Fitbit: How Much Does It Cost and Is the Premium Subscription Still Worth It?

Fitbit: How Much Does It Cost and Is the Premium Subscription Still Worth It?

So, you’re looking at your wrist and realizing it’s finally time. Maybe your old tracker is held together by tape, or maybe you just finally decided to see why everyone talks about their "sleep score" like it’s a grade on a midterm. You want a Fitbit. But then you look at the store page and realize Google—who owns them now—has about six different options that all look kinda the same but have wildly different price tags.

Honestly, the "how much does a Fitbit cost" question is a bit of a moving target. You can spend $70 on a basic band that’ll survive a trip to the pool, or you can drop nearly $300 on a smartwatch that basically acts like a tiny doctor on your arm.

And then there's the subscription. Yeah, that $10-a-month "Premium" thing. It’s the elephant in the room.

Fitbit: How much does it cost right now?

Prices fluctuate more than my heart rate during a horror movie, but as of early 2026, the lineup has settled into a few specific buckets. If you're looking for the bare-bones experience, you're looking at the Fitbit Inspire 3. It’s the entry-level gateway drug of fitness trackers.

You can usually snag an Inspire 3 for around $70 to $99, depending on if Amazon is having a random Tuesday sale. It’s small. It’s light. It doesn't have built-in GPS (it steals the GPS from your phone), but it stays alive for like 10 days without a charge. For most people just trying to hit 10,000 steps, this is plenty.

Then you have the Fitbit Charge 6. This is arguably the "sweet spot." It usually retails for $159, though I've seen it drop to $118 at places like Walmart and Target lately. This one actually has GPS inside it. That means you can go for a run without your bulky phone flapping around in your pocket and still see a map of where you went. It also brought back the physical side button, which—thank god—makes it way easier to use when your fingers are sweaty.

📖 Related: How to clean Roomba sensors without breaking them

The Smartwatch Tier: Versa and Sense

If you want something that looks like an actual watch and not a rubber band, you move up to the Versa or the Sense.

  • Fitbit Versa 4: Expect to pay about $140 to $199. It’s basically a fitness tracker in a fancy suit. It does phone notifications and has a big, pretty screen.
  • Fitbit Sense 2: This is the big kahuna. It’s usually priced at $249, but you can often find it on sale for $189. Why the extra cash? It has sensors for everything. It measures your skin temperature, your stress levels via sweat (cEDA), and even has an ECG app to check your heart rhythm.

Don't forget the "Hidden" costs

Buying the hardware is only half the battle. This is where Google really wants your lunch money. Every new Fitbit comes with a 6-month trial of Fitbit Premium. After that? It’s $9.99 per month or $79.99 per year.

You don't need it to see your steps or your heart rate. But if you want the "Daily Readiness Score"—the thing that tells you if you should hit the gym or stay on the couch—you have to pay up. Without Premium, you also lose access to long-term sleep trends and the fancy workout videos.

Is it worth it? Honestly, for most casual users, no. But if you’re a data nerd who wants to see exactly how that third glass of wine wrecked your REM sleep, you might find yourself stuck in the subscription loop.

The Google Pixel Factor

We have to talk about the Google Pixel Watch 3. Since Google bought Fitbit, the lines have blurred. The Pixel Watch 3 uses all the Fitbit tech for its health tracking, but it’s a full-blown "smart" watch with apps and LTE.

💡 You might also like: Forwarding Text Messages: The Easiest Ways to Move Chats Between Phones

It starts at around $249 to $349. If you’re already looking at the Sense 2, you might find yourself wondering why you wouldn't just spend the extra $50 to get a watch that can actually text back properly and run Google Maps like a pro. The catch? The battery life on the Pixel Watch is... not great. You’ll be charging it every night, whereas a "normal" Fitbit like the Charge 6 lasts a full week.

Which one should you actually buy?

If you’re paralyzed by choice, here’s the reality.

Most people should just buy the Charge 6. It’s the best balance of "not too expensive" and "has all the features you actually use." If you’re buying a gift for a kid or a grandparent who just wants to see the time and their steps, get the Inspire 3. It’s cheap, it works, and you won't be heartbroken if it gets lost at summer camp or left in a gym locker.

Stay away from the older models like the Charge 5 or Versa 3 unless they are deeply discounted (under $80). They’re getting older, and the software updates are starting to slow down.

Actionable steps for your wallet:

  1. Check the sales cycles: Fitbits almost always go on sale during Mother’s Day, Prime Day, and Black Friday. If it's mid-October, just wait two weeks; you'll save $40.
  2. Evaluate the subscription early: Use that 6-month free trial of Premium. Set a calendar reminder for 5 months and 29 days from now. If you haven't looked at your "Readiness Score" in a month, cancel it before they bill you the $80.
  3. Refurbished is a gamble: You can find "renewed" Fitbits for 40% off, but since these devices are glued shut for water resistance, the batteries in refurbished units are hit-or-miss. Stick to new or "Open Box" from reputable retailers like Best Buy.

At the end of the day, a Fitbit is a tool. It won't make you fit just by sitting on your nightstand. Pick the one that fits your budget, wear it every day, and maybe take the stairs once in a while.