Allow More Fitbit Devices than Ace to Family Account

[thewarden1618]

I am frustrated that I cannot give my Fitbit blaze to my daughter and use the family account. The only device it will allow you to since is the Ace. The Blaze is far better and it would be extremely useful to her. The only way I can have her use the Blaze is to lie about her age and create a single account for her. Please allow other devices on the family account for minors. 

Moderator Edit: Title for Clarity/Added Labels

[Paleoran]

Parents should have the ability to choose which devices are appropriate and which are not for their children. There is no reason to limit device choice when you can instead meet regulatory requirements by limiting which data gets collected and uploaded to Fitbit. I expect my family to enjoy years of use from electronic devices. Restricting parents to limited "child" devices eliminates their ability to choose a device that their child may grow into.

[ahzryn]

Ugh, yes, please adopt this and allow additional devices to be added to the family account. Marketing may be pushing this wanting people to buy new kid devices, but I would venture a guess more parents would upgrade personally and pass their tech on down to kids if this were an option.

We went with a Vivofit Jr. from Garmin, and hate it with a passion. The app syncing never works for the rewards, their support was worthless, and in all honestly my son lost interest in the kid style games, bands, and theme within weeks. And don't get me started on the crappy screen. What kids want, even young kids like 7 year-olds, and what lasts, are the tried and true current tech like their parents have. So PLEASE let us have it. 

I came on here after I charged up my old Charge 2 and bought a smaller band to pass on to my son to finally ditch this crappy VivoFit Jr, only to get the bad news. So, guess it's time to come up with plan C for him for sleep tracking and reminders.

[BdjdjdBeepBoop]

I really want this.I know the real reason the system is in place Money but it would be so helpful 

[JBH16]

So this post was started in 2018 and Fitbit haven’t done anything about it. I’m sure they’ll be other posts also asking for this. My daughter has been given a Fitbit charge 2 to use by my friend but I can’t add it as a child account so now I will have to create get her an account and lie about her age and then monitor her app activity. Very disappointed and now will not be buying her a new Fitbit in the future if she gets on with this one. I will look at garmin or other device that is not forcing us to buy a certain kids device!!!!

[Chappers274]

Just bought my daughter an Inspire 2. She cannot set it up and use its full potential because she is to young to have her own account,  and Fitbit still doesn't allow any devices other than Ace (2) on a family account. The only option is to break the terms and conditions to lie about her age or to use my account. 

Does this suggestions forum exist only to make people think they are being listened to?

[SunsetRunner]

So frustrating that this is still an issue. I am pretty much to the point where I am done with Fitbit. The new watchos 7 for Apple has included a family setup feature that can pair watches to family accounts without kids needing an iPhone and has lots of cool features for kids. Just the push I need to move to Apple. 

[Bca123]

I agree. My old FitBit Versa died recently, and this issue is one of the
tiebreakers for me to seriously consider an Apple Watch this time around. I
didn't anticipate not being able to have my kids on my Fitbit account, and
since I can't, there is no real reason to stay with Fitbit since I'm an
Apple user with everything else. The $ I'd save on a Fitbit watch doesn't
outweigh the benefits of being on the same platform with Apple.

[BdjdjdBeepBoop]

Yeah basically

Sent from my iPhone

[AcadiaMedia]

I've made the switch - now that the io7 does sleep and so much more, I had to switch.  I won't be back to fitbit.

[RedMaple]

Why are FitBit limiting the device parents can allow their children to use? Isn't it far more logical, reasonable, and consumer-friendly to have the software apply the controls? The Ace has a limited range of abilities, which might be well suited to some children, but other children, of various ages, might need or benefit from being able to use FitBits wider range of smartwatch& fitness tracker functions. Again, why isn't the software behind FitBit's smartwatches & fitness trackers providing the privacy & security for children's personal information? This is not a hardware problem, it's software and software has zero impact on the device a parent chooses to give their child.

I have two teenagers on the spectrum. I got them each a Versa 2 to help with reminders, track sleep, and encourage physical activity. Unfortunately, they are terrible at using them independently but when I heard there was a family account feature I was thrilled. Finally, I could manage their devices via a central account feature. Nope, not possible. 

[Claudele]

Our daughter is 9, and chose for herself a Fitbit Inspire (looks, features, especially swimming). She did not want an Ace.
Now she spend her allowance / pocket money and bought the Inspire.

Only for us to learn, after it arrived, that she can't create a Fitbit account for herself as she's too young (fine with that), but also that we can't add her new, shiny device to her child account.
She's so disappointed and also cried that she can't use her first wearable.

Also, why don't you simply add the other devices to the list? This request here is open for 2 years, it's under the top 10 starred items on the backlog. And actually, since you don't exclude children from advertising for the other fitbit devices, I guess at least here in Germany you are legally required! to offer the app also for children.

[donna_mareel]

Clearly this is not a concern for Fitbit, your customers have been asking for this for over 2 years.  I work in tech and know it would not take this long to implement, even with R&D, QC etc the platform is already set up.  Young adults are clearly more capable that you give them credit for and they want tech savvy devices just like their parents.  I have a child that is a competitive swimmer and wants to use the Versa 2 to track her lap times when her coaches are not present.  She also wants to understand her overall fitness and sleep. She wants to take mindful breaks and build strong healthily habits and Fitbit with its short sightedness and hunger for the almighty dollar is taking that from her.  Shame on you and your lack of flexibility to have this many customer asking for years, and not respond with change.  It is sad that a successful company made off the backs of loyal consumers disregards those consumers with such distain.  

[TennisChickRob]

I don't think that the design team EVER even reads these comments !

[Cannulator]

I have been referred here by Fitbit on Twitter and some other random.

This suggestion is 2.5 years old without change yet devices are churned out.

The age of the child should determine the need for safety, not a finite number of young child focused and designed trackers.

A consumer and subsequently every child is entitled to online and device safety regardless of which Fitbit they have. Having US laws regurgitated to me as an Australian serves little. 

it just a software change. How hard can it be? I am concerned this is a commercial decision rather than a child safety focused opportunity.

[IcyTink]

Pretty frustrating that we can only add Ace devices to our kids account.

I'd like to let my kid have my charge 2 as I upgrade to a newer one but I can't.

It should be possible to let us choose a device for our kids.

The kid section in the app can control what they can and cannot do.

[Flower6]

I feel the same my 12 year old deels the ACE2 is to little kids looking.  She rather have the inspire or charge.  I hate that I have to set up a single account for her in order to get a better fitbit.  Please make all device available on the family account.

[SunsetRunner]

Just bought 3 Inspire 2s for my kids and I, very annoyed to have to return them a day after Christmas because they are unusable by anyone under 18. The Ace and Ace2 are not suitable for older kids, so I guess Fitbit doesn't want this market segment, fair enough

[Cannulator]

Agreed.

It’s been an issue for a considerable time and an extraordinary number of consumers want to keep their kids and family safe.

[joy3]

It's been over 2 years since this was suggested and it still hasn't been resolved? I bought an Ace 2 for my younger daughter but my teen doesn't want a tracker that looks like it's for kids nor does the band fit her wrist. She's 5'4" and has large wrists. I got her a Charge 4 instead of the tiny Ace 2. Why hasn't this been resolved? Are you planning to fix or do I need to return and go with a different company?

[Cfhell]

At this point, probably return, if you’d rather not set up a fake adult profile

Sent from my iPad

[Iceni79]

Deeply frustrating lack of awareness of customer need here. As with everyone else on this thread we bought a Charge for our daughter, she's old enough to want the full feature set and adult styling. Instead of having proper parental control I now have to either return it for an alternative brand (it's her main Christmas present, so not likely) or we set it up under an alternate account and falsify the age and potentially have less control.

Very poor customer service, won't purchase a Fitbit product in the future based on the amount of my time I've now wasted on this with a lack of adequate solution.

[discbit]

This suggestion was made in May 2018 and now it's Christmas 2020 and my son can't use the Inspire we just bought him. Incredible product failure, I'm returning it. Very disappointed kid for Christmas!

[ngamradt]

Hello @SunsetRunner,

I agree that this is frustrating and I don't understand why kids don't get
more options. However, The Ace 2 has the same case as an Inspire, they
just wrap it in a dorky-looking kids band. Any watch band that you can get
for an Inspire will work with an Ace 2. My son has had an Ace 2 for a
couple of years and has been fine with it since he can make it look nice
with a good looking watch band.

Here is an example:
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B07W751T1J/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_search_asin_title?ie=UTF8&psc=1

[ivop73]

Make Charge 4 available to add to kid account

[TLipe]

I bought 3 Versa 2s for my three kids on Prime day....I'm returning all three and going with apple watches.....Apple just announced this fall they have listened to users and developed a way for families to be connected for fitness....Sorry fitbit, you had three years to deal with this and neglected to do so. Apple will get my business.