ConsFirst / Fitness trackers

Fitbit (Google)

Fitbit (Google) Google Fitbit Charge 6: the downsides first

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#8 of 8
$$$Screen bandAndroid and iPhoneScore 3.4/5
19%
of Amazon ratings are 1–2 stars
(checked 2026-10-10)

Amazon's No. 1 best-selling fitness tracker and the most fully featured Fitbit, with built-in GPS, a side button, tap-to-pay and heart-rate broadcasting to gym machines. Wirecutter found the GPS spotty and its distance tracking a step behind the cheaper Fitbits, and about 1 in 5 Amazon ratings are 1 or 2 stars.

Subscription: Optional: Google Health Premium $10/mo or $100/yr; PCMag says some metrics require it, and YouTube Music needs its own subscription (Wirecutter)

Top complaints

  • Stops working or syncing; battery split

    Amazon's review summary says some owners report it completely stops working and stops syncing with their phones, and battery life is mixed, with some needing to charge daily. Step tracking also gets mixed feedback.

    Source: Amazon.com product page (Customers say)
  • Spotty GPS

    Wirecutter had a few GPS connection problems and says other testers reported spotty connections and frequent disconnections. Its distance tracking trailed the other picks.

    Source: Wirecutter (fitness trackers)
  • Flimsy band attachment and app frustrations

    Wirecutter notes owner reports of band attachments that break (Google says it improved them). Wirecutter readers complain about the Google Health app replacing Fitbit's, and one Charge 6 owner rates its workout detection and heart rate poorly. PCMag lists no app store and some paywalled metrics.

    Source: Wirecutter (fitness trackers), Wirecutter reader comments (fitness trackers guide), PCMag (best fitness trackers)

What owners love

Good for
  • Phone-free GPS runs on a band
  • Google Wallet and Maps on your wrist
  • Sending heart rate to gym equipment or Peloton

Scores (tap for why)

What experts say

  • Wirecutter (NYT): Runner-up, best for built-in GPS (updated 2026-10-01). The flaws are GPS connection problems and reports of flimsy band attachments.
  • PCMag: Most advanced Fitbit tracker, 4.5/5: 40 exercise modes, a helpful side button and an excellent app, but no app store and some Premium-only metrics.
  • Tom's Guide: Also tested: among the best Fitbits, but hard to recommend over the Air or Xiaomi Smart Band 10 unless you need built-in GPS.
Check price on AmazonWe don't list prices — they change daily. Paid link.

If that catch is a deal-breaker

Highly ranked fitness trackers whose biggest complaint is something else.

#1 in fitness trackersXiaomi Smart Band 10

Tom's Guide's best budget tracker: about half the price of a Fitbit, with a bright 1.72-inch AMOLED screen, 159 activity modes and step counts that matched an Oura Ring. Battery fell well short of the 21-day claim in its test, and the app's insights feel less actionable than pricier rivals'.

Its catch: battery well short of 21 days#2 in fitness trackersAmazfit Helio Strap

A $99, subscription-free Whoop alternative with detailed sleep and recovery data in the Zepp app and 8 to 12 days per charge. Its automatic workout detection was unreliable in Tom's Guide's testing (it once logged a car drive as part of a hike), and Wirecutter finds its app less detailed than Whoop's.

Its catch: unreliable automatic workout detection#3 in fitness trackersFitbit (Google) Google Fitbit Air

The top screenless pick at Wirecutter, Tom's Guide and PCMag: a $99 pebble-sized band that was the most accurate step counter in Wirecutter's tests and the most comfortable band it has tried. You only see data in the app, automatic workout detection is unreliable, and some of the best features sit behind Google's optional subscription.

Its catch: automatic workout tracking is hit or miss

See all 8 fitness trackers ranked →