What features will be behind Premium and which won't?

[Deucalion0]

Hi all, 

So the new Sense device looks to be very exciting I have owned many Fitbit devices and will no doubt own this one too. I am concerned that a lot of the new sensors will show data without premium and some data only with a Premium subscription. I'd like to know exactly for the new features, which data will be accessible to those without a premium subscription. Does anyone know?

Thanks! 

[N8teGee]

@Deucalion0, great to see you in the community.

That's a good question! I'm too having difficulty finding out which features are premium. Hopefully a Moderator can help with this. 

[Heather-S · Accepted solution]

@Deucalion0 Here is what I've found is Premium-only from reading the Fitbit investor site that @N8teGee linked me to. I cut out some of the fluff so this wouldn't be too long:

• Fitbit’s new Stress Management Score calculates how your body is responding to stress based on your heart rate, sleep and activity data. Available with Fitbit Sense, it can be found in the new stress management tile in the Fitbit app. Fitbit Premium members will get a detailed breakdown on how the score is calculated, which consists of over 10 biometric inputs, including exertion balance (impact of activity), responsiveness (heart rate, heart rate variability and electrodermal activity from the EDA Scan app), and sleep patterns (sleep quality).

• All Fitbit users will have access to the new mindfulness tile in the Fitbit app.12 Here, you can set a weekly mindfulness goal and reminders, reflect on your stress, log your mood after sessions, and meditate as a part of your mindfulness practice. Premium members can choose from more than 100 meditation sessions from popular brands, listen to a variety of relaxing sounds from Fitbit, and see how your practice correlates with your mood over time.

• Fitbit Premium’s new Health Metrics dashboard goes further, helping you track breathing rate (average breaths per minute), resting heart rate, heart rate variability (variation of time between each heartbeat), and skin temperature variation (surfaced through the dedicated sensor on Fitbit Sense and through existing sensors on other Fitbit devices). If you are a Premium member with a compatible device, you will see these daily metrics and trends over time to see potential changes to your wellbeing. A series of free SpO2 clock faces show both your previous night’s SpO2 range and nightly average, and Premium members can track SpO2 trends over time in the Health Metrics dashboard to see indications of important changes to their fitness and wellness.

• Also launching today in the U.S. is Fitbit Premium + Health Coaching, a new virtual one-on-one coaching service that gives you access to a certified health professional and personalized plan using your Fitbit data, all through the Fitbit app.  $54.99 per month.

[Deucalion0]

5hwbk you very much for that information that is very helpful I appreciate it!

[SunsetRunner]

Currently advanced sleep tracking is a premium feature. What new data provided by the SENSE will be free and what will be premium?

[LizzyFitbit]

Hi everyone! It's great to see you participating in the forums. @N8teGee and @Heather-S, thanks for your great support!

@Deucalion0 and @SunsetRunner, thanks for your interest in our newest Fitbit Sense. In regards to your questions, please check @Heather-S's post which includes detailed information about the Premium subscription and its features. You can also find our Press Release details here.

@SunsetRunner, by the way, I've moved your post to this thread so you can receive more related responses about your inquiry.

[SunsetRunner]

Trying to sort through the information, it looks like if you buy a sense you get a free trial of premium. After that in order to leverage the new data you have to subscribe. No thanks. I'm not paying over $300 plus a $10/mo subscription. 

[Julia_G]

Hi, @SunsetRunner , most of the sleep analysis (Including sleep score) is actually available without premium.  Here is a comparison chart for sleep:

What's the difference between free and Fitbit Premium sleep information?

  Premium subscription Free in the Fitbit app

Sleep schedule	✓	✓
Quality: Deep & REM sleep stages Analysis of sleep stages	✓ ✓	✓ ✓
Duration: Time asleep and awake Analysis of sleep duration	✓ ✓	✓
Restoration: Sleeping heart rate & restlessness Analysis of sleeping heart rate & restlessness	✓ ✓

I would say that the main additional sleep information you get with Premium is sleeping heartrate, and what percent of your sleep is below your calculated resting heartrate.  Of course, without Premium you can see a graph of your heartrate during the period when you are asleep so have always been able to see your heartrate range and lowest point while asleep.  You just don’t get the average calculated for you.

Basically with Premium you get a more integrated analysis: the new Fitbit Premium Health Metrics dashboard will help you keep tabs on your breathing rate (average breaths per minute), resting heart rate, heart rate variability (the time between each heartbeat), and skin temperature variation. You will also be able to track your SpO2 trends over time, including your nightly average level.

A six month free trial comes with the new Sense.  After six months you can cancel or subscribe.  Fitbit Premium costs $9.99 per month or $79.99 for the full year. 

I hope this helps.

[N8teGee]

"I would say that the main additional sleep information you get with Premium is sleeping heartrate" 

And even then, it's possible to view this data for free (without) premium by linking your account with cardiogram. In fact the cardiogram sleep HR chart is more detailed than the Fitbit premium one 🤷🏽‍:male_sign:. It also shows your average sleep HR, just like you would get from the Fitbit premium data. 

[Giampi71]

It is worthy to highlight that if you have already made use of the Fitbit Premium trial (say the earlier 7 days or the most recent 90 days covid-19 initiative) you will not be able to use the 6 months premium offer.

So basically, assuming that all existing Fitbit users already made use of the trial, the offer is valid only for new Fitbit users.

[SunsetRunner]

Thanks for the information. You made my point, they are coming out with a new device that provides more information, but are very careful to conceal that you will have to pay $9.99/month to get it. They advertise that NEW premium users get some months free, but NEVER state which features are behind the paywall that you eventually have to pay for. They need to make that crystal clear so people can make informed buying decisions. This is shady at best. 

[Julia_G]

@Giampi71 , someone reported on a different thread that as she had only had the 7 day trial and that it was over a year ago she was being given access to the six month trial.  

@SunsetRunner it is considerably cheaper if you pay annually rather than monthly.

[Deucalion0]

I agree 100%. The Sense is expensive, I have bought it, I think it can help improve my quality of life but if I need to buy a Premium prescription to get the benefits of this expensive hardware I feel that's unfair at the price of this hardware. I trialled Premium with the covid-19 90 day trial with my Versa 2 and it did provide some cool data and features but overall it was not worth the subscription, I am happy enough without that data with my Versa 2. I just hope that's the same with the Sense and I'm sad to hear that those who took advantage of the covid-19 trial is not eligible for the 6 months trial that comes with the Sense. At least provide those who have already trialled with a 90 days trial with the Sense so we can see what is new. 

[Honepeople]

So if i understand this correct, than u need Premium to see the heart rate from your sleep ?

This is ridicoulus in my mind. Also the point "Sleep Stages" are free but "Restlessness in Sleep" is Premium. This is just mindboggling. In 90% of the cases you dont remember restlessness but fitbit thinks its no Sleepstate xD

To conclude fitbit cant say their watches can track 24/7 heart rate, because for sleeping heart rate you have to pay extra every month/year premium and they dont mention that clearly !!. You cant even use the complete skintemperature Sensor because u need to pay premium to use it. It uses energy but u cant use it ^^

If they were clever they deliver all Numbers, Statistics and Metrics/Graphs from all sensors for free as every other manufacturer. And if you want to know IN TEXT what those numbers mean + programs you have to pay extra.

[Julia_G]

Hi, @Honepeople it is definitely not correct that you will not be able to see your heartrate during sleep unless you have Premium.  You will continue to have the graph that shows your heartrate and you can access the exact heartrate detected throughout your sleep.  The only extra feature for sleeping heartrate is that Fitbit will provide an average sleeping heartrate (which you would have to calculate yourself using the basic set up).  You will, of course, in the basic (non Premium) set up also have a daily report of your Resting heartrate, which is the rate calculated throughout the day and night during periods when you are quiet and not exerting yourself.

Fitbit has confirmed that NO features currently offered to Fitbit users (such as sleeping heartrate) will be moved behind a pay wall.

I hope this helps.

[N8teGee]

"The only extra feature for sleeping heartrate is that Fitbit will provide an average sleeping heartrate (which you would have to calculate yourself using the basic set up)." 

@Julia_G And also the separate HR chart that is just for the sleep period (only available for premium users). The regular HR chart available to all users shows the whole 24hr period as you rightly say, but I do find the premium sleep chart to be more detailed/easier to read

The first two screenshots are of the (free) regular HR graph/tracking, with the third one showing the premium only HR chart and the last one showing how this looks to non premium users (you will see the section is locked). 

The chart can be expanded allowing the user to select a pointThis is the premium chart which only shows the sleeping section.

[Julia_G]

@N8teGee , I am certainly not saying that there aren’t advantages to Premium, of course!  

I am just simply making it clear:

1. No previously available features will be behind a pay wall, only extras

2. Sleeping heart rate is, and will continue to be, available on the basic, no charge platform.   I was addressing @Honepeople ‘s concern about that, and clarifying as there was some confusion about sleeping heartrate.

[N8teGee]

@Julia_G I agree, the whole thing is very confusing, especially to new users. The only ones to blame here though are Fitbit themselves for not making things clear. I wish they would just make a simple chart comparing free features against premium ones.

[SunsetRunner]

Understood that they are not moving any content free today into premium tomorrow. But what they are not saying is how much of the new functionality will be premium. What it feels like to me is a lot of people are going to buy the SENSE and bit enraged to find that some of the new cool features are pay to play. Until they clearly state what is free and what is premium, I certainly won't be upgrading.

[SunsetRunner]

Exactly.