Fitbit Inspire HR vs Garmin vivosmart 4 - which is better?

In addition to Fitbit, Garmin is a significant brand for Fitness Tracker. The Fitbit Inspire HR and the Garmin vivosmart 4 in the price range up to 150 euros. The Inspire is even less than 100 euros. That raises the question of which of the two devices is ahead and which fitness tracker is better for you.

Comparison Chart

Differences between Fitbit Inspire HR and Garmin vivosmart 4

Let's go into the differences between the two fitness trackers. Important for Fitbit Inspire HR is the addition HR. The Fitbit Inspire and Inspire are very different. An important point here is the pulse measurement.

Display

If we look at the two fitness bracelets purely visually, we can already see clear differences. The display of the Garmin vivosmart 4 is much smaller than that of the Inspire HR.

The Garmin here knows a size of 17.7 millimeters in length and 6.6 millimeters in width. The Fitbit, on the other hand, has a display of 37 millimeters in length and 16 millimeters in width. If Garmin still Fitbit have a color screen.

However, the condition and readability on the Inspire HR is significantly better. The larger display allows much more information to be displayed. This is where the Inspire HR comes in first.

Design and optics

Personally, the model of Garmin looks a bit old. Here is the vivosmart 4 only from the year 2018th In the point of optics Garmin has so far mostly truncated worse. However, that is also something of a taste.

Based on the display size, it can also be assumed that the Garmin tracker is significantly smaller. That is also the case.

Changeable bands

The Garmin vivosmart 4 does not look the best. In addition, the bands can not be changed. Here Fitbit's Inpire HR is clearly ahead. There is a huge selection of replica bands. So you can change the Inspire visually cheap and fast. Only in the color of the fitness tracker (module) itself you have to decide.

GPS

The Fitbit Inspire HR supports connected GPS. The smartphone is paired with the Fitness Tracker and the GPS is used. Thus, the tracks can be recorded even without built-GPS.

Garmin has taken the vivosmart 4 any possibility for GPS. This is a pity and also surprising. The older version, the Garmin vivosport, even has an integrated GPS.

If you want to use GPS in conjunction with your fitness tracker, the Garmin vivosmart 4 is out of it.

Floors

However, the vivosmart 4 can do one thing more than Fitbit Inspire HR. The Inspire HR is missing an altimeter. That's why the Fitbit device can not record floors. The Garmin vivosmart 4, however, already. Congratulations Garmin! Personally, I consider this function to be less important.

Pulse belt (ANT +)

The Garmin still has a small feature that the Fitbit Inspire HR does not offer. With the vivosmart 4 you can connect a pulse belt. This works via ANT.

Battery life

The battery life is reported at Garmin with 7 days. Fitbit advertises the Inspire HR in 5 days. This puts Garmin a bit ahead, according to numbers.

Similarities between Fitbit Inspire HR and Garmin vivosmart 4

In addition to the differences, the fitness trackers of the two brands have a few similarities, which are worth mentioning.

Waterproof

Long before Fitbit, Garmin has managed to make his Fitness Tracker waterproof and therefore fit for swimming. Fitbit needed it until 2018. At least when it comes to the devices with pulse sensor.

However, the Inspire HR is waterproof, as is the Garmin vivosmart 4. So both are alike. Both can be worn under the shower and while swimming. According to the manufacturers, this is up to 50 meters.

Notifications

Both fitness trackers can notify about messages, calls and appointments. However, you can not do more with either device. Fitbit offers to answer the messages only with the Charge 3.

Fitbit or Garmin - Which is better for you?

Already purely optically, the Fitbit Inspire HR* makes a much better picture. In addition, the bracelet can be changed at Inspire.Even more interesting: The Inspire HR trumps with a low price.

A few functions have the Garmin vivosmart 4* more. However, these are more specialized functions such as the connection with the pulse belt. For most, that's hardly relevant. For this, however, significant cuts in optics must be accepted.

In the point of the floors it is a matter of taste. Here opinions may differ. Personally, I do not care much about this number.

In comparison of the two devices I recommend the 45088#Fitbit Inspire HR*. Especially in everyday life makes the Inspire HR the race. Garmin becomes interesting only with larger devices, whereby there more trumps the function as optics.

If you want the floors with Fitbit, you have to buy at least Charge 3. You can see the comparison between Fitbit Charge 3 and Garmin vivosmart 4. The Charge 3 offers a bit more than the Inspire HR.