Smartwatch technology has drastically evolved over the years — some of the best smartwatches can even stand alone without a companion smartphone. Affordable smartwatches have also come a long way, offering features found in flagship smartwatches and sports watches at significant savings. The best cheap smartwatches offer advanced fitness tracking, long battery life, stylish design elements, and companion smartphone apps.
Luckily, brands like Apple, Google, and Samsung offer affordable smartwatch models. OnePlus and Amazfit also are major players in the affordable smartwatch game. These wallet-friendly wearables prove that you can stay connected and healthy without spending a fortune. Keep reading to learn which affordable smartwatch is the best fit for you.
Get more in-depth ZDNET tech coverage: Add us as a preferred Google source on Chrome and Chromium browsers.
What is the best cheap smartwatch right now?
We tested some of the top budget-friendly smartwatches that are extremely high performers. Every watch in this list is a capable smartwatch that can be paired to your smartphone and can be found for under $300. While the Apple Watch Ultra 2 is our pick for the best smartwatch overall, we selected the Amazfit Active 2 as our best cheap smartwatch because of its extremely low price, ability to connect with iPhone and Android smartphones, solid health and wellness features, and long battery life.
Also: The best Android smartwatches: Expert tested
The best cheap smartwatches of 2025
Show less
The Amazfit Active 2 is tough to beat when it comes to a value smartwatch. Compared to its predecessor, the 2023 Active, it features a round form factor, including a barometric altimeter and ambient light sensor, a brighter 2,000 nits display, and additional indoor and outdoor sports, including ski maps. The watch costs just $99 and often even less on sale.
During the few weeks I tested the Active 2, I was very impressed by the quality of the smartwatch, with its stainless-steel bezel, sapphire glass screen, and brilliant AMOLED display. It also features actionable complications on the watch face, so you can tap right on the complication and go straight to the widget showing more details.
Review: I recommend this budget Amazfit smartwatch over pricey models
The Amazfit Active 2 includes heart rate and sleep tracking, which I found to be accurate compared to other watches I’ve tested. It can honestly be overwhelming to wrap your head around the broad range of activities that are supported by the watch. It includes over 160 workout modes including Hyrox racing, strength training, running, yoga, and 50-meter water-resistance for swimming. You can customize the data pages and other specific settings after you select and launch each activity on the watch.
If you have ever considered a smartwatch but haven’t made the move to try one, you really can’t go wrong spending the $99 for a watch that performs well, looks good, and lasts for up to 10 days between charges.
Amazfit Active 2 tech specs: Display: 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/Dust resistance: 5 ATM | LTE cellular option: No
Read More
Show Expert Take Show less
Show less
While I personally prefer big watches, millions of other people look for a small, unobtrusive smartwatch that offers a refined user interface at a lower price. The Apple Watch SE has a majority of the same features and functions as the larger Apple Watch models. It can even be purchased with cellular support.
The Apple Watch SE is also marketed towards families, as it can fit well on kids’ wrists, and Family Setup lets you support multiple watches with one parent’s iPhone.
Also: Apple Watch SE (2022) vs. Apple Watch SE (2020)
This watch is packed with features with a particular focus on health and fitness, including heart health monitoring, irregular rhythm notifications, cycle tracking, and even crash detection. It’s waterproof for up to 50 meters, so you can take it along for swimming laps, and it allows you to stream music. You get to pick your case color from three options, and it is easily compatible with the other best Apple watch bands.
The base SE is 40mm, but you can also pick up a slightly larger 44mm model for $30 more. GPS and Wi-Fi models are available with cellular selling for $50 more, plus an associated cellular plan from your preferred wireless carrier.
Apple Watch SE tech specs: Display: 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/Dust resistance: 50m | LTE cellular option: Yes
Read More
Show Expert Take Show less
Show less
The OnePlus Watch 3 is a great, less-expensive Google Wear smartwatch. One of its best features is its long battery life: In my testing, the Watch 3 lasted five days in typical “smart” mode, which is almost unheard of when the Apple Watch, Pixel Watch, and Galaxy Watch Ultra are still in the two-day range. It also competes with GPS sports watches that have AMOLED displays.
Review: This Android wearable lasts for days, and left my Samsung Galaxy Watch in the dust
The OnePlus Watch 3 supports more than 100 sports modes. However, the data screens that appear in those modes are not customizable and are limited to some default standard metrics. But after your workout, you can find a lot of data in the eHealth app, like running dynamics, heart rate, and running power. OnePlus has not yet gained FDA approval, so ECG measurements are not provided in the US or Canada.
The OnePlus Watch 3 is incredibly durable, with IP68 and 5ATM ratings, along with MIL-STD-810H certification. It’s a beautiful, functional smartwatch, particularly for the $270 price tag.
OnePlus Watch 3 tech specs: Display: 1.5-inch 466 x 466 pixels AMOLED | Battery life: Up to 16 days in Power Saver Mode | Dimensions: 46.6 x 47.6 x 11.75mm | Weight: 81 grams (with band) | Water/Dust resistance: IP68 | LTE cellular option: No
Read More
Show Expert Take Show less
Show less
FE stands for Fan Edition, and in 2024 Samsung released its first FE smartwatch. The FE editions bring flagship features and capabilities to the masses at a more affordable price. At just $200 it is hard not to recommend that every Android phone user purchase the Galaxy Watch FE if they want a quality smartwatch.
Also: Samsung’s new Galaxy Watch FE is a $199 smartwatch with flagship features
“At Samsung, we strive to bring health and fitness monitoring capabilities to as many people around the world as possible, helping them to make the changes needed to improve their wellness daily and help them reach their goals,” said Junho Park, Samsung’s vice president and head of the Galaxy Ecosystem Product Planning Team. “We’re excited to add the new Galaxy Watch FE to our wearables portfolio, offering more people access to personalized health insights that empower them to be motivated and stay healthier day and night.”
The new Galaxy Watch FE features a 40mm watch face and comes in black, pink gold, and silver. For greater personalization, Samsung also unveiled new watch bands with blue and orange stitching and new watch faces. Like the Galaxy Watch 6, the Watch FE features a Sapphire Crystal glass face.
Samsung Galaxy Watch FE tech specs: Display: 1.2-inch 396 x 396 pixels Super AMOLEDl | Battery life: 14 days | Dimensions: 39.3 x 40.4 x 9.8mm | Weight: 26.6 grams | Water/Dust resistance: 5 ATM | LTE cellular option: Yes
Read More
Show Expert Take Show less
Show less
One way to enjoy a less expensive smartwatch is by buying a previous model. Google now offers the flagship Pixel Watch 3, but the Pixel Watch 2 is available for a reasonable $250 in just one size, which is great for those who want a small, unobtrusive smartwatch.
At first glance, the Google Pixel Watch 2 appears to be an all-display accessory, with a round domed Gorilla Glass 5 AMOLED screen transitioning into the 100% recycled aluminum housing. The front makes for quite the fashion statement, especially when combined with colorful and compelling bands.
Also: Google Pixel Watch 2 review: In one key area, it surpasses every other smartwatch
The Google Pixel Watch 2 improved over the original with GPS accuracy and new heart rate sensors that are now one of the most accurate on the market, making it the best Fitbit smartwatch ever made.
With the Google Pixel Watch 2’s Safety Check feature, you can set a check-in timer whenever you’re moving from point A to B and want your emergency contacts to be notified if anything goes wrong. For example, you can set up an alert for a planned half-hour run, and if you don’t confirm your arrival at home after that period of time, your selected contacts will be notified.
As a Wear OS smartwatch, you can download from a bounty of third-party apps and services via the Play Store. Just be aware that additional Tiles will appear in your carousel as you download them, and not all apps have dedicated Tiles.
Google Pixel Watch tech specs: Display: 320 ppi AMOLED | Battery life:24 hours | Dimensions: 41 x 41 x 12.3mm | Weight: 36 grams | Water/Dust resistance: 5 ATM | LTE cellular option: Yes
Read More
Show Expert Take Show less
Show less
With its built-in GPS and daily fitness suggestions, the Garmin Forerunner 55 is our pick for the best cheap smartwatch for runners. The powerful Garmin Connect smartphone app and Garmin ecosystem help make this watch an amazing option for runners and for fans of smaller elegant watches.
Liz Ho, founder of
Also: The best Garmin watches
The Forerunner 55 includes a built-in GPS, heart rate monitoring, and dedicated apps for hiking and other activities. There are daily suggestions for your workouts and personalized guidance based on your own activity levels. To keep you plugged in, the color display is designed to show up well in the sun so you can still see your messages and alerts outdoors.
If you don’t mind spending a bit more, I was also a fan of the Garmin Forerunner 165.
Garmin Forerunner 55 tech specs: Display: 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/Dust resistance: 5 ATM | LTE cellular option: No
Read More
Show Expert Take Show less
ZDNET’s pick for the best cheap smartwatch is the Amazfit Bip 6. It offers all the usual features including advanced health and wellness tracking, message triage support, and applications. The long battery life and very low price set it apart and make it our pick for the best cheap smartwatch available today.
To see how the Amazfit Bip 6 compares, this is a bird’s eye view of the best cheap smartwatches.
| Best cheap smartwatch | Cost | Screen size | Water resistance |
| Amazfit Active 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 |
Show more
It isn’t always easy to figure out which cheap smartwatch is best. These are my expert recommendations to help find the best smartwatch for you.
| Choose this best cheap smartwatch… | If you want... |
| Amazfit Active 2 | The cheapest smartwatch on this list with integrated GPS and plenty of health and wellness features for iPhone and Android phone users. |
| Apple Watch SE | An affordable smartwatch for Apple iPhone users. This top smartwatch brings incredible value. |
| OnePlus Watch 3 | A flagship smartwatch for Android users that may be the best Google Wear OS watch available today. |
| Samsung Galaxy Watch FE | The most affordable Android smartwatch that should be picked up by anyone interested in trying out their first smartwatch. |
| Google Pixel Watch 2 | The second-generation watch comes with plenty of improvements with that same very small and elegant form factor. |
| Garmin Forerunner 55 | A smartwatch to keep up with your runs. This smartwatch has specific features to benefit runners. |
Show more
Smartwatches serve as companions to our smartphones, and there are several things to consider as you explore the many options available. Several factors will help you quickly narrow down available candidates, so let’s take a closer look and help you select the best smartwatch for you.
- Operating system: Both Apple and Android are available as the smartphone companion operating systems for cheap smartwatches. Before you choose the best cheap smartwatch, consider what kind of phone you use, as an iPhone will pair best with an Apple Watch, while an Android phone will work best with a Google, Samsung, or OnePlus watch. Garmin and Amazfit are device-agnostic.
- Display: Cheap smartwatches come in multiple screen sizes. While some smartwatches offer a compact design, others may boast a larger design for easier viewing when it comes to messages. Before you choose the best display size, however, be sure to consider the size of your wrist so you can find a comfortable fit.
- Features: Whether it is fitness tracking, sleep tracking, or even health monitoring, several additional features may come with the best cheap smartwatch. If you plan to use your smartwatch while swimming or showering, look for a model that is waterproof.
- Battery life: The battery life of a cheap smartwatch is an important consideration because this is an area where some companies can slack. Before you buy, think about how often you can charge your battery, and look for a cheap smartwatch with a battery life that will work within that timeframe.
- Cost: The cost of smartwatches can vary significantly, so I looked for cheap smartwatches priced below $300. The cheapest smartwatch on the list is the Amazfit Bip 6 at $80, while the Google Pixel Watch 2 and Apple Watch SE are both about $250 each.
Show more
The smartwatches included in this list were chosen based on how they performed when tested in the real world by the ZDNET team. When we test smartwatches, we typically follow the same routine for each one to see which performs best.
- Daily wear: We wear the smartwatch as our primary watch with communications, applications, and other elements being tested as if it was our only smartwatch.
- Application selection and performance: One aspect that makes smartwatches different than standard watches is the support for applications. We load up the watch with apps and then test the performance and functionality of those applications. Apple excels in third-party application support with Google’s Play Store improving each year. Garmin, Amazfit, and others also are expanding the number and selection of apps available on watches.
- Workouts: Smartwatch makers have embraced health and fitness so we take our smartwatch out for running with GPS, rowing on the Hydrow, biking on trails, and walking with the family. GPS and heart rate data is tracked and then we evaluate the accuracy against proven GPS sports watches.
- Sleep and activity tracking: Sleep tracking has improved with smartwatches over time and we evaluate them as compared to smart rings and other watches. Nighttime is also a good time to charge your smartwatch, so you may choose not to use your watch to track sleep so your watch can serve faithfully all day and into the night.
For more on our testing process, check out our full smartwatch testing methodology.
Show more
Latest news on cheap smartwatches
Google Wear OS watches used to work with both Android and iPhone devices, but the new Wear OS 4 and later watches from Samsung, OnePlus, and Google only support Android smartphones. iPhone users should stick with the Apple Watch, while Android phone users should seriously consider a Google Pixel Watch, OnePlus Watch, or Samsung Galaxy Watch model.
Garmin, Amazfit, and several others work flawlessly with both Android and iPhone devices.
Show more
It seems everyone today lives with a smartphone, and rather than having your face buried in your phone display, a smartwatch can serve as a reliable companion to triage your incoming communications so you can focus on people, places, and things around you instead of your phone display.
Smartwatches today also have advanced sensors that provide actionable insights to your health and wellness as well as serve as a consistent and reliable tracker. If you’re interested in access to that information, then yes, a smartwatch can be a helpful investment.
Show more
Latest Updates
- August 2025: Added the Garmin Lily 2 to alternatives, and verified our recommendations are all available and still represent the best picks on the market. Made small edits for clarity
Other cheap smartwatches
CHEAP, STYLISH GARMIN WATCH
Garmin Lily 2 – Best cheap smartwatch for style
The Lily 2 smartwatch from Garmin is as much a fashion statement as it is a piece of tech, with a hidden display and a patterned lens or traditional watch face when you aren’t interacting with the watch. It’s incredibly customizable, allowing you to choose between leather, nylon, and silicon band styles, and can last up to five days on a single charge.
It features health monitoring with a focus on heart rate, notifications, GPS, contactless payments, and various fitness and sports tracking apps.
View at Garmin
Smartwatches Reviewed & Compared
If you’re looking for the best ways to get the most out of wrist-worn tech, check out our picks for the best Android smartwatches, our favorite Apple Watch, and the best bands for Apple Watch Ultra. Plus, here’s a handy video for how to use low power mode on your Apple watch.