The best Apple Watch bands in September 2023

A selection of Apple Watch bands of assorted colours, in a row.
(Image credit: JOSH EDELSON/AFP via Getty Images)

Great Apple Watch bands can completely change how you feel about your Apple Watch. They can transform the look and feel of your smartwatch dramatically, so it's important to choose the right one. 

As the images below show, different Apple Watch bands can give your wrist a whole new look, from traditional to modern, day-wear to evening-wear. There are also Apple Watch bands for specific purposes, such as sports, working out, and adventurous activities - occasions where you want something more rugged and waterproof. And although we haven't had our hands on all of the Apple Watch bands below, we have done our research and pulled in all the best reviewed bands for this guide. 

However, with dozens of official Apple Watch bands and hundreds of third-party options to choose from, it's hard to know where to start. So we've gathered together the very best Apple Watch bands, in a range of styles and for a variety of uses, in one place. 

Haven't got your hands on an Apple Watch yet? Check out the best Apple Watch SE deals right now - we're particularly fond of the Apple Watch SE for creatives. You can also head over to our guide to the best Apple deals for current deals on the Apple Watch plus Apple AirPods, iPhones, and much more.

The best Apple Watch bands available now

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Apple Watch bands: the Apple LoopCB

(Image credit: Apple)

01. Apple Leather Loop

The best Apple Watch band overall.

Specifications

Suitable for: Apple Watch 1-5
Material: Leather
Case sizes: 42mm, 44mm
Wrist size: 150-185mm

Reasons to buy

+
Good looks 
+
Magnetic closure

Reasons to avoid

-
Expensive
-
Not for vegans

The Apple Leather Loop band may be expensive, but like everything from Apple, you get the kind of stylish and thought-through product that justifies the price. 

Handcrafted in Arzignano, Italy, the quilted Venezia leather design is striking and original, while still hitting that level of finish and elegance you expect from Apple. And there's even some clever tech in there: the magnetic closure makes taking this band on and off a smooth and pleasurable experience. This heady combination of aesthetic appeal and useability makes this our number one pick for Apple Watch bands overall. 

Apple Watch bands: Apple Nike Sports bandCB endorsed

(Image credit: Apple/Nike)

02. Apple Nike Sport Band

The best Apple Watch band for sports and workouts.

Specifications

Suitable for: Apple Watch 1-5
Material: Fluoroelastomer
Case sizes: 40mm, 44mm
Wrist size: 140-210mm

Reasons to buy

+
Breathable and lightweight
+
Durable

Reasons to avoid

-
Not the cheapest
-
May run small

When two big superbrands like Nike and Apple come together, you know you're going to get something special. And that's exactly what you find in the Apple Nike Sport Band, our favourite Apple Watch band for sports and workouts. 

Its minimalist design looks very cool. The tuck-and-pin fastener is easy to adjust when you're on the move. And the compression-molded perforations ('holes' to you and me) makes it very breathable and lightweight. Yet at the same time, its use of fluoroelastomer (a fluorocarbon-based synthetic rubber) makes this watch strap very hard-wearing and durable, however much sporty movement you put it through. 

It comes in a range of fun colours, and there's even a Pride edition. So whether you're running, cycling, or working out at the gym, this is our top pick.

Apple Watch bands: Casetify Printed Apple Watch BandCB endorsed

(Image credit: Casetify)

03. Casetify Printed Apple Watch Band

The best Apple Watch Band for prints.

Specifications

Suitable for: Apple Watch 1-5
Material: Faux leather
Case sizes: 38mm, 40mm, 42mm, 44mm
Wrist size: 125-180mm, 18-205mm

Reasons to buy

+
Cruelty-free
+
Water and scratch resistant
+
Reasonable price

Reasons to avoid

-
Some styles a little OTT

Want the leather look, but object to real leather on ethical grounds? The Casetify Printed Apple Watch Band offers that along with a great selection of fantastic prints in a wide range of fun and youthful colours and styles. These Apple Watch bands are crafted from cruelty-free, high-quality saffiano 'vegan leather' that's both water- and scratch-resistant, so they're a good choice for everyday casual wear. And they're also very reasonably priced overall.

Apple Watch bands Apple Sport Band

(Image credit: Apple)

04. Apple Sport Band

The best all-rounder Apple Watch strap

Specifications

Suitable for: Apple Watch 1-5
Material: Silicon
Case sizes: 42mm, 44mm
Wrist size: 140-210mm

Reasons to buy

+
Loads of colour options
+
Waterproof
+
Relatively cheap

Reasons to avoid

-
Love-it-or-hate-it design
-
Similar bands cost less

The Apple Sport Band is a classic Apple Watch strap design. If you don't want your strap to be riddled with more holes than Blackburn, Lancashire, and like a dash of colour, then it's a great choice. 

You may be able to find something that looks similar for less online, but with Apple you pay for guaranteed quality, and that's what you get here. The materials are top notch, and you won't be having any unwanted skin reactions, either. Coming in 16 colours, it'll match whatever outfit you go for. The Apple Sport Band comes in small/medium and medium/large straps, so it'll fit any wrist. 

Apple Watch bands: Hermes band

(Image credit: Hermes)

05. Hermès Fauve Barenia Leather Single Tour Band

The best high-fashion Apple Watch band.

Specifications

Suitable for: Apple Watch 1-5
Material: Leather
Case sizes: 40mm
Wrist size: 130–155mm

Reasons to buy

+
Handmade design
+
Head-turning looks

Reasons to avoid

-
Very expensive
-
Not for vegans

If you ever needed proof that Apple is as much a fashion brand as a tech one, then consider the fact that a luxury brand like Hermès is among those making Apple Watch bands. And what a beauty the Hermès Fauve Barenia Leather Single Tour Band is.

Handmade by artisans in France from either buttery-smooth Barénia leather, textured Epsom leather, or supple Swift leather, this elongated design wraps elegantly twice around the wrist. So if you’re planning to mingle with the fashion mafia, this will definitely help you to attract admiring looks … as long as you’re willing to pay the eye-wateringly high price, that is.

Apple Watch bands: Mintapple Milanese Loop Magnetic Strap

(Image credit: Mintapple)

06. Mintapple Milanese

The best Milanese-style Apple Watch band.

Specifications

Suitable for: Apple Watch 1-5
Material: Coated stainless steel
Case sizes: 38mm, 40mm, 42mm, 44mm
Wrist size: 130-180mm

Reasons to buy

+
Fashionable look
+
Fully magnetic
+
Smooth feel

Reasons to avoid

-
Not cheap

The Milanese style of watch strap was, as you might expect, developed in Milan at the end of the 19th century. It's based on smooth stainless steel mesh woven on specialised Italian machines, and it will give your Apple Watch a very distinctive look indeed. Apple's own Milanese loop is pretty impressive too, and the same price at time of writing, but in our eyes, the Mintapple Milanese just pips it to the post.

The mesh looks beautifully polished and feels smooth and comfortable to wear. The weaving appears slightly less likely to pick up hairs and dust in practice than its official Apple rival. Plus, the strap itself is a little lighter. Also, because it’s fully magnetic, the Milanese Loop is wonderfully adjustable, ensuring a perfect fit. Overall then, this tasteful and sophisticated design is our top recommendation when it comes to stainless steel Apple Watch bands.

Apple Watch bands: Marge Plus

(Image credit: Marge Plus)

07. Marge Plus Compatible with Apple Watch Band

Best traditional leather Apple Watch band.

Specifications

Suitable for: Apple Watch 1-4
Material: Leather
Case sizes: 38mm, 40mm
Wrist size: 140-180mm

Reasons to buy

+
Super-cheap
+
Professional look

Reasons to avoid

-
Not suitable for Apple Watch 5
-
Not for vegans

Short on cash, and have an Apple Watch 1-4? Then we recommend the Marge Plus. Because, although we're not sure about the name itself (more likely to summon images of Marge Simpson or something you spread on your toast), this is a very classy Apple Watch band at a super-low price.

This distinguished-looking strap is made from genuine leather, and it certainly looks like should cost a lot more than it does. Giving your smartwatch a professional and traditional look, it's a shame it won't fit the Apple Watch 5, but for any other model, it represents an absolute bargain.

Apple Watch bands: EPULY

(Image credit: EPULY)

08. Epuly Apple Watch Stainless Steel Band

The best traditional stainless steel Apple Watch band.

Specifications

Suitable for: Apple Watch 1-5
Material: Stainless steel
Case sizes: 38mm, 40mm, 42mm, 44mm
Wrist size: 158-200mm, 180-230mm

Reasons to buy

+
Smart looking
+
Customisable length
+
Low price

Reasons to avoid

-
Removing links can be fiddly

Want a traditional stainless steel watch strap for your Apple Watch? Then our favourite has to be this Euply stainless steel Apple Watch band. Cut and crafted from Premium 304 stainless steel, this design hits the perfect sweet spot between classic and hi-tech, creating a perfect synergy between watch and strap. And you also get a kit that allows you to remove links, so you can customise the length to fit your wrist.

Overall, this looks and feels like something that should cost a lot more. We'd probably have recommended it even had it cost twice as much, so the very affordable price is a nice surprise indeed.

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Tom May

Tom May is an award-winning journalist and editor specialising in design, photography and technology. Author of the Amazon #1 bestseller Great TED Talks: Creativity, published by Pavilion Books, Tom was previously editor of Professional Photography magazine, associate editor at Creative Bloq, and deputy editor at net magazine. Today, he is a regular contributor to Creative Bloq and its sister sites Digital Camera World, T3.com and Tech Radar. He also writes for Creative Boom and works on content marketing projects.