Fitness trackers are becoming more than just a piece of tech to use when going for your morning jog. As advancements come along the abilities of these trackers continues to grow. Soon, if the fitness companies have their way, these devices will not only track your fitness goals but they will replace most of your handheld electronic devices.
This article will examine the Fitbit Charge 2 and the Garmin Vivosmart 3 to find out which one is better for you based on your specific needs. The two models are quite different in their abilities outside of fitness tracking and determining a winner may come down to a personal choice.
The comparison will size up the two all-around trackers in everything from looks to notifications. Read on to find out which model is the right one for you. If you leave it up to me, I will pick the Fitbit Charge 2. Let’s find out why.
Table of Contents
Differences between Fitbit Charge 2 and Garmin Vivosmart 3
Both of the trackers offer a wide range of features and abilities. There are quite a few differences though. These differences include:
- The Garmin is constructed of silicone while the Fitbit is stainless steel and elastomer.
- While the Charge 2 is sweat-proof, the Vivosmart 3 is waterproof to 50 meters.
- The Garmin Vivosmart 3 has stress and recovery tracking that the Fitbit does not.
- The Fitbit Charge 2 has connected GPS that the Garmin does not.
- You can use guided breathing exercises with the Fitbit but not the Garmin.
- You can count workout reps with the Vivosmart3 but not the Charge 2.
Similarities between Fitbit Charge 2 and Garmin Vivosmart 3
Of course, the two trackers have a lot in common as well. These similarities include the following:
- Both models have heart rate monitoring the entire time you are wearing the units.
- Each of the trackers can keep track of steps, distance; calories burned, hours of sleep and floors climbed.
- The Garmin and Fitbit both have smartphone notifications such as text and call alerts.
- Neither device allows for internal storage capabilities.
- Both will keep track of the VO2Max numbers as well.
Comparison Table
This chart will show you, side by side, how the Fitbit Charge 2 and the Garmin Vivosmart 3 stack up against each other.
| Fitbit Charge 2 | Garmin Vivosmart 3 | |
| Width | 21mm | 18.5mm |
| Weight | 1.2 ounces | 0.77 ounces |
| Size Options | Small, Large, Extra Large | Small/Medium, Large |
| Color Options | 6 | 2 |
| Build Material | Stainless steel, Elastomer | Silicone |
| Battery | Lithium-polymer | Lithium-ion |
| Battery life | 5 days | 5 days |
| Recharge (Type/Time) | USB/3 hours | USB/2 hours |
| Waterproof | No | Yes |
| Water resistant | Sweat, Splash, Rain | Yes |
| Display | OLED | OLED |
| Steps | Yes | Yes |
| Distance | Yes | Yes |
| Floors | Yes | Yes |
| Activity | Yes | Yes |
| Sleep | Yes | Yes |
| Heart Rate | Yes | Yes |
| Calories | Yes | Yes |
| VO2Max | Yes | Yes |
| Stress and Recovery | No | Yes |
| GPS | Yes | No |
| Smartphone Notifications | Yes | Yes |
| Automatic Rep Count | No | Yes |
| Guided Breathing | Yes | No |
| Sensors | Heart rate monitor, 3-axis accelerometer, altimeter, vibration alert | Heart rate monitor, 3 axis-accelerometer, altimeter, vibration alert, ambient light |
| Price | Check on Amazon | Check on Amazon |
Comparing the Fitbit Charge 2 and Garmin Vivosmart 3 in Detail
Let’s take a look at some of the most important features and options of these two models and see which one stands above the other.
The Design of the Trackers Means A Lot
Part of the draw of these fitness trackers is how they look. We all want to be fashionable in all situations, even when we are counting our workout reps and heart beats per minute.
The fitbit maintains the conventional design of the overall look with the stainless steel body and elastomer band. The band comes in several color options and can be changed out as needed. The band itself claps like a normal watch band with a tongue-in-groove clasp.
The device should be placed just behind the wrist bone, but your optimal “sweet-spot” for heart rate monitoring may be slightly different. You can even wear it on the underside of your wrist if you prefer.
While wearing the device, you will be presented with a larger OLED white on black screen. A flick of the wrist will turn the screen on so you can see the numbers, clock or notifications. There are a lot of reports that flicking through the screen can be difficult to master.
You may have to flip your wrist a couple of times to get the screen to light up. Going through the monitors, menus and screens is also quite cumbersome. You can scroll through using the side button, swipe down to change the view and long press to access options.
The first few hours of use will have instructions on the screen so you can have a hands-on tutorial on its use.
The Garmin Vivosmart 3 also has a white on black OLED screen. The silicone rubber band, unlike the Charge 2, isn’t replaceable. You will have two color options: black or purple. Either way, its textured design and watch-buckle clasp does tend to look like a tiny tire wrapped around your wrist.
To wake the screen, you can either tap it or flip-raise the wrist (mimicking looking at your watch movement), though the raising method tends to not always work.
Scrolling through the menus and reports is easier than with the Fitbit model, just swipe down or up on the screen until you get to the option you want, then tap for more information.
The OLED display is a lot brighter than the Charge 2 and easier to see in direct sunlight. Though the silicone covering is highly susceptible to smudges and fingerprints and you will find yourself constantly wiping it with the hem of your shirt to keep the screen readable.
The unibody design makes the device waterproof up to 50 meters, though, so you don’t have to take it off to go swimming or in the shower like you will with the Fitbit model.
Bottom Line: The Fitbit wins this round. The stylish design and choice of bands make the Fitbit a more fashionable choice.
Monitoring, Tracking and Wellness are all Included
The whole point of these fitness trackers is to count, capture and relay information about your fitness levels, overall wellness and show you these reports.
Both the Fitbit Charge 2 and the Garmin Vivosmart 3 display your progress and trackings through their mobile app. While you can scroll through the menus on the devices themselves, the apps will show you daily, weekly and event style listings covering far more than current status.
The Fitbit mobile app can be downloaded to your mobile device from your app store. You can also use the Fitbit dashboard if you would rather keep your records on the computer instead of your phone.
The app tracks your daily progress and allows you to input the foods you eat for calorie intake, record your workouts, meet and match with friends for social engagement and comparison, and track your sleeping habits.
Further, you don’t even need a Fitbit device to track your progress. Fitbit has a program in their app called Mobile Track which uses the sensors in your mobile phone to record steps, distance and calories burned.
You won’t be able to track workouts, sleep, food logs or floors, though, but if you forget your Fitbit on the charger as you head out the door late for work, you can still track your steps throughout the day.
The Garmin mobile app also tracks your input from steps, to sleep cycles. You won’t be able to manually input anything like food (or if you had a day without wearing it and need to add steps) like you can with the Fitbit, but the tracking itself is accurate.
The app, on the other hand, does have some issues. Garmin does know about them and is pushing out constant updates to make it better. However, a lot of reports have come in about the app freezing, crashing or resetting without warning.
As for the actual tracking, the Fitbit seems to be more accurate. For example, both units will track your sleeping habits. The Garmin Vivosmart 3 will show you when you fell asleep, when you woke up and your patterns through the night.
The Charge 2, on the other hand, will tell you when you were in light sleep, deep sleep and REM sleep and everything in between.
When it comes to steps, distance and calories burned, both devices seem to be on par with each other, the variances between the two are quite similar. The Fitbit uses GPS tracking for runs, walks, and distance recording that the Garmin doesn’t, but as long as you set the Vivosmart up for a run or walking monitoring before taking off, it tracks just fine.
One thing the Garmin does is wellness monitoring. It will detect when you are stressed, based on your activity and heart rate, and take you through a series of exercises so you can regain your composure. The Fitbit also does this, but you have to initiate it.
The breathing guide in the Fitbit helps you control your breathing rate to lower your heart rate, while the Garmin tracks your stress level on the screen so you can follow the guide to help bring it back down.
Both will also monitor your VO2Max ratings. This is a measurement of how your body uses the oxygen in your blood. The more efficiently it is used, the better you are doing. The Fitbit is more accurate from the start, though the Garmin will catch up after about a week.
Bottom Line: The Fitbit wins here again. With a more reliable app that does more for you, it’s an easy win.
The Notifications Keep Your Hands Free
Neither of the two trackers are smartwatches. You won’t be able to download apps or store music on them. However, you can get smartphone notifications from both of them.
The Vivosmart 3 allows you to see text messages, incoming phone calls and alerts from virtually every other app on your phone. It uses Bluetooth to connect to your phone and you can even use the forward and back buttons to control your music.
The Fitbit will also display text messages and phone calls. You won’t be able to respond, of course, and the alerts go away pretty quickly. Currently, only Whatsapp will work for notifications as all other 3rd party apps haven’t shown to work.
Bottom Line: The Garmin Vivosmart 3 wins. More integration and controls of notifications are easy to see here.
Battery Life is Essential
One of the largest factors in a fitness tracker is the battery life. You don’t want to get caught in the middle of a run and have your tracker die on you. Luckily, both devices have long battery life.
The Fitbit states it will stay charged for up to five days. Though in practice this tends to be closer to four or four and a half. It depends a lot on how much you access the features and have the screen on tapping and swiping.
Luckily, the charge time is fairly quick. The documentation states a full charge should take about three hours. It is recharged through a USB cord that can be plugged into any USB 2.0 port or a USB wall adapter.
When plugging into the wall the recharge time tends to be closer to two hours than three. This means you can plug it in when you wake up (after tracking your sleep and getting your morning coffee).
While you take your shower and get ready for your day the unit can be charging, you won’t miss many steps (as you can’t take the Fitbit in the shower anyway) and will get a decent charge, if not a complete one.
The Garmin Vivosmart 3 also has a 5-day lifespan on its battery. The charge time is listed as quicker, at two hours, but this is also hit or miss.
Reports and users state that they have received a full charge after only an hour, while others report it took more than three for a full charge. Because the Garmin is waterproof, you may not always take it off in the shower, or during your morning routine.
You will need to make time to recharge it though, as a dead battery won’t help anyone.
Bottom Line: This round is a tie. Charging aside, they both last about 5 days on a full battery.
Comments and Questions
If you have any questions, or own either device and want to let us know what you think, use the comments section below and fire away!
What I Like About the Fitbit Charge 2
- Mobile app or Dashboard is feature-rich and easy to use.
- Sleep tracking is detailed and useful.
- Breathing control uses heart rate fluctuations in a ground-breaking manner.
What I Like About the Garmin Vivosmart 3
- Waterproof device with added swimming tracking features.
- Can help track workouts in the gym with rep counting.
- Notifications for virtually all 3rd party apps.
In Conclusion
Which tracking device is right for you? It all comes down to a personal choice and how you are going to use the device.
If you select the Garmin, you will get a lot of tracking options and a waterproof design that allows the swimmers to keep track while they do their thing. If you are willing to trade some accuracy and an often broken mobile app for a waterproof device, the Garmin is your choice.
On the other hand, if you want a more accurate tracking and a feature-rich, reliable mobile app for reports of your steps, distance and stairs, the Fitbit Charge 2 should be your choice.
As I am not in the water very often, the Fitbit is a better choice in most areas, aside form waterproof designs, and is the one I would put my money on at this time.