Fitbit is a popular fitness company and it offers a variety of fitness bands. In this guide, I will compare the Fitbit Inspire vs Inspire HR vs Charge 4 and we will see which one is the best for you. Let’s get started.
Fitbit offers a large collection of fitness devices and the company has recently released Charge 4 which comes with some great features.
Many people are also comparing Charge 4 with other Fitbit fitness devices such as Inspire HR and Fitbit Inspire. That’s why I have done the comparison of Fitbit Inspire vs Inspire HR vs Charge 4 so that you could make an informed decision. Let’s take a look at the comparison.
Here is an article on my website that you must read, its about Google Fit vs Fitbit: The Ultimate Guide (2023).
Table of Contents
Fitbit Inspire vs Inspire HR vs Charge 4
Pricing
Let’s start with the pricing of these 3 fitness devices. Fitbit Inspire is the cheapest of all three fitness bands and it is only available for $70 which is a very affordable price tag. Fitbit Inspire HR is a bit expensive than the Fitbit Inspire and you can get Fitbit Inspire HR for just $100.
On the other hand, Fitbit Charge 4 is the latest fitness band by the company and it comes with some great features which result in a higher price tag.
You can get the Fitbit Charge 4 for $150. So, if you are looking for the cheapest band then it is Fitbit Inspire and if you want a feature-rich Fitness band then Charge 4 is an ideal option for you. Before you make your mind, let’s take a look at other aspects of these bands.
Design & Material Choices
If we look at the design of Fitbit & Inspire HR, it is very similar. In fact, if we put both devices together without their bands, you won’t be able to tell the difference. Fitbit Inspire & Inspire HR comes with a simple design and both devices have plastic housing.
However, when it comes to bands, the company uses the softer and flexible band with the traditional buckle for the Inspire HR. On the other hand, Fitbit Inspire comes with a bit rigid plastic band with buckle and clasp closure.
On the other hand, Fitbit Charge 4 comes with almost a similar design but is looks more premium because the company has used the aerospace-grade aluminum case on it. Also, it comes with corning gorilla glass 3 display which means it can handle minor scratches. The band on Charge 4 is also soft and it comes with traditional buckle.
So, in terms of design, all three fitness bands look almost the same but in terms of materials choices, Charge 4 is the clear winner.
Display
The display quality of all three panels is very similar. The company uses the Gray-scale OLED Panels for all three fitness bands. Grayscale panels offer better readability but they usually suffer in the daylight.
The screen resolution for the Fitbit charge 4 varies from the other two bands on this list. The screen resolution on Fitbit Inspire & Inspire HR is 128 x 72 pixels. While the Charge 4 comes with the 160 x 100 Pixel resolution which means the display quality will be much better on the Charge 4.
So, if you want a fitness band with a good quality display then Fitbit Charge 4 is a clear option for you.
Dimensions & Depth
When it comes to the Dimensions & Depth, all three devices come with slightly different dimensions and depth figures. However, the difference between these fitness bands is in millimeters so you won’t be able to tell the difference.
| Fitbit Inspire | Fitbit Inspire HR | Fitbit Charge 4 | |
| Dimensions | 37 mm x 16.2 mm | 37 mm x 16.2 mm | 35.8 mm x 22.7 mm |
| Depth | 12.3 mm | 12.6 mm | 12.5 mm |
Sensors
One of the major differences between the Inspire, Inspire HR, and Charge 4 is the number of Sensors they come with. Charge 4 is an advanced fitness band and it comes with a wide range of sensors that make it more capable.
| Sensors | Fitbit Inspire | Fitbit Inspire HR | Fitbit Charge 4 |
| Optical Heart Rate | No | Yes | Yes |
| 3-axis Accelerometer | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Altimeter | No | No | Yes |
| SPO2 Sensor | No | No | Yes |
| Vibration Motor | Yes | Yes | Yes |
As you can see in the above table, Fitbit Charge 4 comes with more sensors which will help you track various activities. So, in terms of sensors, Fitbit Charge 4 is the clear winner here.
Water Resistance
Water Resistance is the major feature for the fitness bands because we mostly use them for workouts and exercises that come with a lot of sweat. Luckily, all these 3 bands come with the water resistance which means that the sweat won’t harm the devices.
Fitbit Inspire, Inspire HR and Fitbit Charge 4 comes with 5 ATM water resistance and you can also use these bands for swimming. These bands are waterproof for up to 50 meters.
In terms of water resistance, all three bands have the same water resistance level so no one is the winner in this segment.
Weight & Durability
When it comes to weight, Fitbit Inspire & Fitbit Inspire HR shares a similar design and their weight is also the same which is 20g. On the other hand, Fitbit Charge 4 is a bit heavier due to its aluminum build and it weighs 30g.
If we compare these fitness bands in terms of durability then Fitbit Charge 4 is more durable as compared to Fitbit Inspire and Inspire HR because of its aluminum build. The Fitbit Inspire and Inspire HR also have good build quality but as the main case is made of plastic, it isn’t as durable as Charge 4.
So, if in terms of weight, Fitbit Inspire & Fitbit Inspire HR are lighter than the Charge 4 but they are not as durable as the Charge 4.
Battery Performance
Battery Performance is one of the major factors which decide if a particular fitness device is good for you or not. The Fitbit Inspire & Inspire HR both come with the same battery size and both offer up to 5 days of battery life. Both devices also use a similar charger which is a USB (Type A) charger with the plug on the one end and the magnetic attachment on the other hand. The charger is capable of fully recharge the Inspire & Inspire HR to 100% without 2 hours.
On the other hand, Fitbit Charge 4 comes with a slightly better battery life and it boasts up to 7 days of battery life without GPS and normal usage. If you turn on the GPS then the battery life will be reduced to 5 days. Charge 4 comes with a bigger battery and it needs the 1-2 hours to fully charge the battery.
So, if you are finding the fitness band with better battery life among these three bands then it would be Fitbit Charge 4.
Health Features
Fitbit is known for its great health features and all three bands come with a variety of great health features that will help you stay fit. Let’s start with the Health features you get in Fitbit Inspire.
Fitbit Inspire is the cheapest of the bunch and it also comes with limited health features. In Fitbit Inspire, you get the following features.
- Steps & Activity Tracking
- Calories Burning
- Sleep Tracking
- Female Health Tracking
Fitbit Inspire HR comes with a slightly higher price tag but it also comes with more health features. It comes with the following features.
- Steps & Activity Tracking
- Calories Burning
- Sleep Tracking
- Female Health Tracking
- Sleep Stages
- Guided Breathing Sessions
Fitbit Charge 4 is an advanced fitness tracker and it also comes with better features than the Inspire and Inspire HR. Charge 4 comes with the following features.
- Steps & Activity Tracking
- Calories Burning
- Sleep Tracking
- Female Health Tracking
- Sleep Stages
- Floors Climbed
- Guided Breathing Sessions
- Active Zone Minutes
As you can see that Charge 4 comes with more health features and it is the clear winner here. However, Inspire HR also comes with a decent number of features.
Exercise Features
A good fitness band should come with a variety of exercise features that will help you with tracking your workout. These 3 fitness bands come with a variety of exercise features and in this section, we will take a look at exercise features of each band.
Fitbit Inspire comes with the basic exercise features and you can literally count its features on your fingertips because it comes with only two Exercise features. It can recognize when you are exercising and start tracking the activity but it doesn’t have a profile for each exercise which is not as efficient as profile-based tracking. It also comes with move reminders so if you are sitting in one place for a longer period, it will remind you to move.
On the other hand, Inspire HR & Charge 4 comes with a variety of exercise features and both bands share similar exercise features. Inspire HR & Charge 4 comes with the following features.
- Exercise Recognition
- Move Reminders
- Swim Tracking
- More than 20 Exercise Modes
- 24/7 Heart Rate Monitoring
- Cardio Fitness Levels.
In terms of Exercise features, Inspire HR & Charge 4 are at a similar level so this comparison will result in a tie.
GPS Tracking
GPS Tracking is another very important factor that many people use to keep the record of their route for activities. Unfortunately, Fitbit Inspire doesn’t come with any GPS tracker so it won’t be able to track your movement.
Fitbit Inspire HR comes with a connected GPS feature which means that it doesn’t come with a dedicated GPS sensor and it uses the GPS sensor on your smartphone to keep the track record. So, if you want your device to keep the track of your route then you will need to carry your smartphone with you.
Fitbit Charge 4 comes with the built-in GPS tracker which allows the device to track your route and maintain detailed stats on the device. It also doesn’t require you to carry the smartphone with you so you can go for cycling, running, or walking without carrying your smartphone.
So, if you want an effective GPS tracking on your device then Charge 4 is the ideal option for you.
Additional Features: SPO2 Sensor
Fitbit Charge 4 is also equipped with the Advanced SPO2 Sensor which basically monitors the Oxygen levels in your blood.
Want to know more about blood oxygen? Check out one of my latest posts which is about the best smartwatches with oxygen sensors.
It is a very useful metric which can timely indicate if your body is having any trouble related to breathing or lungs. If you experience the big changes in your Blood Oxygen levels that it is an indicator that something is not right and you should rush to the hospital. If the changes are smaller than it is a good sign.
What is Active Zone Minutes?
Fitbit has recently introduced a new fitness metric which is known as “Active Zone Minutes”. It basically tracks your heart rate in the targeted zone and tracks your progress to the goal of 150 minutes per week.
Many health organizations such as the World Health Organization (WHO), Centers for Disease Control (CDC), and the American Heart Association recommends a minimum of 150 minutes per week.
Charge 4 comes with this unique feature and it is not available in Fitbit Inspire or Inspire HR. Charge 4 calculates the targeted heart rate zones based on your age and resting heart rate. The watch also automatically recalculates these zones as your fitness level improves.
Conclusion
That’s all folks. I hope you will find this comparison useful and you will use it to find the next Fitbit device for you. If you are looking for a budget fitness band then Fitbit Inspire is the best option for you.
If you are looking for a feature-rich fitness band and budget isn’t an issue for you then Fitbit Charge 4 is an ideal option for you.
If you are looking for a good fitness band under $100 then the Fitbit Inspire HR is the best option for you. If you have any questions, please let me know in the comment section below. Also, visit the website for more useful guides.
As a professional trainer and a gadget lover, I’ve spent a lot of money and time buying wearable activity trackers, smartwatches, and gadgets, and checking them out. My site is focused on helping you with your activity tracking and smart technology journey. I try to provide the most helpful updated content on this subject. Hopefully, you will love my blogs and be a regular around here.
