Fitbit Versa 2 vs. Fitbit Charge 4: Which Fitbit should you get?

The Fitbit Versa 2 and the Fitbit Charge 4 are among the best fitness trackers we’ve tested over the past few years. While both are now outdated models — the most up-to-date Versa is the Fitbit Versa 4, and we're now on the Fitbit Charge 5, but if you've come across a cheap deal on the Versa 2 or the Charge 4, you might be wondering which to buy.  

Both are excellent choices if you’re in the market for a fitness tracker, but there are several reasons why one might be better for you than the other. This Fitbit Versa 2 vs Fitbit Charge 4 face-off should help those torn between which of these best Fitbits they should buy.

Looking for a more up-to-date model? Read our Fitbit Charge 4 vs Fitbit Charge 5 face-off here, as well as our Fitbit Charge 5 vs Fitbit Inspire 3 face-off. 

Fitbit Versa 2 vs Fitbit Charge 4: Specs compared

Fitbit Versa 2 vs. Fitbit Charge 4: Price

As one of the Fitbit’s few smartwatch models, the Fitbit Versa 2 sits at the high end of company’s pricing. With a starting tag of $199.95, its cost aligns with that of the 2-year-old Apple Watch Series 3. So not only is the Versa 2 one of the best smartwatches you can buy — it’s one of the best cheap smartwatches around, too.

Yet the Fitbit Charge 4 undercuts the Versa 2 by $50, and sometimes more thanks to the best Fitbit deals.

Winner: Fitbit Charge 4

Fitbit Versa 2 vs. Fitbit Charge 4: Design and display

The Fitbit Versa 2 and Fitbit Charge 4 satisfy different design standards — the Charge 4 is the classic, uniform Fitbit band while the Versa 2 adopts the techy "squircle" shape of a certain popular Apple smartwatch.  

As a result the sportier Fitbit Charge 4’s 1-inch display is more subtle, though less intuitive to navigate than the sharper Versa 2’s 1.4-inch touchscreen. The Versa 2 also has a useful button on its left side that serves as both a Select and Back button.

The Charge 4’s grayscale display is less compelling than the Fitbit Versa 2’s color AMOLED one, too. All in all, we favor the versatility of the Versa 2’s design and display for everyday wear, but you can add your personality to either with Fitbit’s swappable bands. 

Winner: Fitbit Versa 2

Fitbit Versa 2 vs. Fitbit Charge 4: Health and fitness features

The Versa 2 and Charge 4 are both vehicles for Fitbit’s esteemed collection of sensors, fitness metrics and health initiatives. No matter which you own, you’ll be able to check your heart rate, track your calorie burn mid-workout, keep tabs on your cycle and see how well (or poorly) you sleep.

Both are compatible with Fitbit Premium, too. The $9.99 per month subscription service provides personalized workouts, health and sleep insights and coaching from trainers. 

That’s where the fitness similarities end. New and exclusive for the Charge 4 is Fitbit’s Active Zone Minutes metric. Active Zone Minutes monitors the time you spend in the fat burn, cardio or peak heart-rate zones while exercising. Your goal is to earn the AHA’s and WHO’s recommended 150 Active Zone Minutes each week.

There is a more deciding difference between the Versa 2 and Charge 4, though — only the Charge 4 offers on-board GPS, meaning you can leave your phone at home when you go on a run and still track things like your route or pace. The Versa 2, rather requires your phone for guided workouts. You’ll also need to start workouts from your watch if you want to see your metrics on the screen in real-time.

Winner: Fitbit Charge 4

Fitbit Versa 2 vs Fitbit Charge 4: Battery life

Compared to other fitness trackers, the Fitbit Versa 2’s battery life is fairly standard. It touts 4 to 5 days for general use, and about 2 days if you use its always-on display feature. However, by smartwatch standards, that’s pretty good. The Apple Watch only manages 18 hours, while the Samsung Galaxy Watch Active 2 gets around up to 2 1/2 days depending on workouts and display settings.

The Fitbit Charge 4’s 7-day battery life blows the Fitbit Versa 2 away. Of course, actively using GPS will zap that to a mere 5 hours, but even if you run several times a week you shouldn’t have to juice up the Charge 4 more than once every couple of days.

Winner: Fitbit Charge 4

Fitbit Versa 2 vs Fitbit Charge 4: Apps and smart features

You won’t find as many app choices on the Fitbit Versa 2 as are on the watchOS or Wear OS app stores, but popular programs like Starbucks and Uber are available.

The key Versa 2 advantage is Alexa — Amazon’s voice assistant — built-in. With the Versa 2, you can access the best Alexa skills, like hearing the weather and controlling your smart home devices, right on your wrist. You can even look like James Bond while doing so.

The Fitbit Charge 4 is more basic in this area. Sure, it supports smartphone notifications like the Versa 2, but it favors fitness tracking over communication and productivity.

Winner: Fitbit Versa 2

Fitbit Versa 2 vs Fitbit Charge 4: Music storage and playback

The Fitbit Versa 2 supports storage of up to 300 songs for offline music playback and lets you pair headphones, so you can listen to tunes while you run. It also comes with a Spotify app (for Spotify Premium subscribers), for controlling playback on the watch when you have your phone with you.

The Charge 4 offers Spotify controls as well, but you’ll need to have your smartphone nearby to use them. It doesn’t have on-board storage for offline playback.

Winner: Fitbit Versa 2

Fitbit Versa 2 vs Fitbit Charge 4: Verdict

By our calculations the Fitbit Versa 2 narrowly edges out the Fitbit Charge 4, but the standings are too close to call one the clear winner. There are advantages to both wearables.

If you’re searching for a device that will complement your fitness goals, the Charge 4’s excellent battery life and competitive price make it a better choice for you than the Versa 2. For $150, you’ll get a bonafide GPS watch suited for all your favorite activities. 

But if you’re interested in a wearable closer to the Apple Watch, the $200 Fitbit Versa 2 is the stronger option. You’ll get all of Fitbit’s best health features, plus the ability to summon Amazon’s Alexa with the raise of your wrist.