Whoop 4.0 vs. Fitbit Charge 5: Exactly How Do They Compare?
The Fitbit Charge 5 and Whoop 4.0 have their respective users’ best interests at heart. After monitoring, scanning, and tracking all sorts of bodily functions during the day, they closely monitor your sleep before alerting you in the morning of the overall state of your body.
One has a touchscreen, while the other has no screen, but both are reliable trackers. Let’s discuss how the Fitbit Charge 5 and the Whoop 4.0 compare in the departments that matter for all trackers.
Fitbit Charge 5
Pros and Cons
FOR
- AMOLED full-color touchscreen display
- Many smartwatch features
- Tracks individual workouts
- Cheaper in the long run (no subscription costs)
- Very comfortable
AGAINST
- Battery drains quickly with GPS
- No altimeter to track height-related movements
- No upcycle program
- Requires Fitbit Premium for the best experience
- Screen glare in direct light
- No weather app
Whoop 4.0
Pros and Cons
FOR
- Strong focus on strain, recovery, and sleep
- It can charge while you wear it
- Doesn’t have to be worn on the wrist (but you have to purchase body gear)
- Excellent recovery and strain tracker
AGAINST
- No inbuilt GPS
- Won’t track your workouts in detail
- No screen
- No smartwatch features
- Expensive subscription
If you’re in the market for a sports band like Whoop, check out this article about Amazon Halo Band vs. Whoop 4.0.
Fitbit Charge 5 vs. Whoop 4.0: Display And Appearance
The Fitbit Charge 5’s display is an upgrade from the usual monochrome display used in previous models, and users are spoilt with an eye-catching AMOLED panel that operates in bright full color. Navigation is done via swiping or tapping on the display panel.
The Whoop 4.0 comprises a brand-new super knit band (available in a magnitude of colors) with an easily removable fast link slider. The added appeal of the Whoop is that you can attach it to different parts of your body for a more reliable reading. The Whoop 4.0 doesn’t feature a screen or display unit.
Fitbit Charge 5 vs. Whoop: Cost
Here’s the main difference in cost between the Fitbit Charge 5 and the Whoop 4.0; the Fitbit Charge 5 is a once-off amount whereas the Whoop 4.0 works on a subscription basis with a minimum 12-month membership.
At the time of writing this article, the Fitbit Charge 5 is retailing for USD $199 on Amazon whilst its retail price listed on Fitbit’s website is $150. You can check today’s price on Amazon here. The Charge 5 comes with a 6-month free subscription to Fitbit Premium, allowing for a more detailed experience, such as access to Fitbit’s Daily Readiness Score (DRS.) The monthly premium for Fitbit Premium after 6 months is $9.99.
The Whoop 4.0 is obtained by paying membership fees, and at the time of writing this article the following options are available to the consumer:
- 24-Month Membership: $480 upfront payment ($20 per month)
- Annual Membership: $300 upfront payment ($25 per month)
- Monthly Membership: $30 per month (minimum of 12 months)
Subscribing to a Whoop membership comes with access to the Whoop app. There’s no need to purchase new hardware, as the Whoop app is constantly updated with functionalities and features. However, should any new hardware be released, like the Whoop 5.0, for example, and you’re a loyal Whoop member, you will be eligible to upgrade to the new device.
Comparing the cost between the Fitbit Charge 5 and the Whoop 4.0 is simple. The Whoop 4.0 has a minimum membership of 12 months that you can pay directly via a $300 once-off payment or $30 per month which will work out to $360 per year.
The Fitbit Charge 5’s once-off payment of $150, or $120 depending on where you buy, becomes the cheaper option after 5 months should you pay an annual subscription for the Whoop 4.0.
Fitbit Charge 5 vs. Whoop 4.0: Battery Life And Charging
Fitbit claims a Charge 5 battery life of 7 days; however, when the always-on display is activated, when you max out the device’s brightness, paired with the built-in GPS, it may not make it to 7 days. No wireless charging options are available. The Fitbit Charge 5 is charged via a magnetic charging cable.
The Whoop 4.0 features the world’s first new battery technology with Sila’s silicone anode battery materials. Using these battery materials results in a 17% higher energy density than the Whoop 3.0 and is designed to last up to 5 days. The device is charged with a wireless charger, which means you can charge the Whoop 4.0 while wearing it. The Whoop battery pack is waterproof, and shower friendly.
Whoop 4.0: Strain, Recovery, And More
One of the most improved changes of the Whoop 4.0, compared to the Whoop 3.0, is the new heart rate sensor. The newest Whoop features 5 LEDs (3 green, 1 red, and 1 infrared) and can track heart rate variability (HRV), resting heart rate (RHR), respiratory rate, skin temperature, and blood oxygen levels.
Whoop, as a platform, is about measuring the amount of strain you put your body under (scored from 0 to 21) by monitoring your heart 24/7. After resting through the night, Whoop scores your recovery level out of 100% before indicating what your output levels should be for the rest of the day.
The Whoop 4.0 Strain is a metric measurement of the amount of physical and mental stress a person puts his body under by measuring rising heart rates and the time it stays elevated due to physical exertion, exercise, stress, anxiety, excitement, and when doing regular daily activities. The strain score is indicated as follows:
| Whoop Strain Score | Description |
|---|---|
| • 0 to 9.9 | • Light Strain |
| • 10 to 13.9 | • Moderate Strain |
| • 14 to 17.9 | • High Strain |
| • 18 to 21 | • All out |
Whoop 4.0 calculates your daily strain, indicating the individual strain when performing certain activities, before giving you a score for the day. The device then tracks the user’s sleep time, HRV, resting heart rate, and breathing rate before formulating a recovery score the next morning. The recovery score is presented as follows:
| Whoop Recovery Score | Description |
|---|---|
| • Green (67-100%) | • Well Recovered |
| • Yellow (34-66%) | • Body Maintaining |
| • Red (0-33%) | • Body Requires Rest |
The user’s strain score should be in line with the individual’s recovery score, and to maintain the balance between the two, Whoop 4.0 coaches the wearer, prompting for more or less exercise based on how well recovered the person is. The Whoop 4.0 features automatic exercise recognition for a range of physical activities.
The Health Monitor display on the Whoop app is where users get to see all of their vital health indicators in one place to help member spot any unexpected anatomical changes. The Health Monitor indicates whether the user’s health stats are within a normal range. The health indicators include:
- Heart Rate (Respiratory – Resting – Variability)
- Respiratory Rate
- Blood Oxygen Level (SpO2)
- HRV
- Skin Temperature
Users that want to share these metrics with a doctor, trainer, or any other healthcare specialist can download a PDF Health Report of their physical data (30- or 180-days report).
Fitbit Charge 5’s Fitness And Health Features
Fitbit describes the Charge 5 as a fitness and health tracker. Let’s see how it measures up regarding fitness tracking and exercise features. Here’s a list of fitness features of the Charge 5:
| Fitbit Charge 5 – Fitness Features | Description |
|---|---|
| • Exercise Modes | • 20 exercise modes that provide real-time data feedback |
| • Active Zone Minutes | • Guides the user to target heart rate zone ensuring intensity of workouts |
| • SmartTrack | • Motion sensors automatically recognize workouts and track them accordingly |
| • Cardio Fitness Level | • Measures the wearer’s VO2 output |
| • Workout Intensity Map | • Displays heart rate zones and pace of outdoor workout route |
| • All-Day Activity Tracking | • Measures all activity during the day, including calories, burned, steps, distance moved, and Active Zone Minutes |
| • Built-in GPS | • Phoneless way to track any outdoor exercise with solid stats |
| • Daily Readiness Score | • Fitbit Premium required: By taking stress scores, sleep scores, and level of activity into consideration, the app will either recommend a rest day or sweat session |
Aside from the obvious fitness benefits, the Fitbit Charge 5 plays a fundamental role in monitoring the user’s health. Here’s a list of the Charge 5’s health features:
| Fitbit Charge 5 – Health Features | Description |
|---|---|
| • ECG Sensor | • Keeps track of heart rate rhythms and can be used to alert the user of serious heart conditions, such as atrial fibrillation |
| • SpO2 Testing | • Measures blood oxygen levels and can help to indicate sleep disorders such as sleep apnea |
| • EDA Scan | • Scanners that monitor the wearer’s stress levels at certain intervals during the day |
| • Heart Rate Variability (HRV) | • Monitors heart rate with the goal of identifying signs of fatigue, stress, or illness, sending notifications when low or high |
| • Skin Temperature Tracking | • Body temperature variations measured while sleeping, alerting the user of possible fever or ovulation |
| • Menstrual Cycle Tracking | • Logs period details before estimating fertility window and ovulation day |
| • Breathing Rate | • Measures the wearer’s average breaths per minute |
| • Sleep Tracking | • Tracks user’s sleep patterns and determines the quality of sleep (Premium Membership gives the user more detailed information) |
| • Blood Glucose Tracking | • Allows the user to log blood sugar readings to view collectively over time (Premium Membership required) |
| • Daily Stress Score | • A detailed identification of what health aspects are contributing to the user’s stress levels (Premium Membership required) |
The fitness and health features that the Fitbit Charge 5 translates to its users are made possible by the following sensors found in the tracker’s design:
- Multipurpose Electrical Sensors: Allows the user to use the EDA Scan and ECG apps.
- SpO2 Sensors: Infrared and red sensors that measure the oxygen level in the user’s blood.
- Temperature Sensor: Tracks the temperature of the skin during the evening.
- Optical Heart Rate Monitor Sensor: This sensor continuously tracks your heart in real time while determining the average rest rate of the user’s heart, which helps to determine the cardio fitness level of the user.
- Additional Sensors: Accelerometer, built-in GPS, vibration motor, and radioreceptor for Bluetooth connection.
Fitbit Charge 5 vs. Whoop 4.0: Smart Features
When it comes to smart features, Fitbit Charge 5 is better than Whoop 4.0. You will be pleasantly surprised at how much you can do with a Fitbit Charge 5. Let’s discuss some of them:
- Receive Smartphone Notifications: Calls, texts, emails, and other notifications on your smartphone, pulls through to the Fitbit Charge 5 and you can read the majority of them on the tracker.
- Compatibility: The Fitbit Charge 5 is compatible with Android and IOS devices.
- Fitbit Pay: Adding a credit card or debit card to Fitbit Pay allows the wearer to pay for transit and goods at retail stores without their phone.
- Find My Phone: Fitbit Charge 5 can locate your phone by ringing it from the tracker.
- Do Not Disturb (Sleep Mode): When activated, the Fitbit Charge 5 will mute all notifications and calls, turning the screen off.
- Always On: Users can choose to keep the display on at all times; however, it will require more regular charging when this mode is activated.
- Clock Faces: Various clock displays to choose from ensure that the Fitbit Charge 5 always has a fresh and stylish look.
- Smart Wake: Alarm that wakes the wearer within 30 minutes of preferred wakeup time.
Fitbit Charge 5 vs. Whoop 4.0: Music
Unlike the Fitbit Charge 4.0, which was fitted with music controls and supported Spotify, the Charge 5 has no music options, which is a bit of a letdown for music lovers.
The Whoop 4.0 doesn’t feature any music options at all.
Fitbit Charge 5 vs. Whoop 4.0: GPS
The Fitbit Charge 5 features a built-in GPS that automatically tracks outdoor exercises, such as running and cycling, without needing a smartphone. The built-in GPS is a battery drainer of note; you can choose between using the Charge 5’s GPS or a smartphone’s GPS. When deciding to use the smartphone’s GPS, the data is transmitted to the tracker in any case.
The Whoop 4.0 doesn’t have an inbuilt GPS, and users need to rely on the GPS found in the Whoop app to track distance. Wi-Fi or cellular data is required to send the collected data from a Whoop to its servers for processing.
Fitbit Charge 5 vs. Whoop 4.0: Sleep Tracking
The Charge 5 monitors the wearer’s breathing while asleep, also monitoring the user’s heartbeat and blood oxygen levels before tracking the 4 stages of sleep (awake, REM, light, and deep.) A sleep score is then available on the Fitbit app the following morning. Subscribing to the Fitbit Premium Membership will unlock a more detailed sleep report and access to the Daily Readiness Score.
The Whoop 4.0 tracks the wearer’s respiratory rate, duration of rest, and the 4 stages of sleep. The app will also give some recommendations about how much sleep is required based on activity levels of previous days. Whoop’s Sleep Coach uses haptic alerts to wake the wearer simultaneously each day, with 3 alarm settings to gently and silently wake you up depending on sleep requirements and recovery status.
Fitbit Charge 5 vs. Whoop 4.0: Water Resistance
Fitness often includes splashing in the water, so it’s good to know that the Charge 5 is rated as waterproof up to 50 meters. The device has an operating temperature of 14-113°F.
But there’s a difference between Whoop and Fitbit when it comes to water rating. The Whoop 4.0 is also water-resistant and dustproof but the recommended depth is up to 10 meters, and time spent underwater should be limited to 2 hours. The Whoop band can be used in saltwater and chlorinated pool water.
Which is Better, Whoop or Fitbit?
Fitbit Charge 5 Is Better Than Whoop For Detailed Fitness Tracking
Many fitness-conscious people want a tracker that tracks specific fitness metrics such as the total steps, the distance covered, and the kilojoules lost, in addition to offering smart features. The Charge 5 is for the person who wants to see their progress in numbers and be challenged to work out but also wants a tracker that is an excellent heart and sleep metrics analyst and aesthetically beautiful.
Whoop Is Better Than Fitbit Charge 5 For Recovery, Strain, And Sleep Tracking
The Whoop 4.0 is focused on tracking 3 variables; strain, recovery, and sleep, with less of a focus on workout and fitness tracking metrics. The Whoop 4.0 is for people who want a device that monitors their overall health. Suggestions of how to become even healthier by indicating when to rest and when to push are what attract people to the metric-specific Whoop 4.0.
