Should you get an extended warranty for Fitbit Charge 3?

Fitbit Charge 3
Fitbit Charge 3 (Image credit: Daniel Bader / iMore)

Should you get an extended warranty for Fitbit Charge 3?

Best answer: Given the retail price of the Fitbit Charge 3 versus the cost of the extended warranty, along with other factors, we don't recommend making the extra purchase.Fitbit: Fitbit Charge 3 ($150)Square Trade: Fitbit Charge 3 Protection Plan ($30)

The fine print

For $30, Fitbit offers a protection plan for the Charge 3 fitness band, which you can buy at the time of purchase online through the Fitbit website. This two-year plan is separate from the one-year limited warranty that's included automatically when you buy your band. Provided by Square Trade, the extra warranty overlaps Fitbit's limited warranty for one year. In other words, the protection plan doesn't extend the warranty period for your device by two years, only by one.

With the Square Trade warranty, your device is protected from normal wear and tear. There's also one battery repair or replacement included.

What the regular warranty covers

Fitbit's limited product warranty is granted to the original buyer only (keep the receipt) and promises that your device will be free from "defects in materials and workmanship under normal use" for a period of one year from the date of purchase. If you live in the European Economic Area (EEA), the warranty period is two years.

This warranty doesn't cover scratches and dents or normal wear and tear, but does cover battery replacement. Additionally, "Fitbit does not warrant that the operation of the Product will be uninterrupted or error-free. This Limited Product Warranty does not cover software embedded in any Product and related services provided by Fitbit."

Why we don't recommend the extended protection

The Fitbit Charge 3 is a relatively inexpensive product and one that's covered for 12 months by a limited warranty that covers hardware defects. If your Fitbit is faulty, you're likely to discover this within this period of time. Beyond this, if your wearable device has a problem, the odds are very high Fitbit will have released a next-generation model that you'll want to consider. Our advice is to put the money aside you would have used to purchase the Square Trade protection plan for a future upgrade.

Why you should consider a Fitbit Charge 3

We highly recommend the Fitbit Charge 3, which we've called "Fitbit's best (and smartest) fitness band yet." Offering workout and sleep tracking, 24/7 heart rate monitoring, and much more, the Charge 3 is the best Fitbit you can buy that isn't a full-fledged smartwatch. It's also perhaps the most stylish Fitbit to date.

Bryan M Wolfe
Staff Writer

Bryan M. Wolfe has written about technology for over a decade on various websites, including TechRadar, AppAdvice, and many more. Before this, he worked in the technology field across different industries, including healthcare and education. He’s currently iMore’s lead on all things Mac and macOS, although he also loves covering iPhone, iPad, and Apple Watch. Bryan enjoys watching his favorite sports teams, traveling, and driving around his teenage daughter to her latest stage show, audition, or school event in his spare time. He also keeps busy walking his black and white cocker spaniel, Izzy, and trying new coffees and liquid grapes.