What is the difference between Fitbit Sense, Versa 3, and 2? Should you upgrade? Which is the right choice for you? This post takes a critical analysis of the differences between these three to help you make a more informed decision. Remember, Fitbit had announced the Versa 3 alongside Fitbit Sense which has more health tracking features. Versa 3 which succeeds the Versa 2 comes with new features such as inbuilt GPS, loudspeaker, a larger display, and longer battery life. So also does the Fitbit Sense which in addition has an ECG, EDA stress, and body temperature sensor, and is an entirely new model. It’s the first Fitbit smartwatch to future ECG and body temperature sensor, in other words, it’s the most advanced fitness smartwatch from Fitbit. Compare these three on the basis of design, health tracking, battery life, media features, and price to find out the differences.
Fitbit Versa 2 vs Versa 3 vs Sense Full Specifications Compared
| Product Info |
 Fitbit Versa 2 Specifications, Features and Price |
 Fitbit Versa 3 Full Specifications, Features and Price |
 Fitbit Sense Full Specifications, Features and Price |
|---|---|---|---|
| Price | $124.50 | $154.95 | $145.00 |
| ABOUT DEVICE | ABOUT DEVICE | ABOUT DEVICE | ABOUT DEVICE |
| Device name | Fitbit Versa 2 | Fitbit Versa 3 | Fitbit Sense |
| Device type | Fitness/Sport smartwatch | Fitness/Sport smartwatch | Fitness/Sport smartwatch |
| Gender | Unisex | Unisex | Unisex |
| Predecessor | Fitbit Versa | Fitbit Versa 2 | — |
| Successor | — | Fitbit Versa 4 | Fitbit Sense 2 |
| Models | — | — | — |
| Date released | September, 2019 | September, 2020 | September, 2020 |
| DISPLAY | DISPLAY | DISPLAY | DISPLAY |
| Display size | 1.4 inches | 1.58 inches | 1.58 inches |
| Display type | AMOLED | AMOLED | AMOLED |
| Resolution | — | 336 x 336 pixel | 336 x 336 pixel |
| Pixel density | — | 300.7 PPI | 300.7 PPI |
| Customizable watchface | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Input type | 1 Physical button, Touchscreen | 1 Haptic button, Touchscreen | 1 Haptic button, Touchscreen |
| Always-On | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| BODY | BODY | BODY | BODY |
| Shape | Rectangular | Rectangular | Rectangular |
| Case material | Aluminum | Aluminum | Aluminum |
| Strap material | Silicone | Silicone | Silicone |
| Bezel material | Aluminum | Aluminum | Stainless steel |
| Strap size | 140 – 180mm (small), 180 -220mm (big) | 140 – 180mm (small), 180 -220mm (big) | 140 – 180mm (small), 180 -220mm (big) |
| Color | Black, Bordeaux, Copper rose, Grey | Black, Blue, Pink | Gold, Graphite |
| Screen protection | Corning Gorilla Glass | Corning Gorilla Glass | Corning Gorilla Glass |
| Dimension | 40 x 40 x 12 mm | 40.5 x 40.5 x 12.4 mm | 40.5 x 40.5 x 12.4 mm |
| Weight | 40 grams | — | — |
| Waterproof rating | Yes, 5ATM | Yes, 5ATM | Yes, 5ATM |
| Swim-proof | Yes, recommended | Yes, recommended | Yes, recommended |
| Durability test | — | — | — |
| CONNECTIVITY | CONNECTIVITY | CONNECTIVITY | CONNECTIVITY |
| Bluetooth calling | No | Yes | Yes |
| Bluetooth | Bluetooth v4.0 | Bluetooth v5.0 | Bluetooth v5.0 |
| Wi-Fi | Yes, Wi-Fi 802.11 b/g/n | Yes, Wi-Fi 802.11 b/g/n | Yes, Wi-Fi 802.11 b/g/n |
| NFC | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| MEMORY | MEMORY | MEMORY | MEMORY |
| RAM | — | — | — |
| ROM | 4GB | 4GB | 4GB |
| Memory card slot | No | No | No |
| CELLULAR CONNECTIVITY | CELLULAR CONNECTIVITY | CELLULAR CONNECTIVITY | CELLULAR CONNECTIVITY |
| Network technology | None | None | None |
| SIM type | None | None | None |
| NOTIFICATIONS | NOTIFICATIONS | NOTIFICATIONS | NOTIFICATIONS |
| SMS alert | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Calls alert | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Email alert | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Event reminder | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Reply messages | - | - | - |
| MEDIA | MEDIA | MEDIA | MEDIA |
| Audio | mp3/mp4 | mp3/mp4 | mp3/mp4 |
| Microphone | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Loudspeaker | No | Yes | Yes |
| Bluetooth music | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Camera | No | No | No |
| SENSORS | SENSORS | SENSORS | SENSORS |
| GPS | No | Yes | Yes |
| Accelerometer | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| HRM | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Gyroscope | — | No | Yes |
| Pulse Ox. | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Altimeter | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Barometer | — | - | Yes |
| Compass | No | No | No |
| ECG | No | No | Yes |
| Thermometer | No | No | Yes |
| Ambient light | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| HEALTH & FITNESS TRACKING | HEALTH & FITNESS TRACKING | HEALTH & FITNESS TRACKING | HEALTH & FITNESS TRACKING |
| Steps | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Calories | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Distance | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Heart rate monitoring | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Sleep tracking | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Floors climbed | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Blood oxygen | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Blood Pressure | No | No | No |
| Stress | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| ECG tracking | No | No | Yes |
| Fall detection | No | No | No |
| Menstrual cycle | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| VO2 Max | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Onscreen workout | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Preloaded sport modes | 20 | 20 | 20 |
| BATTERY | BATTERY | BATTERY | BATTERY |
| Battery type | non-removable Lithium-polymer | non-removable Lithium-polymer | non-removable Lithium-polymer |
| Battery capacity | — | — | — |
| Battery life | Regular: 5 days+, Standby: 8 days+ | Regular: 6 days, Standby: 8 days+ | Regular: 6 days, Standby: 8 days+ |
| Charging type | Charging dock | Magnetic charger | Magnetic charger |
| Charging duration | 2hrs | 30mins – 1hr | 30mins – 1hr |
| Solar power | No | No | No |
| PLATFORM | PLATFORM | PLATFORM | PLATFORM |
| Operating system | Fitbit OS | Fitbit OS | Fitbit OS |
| Chipset | — | — | — |
| CPU | — | — | — |
| GPU | — | — | — |
| MISCELLANEOUS | MISCELLANEOUS | MISCELLANEOUS | MISCELLANEOUS |
| Companion app | Fitbit App | Fitbit App | Fitbit App |
| Compatibility | Android, iOS | Android 8.0+, iOS 14.0+ | Android 8.0+, iOS 14.0+ |
| Payment system | Fitbit Pay | Fitbit Pay | Fitbit Pay |
| Customizable strap | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Voice Assistant | Yes, Alexa | Yes, Alexa, Yes, Google Assistant | Yes, Alexa, Yes, Google Assistant |
| Find my phone | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Box content | Charger, Fitbit Versa 2, Manual, Straps | Charger, Fitbit Versa 3, Manual, Straps | Charger, Fitbit Sense, Manual, Straps |
| Price | $124.50 | $154.95 | $145.00 |
The Differences
In a nutshell, the differences between Versa 2 and 3 is that the latter has a larger display and comes with an inbuilt GPS, loudspeaker and also has a slightly longer battery life while ditching the side button on Versa 2 for a haptic touch-sensitive button, while Fitbit Sense is a more advanced fitness smartwatch featuring ECG, EDA stress and body temperature sensor.
Fitbit Sense and Versa 3 have the same appearance as Versa 2, but it has a bigger 1.58 inches display compared to 1.4 inches of Versa 2, yet about the same dimension. AMOLED still powers the display of Versa 3, while navigation has taken a turn with the removal of the side button on Versa 2 which served as a shortcut, back, and power on button. We are left with a touchscreen and haptic button as the means of communicating with the Versa 3 and Sense. From my experience, I don’t like the haptic button as it can be unresponsive oftentimes, I still prefer the physical button on Versa 2. Fitbit claims the haptic button will help improve the water-resistance capability of Fitbit Sense and Versa 3 especially with the addition of a loudspeaker.
While Versa 3 and Versa 2 have cases made of aluminum that extends to the bezel, Fitbit Sense has an aluminum case and stainless steel bezel which is more durable.
Fitbit Sense and Versa 3 have a new interface that features 5 widgets, these allow you to see your stats like heart rate, sleep, access the stress app, check the weather and view basic stats like steps and calories.
As per fitness tracking features, the biggest addition is inbuilt GPS. I personally think Versa 2 without GPS is a total turnoff especially if you like to workout outdoors. Fitbit has added inbuilt to Versa 3 and Sense joining the likes of Fitbit Ionic and the recently released Fitbit Charge 4 which both have inbuilt GPS. Fitbit Sense, Versa 3, and 2 will track your steps, calories, heart rate, sleep in four stages; deep, light, REM, and awake with a handful of 20 preset sport modes to choose from. The new software upgrade from Fitbit introduces SpO2 blood oxygen tracking which has been dormant on Versa 2, this feature comes with Versa 3 and Sense as well. Although not a complete feature, as all three smartwatches will only track your blood oxygen overnight when you sleep and will show your blood oxygen through Fitbit Signature watch face.
Fitbit Coach is available in all three smartwatches, it features a couple of animated workout modes that coach you as you train.
Moreover, Fitbit Sense being a more comprehensive fitness tracker features an ECG app that allows you to take ECG directly from your wrist which can help detect irregular heart rhythm a common cause of atrial fibrillation. It also has an EDA stress sensor that looks for signs of stress, as well as a body temperature sensor that monitors your body temperature for changes.
Both smartwatches have music storage capacity which allows you to store music on these devices. However, while you can control Spotify playlist on your phone, download Deezer playlists and Pandora stations with any of these three, only Versa 2 will allow you to add your personal music which you can do via a desktop computer. It’s unfortunate that I can’t add my personal tracks to Versa 3 and Sense even in 2020.
There’s now a loudspeaker on Versa 3 and Sense, however, the loudspeaker seems to be docile for now as you can’t make and receive calls from any of these two, you can only answer a call which you’ll have to continue on your phone. Versa 2 also allows you to answer calls that can be continue on your phone.
Moreover, you can’t play media files aloud or hear Alexa reply on Sense and Versa 3 which suggests that the loudspeaker has no function, for now, perhaps future updates should rectify these problems.
Battery life has improved with Versa 3 and Sense, Fitbit claims it can last up to 6 days which is longer than Versa 2. I have had the Versa 2 last up to 4 days, sometimes 3 days when I track my workouts for 1hour every day. Now that Versa 3 has inbuilt GPS, it’ll be interesting to know how long it can go with continuous GPS tracking.
Fitbit Versa 2 vs Versa 3 vs Sense Features Comparison
| Fitbit Versa 2 | Fitbit Versa 3 | Fitbit Sense | |
| SMART FEATURES | |||
| Display Tech | AMOLED | AMOLED | AMOLED |
| Has a loudspeaker | No | Yes | Yes |
| Always-on Display Just glance to see what you need during workouts or when your hands are full. | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Ambient Light Sensor Automatically senses the amount of ambient light present, and appropriately dim the device's screen to match it. | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Voice Assistant Check the weather, set timers, control your smart home devices, and more, powered by Amazon Alexa. Check supported countries. | Yes (Alexa only) | Yes (Alexa and Google Assistant) | Yes (Alexa and Google Assistant) |
| Store and Play Songs Store and play 300+ songs on your smartwatchâÂÂplus download your favorite Pandora stations or Deezer playlists. | Yes | Yes (No personal music) | Yes (No personal music) |
| Make Payments from Watch Use your credit and debit cards to make secure purchases anywhere that accepts tap-and-pay. See supported banks | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Google Pay Make payments with Google Pay | No | No | No |
| Google Maps Navigate your favorite routes directly from the watch with voice guidance. | No | No | No |
| Connect with Wireless Headphones Listen to your favorite tunes without the wires. | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Spotify - Connect and Control music Control your music, "like" songs, and browse recent playlists and podcasts all from your wrist. Works with phone nearby; Spotify Premium subscription required. Not available in all countries. | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Sleep Mode Use the sleep mode to mute smartphone Notifications and stop your screen from turning on at night. | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Do not Disturb Mode Use do not disturb mode when you want to mute call, text, calendar and app notifications during the day. | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Apps On Watch Access your favorite apps for fitness, sports, news, travel, transit and more with a simple tap. | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| On-Wrist Stats Check your stats on your Fitbit tracker or smartwatchâÂÂand get the nudge you need to reach your goals. | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| HEALTH FEATURES | |||
| Cardio Fitness Score Get a better understanding of your fitness level (VO2 max.) and see how you can improve over time with a personalized Cardio Fitness Score. | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Sleep Tracking With Light, Deep And REM See your time spent in light, deep, and REM sleep stages and get sleep insights to help you improve. Learn more | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Female Health Tracking Know your body on a deeper level using your tracker or smartwatch with the Fitbit app to follow your cycle, record symptoms and more. | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Count floors climbed | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Guided Breathing Sessions Find moments of calm throughout your day with personalized breathing sessions based on your heart rate. | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| 24/7 Heart Rate Tracking Use 24/7 heart rate to better track calorie burn, see your resting heart rate trends and get real-time guidance to optimize your workouts. | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| All-day Activity Tracking Track steps, distance, calories burned, active minutes, hourly activity and stationary time. | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Sleep Score Based on your heart rate, time asleep and restlessness, this personalized score helps you better understand your sleep quality each night. | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Sleep Tracking Understand your rest with automatic sleep tracking and silent alarms on your wrist & bedtime reminders and helpful tips in the app. | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Resting Heart Rate Wear your tracker or smartwatch all day and night to record your resting heart rate and track heart rate over time. | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Blood Oxygen Tracking Tracks your blood oxygen levels overnight to determine how well your blood absolves oxygen. | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| All-day Calorie Burn Better understand the total number of calories you burnâÂÂall day and during workoutsâÂÂto manage your weight and stay on track toward your goals. | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| EXERCISE FEATURES | |||
| Real-Time Pace and Distance Using Built-in GPS See your real-time pace and distance without a phone, then get a map of your route in the Fitbit app. | No | Yes | Yes |
| Real-Time Pace and Distance Using Phone GPS See your real-time pace and distance by connecting to your phone's GPS, then get a map of your route in the Fitbit app. | Yes | No | No |
| Workout Intensity Map After outdoor exercise, check your workout intensity map in the Fitbit app to see your heart rate zones throughout your route. | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Active Zone Minutes Feel a buzz when you reach your target heart rate zones during exercise and celebrate when you earn extra minutes outside of workouts. | No | Yes | Yes |
| Personalised reminders Stay on track toward your goals with personalized reminders that remind you to stay active, get hydrated, stick to a sleep schedule, and more. | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| SmartTrack - Automatic Exercise Recognition Automatically record select exercises like running, biking, and more. Also, see detailed workout information in the Fitbit app. | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Exercise Modes Choose from 20+ exercise modes like run, bike, swim, yoga and more, set a goal and get real-time stats during your workouts. | Yes, 20 | Yes, 20 | Yes, 20 |
| Daily Readiness Score Do whats best for your body with a Daily Readiness Score that shows whether youre ready to work out or should prioritise recovery. (available in Fitbit premium) | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Reflections Easily log your mood in the app from Very Stressed to Very Calm and observe changes over time. | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Swimproof Water resistant up to 50M, so you can wear your tracker or smartwatch in the shower, pool, and beyond. | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| On-Screen Workouts Get personalized on-screen workouts that play on your wrist, coach you through each move and adapt based on your feedback. | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Reminders to Move See how long you've been active throughout the day and get reminders to fit in a few extra steps when you've been sitting a bit too long. | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Heart Rate Zones Use your personalized fat burn, cardio, and peak heart rate zones to optimize your effort during workouts. | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| ECG Tracking Has an ECG app that allows you to take ECG tests directly from your wrist - a feature that can help you detect atrial fibrillation. | No | No | Yes |
| EDA Stress Sensor Has an EDA sensor that monitors your stress level and alerts you when stress is detected. | No | No | Yes |
| Temprature Sensor(based on existing sensors) Measures your skin temperature variation to help you detect changes over a period of time. | Yes | Yes | |
| Dedicated Temprature Sensor Has a body temperature sensor that monitors your body temperature changes overnight. | No | No | Yes |
| BATTERY LIFE | |||
| Fast Charging Technology Takes far less time to charge the battery to full. | No | Yes | Yes |
| 6 Days+ Battery life varies with use and other factors. | 6 Days Battery life varies with use and other factors. | 6 Days Battery life varies with use and other factors. |
|
| Compatibility | Compatible with both Android and iOS devices, Check supported devices | Compatible with both Android and iOS devices, Check supported devices | Compatible with both Android and iOS devices, Check supported devices |
Which is Better?
All three smartwatches from Fitbit standout as outstanding choices for tracking your daily active life and managing your fitness goals. But with a slightly longer battery life, loudspeaker, and inbuilt GPS, Versa 3 is a better smartwatch than Versa 2.
Moreover, Fitbit Sense which features an ECG app, EDA stress sensor, and body temperature sensor is the best choice if you want a more comprehensive fitness tracker.
Should you Upgrade?
It depends on your lifestyle, if you workout outdoors, you definitely want some freedom that comes with inbuilt GPS. And if you care more about the slightly longer battery life and the new interface which features widgets that allow you access information faster, then it’s worthwhile upgrading. Versa 3 is priced a little over Versa 2, while Fitbit Sense is priced higher, you should take that into consideration too.
On the other hand, Versa 2 remains a decent smartwatch, I have used it for a while and never had any problem with it. It has an impressively long battery life, wide display, lightweight, and comfortable to wear, but the lack of inbuilt GPS is a very important feature for me.
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this was really informative! thanks so much for this review! A+
Thank you Tom! Glad to have you here. Remain blessed.