Fitbit Inspire HR vs Charge 3 – 5 Key Differences

With the release of the Inspire duo; the Inspire HR and Inspire, Fitbit fans now have a cheaper alternative to the Charge 3 that was released in 2018. All three trackers are fitness-focused and well equipped to track your active life, but the Charge 3 is more equipped with an altimeter, SpO2 sensor, and NFC chip which the Inspire HR lacks, and that explains the huge difference in prices. Meanwhile, Fitbit Inspire is a lower-end version of the Inspire HR that lacks heart rate tracking, preloaded sport modes, and connected GPS ability. In this post, we take a look at the differences between the Fitbit Inspire HR vs Charge 3 to help make a more informed decision.

Fitbit Inspire HR vs Charge 3 Specifications Compared

Which is Better?

The Inspire HR and Charge 3 are the same in many instances. Both have a plastic resin build paired with replaceable silicone straps. Both are also very compact and lightweight. The display type is also the same, except that the screen of the Inspire HR is tinted to complement the color of the case. This however doesn’t change the fact that it has a monochrome OLED display.

In the fitness section, both smartbands are equipped to track your steps, calories, sleep in four stages, and heart rate. Both trackers also come with 15 preloaded sports modes and feature a breathing app that can help you reduce stress by guiding you through a breathing session. These two also lack inbuilt GPS, but however, can still map your routes and locations as long as you carry your phone along.

And with any of these two, you will get alerted when you receive a message on your phone. Notification alert has to be enabled in the Fitbit app and your phone must be nearby to receive message alerts.

These are all the similarities between Charge 3 and Inspire HR. Now let’s take a look at the differences.

• While each of these two will alert you when you receive a message on your phone, only Charge 3 will allow you to reply to messages with preset quick replies. You get to select from a maximum of 5 preset replies which are also customizable.
• The Charge 3 features an altimeter that enables it to count floors climbed. This is not possible with Inspire HR.
• The Charge 3 can also monitor your blood oxygen during sleep which you can view from the Fitbit app when you wake up.
• Furthermore, the Charge 3 has a slightly longer battery life than Inspire HR. It gets you about 7 days of battery life compared to 5 days with the Inspire HR.
• The special edition of the Charge 3 is equipped with an NFC chip that enables Fitbit Pay – a non-contactless payment system that allows you to make payments directly from the tracker without your card.

Bottom line: Although quite more expensive, the Charge 3 is a more comprehensive smartwatch with NFC that supports Fitbit Pay. It’s also a more comprehensive activity tracker with an altimeter and SpO2 sensor, this enables it to count floors climbed as well as measure your blood oxygen during sleep. It also has longer battery life.

On the flip side, the Inspire HR is a cheaper alternative.