{"id":30774,"date":"2025-09-19T11:33:21","date_gmt":"2025-09-19T11:33:21","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ie\/30774\/"},"modified":"2025-09-19T11:33:21","modified_gmt":"2025-09-19T11:33:21","slug":"best-cheap-smartwatches-in-2025-our-favorite-wearables-that-dont-break-the-bank","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ie\/30774\/","title":{"rendered":"Best cheap smartwatches in 2025: Our favorite wearables that don’t break the bank"},"content":{"rendered":"

<\/p>\n

The best cheap smartwatches keep you connected for less. They also monitor your health and fitness, and make life easier with features like mobile payments and onboard music support.<\/p>\n

Many of the best cheap smartwatches, like the Apple Watch SE 3<\/a> and Samsung Galaxy Watch 7<\/a>, boast similar features to their pricier, higher-end siblings. Others, like the Amazfit Active 2<\/a>, pack a punch for under $100 and play nicely with both Android and iOS devices.<\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

We tested dozens of the most popular smartwatches out there while working out, sleeping, running errands, walking the dog, washing the car… you get the idea, and these are the best cheap smartwatches you can buy right now.<\/p>\n

The best cheap smartwatches you can buy today<\/p>\n

\nWhy you can trust Tom’s Guide<\/p>\n

Our writers and editors spend hours analyzing and reviewing products, services, and apps to help find what’s best for you. Find out more about how we test, analyze, and rate.<\/a>\n<\/p>\n

The quick list
\n<\/p>\n

\n

\"Amazfit
\nBest cheap smartwatch under $100<\/p>\n

<\/a><\/p>\n

Amazfit smartwatches keep getting better and better. Thankfully, the brand’s pricing remains extremely competitive. In 2025, the best bang-for-the-buck Amazfit model (and arguably all-around smartwatch), is the Active 2. Starting at $99, it’s sleek, long-lasting and packed with legit health and fitness-tracking tech. <\/p>\n

Read more below<\/a><\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

\n

\"Apple
\nBest cheap Apple Watch<\/p>\n

<\/a><\/p>\n

The Apple Watch SE 3 is the brand’s latest entry-level device, and it’s absolutely packed with upgrades over its 2022 predecessor, including a super-fast processor, always-on display and 5G connectivity. <\/p>\n

Read more below<\/a><\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

\n

\"Samsung
\nBest cheap Android smartwatch<\/p>\n

<\/a><\/p>\n

The Samsung Galaxy Watch 7 starts at $299 but can often be found for around $50 less. Samsung’s equivalent to the Apple Watch 10, the Galaxy Watch 7 offers impressive AI-backed wellness tools including my favorite sleep reports. It’s also easy to wear and comes in two sizes. <\/p>\n

Read more below<\/a><\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

\n

\"a
\nBest cheap smartwatch for fitness<\/p>\n

<\/a><\/p>\n

The Garmin Forerunner 55 is an entry-level GPS running watch that punches well above its weight class. Originally launched for $199, you can easily find the Forerunner 55 for $150 or less. Yet it offers rock-solid GPS tracking accuracy, impressive fitness training tools and epic battery life. <\/p>\n

Read more below<\/a><\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

\n

\"Garmin
\nBest cheap smartwatch for golf<\/p>\n

<\/a><\/p>\n

The Garmin Approach S12 is a fairly entry-level golf watch but it checks all the key boxes including a long-lasting battery, super-accurate location tracking data, course support for a huge number of global golf courses and a durable, easy-to-use design. Priced at $199, the Approach S12 often goes on sale for $50 off. <\/p>\n

Read more below<\/a><\/p>\n

Best cheap smartwatch under $100<\/p>\n

\n

\"Close<\/p>\n

\"Editor's\n<\/p>\n

(Image credit: Dan Bracaglia\/Tom’s Guide)<\/p>\n

Best cheap smartwatch under $100<\/p>\n

Specifications<\/p>\n

Works with: Android, iOS<\/p>\n

Sizes: 44mm<\/p>\n

Battery life (rated): 10 days<\/p>\n

GPS: Yes<\/p>\n

Sleep tracking : Yes<\/p>\n

Swimproof: Yes<\/p>\n

Heart rate monitor: Yes<\/p>\n

Reasons to buy+<\/p>\n

Lots of workout, sleep and health-monitoring features for the money<\/p>\n

+<\/p>\n

Bright AMOLED screen<\/p>\n

+<\/p>\n

Slender and attractive design<\/p>\n

+<\/p>\n

160-plus sports\/exercise profiles<\/p>\n

+<\/p>\n

Onboard GPS<\/p>\n

+<\/p>\n

Support for offline maps with a useful backtrack feature<\/p>\n

+<\/p>\n

Impressive battery life<\/p>\n

Reasons to avoid-<\/p>\n

AI voice assistant not very useful<\/p>\n

–<\/p>\n

Turn-by-turn navigation is cumbersome and unreliable<\/p>\n

–<\/p>\n

Limited smartwatch features and third-party apps<\/p>\n

–<\/p>\n

Questionable heart rate and elevation data<\/p>\n

–<\/p>\n

Clunky user operating system<\/p>\n

The Amazfit Active 2 is the best cheap smartwatch you can buy in 2025 for less than $100. Compatible with both Android and iOS devices, it boasts an impressive set of fitness, health and sleep-tracking tools, outstanding battery life, a stylish and comfortable design, and a handful of useful smart features.<\/p>\n

That said, the operating system is nowhere near as refined as the latest watchOS or Wear OS builds, but for under a Benjamin, the Active 2 punches well above its price class. It also features onboard GPS for location tracking without a smartphone, support for offline maps, a questionably-useful AI voice assistant and surprisingly gorgeous display.<\/p>\n

Read our full Amazfit Active 2 review <\/a><\/p>\n

Best cheap Apple Watch<\/p>\n

\n

\"Apple<\/p>\n

\"Editor's\n<\/p>\n

(Image credit: Future)<\/p>\n

The best cheap Apple Watch <\/p>\n

Specifications<\/p>\n

Works with: iOS only <\/p>\n

Sizes: 40mm\/44mm<\/p>\n

Battery Life (Rated): 18 hours<\/p>\n

GPS: Yes<\/p>\n

Sleep Tracking: Yes<\/p>\n

Swim-Proof: Yes<\/p>\n

Heart Rate Monitor: Yes<\/p>\n

Reasons to buy+<\/p>\n

Great value for $249<\/p>\n

+<\/p>\n

Always-On display<\/p>\n

+<\/p>\n

5G connectivity<\/p>\n

+<\/p>\n

Robust health tracking<\/p>\n

Reasons to avoid-<\/p>\n

No ECGapple<\/p>\n

–<\/p>\n

18 hours of battery\u00a0<\/p>\n

The third-generation Apple Watch SE 3<\/a> is the best cheap smartwatch you can buy in 2025 if you own an iPhone, offering a ton of functionality, including most of Apple’s best wellness and fitness tools, the latest S10 processor, an always-on display, and 5G connectivity, all for under $250.<\/p>\n

Battery life is still just 18 hours per charge, like its predecessor; however, you can bump that to 24 hours per charge by switching to low-power mode. It also works with all of Apple’s latest on-wrist AI features, including the personalized fitness coach, Workout Buddy<\/a>, and live message translations.<\/p>\n

Read our full Apple Watch SE 3 review<\/a><\/p>\n

Best cheap Android smartwatch<\/p>\n

\n

\"Samsung<\/p>\n

\"Editor's\n<\/p>\n

(Image credit: Tom’s Guide)<\/p>\n

The best cheap smartwatch for Android users<\/p>\n

Specifications<\/p>\n

Works with: Android only<\/p>\n

Sizes: 40mm\/44mm<\/p>\n

Heart Rate: Yes<\/p>\n

GPS: Yes<\/p>\n

LTE: Yes<\/p>\n

Battery Life: 24 hours (40 hours in low-power mode)<\/p>\n

Water Resistance: 50 meters<\/p>\n

Reasons to buy+<\/p>\n

Accurate and detailed sleep insights<\/p>\n

+<\/p>\n

Useful AI-powered wellness features<\/p>\n

+<\/p>\n

Comfortable design and responsive user interface<\/p>\n

+<\/p>\n

Sleep apnea detection<\/p>\n

+<\/p>\n

Double the storage capacity of its predecessor<\/p>\n

Reasons to avoid-<\/p>\n

One day of battery life<\/p>\n

–<\/p>\n

Same design as predecessor<\/p>\n

–<\/p>\n

Health-monitoring features like sleep apnea detection require a Galaxy phone<\/p>\n

The Samsung Galaxy Watch 8 may be out, but the Galaxy Watch 7 remains an attractive value proposition for Android smartphone owners. It boasts a slim, lightweight, and comfortable design, two size options, a bright and responsive AMOLED touchscreen, and excellent health and fitness tracking features.<\/p>\n

Like the Apple Watch SE 3, there are an impressive number of third-party apps to try out, as well as the option to add LTE connectivity. However, compatibility is limited to Android devices only, and some features, like sleep apnea detection, require a Samsung Galaxy phone.<\/p>\n

Read our full Samsung Galaxy Watch 7 review<\/a><\/p>\n

Best cheap smartwatch for fitness<\/p>\n

\n

\"Garmin<\/p>\n

\"Editor's\n<\/p>\n

(Image credit: Tom’s Guide)<\/p>\n

The best cheap smartwatch for fitness tracking<\/p>\n

Specifications<\/p>\n

Works with: Android, iOS<\/p>\n

Sizes: One size<\/p>\n

Heart Rate: Yes<\/p>\n

GPS: Yes<\/p>\n

LTE: No<\/p>\n

Battery Life: 2 weeks (smartwatch mode), 20 hours (GPS mode)<\/p>\n

Water Resistance: 50 meters<\/p>\n

Mobile Payments: n\/a<\/p>\n

Reasons to buy+<\/p>\n

PacePro, suggested workouts, and recovery time additions<\/p>\n

+<\/p>\n

Bright screen<\/p>\n

+<\/p>\n

Easy to read stats<\/p>\n

+<\/p>\n

Battery life<\/p>\n

Reasons to avoid-<\/p>\n

No onboard music storage<\/p>\n

–<\/p>\n

No interchangeable bands<\/p>\n

–<\/p>\n

Only available in one case size<\/p>\n

The Garmin Forerunner 55 is the brand’s most entry-level running watch but don’t let the dissuade you. This thing is absolutely brimming with high-end training features, health sensors and holistic insights. These include tools to help you stay on pace while training, effectively recover after particularly challenging workouts and prep for upcoming events.<\/p>\n

The watch’s battery life and build quality also impress. However, non-workout features are virtually non-existent. For example, there’s no NFC for mobile payment or onboard storage for music. That said, you do get accurate GPS tracking and a super-rugged overall design.<\/p>\n

Read our full Garmin Forerunner 55 review<\/a><\/p>\n

Best cheap smartwatch for golf<\/p>\n

\n

\"a\n<\/p>\n

(Image credit: Future)<\/p>\n

Best cheap golf watch<\/p>\n

Specifications<\/p>\n

Works with: Android, iOS<\/p>\n

Size: 43mm<\/p>\n

Heart Rate: No<\/p>\n

GPS: Yes<\/p>\n

LTE: No<\/p>\n

Battery Life: 30 days<\/p>\n

Mobile Payments: No<\/p>\n

Reasons to buy+<\/p>\n

Most affordable Garmin golf watch<\/p>\n

+<\/p>\n

Dependable GPS accuracy<\/p>\n

+<\/p>\n

Long-lasting battery life<\/p>\n

Golf watches can be pricey, and especially for new or casual players, the upfront cost of the game tends to add up. So for the $199 Garmin Approach S12 to pack many of the key game features found in the brand\u2019s higher-tier devices \u2014 including 43,000 preloaded courses, shot-distance measurements and compatibility with Garmin\u2019s other golf accessories \u2014 its value is hard to beat. That’s why it’s one of the best cheap smartwatches for golfers, if not the best overall.<\/p>\n

It doesn\u2019t have the finesse of Garmin’s higher-end golf watches, and the lack of a heart rate monitor means it can’t replace your fitness tracker. But for mirrored notifications and a simple, yet customizable watch face, there’s plenty of versatility on and off the green.<\/p>\n

Read our full Garmin Approach S12 review<\/a><\/p>\n

How to choose<\/p>\n

When shopping for a cheap smartwatch, you should look for the same things as if you were shopping for a higher-priced model. First, what kind of smartphone do you have? If you own an iPhone, we recommend sticking with the Apple Watch SE or Series 9 (or some other recent version), as the Apple Watch is the only smartwatch that fully works with the iPhone.<\/p>\n

If you have an Android smartphone, your best choice is either a Samsung or Wear OS smartwatch like the Google Pixel Watch 2; both of those platforms fully support Android phones, such as making and receiving calls from your wrist, as well as crafting messages.<\/p>\n

You also want to consider what you plan to do with the smartwatch. If you’re into fitness, you’ll want a smartwatch that’s water-resistant and has GPS and a heart rate monitor.<\/p>\n

How we test<\/p>\n

We test cheap smartwatches the same way we do pricier models: By wearing them. We first see how well the watches fit on our wrists, and how easy the displays are to read (especially in sunlight and navigate.<\/p>\n

Depending on its capabilities, we also test the watches’ sensors, such as GPS and heart rate monitors. If you need a watch that can track your workouts without your phone, check out our guides to the best GPS watches<\/a> and best running watches<\/a> instead.<\/p>\n

Other criteria that factor into our ratings include the number of apps available for a smartwatch, how well it interacts with our smartphone, and battery life. In all of this, we also take into account the price of the smartwatch.<\/p>\n

The less a watch costs, the more leeway we’re inclined to give it. Still, there are a lot of lousy cheap smartwatches \u2014 and plenty of good ones under $200 \u2014 so our tolerance only goes so far.<\/p>\n

Frequently asked questionsWhat new cheap smartwatches are expected for 2025?<\/p>\n

Several new, potentially cheap, smartwatches are expected in 2025 \u2014 though, not certain \u2014 including an Apple Watch SE 3<\/a> and Samsung Galaxy Watch 8<\/a>. Given past release cycles, we’re likely to see the next-gen Galaxy Watch in the summer and the latest entry-level Apple Watch in the fall.<\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

Round up of today’s best deals<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"The best cheap smartwatches keep you connected for less. They also monitor your health and fitness, and make…\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":30775,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[17],"tags":[203,61,60,80],"class_list":{"0":"post-30774","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-gadgets","8":"tag-gadgets","9":"tag-ie","10":"tag-ireland","11":"tag-technology"},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ie\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/30774","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ie\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ie\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ie\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ie\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=30774"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ie\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/30774\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ie\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/30775"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ie\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=30774"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ie\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=30774"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ie\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=30774"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}