When the first Apple Watch hit store shelves in 2015, the idea of wearing a smartwatch wasn’t treated seriously. Yes, there were situations where a specialized device like that could be useful, but a device with poor battery life and few features seemed mostly like a fashion statement, not a useful piece of tech.
To quote Michael Scott, how the turntables have turned. Nowadays, smartwatches and smartbands are, after wireless headphones, the most popular smartphone accessories. They offer numerous tracking features, helping users stay fit, move around more, or even monitoring important vitals and alarming you when something looks a bit wrong.
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With their astronomic rise in popularity, choosing the best smartwatch on the market is hard enough; there are so many options. However, the task becomes even more difficult on a limited budget.
The market for the best budget smartwatches or even the best fitness trackers is wide and varied, and picking one that’ll suit your needs might be a challenge. Here are our picks for the best budget smartwatches, together with recommendations as to why you should go with a particular model. Whether you want to focus on style, features, or accurate data tracking — we’ve got you covered.
Best budget smartwatches: Our top picks
Apple Watch SE (2nd Gen)
1. Best budget smartwatch overall
A no-brainer for Apple users
Apple did the impossible with the Apple Watch SE when it created a budget-friendly product with the majority of features consumers want in a smartwatch. It’s an incredible device with superb build quality, a clear screen and terrific performance. It’s missing just a few features short of being perfect. If you use an iPhone, this is the smartwatch to buy.
- Comprehensive fitness features
- Classic Apple design
- Upgraded performance
- Only works iPhone
- No always-on display
- No SpO2 sensor
Even though Apple products aren’t known for their affordability, when the company’s logo finds its way to a lower priced device, the result is usually a diamond in the rough.
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With a $249 MSRP that’s subject to frequent price cuts, the Apple Watch SE is probably the most fully-featured budget smartwatch you can buy right now — provided, of course, you already own an iPhone.
The 2022 model is a significant upgrade over its predecessor. It boasts a faster processor, a color-matched body and a few features borrowed from the Series family. You get crash detection, advanced sleep tracking, fall detection and emergency SOS. You do have to give up some stuff, including Always-On Display, SpO2 sensor or a body temperature sensor. It’s a great smartwatch overall, and we think it’s the best choice if you’re an Apple user.
Amazfit GTR 4
2. Best value budget smartwatch
Everything the competition does, for less
Amazfit continues its tradition of offering feature-rich wearables at consistently low prices. The Amazfit GTR 4 is a stylish smartwatch with accurate sensors and a slew of useful smart features that gives much more expensive rivals a run for their money.
- Incredible value
- Dual-band GPS
- Improved fitness tracking
- No NFC
- Some limited training modes
- Bloated user interface
There are a lot of budget smartwatch and fitness tracker manufacturers, but probably none are as prolific as Amazfit. The company, itself a part of Xiaomi’s corporate structure, is well-known for producing wearables that often offer a perfect price-to-performance ratio.
Amazfit GTR 4 and GTS 4 series offer tracking smarts at an accessible price
Amazfit has introduced a new range of affordable smart fitness trackers and watches
The GTR 4 is a great example of this approach. It’s a smartwatch that looks as high-end as they get, it offers accurate health and fitness tracking, and has a great-looking OLED display. What’s more, it offers a robust feature set, including all the notifications and voice assistants one could want, along with a 10-day battery and dual-band GPS. For the price, you won’t find a more feature-packed option everywhere, so if you’re not set on buying a device from one of the big guys like Apple, Samsung, or Google, the Amazfit GTR 4 is the one to check out.
Samsung Galaxy Watch 5
3. Best budget WearOS smartwatch
Samsung’s last-gen wonder
The Galaxy Watch 5 is a testament to Samsung’s ability to produce the perfect Android wearable. The watch is slick, runs great, and provides both accurate health and fitness data, as well as optimized smart features with a slew of first and third-party apps. With recent price drops, it’s one of the best Android companions on the market.
- Incredible OLED display
- WearOS
- Fun customization options
- Pro model offers more functionality
- No iPhone support
While the Apple Watch is usually the smartwatch to buy if you’re an iPhone user, Android has its own catalog of compelling devices that pair well with any phone running Google’s OS. Undoubtedly, the most well-known is the Samsung Galaxy Watch.
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Even though it’s a generation old now, the Galaxy Watch 5 is still an excellent choice, especially considering it has significantly fallen in price since the Galaxy Watch 6 went on sale. The older model is a sleek, great-looking device with a gorgeous OLED screen. It runs WearOS 3, so expect excellent fitness and health tracking tools.
Additionally, with the Galaxy Watch 5, Samsung improved on the weakest element of the previous generation: battery life. The Galaxy Watch 5 even has some cool protective features, such as a sapphire glass covering, which should help ensure the display remains scratch-free for as long as possible. All told, Samsung’s older wearable is a great budget option, but do keep in mind that it only works with Android devices.
Fitbit Charge 6
4. Best fitness tracker with smartwatch features
This is the budget Fitbit to buy
On top of looking great, the Fitbit Charge 6 looks features a long-lasting battery and all the health and fitness sensors you could want. Google and Fitbit continue to blur the line that separates fitness trackers from smartwatches, and the Charge 6 is a prime example of that.
- Useful side button
- Excellent fitness tracking tools
- Smartwatch features in a tracker form factor
- Cramped screen
- Hit-and-miss GPS
- Not the best choice if you want a lot of smart features
Budget smartwatches come in all shapes and sizes. You can get square, Apple Watch-like devices, or round, classic-looking wearables. Or something completely different, such as the Fitbit Charge 6. This Fitbit is an excellent middle ground between basic fitness trackers and more capable smartwatches.
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With the Charge 6, you get a minimalist, understated device that may not be as eye-catching as a smartwatch but still includes smartwatch-like features such as navigation and music playback. And when it comes to fitness tools, Fitbit is in a league of its own. The company’s software offers accurate tracking and an incredible companion app, and all that in a device that is affordable.
The Charge 6 also offers longer battery life than its predecessor, giving you around seven days between charges. You also get a surprisingly vivid display — albeit one that can feel a bit cramped when using some features. That said, the Charge 6 is an amazing middle ground between a simple fitness tracker and a smartwatch, and when you factor in its price, the Charge 6 is perfect for those looking for understated.
Huawei Watch Fit 2
5. Best smartwatch under $100
Pay less, get more with this Huawei watch
The Huawei Watch Fit 2 offers an incredible package for under $100. It packs accurate health and fitness sensors, comprehensive smart features, all in a nice-looking — albeit derivative — body with a gorgeous display. For the price, you cannot ask for more.
- Incredible screen and feature set
- Turn-by-turn navigation and route import
- Great price
- AppGallery lacks many big apps
- Limited iOS support
- Battery suffers with heavy usage
Sometimes buying a budget smartwatch is all about the screen. The great thing about smartwatches is that you may want to use them as a handy extension of your smartphone — checking notifications, looking up your health stats, and, in general, keeping your phone in your pocket for as long as possible.
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The Huawei Watch Fit 2 excels at that, offering a slew of smart features and an incredible screen for a fraction of the price of competing models from Apple or Google. The design of the Huawei Watch Fit 2 is clearly influenced by the Apple Watch, but it stands on its own well, with an elongated screen and a bright and vivid 1.74-inch display.
This relatively huge smartwatch screen allows you to use various apps from the AppGallery, turn-by-turn navigation, and, of course, it has a multitude of watch faces for customization. App selection is limited, but for under $100, it’s probably the best deal you’re going to find when looking for a wearable solely for its smart features.
Fitbit Versa 4
6. Best Fitbit with a large screen
A Fitbit with more screen real-estate
$150 $200 Save $50
The Fitbit Versa 4 is a solid activity, sleep and wellness tracker in a smartwatch form. It’s starting to move away from its smartwatch roots, landing it at the bottom of this list, but it’s still a phenomenal activity-focused smartwatch with some smart features remaining. An ideal companion for all your training needs.
- Accurate sleep and activity tracking
- Easy to use user interface
- Fitbit apps and fitness data shine above others
- It’s not the most attractive design
- Less smartwatch features than the competition
Fitbit really is in a class of its own when it comes to decently priced, fitness-first smartwatches. Not only is the company’s software known for its accurate health and fitness tracking, Fitbit also makes some of the best value wearables on the market right now. At the same time, Fitbit doesn’t forget about smart features.
Fitbit Versa 4 review: Not so smart now
The Fitbit Versa 4 is a fitness tracker with waning smartwatch powers.
The Fitbit Versa 4 takes after the Google Pixel Watch and adds a few smart things to its mix of features, making it a compelling buy. Let’s get one thing out of the way, the Versa 4 is not the best-looking smartwatch by any means, with its clunky, square shape.
What it loses in looks it gains is usability, offering a clean, very readable UI. With the addition of features such as Google Maps and Google Wallet, as well as a limited number of other apps from the AppGallery, it makes it a great entry-level smartwatch for fitness enthusiasts.
The bottom line: What is the best budget smartwatch?
The Apple Watch SE 2 is the best budget smartwatch that you can buy right now. It offers accurate fitness and health tracking, great smart features with a multitude of first and third-party apps and a responsive, easy-to-use UI. All that in a nice, high-quality case and with long software support. It does lack some features that you’d expect from such a device — mainly an always-on display. It’s also compatible only with Apple devices, so Android users are out of luck.
Apple Watch SE (2nd Gen)
Editor’s Choice
$199 $249 Save $50
If you’re looking for the best value, you should check out the Amazfit GTR 4. It looks and feels almost as premium as the Apple Watch, and it doesn’t fall behind in its fitness tracking or smart capabilities as well, all for an even lower price. The UI here does need some more streamlining, but a 10-day battery and universal compatibility undoubtedly make it a steal.
FAQ
Q: How do I choose the right smartwatch for me?
When choosing a smartwatch, especially on a budget, you have to make quite a few choices and selections before landing on the best device for you. Here are some of the specs, features and details you should consider between pulling the trigger on your purchase.
- Software and companion app — A smartwatch is not a passive experience. You actively engage with its screen and user interface when browsing through health and fitness data or running an app, and you use the companion app to check your fitness scores on your phone. Both of these need to work well. A clunky, unwelcoming UI is the best way to make even the best hardware difficult to use.
- Features — When choosing a budget smartphone, you need to decide what kind of features are the most important for you. Some smartwatches focus on features like apps, calling, and music playback. Some will be much better at tracking your fitness journey, and some will be more accurate when measuring your vitals. Generally, all of them will do a bit of all, but it’s best to pick the one that excels at the things you want from a watch.
- Design and build quality — Generally, more expensive devices feature better materials and construction. However, looks are more subjective. You might want something that looks flashy, or maybe you prefer a more classy, minimalist look. It’s all up to you, and the device should reflect your personal style.
Q: What’s a good price for a budget smartwatch?
Of course, when choosing a budget smartwatch, price is the first thing to consider. In our list, we’ve limited ourselves to devices regularly found for $200 or under. Here you need to remember that pricier does not always mean better — you might find a wearable that fulfills all your requirements for a much lower price if you narrow down your search enough, so do not be afraid of going for a cheaper smartwatch.
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