Just like the shift to offer more affordable smartphones to consumers who are tied to stricter budgets, it’s now possible to pick up a fully featured smartwatch that costs just a fraction of what the flagship models cost. With more options than ever, the best cheap smartwatches have plenty to offer, but to save you from upgrading to a watch that doesn’t suit your needs, our guide can help you out.

It wasn’t that long ago that if you wanted a digital wearable at an affordable price, you would have to check out the best fitness trackers by default. These low cost options, as you might imagine, place a greater focus on tracking your workouts as opposed to offering app support, but now the market has expanded so you can get genuine smartwatches from big name brands like Apple and Samsung that don’t cost a fortune.

The only thing that you have to bear in mind ahead of time are the typical considerations when buying a full priced smartwatch, namely compatibility. Apple Watches of all kinds simply do not work with Android phones, and in the last few years, Wear OS watches have followed suit in their own way, with any watch utilising Wear OS 3 or above being incompatible with iPhones.

Still, regardless of which ecosystem it pertains to, we put every smartwatch through the same rigorous testing process to see if they actually hold up under scrutiny. This involves taking detailed notes on the battery life and charging speeds, monitoring any digital hiccups in day-to-day use, and comparing heart rate data with dedicated chest-worn heart rate straps.

All of this builds a comprehensive view of each wearable so that you can make an informed buying decision.

Keep on reading to see which cheap smartwatches most impressed our team of tech experts or, if you’re curious to see what a higher budget can get you, check out our breakdown of the best smartwatches overall. We also have guides that are broken down by brand, so if you know precisely which type of smartwatch you want then you may be better off heading straight to the lists for the best Apple Watch, best Samsung Galaxy Watch or the best Garmin watch.

Advertisement

SQUIRREL_ANCHOR_LIST

Pros

Petite design
Customisable watch faces
Great battery life

Cons

Lacks deep software integration
Not the most advanced sensors
Tracking metrics are a little basic for fitness fans

Pros

Improved design with side button return
Google services are welcome additions
Sleep and health tracking both shine

Cons

GPS performance is very poor
Sports tracking is basic
Some features locked behind Fitbit Premium

Pros

Incredible value
Large, bright screen
Impressive automatic workout tracking
Great battery life

Cons

Bluetooth connection issues
Sleep tracking is all over the place
No built-in GPS

Pros

Certain models made from recycled aluminium
Faster Siri
Accurate tracking
Very bright screen

Cons

Design remains the same
Health data needs to be shown better

Pros

Slim, classy design
Accurate HR and GPS
Superb value

Cons

No apps or payments
Limited unique health insights
Battery life still unchanged

Pros

Friendly, unisex design
Excellent battery life
Accurate GPS tracking

Cons

Mixed HR accuracy
Mi Fitness lags behind rivals
No side button hampers navigation

Pros

Wear OS at its finest
The digital bezel works like a charm
Flat, minimalist design is stunning
Gorgeous collection of original watch faces

Cons

Still a lot of features yet to come
Doesn’t work with iPhone
Bixby is a mess

Pros

Great price
Solid workout performance
Light and comfortable with good battery life
Love the nylon strap

Cons

Sleep tracking not the best
No apps

Pros

Bold design and software styling
Solid activity and sleep tracking
Wild value at $69

Cons

Battery life is good but not incredible
Mostly basic insights
A second button would be handy

Petite design

Customisable watch faces

Great battery life

Lacks deep software integration

Not the most advanced sensors

Tracking metrics are a little basic for fitness fans

The Redmi Watch 5 is fronted by a beautiful 2.07-inch AMOLED display, which isn’t just easy to read outdoors when getting in a quick run, it also does justice to the great selection of watch faces included as part of Xiaomi’s HyperOS.

Speaking of which, Xiaomi’s UI is wonderfully intuitive, with a clean layout that makes it easy to understand after just a short time of use, and it’s complemented by the fact that it all runs incredibly well. In our testing, we never came across any moments of performance lag that would otherwise compromise the experience.

Most surprisingly is that, even with the aforementioned AMOLED display in tow, the Redmi Watch 5 is still able to achieve something otherworldly when it comes to battery life. Under the right circumstances, you can get this thing to last for up to 24-days on a single charge, which even outdoes some of the best Garmin watches which almost all go for a much higher price tag.

Bear in mind however that if you’re an iPhone user, you won’t be able to enjoy the music playback controls (it’s been reserved for the Android crowd only). Heart rate tracking also leaves a lot to be desired, but this might be less of an issue if you’re not too fussed on diving into the details of every workout you take on.

Improved design with side button return

Google services are welcome additions

Sleep and health tracking both shine

GPS performance is very poor

Sports tracking is basic

Some features locked behind Fitbit Premium

I know that some of you may decry the Fitbit Charge 6 as being more of a fitness tracker than a smartwatch, and while there’s some weight to that argument, there’s no denying that the Charge 6 does so much right that it’s simply an easy wearable to recommend to most people.

While Fitbit has some stiff competition from the likes of Apple and Samsung at the upper end of the smartwatch market, the same can’t be said about the budget market, where it sometimes feels like Fitbit stands in a class of its own.

As such, the Charge 6 is the go-to option in the budget market for those who want accurate daily tracking, rock-solid sleep monitoring and advanced health features without paying hundreds. It sports an updated design with the return of the handy side button compared to the Charge 5, with a plethora of new Google services like Wallet, Maps and YouTube Music now also available on the wearable.

Fitbit has also worked hard to improve the reliability of its tracker with a new AI-based heart rate algorithm that should improve the accuracy of HR readings. However, our reviewer found that the GPS performance is still pretty poor. Hey, the budget nature had to shine through somehow.

It also retains key bits of smartwatch functionality such as incoming notifications, alarms, timers and ‘find my phone’, but the real meat here is in Fitbit’s operating system and accompanying app. There’s no shortage here of workouts to track, and Fitbit’s week-on-week style metrics are a lot easier for beginners to get into than the standard ‘reach this goal today’ method. The catch is that some features and metrics lay behind a Fitbit Premium paywall.

Incredible value

Large, bright screen

Impressive automatic workout tracking

Great battery life

Bluetooth connection issues

Sleep tracking is all over the place

No built-in GPS

In 2025, there’s no shortage of smartwatches that fall below the £100 mark but for our money, the Oppo Band 2 is a great go-to in this category. The device might appear unassuming but for its £59.99 price tag, it still manages to pack in tons of helpful features.

One of the best things the Oppo Band 2 has going for it is its battery life, which Oppo claims is up to 14-days on a single charge (although we found this to be closer to 12-days after testing). Still, that’s more than enough battery to get you through the week and it easily puts some pricier smartwatches to shame.

To our surprise, the Band 2 also features one of the best watch face libraries out there, being close in quality to what you’ll find from the likes of Apple and Samsung. You can even use AI to make a new watch face that’ll blend with the colours of your outfit on any given day. It’s all quite impressive and just not what one would expect for the price.

The workout tracking also does a good job, and you can view your metrics clearly on the device’s bright 1.57-inch display. There’s unfortunately no GPS to speak of here and the sleep tracking is a bit of a mess, so if those are key concerns for you then you might want to check out the Fitbit Charge 5 instead.

Certain models made from recycled aluminium

Faster Siri

Accurate tracking

Very bright screen

Design remains the same

Health data needs to be shown better

Even though the Apple Watch Series 9 is a great device, and the super tough Apple Watch Ultra 2 is a solid pick for runners, the humble Apple Watch SE 2 is easily the best pick for most people. The reason for this is that, in spite of its more affordable price point, the Watch SE still packs the vast majority of features that you’d want from an Apple Watch.

The only major features that aren’t available on the device are ECG and blood oxygen readings, as well as the lack of an always-on display. Aside from that however, you’re still getting access to key functions like iMessage, Maps and Apple Wallet on your wrist, as well as plenty of third party apps.

The Apple Watch SE is also particularly good at fitness tracking, with almost every type of workout you could think of being catered to here. Sure, there are other watches like the Huawei Watch GT 4 that do a better job of breaking down statistics into actionable advice, but Apple’s fitness rings do let you know at a glance whether or not you’ve met your goals for the day or if there’s still some work to do.

Even though it retails with a starting price of £219/$249, we’ve regularly seen the Apple Watch SE fall to around the £199/$199 mark, making it an absolute bargain for iPhone users.

Slim, classy design

Accurate HR and GPS

Superb value

No apps or payments

Limited unique health insights

Battery life still unchanged

Even though the Huawei Watch GT 5 slightly pushes the barrier for what could be considered an ‘affordable’ price tag with a starting rate of £229.99, there’s no getting around the fact that if you want a stylish wearable that doesn’t break the bank then the GT 5 really is your best option.

Huawei adopted its ‘fashion forward’ with the Watch GT 4, wherein the design held the biggest prominence in manufacturing and other features were built around it, and that approach has continued here in the GT 5.

Compared to most other smartwatches, you have an abundance of style options in the GT 5, ranging from the traditional brown leather look that goes with most items of clothing, to the black silicone strap pick that’s far better suited for the gym.

Speaking of fitness, the GT 5 boasts a suite of workout tracking capabilities and in our testing, it performed admirably where heart rate and GPS tracking are concerned. There’s also detailed advice on how to improve the quality of your sleep, making it a great option for those looking to be more active.

The obvious downside is that with this being a Huawei watch, you don’t have access to key third-party apps in the way that you would via Android’s Wear OS or Apple’s watchOS, so bear this in mind before making a final decision.

Friendly, unisex design

Excellent battery life

Accurate GPS tracking

Mixed HR accuracy

Mi Fitness lags behind rivals

No side button hampers navigation

It’s incredibly rare to see a wearable under £100 that allows for GPS tracking independently of a connected smartphone, and yet that’s exactly what’s being offered on the Xiaomi Smart Band 8 Pro.

In spite of its budget-friendly nature, the GPS tracking on the Band 8 Pro is surprisingly solid, and our reviewer found that it was able to keep up with the far pricier Garmin Epix Pro (Gen 2), so if you want to keep better tabs on your running routes then this is a great option that’s easy on the wallet.

Xiaomi has also updated the UI here with several handy widgets that give you quick access to music playback, settings and more. Beyond the GPS tracking, it’s a fairly bare bones experience where smart features are concerned, so if you want a more fully-featured smartwatch on the cheap then you’ll be better suited with either the Samsung Galaxy Watch 4 or the Apple Watch SE 2.

Wear OS at its finest

The digital bezel works like a charm

Flat, minimalist design is stunning

Gorgeous collection of original watch faces

Still a lot of features yet to come

Doesn’t work with iPhone

Bixby is a mess

At the time of writing, Samsung no longer officially sells the Galaxy Watch 4 but there are still plenty of retailers out there selling remaining stock as well as used units. If you are able to get your hands on one then you’ll be quite impressed with the value proposition on offer here.

Despite being released several years ago now, the Galaxy Watch 4 has been updated to Wear OS 5. This means you can benefit from the latest software tweaks provided by Google, showing that there’s plenty of life left in this device.

With access to tons of third-party apps like WhatsApp, Calm and Spotify, the Galaxy Watch 4 gives you plenty of functionality directly on your wrist so if you want to spend less time scrolling on your phone and only interact with apps when it’s important, this wearable can provide just that. It’s also a great fitness tracker in its own right with lots of workouts to be tracked, not to mention Samsung’s detailed BioActive sensor for determining key health metrics.

Great price

Solid workout performance

Light and comfortable with good battery life

Love the nylon strap

Sleep tracking not the best

No apps

Even though big name brands like Garmin and Apple dominate the world of running with higher priced devices, Huawei proves that you don’t have to spend a fortune in order to get a great digital companion for whenever you’re out on the track.

As its name implies, the Huawei Watch Fit 3 is all about fitness tracking which makes it a bargain wearable for any entry-level runners looking to make improvements to their performance and overall bill of health.

For starters, the accompanying Huawei Health app can sync your workout results with the running app Strava, so you can get a better idea of how you’re performing against runners in your area, which can help towards motivating you to a new personal best.

When you’re out on the track or down your local park, the Watch Fit 3 can connect to GPS without the need for a smartphone, although users in the west are limited when it comes to music playback (due to the absence of mainstay apps like Spotify or Deezer), so on that front it’s probably still worth bringing your phone with you to stay entertained.

In spite of its more affordable price point, the Watch Fit 3’s heart rate sensor proved to be quite accurate in our testing, staying largely in line with the Garmin HRM-Pro, so you’ll get a good idea of how your body is responding to each particular workout.

That data is also funnelled into a Running Ability Index as well as a VO2 Max rating so you can see your progress in real time. We did notice that race estimates informed by the VO2 Max rating weren’t quite as accurate as they should be, which is sure to put off the more athletic crowd, but for entry-level runners the Huawei Watch Fit 3 packs tons of great features for a low cost.

Bold design and software styling

Solid activity and sleep tracking

Wild value at $69

Battery life is good but not incredible

Mostly basic insights

A second button would be handy

The Nothing CMF Watch Pro 2 is rather unique in the world of smartwatches, largely thanks to the level of customisation on offer. You can not only swap out the straps like most other smartwatches, but you can also switch out the bezel around the screen to further personalise the look of the smartwatch. This level of personalisation, especially at the £69/$69 price point, is rare.

It’s not just a gimmick slapped onto an otherwise unremarkable wearable either; the software is stylish, inspired by Nothing’s dot-matrix-style phone OS, with a solid selection of original watch faces, and it offers a range of fitness tracking capabilities with built-in GPS that allows you to leave your phone at home. It does lack advanced features like support for contactless payments and a full app store, but that’s nothing unusual for such an affordable smartwatch.

GPS performance isn’t as strong as some of its more premium rivals, taking a while to lock on to your location, but there are notable improvements in the accuracy of heart rate monitoring and general data collection, with in-depth workout analysis via the companion app after recording any form of exercise. Battery life is also excellent, offering around 4-5 days with the always-on display active and 10-12 days with more conservative use of its power-draining features.

Test Data

 
Xiaomi Redmi Watch 5
Fitbit Charge 6
Oppo Band 2
Apple Watch Series 9
Huawei Watch GT 5
Xiaomi Smart Band 8 Pro
Samsung Galaxy Watch 4
Huawei Watch Fit 3
Nothing CMF Watch Pro 2

Advertisement

Full Specs

 
Xiaomi Redmi Watch 5 Review
Fitbit Charge 6 Review
Oppo Band 2 Review
Apple Watch Series 9 Review
Huawei Watch GT 5 Review
Xiaomi Smart Band 8 Pro Review
Samsung Galaxy Watch 4 Review
Huawei Watch Fit 3 Review
Nothing CMF Watch Pro 2 Review

UK RRP
£89
£139.99
£59.99
£399
£227.99
£59.99
£249
£139.99
£69

USA RRP
–
$159.95
$69.99
$399
Unavailable
Unavailable
$249
Unavailable
$69

EU RRP
–
–
–
€449
–
Unavailable
€279
€159
–

CA RRP
–
–
–
CA$549
–
Unavailable
–
–
–

AUD RRP
–
–
–
AU$649
–
Unavailable
AU$399
–
–

Manufacturer
Xiaomi
Fitbit
Oppo
Apple
Huawei
Xiaomi
Samsung
Huawei
Nothing

Screen Size
2.07 inches
1.04 inches
1.57 inches
–
–
1.74 inches
40 mm
1.82 inches
1.32 inches

IP rating
IP68
Not Disclosed
Not Disclosed
IP69
–
IP68
IP68
IP57
IP68

Waterproof
5ATM
5ATM
5ATM
5ATM
–
5ATM
5ATM
5ATM
N/A

Battery
550 mAh
–
200 mAh
–
–
–
247 mAh
–
305 mAh

Size (Dimensions)
41.1 x 11.3 x 47.5 MM
38.7 x 18.6 x 11.7 MM
29.1 x 10.6 x 45.3 MM
x x INCHES
x x INCHES
33.35 x 9.99 x 46 MM
40.4 x 9.8 x 39.3 MM
42.3 x 9.9 x 36.3 MM
x x INCHES

Weight
33.5 G
130 G
33 G
39 G
–
22.5 G
–
26 G
44.4 G

ASIN
B0DPX91VHZ
B0CHN2F11G
B082GM3242
B0CHWV5TS6
–
–
B094R7CDDP
B0CYC75Y9L
–

Operating System
–
Fitbit OS
–
watchOS 10
–
Mi Fitness
Wear OS
HarmonyOS 4.2
–

Release Date
2025
2023
2022
2023
2021
2024
2021
2024
2024

First Reviewed Date
22/04/2025
30/11/2023
21/07/2023
27/10/2023
–
04/04/2024
11/08/2021
24/05/2024
08/07/2024

Colours
Black, Purple, Silver
Obsidian / Porcelain / Coral
Midnight Black
Red, Pink, Midnight, Starlight
–
Black and White
Black, Pink, Gold, Silver, Green
White (Leather), Grey, White, Green, Pink, Black
–

GPS
Yes
Yes
–
Yes
–
Yes
Yes
Yes
Yes