The Fitbit Versa is the company's second attempt at a fully fledged smartwatch, following in the footsteps of the Ionic . The Ionic launched late last year, and it wasn't quite the device many expected it to be, with its design and pure smartwatch credentials missing the mark.

Excellent battery life; Slick; comfortable design; Lots of tracking options; Swim-proof; Bright; clear screen

No built-in GPS; Shortage of apps; Passive notifications

The Fitbit Versa is the best fusion of smartwatch and general fitness tracker under $200, if you can live with its limitations.

The Fitbit Versa is a compact, lightweight smartwatch and fitness tracker with an improved interface for easier fitness stat readouts; It's water-resistant to 50 meters, and works with iOS and Android; Many of the apps and watch faces are useful and fun; Multiday battery life beats the Apple Watch

Its battery life falls short of other Fitbit fitness trackers; The apps and watch faces aren't always easy to load; Music transfer to the watch is complicated and limited; There's no on-board GPS and the charger is bulky; Tap-to-pay model costs a bit more in the US

The Fitbit Versa is the best fusion of smartwatch and general fitness tracker under $200, if you can live with its limitations.

The Fitbit Versa is a compact, lightweight smartwatch and fitness tracker with an improved interface for easier fitness stat readouts; It’s water-resistant to 50 meters, and works with iOS and Android; Many of the apps and watch faces are useful and fun; Multiday battery life beats the Apple Watch.

Its battery life falls short of other Fitbit fitness trackers; The apps and watch faces aren’t always easy to load; Music transfer to the watch is complicated and limited; There's no on-board GPS and the charger is bulky; Tap-to-pay model costs a bit more in the US.

Fitbit is best known for its fitness trackers including the Charge 2 , Alta and Flex 2 , but over recent years it's also released a string of fitness-orientated smartwatches – slick, stylish wearables that can do much more than just count steps and calories.

Excellent battery life; Detailed sleep analysis; Swim tracking

No built-in GPS

If its predecessor was the wearable that showed that Fitbit had the chops to make it in the smartwatch market, this is the one that you'll actually probably want to buy.

Great form-factor; Solid fitness tracking

Limited app functionality; No GPS

Fitbit’s first smartwatch, the Fitbit Ionic, was Fitbit at its most unapologetically Fitbit. Though a massive improvement on the Blaze, it was a little expensive and boasted a sportish look that wasn’t necessarily for everyone - even if fitness tracking experience was as rock-solid as these things come.

If its predecessor was the wearable that showed that Fitbit had the chops to make it in the smartwatch market, this is the one that you’ll actually probably want to buy.

Great form-factor; Solid fitness tracking;

Limited app functionality; No GPS;

I wake up to a buzzing on my wrist, in gentle pulses. It's my Fitbit Versa's alarm clock. I'm able to use the silent alarm because I'm wearing my Fitbit smartwatch to bed. I'm able to wear it to bed because Fitbit's new watch lasts several days on a charge. I love that. It's a nice flashback to my days of wearing watches by Pebble -- the upstart smartwatch pioneer that Fitbit acquired in the closing days of 2016. In fact, the Versa is literally, as a coworker said, like the Apple Watch and Pebble had a little baby.

The Fitbit Versa is the best fusion of smartwatch and general fitness tracker under $200, if you can live with its limitations.

The Fitbit Versa is a compact, lightweight smartwatch and fitness tracker with an improved interface for easier fitness stat readouts; It’s water-resistant to 50 meters, and works with iOS and Android; Many of the apps and watch faces are useful and fun; Multiday battery life beats the Apple Watch.

Its battery life falls short of other Fitbit fitness trackers; The apps and watch faces aren’t always easy to load; Music transfer to the watch is complicated and limited; There's no on-board GPS and the charger is bulky; Tap-to-pay model costs a bit more in the US.

There are very few reasons why we wouldn't recommend the Versa if it's something you're considering. One of the few downsides is really a problem with Fitbit overall, and that's the lack of integration with Apple Health and Google Fit. It does lack built-in GPS, but the price reflects that lack.

Priced well; Style is nice; Tracking capabilities are top-notch; Basic smartphone functions are useful; Water resistant to 50 meters; 4+ day battery life

Doesn't integrate with Apple Health; No on-board GPS; Can be buggy/slow to make changes; The charger is not great

The Fitbit Versa is far from a perfect smartwatch. It doesn't have the apps of an Apple of Google watch or the fitness chops of a Garmin, and there are a few parts of the software that need some spit and polish. But it is still a fine all-round fitness tracker that's a good compromise of features, looks and battery life. If you're a Fitbit veteran with a fondness for its smartphone app, or just want to dip your toe into smartwatches, it could well be for you. The only other real contenders at this price are the Ticwatch E, Garmin Vivomove HR and an Apple Watch Series 1, and it's certainly decent value at only £30 more than a Nokia Steel HR. For full sports-tracking, there are better options – the Apple Watch S3 or Garmin Vivoactive 3, for example, which both have built-in GPS. A comparative lack of apps and question marks over which UK banks will support Fitbit Pay are also slight stains on the Versa's smartwatch credentials. But its versatile design and an improved Fitbit OS mean it's a fine, cheaper alternative to the Apple Watch.

Solid four-day battery life; Design has wider appeal than Ionic; Good exercise- and health-tracking for casual users;

Slightly erratic HR tracking and recording; Connected GPS rather than built-in GPS;

Solid four-day battery life; Design has wider appeal than Ionic; Good exercise- and health-tracking for casual users;

Slightly erratic HR tracking and recording; Connected GPS rather than built-in GPS;