Now that 2016 has officially begun, you’re trying to live up to your New Year’s resolution of staying active and losing weight. A fitness tracker can be a big part of making that kind of healthy lifestyle change. But which fitness tracker is right for you? Should you stick with a leading tracker from Fitbit, or get a Fitbit alternative? If you’ve got about $100 in Christmas cash or holiday gift cards to spend on your new fitness tracker, two models that likely caught your eye are the Fitbit Flex, and the brand new Misfit Shine 2. The Flex retails for $99.95, with the new Shine 2 retailing for $99.99. With such similar prices, and so many overlapping features, which of these two fitness trackers is right for you? Read on to see how these two trackers compare. Full disclosure: Misfit was kind enough to send us a sample of the new Shine so we could go hands-on, but we’ll be impartial in comparing these two fitness trackers. We’ll also strive to highlight the unique features of each device, so you can figure out not only which model is “best,” but which is best for you.
1. Fitbit vs. Misfit Shine 2: Display & Form Factor
(Getty)
Both of these wearables have a similar LED interface, but there are some slight differences. In the case of the Flex, five LED lights glow in a row to indicate your progress towards fitness goals. On the Misfit Shine 2, a “halo” of 12 lights are used to show your progress. And since there are 12 points of light, you can also tell the time with ease. The LEDs on the Shine 2 are colorful, which is a nice touch. If you’re looking for something with a more watch-like form factor, the Shine 2 is ideal. If you prefer the “band” look, the Flex is a nice option.
2. Fitbit vs. Misfit Shine 2: Battery Life
The Misfit Shine 2. (Misfit)
These two wearables approach batteries in different ways. The Fitbit Flex has a rechargeable battery that is designed to last about five days. In contrast, the Shine 2 uses a replaceable coin cell battery, which lasts up to six months. If you dislike having to charge your fitness tracker every week, or travel a lot and don’t want to bring an extra charger with you, you may find the six month battery on the Shine 2 more appealing.
3. Fitbit vs. Misfit Shine 2: Waterproofing
The Fitbit Flex. (Fitbit)
Waterproofing is an important feature to consider when buying a fitness tracker. Waterproofing can help to ensure lifelong durability, and it’s particularly important for those who engage in exercise that can get their device wet. The Fitbit Flex is sweat, rain and splash proof. However, Fitbit does not recommend using the Flex while you are swimming. In contrast, the Shine 2 is water-resistant to depths of 50 meters.
4. Fitbit vs. Misfit Shine 2: Potential Drawbacks
The Misfit Shine 2. (Misfit)
No wearable is perfect, and both the Fitbit Flex and Misfit Shine 2 have some known issues. There have been many reports of skin irritations over the years caused by the Fitbit line. These issues are believed to be due to wearing the Fitbit band for too long without proper cleaning and drying of the skin underneath, which can cause severe skin rashes in some users. However, not all Fitbit users have reported these issues, so you can probably cross that concern off your list if you don’t have sensitive skin.
The new Shine 2 has been under fire from some consumers, too. The Shine 2 can sometimes be a bit difficult to keep in place. Misfit also tells us they are working to update the action clip, with a solution expected in “the coming months.” In the meantime, Misfit suggests that users check out the video below, which goes over how to correctly install your Shine 2 into the band and action clip.
Our sample unit of the Misfit Shine 2 has mostly been behaving itself, but it has come loose on a couple of occasions during normal use, so caveat emptor.
5. Fitbit vs. Misfit Shine 2: Final Thoughts
With so many similar features, it can be hard to determine which wearable is right for you. Both trackers offer sleep and activity tracking, as well as vibration alarm. Both of these devices can be worn on the wrist, and augmented with accessories to change their look slightly. Neither wearable has a heart rate monitor built in.
However, there are a few special features and key differences to keep in mind. For example, you can connect Shine 2 with Misfit Link to control your smart home devices. You can play music, take a selfie, or interact with variety of internet services and smart home devices using the wrist controller. That being said, Fitbit works with a wider range of devices, and works with Windows phones (which Shine 2 does not list as compatible at this time on their website). The Flex is also a bit cheaper. While both trackers have a similar retail price, the fact that the Flex has been out for longer means that you can more easily find a new Flex tracker on sale for less than the MSRP.
No discussion of fitness trackers would be complete without a discussion of the respective apps used with these devices. Both wearable apps offer similar functionality, due to the similar features offered by the trackers. That being said, some users may have a stronger preference for the interface and ease of navigation in one app or the other. Below, you can take a look at the current iOS versions of each app:
L: Fitbit app interface. R: Misfit app interface. (Apple App Store)
The app’s look and feel may vary slightly across different operating systems, and of course the look of an app is bound to change over time. Still, it’s a factor to consider when weighing these two options.
If you’ve narrowed your search to the Flex and the Shine 2, here are our final recommendations. When it comes to both battery life and waterproofing, the Shine 2 is superior to the Flex. We think you should opt for the Fitbit Flex if you are looking for a bargain, use a Windows phone (or one of the iOS/Android devices not supported by the Shine 2), or prefer the screenshots you’ve seen of the Fitbit app interface. However, if you’re looking for a wearable that has a replaceable battery, more detailed on-wrist display, and native smart home controls, the Shine 2 is your best bet. Though we’d be remiss if we didn’t mention that while Fitbit’s native smart home controls are a bit weak, you can still configure IFTTT recipes to add on smart features to the Fitbit Flex, at least to some degree. Want to learn more about the other Fitbit wearables on the market? Check out our Fitbit comparison guide.
Buy the Fitbit Flex here.
Buy the Misfit Shine 2 here.
Still not sure what fitness tracker is right for you? We’ve compared Fitbit, the leading fitness tracker brand, against a huge array of competitors. Check out our posts comparing Fitbit vs. Jawbone, Fitbit vs. Basis, Fitbit vs. Garmin, Fitbit vs. Misfit, Fitbit vs. Mira, Fitbit vs. Microsoft Band, Fitbit vs. Sony SmartBand and Fitbit vs. Withings.