The Wearable Question

For years, fitness tracking meant buying a wearable device. Fitbit pioneered this market, and millions of people wear fitness trackers daily. But in 2025, AI-powered phone apps are challenging that assumption.

Do you really need to spend $100-300 on a wearable, or can your phone do it better?

Fitbit: The Wearable Standard

What Fitbit Offers

Fitbit (now owned by Google) makes a range of wearable fitness trackers:

  • Heart rate monitoring
  • Step counting
  • Sleep tracking
  • Basic workout detection
  • Calorie burn estimates

Fitbit Product Range

Model Price Key Features
Inspire 3 $99 Basic tracking, heart rate
Charge 6 $159 GPS, more sensors
Versa 4 $229 Smartwatch features
Sense 2 $299 Advanced health metrics

Fitbit Pros

  • Always-on tracking (wear it 24/7)
  • Heart rate monitoring
  • Sleep tracking
  • Step counting is very accurate
  • Integrates with many apps

Fitbit Cons

  • Costs $100-300 upfront
  • Monthly premium subscription ($9.99) for full features
  • Battery needs charging every few days
  • Exercise rep counting is limited
  • No form feedback
  • Another device to wear and maintain

Fitnit: Phone-Based Tracking

What Fitnit Offers

Fitnit uses your phone's camera and AI to track workouts:

  • Automatic rep counting
  • Real-time form feedback
  • Photo-based nutrition tracking
  • Progress analytics
  • Global leaderboards

Fitnit Cost

Item Price
App Free
Hardware Your existing phone
Subscription Free (beta)
Total $0

Fitnit Pros

  • Completely free
  • No hardware to buy
  • Accurate rep counting
  • Form feedback (Fitbit can't do this)
  • Nutrition tracking included
  • Privacy-focused (local processing)

Fitnit Cons

  • Need to position phone during workout
  • Currently tracks 4 exercise types
  • No heart rate without additional device
  • No sleep tracking
  • No step counting

Head-to-Head Comparison

Exercise Tracking Accuracy

Push-Ups, Squats, etc.

Fitbit: Detects "workout" activity but doesn't count individual reps accurately. Uses motion only.

Fitnit: Counts each rep precisely using computer vision. Knows the difference between a full push-up and a partial one.

Winner: Fitnit (for rep-based exercises)

Running/Cardio

Fitbit: Excellent. GPS tracking, heart rate, pace, distance.

Fitnit: Not designed for cardio tracking (yet).

Winner: Fitbit (for cardio)

Form Feedback

Fitbit: None. Wearables can't see your body position.

Fitnit: Real-time AI form analysis. Alerts you when form breaks down.

Winner: Fitnit (significant advantage)

Nutrition Tracking

Fitbit: Manual food logging required.

Fitnit: Snap a photo, get instant calorie/macro breakdown.

Winner: Fitnit

Convenience

Fitbit: Wear it and forget it. Always tracking.

Fitnit: Requires phone setup for each workout.

Winner: Fitbit (for passive tracking)

Cost

Fitbit: $100-300 device + $9.99/month premium

Fitnit: Free

Winner: Fitnit

Privacy

Fitbit: Data stored on Google servers. Health data shared per privacy policy.

Fitnit: Video processed locally. Never transmitted. Only workout stats stored.

Winner: Fitnit

What About Using Both?

Many fitness enthusiasts use complementary tools:

Use Fitbit For:

  • 24/7 activity monitoring
  • Sleep tracking
  • Heart rate trends
  • Step goals
  • Running and cardio

Use Fitnit For:

  • Strength training sessions
  • Accurate rep counting
  • Form feedback
  • Nutrition tracking
  • Home workout logging
This combination gives you the best of both worlds.

Who Should Choose What?

Choose Fitbit If:

  • You want passive 24/7 tracking
  • Sleep and heart rate data is important
  • You do lots of running/cycling
  • You don't mind spending $150+
  • You prefer wrist-based tracking

Choose Fitnit If:

  • You mainly do bodyweight exercises
  • Form feedback is important
  • You don't want to buy a wearable
  • You want to track nutrition easily
  • Budget is a concern

Choose Both If:

  • You want comprehensive fitness data
  • You do both cardio and strength training
  • You want the most accurate overall picture

The Bigger Question: What Do You Actually Need?

For Weight Loss:

Nutrition tracking matters most → Fitnit (photo logging is easier)

For Strength Building:

Rep accuracy and form matter most → Fitnit

For Running Performance:

GPS and heart rate matter most → Fitbit

For General Health:

Activity awareness matters most → Fitbit (or both)

Conclusion: Wearables Aren't the Only Option

Fitbit makes great products, but they're not the only way to track fitness in 2025. For strength training and nutrition, Fitnit's AI-powered approach offers features wearables simply can't match – like form feedback and instant food recognition.

The best choice depends on your workout style. But don't assume you need to spend hundreds of dollars on a wearable. Your phone might be all you need.

Try Phone-Based Tracking Free

Download Fitnit and see what AI-powered tracking can do. No wearable required – just you and your phone!