The Apple Watch is one of the most popular smartwatches available today. The tight integration between the Watch and other Apple products, particularly the iPhone, makes it a great choice for anyone invested in the company's ecosystem.

However, it is also one of the more expensive options. Similarly, the Apple Watch doesn't support Android-based smartphones, leaving users of Google's operating system looking for alternatives.

Whatever your reason for turning down the Apple Watch, there are plenty of great alternatives out there.

Premium pick

1. Samsung Galaxy Watch 3

9.00 / 10
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As one of the world's largest smartphone manufacturers, Samsung is often described as a competitor to Apple. The company offers a wide variety of products at various prices to suit most needs and budgets. Similarly, Samsung has developed its own ecosystem of products and digital services. The Samsung Galaxy Watch3 is the best Apple Watch alternative for Android users available today.

The premium smartwatch doesn't share Apple's more tech-centric design. Instead, the Galaxy Watch3 looks more like a traditional wrist-worn timepiece. This is, at least in part, due to the leather-style strap. It comes in two sizes (41mm and 45mm), two finishes (Stainless Steel and Titanium), and three colors (Mystic Silver, Mystic Bronze, and Mystic Black). You can further customize the watch by selecting from one of over 50,000 watch faces.

The Samsung Galaxy Watch3 45mm edition weighs 53.8g without the strap, while the 41mm variant comes in at 48.2g. Both models have support for an always-on display, although they differ in battery capacity. The 45mm Watch3 has a 340mAh battery, and the 41mm Watch3 uses a 247mAh battery. Depending on your usage, you should be able to get through at least a day without needing to recharge.

When you need a top-up, you can use the Wireless Power Share feature found on some Samsung Galaxy smartphones. Unlike most non-Apple Watch smartwatches, the Samsung Galaxy Watch3 does not run on Google's Wear OS software. Instead, it uses Samsung's own Tizen Based Wearable OS 5.5. It comes with 1GB of RAM and 8GB of storage. This supports the watch's fitness tracking, sleep monitoring, and ECG recording. For those who enjoy the convenience of digital assistants, there's also integration with Samsung's Bixby.

Key Features
  • GPS tracking
  • Sharable ECG recordings
  • Automatic sleep monitoring
Specifications
  • Brand: Samsung
  • Heart Rate Monitor: Yes
  • Color Screen: Yes
  • Notification Support: N/A
  • Battery Life: N/A
  • Operating System: Tizen 5.5
  • Onboard GPS: Yes
  • Offline Media Storage: Yes
  • Customizable Strap: Yes
  • SIM Support: eSIM
  • Lens Material: Corning Gorilla Glass DX
  • Display Size : 1.4 inches, 1.2 inches
  • Case Material: Stainless Steel
  • Water Rating : 165 feet
  • Calendar: N/A
  • Weather: N/A
  • Smartphone Music Control: Yes
  • Case size: 2
  • Colors: Gold, Silver, Black, Titanium
  • Display: Super AMOLED
  • CPU: Exynos 9110 Dual-Core 1.15GHz
  • RAM: 1GB
  • Storage: 8GB
  • Health sensors: Heart rate
  • Strap size: Leather
  • Dimensions: 1.82 x 1.77 x 0.44 inches, 1.67 x 1.61 x 0.44 inches
  • Weight: 1.90oz, 1.69oz
  • Audio: Yes
Pros
  • Customizable with more than 50,000 watch faces
  • Built-in GPS
Cons
  • Some features only supported by Samsung Galaxy smartphones
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Samsung Galaxy Watch 3
Editors choice

2. Fitbit Versa 3

8.60 / 10
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Although Fitbit is best known for its range of fitness trackers, the company has been making headway in affordable smartwatches like the Fitbit Versa 3. As the name suggests, this is the third iteration of the Versa smartwatch and now incorporates many software and hardware features often reserved for more premium models.

The primary focus here is on fitness tracking, with a nod towards improving your health and well-being. The Versa 3 runs the company's smartwatch operating system, Fitbit OS, supporting its payment system, Fitbit Pay. This allows you to use contactless payments with your smartwatch, so you can leave your phone behind when out exercising.

This is especially true as the Fitbit Versa 3 comes with a built-in GPS, so you can effortlessly keep track of your workouts. There's a built-in speaker so that you can take calls directly on the watch. Likewise, this speaker and mic setup can be used to interact with Alexa. You can also download playlists onto the watch using Deezer, Spotify, or Pandora.

Key Features
  • Runs Fitbit OS smartwatch operating system
  • Built-in speaker for receiving calls
  • Notification mirroring and quick-reply support
Specifications
  • Brand: Fitbit
  • Heart Rate Monitor: Yes
  • Color Screen: Yes
  • Notification Support: Yes
  • Battery Life: 6 days
  • Integrations: Amazon Alexa, MyFitnessPal, Strava
  • Colors: Black, Blue / Gold, Pink / Gold, Thistle
  • Workout detection: Yes
Pros
  • Built-in GPS
  • Long battery life
  • Can store music for offline playback without a smartphone
Cons
  • No integration with Apple Health or Google Fit
  • Fitbit Pay not supported by the majority of banks
Buy This Product
Fitbit Versa 3
Best value

3. Amazfit GTS 2

8.50 / 10
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If you like the Apple Watch style, but find it hard to justify the expense, then consider the Amazfit GTS 2. Outwardly, the smartwatch owes a lot to Apple's design. At a glance, it can be hard to tell the two watches apart. However, this isn't the only reason the GT2 makes an excellent Apple Watch alternative. It comes with a curved 1.65-inch HD AMOLED color display located inside an aluminum alloy shell.

It's powered by a 246mAh battery, which should see the GTS 2 through seven days of regular use before needing a recharge. There's also a built-in GPS sensor for on-device fitness tracking. This gives the Apple Watch a run for its money, especially when combined with the watch's other tracking capabilities, like all-day heart rate tracking, blood oxygen monitoring, sleep recording, and stress level analysis.

The Amazfit GTS 2 is waterproof up to 50 meters and includes Bluetooth, so you can connect wireless headphones to the watch. This is useful for listening to music you've stored on the watch; there's 3GB of onboard storage for music and audio files. This wireless connection also enables on-device call handling and the watch's voice-based integration with Amazon Alexa.

Key Features
  • Alexa-enabled
  • 12 workout tracking modes
  • Waterproof up to 50 meters
Specifications
  • Brand: Amazfit
  • Heart Rate Monitor: Yes
  • Color Screen: Yes
  • Notification Support: Yes
  • Battery Life: Seven days
  • Operating System: Amazfit OS
  • Onboard GPS: Yes
  • Offline Media Storage: Yes, 3GB
  • Customizable Strap: Yes
  • SIM Support: No
Pros
  • Seven-day battery life
  • Built-in GPS
  • 3GB of storage for music and audio files
Cons
  • Lacks integration with other services
Buy This Product
Amazfit GTS 2

It's no secret that Apple products are expensive. Many people see this as a worthwhile investment for the ease of use and inclusion in Apple's ecosystem. However, that doesn't change the fact that buying an Apple Watch is a significant outlay. If you're after some of the Apple Watch benefits, but without the high price tag, consider the more affordable Apple Watch SE.

As with the iPhone SE, this edition of the watch is lower priced but lacks some of the flagship model features. However, the Apple Watch SE runs the same watchOS software as the Apple Watch, and you can install all the same apps. Similarly, both versions have the same recognizable design, and the Apple Watch SE is available in both 40mm and 44mm variants. This model is water-resistant up to 50m and lasts up to 18 hours on a single charge.

Notably, unlike the Apple Watch Series 6, there is no blood oxygen sensor on the Apple Watch SE. Likewise, this model also doesn't support an always-on display. The most significant omission here is the lack of ECG, a prominent selling point for the Apple Watch Series 6. That said, the Apple Watch SE is considerably cheaper, so you may find the tradeoff between features and price to be worth it.

Key Features
  • Runs watchOS for integration with Apple ecosystem
  • Waterproof up to 50 meters
  • Available in 40mm and 44mm variants
Specifications
  • Brand: Apple
  • Heart Rate Monitor: Yes
  • Color Screen: Yes
  • Notification Support: Yes
  • Battery Life: Up to 18 hours
  • Operating System: watchOS 7.0
  • Onboard GPS: Yes
  • Offline Media Storage: Yes
  • Customizable Strap: Yes
  • SIM Support: Yes
  • Lens Material: Ion-X front glass
  • Display Size : 40mm, 44mm
  • Case Material: Aluminum
  • Water Rating : 50 meters
  • Smartphone Music Control: Yes
  • Case size: 2
  • Colors: Various
  • Display: Retina LTPO OLED
  • CPU: 64-bit dual-core S5 SiP chip
  • RAM: 1GB
  • Storage: 32GB
  • Health sensors: Optical Heart Sensor
  • Dimensions: 1.73 x 1.50 x 0.42 inches, 1.57 x 1.34 x 0.42 inches
  • Weight: 1.28oz, 1.08oz
  • Audio: Yes
Pros
  • More affordable than the Apple Watch Series 6
  • 18-hour battery life
  • Built-in GPS
Cons
  • No ECG monitoring or blood oxygen sensor
  • Doesn't support always-on display
Buy This Product
Apple Watch SE

The TicWatch Pro 3 is a fully-featured smartwatch running Google's Wear OS operating system. As a result, it is one of the best smartwatches for Android users out there and integrates seamlessly with your Android-based smartphone. At first glance, it's clear that the TicWatch Pro 3 doesn't match Apple's more streamlined design, as the watch is far bulkier than many on the market.

However, this design is, in part, to house the vast array of sensors and tech inside the watch. At the time of release, this watch was the first Wear OS device powered by the Qualcomm Snapdragon Wear 4100 chip. Consequently, it is among the best-performing smartwatches, achieving up to 72 hours of battery life on a single charge. If you enable the stripped-down Enhanced Essential Mode, this can increase up to 42 days.

Alongside the Qualcomm chip, the TicWatch Pro 3 comes with 1GB of RAM and 8GB of onboard storage. There's also a built-in GPS sensor, 24-hour heart rate monitor, and sleep tracking and stress monitoring capabilities. You can use the built-in speaker and microphone to take calls and interact with the Google Assistant. Similarly, there is NFC support, so the watch is capable of contactless payments via Google Pay.

Key Features
  • Runs Google's Wear OS software
  • Built-in GPS
  • 72-hour battery life
Specifications
  • Brand: Mobvoi
  • Heart Rate Monitor: Yes, PPG
  • Color Screen: Yes, AMOLED
  • Notification Support: Yes
  • Battery Life: 3 to 45 days
  • Operating System: Wear OS
  • Onboard GPS: Yes, four GPS satellites
  • Offline Media Storage: Yes, 8GB
  • Customizable Strap: Yes, 22mm
  • SIM Support: EU only
Pros
  • Includes NFC for Google Pay support
  • 8GB of storage
  • Enhanced Essential Mode increases battery life to 42 days
Cons
  • Bulky design
  • Cheap build quality
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TicWatch Pro 3

Many smartwatches last a day or slightly longer on a single charge, meaning you need to top them up daily. If you're after the convenience and features of a smartwatch, but longer battery life, consider the Withings Steel Sport HR. This is a hybrid smartwatch, so the display is mostly static, analog-based, and non-touchscreen. But there are a range of sensors recording data and alerting you to notifications throughout the day.

For instance, the watch comes with all-day heart rate tracking, is water-resistant up to 50 meters, and can monitor your sleep. The Withings Steel Sport HR can last up to 25 days before needing a top-up. Even then, it only takes one hour to reach 80 percent and two hours to recharge fully. Once you enable fitness-tracking features and the workout mode, you can still achieve nearly five days of battery life.

The watch can alert you to call, text, and app notifications from your smartphone, so long as you are within the Bluetooth range of your phone. The watch also relies on your phone's GPS sensor to track your location during workouts. The Withings Steel Sport HR comes with a replaceable silicone sports band and integrates with Strava for workout tracking.

Key Features
  • 25-day battery life
  • Water-resistant up to 50 meters
Specifications
  • Brand: Withings
  • Heart Rate Monitor: Yes
  • Color Screen: Yes
  • Notification Support: Yes, limited
  • Battery Life: 25 days
  • Onboard GPS: No
  • Offline Media Storage: No
  • Customizable Strap: Yes
  • SIM Support: No
Pros
  • Can alert you to smartphone-based notifications
  • Integrates with Strava for workout tracking
Cons
  • Relies on your phone's GPS to track workouts
  • Can't install additional apps
Buy This Product
Withings Steel Sport HR

If you're after a functional smartwatch without breaking the bank, consider the Willful Smart Watch. On the surface, this device's design looks like a pleasing blend of the Fitbit Versa and the Apple Watch. While it takes cues from those two devices, it is only a fraction of the price. As you'd expect, this also means that it isn't as seamless or feature-packed as those two premium watches.

However, for most people, the Willful Smart Watch will do everything you'd expect of a smartwatch. For instance, the wrist-worn device is IP68-rated for water resistance, although it doesn't offer a swim tracking mode. Fitbit waited until 2018 to implement female health-tracking, but it's a default feature here. You can track up to nine different workouts, including running and yoga, and the watch comes with a mindful breathing exercise built-in.

As a Bluetooth-enabled device, you can use this watch with your iPhone. However, Android users can also get full notification support, including calls, texts, messages, and social media app alerts. Surprisingly, the Willful Smart Watch can last up to seven days before it needs a 2.5-hour recharge. There are also three brightness levels to choose from, which makes it an ideal companion while outdoors.

Key Features
  • IP68-rated for water resistance
  • Female health tracking
  • Can record nine types of workout
Specifications
  • Brand: Willful
  • Heart Rate Monitor: Yes
  • Color Screen: Yes
  • Notification Support: Yes
  • Battery Life: Seven days
  • Onboard GPS: No
  • Customizable Strap: Yes
  • SIM Support: No
Pros
  • Three brightness levels
  • Notification mirroring
  • Built-in mindful breathing exercise
Cons
  • No integration with other services
  • Notification support a bit patchy
Buy This Product
Willful Smart Watch

FAQ

Q: Which Is Better: Fitbit or Apple Watch?

On the surface, the two brands are difficult to compare. While Fitbit is famous for its range of affordable fitness trackers, Apple made its name through premium hardware and an integrated ecosystem. However, both brands produce a smartwatch; the Fitbit Versa and the Apple Watch. Both have been through significant revisions over the years, and while still not directly comparable (especially on price), they offer competition to one another.

The Fitbit Versa is primed for fitness tracking and includes all of the company's best-known features. The Apple Watch is focused more on health and convenience, integrating well with your iPhone and other Apple services. If you're an Android user, the choice is easy; the Apple Watch only works with iPhones.

Q: Can Other Smartwatches Pair with the iPhone?

As most smartwatches connect via Bluetooth, it is possible to pair alternative smartwatches to your iPhone. However, Apple retains strict control over its operating system, so integrated features available on the Apple Watch will likely not be available on other smartwatches.

This includes features like notification support, call handling, and access to the location or GPS sensor. As a result, your smartwatch may still work, but it could be feature-limited. In most cases, the best smartwatch for the iPhone is the Apple Watch.

Q: Are Apple Watches Worth It?

Apple products are well-known for their ease of use and tight integration with other Apple services and hardware. The Apple Watch follows a similar pattern, offering a range of features compatible with your iPhone. Fitness tracking and health data is synced to your Apple Health app, and call handling and notification support require a connected iPhone to function. That said, if you've never owned a smartwatch or fitness tracker, it can be hard to see what the Apple Watch offers over some level of convenience and health tracking.

To many people, this is not worth the sizeable cost of the wearable accessory. However, if you're invested in Apple's ecosystem and like the idea of reducing your reliance on your iPhone, then the Apple Watch may be a sensible investment.