TechRadar

Google Fitbit Air review: the affordable Whoop alternative with a messy AI-powered app

Jun 13, 2026 9 min
fitness trackerwearable technologygoogle healthfitbit review
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Summary

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This review evaluates the Google Fitbit Air, a lightweight, affordable fitness tracker that competes with Whoop but struggles with a cluttered, AI-reliant companion app.

The Google Fitbit Air is an inexpensive, lightweight fitness tracker that offers solid core metrics like heart rate, sleep tracking, and basic exercise logging. While the hardware design is comfortable and minimalist, the device relies heavily on the Google Health app, which hides key insights behind a required monthly subscription for AI-powered features. Despite its value as a simple tracker, the app's fragmented interface and excessive reliance on AI-generated summaries may frustrate users who prefer straightforward data, though it performs competitively against premium trackers in heart rate and sleep accuracy.

Verdict

Google Fitbit Air
fitness tracker · $100 / £85 / AU$199

The hardware offers excellent value and comfort, but the user experience is hampered by a messy app that forces an AI-focused subscription model.

Depends

Pros

  • ✓ Very affordable entry price 0:49
  • ✓ Extremely lightweight and comfortable design 3:44
  • ✓ Accurate core metrics like heart rate

Cons

  • ✗ Key features locked behind a subscription 1:40
  • ✗ Companion app interface is cluttered and messy 5:03
  • ✗ Over-reliance on AI-generated chat for basic data 5:23

Specs

weight 12g 3:44

Compared to

  • Whoop

    Fitbit Air offers a more affordable entry point, though both rely heavily on paid subscriptions.

  • Samsung Galaxy Fit 3

    The Galaxy Fit 3 offers a better screen and no subscription requirement, though the design is less subtle.

  • Apple Watch Ultra 3

    The Apple Watch is vastly more expensive and feature-rich, serving a different class of user entirely.

Best for

  • Casual users wanting simple health numbers
  • Users looking for a minimalist aesthetic

Not for

  • Serious athletes wanting advanced sports analytics
  • Users who dislike chat-based AI interfaces

Key Points

  • 0:49 The device has a low entry price but requires a monthly subscription for its core AI-powered health insights.
  • 3:44 The hardware is extremely lightweight (12g) and offers a comfortable, low-profile design suitable for 24/7 wear.
  • 5:03 The companion app is cluttered across four tabs, making it difficult to find specific metrics without using the AI chatbot.
  • In a 10km test run, the device showed accurate heart rate monitoring but overestimated distance compared to the Apple Watch Ultra 3.

Worth watching if: You are considering the Google Fitbit Air and want an honest assessment of whether the reliance on an AI-powered subscription model fits your fitness tracking needs.

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