Wear Radar

Polar Vantage VvsFitbit Charge

Polar Vantage V
Buy/Wait:bad

Late in cycle — a new model is likely coming

Best for: Serious endurance athletes — particularly runners and triathletes — who want Polar's unmatched training load science and recovery guidance, combined with ECG health monitoring and running power in a premium package.

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Fitbit Charge
Buy/Wait:bad

Overdue for a refresh — no successor announced yet. Prices should be at their lowest

Best for: Anyone who wants serious health and fitness tracking without the bulk or cost of a full smartwatch. Works with both Android and iPhone, making it the most accessible Fitbit tracker in the lineup.

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Polar Vantage VFitbit Charge
TierSports GPSFitness Tracker
PlatformiOS & AndroidiOS & Android
Battery8 days7 days
Always-on display
GPS
Cellular
Health sensorsecg, hr, spo2, hrv, running power, skin tempecg, spo2, eda stress, hr
ReleasedOct 4, 2023Sep 28, 2023
Cycle length1063 days731 days
Cycle advicebadbad
Deals advicegoodgood
Next modelPolar Vantage V4 (2026)

Why buy each?

Polar Vantage V

ECG on a sports GPS watch

Polar Vantage V3 is one of the few sports GPS watches with on-demand ECG — usually only found on lifestyle smartwatches.

Wrist-based running power

Running power measurement without a foot pod or chest strap — a significant training metric for pacing effort on hills and varied terrain.

Polar Training Load Pro

The most detailed training load analysis in any sports watch: muscle groups targeted per session, recovery status per muscle, and long-term load trends.

Fitbit Charge

ECG and EDA stress in a slim band

Full ECG, electrodermal activity stress sensing, SpO2, and continuous heart rate in a tracker thinner than most smartwatches.

Google apps integration

Google Maps navigation, Google Wallet NFC payments, and YouTube Music controls — more useful on-device apps than any previous Charge.

7-day battery with GPS

7 days of typical use, dropping to around 30 minutes per GPS workout session before needing a charge.