I’ve been using Google Fit and Fitbit for 14 and 28 days respectively. And I have to admit they’re quite impressive in terms of design, user-friendliness, and overall performance.
Available for free download on Google Play and App Store, these mobile apps let you take full charge of your health and fitness without wearing a fitness tracker or smartwatch.
In this Google Fit vs Fitbit guide, I do a complete, front-to-back comparison between the two apps. My goal is to help you decide what app would be more suitable for you.
Let’s get to it.
Google Fit vs Fitbit Comparison Table
The following is a comparison table on the similarities and differences between Google Fit and Fitbit mobile apps:
| Google Fit App | Fitbit App | ||
| 1. | Compatibility | Android 8 and above and iOS 14 and above | Android 8 and above and iOS 14 and above |
| 2. | Customization | Does not support customization | Allows customization |
| 3. | Price | Free for a lifetime | Basic membership is free, and Fitbit Premium costs $9.99 per month |
| 4. | Widgets | The app supports widgets | The app doesn’t support widgets |
| 5. | Advertisements | No ads | No ads |
| 6. | Supported Languages | 34 languages | 18 languages |
| 7. | Pace | Can monitor your pace | Cannot monitor your pace |
| 8. | Elevation | Cannot monitor your elevation | Can monitor your elevation |
| 9. | Barcode Scanner | Does not have a barcode scanner | Has a barcode scanner |
| 10. | Food Diary and Database | Has a food diary and database | Does not have a food or diary database |
| Download Here | Download Here |
At this time, you can access Google Fit in up to 34 languages and Fitbit in up to 19 language for a personalized localization.
Google Fit vs Fitbit: General Information
With Google’s acquisition of Fitbit, my initial thoughts was that Google would merge the two mobile applications into one entity.
However, Google Fit and Fitbit continue to run independently. And they have notable differences and similarities.
Here’s how they compare:
Compatibility
Let’s start by you understanding on what platforms you can use the Google Fit and Fitbit health and fitness tracker apps.
I ran both apps on Android 11 smartphone. And I have Fitbit as the most active option as I’m more inclined towards using a Fitbit for personal preferences.
Apparently, you can also install and run Fitbit and Google Fit apps on an iPhone, as long as the phone operates on iOS 14 or later version.
Customization
App customization allows you to add a personal touch to your overall user experience. And it can even go as far as to boost your user engagement.
Unfortunately, I haven’t been able to customize Google Fit with themes and colors that I would love to see on a mobile application. And that’s because Google doesn’t offer a customization option for the application in the first place.
Fitbit, on the other hand, gives its users the freedom to customize how they want the app to look. So don’t hesitate to add some personalization to enhance your user experience.
Widgets
Widgets are great. They let you see the health and fitness information that matter to you rather that paddling through all the details.
Google Fit allows widgets. And these are important because they save you time by allowing you to see only the stats that you find more relevant.
As much as it’s customizable, Fitbit doesn’t give you the option to use widgets. But I don’t think that’s a deal breaker because it isn’t a must-have feature.
Cost and Advertisements
The Google Fit apphas over 100 million downloads on Google Play alone. And part of the reason is that it’s 100% free to use.
With the goal to coach you to develop a healthier and a more active lifestyle, Google Fit stands out as an app to get if you don’t have a smartwatch yet.
The Fitbit app is also free to download and use.
But the brand adds an optional subscription membership plan, which you might want to consider if you need access to detailed analysis of your activities and fitness.
If you wish to get the premium membership, you’ll pay a monthly fee of $9.9. Or you can pay $79.99 per year to spend less money every 12 months.
As for advertisements, you aren’t going to be seeing any on either app. During my experiment, there wasn’t a single ads displayed on Google Fit or Fitbit.
Advertisements are okay, but they can be such a huge distraction for someone like me who wants to access data right off the bat. I also believe that the lack of ads on these apps boosts the overall user experience.
Google Fit vs Fitbit: Fitness and Activity Tracking
My main aim of testing Google Fit and Fitbit was to determine how they perform in terms of fitness and activity tracking.
Here’s what I found:
Steps, Distance, and Pace
Fitbit and Google Fit apps can monitor how far you travel and count the number of steps taken throughout the day.
Google Fitbit takes this even further and allows you to monitor your pace, which is the measure of the average speed over the duration of an activity.
Unfortunately, the Fitbit app doesn’t have the option to monitor your pace.
Elevation
I used to think that I must have a Fitbit fitness tracker or smartwatch to track elevation. But that hasn’t always been the case.
The Fitbit app can track elevations quite accurately without the device.
It does so because it has an altimeter built into its algorithm, and this can monitor climbing activities such as hiking and staircases.
Unfortunately, the Google Fit app doesn’t feature an altimeter in its algorithm. As such, it can’t monitor your elevation.
Auto Pause
The auto pause function is a nifty feature that ensures you get only the right stats from an activity and fitness tracker app.
In practice, the auto-pause technology instructs the app to stop monitoring an activity when you stop. It also instructs the sensors to resume tracking when you start moving.
The Fitbit app does quite well here.
Its algorithm and sensors will begin to track and log starts as soon as you start moving. Then there will be an instant pause when you pause an activity.
Unfortunately, Google Fit doesn’t have an auto pause function. You have to stop activity tracking manually, or you’ll end up with inaccurate data.
Sleep Tracking
Sleep tracking is a big deal, because it help you to know how long and how well you slept the previous night.
After all, sufficient sleep is necessary for optimal performance in whatever you do.
These days, you can use the Google Fit app to track your sleep, review your bedtime schedule, and see an average number of hours you slept.
If you want to monitor in progress sleep sessions, you will need own the Nest Hub.
Sadly, the Fitbit app alone can’t track sleep.
For a Fitbit to determine if you’re asleep, it will need your heart rate and movement data. As such, you must wear your tracker or smartwatch to a snug before going to bed.
Stopwatch
The stopwatch is my least favorite feature on Google Fit. But that’s not to say that it’s not important.
At the very least, the stopwatch allows you to time your workout, not to mention track how long you have been working out.
The Fitbit app doesn’t have this option. And I don’t think the lack of it is a deal breaker because a stopwatch is something you’ll hardly ever need.
Google Fit vs Fitbit: Food and Nutrition Tracking
Health and fitness apps have improved so much that they even allow you to monitor your food intake for better health.
Food Diary and Database
The food diary feature integrated into some apps helps you to log your food consumption, making it easy for you to track everything you eat.
In this respect, Google Fit gives you access to a food diary, which can help you plan your meals accordingly and get you to eat healthy every time.
You’re not getting a food diary in the Fitbit app.
Google Fit doesn’t have a food database. But you can create your own list by logging the foods manually.
Even the Fitbit app doesn’t have a food database. As with Google Fit, you will have to do a manual logging of the foods that you like.
But there’s a small twist with the Fitbit option.
Apparently, you have the option to pair your Fitbit with MyFitnessPal to access up to 12 million food options (and recipes). This, if anything, is a great option to consider if you want to eat healthy.
Calories Burned
The Fitbit and Google Fit apps can count the number of calories your body burns each time you are active – and even when you’re resting.
If anything, the ability to count the number of calories burned in a given duration is significant to all of us, particularly those who are trying so hard to lose weight by observing a strict diet.
On the issue of calories, the nutrition principle is that you must never eat more calories than your body burns. So counting calories will definitely keep you motivated and on track to becoming the fit person that you want to be.
Google Fit vs Fitbit: Reports
There’s also a reporting option built into these health and fitness tracking apps. The ones I’m aware of at the time of this writing are activity reports and goal settings and achievements.
Activity Reports
Once Google Fit and Fitbit apps have monitor your workouts, they will analyze each activity and provide you with related reports.
You can view the details on the app or from the website.
The report you get will give you an idea of how active you’ve been throughout the day.
Examples of reports you get from the Fitbit and Google Fit app include sleep overview, calories burned, distance covered, and total steps walked.
You can use this information to improve your overall workout routine.
Goal Setting and Achievements
With Google Fit and Fitbit, you can set goals and win rewards upon achievements.
For example, you can set a goal of at least 15,000 steps a day in both apps. If by you achieve the daily step goal, the apps will reward you with an achievement to keep you motivated.
There isn’t a physical reward per se, but the colorful badges are definitely celebratory.
Final Thoughts
I hope this comparison has helped you to understand the similarities and differences between Fitbit and Google Fit app.
To be clear, this comparison is based on a personal experience.
So depending on when you read this, Google and Fitbit may have removed or added some features to the apps to make the technologies even better.
One important thing to keep in mind is that although Google owns Fitbit, the company doesn’t have plans to replace the Fitbit app with Google Fit.
You will continue to use the Fitbit app as a completely independent entity.
