Smartwatch expertise has drastically advanced through the years — a few of the best smartwatches may even stand alone with no companion smartphone. Reasonably priced smartwatches have additionally come a great distance, providing options present in flagship smartwatches and sports watches at important financial savings. One of the best low-cost smartwatches supply superior health monitoring, lengthy battery life, fashionable design parts, and companion smartphone apps.
Fortunately, manufacturers like Apple, Google, and Samsung supply reasonably priced smartwatch fashions. OnePlus and Amazfit are also main gamers within the reasonably priced smartwatch sport. These wallet-friendly wearables show you could keep related and wholesome with out spending a fortune. Hold studying to be taught which reasonably priced smartwatch is the very best match for you.
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What’s the greatest low-cost smartwatch proper now?
We tested a few of the prime budget-friendly smartwatches which are extraordinarily excessive performers. Each watch on this checklist is a succesful smartwatch that may be paired to your smartphone and will be discovered for beneath $300. Whereas the Apple Watch Ultra 2 is our choose for the best smartwatch overall, we chosen the Amazfit Active 2 as our greatest low-cost smartwatch due to its extraordinarily low value, means to attach with iPhone and Android smartphones, strong well being and wellness options, and lengthy battery life.
Additionally: The best Android smartwatches: Expert tested
One of the best low-cost smartwatches of 2025
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The Amazfit Lively 2 is hard to beat with regards to a price smartwatch. In comparison with its predecessor, the 2023 Active, it contains a spherical type issue, together with a barometric altimeter and ambient gentle sensor, a brighter 2,000 nits show, and extra indoor and out of doors sports activities, together with ski maps. The watch prices simply $99 and infrequently even much less on sale.
In the course of the few weeks I examined the Lively 2, I used to be very impressed by the standard of the smartwatch, with its stainless-steel bezel, sapphire glass display screen, and sensible AMOLED show. It additionally options actionable problems on the watch face, so you possibly can faucet proper on the complication and go straight to the widget displaying extra particulars.
Evaluate: I recommend this budget Amazfit smartwatch over pricey models
The Amazfit Lively 2 consists of coronary heart price and sleep monitoring, which I discovered to be correct in comparison with different watches I’ve examined. It will probably actually be overwhelming to wrap your head across the broad vary of actions which are supported by the watch. It consists of over 160 exercise modes together with Hyrox racing, energy coaching, working, yoga, and 50-meter water-resistance for swimming. You’ll be able to customise the information pages and different particular settings after you choose and launch every exercise on the watch.
When you’ve got ever thought of a smartwatch however have not made the transfer to attempt one, you actually cannot go fallacious spending the $99 for a watch that performs nicely, seems good, and lasts for as much as 10 days between fees.
Amazfit Lively 2 tech specs: Show: 1.32-inch 390 x 390 pixels | Battery life: 10 days | Dimensions: 1.73 x 1.73 x 0.39 in. | Weight: 1.04 oz. | Water/Mud resistance: 5 ATM | LTE mobile possibility: No
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Whereas I personally desire large watches, thousands and thousands of different folks search for a small, unobtrusive smartwatch that gives a refined person interface at a lower cost. The Apple Watch SE has a majority of the identical options and features because the bigger Apple Watch models. It will probably even be bought with mobile assist.
The Apple Watch SE can be marketed in the direction of households, as it could match nicely on children’ wrists, and Household Setup helps you to assist a number of watches with one father or mother’s iPhone.
Additionally: Apple Watch SE (2022) vs. Apple Watch SE (2020)
This watch is filled with options with a specific deal with well being and health, together with coronary heart well being monitoring, irregular rhythm notifications, cycle monitoring, and even crash detection. It is waterproof for as much as 50 meters, so you possibly can take it alongside for swimming laps, and it lets you stream music. You get to select your case colour from three choices, and it’s simply suitable with the opposite best Apple watch bands.
The bottom SE is 40mm, however you may as well choose up a barely bigger 44mm mannequin for $30 extra. GPS and Wi-Fi fashions can be found with mobile promoting for $50 extra, plus an related mobile plan out of your most well-liked wi-fi provider.
Apple Watch SE tech specs: Show: OLED Ion-X glass | Battery life: 18 hours | Dimensions: 40 x 34 x 10.7mm and 44 x 38 x 10.7mm | Weight: 26.4 and 32.9 grams | Water/Mud resistance: 50m | LTE mobile possibility: Sure
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The OnePlus Watch 3 is a superb, less-expensive Google Put on smartwatch. One among its greatest options is its lengthy battery life: In my testing, the Watch 3 lasted 5 days in typical “sensible” mode, which is sort of remarkable when the Apple Watch, Pixel Watch, and Galaxy Watch Extremely are nonetheless within the two-day vary. It additionally competes with GPS sports watches which have AMOLED shows.
Evaluate: This Android wearable lasts for days, and left my Samsung Galaxy Watch in the dust
The OnePlus Watch 3 helps greater than 100 sports activities modes. Nevertheless, the information screens that seem in these modes will not be customizable and are restricted to some default normal metrics. However after your exercise, you will discover lots of knowledge within the eHealth app, like working dynamics, coronary heart price, and working energy. OnePlus has not but gained FDA approval, so ECG measurements will not be supplied within the US or Canada.
The OnePlus Watch 3 is extremely sturdy, with IP68 and 5ATM scores, together with MIL-STD-810H certification. It is an exquisite, practical smartwatch, notably for the $270 price ticket.
OnePlus Watch 3 tech specs: Show: 1.5-inch 466 x 466 pixels AMOLED | Battery life: As much as 16 days in Energy Saver Mode | Dimensions: 46.6 x 47.6 x 11.75mm | Weight: 81 grams (with band) | Water/Mud resistance: IP68 | LTE mobile possibility: No
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FE stands for Fan Version, and in 2024 Samsung launched its first FE smartwatch. The FE editions carry flagship options and capabilities to the lots at a extra reasonably priced value. At simply $200 it’s exhausting to not advocate that each Android phone person buy the Galaxy Watch FE if they need a top quality smartwatch.
Additionally: Samsung’s new Galaxy Watch FE is a $199 smartwatch with flagship features
“At Samsung, we try to carry well being and health monitoring capabilities to as many individuals all over the world as attainable, serving to them to make the modifications wanted to enhance their wellness each day and assist them attain their targets,” stated Junho Park, Samsung’s vp and head of the Galaxy Ecosystem Product Planning Crew. “We’re excited so as to add the brand new Galaxy Watch FE to our wearables portfolio, providing extra folks entry to customized well being insights that empower them to be motivated and keep more healthy day and evening.”
The brand new Galaxy Watch FE contains a 40mm watch face and is available in black, pink gold, and silver. For larger personalization, Samsung additionally unveiled new watch bands with blue and orange stitching and new watch faces. Just like the Galaxy Watch 6, the Watch FE contains a Sapphire Crystal glass face.
Samsung Galaxy Watch FE tech specs: Show: 1.2-inch 396 x 396 pixels Tremendous AMOLEDl | Battery life: 14 days | Dimensions: 39.3 x 40.4 x 9.8mm | Weight: 26.6 grams | Water/Mud resistance: 5 ATM | LTE mobile possibility: Sure
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One option to take pleasure in a cheaper smartwatch is by shopping for a earlier mannequin. Google now gives the flagship Pixel Watch 3, however the Pixel Watch 2 is out there for an inexpensive $250 in only one dimension, which is nice for individuals who desire a small, unobtrusive smartwatch.
At first look, the Google Pixel Watch 2 seems to be an all-display accent, with a spherical domed Gorilla Glass 5 AMOLED display screen transitioning into the 100% recycled aluminum housing. The entrance makes for fairly the style assertion, particularly when mixed with colourful and compelling bands.
Additionally: Google Pixel Watch 2 review: In one key area, it surpasses every other smartwatch
The Google Pixel Watch 2 improved over the unique with GPS accuracy and new coronary heart price sensors that at the moment are one of the crucial correct in the marketplace, making it the very best Fitbit smartwatch ever made.
With the Google Pixel Watch 2’s Security Verify function, you possibly can set a check-in timer everytime you’re transferring from level A to B and wish your emergency contacts to be notified if something goes fallacious. For instance, you possibly can arrange an alert for a deliberate half-hour run, and should you do not affirm your arrival at dwelling after that time period, your chosen contacts will likely be notified.
As a Put on OS smartwatch, you possibly can obtain from a bounty of third-party apps and companies by way of the Play Retailer. Simply remember that further Tiles will seem in your carousel as you obtain them, and never all apps have devoted Tiles.
Google Pixel Watch tech specs: Show: 320 ppi AMOLED | Battery life:24 hours | Dimensions: 41 x 41 x 12.3mm | Weight: 36 grams | Water/Mud resistance: 5 ATM | LTE mobile possibility: Sure
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With its built-in GPS and each day health options, the Garmin Forerunner 55 is our choose for the very best low-cost smartwatch for runners. The highly effective Garmin Join smartphone app and Garmin ecosystem assist make this watch an incredible possibility for runners and for followers of smaller elegant watches.
Liz Ho, founding father of
Additionally: The best Garmin watches
The Forerunner 55 features a built-in GPS, coronary heart price monitoring, and devoted apps for mountain climbing and different actions. There are each day options to your exercises and customized steering primarily based by yourself exercise ranges. To maintain you plugged in, the colour show is designed to point out up nicely within the solar so you possibly can nonetheless see your messages and alerts outdoor.
In case you do not thoughts spending a bit extra, I used to be additionally a fan of the Garmin Forerunner 165.
Garmin Forerunner 55 tech specs: Show: 1.04-inch 208 x 208 pixels memory-in-pixel | Battery life: 14 days | Dimensions: 42 x 42 x 11.6mm | Weight: 37 grams | Water/Mud resistance: 5 ATM | LTE mobile possibility: No
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ZDNET’s choose for the very best low-cost smartwatch is the Amazfit Bip 6. It gives all the standard options together with superior well being and wellness monitoring, message triage assist, and purposes. The lengthy battery life and really low value set it aside and make it our choose for the very best low-cost smartwatch accessible at the moment.
To see how the Amazfit Bip 6 compares, it is a hen’s eye view of the very best low-cost smartwatches.
| Finest low-cost smartwatch | Price | Display dimension | Water resistance |
| Amazfit Lively 2 | $100 | 33.5 millimeters | 50 meters |
| Apple Watch SE | $169 | 40 millimeters, 44 millimeters | 50 meters |
| OnePlus Watch 3 | $270 | 38.1 millimeters | 50 meters |
| Samsung Galaxy Watch FE | $200 | 30.5 millimeters | 50 meters |
| Google Pixel Watch 2 | $198 | 41 millimeters | 50 meters |
| Garmin Forerunner 55 | $168 | 26 millimeters | 50 meters |
It is not at all times simple to determine which low-cost smartwatch is greatest. These are my knowledgeable suggestions to assist discover the very best smartwatch for you.
| Select this greatest low-cost smartwatch… | In order for you... |
| Amazfit Lively 2 | The most affordable smartwatch on this checklist with built-in GPS and loads of well being and wellness options for iPhone and Android telephone customers. |
| Apple Watch SE | An reasonably priced smartwatch for Apple iPhone customers. This prime smartwatch brings unimaginable worth. |
| OnePlus Watch 3 | A flagship smartwatch for Android customers which may be the very best Google Put on OS watch accessible at the moment. |
| Samsung Galaxy Watch FE | Probably the most reasonably priced Android smartwatch that ought to be picked up by anybody curious about attempting out their first smartwatch. |
| Google Pixel Watch 2 | The second-generation watch comes with loads of enhancements with that very same very small and stylish type issue. |
| Garmin Forerunner 55 | A smartwatch to maintain up along with your runs. This smartwatch has particular options to learn runners. |
Smartwatches function companions to our smartphones, and there are a number of issues to contemplate as you discover the various choices accessible. A number of components will allow you to shortly slender down accessible candidates, so let’s take a better look and assist you choose the very best smartwatch for you.
- Working system: Each Apple and Android can be found because the smartphone companion working programs for reasonable smartwatches. Earlier than you select the very best low-cost smartwatch, contemplate what sort of telephone you employ, as an iPhone will pair greatest with an Apple Watch, whereas an Android telephone will work greatest with a Google, Samsung, or OnePlus watch. Garmin and Amazfit are device-agnostic.
- Show: Low-cost smartwatches are available in a number of display screen sizes. Whereas some smartwatches supply a compact design, others could boast a bigger design for simpler viewing with regards to messages. Earlier than you select the very best show dimension, nonetheless, make sure you contemplate the scale of your wrist so you will discover a cushty match.
- Options: Whether or not it’s fitness tracking, sleep tracking, and even well being monitoring, a number of further options could include the very best low-cost smartwatch. In case you plan to make use of your smartwatch whereas swimming or showering, search for a mannequin that’s waterproof.
- Battery life: The battery lifetime of an inexpensive smartwatch is a crucial consideration as a result of that is an space the place some firms can slack. Before you purchase, take into consideration how typically you possibly can cost your battery, and look for an inexpensive smartwatch with a battery life that can work inside that timeframe.
- Price: The price of smartwatches can fluctuate considerably, so I seemed for reasonable smartwatches priced beneath $300. The most affordable smartwatch on the checklist is the Amazfit Bip 6 at $80, whereas the Google Pixel Watch 2 and Apple Watch SE are each about $250 every.
The smartwatches included on this checklist have been chosen primarily based on how they carried out when tested in the real world by the ZDNET crew. Once we check smartwatches, we usually comply with the identical routine for each to see which performs greatest.
- Every day put on: We put on the smartwatch as our main watch with communications, purposes, and different parts being examined as if it was our solely smartwatch.
- Utility choice and efficiency: One side that makes smartwatches totally different than normal watches is the assist for purposes. We load up the watch with apps after which check the efficiency and performance of these purposes. Apple excels in third-party software assist with Google’s Play Retailer enhancing annually. Garmin, Amazfit, and others are also increasing the quantity and number of apps accessible on watches.
- Exercises: Smartwatch makers have embraced well being and health so we take our smartwatch out for working with GPS, rowing on the Hydrow, biking on trails, and strolling with the household. GPS and coronary heart price knowledge is tracked after which we consider the accuracy in opposition to confirmed GPS sports watches.
- Sleep and exercise monitoring: Sleep monitoring has improved with smartwatches over time and we consider them as in comparison with sensible rings and different watches. Nighttime can be a superb time to cost your smartwatch, so you might select to not use your watch to trace sleep so your watch can serve faithfully all day and into the evening.
For extra on our testing course of, try our full smartwatch testing methodology.
Newest information on low-cost smartwatches
Google Put on OS watches used to work with each Android and iPhone gadgets, however the brand new Put on OS 4 and later watches from Samsung, OnePlus, and Google solely assist Android smartphones. iPhone customers ought to persist with the Apple Watch, whereas Android telephone customers ought to critically contemplate a Google Pixel Watch, OnePlus Watch, or Samsung Galaxy Watch mannequin.
Garmin, Amazfit, and several other others work flawlessly with each Android and iPhone gadgets.
It appears everybody at the moment lives with a smartphone, and relatively than having your face buried in your telephone show, a smartwatch can function a dependable companion to triage your incoming communications so you possibly can deal with folks, locations, and issues round you rather than your telephone show.
Smartwatches at the moment even have superior sensors that present actionable insights to your well being and wellness in addition to function a constant and dependable tracker. In case you’re curious about entry to that info, then sure, a smartwatch could be a useful funding.
Newest Updates
- August 2025: Added the Garmin Lily 2 to options, and verified our suggestions are all accessible and nonetheless characterize the very best picks in the marketplace. Made small edits for readability
Different low-cost smartwatches
View at Garmin
Smartwatches Reviewed & In contrast
In case you’re in search of the very best methods to get essentially the most out of wrist-worn tech, try our picks for the best Android smartwatches, our favourite Apple Watch, and the best bands for Apple Watch Ultra. Plus, this is a useful video for how to use low power mode in your Apple watch.
