The Fitbit watch
Cheaper alternatives to the Garmin Forerunner 165
Three cheaper Fitbits. Good for health tracking, not for serious running.
Updated 13 November 2026
Band with Google Wallet
Cheapest
Fitbit Inspire 3
- Up to 10 days
- Water resistant to 50 m
The original
Garmin Forerunner 165
Worth it if: You're training for a 5K or more
- Proper running metrics
- OLED screen, altimeter
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What are you actually paying extra for with the Forerunner 165?
What the extra money buys
- Proper running metrics
- OLED screen, altimeter
- Around 11 days of battery
Worth it if
- You're training for a 5K or more
- You need accurate pace
Not worth it if
- You mostly walk
- Sleep tracking matters most
Good to know
Why each one made the list, and our final recommendation.
Fitbit Versa 4
It brings Fitbit's health tracking to a square watch with GPS. Les Numériques saw little progress over the Versa 3, and TechRadar wanted more for workouts. It suits casual runners who value sleep data over coaching.
Fitbit Charge 6
Android Central found it suits sleep tracking thanks to the small design, though the screen is dim. TechRadar found GPS flaky. It suits people who want payments and maps on a slim band, not run coaching.
Fitbit Inspire 3
Tom's Guide rated it the best affordable tracker, with long battery; TechRadar called it a good way into fitness tracking. Runs need your phone for GPS. It suits beginners who mainly want steps, heart rate and sleep.
Final recommendation: The Versa 4 is the nearest watch, the Charge 6 a slim band with Wallet, and the Inspire 3 the cheapest way to track health. Keep the Forerunner 165 if you run seriously.
Side by side
Specs from each maker. Price levels come from shop prices we checked recently; tap through for today's price.
| Model | | | | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Price level | Affordable | Affordable | Budget | Budget |
| Battery (claimed) | Up to 11 days (smartwatch mode) | 6+ days | Up to 7 days | Up to 10 days |
| GPS | Built-in, up to 19 hours (GPS-only) | built-in (GPS + GLONASS) | Built-in (GPS + GLONASS) | connected (phone) |
| Screen | AMOLED, 1.2-inch | AMOLED | Colour AMOLED | Colour AMOLED touchscreen |
| Maps | No | – | No | – |
| Water resistance | – | Water resistant to 50 m | Water resistant to 50 m | Water resistant to 50 m |
| Works with | iPhone and Android | iPhone and Android | iPhone and Android | iPhone and Android |
| Shop | Check price on Amazon ↗ | Check price on Amazon ↗ | Check price on Amazon ↗ | Check price on Amazon ↗ |
Questions people ask
Is the Forerunner 165 worth it over a Fitbit?
For runners, yes: accurate GPS, training tools and an altimeter. For sleep and steps, a Fitbit costs less.
Does the Fitbit Charge 6 work with iPhone?
Yes, with iPhone and Android phones.
Is the Fitbit Inspire 3 waterproof?
It's water resistant to 50 m, so fine for swimming.
Related guides
How we reached this
We compared the Garmin Forerunner 165 with the alternatives most often recommended by independent reviewers, then checked each against the makers' own specs and current prices.
We haven't tested these products ourselves. Our picks weigh independent expert reviews against each maker's published specs and the prices we checked. Opinions are ours; facts link to where they come from. How we choose.
Sources: Garmin: Garmin Forerunner 165 specs, Android Central: Garmin Forerunner 165 review: Barely a compromise, Les Numériques: Test Garmin Forerunner 165 : une montre running d'entrée de gamme convaincante, Google: Fitbit Versa 4 specs, TechRadar: Fitbit Versa 4 review, Les Numériques: Test Fitbit Versa 4 : la montre de fitness évolue timidement, Google: Fitbit Charge 6 specs, Tom's Guide: Fitbit Charge 6 review: a brilliant tracker with more Google, TechRadar: Fitbit Charge 6 review: A fun but flawed modern fitness tracker, Android Central: Fitbit Charge 6 review: Familiar hardware, Googleified, Google: Fitbit Inspire 3 specs, Tom's Guide: Fitbit Inspire 3 review: the top affordable fitness tracker just got better, TechRadar: Fitbit Inspire 3 review.