Apple Watch Series 6 vs. Fitbit Versa 3

How does the Apple Watch Series 6 stand up to one of Fitbit’s most popular fitness smartwatches, the Versa 3? While Fitbit began as a company focused purely on fitness and health, the company has expanded its offering to include more intelligent devices that can pair up with your smartphone. Whether you’re a Fitbit die-hard or someone just seeking out alternatives, we take a look at how the Apple Watch Series 6 compares to the Fitbit Versa 3. Which device will become your next wrist companion?

Specs

Design and display

Both the Apple Watch Series 6 and the Fitbit Versa 3 offer similar rectangular displays with rounded edges. The Apple Watch Series 6 is available in two sizes, either 44mm or 40mm, depending upon your preference, while the Versa 3 is available in one single size, which is closer to Apple’s 44mm design. Both devices are slick on the wrist and are miles ahead of clunky smartwatches of the past. Additionally, each smartwatch offers an always-on display so that you can quickly glance at the time or information on your watch face.

The Apple Watch Series 6 is available in three different case materials: aluminum, stainless steel, and titanium. Depending upon which material you choose, you can then select from various colors, including silver, space gray, graphite, gold, titanium, space black, blue, and red. On the flip side, the Versa 3 is only available in aluminum and offered in black and soft gold. Both smartwatches offer interchangeable bands so that you can spice up your look according to the occasion.

While the Apple Watch Series 6 and the Fitbit Versa 3 are both well-designed watches, we give the edge to the Apple Watch Series 6 in this case, due to its more comprehensive selection of materials and colors. Otherwise, we believe you will find both smartwatches as physically well designed.

Winner: Apple Watch Series 6

Fitness and health-tracking features

Fitness is Fitbit’s bread and butter, so how does the Versa 3 compare to the Apple Watch Series 6? Both devices will track typical information throughout the day, such as your step count, miles walked, and calories burned. Both smartwatches also feature advanced sensors to keep an eye on your heart rate and blood oxygen level. The Apple Watch Series 6 also allows you to keep tabs on your heart rhythm and perform ECG readings, though.

When it’s time to relax, both the Apple Watch and Versa 3 offer sleep-tracking modes, as well as guided breathing sessions to help you find your zen. For anyone who wants to keep an eye on their menstrual health, both smartwatches feature built-in software for recording symptoms and tracking cycles. While both devices are solid at tracking everyday statistics, Apple adds on a few high-tech heart tracking functions that make the smartwatch an attractive option.

Also, don’t fret about diving into a pool, as both the Apple Watch Series 6 and Fitbit Versa 3 are water-resistant devices, rated down to 50 meters. Whether you want to track laps in a pool or simply slip into the shower without taking off your watch, both devices allow you to do so without worry. Apple Watch even features a smart trick to help eject water from its speakers once you are done swimming.

Fitbit currently offers a Fitbit Premium Membership option, which allows you to obtain 1-on-1 health coaching, workouts, and more advanced insights. These two smartwatches are close, so we’re going to call it a tie. We applaud the Apple Watch’s ability to keep a closer eye on your heart health, but Fitbit Premium offers a compelling subscription for health-conscious users.

Winner: Tie

Battery Life

The Apple Watch Series 6 has been leading, but it’s Fitbit’s time to shine. While the Apple Watch Series 6 is rated up to 18 hours of battery life, you’ll likely want to charge up every night to ensure you are good to go for the day. However, the Fitbit Versa 3 plays the game a bit differently, allowing up to six days of battery life. While you won’t always see that near-week of actual use time, you’ll see a significant increase compared to the Apple Watch.

When it’s time to charge up, both smartwatches use propriety wireless charging solutions. Overall, it’s not hard to see the winner here. While the Apple Watch Series 6 will last you a day or two, the Fitbit Versa 3 could power you through half a week.

Winner: Fitbit Versa 3

Special features

We’ve already mentioned some of the Apple Watch Series 6’s special health features, such as the built-in blood oxygen sensor and the ability to take ECGs — but it doesn’t stop there. The Apple Watch also packs a few safety features such as fall detection and international emergency calling when you’re in a jam. Upgrading to an LTE model can also allow you to stay connected without your smartphone; this can be a welcomed breath of freedom for those who don’t want to carry their iPhones around wherever they travel.

If you have younger family members without their own smartphones, Apple’s Family Setup feature allows you to set up Apple Watch devices as near stand-alone devices with parental controls. The Apple Watch also allows you to pay with Apple Pay using the tap of your wrist, but the Versa 3 includes something similar, which they have dubbed Fitbit Pay.

Both devices can display notifications from your smartphone, but only the Apple Watch allows you to view and respond to iMessages. While both the Apple Watch and Versa 3 offer applications, Apple does have the edge with more options available for you to peruse. That being said, you will find most staples you desire on the Fitbit store without trouble. Just keep an eye on that storage as while the Apple Watch includes 32GB, the Fitbit Versa 3 only includes 4GB.

Fitbit has a few unique special features of its own, including fast charging, so that you can fuel up the watch with a full day’s worth of battery in only 12 minutes. Additionally, Versa 3 allows users to switch between built-in virtual assistants — either Google or Alexa.

While both smartwatches are compelling, the Apple Watch Series 6 packs more features than the Versa 3, adding a few abilities you might consider necessary. Additionally, an LTE model option is excellent for those who wish to leave their iPhone at home when going out on a run or just want to carry one less device for a change.

Winner: Apple Watch Series 6

Price and availability

The Apple Watch Series 6 starts at $400 for the 40mm aluminum version with GPS; the 44mm variant costs another $30 while adding cellular will run you another $100. Apple’s more expensive material options, stainless steel and titanium, start at $700 and $800, respectively. If you select a cellular model, you will still need to subscribe to a monthly service agreement with your local wireless provider. The Fitbit Versa 3 is quite a bit more affordable than the Apple Watch Series 6, costing only $230. We’ve also found a few Black Friday Apple Watch deals for those that want to be saving money on some of the best Apple Watches by leveraging Black Friday sales.

Overall Winner: Apple Watch Series 6

The Fitbit Versa 6 is a solid device and offers excellent value, but the Apple Watch Series 6 delivers an experience that feels more polished and packs more features. Some of our favorite abilities that the Series 6 offers over the Versa 3 include its more expansive array of materials, including stainless steel and titanium, its safety features such as fall detection, a richer app store experience, and the ability to opt for an LTE cellular model.

If you have an iPhone and the money, there shouldn’t be a question about which watch to purchase — it’s the Apple Watch Series 6. Feeling a bit strapped on cash? Take a look at the more affordable Apple Watch SE.

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