed in your key biometrics to detect variations in coronary heart charge, coronary heart charge variability, and physique temperature, and alerts you of potential pressure or sickness. 

3. You need extra out of your well being tracker

There are different small, premium particulars packed into Whoop that you could be not get from Google’s Fitbit Air. For instance, Whoop can detect whenever you’ve traveled to a different time zone, present jet lag steerage for sleep timing, mild publicity, caffeine, and hydration. It is targeted extra on private optimization, and its choices are marketed towards a extra prosperous, lifestyle-optimized viewers. 

Additionally: I wore the Whoop 5.0 for a month – it combines the best of the Oura Ring and Apple Watch

In contrast to the Fitbit Air, which may solely be worn across the wrist, Whoop additionally gives bicep bands and bras to trace your well being knowledge throughout your physique for extra correct knowledge seize. 

You should purchase the Fitbit Air if…

1. You desire a budget-friendly tracker

The Fitbit Air is designed for a extra mainstream health viewers — not a lot a premium, longevity- and biohacking-obsessed viewers to which Whoop caters. It is also priced accordingly. With out the $100 annual Google Well being subscription, the Fitbit Air prices $100. In distinction, annual Whoop subscriptions begin at $200, with the very best “medical grade” tier at $360. 

Whereas I loved the elevated expertise of interacting with the Google Well being Coach, solely out there by means of the membership tier, I do not suppose it’s a necessity for everybody. You would very simply use this gadget with out its AI Coach. It’ll nonetheless monitor your sleep, train, and key biometrics, provide you with a warning of low readiness days and whether or not or not you are assembly weekly cardio objectives. 

Additionally: iFixit tears down ‘the most repairable smartwatch’ – and it’s not from Apple

Notably, not like Whoop, Google does not pressure you into an annual subscription charge. You possibly can take or go away Google Well being Premium membership and nonetheless monitor the fundamentals, like steps, restoration, sleep, and exercise.  

2. You don’t need knowledge overload

Those that have not used a well being tracker earlier than could not want as intensive knowledge seize, and all of the charts evaluating these biometrics could possibly be extra traumatic than insightful. 

Google’s Fitbit Air (and its different units) is geared towards a extra normal, train fanatic crowd that’s much less involved with studying whether or not their biometrics put them forward or behind their precise age (as is the case with Whoop’s viewers). The Fitbit Air discreetly tracks the fundamentals, like steps, weekly cardio, sleep, restoration, and stress — leaving the peripheral knowledge on the door. This makes the gadget an ideal first well being tracker that will not overwhelm. 

Additionally: I tracked 3,000 steps on my Apple Watch, Google Pixel, and Oura Ring – this one was most accurate

With a Premium membership, you’ll be able to ask Google’s Well being Coach to generate extra detailed knowledge to visualise your restoration and pressure, or your sleep wants, in comparison with logged time asleep. I loved utilizing the Well being Coach to log meals, ask for recommendations on poor-readiness days, and higher perceive my sleep and power scores.

I even imported train knowledge from different apps, asking the Coach to retroactively log the weight-training workouts right into a strength-training session I had logged in Fitbit. However the Fitbit Air emphasizes the fundamentals, and that is greater than sufficient for most individuals. 

3. You desire a lighter gadget

The Whoop weighs about 26 grams, whereas the Fitbit Air weighs solely 12 grams. This makes the budget-friendly gadget considerably lighter and just a little bit extra snug to put on all through the day. I liked carrying the Fitbit Air and located it to be uber snug. Plus, its impartial band blended into outfits with out calling consideration to itself. My solely gripe is that it’s not water-wicking, so it might keep moist for a bit after I washed my fingers or showered with it. 

Author’s selection

After reviewing each health trackers, I actually recognize the Fitbit Air’s emphasis on accessibility and accuracy. It is nice to see contemporary competitors in an area that is largely been dominated by the Whoop. All through my time as a wearables skilled, I’ve seen the rising recognition of screenless well being trackers, reminiscent of bands and good rings, however there are nonetheless only a few viable health bands out there. 

It is even higher that the Fitbit Air comes with an non-compulsory Google Well being Premium subscription, not like the Whoop, whose subscription tiers are obligatory and costly. 

I might suggest the Fitbit Air as an ideal first health tracker. It is received every part it’s essential dive additional into your well being, sleep, and exercise, however it deliberately avoids knowledge overload. The Whoop is healthier suited to fitness-tracking and biohacking veterans who desire a longer-lasting gadget with intensive knowledge insights.