Fitbit Charge 5 is the successor to the very popular Charge 4, it’s also the latest smartband from Fitbit, and it comes with high-end health tracking features such as ECG and the EDA stress app for measuring your stress. These are features only found on Fitbit Sense which is the most advanced Fitbit wearable device. The Charge 5 also comes in a more durable aluminum case as well as a more colorful AMOLED display while still retaining up to 7 days of battery life. We compare the differences between the Charge 4 vs 5, so you know what’s new and if it’s worth upgrading.
Table of Contents
Fitbit Charge 4 vs 5: Full Specifications Compared
Product Info |
![]() Fitbit Charge 4 Specifications, Features and Price |
![]() Fitbit Charge 5 Specifications, Features and Price |
---|---|---|
Price | $143.00 | $131.74 |
ABOUT DEVICE | ABOUT DEVICE | ABOUT DEVICE |
Device name | Fitbit Charge 4 | Fitbit Charge 5 |
Device type | Fitness smartband | Fitness smartband |
Gender | Unisex | Unisex |
Release date | March, 2020 | September, 2021 |
Predecessor | Fitbit Charge 3 | Fitbit Charge 4 |
Successor | — | — |
Versions | Fitbit Charge 4 (Special edition) | — |
BODY | BODY | BODY |
Dimension | 35.8 x 22.7 x 12.5 mm | 36.7 x 22.7 x 11.2 mm |
Weight | 27 grams | 28g |
Shape | Rectangular | Rectangular |
Case material | Plastic Resin | Aluminum |
Strap material | Elastomer | Silicone |
Bezel material | Plastic Resin | Aluminum |
Strap size | 140 – 180mm (small), 180 -220mm (big) | 140 – 180mm (small), 180 -220mm (big) |
Screen protection | Corning Gorilla Glass 3 | Corning Gorilla Glass 3 |
Water resistance | Yes, 5ATM | Yes, 5ATM |
Durability test | — | — |
Swim-proof | Yes, recommended | Yes, recommended |
Color | Black, Rosewood, Storm blue | Black/Graphite Stainless Steel strap, Lunar White/Soft-Gold Stainless Steel strap, Steel Blue/Platinum Stainless Steel strap |
DISPLAY | DISPLAY | DISPLAY |
Display size | 1.57 inches | 1.04 inches |
Display type | Monochromic, OLED | 450nits, AMOLED |
Display resolution | — | 0.86″ x 0.58″px |
Pixel density | — | 326 ppi |
Always on | No | Yes |
Custom watch face | Yes | Yes |
Input type | 1 Physical button, Touchscreen | Touchscreen |
CONNECTIVITY | CONNECTIVITY | CONNECTIVITY |
Bluetooth | Bluetooth v4.0 | Bluetooth v4.0 |
Bluetooth calling | No | No |
GPS | Yes | Yes |
NFC | Yes | Yes |
Wi-Fi | No | No |
MEMORY | MEMORY | MEMORY |
RAM | — | — |
ROM | — | — |
Memory card slot | No | No |
CELLULAR CONNECTIVITY | CELLULAR CONNECTIVITY | CELLULAR CONNECTIVITY |
Technology | None | None |
SIM type | None | None |
Band | — | — |
NOTIFICATIONS | NOTIFICATIONS | NOTIFICATIONS |
SMS alert | Yes | Yes |
Calls alert | Yes | Yes |
Email alert | Yes | Yes |
Event reminder | Yes | Yes |
Third-party apps alert | Yes | Yes |
MEDIA | MEDIA | MEDIA |
Audio | No | No |
Bluetooth music | No | No |
Loudspeaker | No | No |
Microphone | No | No |
Camera | No | No |
Radio | No | No |
SENSORS | SENSORS | SENSORS |
Accelerometer | Yes | Yes |
Altimeter | Yes | No |
Ambient light | No | Yes |
Barometer | No | No |
Compass | No | No |
ECG | No | Yes |
Gyroscope | — | No |
HRM | Yes | Yes |
Pulse oximeter (SpO2) | Yes | Yes |
Thermometer | No | Yes |
Other sensors | Vibration motor | EDA Stress sensor, Vibration motor |
ACTIVITY TRACKING | ACTIVITY TRACKING | ACTIVITY TRACKING |
Blood oxygen | Yes | Yes |
Blood Pressure | No | No |
Calories | Yes | Yes |
Distance | Yes | Yes |
ECG tracking | No | Yes |
Heart rate monitoring | Yes | Yes |
Sleep tracking | Yes | Yes |
Steps | Yes | Yes |
Floors climbed | Yes | No |
Stress | Yes | Yes |
Incidental fall detection | No | No |
Menstrual cycle | Yes | Yes |
VO2 Max | Yes | Yes |
Swim-tracking | Yes | Yes |
Underwater heart rate tracking | No | No |
On-screen workout | No | No |
Sport modes | 20 | 20 |
BATTERY | BATTERY | BATTERY |
Battery type | non-removable Lithium-polymer | non-removable Lithium-polymer |
Battery capacity | — | — |
Battery life | Regular: 7 days+, Standby:10 days+ | Regular: 7 days+, Standby:10 days+ |
Charging type | Charging dock | Charging dock |
Charging time | 2hrs | 2hrs |
Solar power | No | No |
PLATFORM | PLATFORM | PLATFORM |
Chipset | — | N/A |
CPU | — | N/A |
GPU | — | N/A |
Operating system | Fitbit OS | Fitbit OS |
MISC | MISC | MISC |
Companion app | Fitbit App | Fitbit App |
Compatibility | Android, iOS | Android, iOS |
Payment system | Fitbit Pay | Fitbit Pay |
Interchangeable strap | Yes | Yes |
Voice command | No | No |
Find my phone | Yes | Yes |
Box content | Charger, Fitbit Charge 4, Manual, Straps | Charger, Fitbit Charge 5, Manual, Straps |
Price | $143.00 | $131.74 |
Difference Between Fitbit Charge 4 vs 5 – What’s New?
- Design – Charge 5 has a more stylish and durable design
- Display – Charge 5 has a more colorful and brighter display
- Health Tracking Features – Charge 5 has more Health tracking features
- Battery Life
The first difference you will notice between Charge 4 and 5 is the appearance. Fitbit has decided to upgrade the design of the Charge 5 after 3 generations which I think is long overdue for a smartband that costs over $150. It comes in a smaller size that makes it even more compact and extraordinarily lightweight at 27g compared to 28g of Charge 4. The Charge 5 also has an aluminum case which is more durable than the resin material used for Charge 4.

Both Charge 4 and 5 are rated 5ATM which means these two are swim-proof up to 50 meters. So, you can wear any of these to the pool or ocean. So, as far as design is concerned, the Charge 5 is definitely a more durable device than Charge 4.
Another major difference between Charge 4 and 5 is the display quality. Before now, Charge 4 and other generations of the smartband always came with a monochrome OLED display which is to a great extent bright and easy to read. However, joining Versa 3, Sense, and the recent Luxe, the Charge 5 comes with an AMOLED display with up to 450nits brightness which is twice as bright as its predecessor.
The display is however only 1.04 inches wide which is smaller than 1.57 inches of Charge 4. Nevertheless, the Charge 5 display is more colorful and brighter.
While both smartbands are well equipped to track your sleep, heart rate, steps, calories, stress, and other fitness tracking features, the Charge 5 is a more comprehensive fitness tracker.
The Charge 5 is equipped with ECG and the EDA stress monitoring app which are not available on Charge 4. With ECG tracking present, the Charge 5 will allow you to measure ECG directly from your wrist and this can help you detect irregular heart rhythms. And with the EDA stress app, you can measure and monitor your stress level with Charge 5.
Both smartbands have inbuilt GPS that will allow you to track your outdoor routes and locations without having to carry your phone along. There are 20 preset sport modes on both devices as automatic activity tracking via SmartTrack
Despite having a brighter and more colorful display, the Charge 5 is still estimated to last up to 7 days which is similar to the battery life of Charge 4. I think the compromise here is the smaller display size.
Features Present in Charge 4 But Present in Charge 5
The Charge 5 no doubt has more features than the Charge 4, however for reasons best known to Fitbit, there are a few features present in the Charge 4 but not on the Charge 5. This is a great disappointment for consumers who already own the Charge 4 and looking to upgrade.
- Charge 5 lacks Altimeter
- Charge 5 Lacks Spotify Music Control
- Charge 5 Lacks Breathing Exercise/ Relaxation App
The Charge 5 lacks an altimeter which is present in Charge 4. With an altimeter present in the Charge 4, it can count floors climbed. Nevertheless, the Charge 5 which has an inbuilt GPS can show you elevations data but not floors climbed and I think this is very unfortunate.
The Charge 4 has the ability to control Spotify music playing on your phone. However, with Charge 5, this feature has been dropped. Nevertheless, the Charge 5 can still control music playing on the Spotify app on your phone via the notification tab. Someone did a video on that, you can watch it here.
Even more, the breathing exercise app present on Charge 4 has been dropped from the Charge 5. To access the breathing exercise app, you will need to reach out to the Fitbit app on your phone. That’s to say, Fitbit expects you to carry your phone along every time you wear the Charge 5 which I think is somewhat ridiculous.
Fitbit Charge 4 vs 5 – Should You Upgrade?

However, if you want a more stylish smartband with more advanced health tracking features, then its worth upgrading to the Charge 5. Although, it will cost you a little more money.