More categories
More categories

Smart Shopper is reader supported. When you shop our picks, we may receive a commission.

The best smartwatches for tracking fitness, messages and more

From playing music to keeping tabs on your whereabouts, a good smartwatch can give you clues about your lifestyle and enhance your daily activities.

Published Mar 20, 2024
6 min. reading time
Image of Apple Ultra and Samsung smartwatch

Compare smartwatches

Samsung - Galaxy Watch6 Aluminum Smartwatch 40mm BT

White Samsung - Galaxy Watch6 Aluminum Smartwatch 40mm BT

Apple Watch Se

White Apple Watch Se

Fitbit - Versa 4 Fitness Smartwatch

Pink Fitbit - Versa 4 Fitness Smartwatch

Garmin Lily 2

Brown Garmin Lily 2

Apple Watch Ultra

Black Apple Watch Ultra

Google Pixel Watch Wifi

Black Google Pixel Watch Wifi

Garmin - epix Pro (Gen 2) Sapphire Edition 51mm Fiber

Black Garmin - epix Pro (Gen 2) Sapphire Edition 51mm Fiber

Fitbit Inspire 3 Health & Fitness Tracker

Black Fitbit Inspire 3 Health & Fitness Tracker
Price
You save $50 (16.67%)
$249.99$299.99
Price
$249
Price
$199.95
Price
$299.99
Price
$799.99
Price
You save $80 (28.57%)
$199.99$279.99
Price
$1,099.99
Price
$9,740
Shopping links
Shopping links
Shopping links
Shopping links
Shopping links
Shopping links
Shopping links
Shopping links
Consumer ratings

Average star rating: 4.7 out of 5 stars at Best Buy

Consumer ratings

Average star rating: 4.8 out of 5 stars on Best Buy

Consumer ratings

Average star rating: 4.5 out of 5 stars at Best Buy

Consumer ratings

Average star rating: 5 out of 5 stars at Amazon

Consumer ratings

Average star rating: 4.6 out of 5 stars at Target

Consumer ratings

Average star rating: 4 out of 5 stars at Target

Consumer ratings

Average star rating: 4.9 out of 5 stars at Best Buy

Consumer ratings

Average star rating: 4.5 out of 5 stars at Walmart

Specifications
Voice assistant?
Voice assistant?
Voice assistant?
Voice assistant?
Voice assistant?
Voice assistant?
Voice assistant?
Voice assistant?
Compatibility
Android
Compatibility
iOS
Compatibility
Android, iOS
Compatibility
Android, iOS
Compatibility
iOS 16 or later
Compatibility
Android
Compatibility
Android, iOS
Compatibility
Android, iOS
Special features
Advanced BIA sensor that measures body fat and body mass index
Special features
Contacts emergency services and informs emergency contacts when a fall is detected
Special features
Sends notifications on irregular heart rhythms
Special features
Sends your live location to your emergency contacts during activities that you’ve programmed
Special features
Depth gauge and water temperature sensor activates automatically when you submerge
Special features
Automatically calls 911 when heavy fall is detected
Special features
Multiple sensors to recognize altitude changes and respiration rate
Special features
One month Fitbit Premium membership included
Pros & cons
  • Large display screen

  • Water and shock resistance

  • Advanced BIA sensor that measures body fat and body mass index

  • Not compatible with iOS

Pros & cons
  • Available in a range of band sizes and colors

  • Sends emergency services to your location when a fall is detected

  • Takes calls and sends texts

  • Less than 24 hours of usage time

Pros & cons
  • Sends notifications on irregular heart rhythms

  • Can last up to six days with proper charging

  • Six-month Fitbit Premium Membership included

  • Voice replies only available with Android

Pros & cons
  • Multiple bang style choices 

  • Long usage time

  • Compatible with all types of smartphones

  • May not perform as well in extreme conditions

Pros & cons
  • Withstands higher temperature

  • Made for diving and scuba diving up to 40 metres

  • Has customizable action feature

  • Up to three days battery life

  • May be too bulky for some

Pros & cons
  • Scratch-resistance glass screen

  • Automatically calls 911 when heavy fall is detected

  • Long usage time

  • Not compatible with iOS

Pros & cons
  • Built-in LED flashlight

  • Battery can for last days

  • Can withstand high temperatures

  • Emergency protocol programme

  • High price point

Pros & cons
  • Affordable price

  • One month Fitbit Premium membership included

  • Doesn’t have GPS

If you’ve breezed through smartwatch reviews before, you’ll know that smartwatches do more than tell time. Apart from having call and messaging functions integrated, new smartwatches often have several apps dedicated to your overall mental health and physical well-being.

Ready to upgrade to a better smartwatch? From Garmin watches, the Apple Watch Series to the best smartwatches for men, we’ve got it all here. Start browsing now.

Read more: Shop our most reliable iPhone chargers

Shop top smartwatches

White Samsung - Galaxy Watch6 Aluminum Smartwatch 40mm BT
Best overall
Samsung - Galaxy Watch6 Aluminum Smartwatch 40mm BT
$249.99 at Best Buy
White Apple Watch Se
Best for safety
Apple Watch Se
$249 at Best Buy
Black Google Pixel Watch Wifi
Best minimalist design
Google Pixel Watch Wifi
$199.99 at Target
Black Apple Watch Ultra
Best splurge
Apple Watch Ultra
$799.99 at Target

Best overall

White Samsung - Galaxy Watch6 Aluminum Smartwatch 40mm BT
Photo: Best Buy

Specifications:

Charging time: 75 minutes

Usage time: 40 hours

Compatible apps: Bixby, Google Assistant

Pros & Cons
  • Large display screen

  • Water and shock resistance

  • Advanced BIA sensor that measures body fat and body mass index

  • Not compatible with iOS

Looking for a smartwatch that can do it all? Get the Samsung Galaxy Watch6. Featuring a wide range of fitness tracking from calories burned to skin temperature, this watch gives you up to 40 hours of use time on a single charge.

Compatible with Bixby and Google Assistant, you can easily use voice commands to play music, read mobile notifications or display your travel distance. It’s even water-resistant up to 164 feet.

With a big screen of 44mm, you’ll get to manage your fitness data. And if that’s not enough, simply connect it to your Samsung phone for more in-depth information.

Best for safety

Specifications:

Charging time: 75 minutes

Usage time: 18 hours

Compatible apps: Apple HomeKit, Siri

Pros & Cons
  • Available in a range of band sizes and colors

  • Sends emergency services to your location when a fall is detected

  • Takes calls and sends texts

  • Less than 24 hours of usage time

The Apple Watch Se is designed with personal safety in mind. Not only does it track your fitness, but it also ensures you stay safe and connected. With Fall Detection, Crash Detection, and Emergency SOS, you’ll get the help you need no matter where you are. These features will not only contact emergency services when it senses your fall but it also helps inform your emergency contacts on your location.

In terms of fitness tracking, the watch can track your different sleeping stages, recommend different ways of staying fit and take notes of your mental wellbeing. It’s also water-resistance of up to 50 meters.

And with multiple band sizes and colors to choose from, it’s definitely a smartwatch women and men would look good wearing.

Best minimalist design

Black Google Pixel Watch Wifi
Photo: Target

Google Pixel Watch Wifi

You save $80 (28.57%)
$199.99$279.99

Specifications:

Charging time: 80 minutes

Usage time: 24 hours

Compatible apps: Google Assistant

Pros & Cons
  • Scratch-resistance glass screen

  • Automatically calls 911 when heavy fall is detected

  • Long usage time

  • Not compatible with iOS

Out of all the smart watches for men and women, this Google Pixel Watch Wifi impresses us the most. Its sleek and minimal design does more than it looks. The scratch-resistant display glass allows you to focus on your fitness activities while additional bands let you style your Pixel watch to match your outfit.

Not only does it track a range of fitness data from heart rate and calories burned, but it’s also programmed to call 911 when it detects a heavy fall. The best part is, that you can sync the watch with phones and earbuds to synchronize all your apps and activities. 

And because it’s Google, you’ll also get to enjoy other apps like GooglePay and GoogleMaps directly from your watch.

Best splurge

Specifications:

Charging time: 90 minutes

Usage time: 36 hours

Compatible apps: Siri

Pros & Cons
  • Withstands higher temperature

  • Made for diving and scuba diving up to 40 metres

  • Has customizable action feature

  • Up to three days battery life

  • May be too bulky for some

If you don’t mind splurging on a new smartwatch, we recommend getting the Apple Watch Ultra. Designed for explorers, the watch features better operation temperature tolerances to accommodate a more diverse environment and an advanced safety feature including a Siren, backtrack, fall and crash detection and emergency SOS.

On top of the basic heart rate monitor, it also features a water temperature sensor that activates automatically when you’re submerged in water and a depth gauge to measure how deep you go. For active people, this watch can also help you improve your fitness by showing you advanced ways to train.

Out of all the best smartwatches on our list, this one is worth the splurge.

Best for health tracking

Specifications:

Charging time: 12 minutes

Usage time: 24 hours

Compatible apps: Android, Apple iOS

Pros & Cons
  • Sends notifications on irregular heart rhythms

  • Can last up to six days with proper charging

  • Six-month Fitbit Premium Membership included

  • Voice replies only available with Android

With thorough heart rate zone tracking and access to the Fitbit App, the Fitbit Versa 4 makes the perfect companion if you’re looking for a reliable smartwatch that caters to your health and well-being. 

Programmed with more than 40 exercise modes and a daily readiness score that lets you know if you should focus on working out or recovery, you’ll have all the tools you need to manage your daily activities better.

We also love that it sends notifications on irregular heart rhythms and high and low heart rates to keep you alert. On top of the well-rounded health trackers, this watch also lets you answer calls, reply to text messages and use GooglePay to purchase items.

A stylish option

Brown Garmin Lily 2
Photo: Amazon

Specifications:

Charging time: 2 hours

Usage time: 120 hours

Compatible apps: Android, Apple iOS

Pros & Cons
  • Multiple bang style choices 

  • Long usage time

  • Compatible with all types of smartphones

  • May not perform as well in extreme conditions

Looking for a stylish smartwatch to don? You’ll love the Garmin Lily 2. With this watch, you’ll get to choose between a nylon, silicone or leather band and a hidden display pattern lens that reveals all the information you need only when touched. 

In terms of fitness tracking, the Garmin Lily 2 is programmed with blood pressure monitors, heart rate monitors and body battery energy monitoring so you’ll know how much energy you have for different activities. You’ll even love the menstrual cycle and pregnancy monitor included.

When paired with your iPhone or any other Android phone, you’ll get notifications on texts, calls and other alerts. Plus, it can even send your live location to your emergency contacts during activities that you’ve programmed.

Best for outdoor activities

Specifications:

Charging time: 2 hours

Usage time: Up to 31 days in smartwatch mode or up to 58 hours in GPS mode

Compatible apps: Android, Apple iOS

Pros & Cons
  • Built-in LED flashlight

  • Battery can for last days

  • Can withstand high temperatures

  • Emergency protocol programme

  • High price point

Built for adventurers and thrill seekers, this Garmin epix Pro (Gen 2) is tested to U.S. military standards for thermal, shock and water resistance. It’s the most durable smartwatch to keep up with your rugged activities.

It has a built-in LED flashlight to provide you with more awareness of your surroundings and a long-lasting battery life that can go on for days. This smartwatch is equipped with multiple sensors to recognize altitude changes and respiration rate and a compass and a heart rate sensor to keep your progress in check.

It’s also built with safety protocols that send texts and emails to your emergency contact when a fall is detected. And of course, like most smartwatches, this Garmin epix Pro is water-resistant up to 328 feet.

Specifications:

Charging time: 2 hours

Usage time: 8 days

Compatible apps: Android, Apple iOS

Pros & Cons
  • Affordable price

  • One month Fitbit Premium membership included

  • Doesn’t have GPS

You don’t have to spend a fortune when shopping for the best smartwatches. At just under $100, the Fitbit Inspire 3 Health & Fitness Tracker does a great job at tracking your heart rate, oxygen levels, stress levels and even your sleep profile.

With a one-month Fitbit Premium membership included, this water resistance watch will help you gain more insights into your overall health and well-being. It may not have a GPS function or the ability to answer calls but if tracking your fitness is your goal and you can do without the extras, the Fitbit Inspire 3 won’t disappoint.

Which of the best smartwatches gets our vote?

We’ve selected our top picks from multiple smartwatch brands on the market and we vouch for every single one of them. However, if we have to play favorites, these two will make it to our shortlist:

  • Samsung - Galaxy Watch6 Aluminum Smartwatch 40mm BT: From our pick of the best smartwatches, this one gets top place due to its long battery hours, large display screen and the BIA monitor that lets you identify your BMI and fat percentage, which is a plus point for fitness enthusiasts.   

  • Garmin - epix Pro (Gen 2) Sapphire Edition 51mm Fiber: Built to military standards, this smartwatch can withstand extreme temperature, shock and wear and tear. It also has a long battery life and a safety feature that calls your emergency contact when it detects a big fall. 

Like our pick of the best smartwatches? Get yours today.


Did you like this article? For more great deals and shopping ideas, find us now on your favorite social networks: Facebook, Instagram and Pinterest!


Prices updated on 03/20/2024. We are not responsible for any changes to the prices mentioned above.

Afina Najib Professional Headshot
Written by
Afina Najib

A journalism graduate from Curtin University, Afina Najib specializes in writing tech, finance, automotive and wellness content. Now residing in Kuala Lumpur, Afina spends her weekends hitting the gym or watching Formula 1 races.

Specialized topics