Oura and RingConn are two of the most popular smart ring brands, and they both released updated models for 2026. The Oura Ring 5 debuted in June with a slimmed-down design, better battery life, live activity tracking and new health features, like GLP-1 insights, proactive blood pressure and nighttime breathing information. Similarly, the RingConn Gen 3 was released in May with new vibration alerts, vascular health insights, extended battery life and a universal charging case. While both rings offer substantial upgrades over their predecessors, they aren’t quite one and the same.
We compare the RingConn Gen 3 versus Oura Ring 5 based on design, price, health tracking and fitness tracking capabilities.
ILLUSTRATION: FORBES / PHOTO: RETAILERS
Our team has tested dozens of wearables over the years, including models from both RingConn and Oura, to determine which ones are the best for certain budgets and needs. During our testing and research, we pay close attention to each smart ring’s fit, durability, software, sensors and battery life. Here’s how the two newest smart rings from RingConn and Oura compare.
Compatibility: Apple iOS and Android | Battery life: Up to 14 days | Charge time: 90 minutes | Sizes available: 6 through 15
Best for:
Real-time vibration alertsExtended battery lifeThose who want to avoid membership fees
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You want the most in-depth trackingYou’re seeking a lighter, thinner smart ring
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Compatibility: Apple iOS and Android | Battery life: Up to 9 days | Charge time: 80 minutes | Sizes available: 6 through 13
Best for:
In-depth health and sleep tracking A minimal look that mimics jewelryNew features, like GLP-1 insights and live activity tracking
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You don’t want to pay subscription feesYou need longer battery lifeRingConn Vs Oura: Overview
Oura and RingConn each come with a unique set of advantages and disadvantages. Over the years, the Oura Ring has been revered for its robust health and sleep tracking, while RingConn is widely known as its budget-friendly, subscription-free counterpart. Below, we break down the price, dimensions, key features and more for the new smart rings:
RingConn Vs Oura: Fit And DesignOura Feels More Subtle Than RingConn
The Oura Ring 5 feels more like traditional jewelry than the RingConn Gen 3. The sensors are flatter and less noticeable than the ones on the RingConn, which stick out toward the center of the ring. The edges of the RingConn are also more prominent—they have a slightly squared design that feels more utilitarian next to the smooth edges of the Oura Ring 5. Still, our testing found that both feel comfortable when worn.
Comparable Thickness, But Oura Weighs Less
The latest smart rings from the brands are nearly identical in thickness; the Oura Ring 5 is 2.2mm thick, while the RingConn Gen 3 measures 2.3mm. That said, the RingConn is slightly heavier, weighing 2.5 to 3.5 grams, depending on the size. In comparison, the Oura Ring 5 weighs 2 to 2.6 grams. Although the difference may seem small, it’s a 25% to 30% jump in weight from the Oura Ring to the RingConn. For traditional jewelry, that’s the equivalent of wearing a plain band compared to one with stones.
A look at the size of the Oura Ring 5.
ALEXANDRA GARRETT FOR FORBESSimilar Sizes And Colors
Both the RingConn Gen 3 and Oura Ring 5 come in a wide selection of sizes to accommodate different finger shapes; the RingConn is available in sizes 6 through 15, and the Oura comes in sizes 6 through 13. The two rings also come in a similar selection of colors, including gold, silver, black and rose gold, to name a few.
RingConn Vs Oura: Sleep And Health MetricsBoth Track Core Sleep Metrics
The RingConn Gen 3 and Oura Ring 5 are equally effective at monitoring your sleep; they both measure your total sleep, sleep stages (light, deep sleep and REM), sleep efficiency and wakefulness, as well as how long it takes you to fall asleep. However, the Oura Ring provides more detailed insights on your sleep debt and chronotype, which identifies whether you’re a morning or a night person. Although the RingConn lacks these features, it does provide insights into potential sleep apnea-related patterns by synthesizing data tied to your sleep and cardiovascular health. The Oura Ring monitors your nighttime breathing and blood pressure. It can indicate if you show signs of sleep apnea—it can monitor average oxygen saturation and nighttime breathing disturbances—but it can’t diagnose or actively monitor the condition.
Slightly Different Approaches To Wellness And Stress
Outside of sleep tracking, the two smart rings each have a suite of features that monitor general wellness, stress and recovery. At the beginning of the day, both the RingConn Gen 3 and Oura Ring 5 provide a “readiness” or “wellness balance” score that summarizes how ready your body is to tackle the day ahead based on your heart rate, body temperature, sleep and other key metrics. The smart rings also both continually monitor your stress levels throughout the day and record how that stress accumulates over time. That said, the Oura Ring 5 provides a “resilience” score that summarizes how well your body is recovering from stress. While the RingConn measures recovery through your vitals, it doesn’t have a dedicated score for it.
The RingConn App breaks down your daily wellness score by sleep, relax status, activity and vitals status.
Rebecca Isaacs for ForbesOther Notable Similarities And DifferencesWomen’s health: Both smart rings use your skin temperature to track your cycle phases, as well as predict ovulation and menstruation. The Oura app also has an AI advisor that can answer questions you have about your cycle.Activity tracking: The RingConn Gen 3 and the Oura Ring 5 both count your steps and calories burned. They can also automatically detect workouts and monitor your activity intensity. However, the Oura Ring can show you a dashboard of metrics—like your pace, distance traveled and heart rate— during your workout through its new live activity tracking feature.GLP-1 insights: The Oura app can now provide insights on how your body reacts to GLP-1 medication over time when you manually log your doses, side effects and weight. The RingConn doesn’t currently have this feature.Vibration alerts: The RingConn Gen 3 comes with a built-in vibration motor that vibrates the ring when your selected health alerts or activity reminders are flagged. Oura doesn’t currently have a way to interact with its ring outside of the app.RingConn Vs Oura: Battery LifeRingConn Lasts Longer, But Oura Charges Faster
The RingConn Gen 3 and the Oura Ring 5 are packed with enough battery life to last, but one can run nearly a week longer without a charging break. According to the brands, the RingConn Gen 3 can run up to 14 days on a single charge, while the Oura Ring 5 lasts up to 9 days, which is 5 days (a full work week) less. Thankfully, the Oura Ring gets to a full charge 10 minutes faster than the RingConn, so you don’t have to wait quite as long during battery breaks.
Both brands offer a charging case to help extend the battery when you’re on the go. Oura’s charging case costs an additional $99, and it can fuel the ring’s battery up to five times on a single charge, which is enough for over a month of use. The case is also tied to your ring size, so make sure you don’t lose it. The RingConn’s charging case is included in your purchase, and it can extend the ring’s battery life to more than 150 days, according to the company.
The Oura Ring 5 on its charging dock.
ALEXANDRA GARRETT FOR FORBESRingConn Vs Oura: Final Verdict Depends On Your Needs
When deciding between the newest smart rings from RingConn and Oura, the right choice for you largely depends on your priorities. If you want the most in-depth health and sleep tracking, the Oura Ring 5 is likely the best choice overall because it has a more robust set of metrics and scores.
However, when it comes to price, it’s hard to find a smart ring better than the RingConn Gen 3; it offers similar features to the Oura Ring and longer battery life for less. While the RingConn Gen 3 is priced from $349 to $369, the Oura Ring 5 starts at $399 and goes up to $499, depending on the color and finish you choose. The RingConn also doesn’t require a monthly subscription to use its app, whereas Oura charges a membership fee of $6 per month or $70 per year.
Why Trust Forbes Vetted
Our team taps into their wealth of experience as researchers, writers and product testers to maintain our collection of consumer tech and electronics guides, which encompass everything from the best smart rings to the best smartphones, smartwatches and accessories.
Forbes Vetted commerce writer Alexandra Garrett, the author of this guide, has been covering consumer technology for five years, writing about all sorts of fitness trackers, smart rings, smartwatches and more. She also wrote our Oura Ring 5 review after testing the ring for more than two months.Forbes Vetted consumer tech and electronics editor, Rebecca Isaacs, edited this story and oversees our library of tech guides. With more than seven years of experience in the space, she’s tested most smart rings on the market, including the Oura Ring 4, RingConn Gen 2, Samsung Galaxy Ring and others.Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
Is RingConn As Accurate As The Oura Ring?
Both smart rings have a similar level of accuracy when it comes to tracking your health, sleep and activity. That said, the Oura Ring 5 has a more robust suite of scores that synthesizes the data it collects.
What Does The Oura Ring Do That RingConn Doesn’t?
When compared to the RingConn Gen 3, the Oura Ring provides more detailed insights on your sleep debt, chronotype and resilience. It can also provide GLP-1 insights and live activity tracking.
What Is The Best Smart Ring In 2026?
We named the Oura Ring the top overall pick in our guide to the best smart rings of 2026 due to its design and in-depth health-tracking metrics.