We are in an age where there is no shortage of people like me who have become more aware of the importance of having a fit body. Fitness Trackers have become one of the dependable means to provide us with well-calculated feedback on our fitness progress. There are a lot of fitness trackers on the market. Besides, most of them are from the two giants of the fitness tracker market, Fitbit and Xiaomi.
Fitbit and Xiaomi are among the top brands that stand atop of the world of the fitness tracker market. You can compare Fitbit and Xiaomi through various attributes like price, brand popularity, offerings, and others. To be precise, if you want to look for an affordable fitness device, go for Xiaomi. However, if you prefer brand and popularity along with extra features over others, Fitbit is your go-to.
How Do Fitbit And Xiaomi Fitness Trackers Compare At Prices?
When you compare Fitbit and Xiaomi on the basis of the price of their fitness trackers, it results in Xiaomi’s win.
Because you are getting a fitness band that is more affordable in price and has most of the high-tech features of a costlier brand like Fitbit from Xiaomi.
The fitness trackers from Fitbit comparatively give you more accurate calculations, high-end quality devices, and more high-tech features than Xiaomi.
Xiaomi’s fitness trackers cost comparatively 50% less than Fitbit’s fitness trackers. Its trackers costing less is mainly due to the use of cheaper device parts in manufacture. In addition, it has fewer sensors.
The price of Xiaomi’s famous Mi Band 4 is currently $38, and its recent successor Mi Band 5 costs $41.99, NFC version costs $49.99.
I think Xiaomi’s affordable price factor is one of its most attractive perks. Majorly because of the features and quality you are getting at such a price range.
Whereas Fitbit’s fitness trackers cost 50% more than Xiaomi. The reason being the use of expensive parts with added extra features like third-party apps (Whatsapp, Facebook).
Fitbit’s current famous models Fitbit Charge 3 and Fitbit Charge 4, costs $149.95, while the NFC version will cost $169.95.
Despite the slightly hiked price than Xiaomi, Fitbit’s fitness trackers still fall under the budget category. Besides, they are also cheaper than the likes of Apple and Samsung’s fitness trackers.
Moreover, the buyer who wants good features in a device but does not like to spend big will like Xiaomi’s trackers. In contrast, the buyer who ignores the price for quality, experience, and style will like the Fitbit fitness bands more.
Which Brand Is More Popular: Fitbit Or Xiaomi?
Both Fitbit and Xiaomi are considered giants in the fitness tracker market. In this segment, you will get detailed data information that will help distinguish the popularity difference between the brands.
Fitbit’s Popularity
Fitbit released its first fitness tracker, the Fitbit flex, in the year 2013. In 2014, it also released the Fitbit fitness app that supports IOS, Android, and Windows mobiles. Then onwards brand has been able to make a strong position in the hearts of the consumer and the market. Fitbit has been able to make 90 million of its wearables to date.
The models like the Fitbit Inspire Hr, Fitbit Inspire, Fitbit Ace spiced up the market upon their respective releases. Currently, the most popular Fitbit fitness trackers in the market are Fitbit Charge 3 and Fitbit Charge 4.
If you analyze the popularity of Fitbit trackers in terms of data and facts, the Company increased its shipments to 16 million units in the year 2019 from 13.8 million shipments in the year 2018.
According to 9TO5 Google, Fitbit acquired 4.7% of the Global wearable band market, which is a decline from 7.8% of the market share.
You can consider the decrease in the market share because of various factors. They are aggressive marketing, production, better features, and lesser price factor of the rivals in the market.
But, we cannot disregard that most of the buyers and experts consider Fitbit as one of the benchmark-setting brands. The reasons being mainly due to the fair superiority of product quality and the accuracy of metrics.
If compared with its rivals, the availability of extra features is also a reason. Similarly, due to the same reasons, most models of Fitbit fitness trackers are quite costlier.
Fitbit trackers comparatively have more accuracy, high-quality product, more advanced features, and high price factor. It is very popular among advanced users and professional athletes.
Xiaomi’s Popularity
Xiaomi released its first fitness tracker, the Mi Band, in the year 2014 and entered the fitness band market. In the same year, a fitness app supporting Android and IOS was also released. The brand has since released an additional 5 more models Mi band 1s, Mi Band 2, Mi Band 3, Mi Band 4, and Mi Band 5, which has caused quite a stir in the market.
To date, Xiaomi has been able to make approximately 100 million sales of fitness trackers since the first model.
As a result, Xiaomi has been able to find a top position among the leaders of the fitness brand market like Apple, Samsung, Fitbit, etc.
Based on data, Xiaomi looks very strong as its shipment of the product in 2019 was 41.7million units and 23.3 million shipments in 2018.
According to 9TO5 Google, Xiaomi acquired 12.4% of the Global wearable band market from 13.1% of the market share.
Currently, Xiaomi’s Mi Band 5 and Mi Band 4 are the most popular fitness trackers available in the market. Although the release of Mi Band 5 .its predecessor Mi band 4 still has a huge demand from the buyers.
You will find a substantial difference while comparing Xiaomi’s trackers with the various other available trackers in the market. In terms of features, Xiaomi’s Mi Bands give you more or less the same advanced features. However, you can find them at a more affordable price.
Secret Behind Xiaomi’s Popularity
The secret lies in the cheap device parts that the company uses for the manufacture of the bands. As a result, the buyers can afford a device that gives the same high-tech feature, for example, the NFC payment feature or the heart rate sensor, for half of the money.
Hence, after the above analysis, I hope you will perceive Xiaomi as being more popular among the buyers than Fitbit. The affordability factor and features played the main role in making Xiaomi more attractive in both economic and technical sense.
Which Brand Offers Better Fitness Tracking?
While buying a fitness tracker, you surely would want a tracker that offers more variety of tracking potentiality. It may include the metrics data hour workouts and other fitness activities. Comparatively, Fitbit offers you more of its capability of tracking your fitness activity than Xiaomi.
Sports Modes
In general, both brands provide several integrated sports modes. But, Fitbit provides an extra number of sports modes than Xiaomi.
The most number of sports modes provided by Xiaomi is 12 by Xiaomi’s latest Mi Band 5, Fitbit charge 4 provides approximately 15 sports modes more.
You will also find that Fitbit fitness trackers provide substantial feedback on your performance for your analysis convenience. But, Xiaomi’s fitness tracker’s feedback on performance is comparatively insubstantial.
Accuracy Of Tracking
Accuracy of trackers from both of these brands will differ accompanied with and without connection of the respective Fit App. With the connection, the accuracy becomes much better with both Brand’s trackers.
Yet, according to various user reviews, analyzing solely based on the tracker’s performance, Fitbit’s have more accurate metric calculation. In addition, due to more accuracy rate from the tracker alone, connecting with the app increases the result altogether.
According to various user reviews, Xiaomi’s fitness trackers have better accuracy when connected with the app. Besides, the tracker’s sole accuracy rate while measuring the metric is slightly inaccurate in rate compared to Fitbit.
Step Count
Step count has become one of the basic functions a fitness tracker provides. Both Fitbit and Xiaomi have a range of models that provide step count. But, reviews tell Fitbit provides more generous step counts than Xiaomi. So, keep that in mind.
Number Of Sensors
For comparing the Fitbit and Xiaomi fitness tracker based on sensors, I have taken two of their current famous and new models, the Fitbit Charge 5 and Mi Band 5 as examples.
The reason behind using these latest models is because these models are new and updated. Also, they consist of the essence of the originality of their predecessors.
Fitbit Charge 4 consists of the following integrated sensors:
- Optical heart rate sensor
- Gps
- NFC
- Relative SpO2 monitor
- 3-axis accelerometer
- Barometer
- Altimeter
- Vibration monitor
- Pedometer
Xiaomi Mi Band 5 consists of the following integrated sensors:
- PPG heart rate sensor
- NFC sensor
- 3-axis Gyroscope
- 3-axis Accelerometer
- Barometer
- Digital MEMS (Micro-Electro-Mechanical-System) microphone sensors
- Spo2 sensor
- Magnetometer
(Note: Only the Fitbit’s smartwatch like the Fitbit Versa, Fitbit Sense, and Fitbit Ionic contain the Gyroscope sensor. While only the NFC version of Mi Band 5 is installed with the Spo2 sensor and Digital MEMS Microphone.)
Fitbit’s line of fitness trackers is more sophisticated and advanced than Xiaomi’s fitness trackers. Nevertheless, I think it will be wrong to consider Xiaomi’s fitness trackers as deficient considering what you are getting according to the price provided by the brand.
In my opinion, if you are a beginner in the world of fitness trackers, Xiaomi is considerably a good choice. But, if you want greater sophistication and detail, then Fitbit’s trackers are the attractive choice.
Whose Fitness App Performs Better Between Fitbit And Xiaomi?
Both of the fitness tracker giants provide the facility of fitness apps. The fitness app helps you to connect your tracker with your phone. And it also provides the metrics along with notifications and few call features.
Now, let us talk about the respective fitness apps of the brands along with the supported operating system by the two brands.
Support Of OS Platform
Currently, Xiaomi supports two operating systems of mobile phones, i.e., Android and IOS. In contrast, Fitbit has been supporting Android platforms, the IOS platform, and the Windows Platform of mobile phones.
Sadly, if you are a user of Windows phones, then Xiaomi’s fitness app will not be available for your convenience on your mobile devices.
Fitbit App
Fitbit App can be downloaded from the Playstore for Android devices, from the App Store for iPhone, and Microsoft Store for Windows devices.
The app helps you to store all the data and progress of your activity. Along with it, setting your goals and giving an in-depth analyzing your activity also helps. The app is fast and easily syncs with the device and saves your time.
Besides, you will also find the Fitbit App is way more detailed than its counterpart. Also, it really helps you indulge in your fitness stats.
The following are the core features of the app:
- Today view Dashboard
- View, set, and edit daily activity goals
- Cardio Fitness Score
- Oxygen variation graph
- Food logs
- Exercise history
- Heart rate zone and Sleep data
- Covid-19 (Information centre)
- Water intake
- Community ( Peer interaction)
The following are the Premium features you get on a monthly ($9.99) and a yearly basis($79.99):
- Health metrics dashboard
- Sleep score detail for advanced analysis
- Programs for creative health habits
- Wellness report for your health trends
- 45+ mindfulness sessions
- 150+ video workouts
- Deeper personalized insights every day
- Custom challenges for you and your friends
Xiaomi Fit App
Xiaomi’s fitness app is known as Mi Fit, you can download it from the Google Playstore for Android devices, and for the iPhone, you can download it from the App Store.
The app lets you connect your Xiaomi fitness tracker to your phone. Also, it keeps track of your activity data, sets workout and fitness goals, and assists in your data analysis.
You are also able to control the following features of the band from the app:
- Band display
- Screen unlock
- Incoming calls
- Event reminders
- Find band
- Alarms
- Goal setting
- Notifications from the app
Xiaomi’s Mi Fit furnishes fewer features as it is simple and easy to understand for beginners. Mi Fit app also provides customizing of the band’s screen with band faces through the display option.
Additionally, Mi Bands lacks GPS, due to which calculating walking, running, and cycling metrics rely on the phone’s GPS.
The following are the core features of the app
- Status
- Sleep Data graph
- Heart Rate data and graph
- Weight (Calories data)
- Body Balance measure
- Walking(GPS)
- Running
- Cycling
You will not find any premium features like the ones on the Fitbit app. Comparatively, the level of depth and sophistication you get from Xiaomi’s Fit App is inferior to what Fitbit Provides.
But, as there are no extra premium features you have to pay for, everything the Mi Fit provides is free.
Lastly, Fitbit, like a fitness app, outshines the Mi Fit app with more features and refinement. But, if you are a beginner in the fitness tracking world, you might find the Fitbit app a little confusing. As the Mi Fit app is simple to use, beginners will not find any difficulty operating it.
Which Brand Excels In Battery Life: Fitbit Or Xiaomi?
Both Fitbit and Xiaomi use Lithium-Polymer batteries in their lines of fitness trackers. Lithium-Polymer consists of an organic electrode and Li-electrode; their typical estimated life is three years and 500 charge cycles.
The advertised battery life of Fitbit’s line of fitness trackers averages 14 days. Similarly, Xiaomi’s advertised battery life averages 14 to 20 days.
Now, you must be thinking Fitbit has more high-features that need more energy, resulting in smaller battery life. On the other hand, Xiaomi’s trackers having comparatively fewer features and consuming less energy results in higher battery life.
Activating features like NFC, GPS, and Bluetooth plays a major role in deciding the battery life of the devices. Similarly, the advertised charging period for both brands is up to 2 hours.
In general, both brands differ in the case of the lasting period of the battery. According to the reviews, the battery life of Fitbit trackers seems to last longer than Xiaomi’s trackers.
The charging period also differs from the advertised charging period. Xiaomi’s trackers take more hours to charge, but Fitbit’s trackers take less amount comparatively.
Which Brand Can You Trust The Most: Fitbit Or Xiaomi?
Fitbit uses high-quality parts in the manufacturing of its bands resulting in fairly accurate calculations and dependability.
According to the study published by NCBI, the Fitbit devices count step is 50% accurate.
Depending on when you wear the device like jogging, normal-paced walking, and slow walking, Fitbit’s calculations of energy expenditure (calories burned and intensity) are not very accurate.
But, its sleep tracking and heart rate monitoring are considered one of the best in the market. Besides, Fitbit’s products are known to last a longer duration of time and are fairly durable.
On the other hand, Mi bands are good Fitness trackers, but their accuracy in comparison with Fitbit is inferior. According to the reviews, its step count is known to have a high difference from the actual count.
Mi Band’s sleep tracking, energy expenditure, and heart rate monitoring are fairly accurate but are still inferior to Fitbit. The durability is also inferior, as they are susceptible to tear and damage in a short period.
Xiaomi’s fitness trackers have not been able to fulfill the advertised claims like battery life and accurate metrics. But, Fitbit’s trackers have features that are very close to the advertised claims adding to their trustability rate.
Finally, I think Fitbit’s trackers are more trustable than Xiaomi’s line of fitness brands. But, that does not mean Xiaomi’s trackers are not purchasable. In comparison to other brands providing fitness trackers, Mi Band is highly competitive in features and metrics.
Which Fitness Tracker Excels In Comfort, Safety, And Design: Fitbit Or Xiaomi?
Fitness trackers are meant to be worn, whether during the fitness activity or regularly on the wrist. It is important for the user of this device to feel comfortable while wearing it.
Fitbit and Xiaomi have focused on the buyer’s comfort on their line of fitness trackers.
Comfort
In my viewpoint, a person should feel comfortable while wearing a fitness tracker, whether during fitness regimes or daily use. You do not want the appearance of rashes or blockage of blood circulation on your wrist. Due to this, comfortability is an important feature for Any fitness tracker.
Fitbit’s fitness trackers use elastomers to manufacture their straps. Xiaomi used silicone straps up to Mi Band 2. But began using elastomer straps from Mi Band 3 and onwards.
Both silicone and elastomer rubbers are soft on the skin. You will only feel uncomfortable upon tightening the strap too much, as it can block blood circulation to the hand.
Fitbit provides a variety of styles and sizes according to your convenience. You can change the strap of the tracker as per your choice and preference. You will feel very comfortable wearing Fitbit on your wrist every time.
Xiaomi does not provide the same variety and sizes as Fitbit. But, their trackers are comfortable to wear, and a range of color choices are available. They are, however, lighter in weight in comparison to Fitbit.
Design
In the case of attractive designs, Fitbit takes the win from Xiaomi. Fitbit provides a range of fitness trackers that are visually attractive and fashionable. There are a variety of attractive straps available to suit your personality.
All the fitness band models from Xiaomi’s Mi Band lines are very similar to each other. They all have the same rectangular shape with curved endings. However, their straps are very customizable, and the brand itself provides several colorful choices.
Safety
A fitness tracker is a device that is worn all the time by most users. Even the features like step count, sleep tracking, water drinking tracking all need the tracker to be on the wrist for an extent of time. Reviews have shown that it may not be so healthy for people to wear the device for long periods.
In 2014, many Fitbit users complained about dizziness and rashes in the Fitbit community. Some people even felt nauseated with erratic pulse rates. Additionally, many users stopped using Fitbit.
Moreover, Xiaomi’s Mi Bands do not have any negative reviews related to health problems due to extensive use to date.
Comparison Between Fitbit And Xiaomi Fitness Trackers
I have taken two of the most famous models from both Fitbit and Xiaomi’s line of Fitness trackers for comparison. Also, the comparison of the two brand models will be based on their similar features. This will aid you in making an informed decision regarding Fitbit Vs. Xiaomi.
Fitbit Charge 4 Vs. Xiaomi Mi Band 5
Specification Table Of Fitbit Charge 4
| Display | 1.57-inch OLED monochrome touchscreen Display resolution: 100*160 pixels Display color depth: |
| Materials used | Case material: Platic Resins Strap material: Elastomer Bezel Material: Plastic resins |
| Dimensions | Body dimensions: 35.8*22.7*12.5 mm Body net weight: 27 g Adjustable length: 140-180 mm (small band) 180-220 mm(big band) |
| Water resistance | Yes, 5 ATM |
| Memory | 4 GB internal storage |
| Heart Rate Monitor | Yes |
| SpO2 Sensor | Yes |
| NFC | Yes |
| GPS | Yes |
| Sleep Tracker | Yes |
| Microphone | No |
| Battery | non-removable lithium-polymer Without GPS: 7 days With GPS: 5 hours |
| Connectivity | Bluetooth 4.0 |
| Supported Systems | Android and iOS |
| In the box | Charging cable two size wrist band user manual warranty card |
| Other features | Accelerometer Optical heart rate monitor Vibration motor Altimeter |
Specification Table Of Mi Band 5
| Display | 1.1-inch AMOLED color touchscreen Display resolution: 126*29 Display color depth: 16 bit |
| Material Used | Thermoplastic Polyurethane(TPU) strap Polycarbonate plastic case with aluminium band buckle |
| Dimensions | Body dimensions: 46.95 × 18.15 × 12.45 mm Body net weight: 11.9 g Adjustable length: 155219 mm |
| Water resistance | Yes. 5ATM |
| Memory | 512KB of RAM 16MB of flash memory |
| Heart Rate Monitor | Yes |
| SpO2 Sensor | Yes |
| NFC | Yes |
| GPS | Yes |
| Sleep Tracker | Yes |
| Microphone | Yes |
| Battery | 125mAh [Lithium-ion polymer] 14-day battery life |
| Connectivity | No Wifi Bluetooth 5.0 |
| Supported Systems | Android 5.0 or iOS 10.0 and above |
| In the box | Band body x1 Band strap ×1 Dedicated charging cable x1 User manual x1 |
| Other Features | Gyroscope Barometer Proximity sensor Digital MEMS microphone |
Fitbit Charge 3 Vs Xiaomi Mi Band 4
Specification Table Of Fitbit Charge 3
| Display | Grayscale 1 inch OLED Touchscreen Display resolution: 126*29 |
| Material Used | Case: Aluminum Strap: Silicon |
| Dimensions | Body dimensions: 1.6 x4 .04 x 8.9 inches Body net weight: 49 g |
| Water resistance | Yes. 5ATM |
| Memory | RAM: – Storage: – |
| Heart Rate Monitor | Yes |
| SpO2 Sensor | Yes |
| NFC | Yes |
| GPS | No |
| Sleep Tracker | Yes |
| Microphone | No |
| Battery | Non-removable battery[Lithium-ion polymer] 7-day battery life |
| Connectivity | WiFi1 inch: Yes Bluetooth: Yes |
| Supported Systems | Android or iOS |
| In the box | Fitbit Charge 3 Band strap ×1 Dedicated charging cable x1 User manual x1 |
| Other Features | Tracks your steps, distance, sleep, stress, fitness level, heart rate, and calories. |
Specification Table Of Mi Band 4
| Display | 0.95-inch AMOLED color touchscreen Display resolution: 120*240 pixels Display color depth: 24 bit |
| Materials used | Thermoplastic Polyurethane(TPU) strap Polycarbonate body material |
| Dimensions | Body dimension: 21.6mm (length)*10.8mm (width) Body net weight: 22.1 g Adjustable length: 155-216 mm |
| Water resistance | Yes, 5ATM |
| Memory | 512KB of RAM 16MB of flash memory |
| Heart Rate Monitor | Yes |
| SpO2 Sensor | No |
| NFC | Yes |
| GPS | No |
| Sleep Tracker | Yes |
| Microphone | Yes |
| Battery | 135mAh(Lithium-ion polymer) 20-day battery life |
| Connectivity | Bluetooth 5.0, Wi-Fi |
| Supported Systems | Android 4.4 or iOS 9.0 |
| In the box | Mi smart band 4 Wrist band Specialized charging cable User guide |
| Other features | Accelerometer Gyroscope Compass/Magnetometer PPG heart rate sensor Capacitive wear monitoring center |
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Fitbit Better Than Xiaomi?
Yes, Fitbit is far better than Xiaomi in case of better quality, advanced features, design, accuracy, and functionality. You get the results that are worth the money you spend on the purchase of Fitbits. But, the price of Fitbit’s line of trackers is comparatively double Xiaomi’s prices of its fitness trackers.
While Xiaomi’s trackers cost less, they also provide similar features as Fitbit. They are Heart rate monitoring, blood oxygen tracking, calorie metrics, NFC, Voice assistant, etc. But, the accuracy of the features comparatively inferior to Fitbits.
Does Fitbit Work With Xiaomi?
Yes, Fitbit is compatible with Xiaomi mobile devices along with the other 200 Apple, Android, and Windows mobile devices. Some compatibility issues have been exhibited with Xiaomi Mi 6. Other than that, Fitbit’s trackers and fitness app both function smoothly on the mobile platform.
Is It Safe To Wear A Fitness Band All The Time?
Many experts say that fitness bands emit lower non-ionizing radiation, i.e., radiofrequency. The small amount of emission of radiation is considered not harmful to the human body. At the same time, some experts think even the small emission of radiation is harmful to our skin if exposed for a long period.
The tight and long use of trackers can cause nerve damage in the wrists. Besides, there are cases of skin irritation due to the reaction with the rubber strap.
The features like heart rate monitoring, blood oxygen, and sleep tracking need the device to be worn for extensive hours. But, it is highly advisable not to have extensive use of the device. You need to provide rest to the skin and the wrist to avoid harm. In addition, there are ways to reduce radiation emission as follows:
- You should place your fitness tracker far from where you sleep; you should especially avoid placing it near your head.
- Have a gap pattern while using the tracker, do not wear it continuously.
- Cover the charging plots located at the back of the tracker with duct tape.
- Steer clear of using your fitness tracker while charging
- Limit the use of Bluetooth in your tracker.
Final Verdict
The fitness tracker market has become booming and extremely competitive with the entry of various new brands. Fitbit and Xiaomi have been able to position themselves in the fitness tracker market as one of its leaders.
Both of these brands have aided in revolutionizing the fitness tracker market with their innovative models and attractive product deals.
Fitbit’s line of fitness trackers offers a quality product, accuracy, sophistication, range of features, attractive designs, and smooth functioning. Everything you find in Fitbit is a step above Xiaomi’s fitness tracker.
However, Fitbit has some imperfections, first is its costlier price factor, and second is health risk factors due to overuse. I would recommend the purchase of the Fitbit fitness tracker only if you are a veteran in the world of fitness tracking and have a desire to upgrade.
Nonetheless, Xiaomi’s line of Mi Band fitness trackers are affordable and provide fairly similar high-tech features as Fitbit. The functioning of the band, as well as the app, is really simple and easy. I would recommend Xiaomi’s fitness trackers to both beginners and veteran users of the fitness tracker.
Finally, the majority of buyers are led by the price factor of Xiaomi while purchasing an item of such luxury.
But, Fitbit is still considered as a budget tracker, and in comparison with brands like Apple and Samsung, its trackers are far more affordable.
