Fitbit finally adds ECG and Daily Readiness Score to Charge 5 but there is a catch

The Fitbit Charge 5 was touted as Fitbit's best fitness tracker to date; some reviewers went as far as calling it the best Fitbit on the market right now. However, until yesterday, you couldn't access the ECG app on the tracker, nor could you see your Daily Readiness Score in the Fitbit App. Thanks to a free software update, now you can enjoy both features.

As of yesterday, 9 November 2021, Daily Readiness Score is available in the Fitbit App for Premium members with compatible devices. These include the Sense, Fitbit Versa 3, Versa 2, Fitbit Charge 5, Luxe and Fitbit Inspire 2. To find your Daily Readiness Score, all you have to do is open the app; it should be displayed on your dashboard.

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The catch? The Daily Readiness Score (DRS) is a Fitbit Premium feature; you need a Fitbit Premium subscription to be able to access it. It's fine if you're just about to buy a Charge 5 as it comes with a 6-month Fitbit Premium subscription included in the price. For people using the older models; well, you'll have to pay.

The Daily Readiness Score uses data collected by the sensors – your activity, heart rate variability (HRV over your entire night's sleep) and recent sleep patterns – to help you determine if you should work out on any given day or prioritise recovery.

By wearing your Fitbit device daily (the more you wear it, the more accurate the DRS is), you'll receive a personalised score each morning with details on what impacted it, along with suggestions like a recommended activity level and Premium content to help you make the best decisions for your body.

Sense and Versa 3 users will also be able to see their score on their wrist.

More info on the Fitbit Readiness Score can be found here.

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Also available from today for Charge 5 users is the on-device electrocardiogram (ECG) app. The Charge 5 is Fitbit's first tracker with an on-device ECG app that allows you to assess your heart rhythm for atrial fibrillation on-wrist.

You might exclaim, saying, "Matt, the Sense already has ECG!" and you're right: the Sense does have ECG. However, the Sense is a smartwatch, and the Charge 5 is a fitness tracker, so the statement still stands.

To perform an ECG test, simply hold your fingers to the stainless steel panels on the sides of the device while being still for 30 seconds to receive a reading. This is precisely the same way how you perform an EDA test.

As well as these two features, Fitbit users in the UK living with diabetes will be able to use a new blood glucose tracking tool in the Fitbit app. the Blood Glucose Logging feature helps see how your glucose levels change throughout the day and react to other health metrics such as physical activity, sleep and nutrition, to help better manage your "holistic health all in one place", as Fitbit explains.

More info on how to log your glucose levels in the Fitbit App can be found here.

How to install the Fitbit software update

The Fitbit software update will be automatically installed via the Fitbit App on compatible devices. All you need to do is sync the wearable with the app.

You need a Fitbit Premium subscription to access the Fitbit Readiness Score on your dashboard.