Are you trying to decide between the Fitbit Sense 2 and the Charge 5?  You might be surprised about how similar these two devices are. Â
Which is Better Fitbit Sense 2 or Charge 5?
Are you looking for a fitness tracker to help you stay active and monitor your health? If so, then Fitbit Sense 2 and Charge 5 are two of the most popular devices on the market that can provide everything you need.
I have the Sense 2 and love it. But after writing this post, I was surprised by how many of the same features that they had.
Both trackers have their own unique features, design, comfort level, battery life and more. In this blog post we'll compare both Fitbit models to see which one is best suited to meet your needs. We'll evaluate their features, design elements, tracking capabilities and more in order to help inform readers about which device is right for them. So let's get started!
This  post is all  about comparing the Fitbit Sense 2 vs the Charge 5! Â
DISCLOSURE:  This post may contain affiliate links which means if you click on a product and make a purchase I will earn a small commission.  I only recommend products that I truly believe are great so you get an awesome product and I get a small commission.  It's a win-win. Â
Comparison of Features for Both ModelsÂ
Both models have a surprising number of the same features. Â I was actually surprised by this because there is a significant price difference between the two.Â
Price
There is a significant price difference between the two trackers.Â
Fitbit Sense 2 - $299.95
Charge 5 - $149.95
Features that are the same on both models
Heart Rate Tracking
Heart rate is a crucial piece of information that can provide valuable insights into calorie burning, sleep patterns, resting heart rate, and other important data. Both the Sense 2 and Charge 5 track your heart rate throughout the day, as well as during workouts.
Active Zone Minutes
The device keeps track of the time you spend in different heart rate zones, giving you credit for working harder. If you switch to cardio or peak zones, you'll earn double the minutes for your workouts.
This helps you to determine what movement throughout the day is actually moving the needle to improving your heart health and fitness.
Built in GPS
Having access to built-in GPS on your Fitbit allows you to accurately track your pace and distance without needing to carry around a separate device. This makes it easier for athletes and runners to monitor their progress, as well as check their speed, route, and other performance metrics directly on the wrist. Additionally, with this data being more readily accessible, you are better able to adjust your workouts to reach specific goals.
Connected GPS
To track your pace and distance while jogging, hiking, or biking, you can use your phone's GPS.Having access to built-in GPS on your Fitbit allows you to easily monitor your progress and check your speed, route, and other performance metrics without needing to carry a separate device. This is a great benefit for athletes and runners who want to maximize their workouts and reach specific goals.
Cardio Fitness score
Calculate your fitness level by estimating your VO2 Max, which measures how effectively your body utilizes oxygen while working out. This helps to give you an idea of how fit you are and provides an overall snapshot of your health. Also, it is great to see your cardio fitness improving as you implement more exercise and movement into your daily activities.
Daily Readiness Score
With Premium, you can check if your body is prepared for exercise or needs rest. This is done by monitoring your resting heart rate, sleep quality and other factors to determine how ready you are for a workout. This helps you maximize your fitness routine by taking your rest days on the days that you should recover.
Smart Automatic Exercise Recognition
The Fitbit app will automatically recognize your exercise and record it after your workout. You don't have to manually log each activity and it will save you time. As an added bonus, this feature can also detect what type of exercise you are doing and log it accordingly.
Exercise Modes
You can monitor various exercises such as running, cycling, weightlifting, yoga and more. Additionally, your smartwatch will provide you with real-time statistics.
Water Resistant
Both watches are water resistant up to 50 meters which means you can swim, workout in the rain, or wear it in the shower without damaging it.
Workouts on your phone
Access high-energy workouts in the Fitbit app led by Fitbit trainers and popular partner brands. Note that most of these workouts are only available to Premium members.
Calculates Your Steps, Distance, and Calories Burned
The statistics are shown both on the wrist and in the Fitbit app. These are the features that I watch closely each day to ensure that I am meeting my goals.
If you are curious how to use Fitbit for Weight Loss read my article here
SpO2 (blood oxygen tracking)
Monitoring your SpO2 levels can provide insight into how well your body is circulating oxygen-rich blood, which may indicate changes in your overall health.
Irregular heart rhythm notifications
Both watches monitor your heart rhythm and help you check for signs of an irregular heart rhythm that may be atrial fibrillation (AFib). This is great information that you can share with your healthcare provider.
Blood Glucose Tracking
In the Fitbit app, you can keep a record of your glucose levels and observe how your trends are affected by your activity, sleep, stress, and nutrition. Premium provides access to advanced analytics.
ECG app for heart rhythm assessment
The compatible ECG app with allows you to evaluate your heart rhythm for atrial fibrillation, an irregularity in heart rhythm. You can also share the results with your healthcare provider.
Resting heart rate
Your resting heart rate is an important measure of your heart health and fitness. Typically, individuals who are physically active tend to have a lower resting heart rate. A resting heart rate is associated with improved cardiovascular fitness.
High and low heart rate notifications
Since both trackers monitor your heart rate all day they are able to determine your normal range. You will receive a notification in the Fitbit app if your resting heart rate goes outside of your typical range.
Heart Rate Variability
The devices both monitor your heart rate variability (HRV), which is the time between heartbeats. If your HRV decreases over several nights it could indicate various factors such as overtraining, sleep deprivation, and stress.
Skin temperature variation
The devices detect fluctuations in skin temperature, which may indicate physical exertion, sickness, menstrual cycle, among other possibilities.
Breathing rate
Changes in your well-being may be indicated by slight variations in your breathing rate.
Wellness Report
With Premium, you can obtain a PDF containing your recent health and wellness statistics that you can share with a healthcare professional. This is really helpful when going in for a yearly physical or if there is a specific health issue that you want to discuss.
Menstrual health tracking
Keep track of your menstrual cycles by logging periods, recording symptoms, and identifying patterns. This will help you estimate your ovulation window and menstrual health.
This is helpful to women who are trying to get pregnant, avoid getting pregnant, and women in perimenopause when periods can become erratic.
Sleep Profile
Receive a personalized sleep analysis on a monthly basis by getting paired with a sleep animal. The analysis includes tracking how long you sleep each night and the time spent in light, deep, and REM sleep stages. This helps you to understand the quality and quantity of your sleep.
Sleep Score
Get a personalized Sleep Score to know how well you slept last night. Your sleep score lets you know how well you slept it also breaks down the time spent in various sleep stages (deep; REM; light and times awake.
I find that this is very accurate. There are times that I wake up from a dream and when I check my app sure enough it says that I was in REM sleep right before waking.
Smart Wake Alarm
The vibrating alarm is designed to wake you up during the phase of sleep that is most conducive to feeling refreshed.
This is one of my favorite features on my Sense 2. I set my alarm to go off at 5:15 and the alarm goes off in the optimal time during my sleep cycle during the half hour before it is set. I find that this is so helpful in me just waking up and hopping out of bed without hitting snooze a bunch of times.
EDA Scan app for stress management
Practice mindfulness sessions with an EDA sensor on your wrist to ease your mind and receive instantaneous feedback on your stress levels.
Stress Management Score
Evaluate your body's stress management on a daily basis. You can additionally get a detailed score breakdown by subscribing to Premium.
Reflections
Track your mood to better understand and manage your emotional wellbeing.
Call, text, and app notifications
When your phone is close by, you can view calls, texts, and notifications from smartphone apps on your wrist. You are not able to respond to the texts or answer the calls on the device though.
Fitbit Pay
Use Fitbit Pay to make purchases directly from your wrist.
Find my phone
Discover the location of your phone without asking someone to call it for you.
Always on display mode
This feature will keep your display always active, but it may result in more frequent charging.
Do not disturb and sleep modes
This feature silences calls and notifications and also turns off your screen. This feature is really helpful when I am sleeping and do not want to be disturbed. (My Sense 2 automatically detects if I am asleep and silences notifications).
Color Touchscreen
The display shows sharp statistics in bright colors all day long.
Clock faces and accessories
You can choose from a variety of accessory bands and clock faces to customize the appearance of your Fitbit.
Compatible with ios and android operating system
You can use Fitbit devices with both iOS and Android smartphones.
What’s Different? Â
The below are additional features that are additional features on the Sense 2 but are not included on the Charge 5
Floors Climbed
The feature can automatically monitor the number of floors you climb, regardless of whether you're using a staircase or walking up an incline.
Skin Temperature sensor
A sensor integrated into the device keeps track of variations in your skin temperature, helping you identify possible changes in your wellbeing.
All-day body-response tracking with notifications
The cEDA sensor can detect signs of stress in your body, allowing you to reflect on your emotions and take necessary action to continue with your day.
Relax breathing sessions
Follow the prompts on your wrist to participate in easy guided breathing sessions.
On wrist Blue-tooth calls
You can use your wrist to answer incoming calls, send them to voicemail, and adjust the volume of the call as long as your phone is nearby.
Alexa built in
With Alexa Built-in, you can easily access news and weather updates, set alarms, manage smart home devices, and perform other functions.
Google wallet
Use Google Wallet to make contactless payments directly from your watch.
Fast Charging
Charge your device for 12 minutes to get a full day's worth of battery. Please note that battery life may vary depending on usage and other factors.
Battery Life
The Sense 2 has a battery life of 6 days and the Charge 5 has a 7 day battery life.
Style
I prefer the look of the Sense 2. I changed out the band and put a white band on it and it has a sleek and professional look more like an Apple watch.
The Charge 5 is also is a very stylish tracker. It is smaller and has a sportier more casual look.
Final Thoughts on Which Model is Best For You
When it comes to choosing a Fitbit model, there are many factors to consider. With the Sense 2 and Charge 5 models offering different features such as floors climbed, skin temperature sensor, relax breathing sessions, on-wrist Bluetooth calls and more, it can be difficult to decide which one is best for you. To make the decision easier, it's important to understand what each device offers in terms of style, battery life and additional features so that you can pick the right one for your needs.
I have to say after seeing the comparison the Charge 5 really gives the Sense 2 a run for its money. They have almost all the same features and so it will depend how important the additional features on the Sense 2 are to you and whether they justify the extra $140 price difference.
I still like the look of the Sense 2 better but if I was shopping today, I might go for the Charge 5 because it really is packed with a lot of awesome features at a great price.
