Fitbit offers one of the most user-friendly fitness applications available. However, some of its functionalities are locked behind a paywall. Are they truly worth the expense? Continue reading to discover more.
Fitbit’s mobile application
The mobile application from Fitbit is impressive. Navigating through it is intuitive, and all the features are relatively easy to locate. The software provides an abundance of information yet does not overwhelm you.
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All fundamental features are available for free. This encompasses tracking steps, distance, calories, physical activities, and sleep. Additionally, you receive other beneficial features at no charge.
What is Fitbit Premium?
So what specific features are locked behind the subscription? What can you expect for the $9.99 you’re required to pay monthly or $79.99 annually? More importantly, are these extra offerings justified?
Fitbit Premium was launched in late 2019. It signifies the company’s initiative to diversify its revenue streams beyond hardware sales. Now, in conjunction with Google, this subscription level is also incorporated into the Google Pixel Watch.
With a subscription, you gain access to more comprehensive personal insights, advanced sleep functionalities, and an extensive range of workouts and meditations. Furthermore, you unlock additional information in the Health Metrics Dashboard alongside gaining access to recipes and meal strategies.
Here’s a breakdown.
What additional benefits do you receive with Fitbit Premium?
Advanced insights and Wellness report
The name says it all. Advanced insights provide just that—more tailored information that analyzes your metrics and makes connections. The application thoroughly investigates your sleep, activity, and heart rate data to deliver actionable recommendations. While you do receive these insights without a subscription, these are significantly enhanced.
Additionally, there is a feature known as the Wellness report. This compiles your data from the previous month and presents it in an easily digestible format. The report can be saved as a PDF for convenient viewing or printing, and you can also share it with your healthcare provider or personal trainer. It contains everything, including stats and graphs regarding your heart health, weight (if you have a connected scale), sleep, and activity levels.
Enhanced sleep tools
Fitbit’s sleep statistics are quite detailed. If you possess a heart rate monitoring device, you receive insights on Light, Deep, and REM sleep stages. The app offers personalized guidance, and you can set bedtime and wake-up goals; reminders to maintain your schedule, alongside a sleep schedule history to track your development.
With the Premium Subscription, this feature is taken a step further. You will receive a granular breakdown of your Sleep Score. For instance, last night my score was 66 points for my nightly rest. Clicking on this number indicated that 33 points (out of a maximum of 50) were allocated for the duration of my sleep session, 17 points (out of a possible 25) for Deep and REM sleep, and 16 points (out of a potential 25) for Restoration (which evaluates how restful or disturbed I was by assessing my sleeping heart rate).
The recommendations for enhancing your sleep quality are also more detailed and tailored with the Premium subscription.
Workouts
The next addition in the Premium package consists of Workouts. These are exercise tutorials and videos designed to refresh your routine. They incorporate content from Fitbit, Daily Burn, Pop Sugar, barre3, and others. In the free version, you only obtain workout previews.
Mindfulness
The final added feature aims to help you remain relaxed. This includes a collection of calming sounds for guided meditations, sourced from various outlets.
Health Metrics Dashboard
The Health Metrics Dashboard continues to be a vital feature for Fitbit users, providing visuals that track metrics such as skin temperature, oxygen levels, heart rate variability, respiratory rate, and resting heart rate.
In its free version, you can review a one-week snapshot of these metrics. Premium subscribers have access to extended trends, including monthly and yearly analyses. For those who appreciate long-term data tracking, this could be a valuable aspect, although many argue that these functionalities should be included in the basic version.
What is the cost of Fitbit Premium? Is it worth it?
The Premium subscription is priced at $9.99 monthly or $79.99 yearly. For the majority of users, the comprehensive sleep analytics and guided programs are nice perks but not necessary. Previously, the Readiness Score was only accessible in this premium tier, but it is now available to all users.
It’s important to mention that many social media users believe the price is not warranted, although some find value in the enhanced sleep tracking, health analytics, workouts, and guided meditations. Moreover, it may be beneficial for newcomers, individuals seeking to enhance their routine, or those requiring extra motivation.
However, let’s be honest. The additional sleep insights, mindfulness activities, and challenges are more of a bonus than a necessity for many individuals. Thus, if you do not intend to utilize these features to their fullest potential, subscribing may not be sensible. In our opinion, it would be more justified if the price were reduced by half. Alternatives such as Garmin or Apple provide robust functionalities without necessitating a subscription, which may be worth evaluating.
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