I'm a data geek. I plan on doing a more outlined blog post, but here's a quick comparison of some One alternatives ...
I've had my Fitbit torso tracker (the Ulta, then the One) for over eight years. I also started wearing a wrist one, ChargeHR, then Charge2 and find it interesting to compare the data. My son hasn't been wearing his Alta, so I wore it (in a clip) for a bit ... and just to be crazy I've recently been trying out the Garmin Vivofit3 in a clip, and the Motiv ring. Yes ... wearing 5 trackers.
Although the Charge2 is bigger (wider) and more expensive ($149), it's the closest to the One (has floors and such). Currently there isn't a clip for it, although a couple people on this thread have said they've jerry rigged their own holder to tuck into a bra or pocket. The Charge steps were almost always under the One steps (although sometimes it would count more active minutes, I think maybe because of taking HR into consideration). I've enjoyed the auto-recognition (it can usually tell the difference between my elliptical and walking/running, Zumba comes in as "sport") ... I can't sleep with it on my wrist though. I do love the HR feedback ... during exercise and all day. Love that it notifies me of calls or texts when linked with my phone.
The Alta in a clip is quite close to the One (in size and cost) if you go with the non-HR version. No reason to buy the HR version if you don't plan on wearing on the wrist to catch heart rate. No floors, and no button to scroll through options (you have to tap, which is annoying) and you can't set a timer (something I used on the One). Still has the illuminated display and alarms. On the upside, there is auto-recognition of exercise and sleep, which is nice (not 100% accurate, but you can easily adjust things). I found the Alta counted more steps than the One (within about the same range as the Charge undercounting).
The Garmin VivoFit3 in a clip, is a little wider than the One. Less expensive, 1-year battery (nice for that first year, but I'll admit replacing batteries sometimes intimidate me if it isn't an easy pop-in, pop-out thing). The Garmin came in lower on the step count than the One ... I was trying to compare individual workouts (to see if elliptical, walk, run, Zumba) which was hard, because while the Garmin would count steps for the workout if you started the timer, I had to manually write the number down before I stopped the timer ... the step# does not copy to the app (just the burn estimate, mile estimate). Same with active minutes ... it only tracks them for the week as a whole, so if you wanted to know your minutes for a day or a workout, you'd have to manually note it before and after, and then do math 😉 Has auto-recognition, but that is very limited (just tells the activity and time, no data feedback). Have to "time" the activity to get more detailed data. Can't tell elliptical from walking, but can tell running from walking. It has so many bizarre activity labels ... but no "dance" so I have to label Zumba as "fitness equipment cardio". Steps were generally under the One ... calorie estimates quite a bit lower.
The Motiv is a ring ... a little pricey ($200) and I'm sure some limitations with a wrist worn device also apply to a ring (in a workplace or sports). It IS waterproof (could wear swimming although I haven't tested how it tracks there). Has heart rate. Auto-recognizes activity, although labels most everything walking or running (I have to manually change it for elliptical or dance, also adjusting the time as it usually goes under/over by a bit). No floors again. Does track sleep and active minutes. IOS app only (no computer interface), Android still in beta testing.
Change is hard for me ... figuring out other apps/devices is a learning curve and there is always those "but my Fitbit One did this, why isn't this device/app able to do that?" moments. Sticking with a Fitbit product when that is what you are used to does avoid many (though not all) issues ... granted, other products may have details Fitbit doesn't. Unfortunately, no other company seems to make a device that has everything the One did either.
I never understand companies who discontinue a product I love ... if I love it, doesn't everyone? But it happens. A favorite shoe, lipstick, food, TV program. Somewhere as the company crunches the numbers it makes sense to them to stop production, even if it doesn't to me 😞
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