Last Updated on March 14, 2024 by Senior Editor
Fitbit Versa 3 was released alongside Sense, it succeeds Versa 2 and comes with new features such as a loudspeaker and inbuilt GPS. Meanwhile, Fitbit Ionic which was released in 2017 also has an inbuilt GPS and shares a lot of features in common with Versa 3, and the prices of these are about the same. Both the Ionic and Versa 3 will track your sleep, heart rate, count floors climbed, help you manage stress, and features inbuilt GPS that allows you to track your outdoor routes, pace, and distance. Each of these two also has a long battery life that takes you through multiple days from a single charge and as well helps you manage notifications. So which is a better smartwatch between Fitbit Versa 3 vs Ionic? In this post, we take a look at the differences to help you make the right choice.
Fitbit Versa 3 vs Ionic: Specifications Compared
| Product Info |
 Fitbit Versa 3 Full Specifications, Features and Price |
 Fitbit Ionic Specifications, Features and Price |
|---|---|---|
| Price | $179.00 | - |
| ABOUT DEVICE | ABOUT DEVICE | ABOUT DEVICE |
| Device name | Fitbit Versa 3 | Fitbit Ionic |
| Device type | Fitness/Sport smartwatch | Fitness/Sport smartwatch |
| Gender | Unisex | Unisex |
| Release date | September, 2020 | August, 2017 |
| Predecessor | Fitbit Versa 2 | — |
| Successor | Fitbit Versa 4 | — |
| Versions | — | — |
| BODY | BODY | BODY |
| Dimension | 40.4 x 40.4 x 12.4 mm | 38 x 38 x 12 mm |
| Weight | — | 30 grams |
| Shape | Square | Rectangular |
| Case material | Aluminum | Aluminum |
| Strap material | Polyester, Silicone | Elastomer |
| Bezel material | Aluminum | Aluminum |
| Strap size | 140 – 180mm (small), 180 -220mm (big) | 140 – 180mm (small), 180 -220mm (big) |
| Interchangeable strap | Yes | Yes |
| Screen protection | Corning Gorilla Glass 3 | Corning Gorilla Glass 3 |
| Water resistance | Yes, 5ATM | Yes, 5ATM |
| Durability test | — | — |
| Swim-proof | Yes, recommended | Yes, recommended |
| Color | Black/black, Midnight blue/gold, Pink/Gold | Gray, Orange, Silver |
| DISPLAY | DISPLAY | DISPLAY |
| Display size | 1.58 inches | 1.42 inches |
| Display type | AMOLED | LCD, transflective |
| Display resolution | 300 x 300 pixels | 348 x 250 pixel |
| Pixel density | 268.5 PPI | — |
| Always on | Yes | Yes |
| Custom watch face | Yes | Yes |
| Input type | 1 Haptic button, Touchscreen | 3 Physical buttons, Touchscreen |
| CONNECTIVITY | CONNECTIVITY | CONNECTIVITY |
| Bluetooth | Bluetooth v5.0 | Bluetooth v4.0 |
| Bluetooth calling | Yes | No |
| GPS | GLONASS, GPS | GLONASS, GPS |
| NFC | Yes | Yes |
| Wi-Fi | Yes | Yes |
| MEMORY | MEMORY | MEMORY |
| RAM | — | — |
| ROM | 4GB | 4GB |
| Memory card slot | No | No |
| CELLULAR CONNECTIVITY | CELLULAR CONNECTIVITY | CELLULAR CONNECTIVITY |
| Technology | None | None |
| SIM type | None | None |
| Band | — | — |
| NOTIFICATIONS | NOTIFICATIONS | NOTIFICATIONS |
| SMS alert | Yes | Yes |
| Calls alert | Yes | Yes |
| Email alert | Yes | Yes |
| Event reminder | Yes | Yes |
| Third-party apps alert | Yes | Yes |
| Reply to Notifications | - | - |
| MEDIA | MEDIA | MEDIA |
| Audio | mp3/mp4 | mp3/mp4 |
| Bluetooth music | Yes | Yes |
| Loudspeaker | Yes | No |
| Microphone | Yes | No |
| Camera | No | No |
| Radio | No | No |
| SENSORS | SENSORS | SENSORS |
| Sensor(s) | Vibration motor | Vibration motor |
| ACTIVITY TRACKING | ACTIVITY TRACKING | ACTIVITY TRACKING |
| Blood oxygen | Yes | Yes |
| Blood Pressure | No | No |
| Calories | Yes | Yes |
| Distance | Yes | Yes |
| ECG tracking | No | No |
| Heart rate monitoring | Yes | Yes |
| Sleep tracking | Yes | Yes |
| Steps | Yes | Yes |
| Floors climbed | - | Yes |
| Stress | Yes | Yes |
| Fall detection | No | No |
| Menstrual cycle | Yes | Yes |
| VO2 Max | Yes | Yes |
| Swim-tracking | Yes | Yes |
| Underwater heart rate tracking | No | No |
| On-screen workout | Yes | Yes |
| Sport modes | 20+ | 15 |
| BATTERY | BATTERY | BATTERY |
| Battery type | non-removable Lithium-polymer | non-removable Lithium-polymer |
| Battery capacity | — | — |
| Battery life | Regular: 6 Days+ | Regular: 4 days+, Standby :5 days+ |
| Charging type | USB charging | Charging dock |
| Charging time | 30min-1hr | 2hrs |
| Solar charging | No | No |
| PLATFORM | PLATFORM | PLATFORM |
| Chipset | — | — |
| CPU | — | — |
| GPU | — | — |
| Operating system | Fitbit OS | Fitbit OS |
| MISC | MISC | MISC |
| Companion app | Fitbit App | Fitbit App |
| Compatibility | Android OS 8.0+, iOS 14.0+ | Android, iOS |
| Payment system | Fitbit Pay | Fitbit Pay |
| Voice command | Yes, Alexa, Yes, Google Assistant | No |
| Find my phone | Yes | Yes |
| Box content | Charger, Fitbit Versa 3, Manual, Straps | Charger, Fitbit Ionic, Manual, Straps |
Fitbit Versa 3 vs Ionic Features Compared
| Fitbit Versa 3 | Fitbit Ionic | |
|---|---|---|
| DESIGN | ||
| Model | Standard edition only | Standard Edition |
| Display | 1.58 inches | 1.42 inches |
| Band Type | Infinity straps | Pin/buckle straps |
| Available Widgets | Yes Weather Core stats Advanced stats Food logging Relax | Yes |
| Favorite Apps Shortcuts | Yes, 4 Customizable | Yes |
| HEALTH AND ACTIVITY TRACKING | ||
| Inbuilt GPS Allows you to track outdoor workout activities without carrying your phone along. | Yes | Yes |
| Heart Rate Sensor Tracks you heart rate continuously as well as tracks your resting heart rate, shows heart rate zones and trend. | Yes, improved multi-path heart rate sensor | Yes |
| Log Temperature App | Yes | No |
| Has Altimeter Has an altimeter that enables it to count floors climbed. | Yes | Yes |
| Sleep Monitoring Tracks your sleep comprehensively in four stages; deep, light, awake, and REM, and also shows your sleep trend overtime. | Yes | Yes |
| Manage Stress Has a stress app that can help you manage stress through a guided breathing session. | Yes | Yes |
| Has ECG Sensor Has an ECG sensor that allows you to take ECG tests directly from your wrist which can help you detect irregular heart rhythms. | No | No |
| EDA Stress Sensor Has an EDA sensor that monitors your stress level and can help you manage stress. | No | No |
| Body Temperature Sensor Has a body temperature sensor that monitors your body temperature changes. | No | No |
| Fitbit Coach Fitbit Coach animated workout modes that coach you through some of your favorite moves. | Yes | Yes |
| Exercise Shortcuts | 20 | 7 |
| Preset Sport Modes Features 20 preset sport modes that allow you to choose from your favorite workout moves. | Yes | Yes |
| MEDIA AND MUSIC STORAGE | ||
| Music Storage Options |
|
|
| Has Loudspeaker | Yes | No |
| Make Calls | Yes, (with voice assistant app) | No |
| Answer Calls | Yes | Yes |
| Voice Assistants | Amazon Alexa Google Assistant | No |
| BATTERY | ||
| Battery Life | 6 Days+ | 4 Days+ |
| Fast Charging | Yes | No |
| Charger Type | Magnetic charger | Charging dock |
The Differences in Summary
- Both the Versa 3 and Ionic have a decent design, however, there are slight differences. The Versa 3 has a haptic button which I’m not a fan of, while the Ionic has three physical buttons which I honestly think is easier to navigate. Both smartwatches have a touch-sensitive screen.
- The Versa 3 has an AMOLED-powered display which is far more colorful than the LCD display of Ionic. Moreover, the Versa 3 with a 1.58 inches display size has a slightly larger display than the Ionic with 1.42 inches.
- The Versa 3 has a microphone and loudspeaker that enables on-wrist-calls which isn’t possible with Ionic. As a result, you can receive and answers call directly on Versa 3. You can also start a call with Google Assistant on the Versa 3.
- Furthermore, the Versa 3 features two voice assistants, Google Assistant and Alexa voice assistant that allow you do simple tasks with your voice. There is no voice assistant on Ionic.
- While both Ionic and Versa 3 have a 4GB storage capacity, you can add your personal music to Ionic but it’s not possible with Versa 3. Meanwhile, you have the option to download your Deezer and Pandora playlists to both watches. You also get a Spotify app that allows you to control the music played on the Spotify app on your phone.
- The Versa 3 also has a longer battery life than the Ionic. I get around 5-6 days on average which is slightly longer than about 4 days with the Ionic. Moreover, the Versa 3 has fast charging technology that results in a shorter charging duration. It takes about 50 minutes to fully charge the Versa 3.
Which is Better?
Each of these two smartwatches has a decent design, long battery life, and well equipped to track your active life comprehensively. However, the Versa 3 is clearly a better smartwatch than the Ionic.
The Versa 3 has an AMOLED display that’s more colorful, it also has a longer battery life than Ionic and supports fast charging technology that takes less time to charge. I also like that the Versa 3 has a microphone that supports Amazon Alexa and Google Voice Assistant that allows you to use your voice to do simple tasks like setting the alarm, checking the weather, and setting reminders.
Versa 3 also has a loudspeaker that allows you to answer calls directly on the watch, and with Google Assistant and your phone nearby, you can start a call using just your voice.
In summary, the Versa 3 is a more comprehensive smartwatch than the Ionic.
On the flip side, the Fitbit Ionic is still a fine smartwatch and a cheaper alternative.