Fitbits are some of the absolute best fitness trackers you can buy for folks who are just starting out on their fitness journey, thanks to their accessible approach which rewards effort over the course of a week, rather than daily, and it’s exactly why they also work as a means of encouraging young children to be more active as well.
If you’re one such parent who is struggling to motivate their child to exercise, then a Fitbit could give them the gentle nudge they need to see the fun, as well as the benefits, of living a healthy lifestyle. The issue, of course, is that there are quite a few Fitbit devices available and if you’re not familiar with their various features, then it can be tricky to figure out how they differ from one another. Thankfully, that’s where we come in.
As is the case with any of the best fitness trackers we test, each of these devices has been used by one of our tech experts to see how they perform on a daily basis, how easy they are to operate and also if the fitness data they provide is accurate. Because this list is focused on the use case of a younger audience, we’ve kept that in mind when deciding which Fitbits would make the cut.
Keep on reading to see which Fitbit makes the most sense for your child, as well as other key information to know such as how we test these products and where to find the best price. If you have a teenager, then you might want to consider perusing our guide to the best smartwatches instead, or the best budget smartwatches if you’re trying to stick to a budget.
Best Fitbit for kids
1. Fitbit Ace 3 – Best Fitbit for younger kids
Pros
- Designed for kids
- Parent and Kid Views
Cons
- Lacks heartrate monitor
- Shallow feature set
- Monochrome display
Features: Steps, Distance, Calories, Active Minutes, Sleep Tracking, Reminders To Move, Call Notifications, Kids View, Parents View, Stopwatch, Timer, 8-day battery
Successor to the Fitbit Ace 2, the Ace 3 is specifically designed for kids, making it the obvious choice to top this list. It has a simple, tough design and straps specifically for small wrists, with a slim display to show the time and basic readouts.
It’s showerproof and the battery can last for up to eight days, meaning your kids can wear it all through the school week to keep an eye on their exercise.
There’s no heart rate monitor on the Ace 3, so if (or your child) want such functionality, you should consider the more able Inspire 3 tracker.
Fitbit recommends the Ace 3 for children over the age of six, with it tracking Steps, Active Minutes and basic Sleep, while also offering up Reminders to Move and basic notifications, like Caller ID. Bedtime Reminders, alarms, a timer and a stopwatch are all included extras too.
On the app side, Fitbit has created two Views exclusive to the Ace range: one for parents and another for the child. Just like adults, kids can win badges and trophies as they hit their activity goals. These family views are just for Ace.
Fitbit also ensures all the data collected is private and not shared with its servers, keeping info about your kids safely with you and you only.
A Special Edition Ace 3 (at the same price) is based on the popular Minions movies.
You can buy cheaper if you find an older Ace 2 still available; see lower down this list for more details.
Who should buy the Fitbit Ace 3?
Parents who want the most kid-friendly Fitbit around.
Fitbit Ace 3: Further considerations
There’s no heart rate monitor built into the device.
Read our full Fitbit Ace 3 review
2. Fitbit Inspire 3 – Best simple option
Pros
- Always-on colour screen
- Stylish & comfortable
- Comprehensive tracking
- Good battery life & charging
Cons
- Tiny screen
- Premium needed for some features
- Short charging wire
- No GPS
Features: Steps, Distance, Calories, Heart-Rate Monitor, Connected GPS (from phone), Active Zone Minutes, Automatic Exercise Tracking, Cardio Fitness Score, Sleep Tracking, Breathing Rate, Relaxed Breathing Sessions, Reminders To Move, Call & Text Notifications, Stopwatch, Timer, 10-day battery
If your child is a little too old for the look of the Fitbit Ace 3 then the Inspire 3 is the one to go for. it has a color display and solid multi-day battery life to track steps and heart rate 24/7—even in the shower or bath thanks to it being fully waterproof.
There are tons of fun and smart strap options available, but the tracking is where it excels. there’s no GPS for run route tracking, but if your child has a phone and wants to do that then the Inspire 3 can link to a smartphone’s GPS to provide that function. There are several exercise modes, and it even can detect irregular heart rhythms.
Wear it to bed and your child can see how they’ve been sleeping, and if you pay for Fitbit Premium the Fitbit app will even assign them a fun sleep animal that best mirrors their own sleep patterns.
Who should buy the Fitbit Inspire 3?
Those who like the idea of the Fitbit Ace 3 but want a few more features included.
Fitbit Inspire 3: Further considerations
The screen is still smaller than some other Fitbits.
3. Fitbit Luxe – Most stylish Fitbit
Pros
- Attractive & lightweight
- Decent feature set
- Colour display
Cons
- No integrated GPS
- Some features require Premium
Features: Steps, Distance, Calories, Heart-Rate Monitor, Connected GPS (from phone), Active Zone Minutes, Automatic Exercise Tracking, Cardio Fitness Score, Sleep Tracking, Breathing Rate, Relaxed Breathing Sessions, Reminders To Move, Call & Text Notifications, Stopwatch, Timer, 5-day battery
Walking the line between the Inspire 3 and the Charge 6, the Luxe is a slim, lightweight tracker that doesn’t compromise on style.
While the jewellery-inspired special edition Gorjana model might not be the right fit for most kids, the standard Luxe still comes in an array of attractive finishes that make it look a little fancier and more grown-up compared to the similarly-sized Inspire 2.
The Luxe also features a colour display and while lacking an altimeter and integrated GPS (connected GPS is still part of the equation), it does retain a heart rate monitor, facilitating all the supported fitness features you’d expect.
The Luxe is equipped to help with stress management, Guided Breathing sessions and access to Health Metrics; such as breathing rate, heart rate variability (HRV), resting heart rate (RHR), skin temperature and oxygen saturation (SpO2).
It can track one of 20 exercise modes, plus it supports Active Zone Minutes and smartphone notifications, such as Caller ID and messages.
Who should buy the Fitbit Luxe?
Kids who hate wearing anything bulky.
Fitbit Luxe: Further considerations
The screen might be too small for anyone who’s partially sighted.
Read our full Fitbit Luxe review
4. Fitbit Charge 6 – Best with built-in GPS
Pros
- Premium design
- Integrated GPS
- Colour display
Cons
- Occasional lag
- Some Charge 4 features missing
Features: Steps, Distance, Calories, Heart-Rate Monitor, Built-in GPS, Connected GPS (from phone), Active Zone Minutes, Automatic Exercise Tracking, Cardio Fitness Score, Sleep Tracking, Breathing Rate, Reminders To Move, Call & Text Notifications, Stopwatch, Timer, 7-day battery
The Charge 6 is easily among Fitbit’s best all-round activity trackers. Fitbit has cherry-picked some of the best and brightest features from its latest trackers and smartwatches to create a Goldilocks product that delivers an impressive breadth of functionality for the price, not to mention wrapping it up in a lightweight and stylish package.
It covers all the basics—tracking steps, distance, calories burned, hourly activity, heart rate, swim-tracking and advanced sleep, not to mention it has most of the top-end exercise features too; including Active Zone Minutes. Its built-in GPS means it’s a tracker that can match the pricier smartwatches, though it can’t take calls, like the Sense and Versa can.
There is no altimeter so this tracker won’t count flights of stairs or altitude (hills) on walks.
Who should buy the Fitbit Charge 6?
Anyone who wants to track their route during a parkrun.
Fitbit Charge 6: Further considerations
It costs a fair bit more than the Ace 3 and the Inspire 3.
Read our full Fitbit Charge 6 review
5. Fitbit Versa 3 – Best Fitbit smartwatch
Pros
- Rich feature set
- Integrated GPS
- Colour display
Cons
- Some features require Premium
Features: Steps, Distance, Calories, Floors Climbed, Heart-Rate Monitor, Built-in GPS, Connected GPS (from phone), Active Zone Minutes, Automatic Exercise Tracking, Cardio Fitness Score, Skin Temperature, Sleep Tracking, Breathing Rate, Relaxed Breathing Sessions, Reminders To Move, Call & Text Notifications, Stopwatch, Timer, 6-day battery
If you want to splash more cash for a fully featured smartwatch, the Fitbit Versa 3 has just about everything. The newer Versa 4 offers nothing new and actually loses a couple of features, such as music control, so if you can find a Versa 3, this is our recommendation.
The Versa 3 measures Steps, Distance, Calories Burned, Floors Climbed and Active Zone Minutes, as well as automatic Sleep and Activity Tracking. Of course, you get Reminders to Move and on-wrist notifications, including Caller ID, texts and calendar alerts.
It uses Fitbit’s improved PurePulse 2.0 heart-rate monitor and is even equipped to receive on-wrist, which might safely help keep your kid’s phone in her or his pocket when out and about.
It can also be set up with either Google Assistant or Amazon’s Alexa voice tools.
Who should buy the Fitbit Versa 3?
Those who want a nice large screen that’s easy to read.
Fitbit Versa 3: Further considerations
With a much higher cost than most options, it’s arguably overkill as a child’s fitness tracker.
Read our full Fitbit Versa 3 review
Other Fitbits tested
Although the Fitbits featured above are by far the best options when it comes to buying for young children, there are other Fitbit devices available if you are tempted to see what else is within the company’s range.
The Fitbit Sense 2, for instance, is the brand’s flagship fitness tracke,r which also boasts a ton of health tracking tech, including a temperature sensor that’s key for monitoring stress throughout the day. While a solid fitness tracker in its own right, especially for adults who want a holistic look at their health, the Sense 2 arguably has far too many features than a child would ever need, and in terms of having a larger display that’s easy to read, you can get the same experience with the Fitbit Versa 3/4.
While not technically a Fitbit, it is still worth mentioning the Pixel Watch range, as they use Fitbit’s software for their onboard fitness tracking. The most recent model is the Pixel Watch 4, but it’s now possible to find the Pixel Watch 3 for a lot less if you shop around. As a wearable for teenagers that blends fitness and smart features into a single device, the Pixel Watch can be a great option in this regard.
As mentioned above, the Versa 4 (seen below) is the latest in that range, but the previous model is actually better if you can find one.
Dominik Tomaszewski / Foundry
Fitbit news that could affect your buying decision
Ever since Google acquired Fitbit back in 2021, we’ve seen fewer Fitbit devices come to market. However, there’s now word that Fitbit will be looking to launch a handful of new devices in 2026.
There’s no telling exactly which models will be included in the unveiling until we know more, but it’s very likely that at least one of them will be a follow-up to one of the products featured on this list. With that in mind, you may want to hold off on buying a new Fitbit just yet, unless you are able to get one of the current options at a cheaper rate than its RRP.
Can I get a better Fitbit deal?
For every single device featured on this list, our helpful deals widgets are able to show you the cheapest prices available across all major retailers in an instant. This means that you don’t have to waste time looking for a bargain yourself and just get straight to what you need.
However, if you are looking to maximise your budget as much as possible then you may want to wait until either the next Amazon Prime Day sale or for Black Friday. As you might imagine, Amazon’s event is better suited for anyone who has an active Prime membership, whilst Black Friday gives you more choice over which retailers you buy from.
How we test Fitbits
For every Fitbit device that reaches our desks, we assign it to one of our tech experts who will then wear it for at least a week to get a detailed understanding of how well it works in everyday use. This involves tracking the battery drain throughout the review period, as well as comparing the data collected against dedicated heart rate monitors.
Read more about how we test smartwatches.
Why you should trust Tech Advisor for Fitbit reviews and buying advice
Tech Advisor has always prided itself on offering impartial and insightful buying advice so that our readership can be well informed about the pros and cons of any given device before settling on which one they would like to buy. We uphold these editorial standards by conducting in-depth tests and research with every product called in for review, whether they be kid-friendly Fitbits or flagship-level smartphones.
Who curated this article?
This article was put together by Simon Jary, a regular Tech Advisor contributor who has more than 30 years of experience in writing about the tech industry. In that time, Simon has been privy to the birth of Fitbit, seeing how the company’s products have evolved and developing an understanding as to which features are actually essential for consumers.
Fitbit
How to choose the best Fitbit for kids?
Unlike when it comes to buying a new fitness tracker for yourself, deciding over which one to get for your child is a different proposition entirely, and it only works if you have an understanding of what drives your child, and the type of exercises that interest them.
For instance, if your child isn’t interested in running then buying a GPS-enabled Fitbit device is going to be a waste of money, whilst Parkrun enthusiasts who love to run with Mum or Dad every Saturday may appreciate being able to see the route they took on their phone after the fact.
Similarly, if you just want to keep things simple and get your child to take an interest in their daily step count, then you only need a basic Fitbit to do just that. There’s no need to spend more for a wider set of features unless you think they’ll be used.
Author: Simon Jary, Contributor, Tech Advisor
Simon has over 30 years of expert experience testing and reviewing ever-smaller and more powerful tech accessories, from USB-C and Thunderbolt docks to chargers, batteries, hubs and adapters. A former Editor of Macworld, he has contributed to PCWorld, Tech Advisor and TimeOut, as well as national newspapers such as The Times, Independent and Telegraph.