If you're not into the Apple's Watch for design, price or Apple ecosystem reasons, there are a bunch of other awesome options available, and all are perfect for different use cases. There are models best for fitness or health data, and budget options to name just two.
We'll be concentrating on alternatives from the likes of Fitbit, Samsung, Garmin, and Withings. Our reviewers have found these to be reliable smartwatches that offer an array of features and functions. Below we've compared their specs to help you pick out the best Apple Watch alternative for you. All of the Apple Watch alternatives in this guide can be paired with both iPhone and Android phones. For more analysis, you might want to see our guide to Apple Watch vs. Garmin.
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The best Apple Watch alternatives
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Perhaps the most direct rival to Apple Watch, this is aimed at Android users, but you can use it with an iPhone or other devices. It boasts Advanced Sleep Coaching, ECG, Bioelectrical Impedance Analysis, skin temperature and more. Read more below
An Apple Watch alternative under $100 / £100? The Amazfit GTS 2 Mini has a reasonably bright always-on AMOLED touchscreen display and a cool, bezel-less look with no obvious border on the front. Read more below
This Apple Watch alternative packs a host of health stats, with ECG, stress sensing, skin temperature, sleep tracking, heart rate zones and meditation tools. It can also track and record 20 exercises and provides a great range of workout stats. Read more below
This is more expensive than the Fitbit Versa 3 but has the edge in battery life, and the on-board GPS is more accurate. The Garmin Coach app can help runners with dynamic training plans, and there are great features for the gym. Read more below
A sleek design makes Google's Pixel Watch another strong option for Android users. In its third iteration, there's a larger, brighter screen, superfast charging and improved health tracking. Read more below
The best Apple Watch alternative overall
(Image credit: Samsung)
01. Samsung Galaxy Watch 7
The best flagship Android smartwatch on the market
Specifications
Released: July 2024
OS: Wear OS powered by Samsung (Wear OS 4)
Display: Super AMOLED, size: 1.3 inches, resolution: 360 x 360 pixels
The Galaxy Watch 7 was released earlier this year and it is the closest match to an Apple Watch, and we think the best Apple Watch alternative overall. It's directly targeted at Android users, but it will still work with iPhone as it connects via Bluetooth or Wi-Fi so if you like this model best there's no crossover issue holding you back.
Key features of the Galaxy Watch 7 include an improved Dual GPS system, Advanced Sleep Coaching, ECG / Irregular Heart Rhythm Notification, Personalized Heart Rate Zones, Bioelectrical Impedance Analysis, Skin Temperature, menstrual cycle tracking, and Blood Oxygen measuring.
If you don't need the latest device and want to save some money, there is also the Samsung Galaxy Watch 6 series, and the even older Samsung Galaxy Watch 5 to consider, but in all honesty, there aren't huge differences between these models to really recommend one over the other. Take a look at the Galaxy Watch 3 below for a great value price in exchange for basic features (it's not the best for fitness).
The best cheap Apple Watch alternative
(Image credit: Amazfit)
02. Amazfit GTS 2 Mini
The best cheap Apple Watch alternative
Specifications
Released: April 2022
OS: Amazfit OS
Display: 1.55" AMOLED
Resolution: 354 x 306 pixels
Battery: Up to 14 days
Water resistant: 5ATM
Reasons to buy
+
Quality display
+
Cool looks
+
Low price
Reasons to avoid
-
Features are limited
Looking for an Apple Watch alternative under $100 / £100? Then check out the Amazfit GTS 2 Mini. Despite its low price, it boasts a beautiful, always-on, 1.55-inch AMOLED touchscreen display with 450 nits of brightness. And thanks to the four-curved corners of the 2.5D glass cover, the product has no obvious border on the front, resulting in a cool, bezel-less look.
There are a ton of great features too, including heart rate monitoring, blood-oxygen saturation measurement, sleep monitoring, stress level and menstruation tracking. You can use Alexa for voice control, there are 68+ sports modes and a pomodoro tracker for productivity, and the 220 mAh battery lasts 14 days on a single charge.
A smaller version of the standard AMazfit GTS 2, it does compromise on some desirable features to shrink the product (and price). For instance, there's no music player or payment functionality, and little in the way of apps. But for a low price, it still does an awful lot. Rated 4 stars by TechRadar, this smartwatch still offers a great core experience that few rivals can match.
While Fitbit is known for fitness (the clue's in the name, after all), Fitbit Sense is more focused on health than exercise. This is the standard model in the Fitbit Sense range, followed by the Sense 2, and is considered to be an extension and improvement upon the popular Fitbit Versa series. Here you'll find a portable ECG, stress sensing, a skin temperature sensor, along with sleep tracking, heart rate zones, and meditation tools for better mental health.
Fitness isn't forgotten, though. This watch can track and record 20 different exercises and provides a great range of workout stats to pore over afterward. (Note that you need to take out a premium subscription to use many of these features, though.) Beyond that, the battery can last up to six days, there's onboard GPS, and you can use voice control via Alexa or Google Assistant.
Our sister site, LiveScience, gave this smartwatch 4.5 stars and praised its focus on mental well-being as well as physical health. it has a much larger number of sensors than the Versa and offers an EDA scan to determine stress levels through the sweatiness of your hand!
Another great fitness tracker that's a decent Apple Watch alternative is the Garmin Venu 2. It's more expensive than the Fitbit Versa 3, number one on our list. But it does has the edge on it when it comes to battery life of 11 days, and the on-board GPS is more accurate.
If you're into running, you'll love the Garmin Coach app, which helps you train for a 5K, 10K or half marathon race with expert coaching and a dynamic training plan that shifts based on your goals and performance. And there are excellent features for gymgoers too, including muscle map graphics that helps you plan workouts and support for weights, spinning, HIIT, treadmill running and resistance machines.
The Garmin Venu 2 also benefits from an crisp AMOLED screen and well-designed interface that means you can do a lot of stuff without having to connect to your smartphone. That said, if you're not into formal exercise or sport, then you may find of all this overkill for the elevated price.
Battery: 307 mAh (typical)/420 mAh (typical) built-in rechargeable lithium-ion battery
Reasons to buy
+
Reliable Fitbit fitness tracking
+
Google Assistant
+
All-day battery life
Reasons to avoid
-
One size fits all (41mm)
-
Only works with Android smartphones
-
Subscription required for some health features
The Google Pixel Watch 3 is another contender to rival the Apple Watch. Great for those who already own Pixel smartphones, the third iteration has a bigger display, faster charging, all-day battery life and faster charging. It's also a good choice for those who like their fitness, with FitBit integration, through a subscription offering access to the top FitBit apps and features.
We love the look of the slightly curved AMOLED display and found the watch to be smooth and responsive. Features include GPS tracking, optional cellular service, integration with Google's suite of apps (including hands-free Google Assistant), and other handy tools such as a flashlight and remote camera app. There's also an array of watch band colours to choose from. Our sister site, TechRadar, gave the device four stars and rated it as a contender as the best FitBit device. One of the biggest downsides compared with Apple Watch is that there's only one size available.
Want an Apple Watch alternative that looks like a traditional watch? Then you want a hybrid watch, and our top recommendation is the Withings ScanWatch Horizon. It has all the old-school looks, but turn it over and you can benefit from the functionality of a smartwatch.
In terms of health, that means advanced features such as an ECG, SpO2 monitoring, heart monitoring and scans, breathing disturbance detection, and sleep tracking. Fitness features are strong, too, with support for cycling, running, and walking, although there's no onboard GPS, so you'll have to team it with your phone for that. On the plus side, battery life is up to 30 days on a single charge.
Overall, it's not as sophisticated as an Apple Watch, and its tiny display on the back is a very different proposition to the large and detailed screen of the former. But for a halfway house between classic watch looks and smartwatch capabilities, you won't find finer.
Choosing which of the best Apple Watch alternatives to buy will depend on what you're looking for in a smartwatch. You might want a watch that simply allows you to control your music and answer calls without turning to your phone, but if you're a keen runner or cyclist, you may want an option that provides health tracking features and metrics. In the guide above, we've highlighted the Apple Watch alternatives that we think are the best options for a range of different needs and budgets.
There are lots of reasons that products make the cut to feature in our buying guides, and we try to carry out hands-on tests of as many of the products as we can to offer honest recommendations and reviews. But when that's not possible - we make our choices based on our own experiences of testing other quality products in a brand's catalog, knowing that you can trust them too, and refer to the experience that other reviewers have had when testing products across our host of sister sites that include TechRadar, T3, and Tom's Guide.
Like the ongoing battle between Android users vs IOS, it all boils down to personal tastes and preferences. A lot of people don't like the standard square aesthetic of Apple Watches, as well as the pretty poor battery life, and lack of compatibility they have with Android phones and specific non-Apple apps.
Why is Apple Watch better than competitors?
Apple Watches have several very strong features that put them among the best smartwatches available. They're fast, the screens are bright, they have a feature that helps you find your iPhone, and the new Double Tap gesture control is super convenient. There's also a bunch of useful apps available for Watch OS (Take a look at our guide to the best Apple Watch apps).
Which alternative brand is the most similar to an Apple Watch?
This is a tricky question, but we'd have to say Samsung's Galaxy Watch series is probably the best and most similar as an Apple Watch dupe in terms of daily use, social media browsing, and app compatibility. However, if you're primarily interested in keeping track of your fitness levels and monitoring mental health then without a doubt opt for the Fitbit Sense (or Sense 2) for the best experience.
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.
