Our best budget fitness tracker has a replacement

Google claims the Charge 6 comes with “the most accurate heart rate on a Fitbit tracker”, as the new device borrows the technology used in the Google Pixel Watch. 

What does this mean for you? Well, Google says accuracy has been improved by up to 60% when tracking heart rate during strenuous exercise such as HIIT (high-intensity interval training) workouts, spinning and rowing, so for those who like to keep a keen eye on their beats per minute, the Charge 6 will deliver more precise readings. 

The improved heart rate monitoring has a positive knock-on effect on other metrics measured by the tracker, including calories burned, your Daily Readiness Score and your sleep score. All this means the Fitbit Charge 6 should provide more accurate data across a range of key metrics, helping you keep a closer eye on your overall health.

As ever, all your data will be integrated on the redesigned Fitbit app, where you’ll have access to a wide range of metrics. Some of these – such as your Daily Readiness Score and Sleep Profile – are only available with a Fitbit Premium subscription (you get six months of Fitbit Premium included with the Charge 6).  

Like the Charge 5, the new Charge 6 also features the ECG app, allowing you to monitor your heart rhythm for atrial fibrillation (a common form of irregular heart rhythm). 

If you’re a gym-goer, or have a smart exercise machine at home, the Charge 6 can wirelessly connect with equipment from several well-known brands (including NordicTrack, Peloton, Concept2 and Tonal) to give you a live readout of your heart rate on the machine’s display. 

The Charge 6 offers more than 40 exercise modes to help you track your favourite workout, with 20 of these options being new. These include HIIT, strength training, surfing, CrossFit and snowboarding. 

The screen on the Charge 5 was bright and clear, although not the biggest. It’s pleasing to see that Fitbit has tried to improve accessibility on the Charge 6, by offering zoom and magnification features. 

If you’re struggling to read small text, or if you prefer to make the font larger, a couple of taps on the screen will magnify what’s on the display. 

Fitbit was bought by Google a few years back, so it makes sense that we’d eventually see Google services integrated into Fitbit. On the Charge 6, this means that Fitbit Pay is replaced by Google Wallet. Google Wallet enables contactless payments via your Charge 6. It’s far more widely accepted than Fitbit Pay, making it a much more useful feature than that found on its predecessors.  

There’s also Google Maps integration, which offers turn-by-turn directions while you’re on the go, without needing to take your phone out of your bag or pocket. You will, though, need to be within Bluetooth range of your phone to use this. 

As well as these, YouTube Music controls are available on the Charge 6. You’ll need a YouTube Music Premium subscription to use this, and you’ll still need to have your phone close by (you can’t for example, download music to your Charge 6 and go for a run without your phone).  

One added feature is the ability for YouTube Music Premium to make music recommendations based on the exercise you are doing. You’ll get a one-month free trial of YouTube Music Premium when you buy the Charge 6. 

The Fitbit Charge 6 was released on October 12.  

The Charge 6 price is £139.99, which is highly reasonable considering its predecessor launched at £169.99 in 2021. 

You have the choice of three colours: black with an obsidian band; champagne gold aluminium with a coral band; and silver aluminium with a porcelain band.