Best Android Smartwatches 2026 - Forbes Vetted

Your Android smartwatch should do more than pair seamlessly with your Android phone—it should accurately track your fitness and sleep routines, take calls, play music, offer on-device AI that answers your queries and more. After a year of testing, I found the Samsung Galaxy Watch 8 to be the best Android smartwatch overall. It has a decent battery life, offers useful AI-based features and has a large, bright display to read and respond to notifications.

I spent a year testing the best Android smartwatches, taking into consideration design, battery life, performance and more.

Illustration: Forbes / Photos: Retailers

But Samsung isn’t the only Android smartwatch that you can strap to your wrist. When I tested the best Android smartwatches, I considered design, battery life, performance, AI integrations among many other considerations, and I found other impressive choices. For fans of Google Pixel phones, the Google Pixel 4 features a lovely, dome design. There’s also the OnePlus Watch 3, which can last for days on a single charge. Here are the best Android smartwatches, tested over the course of a year.

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Forbes Vetted

Display size: 1.6 inches and up | Weight: 1 ounce and up | Battery life: Up to 40 hours | Water resistance: 164 feet | Operating system: Wear OS | Sensors: ECG, heart rate, infrared temperature, gyroscope, accelerometer, altimeter, geomagnetic, barometer, body composition, spO2 tracking

Best for:

Comprehensive fitness insightsImproving sleepGoogle Gemini integrations to help you accomplish more tasks

Skip if:

You prefer a more minimalist smartwatchYou use a non-Samsung phone and want every single health tracking feature

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An Impressive Ecosystem, With Useful Fitness Insights

After several months of testing, I found the Samsung Galaxy Watch 8 to be the best Android smartwatch overall for its impressive ecosystem, decent battery life and useful health tracking features. To be clear: If you use a Google Pixel phone or other non-Samsung branded device, you lose access to certain features. However, you still have access to Samsung’s extensive fitness tracking, which allows you to track many different workouts, including walking treadmills, rowing and more. The smartwatch could track my heart rate zone and at the end of each workout, tell me how long I stayed in each zone, which I found not only useful but also motivating. I also loved how the smartwatch integrates Google Gemini, so I could ask the watch questions and receive answers without having to reach for my phone.

The Samsung Galaxy Watch 8 is especially helpful for improving sleep, tracking time spent asleep, sleep stages, movement and more.

Rebecca Isaacs for Forbes
Exceptional Sleep Tracking Software

Its sleep tracking is also one of the most impressive I’ve tested. AI-powered software like Sleep Coach helped me better understand my sleep patterns: It offered detailed insights on time spent asleep, sleep stages, movement, blood oxygen levels, heart rate, skin temperature and more. From there, it can use your sleep and fitness data tracking to determine what the brand calls and Energy Score. Energy Score is essentially how rested and ready you feel for the day. And, while I don’t struggle to find the optimal sleep time, for those that do, the watch uses what the brand calls Bedtime Guidance to help you determine your body’s ideal bedtime.

Design Is Off—And Some Features Feel Frivolous

If there’s one miss about this watch, is its cushion design—the name used for watches that feature a classic square shape with rounded corners. But while the design is cushion-shaped, the display is still round, and the resulting aesthetic is downright goofy. It comes in two sizes: 40mm and 44mm. Some of the software also feels somewhat frivolous, like the Antioxidant Index. This feature requires you to remove the watch and place your thumb on the back to run the test and receive your score. It proved near-impossible to raise my “very low” score despite my plant-heavy and antioxidant-rich diet.

Forbes Vetted

Display size: 1.3 inches and up | Weight: 1 ounce and up | Battery life: Up to 35 hours | Water resistance: 164 feet | Operating system: Wear OS | Sensors: ECG, heart rate, infrared temperature, gyroscope, accelerometer, altimeter, geomagnetic, barometer, body composition, spO2 tracking

Best for:

Comprehensive fitness insightsGetting the basics to improve your sleep

Skip if:

You need the latest featuresMore battery life is essential

A Sleek, Rounded Shape

While it’s not the most recent smartwatch on the market, the Samsung Galaxy Watch 7 is an excellent value option. It features a round case and watch face, and looked lovely on my wrist. Depending on your size preference, you can opt for the 40mm or 44mm design. Like the Samsung Galaxy Watch 8, the Samsung Galaxy Watch 7 features the same fitness tracking software, so I could track my walks, treadmill work and more. It also includes Samsung’s sleep apnea detection, which can help you determine whether you show symptoms of the condition. (Note that the watch cannot diagnose you with sleep apnea—plan to take any findings to your doctor.)

All The Basics (But Not The Latest AI Software)

The Samsung Galaxy Watch 7 includes sleep coaching, but there’s one important distinction between the Watch 7 and the Watch 8: Bedtime Guidance is not available on this model. While some users might enjoy having the guidance, odds are you won’t notice it’s not available. But there’s also the matter of battery life, as the Watch 7 lasts a few hours less than the Watch 8. I found this isn’t a large issue. And while it doesn’t come with the latest features, I still found the watch to provide plenty of accurate basics, including step and sleep tracking, weather insights and more.

Forbes Vetted

Display size: 1.8 inches | Weight: 1.7 ounces with included band | Battery life: Up to 26 days | Water resistance: 164 feet | Operating system: Garmin OS | Sensors: ECG, blood oxygen, heart rate, compass, altimeter, accelerometer, thermometer, ambient light, gyroscope, SpO2 tracking

Best for:

Detailed health insights, including recovery and sleepAccurate readingsBuilt-in workouts, including accessible ones

Skip if:

You want it to auto detect your activityYou prefer a slimmer profile
Built With Personal Training In Mind

The Garmin Venu 3 has received plenty of accolades from our team. My colleague, Katie Simpson, is a certified personal trainer and tested this model for several months. She not only found it to be the best fitness tracker, but she also found that it’s one of the best smartwatches for fitness enthusiasts, too. The watch is geared towards maximizing your fitness routine: It helped plan her day, which included providing recovery time predictions. It also features more than 30 preloaded sports apps so you can track your progress down to sets and reps.

The Garmin Venu 3 helped one tester level up her fitness goals.

katie simpson for forbes
A Holistic Approach That Improves Fitness Goals

She loved that the watch “takes a holistic approach to fitness without being intimidating to use.” It’s that approach that Simpson felt helped her actually improve her fitness goals—and it was only smartwatch she’s tested to do so. When she first began testing the watch, she noted it’s not as intuitive as other Android smartwatches she tested; once she felt familiar with it, she said it could easily load fitness routines.

Doesn’t Auto Detect Workouts—And It’s Bulky

During sets, plan to monitor the Garmin Venu 3; Simpson found that in order to maximize its fitness tracking capabilities, she needed to constantly monitor its activity tracking because it doesn’t automatically sense the activity type. It’s also pretty bulky, especially on smaller wrists. If you want a sleeker, lighter option, plan to look elsewhere.

Forbes Vetted

Display size: 1.5 inches | Weight: 2.9 ounces with included band | Battery life: Up to 16 days | Water resistance: 164 feet | Operating system: Wear OS by Google + RTOS | Sensors: Wrist temperature, optical heart rate, optical pulse oximeter, geomagnetic, light, barometer, acceleration, gyroscope

Best for:

An extra long battery life for those who forget to chargeMaximizing the use of the rotating crown

Skip if:

ECG monitoring is a priority for youYou need more preloaded workouts like rowing
A Massive Display That Lasts For Days

The OnePlus Watch 3 is one of the biggest smartwatches I’ve tested to date—it dwarfs my wrist. Still, it’s pretty lightweight, and that size helps make the display easy to read. The rotating crown, which has disappeared from many smartwatches, feels like a bonus, too; it’s fully functional. But it’s the battery life that impressed me the most: It can last five days on a charge. If you place it into low power mode, it can last up two weeks—much longer than the Samsung Galaxy Watch Ultra.

Use the rotating crown to zoom in on the app library the OnePlus Watch 3 offers.

Rebecca Isaacs For Forbes
Some Missing Features May Be Dealbreakers

Still, while it features Google Wear OS and is very intuitive, it’s missing some features. While it offers plenty of pre-loaded workouts, some are missing, like rowing. Also, the watch doesn’t offer any ECG because it hasn’t received FDA certification. “As the OnePlus Watch 3 did not receive official certification from the U.S. FDA on its ECG capabilities, the ECG Analyzer feature on the OnePlus Watch 3 will not be available to users in the United States or Canada,” shared a brand representative. You can read my full OnePlus Watch 3 review to learn more.

Samsung Galaxy Watch Ultra

Forbes Vetted

Display size: 1.8 inches | Weight: 2.1 ounces | Battery life: Up to 60 hours | Water resistance: 164 feet | Operating system: Wear OS by Google + RTOS | Sensors: Wrist temperature, optical heart rate, optical pulse oximeter, geomagnetic, light, barometer, acceleration, gyroscope

Best for:

Getting a long battery lifeMaximizing your health data thanks to tons of sensorsEnjoying a great app experience (on the phone)

Skip if:

You don’t want a chunky deviceLong-term battery life is essential
A Sturdy, Large Build

The Samsung Galaxy Watch Ultra is about the same size as the OnePlus Watch 3—it looks borderline comical on my thin wrist. However, I found I liked the large display; it felt like it was easier to see all my stats at a glance without feeling cramped. It doesn’t have a fully functional rotating crown, but it’s built from titanium, which makes it much sturdier than the Samsung Galaxy Watch 8 and Samsung Galaxy Watch 7. The watch features a middle button that acts as a quick access feature—and you can configure it to certain preferences, which I liked. However, this smartwatch introduced Samsung’s awkward cushion design, of which I’m not a fan.

Automatically Registers My Fitness Tracking

Its water resistance is rated to 10ATM, and it can stand up to ocean swimming, which I felt was impressive. Fitness tracking felt easy, too. When I tested other smartwatches against my husband’s rowing machine, I needed to scroll, find and then start the rowing tracking preset. This smartwatch was the only one that automatically registered the activity. It also comes with all of Samsung’s fitness presets, including walking, running, treadmill and many more.

A Long Battery Life, But Degrades Over Time

Its battery life lasts up to two days, and placing it on low power mode ekes out a few extra days. My biggest gripe with the smartwatch wasn’t this battery life—of all the Samsung and Google smartwatches I’ve tested, it still lasts the longest—but it was the degradation of the battery. After several months, I noted its battery life significantly reduced; it barely lasted a day. Your mileage may vary.

Forbes Vetted

Display size: 1.6 inches and up | Weight: 1 ounce and up | Battery life: Up to 72 hours (with Battery Saver Mode) | Water resistance: IP68 rating | Operating system: Wear OS 6.0 by Google | Sensors: ECG, heart rate, wrist temperature, light, geomagnetic, altimeter, barometer, acceleration, gyroscope, compass, spO2 tracking

Best for:

Its beautiful, minimalist designUsing Google Gemini integrations regularlyIf you hike off-grid frequently—the LTE model includes SOS satellite communications

Skip if:

You want a battery that lasts more than 36 hours on a charge
A Beautiful Watch, With A New Charging Dock

While many of my top picks are Samsung or OnePlus models, they don’t fully scratch the itch for a lovely design that I wanted to show off on my wrist. I found the Google Pixel Watch 4 to be an exceptional standout for its design. Google implemented a new design it calls the “Actua 360 display,” which gives it a lovely dome shape that looks beautiful on my wrist. I also found that it gets bright so it’s easy to see in the sunniest of outdoor conditions. One of the biggest upgrades was its charging, too. This latest model rests and charges on its side, so you can see the watch face and use it as bedside clock while it’s docked.

Impressive AI Integrations, Too

The Google Pixel Watch 4 gave me access to an impressive amount of features, including Readiness Score, which takes a series of health tracking metrics and turns it into a score that shows my “readiness” to take on the day. But its the Google Gemini integrations that impressed me the most. Not only can I simply raise my wrist to speak to the AI, but I can also add useful Gemini action buttons on the watch face, too. For those who spend their weekends hiking off the grid, the watch also offers SOS satellite communications on LTE models.

Battery Life Could Be Stronger

Google claims the watch’s battery life lasts up to 40 hours. During testing, I found I was lucky if I eked out 36 hours before it died. Battery saver mode automatically enables when your watch reaches 15% life left, which can help if it hits that number when you’re away from your charger. You can get more life out of it if you place it on battery saver mode, but keep in mind that you lose some features like the Always On Display and some background activities. It still will track the most important fitness and health tracking features.

Other Android Smartwatches I Tested

While the watches I tested represent the best options for most users, they may not quite fit your needs. Below are other Android smartwatches Simpson and I tested that may be better suited for your lifestyle.

Best Android Smartwatch For Fitness Tracking Runner-Up: Garmin Lily 2 (4.5/5 stars): Simpson tested the Garmin Lily 2 and found it easy to set up. She also appreciated that it’s more durable and lightweight than other contenders she tested. The battery life lasts up to five days, which Simpson found “super impressive.” The smartwatch detects and tracks reps and sets easily, and she found it extremely accurate during her fitness training sessions. If you’re looking for a slightly smaller smartwatch that’s built with fitness tracking in mind, it’s a great option.

Best Android Smartwatch For Design Runner-Up: Google Pixel Watch 3 (4/5 stars): The Google Pixel Watch 3 has a nice rounded design that I really liked, though this last-gen version doesn’t look as sleek as the Google Pixel Watch 4. Because it integrates nicely with Fitbit, you can get useful insights to your running metrics and can also use it as an AI-based running coach. It allows you to opt into weekly emails so you can track your progress, too. Because it’s a last-gen model, its battery doesn’t last as long as the Google Pixel Watch 4—or the Samsung Galaxy Watch 8, too.

How We Tested The Best Android Smartwatches

To test the best Android smartwatches, Simpson and I tested the latest models. We spent a minimum of a month with each smartwatch—and often wore them longer to get a well-rounded picture of each device’s features. As we wore them, we considered the following features.

Health tracking: Your smartwatch should accurately track your heart rate, sleep cycles and more. We cross-checked these tracking features by wearing two smartwatches and one smart ring for a few days, noting any discrepancies.
Fitness tracker: We ran, walked, swam, rowed and more, logging our heart rate zones, steps, distances traveled and more. We cross-checked the numbers with other trackers to make sure the watch tracked accurately.
Battery life: We wore each smartwatch from fully charged until it died, noting whether a battery saver mode was offered—and whether it turns on automatically. We also tracked how long it took each Android smartwatch to get from 0% back to fully charged.
AI integrations: Each smartwatch offers some kind of Google OS wear software—but not all smartwatches optimize the offered features. We tested them for ease of access and whether they assisted or harmed the Google OS experience.
Design: A good smartwatch should complement your wrist and personal style, and feel comfortable for hours of wear. We considered overall design, weight, material and aesthetics. If we felt it was too bulky or heavy, we noted it. We also considered button and crown placements and noted accidental presses.

How To Choose The Best Android Smartwatch For Your Needs

While every Android smartwatch we tested features health tracking, notification alerts and more, they’re not all created equal. I spoke with multiple experts to determine the best Android smartwatch for your needs.

Design

A good smartwatch should feel comfortable on your wrist, says Denise Chakoian, Certified Fitness Trainer and Owner at CORE Cycle and Fitness LaGree in Providence, Rhode Island. “Since you’ll wear it daily, consider the size, weight and whether the style fits your lifestyle,” she says, adding that “premium Android smartwatches often have higher-quality materials and more stylish designs.” While most Android smartwatches ship with a silicone watch band, you can also opt for a cloth or mesh design to help it breathe against your skin, too.

Health Tracking

Your smartwatch should offer three health tracking metrics, according to Harrison Hunter, professional sports coach at Vekta: “Solid heart-rate tracking, reliable GPS and good sleep monitoring.” Plenty of smartwatches offer extras like ECG monitoring, skin temperature and stress tracking. According to Hunter, they’re “nice bonuses, but only if the app turns that information into something meaningful, like recovery guidance or simple trends you can follow.” Look for an Android smartwatch collects the basics well. If you’re seeking a smartwatch that collects extra data points, make sure it can provide meaningful information that you can help turn into action in your daily routine.

For fitness enthusiasts, Chaokian recommends choosing a watch known for reliable, accurate heart rate and distance tracking readings. “Inaccurate data can make your fitness tracking less useful,” she adds. Also check whether the watch software “provides clear trends, summaries, and actionable tips,” she says. “Good insights help you understand your progress and improve your health over time.”

Battery Life

The average smartwatch’s battery life can last anywhere from 36 hours to over two weeks, depending on power settings, always-on display settings and more. You’ll also want to consider how long it takes to charge your smartwatch, according to Hunter. “Battery life is still typically around a day or two for full-featured Wear OS models, so fast charging is a meaningful advantage if you don’t want to think about power every day,” he adds. If you suspect you’ll be prone to forgetting to charge your Android smartwatch, opt for one that has a longer battery life.

Why Trust Forbes Vetted

At Forbes Vetted, our tech team has tested and reported on plenty of smart wearables, including the best smartwatches for women, the best smart rings and more. We’ve published plenty of guides to help you buy Samsung phones, wireless headphones and more.

Consumer tech and electronics editor Rebecca Isaacs has been involved in consumer tech journalism for over six years. When she’s not testing the latest wearables, including the best wireless earbuds and the best smartwatches, she tests the best TVs and recommends the best TVs for bright rooms.
Tester and senior strategy editor Katie Simpson has been an ACE-certified personal trainer for over two years. Throughout her own training and sessions with clients, she’s used countless fitness trackers, which has helped her learn the most useful features to look for. She’s also been active for as long as she can remember: She was a competitive swimmer for 13 years, and she’s been strength training for over six years.
We tapped many unbiased experts to learn more about smartwatches. We spoke with the following experts to learn more about smartwatches: Denise Chakoian, Certified Fitness Trainer and Owner at CORE Cycle and Fitness LaGree in Providence, Rhode Island; and Harrison Hunter, professional sports coach at Vekta, an AI-powered endurance training and coaching platform built for cyclists, runners and triathletes and founder of cycling community Fred’s Club.

Which Smartwatch Is Best For Android?

Based on testing, research and conversations with experts, I chose the Samsung Galaxy Watch 8 as the best Android smartwatch overall. I found its sleep tracking insights to be useful. The fitness tracking insights I received feel comprehensive for most needs, and I liked that it offers Google Gemini integrations to receive answers without having to reach for my phone.

Best Android Smartwatches 2026 – Forbes Vetted

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