Versa inaccurate GPS tracking

[Dorispen]

I have used my versa for 2 years now and in the last three months, the gps tracking is not showing an accurate distance. I have used a different fitbit and it's doing the same. I have checked the distance with google maps and it's definitely off and I use the same track every day. How do I reslove this please as it's very annoying!

Moderator edit: Labels and format

[tecishere]

Its big known problem that doesn't look like its getting fixed any time soon i'm afraid. There's a big thread here:

https://community.fitbit.com/t5/Versa-Smartwatches/Distance-on-GPS-map-doesn-t-match-with-exercise-s...

[sportmom3]

Thanks for posting this. I found it very enlightening. I didn't realize until I read your post that last fall of so was when I started having more than 0.1 inaccuracy. That makes sense it was the update. I hope they fix it soon. I'm up to 0.5-0.7 under the actual distance which my Vi app records correctly. 

[DragonLady3]

I’m having the same issue. I mapped out a 0.5 mile loop using Google Maps and ran it with different variables. Here’s my results:

Using iPhone 11 Pro iOS 13.4.1

Versa 2 version 70.7.21

wifi on = 0.75 miles

wifi off = 0.53 miles

I did the same with Map My Run

wifi on = 0.52 miles

wifi off = 0.53 miles

[igetamped]

Did you find any great alternatives? Would love to know. Mine was accurate up until the last firmware update. Kinda over it, as much as I love the platform.

[Shortjock903]

Hi,
I moved to Garmin and never looked back, took my wife with me. I'm on vivoactive 3 my wife on vivofit
Love that you can actually pair up speed and cadence sensors. Love the platform, so much info, and that it will integrate to other apps like strava.
Ditch fitbit and lose the frustration


Sent from my Samsung Galaxy smartphone.

[Lindzzz]

Agreed. I've moved to garmin and wondered why I haven't sooner. Fitbit have
just fallen behind and let us down

[Teedy2]

Which Garmin did you move to? I'm shopping around

Sent from Galaxy S9

Moderator edit: personal info removed

[Seb03]

...Just got back from a run and realized tracking is off,  the Fitbit app on my phone shows the correct route but the km and pace of my run are off. Recently updated my fitbit versa, didn't have this issue before the update. Any suggestions on how to correct this problem. Much appreciated!

[Shortjock903]

Hi,

Sorry, I am nothing to do with Fitbit.

I started this feed in the hope that Fitbit would actually do something about their shocking accuracy since direct contact support was insulting, however, thet did not.

I no longer use Fitbit, I am happy Garmin now.

My advice is leave Fitbit behind and find the fantastic features available from other device manufacturers (not Apple or Samsung). You may be reluctant, I was, thinking of all the history I would loose. Once I moved I found much better recording, data and customer service.

If you require Fitbit support please contact Fitbit through their contact site. This is a forum feed that Fitbit also do not respond to.

Fitbit is merely an overpriced brand that limits application comparability to psychologically tie their customers to their brand.

Incidentally, Fitbit is now owned by Google, if they wont fix Fitbit tracking accuracy it says a lot about the future of Fitbit branded devices and apps.

Regards

Craig


Sent from my Samsung Galaxy smartphone.

[Catmha]

Oh my word.... This is soooo frustrating to read as I've just bought the Versa 2 and it is completely off! Not only that but my last watch (Tom Tom Cardio 3) was amazing and I've just donated it to a friend who's lost his job due to C19.! Aghhhh!! I'm really wishing I hadn't bought this watch... 😞

[Jackos]

a refund while you can @Catmha 

[dryheatwriter]

I would, sadly, have to agree.

I, myself, have given up on Fitbit ever fixing this. I still use/wear my Versa, but only for the community I've built of friends and weekly/weekend challenges. I bought a Garmin Vivosport and LOVE IT! Super accurate, long battery life, and nice features for a $60 (reconditioned) watch. I am now addicted to Garmin and will stay with them for life.

As for my Fitbit future should my Versa die? I'll probably buy their simplest tracker to keep with the challenges/community, but won't bother using them as a true fitness watch. I'll switch where the Fitbit is the >$100 tracker, and Garmin becomes my premium watch.

[Azulruiz1]

Bike setting does not work either. 

I biked with my husband yesterday for 9.64 km according to google maps and his android watch and fitbit was showing the same distance when I last looked at my watch. Once I hit complete workout, it changed the distance to 7.54 km.

[dryheatwriter]

Another software update and still no fix to this issue. I measured a run/walk and now the Fitbit Versa is subtracting mileage - by nearly .5 miles for each mile actually traveled. I've been so disappointed, I don't typically think of testing this more, but will try again and provide more detailed documentation of the issue as a future reply here. It would be lovely if someone at Fitbit just acknowledged this is an issue with the tracker.

[edddddddddddddd]

I have the same problem as a lot of people on here; my 2 year old Versa is about 20% short on mileage. Interestingly, my wife has a new Charge 3 and on a 10 mile walk yesterday hers was spot on and mine was 8.2 miles. So it's not satellites in the wrong place or outside Fitbit's software/hardware cabilities. Come on Fitbit sort it out! I've used your watches for 6 years now but at this rate I'm going Garmin next time!!!

[cpm2002]

The exactly same thing happened to my Fitbit Lite last year in September the GPS tracking was suddenly way off. This was a gift from my kits and I loved the functionality of the watch up to that point and I agree that it had to be an error in one of the software updates. Since that time I have been trying to correct the tracking manually by adjusting my stride length and verifying my running track with my phone GPS. I have come close but Fitbit should just admit they made a mistake and correct it or they will lose more business.

[Catmha]

I’m lucky I bought mine through a retailer that offers a return policy, so after buying this watch on April I have arranged to return it for a full refund today. I won’t be using Fitbit again... I’ll be going back to a TomTom or a Garmin.

Sent from my iPhone

[SunsetRunner]

I am also extremely frustrated and disappointed with my new versa2  for the same reasons you  all have mentioned. My 6.2 mile walk today only recorded 4.7 miles.consequently my pace was totally out. I  really appreciate hearing everyone else's  experience so why is Fitbit not sorting the problem - we all know there is one??!!!

[edddddddddddddd]

Here's an update from my earlier message. I took a bike ride today and tracked it on my phone GPS using both Map my ride and my Fitbit. The end result was that Map my ride correctly showed it as 16.81 miles but my Fitbit made it 12.19 miles! The following link and screen shot will illustrate what I'm saying. (You may need to cut and paste the link.)

https://www.mapmyrun.com/workout/4439004820

The maps and time taken were both correct so my Fitbit didn't drop out anywhere. This is a serious problem yet Fitbit don't seem to care. Disgraceful.

[astroandrea]

I had the same issue with my Versa 2, but I solved the problem!

Scroll to the end for the solution (that worked in my case and hopefully in yours, too).

I received this activity tracker as a gift a month ago and I noticed immediately that the tracking feature was showing the right path when running or biking, but the distance was very inaccurate.

I compared it to Adidas Runtastic, started simultaneously on my Galaxy S8, and with a friend using his Iphone10. Both Runtastic and Iphone agreed, while the fitbit app was showing the wrong distance. Something like 1.5 km less over 7 km, which makes it useless of course...

However, the GPS track was correct. Moreover, to compute the distance from the GPS coordinates, it really takes 10 lines of code, that I really hope who wrote the Fitbit app could do.  I looked up in this forum but I did not find any solution. The Fitbit team always reply the same: check that the GPS is running, turn off the watch, log out from the app and restart the phone. Followed these old-fashioned advice, which generally works for Windows, but nothing changed.

So I started to think that the problem was somewhere else in the application. Basically, since the fitbit watch does not have a GPS, I guess it works just as remote control for the application, which does the whole job...

From the Fitbit app -> account -> devices -> Versa 2 -> general -> main goal 

I found out that it was set on steps in my case. I think is the default choice when you install the application.

I changed it to distance, went running and magically the distance is correct...

So I guess that, even though the app uses the GPS to track your path, if this option is set to steps, it uses the step counter to compute the distance (why?).

Hope this helps, 

Andrea