Gabb Watch vs. Google Fitbit for Kids: Which Kid Smartwatch is Better?

I pulled up to my child sitting on the curb, red faced and unhappy. I had dropped him off earlier to his appointment, but forgot that it was canceled today. He had no way to call me and was essentially stranded for an hour. 

That was the moment I knew he needed a way to call me. But I also knew he wasn’t ready for a full-on cell phone.

Thankfully, there are kid smartwatches that are a great way to communicate without the risks of an adult smartwatch or smartphone.

In this article, I took a closer look at the new Fitbit Ace LTE to see how it compares the Gabb Watch I’ve been using with my own kids for a couple years. 

What is the Google Fitbit Ace LTE?

The Fitbit Ace LTE, sometimes called the Google Fitbit or Fitbit for kids, is a smartwatch primarily focused on comprehensive fitness tracking for children. It is the best Fitbit for kids and was released by Fitbit on June 5th, 2024.

Google Fitbit Outage

Unfortunately, Fitbit customers have experienced outages for years, including data not loading, “content not available” messages, and devices not syncing. When the new Fitbit Ace LTE launched, Google had another worldwide outage.

Did Google Buy Fitbit?

Yes, Google acquired Fitbit in 2021 and was added to the company’s hardware division.

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My kids have been using Gabb Watches for 2 years now and I think they’re a great option for busy parents. While testing out the Fitbit Ace LTE, I focused on the key features most parents are likely to care about: 

• Communication Features
• GPS Tracking
• Screen Time Limits
• Task List
• Games
• Health and Fitness Tracking
• Pricing and Subscription
• Hardware

(Click on any of the links above to jump to each comparison section.)

Let’s dive in! 

Communication Features

Both devices keep kids safe by not offering internet connection, allowing kids to contact their parents, and including parent apps that are compatible with most Android and Apple (iOS 15 and higher) devices. 

Gabb Watch has an easier contact setup process, allows for calls to landlines, and has considerably more contacts.   

Gabb Watch

Gabb Watch allows for voice calls and text messaging within a secure list of up to 100 contacts approved by parents. Gabb has nationwide coverage built on the most reliable wireless network in the country.

Kids can choose from a list of pre-written texts (I love you, I need a ride, etc), use speech-to-text or type out their own texts, complete with the emojis they love to spam parents with. 🦄🥰🔥

Gabb watches offer an SOS feature that allows children to discreetly notify an emergency contact of an emergency.

Fitbit Ace LTE

The Fitbit Ace LTE also allows voice calls and text messages to up to 20 contacts added by parents… with additional setup.

The Fitbit kids watch requires the Fitbit Ace app on a compatible device to be installed and for the contact to have a Google Account to make contact with another Fitbit device or phone. Fitbit uses LTE connectivity once you purchase an Ace Pass data plan. 

So calling Grandma on her landline won’t work, and smartphones must install the app and connect their Google accounts to the Fitbit’s supervised Google Account.  

So, in summary, the Fitbit does allow for safe calling and texting but there are caveats and some extra setup required.

GPS Tracking

Both Gabb Watch and the Fitbit Ace LTE offer GPS tracking, and Gabb includes Safe Zones and real-time alerts.

Gabb Watch

Gabb Watch expands on their GPS tracking features, allowing parents to create “Safe Zones” and receive alerts when their child enters or exits these designated areas.

Gabb Safe Zones are customizable geofencing areas, such as school, that parents can set up to ensure their child’s safety. By defining these zones within the MyGabb app, parents receive instant notifications when their child enters or leaves these designated areas.

Fitbit Ace LTE

The Fitbit Ace LTE also offers the reliable GPS tracking parents love, but lacks the “Safe Zones” feature. 

Screen Time Limit

Gabb and Fitbit both offer a mode to turn off distractions during school, though Gabb’s modes are more extensive and can be customized to work for multiple occasions.

Gabb Watch 

The Gabb Watch has parental controls to set screen time limits and schedule “Quiet Times” through the MyGabb app. This includes Focus Mode and Silent Mode, ensuring that the watch doesn’t become a distraction during school time, church services, or bedtime.

Parents can still contact their children when silent or focus modes are on, and can set up recurring schedules for multiple focus modes.

Fitbit Ace LTE

Fitbit Ace LTE offers “school time” mode, which prevents any calls (including parents), silences all text notifications, and disables all games during school hours. 

Task List

For families looking for a smartwatch that helps motivate kids to complete their chores, the Gabb Watch stands out as the better choice. 

Gabb Watch 

Remember how much you would do for your Gigapet or Tamagotchi when you were a kid? Kids today still love caring for digital pets, and on the Gabb Watch it can help motivate them to do their chores. 

Through Gabb Go on the MyGabb app, parents can monitor tasks and give digital “coins” for jobs well done. Kids love to cash in these coins to purchase and care for virtual pets.

But don’t worry, Gabb curbs technology addiction by limiting how often you can feed or wash your pet. And Gabb’s virtual pets never die, so there is no need to console a crying child when they can’t feed a pet during school hours. 

Fitbit Ace LTE

The Fitbit Ace LTE does not include chore tracking features.

Games on the Watch

Kids love games, and both watches do a great job making games with a purpose that curb technology addiction. 

Gabb Watch 

The Gabb Watch includes fun and educational games that are designed to be engaging without being addictive, including Gabb mimic – a fun memory game designed to test recollection.

Fitbit Ace LTE

The Fitbit Ace LTE lacks built-in games, but offers access to a Fitbit Arcade to download fitness based games that help motivate kids to move. 

Health and Fitness Tracking

While both the Fitbit and Gabb watch have fitness tracking, this is where Fitbit’s watch shines. Fitbit offers a larger suite of health tracking features including heart rate monitoring and sleep tracking.  

Gabb Watch 

The Gabb Watch offers Gabb Move, a custom app to encourage and effortlessly track your child’s fitness. Whether they are running, biking or going about their day, Gabb Move automatically records their physical activity with a step tracker, time logs, miles, and even maps of their routes. Plus, manually adding laps is as easy as a tap.

Fitbit Ace LTE

It will come as no surprise that the Fitbit Ace LTE is designed with an emphasis on fitness tracking. Its suite of features includes step and activity tracking, sleep monitoring, and heart rate monitoring. The device also has dedicated modes for specific activities such as running or biking.

Pricing and Subscription Comparison

Affordability is a key factor for many parents when comparing watches. Below you will find the prices of each watch at the time of this article, but they are subject to change. 

Gabb Watch 

Gabb Watch retails for $149 and requires a cellular plan. Parents can choose the cellular plan that works best for them: $12.99/month (2 year plan), $14.99/month (1 year plan), or $17.99.month (no contract).

Fitbit Ace LTE

The Fitbit Ace LTE is $229.95 + a $9.99 monthly subscription to Ace Pass. 

Hardware Comparison

Let’s get into the nuts and bolts of how each watch is built. Both watches are built resilient for children’s active lifestyles.

The Gabb Watch and the Google Fitbit use Corning Gorilla Glass for the watch screen to prevent cracking. While it is best to keep the watch clean and dry, both watches have various levels of water resistance to withstand water splashes. 

Gabb Watch 

The Gabb Watch features IP68 water resistance, dust protection, and wireless charging.

Fitbit Ace LTE

The Fitbit Ace LTE doesn’t give it’s IP water rating, but says it can withstand the pressure exerted by 50 meters of water. It is not considered water or dust proof. 

Which Watch Is Best For Your Family?

Both the Fitbit Ace LTE and the Gabb Watch are great options for families looking to mitigate risks present in adult devices. It’s great that more tech companies are starting to think about kids’ tech needs but, of course, we’re partial to our own product. Gabb Watch was created specifically for parents in your position and we’re proud to stand behind it. We’d recommend you choose Gabb Watch if you need:

• A watch built from the ground up for kids
• Advanced GPS tracking with Safe Zones
• Focus and silent modes that still allow parents to contact kids
• User-friendly calling and texting to up to 100 approved contacts
• Detailed screen time management
• Built-in educational games with time limits
• Effortlessly fitness tracker built for kids

Are there features we missed or questions you still have? Jot them down in the comments below and we will respond!