Oura Ring 5 vs. Fitbit: Top trackers compared
Oura and Fitbit are titans of wearables—and the two platforms are a lot closer in terms of the stats on offer than many expect
Fitbit makes excellent fitness tracking bands and smartwatches, but one thing it doesn’t have in its collection is a smart ring.
Meanwhile, Oura Ring has gained immense popularity and has been spotted on the digits of royalty and Hollywood A-listers. But in total contrast to standard wearables, Oura tracks everything from the finger.
And there are good reasons for the rise of smart rings. Not everyone wants to wear tech on the wrist. So while Oura doesn’t exactly blend away, it’s discreet and unobtrusive—and it enables you to wear a nice watch and get all the benefits of a wrist-worn wearable.
Wrist vs. finger
It may surprise you, but the finger is a great place to put sensors for health tracking. Heart rate is rather reliable when measured there—just think about the sensors doctors clip on in medical settings.
Fitbit, on the other hand, is synonymous with the wrist—and it's a great place to keep up with daily goals, check your progress, and generally blend into the background.
It delivers smartwatch-style features that you just don’t get with Oura, and there’s a huge array of Fitbit devices, suited to a wide range of needs and tastes.
But how does this smart ring shape up in terms of what it can track, compared to the Fitbit wearable family? We’ve compared the two wearable devices to find out which one might be a better fit for you.
We think it's fair to say that these two trackers couldn't look more different. One sits on your wrist, the other sits on your finger. Fitbit also offers the ability to wear its Inspire 3 fitness tracker elsewhere on your body, thanks to an additional Midnight Zen clip accessory. Mainly, though, it’s designed to be worn in one place.
Oura Ring 5 is more comfortable and sleek to wear, and is way smaller than the older Oura Ring 4, nicely blending with your other jewelry.
Oura Ring vs. Fitbit: Devices
Oura Ring 5
During testing, we were very excited that Oura Ring 5 was slimmed down from its older generation models, while it keeps the comfort and accuracy we all already appreciate. It’s still slightly chunkier than a normal ring, yet very easy to incorporate with other jewelry you may wear.
It doesn’t have a screen, so you’re relying on dipping into the companion app to view your data. It is made from lightweight titanium with an improved PVD coating, and it is water-resistant up to 100 meters. The finishes are mostly the same as Gen 4 with slight changes of hue: gold looks lighter and the rose gold option has been exchanged with a more copper-toned one.
Before you get your hands on it, you will have to use the sizing kit, which is sent out to you and offers size options from US 6 to US 13, so there’s a little extra admin involved.
Once you’ve found one that’s comfortable to wear for 24 hours, you’ll be sent the real deal.
- Read our comparison of Oura Ring 5 vs. Oura Ring 4
Fitbit devices
While there’s only one Oura Ring 5 (and the older version Oura Ring 4), there are a lot of Fitbit options—but they all live on the wrist. However, there are different-sized fitness bands and smartwatches to choose from in the range.
But under Google, things have changed. Google Pixel Watch 3, while not the newest, is one of the most solid Fitbit smartwatches you can buy. This smartwatch runs Wear OS but syncs with the Fitbit app for a full-fat Fitbit experience with all the bells and whistles.
The most discreet option is Inspire 3, a slim fitness tracker that covers the essentials while still offering features like SpO₂ monitoring, skin temperature trends, sleep tracking, and a water-resistant design. If you’re looking for more advanced wellness and fitness features, Fitbit Charge 6 adds built-in GPS, ECG, and an EDA sensor for stress tracking.
- Check out the best Fitbit trackers and smartwatches for your needs
Oura Ring vs. Fitbit: Fitness tracking
So we’ve established that these two trackers take very different forms, so how do they compare in terms of what they can measure? Well, both capture similar metrics from their PPG sensors, which are used to monitor sleep, activity, stress, and wellness.
Sleep tracking is a big factor of both platforms, and here we have two excellent sleep trackers. We’d say Oura has the edge, but Fitbit has always been a top sleep-tracking performer.
Both will monitor blood oxygen and scan for breathing irregularities, as well as track menstrual cycles with the temperature variation. And both will also keep tabs on your daily metrics and how they compare to your established baselines.
Both will also keep tabs on workouts and use your iPhone’s GPS to track runs. Fitbit has the added benefit of built-in GPS on its Pixel Watch 3, Pixel Watch 4, and Charge 6. Oura Ring 5 can use connected GPS from a paired smartphone, but it lacks a screen, so you won’t get real-time feedback during your workouts. Also, the ring can get badly scratched if you’re throwing weights around—so think carefully if a smart ring is right for your needs.
Both put an onus on stress tracking. Fitbit will do this via monitoring your HRV and heart rate, and the Charge 6/Pixel Watch 3 will also use an EDA sensor to monitor stress from the skin.
Oura also uses HRV to track daytime stress levels by monitoring your temperature, heart rate, and sleep score. It shows your stress resilience and cumulative stress, helping you manage stress levels throughout the day.
One area in which Fitbit excels is features such as ECG available on some models. It can alert you in case of potential irregular heart rate rhythms.
Finally, Oura has opened up its platform more than Fitbit. Both will feed into Apple Health and Google Health Connect, but Oura has integrations to other services, including Clue, Natural Cycles, Headspace, and more. This enables interesting cross-pollination of data that makes the whole experience richer.
Some of Oura activity metrics:
- Readiness scores
- Activity score
- Metabolic Health
- Sleep scores and chronotypes
- Rest mode
- Stress Resilience/Daytime stress/Cumulative stress
- Blood Oxygen Sensing
- Steps/activity
- Resting heart rate
- Respiratory rate
- Body temperature
- Pregnancy Insights/Cycle Insights/Menopause Insights
- Cardio Capacity/Cardiovascular Age
- Chronotype and circadian insights
Some of Fitbit activity metrics:
- Steps
- Sleep tracking and chronotype
- Blood oxygen levels (select devices)
- ECG heart rate monitoring (select devices)
- Skin temperature (select devices)
- Active Zone Minutes
- Calories
- 24/7 heart rate
- Resting heart rate
- Cardio Fitness Score (select devices)
- Stress tracking
Oura Ring vs. Fitbit: Sleep tracking
One of the strongest features of both Fitbit and Oura is sleep tracking, and both systems are excellent. However, there are quite extreme differences between them.
Both ecosystems do this so well that it largely comes back to the device you feel more comfortable wearing. Oura will suit those looking for more data and granular detail.
Oura Ring 5 sleep tracking
Oura uses its onboard sensors to record a raft of metrics and data. It’ll give you a breakdown of sleep stages (deep, light, and REM). Just like you can on Fitbit’s platform and trackers, using a similar method to track sleep.
It will generate an overall sleep score based on a range of metrics, including heart rate, breathing, and temperature—and tell you whether it detected significant breathing disturbances (a possible sign of sleep apnea). You’ll see insights into sleep efficiency and signs of restfulness, and record total sleep time and time spent in bed.
This sleep data feeds into another aspect of Oura, which it calls Readiness. This concept also takes into consideration activity to assess whether you’re in good shape for the day—and will be of interest to those looking at recovery from workouts as well as general wellness.
Sleep metrics:
- Sleep Score
- Sleep stage (Deep, REM, Light sleep)
- Sleep timing
- Sleep regularity
- Sleep efficiency
- Sleep latency
- Total sleep time
- Time in bed
- Sleep oxygen saturation (SpO₂)
- Breathing regularity
- Chronotype
- Ideal bedtime suggestions
Fitbit sleep tracking
As far as Fitbit and sleep monitoring are concerned, it’s an aspect we have long praised the wearable maker for as among the most reliable and insightful.
Like Oura, Fitbit has participated in a raft of validated sleep studies and has long led the way in terms of accuracy and analysis of sleep from the wrist.
All of Fitbit’s trackers and smartwatches offer automatic sleep monitoring—and those that track heart rate will provide extra layers of data with better accuracy.
All of this data combines so that Fitbit can create a single Sleep Score, based on aspects like heart rate, duration, restlessness, and sleep stages.
Fitbit can track sleep duration, the time taken to fall asleep, as well as those key sleep stages of deep, REM, and light sleep. Fitbit also counts the time spent awake or restless periods during that sleep time, so it gives a much harsher assessment of your night’s activity.
And the previously dormant SpO₂ offers richer insights and even helps recognize potential signs associated with sleep disorders like sleep apnea. That is delivered via the Estimated Oxygen Variability graph, which is found in your sleep analysis if you have a newer Fitbit devices.
There are also extra features such as Sleep Schedule, which tries to find your optimum bedtime to boost sleep consistency. Fitbit Premium has guided sleep meditations and will offer extra in-depth insights into device data.
Sleep tracking data:
- Sleep score
- Sleep stage (Deep, REM, Light sleep)
- Total sleep time
- Sleep heart rate
- Restfulness
- Snore and noise detection
- Estimate oxygen variation
- Sleep and wake time
Oura vs. Fitbit: Battery life
When it comes to battery life, most Fitbits offer a week of battery life. When you factor in features like GPS and continuous heart rate monitoring, that does impact the performance. Generally, though, you’re looking at 5–7 days across its range.
Fitbit Sense 2/Versa 4 also offered around 4–5 days. But these are on the way out, and Pixel Watch 3 only lasts a day—two days if you get the XL version.
On paper, Oura Ring 5 should get you 6–9 days of battery life, depending on how you use specific features.
In terms of charging, Oura has reintroduced the pocket-sized Charging Case, which looks and acts like an actual earbud case, and can recharge Oura Ring 5 up to five times.
Oura Ring vs. Fitbit: Price
So how much do these trackers cost? If we start with Fitbit, you’re looking at paying around $100 for its cheapest tracker, the Inspire 3, and the price can go up to $300–$400 for Google Pixel Watch 3.
The Oura Ring 5 comes in at $399 and rises further if you want a gold finish.
But that’s not the end of the payments.
Something you do have to address with the pricing is the apps. While you can use Oura freely with its companion app, you’re highly limited in terms of what you can see beyond Readiness and Sleep scores. You will have to factor in paying the additional $5.99 monthly subscription service.
In contrast, most of Fitbit’s features are free to use, though some richer insights around sleep and health, along with features like video workouts, require a Google Health Premium subscription. That costs $9.99 a month or $99.99 a year.
Verdict
As hardware, these two wearables couldn’t be any different. If you prefer discreet and unobtrusive tracking, Oura Ring 5 is absolutely the one to go for. If you’re the kind of person who needs to constantly check on progress, go for Fitbit.
There are some strong similarities between the software and tracking side of things, and that should be seen as a good thing. Oura is a bit smarter, and the data and hardware are more interesting. But if you’re not keen on a ring, then a Fitbit device is a more than worthy alternative.
Buy Oura if you want the smartest and the best health insights. The ring form factor isn’t for everyone, but many find it a better alternative to wearing a clunky band/smartwatch on the wrist.
Buy Fitbit if you’re looking for the most cost-effective option, especially if you choose Inspire 3. At the other end of the scale, Pixel Watch 3 is a powerful smartwatch, and wellness insights are excellent.
