Smartwatch expertise has drastically advanced over time — among the best smartwatches may even stand alone with out a companion smartphone. Inexpensive smartwatches have additionally come a good 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 can keep related and wholesome with out spending a fortune. Maintain studying to study which reasonably priced smartwatch is the perfect match for you.
Get extra in-depth ZDNET tech protection: Add us as a preferred Google source on Chrome and Chromium browsers.
What’s the greatest low cost smartwatch proper now?
We tested among the high budget-friendly smartwatches which might be extraordinarily excessive performers. Each watch on this record is a succesful smartwatch that may be paired to your smartphone and could be discovered for underneath $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, capability to attach with iPhone and Android smartphones, stable 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
Present much less
The Amazfit Energetic 2 is hard to beat on the subject of 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 sometimes even much less on sale.
Through the few weeks I examined the Energetic 2, I used to be very impressed by the standard of the smartwatch, with its stainless-steel bezel, sapphire glass display, 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.
Assessment: I recommend this budget Amazfit smartwatch over pricey models
The Amazfit Energetic 2 consists of coronary heart charge and sleep monitoring, which I discovered to be correct in comparison with different watches I’ve examined. It may well truthfully be overwhelming to wrap your head across the broad vary of actions which might be supported by the watch. It consists of over 160 exercise modes together with Hyrox racing, power coaching, operating, yoga, and 50-meter water-resistance for swimming. You may customise the info 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 improper spending the $99 for a watch that performs nicely, appears good, and lasts for as much as 10 days between prices.
Amazfit Energetic 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
Learn Extra
Present Professional Take Present much less
Present much less
Whereas I personally want large watches, thousands and thousands of different folks search for a small, unobtrusive smartwatch that gives a refined person interface at a cheaper price. The Apple Watch SE has a majority of the identical options and capabilities because the bigger Apple Watch models. It may well even be bought with mobile assist.
The Apple Watch SE can also be marketed in direction of households, as it may possibly match nicely on youngsters’ wrists, and Household Setup enables you to assist a number of watches with one mum or dad’s iPhone.
Additionally: Apple Watch SE (2022) vs. Apple Watch SE (2020)
This watch is full of options with a selected 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 permits you to stream music. You get to select your case shade from three choices, and it’s simply suitable with the opposite best Apple watch bands.
The bottom SE is 40mm, however you may also 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 service.
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
Learn Extra
Present Professional Take Present much less
Present much less
The OnePlus Watch 3 is a superb, less-expensive Google Put on smartwatch. Certainly one of its greatest options is its lengthy battery life: In my testing, the Watch 3 lasted 5 days in typical “sensible” mode, which is nearly extraordinary 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.
Assessment: 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 info screens that seem in these modes are usually not customizable and are restricted to some default normal metrics. However after your exercise, you will discover a variety of information within the eHealth app, like operating dynamics, coronary heart charge, and operating energy. OnePlus has not but gained FDA approval, so ECG measurements are usually not 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 a wonderful, useful 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
Learn Extra
Present Professional Take Present much less
Present much less
FE stands for Fan Version, and in 2024 Samsung launched its first FE smartwatch. The FE editions deliver flagship options and capabilities to the lots at a extra reasonably priced value. At simply $200 it’s exhausting to not suggest 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 attempt to deliver well being and health monitoring capabilities to as many individuals world wide as attainable, serving to them to make the adjustments wanted to enhance their wellness day by day and assist them attain their targets,” stated Junho Park, Samsung’s vice chairman and head of the Galaxy Ecosystem Product Planning Group. “We’re excited so as to add the brand new Galaxy Watch FE to our wearables portfolio, providing extra folks entry to personalised 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 better 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
Learn Extra
Present Professional Take Present much less
Present much less
One technique 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 offered for an inexpensive $250 in only one dimension, which is nice for many who need 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 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 charge sensors that at the moment are one of the vital correct in the marketplace, making it the perfect Fitbit smartwatch ever made.
With the Google Pixel Watch 2’s Security Test function, you possibly can set a check-in timer everytime you’re shifting from level A to B and need your emergency contacts to be notified if something goes improper. For instance, you possibly can arrange an alert for a deliberate half-hour run, and in case you do not affirm your arrival at residence after that time frame, your chosen contacts can be notified.
As a Put on OS smartwatch, you possibly can obtain from a bounty of third-party apps and companies through the Play Retailer. Simply bear in mind that extra 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
Learn Extra
Present Professional Take Present much less
Present much less
With its built-in GPS and day by day health solutions, the Garmin Forerunner 55 is our choose for the perfect 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 charge monitoring, and devoted apps for mountain climbing and different actions. There are day by day solutions on your exercises and personalised steering based mostly 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 open air.
In the event 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
Learn Extra
Present Professional Take Present much less
ZDNET’s choose for the perfect low cost smartwatch is the Amazfit Bip 6. It gives all the same old options together with superior well being and wellness monitoring, message triage assist, and functions. The lengthy battery life and really low value set it aside and make it our choose for the perfect low cost smartwatch out there at the moment.
To see how the Amazfit Bip 6 compares, it is a fowl’s eye view of the perfect low cost smartwatches.
Finest low cost smartwatch | Value | Display screen dimension | Water resistance |
Amazfit Energetic 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 skilled suggestions to assist discover the perfect smartwatch for you.
Select this greatest low cost smartwatch… | If you need... |
Amazfit Energetic 2 | The most affordable smartwatch on this record 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 high smartwatch brings unbelievable worth. |
OnePlus Watch 3 | A flagship smartwatch for Android customers which may be the perfect Google Put on OS watch out there at the moment. |
Samsung Galaxy Watch FE | Essentially the most reasonably priced Android smartwatch that ought to be picked up by anybody focused on making an attempt 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 think about as you discover the various choices out there. A number of elements will assist you to rapidly slim down out there candidates, so let’s take a more in-depth look and assist you choose the perfect smartwatch for you.
- Working system: Each Apple and Android can be found because the smartphone companion working techniques for reasonable smartwatches. Earlier than you select the perfect low cost smartwatch, think about 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 sizes. Whereas some smartwatches supply a compact design, others could boast a bigger design for simpler viewing on the subject of messages. Earlier than you select the perfect show dimension, nevertheless, you’ll want to think about the dimensions of your wrist so you will discover a snug match.
- Options: Whether or not it’s fitness tracking, sleep tracking, and even well being monitoring, a number of extra options could include the perfect low cost smartwatch. In the event 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 affordable 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.
- Value: The price of smartwatches can range considerably, so I regarded for reasonable smartwatches priced under $300. The most affordable smartwatch on the record 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 record had been chosen based mostly on how they carried out when tested in the real world by the ZDNET workforce. Once we take a look at smartwatches, we sometimes observe the identical routine for every one to see which performs greatest.
- Each day put on: We put on the smartwatch as our main watch with communications, functions, and different parts being examined as if it was our solely smartwatch.
- Software choice and efficiency: One side that makes smartwatches totally different than normal watches is the assist for functions. We load up the watch with apps after which take a look at the efficiency and performance of these functions. Apple excels in third-party utility assist with Google’s Play Retailer bettering annually. Garmin, Amazfit, and others are also increasing the quantity and number of apps out there on watches.
- Exercises: Smartwatch makers have embraced well being and health so we take our smartwatch out for operating with GPS, rowing on the Hydrow, biking on trails, and strolling with the household. GPS and coronary heart charge information is tracked after which we consider the accuracy towards 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 also be an excellent 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 units, 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 significantly think about a Google Pixel Watch, OnePlus Watch, or Samsung Galaxy Watch mannequin.
Garmin, Amazfit, and several other others work flawlessly with each Android and iPhone units.
It appears everybody at the moment lives with a smartphone, and fairly 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 the event you’re focused on entry to that data, then sure, a smartwatch is usually a useful funding.
Newest Updates
- August 2025: Added the Garmin Lily 2 to options, and verified our suggestions are all out there and nonetheless signify the perfect picks in the marketplace. Made small edits for readability
Different low cost smartwatches
Smartwatches Reviewed & In contrast
In the event you’re searching for the perfect 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, here is a helpful video for how to use low power mode in your Apple watch.