Tiny yet mighty
Fitbit Inspire HR
$70 at Amazon
Pros
- Slim, lightweight, and comfortable
- Cheapest Fitbit with a heart rate monitor
- Five-day battery life
- Notification alerts
- Swimproof
Cons
- Minimal screen customizations
- Monochromatic display
- No on-device virtual assistant support
- More expensive than many fitness bands
The Fitbit Inspire HR is one of the most popular fitness bands because it’s lightweight, comfortable, and still relatively feature-packed. You can track your health, sleep, and fitness, all while engaging with and participating in Fitbit’s extensive community competitions and activities.
Incredible value
Wyze Band
$30 at Amazon
Pros
- Extremely affordable
- Up to two weeks of battery life
- Control smart home devices from your wrist
- Customizable AMOLED color display
- Amazon Alexa built-in
Cons
- Changing bands not as easy as with Fitbit
- No social competitions or integrations
- Minimal exercise mode support
- App has to be running for smart features to work
The Wyze Band represents the smart home company’s first entree into the wearables market, and what a fantastic first step it is! Not only is the price amazing, but the included feature set beats that of devices many times its price.
At first glance, you might not think of comparing these two devices. True, they’re both fitness bands and relatively minimal when compared to a full-featured smartwatch. However, the Fitbit Inspire HR retails for roughly two to three times the price of the Wyze Band, and while it excels in several areas over that device, it also lacks some of the whiz-bang features that Wyze has brought to the table. So let’s dive deeper to see why you might want to choose one of these affordable fitness trackers over the other.
Wyze Band vs. Fitbit Inspire HR Different features for different audiences
Fitness bands are all pretty much alike, right? I mean, they look roughly the same at a glance, and their purpose is basically the same, so how different can they really be, right? Well, quite different, actually.
| Dimensions | 1.5 x .63 inches | 1.57 x .69 inches |
| Weight with bands | .71oz | 2.6oz |
| Fits wrist circumference | 5.5 – 8.7 inches | 6.1 – 8.6 inches |
| Display | Greyscale OLED | Color AMOLED |
| Display resolution | 128 x 72 | 240 x 120 |
| Water resistance | Up to 50m | Up to 50m |
| Connections | Bluetooth 4.0 | Bluetooth LE 5.0 |
| Sensors | Accelerometer, optical heart rate monitor, vibration motor | Accelerometer, optical heart rate monitor, vibration motor |
| Battery life | 5 days | 10-14 days |
| Swim tracking | Yes | No |
| Stress tracking | Yes | No |
| Female tracking | Yes | No |
| Exercise/workout modes | 15+ | 1 |
| Social competitions | YesFree and paid | No |
| Integrations w/other fitness apps | YesStravaPelotonMyFitnessPalLose It!MapMyRunRunKeeperand more | Not yetWyze promises full Google Fit and Apple Health integration |
While there is some obvious overlap in these two fitness bands (i.e., they can both track steps and sleep), there are some significant areas where they differ in features. The Fitbit Inspire HR offers quite a bit more functionality in the fitness realm, whereas the Wyze Band tops it in areas like display and extras.
Fitbit Inspire HR Known quantity
Aside from smartwatches from Apple or Garmin, when you think of a fitness tracker, especially a band, chances are you’re thinking of a Fitbit. The company has been making beloved and reliable fitness trackers for over a decade now, and this form factor is not only still popular, but it’s my favorite as well.
What you get with the Inspire HR is Fitbit’s cheapest, most compact fitness tracker with a reasonably comprehensive health monitoring setup. You can get more affordable trackers (even less expensive Fitbits) that measure steps and calories, but if you want one that can measure heart rate, track sleep, and give you deeper insights, then this is the device you want.
Not only is it a great health tracker, but it can relay notifications and help you set alarms and timers. And when all of that is too much, there is a relax mode to help you calm down and recenter. The tracker offers over 15 dedicated sports modes, including walking, running, hiking, and yoga, and it can also handle swim (lap) tracking.
While the screen is monotone, it still looks sharp, and if you purchase the lavender band version, the display has a purple-ish tone. It’s also super-easy to change the bands on the Inspire HR, either from Fitbit or a third party.
As I mentioned above, the Inspire HR can retail anywhere from two to four times as much as the Wyze Band (often at $70-$100 compared to $25-$30 for the Wyze Band). Still, it is one of the cheapest high-end trackers around, and certainly one of Fitbit’s most affordable.
Wyze Band New kid on the block
Wyze is a relatively new company that has begun to make a name for itself in the smart home space by offering quality cameras, lights, plugs, and other devices at a very affordable price point. The Wyze Band is the company’s latest initiative in the smart devices space, and it sticks to this value proposition very nicely.
Not only is the Wyze Band an incredible value, it’s actually a great fitness tracker as well. It has almost every essential feature that you’d expect in a fitness tracker, but it doesn’t stop there. It somehow manages to bundle in some fantastic extras that make it a compelling accessory for your wrist.
For starters, the Wyze Band can track your steps, your sleep, and your heart rate, and it has a built-in running sport mode (though there are no other dedicated onboard exercise activities). Then, the band adds a beautiful color AMOLED display, with several pre-populated watch faces. You can even upload your own photo or design if you so choose.
The band also has two microphones so you can speak to the built-in Amazon Alexa voice assistant. Not only that, but you can control your Wyze smart home devices through a shortcuts app on your wrist. On top of everything, this tracker has a battery that can last up to two weeks!
So what’s the downside here? First, there aren’t currently any integrations with other popular fitness apps, and there’s no way to do things like step competitions or sharing your activities through the app. The band doesn’t have a dedicated swim tracking mode (or anything besides running, for that matter), and there isn’t much of a third party band or accessory ecosystem. Still, if those things aren’t that important to you, you could do a lot worse at this price point (or at triple this price point).
Wyze Band vs. Fitbit Inspire HR Which should you buy?
It’s a bit difficult to compare these two fitness bands based on price since there aren’t a ton of quality trackers down at the Wyze Band’s price point. I’ve worn both bands for extended periods, and I feel that either would be a great choice. That being said, each caters to a different type of person.
If you’re someone for whom accurate fitness tracking, female tracking, and sleep tracking are important, then get the Fitbit Inspire HR. You can also compete with your friends through challenges, connect to other fitness apps like Strava and MapMyRun, and have access to more in-depth fitness training. Finally, you can dress up your band for a night out or day at the office.
However, if you don’t particularly care about competing or sharing your fitness journey with others, the Wyze Band is a great option. It’s also great if you want something with a bit more flair in the form of a customizable AMOLED color display or want to be able to speak with Amazon’s Alexa voice assistant and control your smart home devices from your wrist.
Whichever fitness tracker you choose, you’re going to get a heck of a lot of value, battery life, and usage for under $100, and I promise you you’ll be happy with either.
Tiny yet mighty
Fitbit Inspire HR
Comfort and style
$70 at Amazon
$70 at Best Buy
$100 at Walmart
The Fitbit Inspire HR gives you almost all of the health and fitness features you could want in as small and comfortable a package as you could imagine. Not only do you get access to Fitbit’s dynamic social competitions and training guidance, but you industry-leading sleep tracking, female tracking, and health monitoring.
Incredible value
Wyze Band
More than just fitness
$30 at Amazon
The Wyze Band is a solid option for a casual fitness tracker. With home automation capabilities, built-in Alexa, and a color AMOLED screen, you’re getting a lot here. Sure, you miss you on more advanced fitness tracking and social features, but if those things don’t matter to you, why pay extra for them?
