Fitbit (Google)
Fitbit Charge 6
$159.95
Released 2023-10
Best Fitness Trackers · head-to-head
Fitbit Charge 6 vs Garmin Vivosmart 5
A sourced, side-by-side comparison. Garmin Vivosmart 5 is cheaper at $149.99. Every spec and price links to its source.
Garmin
Garmin Vivosmart 5
$149.99Cheaper
Released 2022-04
Which is better: the Fitbit Charge 6 or Garmin Vivosmart 5?
On the specs we track, they're closely matched. The Garmin Vivosmart 5 is the cheaper at $149.99.
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Full spec sheet
✓ marks the stronger figure where "more" — or "less", for price and weight — is unambiguously better.
| Spec | Fitbit Charge 6 | Garmin Vivosmart 5 |
|---|---|---|
| US price | $159.95 | $149.99 US MSRP at launch Apr 20 2022. |
| Brand | Fitbit (Google) | Garmin |
| Released | 2023-10 | 2022-04 |
| Form factor | band | band |
| Display | AMOLED 1.04in | OLED 0.84in monochrome |
| Battery days | 7 | 7 |
| Gps | Yes | No |
| Spo2 | Yes | Yes |
| Ecg | Yes | No |
| Subscription required | No | No |
| Water resistance (m) | 50 | 50 |
| Release | 2023 | 2022 |
Sources — Fitbit Charge 6: androidauthority.com (verified 2026-06-15). Garmin Vivosmart 5: garmin.com (verified 2026-06-15).
What's the difference between the Fitbit Charge 6 and Garmin Vivosmart 5?
Where the two actually differ on the specs we track (3 of 8). Matching specs are omitted.
- Display: Fitbit Charge 6 AMOLED 1.04in vs Garmin Vivosmart 5 OLED 0.84in monochrome
- Gps: Fitbit Charge 6 true vs Garmin Vivosmart 5 false
- Ecg: Fitbit Charge 6 true vs Garmin Vivosmart 5 false
What reviewers say
Sourced tester consensus for each — the "what people who used it think" layer, not just specs.
Fitbit Charge 6
Three whitelisted testers (DC Rainmaker, TechRadar, Tom's Guide) field-tested the exact Charge 6. All praise sleep tracking and improved heart-rate accuracy at a low price, but the built-in GPS is the recurring flaw: reliable only when the strap is worn loose, which then hurts HR. Battery landed near six days. (3 sourced reviews, 3 lab-tested.)
Praised: Above-average sleep tracking, close to Oura-ring reference; Heart-rate accuracy genuinely improved over the Charge 5; Feature-packed (ECG, Google Wallet/Maps, HR broadcast) at a low $159 price.
Flagged: Built-in GPS drops out / won't lock when strap is worn snug; Tightness trade-off: loosening for GPS degrades heart-rate accuracy; Best HR features and advanced sleep data locked behind Fitbit Premium.
Garmin Vivosmart 5
Three whitelisted testers (DC Rainmaker, Tom's Guide, TechRadar) field-tested the exact Vivosmart 5. All praise its accurate optical heart rate, ~7-day battery (with all-day SpO2 off), and free no-subscription Garmin Connect data, but flag the dated monochrome screen and missing onboard GPS. DC Rainmaker calls it a rare miss and overpriced versus the $149 Fitbit Charge 5; TechRadar calls it excellent for everyday wellbeing; Tom's Guide rates it a good tracker that falls short without GPS. (3 sourced reviews, 3 lab-tested.)
Praised: Accurate, responsive optical heart rate in workout/interval tests; Long ~7-day battery life (with all-day SpO2 disabled); Deep Garmin Connect data with no subscription paywall (unlike Fitbit).
Flagged: No onboard GPS; relies on phone, causing distance errors on longer routes; Dated monochrome screen, hard to read outdoors/on the move; All-day SpO2 monitoring drains battery drastically (to ~3-4 days).