The cheapest Fitbit in 2026 is the Inspire 3 at $99.95 list, tied almost to the cent with the screenless Fitbit Air at $99.99; the Inspire 3 is the one you will actually find discounted. The cheap Fitbit worth buying for most people is the Charge 6, $159.95 list and regularly reduced, because it adds built-in GPS and an ECG app that nothing cheaper in Google's range has. This guide lists every Fitbit and Pixel Watch Google sells as of September 2026 by price, explains what the optional Google Health Premium subscription does and does not gate, and closes with the $50 alternatives from Xiaomi, Amazfit and Garmin. If you have already decided on the screenless Air, our Fitbit Air guide is the deep dive; this page is about the whole lineup and the price question.
The verdict
Buy the Charge 6 if you can stretch to it, the Inspire 3 if you cannot, and the Fitbit Air only if you want no screen. All three run in the free tier of the Google Health app with sleep stages, HRV, SpO2 and the Daily Readiness Score included; Google Health Premium at $9.99 a month is a coaching upsell, not a requirement. Skip the Versa 4 and Sense 2 unless heavily discounted: they are 2022 watches Google has said it will not replace, and Google's security-update commitment for them currently runs to September 2027. If the budget is genuinely $50, the Xiaomi Smart Band 10 is the better gadget, but you give up AFib alerts and the Google Health ecosystem.
Every current Fitbit and Pixel Watch by price
Google's lineup is unusually wide in 2026 because it kept selling every older Fitbit when it launched the Air in May. Nothing below has been formally discontinued at publication, and Google's security-update table still lists every model here as currently sold. Prices are Google Store US list.
| Model | List price | Screen | GPS | HRV / ECG | Subscription needs | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Inspire 3 | $99.95 | Colour AMOLED | Phone GPS only | HRV yes / ECG no | None; Premium optional | Cheapest Fitbit with a screen |
| Fitbit Air | $99.99 / £84.99 | None | None | HRV yes / ECG no (AFib alerts via optical) | None; 3-month Premium trial included | Screenless sleep and recovery |
| Charge 6 | $159.95 | Colour AMOLED | Built in | HRV yes / ECG yes | None; Premium optional | Best value for most adults |
| Ace LTE (kids) | $179.99 | Colour AMOLED | Built in | No / No | Ace Pass required: $9.99/mo or $119/yr | Children 7 and up |
| Versa 4 | $199.95 | Colour AMOLED, watch | Built in | HRV yes / ECG no | None; Premium optional | Watch shape on a budget |
| Sense 2 | $249.95 | Colour AMOLED, watch | Built in | HRV yes / ECG yes, plus EDA stress | None; Premium optional | Stress tracking, iPhone users wanting a watch |
| Pixel Watch 4 | $349.99 (41mm) | Actua 360 AMOLED | Built in | HRV yes / ECG yes | None; Premium optional | Android users wanting a full smartwatch |
| Pixel Watch 5 | $399 / $429 | Actua 360 AMOLED | Built in | HRV yes / ECG yes | None; Premium optional | Newest hardware, Android only |
Inspire 3: the cheapest Fitbit, and a fine one
Launched in August 2022 and still sold at $99.95, the Inspire 3 is the entry point. It has a small colour AMOLED display, up to 10 days of battery, 24/7 heart rate, sleep stages, SpO2, skin temperature variation, HRV and the Daily Readiness Score, all in the free Google Health app. It has no built-in GPS, so runs and rides pull location from your phone, and no ECG. Because it is four years old it is the model most often cut in Amazon and Best Buy sales; Gadgets & Wearables tracked it among four discounted Fitbits in August 2026. For someone who wants steps, sleep and heart rate with a screen and no ongoing bill, it is hard to argue with. It also remains a sensible pick for older users who want simplicity, which is why it appears in our best fitness trackers for seniors guide.
Fitbit Air: same price, no screen, newer sensors
Google's May 2026 screenless band is the Inspire 3's price twin at $99.99 (£84.99 in the UK) and, on paper, the better health tracker. It adds AFib heart-rhythm alerts via the optical sensor, automatic workout detection, about a week of battery and a fast charge that buys a day in minutes. What you give up is the display: no time, no notifications, no live heart rate mid-run, and no GPS at all. Google bundles three months of Google Health Premium, which you can let expire without losing any tracking. Because it is new, expect no meaningful discounts before the November sales. The trade-off against the cheapest screened rival is laid out in Fitbit Air vs Xiaomi Smart Band 10.
Charge 6: the cheap Fitbit actually worth buying
The Charge 6 costs $159.95 list and is the model reviewers keep steering people toward when it is on sale. The extra $60 over the Inspire 3 buys built-in GPS, an ECG app for on-demand AFib checks, a larger AMOLED screen with a haptic side button, Google Maps and Wallet on the wrist, YouTube Music controls and heart-rate broadcasting to gym equipment over Bluetooth. Battery is about seven days. It is the cheapest Fitbit that works as a real running companion without a phone, and the cheapest with ECG. If you are choosing between a discounted Charge 6 and a full-price Inspire 3, the Charge 6 is the better buy nearly every time.
Versa 4, Sense 2 and the Pixel Watch: when cheap means old
The Versa 4 ($199.95) and Sense 2 ($249.95) are the last Fitbit-branded smartwatches Google will make; the company confirmed in 2024 it would not develop new ones. Both still sell, both were discounted to about $150 and $200 when the Air launched, and both carry Google's guarantee of security updates until at least September 2027. The Sense 2 has the more interesting sensors, with ECG, skin temperature and an EDA stress sensor, and both work with iPhone, which the Pixel Watch does not. Buy either only at a deep discount and with eyes open about the platform's age.
The Pixel Watch is where Google's smartwatch effort now lives. The Pixel Watch 4 started at $349.99 for the 41mm Wi-Fi model, and in July 2026 Google cut the LTE versions to the same price with two years of Google Fi data included. The Pixel Watch 5, announced August 12 and on sale from August 20, moved list prices up to $399 (41mm) and $429 (45mm), so the Pixel Watch 4 is the cheap route into Google's full smartwatch. Neither is cheap in Fitbit terms, and both are Android only.
Ace LTE: cheap for kids, until the Ace Pass
The kids' Ace LTE has a permanently reduced list price of $179.99 and has hit $99.95 at Amazon, Best Buy and Target more than once in 2026. That makes it look like the cheapest Fitbit with GPS. The catch is the Ace Pass: $9.99 a month or $119 a year for the LTE calling, messaging, location sharing and the Fitbit Arcade games that make the watch work as intended. It does not track HRV, SpO2 or sleep stages, and it does not work with Google Health Premium. For an adult it is the wrong product; for a child aged seven and up it is a well-designed one with a real running cost.
What Google Health Premium changes, and what it does not
The most common cheap-Fitbit worry is a hidden subscription, so here is the 2026 position. Fitbit Premium became Google Health Premium on May 19, 2026, and the annual price rose from $79.99 to $99.99 (monthly stays $9.99; UK pricing £8.99 or £89.99). Google's plan comparison puts steps, cardio load, Daily Readiness, sleep score and stages, heart rate, HRV, SpO2, breathing rate, skin temperature and wellness logging in the free Base tier. Premium adds the Gemini-based Google Health Coach, Ask Coach, adaptive fitness plans, deeper sleep insights and a workout library, and it is bundled free with Google AI Pro and AI Ultra plans. In other words, the cheapest Fitbit and the most expensive Pixel Watch track the same core metrics for $0 a month. What that free HRV number actually means is covered in Fitbit HRV explained.
Cheap Fitbit alternatives
Xiaomi Smart Band 10, about $52 / £42. The best pure value in wearables: a 1.72-inch AMOLED display, up to 21 days of battery, 150-plus sport modes, sleep staging, SpO2 and 5ATM water resistance in the free Mi Fitness app. No AFib alerts, no ECG and thinner health analysis, but as a first tracker it is a painless experiment. Amazfit Band 7, $49.99. A 1.47-inch always-on AMOLED, up to 18 days of battery, 120 sport modes, sleep stages, SpO2 and Alexa built in, running the free Zepp app. It is older than the Xiaomi and occasionally out of stock, so buy on price. Garmin Vivosmart 5, $149.99 list, often $119.99. The closest Fitbit-style band from Garmin, with Body Battery, sleep score, Pulse Ox and Garmin Connect free; no built-in GPS. It costs Charge 6 money, so it is the alternative for people who prefer Garmin's ecosystem rather than a saving.
If the appeal of a cheap Fitbit was mainly counting steps, your phone already does it, and our guides to the best step counter apps for Android and the best pedometer apps cover the free options. And whichever band you pick, the workouts it writes to Apple Health or Health Connect can feed Fitcoin, which turns them into FitScore, weekly Leagues and partner rewards at no cost. If steps from another app are not showing up in Google Health, how to add steps to Fitbit walks through the fix.
Frequently asked questions
What is the cheapest Fitbit you can buy?
At list price the Fitbit Inspire 3 ($99.95) and the screenless Fitbit Air ($99.99) tie as the cheapest current models. The Inspire 3 is discounted more often because it launched in 2022, so in practice it is usually the cheapest new Fitbit on the shelf. The Ace LTE for kids drops to $99.95 in sales but needs a $9.99 a month Ace Pass for its LTE and games.
Which cheap Fitbit is actually worth buying?
The Charge 6 at $159.95 list, and often less on sale, is the best-value Fitbit for most adults: built-in GPS, an ECG app, a colour AMOLED screen and every Google Health metric with no subscription. If you want the lowest price and can live without GPS, the Inspire 3 covers steps, sleep stages, HRV and SpO2 for $99.95. The Fitbit Air is the pick only if you specifically want no screen.
Do cheap Fitbits need a subscription?
No. Every Fitbit and Pixel Watch works fully in the free tier of the Google Health app, including steps, sleep score and stages, heart rate, HRV, SpO2 and the Daily Readiness Score. Google Health Premium ($9.99 a month or $99.99 a year) adds the Gemini-based Health Coach, adaptive fitness plans and deeper sleep insights. The exception is the kids' Ace LTE, whose cellular features and Fitbit Arcade games require an Ace Pass.
What is a good cheap Fitbit alternative?
The Xiaomi Smart Band 10 at about $52 (£42) is the strongest: a 1.72-inch AMOLED screen, up to 21 days of battery and sleep staging in the free Mi Fitness app. The Amazfit Band 7 ($49.99) is similar with Alexa built in, and the Garmin Vivosmart 5 ($149.99 list, often $119.99) adds Body Battery and Garmin Connect. None of them offers Fitbit's AFib alerts or ECG.
Method: Checked September 8, 2026 using Google Store product listings, Google's Fitbit security-update and Health Premium help pages, Amazfit and Xiaomi official pages, and deal and launch coverage from 9to5Google, Droid Life, The Verge, PhoneArena, Tom's Guide and Gadgets & Wearables. Prices are US list at publication with UK prices where confirmed; sale prices are those reported in 2026 and change weekly. Fitcoin has no commercial relationship with Google, Fitbit, Xiaomi, Amazfit, Garmin or any hardware brand named here. Wellness estimates only, not medical advice.
About the author: Harris Khan is the co-founder and CTO of Fitcoin, a UK fitness-rewards app.