I am really disappointed with Charge 5

[VP429]

I got this model as a Christmas present. I have owned Fitbit trackers since 2014. I accepted that they don't last more than 2 years or so. I was excited to get the Charge 5, but it is the worst tracker of all the ones I had. It keeps disconnecting from Bluetooth. Every day now for the last week, I see that in the morning the tracker is  is not connected to Bluetooth. Sometimes I have a lot of trouble re-connecting. I keep my phone on silence, and it was great to get notifications from pone calls, texts and even emails. But no more! It is SO unreliable that I am fed up now.

I can't spend more time going through the steps to reconnects and it not working.

Arte other people having the same issues or is my tracker a faulty one?

[Katedh]

yes to all of those things - including that I am a longtime fitbit user! Worse one yet -

I also keep my phone on silent and really relied on my notifications! I've been using the chat and they are utterly useless - 

[hollyehj]

started with a charge 3 years ago, no problems. Got a charge 5 a month ago, several problems already. Needing to restart, not tracking exercise suddenly, not tracking sleep. The only good thing is the bright screen. 

[Bobby.V]

I got my Charge 5 to replace my Ionic that was recalled a few weeks ago. It’s been nothing but a problem from the get go. It’s somehow managed to stop tracking heart rate while in exercise mode (spin) but still give me readings on cardio vs fat burn. It’s next to impossible to click the snooze option on the silent alarm and found that I’m wide awake after finally getting it. This is my 5th Fitbit and for now, will be my last. Sending it back and will look at providers. Fitbit, Introduce a Ionic like product in the future, I will seriously consider it. 

[Katedh]

Yes,  I was on with help 3 separate times, spent hours on troubleshooting. This happened with my charge 3, but they sent a replacement when they realized it was a bad product. 

I'm returning and looking at a Garmin. 

As a long time fit but User, I'm disappointed.  Not only on the product,  but in the service. 

[NoCalTim]

I will add my voice to the chorus of disappointed Fitbit product users.  I've had problems with Fitbit products before but my current travails with the Charge 5 have turned me from a "constructive complainer" into a downright pessimistic "hater".  I got my first Charge 5 three days ago and spent the last few days using my 30 years of engineering (including reliability engineering) to confirm to myself and Fitbit that my Charge 5 was miscounting steps by 15-30%.  I finally gave up a few hours ago and took the unit back to the department store for a replacement.  I got the new device home and tried to set it up, only to find that it keeps crashing the necessary firmware update.  I called Fitbit for technical support and was encourage to send my unit in for in-warranty repair -- for a device that I'd only owned for TWO HOURS!  So, yeah, unhappy with the product and unhappy with customer service.  Recommend avoiding this product if you haven't already made the mistake of purchasing it.

[tcat007]

Are all Fitbits this bad?

Step count shows over 5000 each day, actual 1000 at most (per kids Apple watch doing similar things, sitting, looking at phone).  Showed I went swimming yesterday, really?  Shows I've been sleeping 7 hours (lying wide awake half the night).  Keeps showing 1-3 mile walks, have not taken a walk.  What's the purpose if nothing is "real"?  Heart rate does seem good.  And what's "skin temperature?  Says "0" on graph, I guess normal, but no actual temperature.

[CBBTS]

I agree.  Very disappointed in Charge 5.  Does not work and no counting floors.  I was shocked that fewer functions was not disclosed anywhere in the packaging or marketing materials.  And it is nonresponsive often.  I am looking into a better tracker.

[jjs1234]

My GPS has never worked - Customer Services say it's a known fault !  My fitbit pay, I have to put the code in every time - it used to be just after it had been off my wrist, and sometimes it says I haven't even got a card linked. The ONLY advantage over my charge 4 is the screen is easier to read - other than that - it's pants!  

[Neverness]

Agreed that the chats are quite useless. Mainly to drag it on and on and discourage you. 

[magz007]

This 1000%. Absolute worst one yet. So sad my charge 2 broke!  Nothing but problems with the charge 5 since I’ve had it. Doesn’t sync. Takes forever to when it does. Just annoying and horrible. My old charge 2 did not have any problems syncing. 

[Rohal]

Agreed. I have owned three Inspires, each lasted roughly a year which I guess for 100 bucks is maybe all one could expect.  Tried out the Charge 4 last year and it wouldn't read my HR so back it went for another Inspire.  This year I went for a Charge 5, and this thing is terrible. Doesn't come on when you turn your wrist like it is supposed to, many times double tapping the screen doesn't even wake it up, HR reading almost never on the device itself, and the all-day HR graph in the app is always missing huge hunks of time throughout the days at random as if I wasn't wearing it, sleep score only works maybe 75% of the time.  So disappointed in this thing.  Inspire 3 just came out, guess I'm going back to the Inspire.

[tcat007]

Opposite opinion here, other than 1 week of the fast discharge issue. Much more accurate and better battery than wife's Luxe.  Always comes on with arm lift with wrist rotate (not so much with just a wrist rotate). Sleep and HR seems very accurate. It's not good at auto reading activity (mainly short walks and swimming), but that doesn't bother me. Luxe is terrible at sleep and only 6-7 day battery (compared to 10 on C5).

[CBBTS]

Odd. Because mine is practically no responsive. I’m very sorry I purchased it. 

[AnnieDee]

Absolute WORST FitBit.  So disappointed.   Had the HR3 which was amazing until my screen went dark. Tracked everything it was supposed to. Decided to upgrade to a 5. Since I took it out of the box, the ONLY thing it tracks is my steps....sometimes.   All of the other "trackers" are BS. They do NOTHING. 

Called and emailed customer service numerous times, and they were no help. Reset to factory settings, and you guessed it.... nothing.  This thing is useless. I absolutely hate it, the poor customer service, and will be looking for a different brand of tracker. Waste of money and absolutely would not recommend to anyone. 

[MarkWAdams]

I couldn't agree more, as of today its going in storage never to be used again, owned since August 2022 because I joined Vitality Insurance, been unreliable and for the price lacks so much functionality compared to Honor and Huawei smart watches/fitness trackers

Rubbish battery life, bluetooth syncing and the last few months despites resets and many other tries no rested heart beat

Not worth wearing for the discount or offers from Vitality and I am going back to my other trackers which are far more accurate and reliable