Fitbit vs. WHOOP: Finding Your Wearable of Choice
By: Tara Hally
Tags: Consumer, Fitness, Technology, Wellness, Workout

Photo by Andres Urena on Unsplash

G lobal Fitness Trackers market size was estimated to be $30.41bn in 2019 and is expected to reach $91.98bn by 2027, which exhibits growth at a CAGR of 15.2%.

All around the world, companies are seeking a stake in the fitness wearables industry — a sector flooding with all forms of players — from established technology corporations to fitness-focused startups.

However, they seem to be onto something…

According to an August 2020 report published by Fortune Business Insights¹, the Global Fitness Trackers market size was estimated to be $30.41bn in 2019 and is expected to reach $91.98bn by 2027, which exhibits growth at a compounded annual growth rate (CAGR) of 15.2% over the forecast period (2020–2027). The expected growth of this market provides an attractive opportunity for both product development and financial investment in the near future.

Not only are the number of available products growing rapidly, but the function of these products will continue to vary, emphasizing different niche health goals — sleep, movement, glucose monitoring, heart rate. As a fitness and health enthusiast, I am always interested in the evolution of these products. Recently, I switched from Fitbit Inspire to WHOOP as my “fitness wearable of choice,” in an attempt to find a product that better aligns with my personal wellness journey.

For readers wondering which of these products they best align with, here are some tips based on my experience:

When should you get a Fitbit?

You are less connected to your phone

Fitbit watch faces contain a clock and summary of your performance (such as steps taken, calories burned, and minutes exercised). For those who like to take breaks from picking up their phone, they can still track this meaningful data right from their wrist.

WHOOP does not contain a watch face, which requires checking the app from time to time, in order to monitor your daily metrics.

Your job requires more movement

Step counting can be a fun and competitive way to keep yourself active, however, it can be a bit frustrating for users with a sedentary job or lifestyle. A good Peloton ride can be just as beneficial as an outdoor walk, but it may leave you feeling like you “let down” your wearable friend.

For users who can reap the benefits of step counting throughout the day, through a more active job or lifestyle (think nurses or teachers), Fitbit provides a great source of motivation to get to your daily step goal.

WHOOP does not contain a step count feature, which for sedentary workers may provide a source of relief, knowing there are other ways to encourage physiological health benefits.

Simplicity is important

Whether it be your first or tenth trial fitness wearable, Fitbit seems to attract and benefit customers that value simplicity in their fitness routines. Skip the bells and whistles — this product is easy to use, with a simple design, and collects necessary data to inform its users of relevant health outcomes.

When should you get a WHOOP?

You have trouble relaxing

WHOOP’s data collection recognizes “daily strain” as a key performance indicator. While it can be motivating to continue to maximize your daily strain, WHOOP users are also encouraged to obtain a certain level of recovery, either from a long sleep at night or less strain the following day. This will keep the gym-rats in check and remind them that recovery is just as important as performance, in order to sustain effective workouts.

You are interested in sleep performance

WHOOP collects a ton of data while you are sleeping to analyze your sleep performance and provide feedback on sleep quality. Some features include Time in Bed, Disturbances, Efficiency, Respiratory Rate, and Sleep Latency. This will help users identify which factors contribute to more a restful, deep sleep, and which factors may not (sugar and alcohol for me!)

Fitbit does provide “sleep scores” for users, but I find that the tracking is relatively inconsistent, and the amount of data does not compare to the analysis mentioned above.

You participate in a variety of fitness activities

WHOOP allows users to track a monstrously wide variety of activities including things Australian football, basketball, climbing, coaching, commuting, gaming, manual labor, meditation, wrestling. No daily activity will be left unaccounted for with the WHOOP, and each activity will be analyzed to track its contribution to your daily activity strain.