Fitbit Edge or Fitbit Charge 6: which fitness tracker should you buy? While the choice may seem obvious to go with the newer model, several key factors may make the older option the better choice for you.
After all, the Fitbit Charge 6 is arguably one of the best fitness trackers ever made. How much better could the newer model be? We've barely gotten acquainted with the Fitbit Edge, but there's a lot to like, including support for Google's latest health and safety features and a comfortable, familiar design. Translation: It might well nab its predecessor's "best ever" crown.
To better understand the key differences between 2023's Fitbit Charge 6 and 2026's Fitbit Edge, here's a head-to-head breakdown of price, design, display, health and fitness, smart features, and battery life.
The Fitbit Edge is the spiritual successor to the Fitbit Charge 6, boasting a larger and brighter display, potentially improved outdoor elevation tracking, support for all of Google's latest health features, and improved physical controls. The design is equally comfortable, even if the case is a little larger. Bonus: The Edge comes in a wider array of styles with tons of accessories to boot.
The Fitbit Charge 6 may have debuted in 2023, but it's still a mighty well-rounded fitness tracker thanks to reliable performance indoors and outside, excellent battery life, and just the right amount of smart features. Easy to wear, it also boasts onboard GPS, so you don't need a smartphone for location-based fitness insights.
Fitbit Edge vs. Fitbit Charge 6: Cost
The Fitbit Edge costs $179 via Amazon and other major retailers, just $20 more than the Fitbit Charge 6's $159 launch price. For what it's worth, $159 in 2023, adjusted for inflation in 2026, is roughly $176.
Of course, you're unlikely to pay $159 for the Fitbit Charge 6 in 2026, especially with the arrival of its replacement. For example, you can buy the Charge 6 right now for just $124 at Walmart. Note: The Fitbit Edge is still in preorder, with units expected to ship at the end of October.
Winner: Fitbit Charge 6
Fitbit Edge vs. Fitbit Charge 6: Design
The Fitbit Charge 6 case weighs 15 g, compared to 17.7 g for the Fitbit Edge case. The newer model is also a bit larger and thicker than its predecessor (see exact dimensions in the table above).
Both devices sport a single button on the side of the case; however, they were not created equally. The Fitbit Charge 6 has a haptic button that vibrates when pressed, while the Fitbit Edge has a physical, clickable button, which I much prefer.
Ultimately, while the Fitbit Edge has more presence on the wrist than the Fitbit Charge 6, it still feels comfortable and uncumbersome. As a result, this one is a draw.
Winner: draw
Fitbit Edge vs. Fitbit Charge 6: Display
This one is easy: the Fitbit Edge has a 1.34-inch display compared to a 1.04-inch display on the Fitbit Charge 6. Both are reasonably bright AMOLED affairs, though the Edge's display appears to offer a higher maximum output, making it easier to view in daylight. This, coupled with the additional screen real estate, makes the Fitbit Edge easier to interact with (less squinting) than its predecessor.
Winner: Fitbit Edge
Fitbit Edge vs. Fitbit Charge 6: Specs compared
Fitbit Edge | Fitbit Charge 6 | |
|---|---|---|
Price | $179 | $159 |
Launch date | October, 2026 | September, 2023 |
Compatibility | Android, iOS | Android, iOS |
Dimensions | 39.2 x 25.6 x 11.6 mm | 36.7 x 23.1 x 11.2 mm |
Weight w/ strap | 32 g | 30 g |
Display | 1.34-inch AMOLED | 1.04-inch AMOLED |
Sensors | Heart rate, SpO2, Skin temp, ECG, Accelerometer, Gyroscope | Heart rate, SpO2, Skin temp, ECG, Accelerometer, Gyroscope |
GPS | Yes | Yes |
Altimeter | Yes | No |
NFC | No | Yes |
Battery life (rated) | Up to 7 days | Up to 7 days |
Water resistance | 50 meters | 50 meters |
Fitbit Edge vs. Fitbit Charge 6: Health and fitness
The Fitbit Edge and Fitbit Charge 6 support a lot of the same basic health tracking features, like continuous heart rate and skin temperature monitoring, ECG and Sp02 readings, cycle tracking, and daily sleep reports.
However, the newer model has several key advantages over its predecessor, including support for Google's newer insulin resistance and blood pressure trend reports. It also supports important health safety tools like breathing emergency alerts and loss of pulse detection.
Finally, when it comes to logging outdoor workouts, the Fitbit Edge has one more advantage over the Charge 6: an onboard barometric altimeter for precise elevation loss/gain tracking.
Winner: Fitbit Edge
Fitbit Edge vs. Fitbit Charge 6: Smart features
This may come as somewhat of a surprise, but the 2023 Fitbit model actually has more smart features than the 2026 model.
This may come as somewhat of a surprise, but the 2023 Fitbit model actually has more smart features than the 2026 model.
Sure, both the Edge and Charge 6 are capable of mirroring smartphone notifications from paired Android and iOS devices. You can also control media playback from a paired smartphone with either wearable.
However, only the Fitbit Charge 6 has NFC and support for Google Wallet, allowing on-wrist contactless payments. Why Google removed this useful tech on the Edge, I cannot say, but it is a bummer.
Winner: Fitbit Charge 6
Fitbit Edge vs. Fitbit Charge 6: Battery life
Both the Fitbit Charge 6 and Fitbit Edge promise up to seven days of battery life per charge. In reality, the former lasts for close to five or six days. I've yet to test the battery performance of the Edge, but it will be interesting to see whether or not it lives up to its advertised longevity better than its sibling.
A full battery recharge on the Fitbit Charge 6 takes roughly two hours compared to 90 minutes for the Fitbit Edge.
Winner: draw
Fitbit Edge vs. Fitbit Charge 6: Outlook
While the older Fitbit Charge 6 is more affordable and a little sleeker than the newer Fitbit Edge, it lacks support for many of Google's most exciting new health and safety features, like loss of pulse detection, breathing emergency alerts, and blood pressure trend reports.
The Edge also boasts a larger, brighter display than its predecessor, more user-friendly controls, and potentially improved performance when tracking outdoor workouts. Ultimately, the only major advantage the Charge 6 has over the Edge is support for NFC.
Overall winner: Fitbit Edge