If you’re looking for an entry level budget smart watch which costs less than £50 then you’ve arrived at the right place. I have tested and reviewed best smart watches under £50 which you can buy in UK.
Best Smartwatch Under £50 in UK – The Winner
Top on our list is Redmi watch 5 Active with is successor to Redmi watch 3 Active. Redmi watch 5 active was released in October 2024. It has a responsive user interface, offers reliable health & activity tracking and Bluetooth calling option along with other features. The runner up is Amazfit BIP 5 due to its price being slightly over the £50 range.
Best smart watches under £50
Here is a quick List of best smart watches under £50. Winner is Xiaomi Redmi Watch 5 Active. If your budget is slightly over £50 – then the winner is Amazfit BIP 5.
Read on to find out why!
I have tried and tested all of the watches on this list and found these watches offer good features without the premium price tag. If you’re looking for an entry-level best smartwatch under £50 with useful features without spending too much, then one of the options below may be a good choice for you. Premium watches do offer a lot more features with better accuracy and faster processing; however, depending on what you’re looking for in a smartwatch, you may not need all those features, especially if you’re after a budget option that does the trick. Smart watches have become essential gadgets these days, and you don’t have to spend a huge amount to buy one. Explore the best smart watches under £50 in the list below:
Redmi watch 5 active
Redmi watch 5 active is a light weight and premium looking smart watch. It was released in UK in October 2024. The watch has a large 2″ LCD screen and it is built with durable plastic with metal coating. The straps use durable TPU and feel very comfortable. I have used the watch for over two weeks and found the user interface and touch screen very responsive. The watch offers Bluetooth calling which can be handy when your phone is in your pocket or on charge etc. I found the call quality to be very good, even when my phone was 10 to 15 meters away from the watch. Make sure to turn the volume to max if you are outdoors. The Redmi watch 5 active also offers 24 hours heart rate monitoring and stress and oxygen tracking. Additionally, it has sleep tracking feature which monitors quality of your sleep, including deep sleep, light sleep, REM sleep and breathing score. I compare the heart rate monitor with Apple watch SE and found it to be very reliable.
Redmi watch 5 has ability to track over 140 different workouts with auto tracking for exercises such as running and walking. However, the auto-tracking feature is not very reliable, I found the watch did not pick up the activity until 5-10 minutes after it was started. Few times it picked up walking as running and vice versa. The watch has 5ATM water rating, however the activity tracking does not support any water sports.
The battery life is very good, on a moderate use it will last for up to 10 to 12 days. The watch connects with a smart phone through Mi Fitness app and it is compatible with IOS and android. The watch does not come with a GPS but can track the exercise route via phones GPS. Make sure the watch is connected with your phone and Mi Fitness app is running in the background before starting the activity.
You can choose from over 200 watch faces in the app. The smart watch can only store 6 faces at one time. You can delete the stored watch faces to load more watch faces on the smart watch. The watch uses Xiaomi HyperOS operating system, there is no option to add additional apps. Overall Redmi watch 5 active is a reliable budget smart watch which offers good features.
You can read the full review of Redmi Watch 5 Active here.
Samsung Galaxy Watch 7 – Comprehensive review
Amazfit BIP 5 – Budget Smart Watch Slightly over £50 Price Mark
Who Should Choose Amazfit BIP 5?
Smart Watches Under £50 – An overview of Amazfit BIP 5
First on the list of budget smart watches under £50, we have Amazfit BIP 5. This watch offers truly amazing features for this price. Not exactly under £50, its priced a bit over £50 but the extra price is justified – and here’s why!
This watch offers a lot of features at a very affordable price. With a sleek designs, it comes with a large AMOLED, built in GPS, impressive battery life, Bluetooth calling and much more.
Large AMOLED display
One of the first things I noticed on the Amazfit Bip 5 is its impressive 1.91-inch AMOLED display. So far, its the largest display on any Amazfit Bip device. It has curved glass that gives it a sleek look. The AMOLED screen makes the colors pop making it very easy to see even in bright sunlight. It is ideal if you are out for a jog or just using the watch on a bright sunny day.
For a budget-friendly smartwatch, this screen is a huge win. You’re getting vibrant colors, deep contrasts, and a display size usually found on pricier models.
Lightweight premium design
The watch feels incredibly light, the watch just weights 26 grams, so you might even forget you’re wearing it. Amazfit has kept the design simple yet functional on this watch. The body is made of durable plastic, but it has an aluminum button for a touch of style on the side. Quick release lathes make swapping of the straps on watch super easy. Amazfit BIP 5 also comes with built in speaker and mic. You can make and answer phone calls directly form the watch itself – pretty cool for a watch at this price! You may have to play around a bit to correctly set up phone calls, emails and message notifications.
Activity Tracking for Every Sport (Almost) & GPS
Amazfit Bip 5 supports over 120 sport modes, from walking to running and many more. It can automatically recognise 7 different exercises such as walking and running based on body movement and prompt you to start tracking. The built-in GPS with supports four satellite systems to ensures your routes are tracked accurately, whether you’re just jogging in a park or hiking on trails.
Health Monitoring
Amazfir BIP 5 offers 24-hour heart rate monitoring, SpO2 tracking, and even keeps tabs on your stress levels. Sleep tracking is also a useful feature this watch offers. It can track your night’s sleep and even shorter naps. It will show you what time you went to bed and deep sleep etc. Most of the data can be seen directly on the watch itself- thanks to the large AMOLED display. Of course, you can always see all this information using the app on Android or iOS for a more detailed breakdown. However, I noticed that data can take sometimes to sync with the app, which is not a major issue.
Amazfit BIP 5 app support
Another features this watch offers is that you can now install mini-apps, including fun games like tic-tac-toe, right on the watch. With around 70 compatible apps, there’s something for everyone.
Amazfit BIP 5 User Interface
The most important part – user interface! You must be wondering at this price and with all these features, how responsive the BIP 5 watch is? The good new is that I have found the user interface very fluid and smooth, I have not noticed any lag in the screen. The scrolling and menus also feel responsive and very smooth.
Battery life on Amazfit BIP 5 budget smart watch
Amazfit offer battery life of up to 10 days on regular use, while battery saver mode is on it can offer up to 25 days of battery life. However, I have found that battery life depends on the actual usage i.e. what features you are using on daily basis such as exercise tracking, always on display, heart rate monitoring etc. When I was using the watch I was checking out all the features and reliability of the watch which did mean I used it more than an average user would use on daily basis – however battery life was still quite impressive. For an average user it should easily last up to 7 to 10 days.
Overall, Amazfit BIP 5 is a solid choice if you are looking for a budget smart watch which is reliable and packed with features.
Who should buy Amazfit BIP 5?
If you are looking for a budget smart watch which is light weight, has a large & sharp display, offers Bluetooth calling features and willing to spend slightly over £50 / $50 then you should go for Amazfit BIP 5
Xiaomi Redmi Watch 3 Active Budget Smart Watch Under £50
Why Choose Xiaomi Redmi Watch 3 Active?
An overview of Xiaomi Redmi Watch 3 Active
I used Redmi watch 3 active for sometime to check out its features. Xiaomi really offers value for money, and I am quite impressed with the features it offers for this price. Similarly, the watch is very smooth and responsive, which for me is a big plus point. It offers large display size of 47mm x 38mm, which is big enough to easily use the features on the smart watch but not too big to come in the way when exercising or during day to day activities. The LCD display offers a 240×280 pixel resolution, and an excellent brightness of up to 450 nits, so you can easily see the screen outdoors.
Also See: BEST entry level budget smart watch CMF Pro 2
Xiaomi Redmi Watch 3 Active – Light weight watch
Made with metal frame, it offers a stylish look which is pretty good for this price. You can not easily tell by looking at it that it is a budget smart watch. The watch is light weight and comfortable to wear. The clip and tuck strap did not leave any marks on my wrist after wearing this watch.
Xiaomi Redmi Watch 3 Active – Water-resistance
Remdi watch 3 is also water proof offering 5 ATM water resistance rating, meaning it is okay to wear it in rain and suitable for pool use for brief period of time.
The new widget watch face allows quick access to essential information like daily activity, heart rate, weather, and battery levels. You can also customise and manage these widgets directly on the watch or via the Mi Fitness app.
Xiaomi Redmi Watch 3 Active – Activity Tracking
It offers 100 workout modes from outdoor running to hiking, but lacks water based activities despite being water resistant. If can also monitor your heart rate and sleep and measure oxygen and stress levels. I found the heart rate readings to be around 5% off, especially during high intensity activity.
Xiaomi Redmi Watch 3 Active – Phone calls & Connectivity
Impressively for this price the watch also offers phone Call functionality. It offers Bluetooth calling with options to dial, receive, and end calls directly on the device. I found the call quality is good indoors, however outdoor performance varies and depends on factors such as strength of mobile signal, noise levels etc. You can receive notifications from you phone which show the message and sender – there is an option to launch app on your phone from the watch but you can’t reply to messages directly from the Redmi smart watch.
Xiaomi Redmi Watch 3 Active – Battery Life
Even though Redmi claims a battery life of 12 days, I didn’t find the battery to last 12 days. It depends of what features you use more frequently. I found the battery to last for 5 to 7 days on an average. Bluetooth calling and higher brightness setting will reduce battery life and it may last closer to 2 to 3 days, especially if frequently calling using Bluetooth.
In conclusion, if you are looking for a budget smart watch under £50 this I do recommend buying Redmi watch 3 due to its stylish look, built quality, smooth user interface, good battery life and amount of other features it offers. Similarly, the price is pretty impressive.
Who should buy Xiaomi Redmi Watch 3 Active?
If you are looking for a reliable budget smart watch which offers smooth and responsive user interface, offers value for money and your budget is strictly £50 / $50 or under then you should buy Xiaomi Redmi Watch 3 Active as a budget smart watch. If you budget is slightly over £50 or $50 then you should buy the next watch on our list!
Update: Newer model of Redmi watch 3 active was released in UK in October 2024. The newer model is Redmi watch 5 active, you can read the full review here.
Smart Watches Under £50 – Samsung Galaxy Fit 3
Who should buy Samsung Galaxy Fit 3?
Smart Watches Under £50: Samsung Galaxy Fit 3
Good choice for an entry level watch for android users. This watch is not compatible with IOS/ iPhone. Light weight and easy to use. Offers good features from activity tracking to sleep tracking. Galaxy fit 3 doesn’t have built in GPS but can be used via smart phone.
Smart Watches Under £50: An Overview of Samsung Galaxy Fit 3
Phone calls and notifications
Sleep Tracking
Galaxy Fit 3 Battery Life
Fitness Tracking on Galaxy Fit 3
Features missing from Galaxy Fit 3
Smart Watches Under £50 – Sekonda Active Smart Watch
Why Choose Sekonda Active Budget Smart Watch?
Next on our list of best budget smart watches under £50 is Sekonda active smart watch. This watch offers value for money and comes packed with features you may be looking in an entry level smart watch
Smart Watches Under £50: An Overview of Sekonda Smart Watch
This watch connects to IOS or Android phone via HitFit Pro app and pairing is prettey straightforward. I have found the user interface on this watch to be smooth. To be honest this is the first thing I look in a smart watch as some of the budget smart watches can be a bit unresponsive or may feel less smooth, like touch screen phones in 2005. This watch also offers tilt to wake screen features as well. However, compared to Xiaomi Redmi watch 3, I found Sekonda’s tilt to wake screen feature slightly delayed. When you move your wrist, you may have to wait for half a second or so for the screen to wake up, which is not a major drawback.
As with other watches on our list this watch doesn’t have its own WiFi, so you need to take your phone with you when you are out on a walk etc otherwise some of the features like call notifications will not work. The watch also does not have a built in GPS. The straps on the watch can be changed pretty easily. Like other watches on the list it offers sleep tracking, heart rate monitoring, activity tracking. The heart rate monitor function can be around 10% off especially while doing high intensity workouts but still can provide a good indication of your heart rate.
The battery life is good on this watch. It does largely depends on what features you use most on the watch. On average the battery lasts around 3 days on a full charge.
Read Sekonda Active Smart Watch Full Review Here!
Smart Watches Under £50 – Ruimen Smart Watch For Android and IOS
Who should but Ruimen budget smart watch?
Smart Watches Under £50 – An overview of Ruimen Smart Watch
Unlike many budget smart watches, you can receive and make phone calls from this watch – this features is also offered by Xiaomi Redmi smart watch which is on out list. Unlike other watches on the list it only offers 20 different sport modes but if you are mainly using it for walking or step tracking then it is not a big issues. However, step tracking can be a bit loggy sometimes on this watch.
In conclusion, my top recommendation for budget smart watch under £50 is Xiaomi Redmi watch 3 due it its smooth user and responsive user interface, Bluetooth calling, accuracy of tracking workouts and battery life. However, if you have a budget slightly higher than I would definitely recommend buying Amazfit BIP 5 due to its premium look, large bright display and user interface.
Best smart watches under £50
Here is a quick List of best smart watches under £50. Winner is Xiaomi Redmi Watch 5 Active. If your budget is slightly over £50 – then the winner is Amazfit BIP 5.
Read on to find out why!
What to look for when buying budget smart watches under £50?
Some models below don’t connect with iOS, so if you have an iPhone, be sure to choose one that’s compatible. While smartwatches can run independently of a smartphone, full functionality often depends on smartphone connectivity. I also checked the quality of connection with smartphones, as some budget smartwatches I’ve tried in the past had issues with connection drops or delayed notifications. Therefore, along with other features, I’ve reviewed the quality of smartphone connectivity in each watch.
Whether you’re just looking for a smartwatch to track your daily steps, enjoy exercise and want to monitor your workouts, or simply want to see if a smartwatch helps you stay connected at work when your phone isn’t nearby, a budget smartwatch can do all this. When I bought my first smartwatch, I chose a budget model to see if it offered any features beyond my smartphone and to find out if I really needed a smartwatch. I used it for a while and found it helped me keep track of my physical activity, monitor my heart rate and blood pressure, and quickly receive notifications and reply to messages. Therefore, before spending a large amount on a smartwatch, it’s a good idea to try a budget option first to see if it truly helps you—again, it all depends on what you’re looking for in a smartwatch.
What Do We Look For In Budget Smart Watches When Testing?
When searching for the best budget smartwatches, I prioritize the look and feel of the watch and the range of features it offers. Next, I examine the user interface to see how responsive and smooth it is. Some of the budget smartwatches I tried didn’t make it to this top list because their user interfaces weren’t responsive enough. With some of the watches it started to lag after few weeks, hence not included in the list. I also look at the accuracy of health monitoring, heart rate, sleep monitoring and activity tracking. While the watches on this list don’t offer 100% tracking accuracy, their tracking and accuracy are quite impressive for their price range and mostly are within 5-10% of actual readings.
How do we test smart watches?
The watches mentioned above were all tested over several weeks to assess their features, user interface, comfort and accuracy of tracking. Watches that had UI lag, inaccurate health tracking, or poor durability were excluded. The watches which are included in this article performed reliably and within acceptable range for fitness tracking, general usability, and health monitoring.
One thing that is important to mention here is that budget smartwatches cannot match the accuracy when it comes to premium health monitors and watches. Therefore, when choosing the best budget smart watches under £50, I included the smart watches in the list that showed acceptable tracking and monitoring within 5-10% of actual values for matrics such as heart rate, step counting, and sleep monitoring. This makes them suitable for general wellness tracking, though not necessarily for clinical precision.
