With hundred of models available, finding a perfect budget smartwatch can be challenging. We have done the hard work for you, testing dozens of smartwatches from well-known brands such as Garmin and Apple to lesser known brands such as Amazfit and Xiaomi .
Best budget smarTwatches – TOP PICKS AT GLANCE
We have handpicked the following models based on our extensive research and testing. These picks stand out for their performance, reliability, excellent health & fitness tracking and overall value for money:
Best for apple users: Apple Watch SE (2nd GEN). It offers core apple watch experience without the premium price tag.
Best for andriod users: Xiaomi watch 2. Running on Google WearOS, it offers great value for money and access to the Play store for extra apps.
Best for Running: Garmin Forerunner 255. Known for its bright display and highly accurate GPS tracking.
Cheap smartwatch: WHAT to consider Before buying?
It is important to consider your main purpose for buying a smartwatch. Considering the points below before purchasing a smartwatch will ensure it meets your expectations:
Primary Use: Are you buying it for health and fitness tracking, or just for notifications and style?
Budget: Have a clear budget in mind. Our list focuses on low cost smart watches which do not offer some advanced smart features. If you are looking for advanced features such as ECG monitoring then you may need to increase your max budget.
Core Features: do you need built-in GPS route tracking, Bluetooth calling option , or the ability to make contactless payments with Apple or Google Pay?
Phone Compatibility: This might seem like an obvious point but do not forget to check if the smartwatch you are considering is compatible with your phone (iOS or Android).
Battery, Display & Screen Size: Consider how important is long battery life for you. Are you looking for a standard display or a vibrant AMOLED display. Similarly, consider your wrist size to ensure the watch fits nicely and comfortably on your wrist. If you have a small wrist and the screen is too big, it may not sit comfortably on your arm.
Apple Watch SE (2nd GEN)
Best budget smart watch for iPhone users. Apple watch SE offers great value for money. It comes with all the standard apple watch features without the premium price tag. It also includes features such as Apple Pay and fall detection. Water resistant and swim proof.
Xiaomi watch 2
Best budget smart watch for Android users. Running on Google WearOS, it offers great value for money. You can add tons of extra apps to the watch via the Play store. Supports Google pay.
Garmin Forerunner 255
Bright MIP display with auto brightness, Bluetooth calling with AI noise reduction, aluminum body, built-in GPS. Compatible with IOS and Android. Full details below.
Amazfit BIP 6
Amazfit BIP 6 is latest in the Amazfit BIP series. It features sleek aluminum body and sharp AMOLED display. It has built-in GPS with improved GPS tracking and Free maps. Other features include: AI-driven workout plans, Bluetooth calling, Health & fitness tracking and sleep monitoring. Full Details Below.
BEST LOW COST SMART WATCHES UNDER £100
Smart watches under £100 hitt the sweet spot between affordability and capability. These offer extra features compared to smartwatches under £50 such as AMOLED display, longer battery life and AI driven health tracking in some models. See below our top 3 picks, costing over £50 to £100 or less:
Amazfit BIP 6
Amazfit Active 2
Redmi Watch 5 By Xiaomi
These are some of the top picks under £100. See the full list of best low cost smart watches under £100 here.
Best Budget Smartwatches Under £50
You’ll find many smartwatches available for under £50, promising value for money. Many of these watches have poor build quality and their activity tracking is inaccurate. We have hand-tested a wide range of smartwatches under £50 and below are our top picks. The low cost smart watches on our list do not compromise on quality:
Redmi Watch 5 Lite
Amazfit BIP 5
Galaxy Fit 3
See the full details and view the full list of handpicked best smartwatches under £50 which do NOT compromise on quality.
BEst Budget Smartwatches Under £30
Many smartwatches are available at this price point, yet choosing a quality smartwatch under £30 can be challenging as many of these are unreliable. Our team has short-listed and tested ultra budget smart watches and below are our top picks:
Redmi Watch 5 Active
Ruimen Smartwatch
Blackview Smartwatch
These smartwatches on the list above cost £30 or less but still provided good battery life, value for money, good/acceptable activity tracking and offer smooth user interface. See the full details here!
Garmin’s best budget smart watchES
Garmin watches are know for their performance and reliability. However, these watches can be costly to purchase. We have shortlisted and tested some Garmin watches which offer the same quality features but does not cost too much. See the list below.
Garmin Venu SQ2 and Garmin forerunner 255 are our top picks for best Garmin budget smartwatches.
Garmin Venu SQ2
Garmin Forerunner 255
Garmin Venu SQ2 – What we think?
Garmin Venu SQ2 is not the cheapest on the list but considering Garmin watches can cost over £500 or even £1000, Venu SQ2 is priced very cheap. Venu SQ2 offers similar features compared to Venu 2, which is Garmin mid-range to premium smartwatch and cost a lot more. Considering Venu sq2 costs less than half the price when compared to Venu 2, this watch offers excellent value for money. Garmin’s Venu SQ2 also comes with built-in GPS, Garmin pay option and 1.14″ touch-screen with AMOLED display. The SQ2 offers a good battery life of up to 11 days, the battery life largely depends on how often and what features you are using on the smartwatch.
Garmin Forerunner 255 – Best GARMIN Budget smart watch for running
If you are looking for a best budget smart watch for running which offers accurate tracking then we recommend Garmin forerunner 255 smart watch. This watch costs a bit more then most watches on our list, however considering the price of Garmin watches, Forerunner 255 do provide an excellent value for money. The watch offers 1.3″ MIP display which does not use a lot of power, meaning it provides a longer battery life. The screen is large enough and can easily be seen in bright outdoor conditions. Garmin forerunner 255 offers health & fitness tracking, heart rate monitoring, message notifications & reminders, find my phone and many other features. It also has NFC for Garmin pay and GPS built in. The watch is compatible with both Apple and IOS, can connects via Garmin connect app. The only downside of this watch is that it does not offer a touch screen, it has five button to control the watch.
You can see Garmin smartwatch deals here.
Best Android Budget Smart Watch – CMF Pro 2
CMF Pro 2 By Nothing
CMF Pro 2 is a an excellent choice for Android users who do not want to spend too much money on a smart watch. I am really impressed with this smartwatch, for the price it offers many features. The user interface is responsive and the screen is sharp and bright. The watch body is made up of aluminium which is a big plus as other watches in this price range usually have plastic body. Because of the aluminium body the watch is light weight and durable.
Read the full review of CMF Pro 2
Alternative budget smart watch option for Android lowers
If you looking for a watch with advanced features and with ability to add additional apps etc and willing to spend a little bit more then we recommend having a look at Xiaomi watch 2 or Garmin Forerunner 55.
Xiaomi Watch 2
Please note Xiaomi watch 2 is only compatible with Andriod phone and runs on WearOS which gives you ability to install additional apps on the watch. Garmin Forerunner 55 may be suitable for you if you looking for a reliable running watch but do not watch to spend too much on a smart watch.
Low cost smart watch For EVERYDAY USE – Amazfit bip 5
Offering similar features to CMF pro 2 watch, Amazfit BIP 5 is good budget smart watch for daily general health & fitness tracking and for receiving notifications; thanks to its large display size.
Amazfit BIP 5
BIP 5 is an excellent entry level smart watch with plenty of features, offering smooth and responsive user interface. It has basic health tracking features such as heart rate monitoring, blood oxygen saturation, stress tracking etc. The AMOLED screen size is large and vibrant. It also has Bluetooth calling feature, built-in GPS and compatible with both IOS and Android. I found the user interface smooth with no lag. The only downside of this watch compared to CMF 2 Pro is that its body is made of durable plastic instead of metal. Additionally, the screen may feel too big if you have small wrist size. Overall Amazfit BIP 5 is a good budget friendly smart watch with plenty of smart features.
affordable SUMSUNG SMART WATCH – Samsung Galaxy Watch 5
Samsung galaxy watch 5
Premium looking smart watch, Samsung BioActive sensor, Sapphire crystal screen, sleep & health tracking, built-in GPS and many more features.
Samsung Galaxy watch 5 is easily the winner when it comes to low cost smart watches. The only reason its not top on our list of budget smart watches is because its not exactly a budget smart watch. If you follow the Amazon link you can buy it for a reasonable price. The watch you will get is not a brand new product but a refurbished watch in excellent condition.
Amazon renewed Products
“This refurbished product is inspected, tested and cleaned in accordance with Amazon Renewed requirements to be fully functional. Premium and Excellent condition products will show no signs of cosmetic damage visible from 30 centimetres“
Xiaomi’s best cheap smart watch – Redmi WATCH 5 LITE
Redmi Watch 5 Lite By Xiaomi
Redmi watch 5 lite is premium version of Redmi watch 5 active, offering premium look, compact size, built in GPS, AMOLED display and water sports tracking. Unlike Xiaomi watch 2, this smart watch is compatible with both IOS and android, and connect to a smart phone via Mi Fitness app. It offers health and fitness tracking from sleep monitoring, oxygen saturation, heart rate monitoring to exercise and water sports tracking. I found the raise to wake option for screen very responsive and had no trouble using the watch indoor or outdoors due to its sharp AMOLED display. The Bluetooth call calling feature is quite handy and I had no trouble making or receiving calls even when my phone was over 5-10 meter away. The call quality is also quite impressive. The heart rate sensor is quite accurate, it gave very similar readings when compared with Garmin Venu 2 smart watch. The sleep tracking feature is quite handy – I wore it to bed a few times and compared the data with Garmin Venu 2 and I was quite impressed with the results. During the sleep tracking it tracks total sleep time and gives break down of deep sleep, light sleep and REM sleep. The values were comparable to Garmin Venu 2. The watch body is made of durable plastic with shiny metal coating, giving it a premium look. Only down side I found on this what is, it doesn’t support additional apps. If you want to be able to install additional apps on the watch then you should consider Xiaomi Watch 2, but Xiaomi watch 2 is only compatible with Android phones as it runs on WearOS.
Redmi Watch 5 lite: Buy at Amazon
Best Budget Smart Watches – FAQ
Which budget smart watch do you recommened as your top pick?
When it comes to buying a budget smart watch, there are different options to choose from as there are many makes and models of smart watches available. If you are looking for a best smart watch on a budget, we have a few recommendations for you in this articles. There is no one best budget smartwatch, it all depends in what you are looking for in a smart watch. Weather you are looking for a best cheap smartwatch for style, running, health & fitness tracking or for general day to day use, we will help you find one at best price in this article!
There are many different budget smart watches but why have you choosen so few?
I have been reviewing smart watches for many years and I have come across many budget smart watches but a lot of the budget smart watches lack reliability, responsiveness and other important features. In this guide, I have chosen the best budget smart watches which offer reliably, smooth user experience and are packed with features.
