When comparing Fitbit Charge HR vs Fitbit Flex 2, the Slant community recommends Fitbit Flex 2 for most people. In the question“What are the best fitness trackers that pair with iPhones?” Fitbit Flex 2 is ranked 4th while Fitbit Charge HR is ranked 9th. The most important reason people chose Fitbit Flex 2 is:
The fitness tracker is completely waterproof and keeps track of your laps, pace, and total duration of your swim.
Specs
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Pros
Pro Continuously measures your heart rate and intensity level to give you 24 hour stats
Throughout the day (and night), the Charge HR fitness tracker continuously measures your heart rate.
On the app, graphs show your heart rate throughout the day, providing stats such as time spent in the different zones (peak, cardio, and fat burn) as well as your average resting heart rate for that day.
Pro Can track your elevation so you know how high you've hiked
When connected to the GPS on your phone, the Charge HR is able to keep track of elevation. This is a great feature for hikers who often like to know how much elevation was gained over the course of the hike.
Pro The app and web platform do an excellent job of keeping you motivated
The Fitbit app lets you set goals and milestones which reward you with badges and trophies when reached.
You can also challenge friends and family, competing against them for top spot on the leader board.
Pro Compatible with nearly every smartphone
In addition to Android and iPhone support, the Charge HR fitness tracker also supports Windows Phone which is fairly rare.
While not an issue most of the time, when upgrading your phone you won't have to worry if your fitness tracker will work with it or not.
Pro Great option for swimmers
The fitness tracker is completely waterproof and keeps track of your laps, pace, and total duration of your swim.
Pro Sleek design fits a variety of occasions
The Flex 2 is a thin band all the way around that has a modern and sleek design. Since it isn't super sporty in appearance, you can confidently wear it for a lot of different occasions without it looking out of place.
Pro The app and web platform do an excellent job of keeping you motivated
The Fitbit app lets you set goals and milestones which reward you with badges and trophies when reached.
You can also challenge friends and family, competing against them for top spot on the leader board.
Pro Replaceable wristband with lots of options available
The fitness tracker itself is a separate part from the wristband that can be taken out and put in a different band. Therefore, not only are there 10 wristband colors to choose from on the official store, a different color of band can be worn every day with the same tracker. There are even custom bands available from third-party vendors.
Cons
Con Band is poorly made and tends to fall apart
Usually after a few months of wear, people start having issues with the band falling apart. Bubbles will appear under the top layer of the band and then the layers start separating.
The Fitbit Charge HR does not have a replaceable band, so you have to replace the whole device if it is no longer wearable.
Con Notifications are easily missed
While the Charge HR fitness tracker will vibrate to notify you of incoming messages on your phone, the vibration is subtle and short. Sometimes you won't notice the buzz and you'll miss the notification.
Con Stats aren't always accurate
While good enough for most users, the data can be skewed because of physical limits of the fitness tracker. For example, an elevated pulse may just be because you chugged back a coffee, but the Charge HR may interpret this as physical activity. Also, measuring a pulse and steps from the wrist can only be so accurate.
Con Underwhelming battery life
The fitness tracker's battery lasts about 3-4 days on average.
Con Can't be paired with external HR monitors
The Fitbit Flex 2 fitness tracker has no built in heart rate monitor and lacks the ability to pair with external HR monitors.
