Our 10 favourite budget smartwatches, vetted by tech experts

Look, we know what you’re all thinking and yes, the Huawei Watch Fit 4 is the spitting image of an Apple Watch. For many, though, that won’t be a bad thing. The Apple Watch is still one of the most stylish wearables out there and by following the same aesthetic, so is the Huawei Watch Fit 4.

Aside from its design, the display goes a long way towards making you think that the Fit 4 is anything but a budget smartwatch. With a peak brightness of 2000 nits, it reaches the same level as the new Apple Watch Series 11, making it very easy to read in the great outdoors.

Speaking of which, the Watch Fit 4 boasts dual-frequency GPS so if you are an avid runner then you can enjoy a sturdy connection here, which then feeds into the many fitness metrics that Huawei offers up in the accompanying Huawei Health app. The battery can even run for up to 10-days at a time, so forgetting to bring your charger with you during a weekend away shouldn’t be cause for concern.

As you may have guessed, the key thing that holds the Watch Fit 4 back is its lack of third-party apps in the West. If you want access to the likes of Google Maps or WhatsApp then you’re better off with the Apple Watch SE 3 or the Samsung Galaxy Watch FE.

For those who aren’t that fussed, you’ll be perfectly content with what Huawei offers here and you could also look for a cut-price Watch Fit 3.

Who should buy the Huawei Watch Fit 4?

Anyone who wants an Apple Watch-style wearable without the Apple Watch price tag.

Huawei Watch Fit 4: Further considerations

The lack of third-party apps puts it behind budget options from Apple and Samsung.

In the short time that it’s been around, Nothing’s subsidiary brand CMF has made itself known as one of the go-to manufacturers when it comes to finding style at the budget end of the market. The CMF Phone 2 Pro stands above the competition for its eye-catching aesthetic, and the CMF Watch 3 Pro adheres to that same appreciation for a colourful yet minimalist style.

With a single rotating crown input and a large 1.43-inch circular display, the CMF Watch 3 Pro is the perfect pick for anyone who wants a budget smartwatch that looks like a more premium wearable. The collection of mostly monochrome watch faces also complements the look that CMF is going for, which is more than can be said for most budget options that tend to overlook the importance of a well-designed watch face library.

It is a shame however that CMF removed the swappable bezels of the Watch Pro 2, as it was a great feature to have for expressing oneself, but there is a decent trade-off here in the form of a larger battery which can run for up to 13-days at a time. That drops to four-days with the always-on display toggled, but that’s still longer than what the Apple Watch Series 11 can achieve.

Fitness tracking is fairly straightforward, and there is a helpful running coach that provides assistance for anyone who’s starting out on their fitness journey. If swimming is your workout of choice however then you’ll want to look elsewhere as the CMF Watch 3 Pro cannot be submerged in water, meaning that a dip in the pool is out of the question.

Who should buy the CMF Watch 3 Pro?

Style enthusiasts who want an eye-catching smartwatch that doesn’t cost a fortune.

CMF Watch 3 Pro: Further considerations

The lack of proper waterproofing prevents the watch from being taken on a swim.

Between the CMF Watch 3 Pro and now the Amazfit Active 2, the amount of value that can be expected below the £100/$100 mark has never been better. Sure, you’re not going to get the exact same user experience as what the pricier smartwatches bring to the table, but the basics are taken care of and, in the case of Amazfit’s offering, it’s all wrapped up in a very stylish look.

With a stainless steel case that allows flashes of silver to be seen on the outer rim of the display, the Amazfit Active 2 doesn’t look or feel anything like many budget watches. In fact, with one of the more classic, analogue-style watch faces in tow, you might even convince someone that this isn’t a smartwatch at first glance.

Inside that chassis, Amazfit has packed the Active 2 with all of the technology required to make a great fitness tracker, as there are no less than 164 sports modes to dive into. It can even track your rest and recovery, and when compared to the Oura Ring 4, we found the insight here to be on the mark. The same can’t be said for heart rate data which isn’t as accurate as we had hoped, so it’s best not to put too much credence into the results provided.

In terms of smart features, Amazfit’s UI is easy to use and it’s fast to jump from one menu to another. It’s a fairly standard experience compared to pricier smartwatches, but that’s to be expected. What is a shame is that there is a version of the watch that boasts NFC for contactless payments, but you’ll have to pay a bit more (£129.90/$129.99 instead of £99/$99) for the privilege.

Who should buy the Amazfit Active 2?

Budget buys who still value style above all in a wearable.

Amazfit Active 2: Further considerations

You’ll have to pay more for the version with NFC or the square shaped model.

The SE 2nd-generation is the best Apple Watch option for most people with an iPhone who want a smartwatch without paying the prices of the flagship models or an ancient edition.

While the newer Apple Watch SE 3 is now available, we have yet to publish our full review so make sure to check back later to see if our rankings have changed. In the meantime, the Apple Watch SE 2 is still a great option that has many of the features of the more expensive models, while maintaining the modern and iconic design with the same chipset as the Series 8.

If you equally value smart features like third-party app integration, music storage, contactless payments and full fitness tracking, the Apple Watch is still the best smartwatch if you have an iPhone. The SE does everything surprisingly well, considering it’s supposed to be a budget-buy.

Who should buy the Apple Watch SE 2? 

You want the cheapest Apple Watch currently available to use with your iPhone. 

Apple Watch SE 2: Further considerations 

The Apple Watch SE 3 is now available, although this will drive down the price of remaining Watch SE 2 stock.

The Bip has been a smartwatch that from the very first version, has punched above its weight in terms of features and performance. For the Bip 6, Amazfit has certainly gone big with the upgrades.

For starters, it’s swapped TFT for a big and bright 1.97-inch AMOLED display and it instantly makes this budget smartwatch feel a lot less budget.

Features-wise, you’re getting the ability to make calls over Bluetooth, load on transport cards to make it easier to travel and have access to the Zepp Flow AI Assistant that’s worked well in some, but not all, scenarios.

In the fitness department, it has built-in GPS to track outdoor runs and rides the smarts to record Hyrox workouts. You track heart rate and blood oxygen levels and it will serve up useful scores to tell you if you’re ready to tackle a stressful day. There’s also room for free offline maps for adventurers, which is a rare feature to find on a smartwatch this cheap.

Topped off with up to 14-day battery life or around 6 days in heavier use, and there’s few better smartwatches at this price that can compete with what the Amazfit Bip packs and also delivers.

Overall, it’s a lot of smartwatch for not much over £50/$50 making it a top value option.

Who should buy the Amazfit Bip 6?

You want a big OLED screen for well under £100/$100 as well as lots of features and excellent battery life.

Amazfit Bip 6: Further considerations

Look elsewhere for a better software experience, particularly on the companion app. 

There was definitely some concern that OnePlus’ plan to revisit a non-Wear OS smartwatch would end up being too similar to the company’s dreadful first-generation OnePlus Watch, but fortunately, the firm has created something truly spectacular in the OnePlus Watch Lite.

Although it runs OnePlus’ proprietary software and doesn’t feature third-party apps as a result, the Watch Lite still makes it mark largely thanks to a design that puts most flagship smartwatches to shame. The watch itself is just 8.9mm thin and the Silver Steel colourway will make everyone think that you’re wearing a watch that costs far in excess of its £179/€179 price tag.

In the absence of a typical app-driven ecosystem, the Watch Lite makes the smart decision of focusing almost completely on fitness tracking, which massively works to its benefit. The 60-second Wellbeing Overview can offer up an insight into your key metrics quickly, and when compared to a dedicated chest-worn monitor, we found the watch’s heart rate data to be largely on the money.

There is NFC built into the watch but it can only be used for digital locks/keys, whereas we would love to see it expanded to cover wireless payments in a successor. At the very least, you do get to benefit from extraordinary battery life with the ability to run for up to 10 days between charges.

Who should buy the OnePlus Watch Lite?

Fitness-focused users who want a fashionable, long-lasting wearable for health tracking.

OnePlus Watch Lite: Further considerations

The Apple Watch SE 2 and the Galaxy Watch FE can oftentimes be found for around the same price, and sometimes even less. 

Xiaomi’s smartwatch with a switchable bezel builds on the very likeable look on the Watch S3 while adding new software features that aim to make it a much smarter smartwatch.

There’s the welcome addition of a rotating crown, which makes navigating Xiaomi’s HyperOS 2 software a nicer thing to do, with those swappable bezels now growing in number and generally feeling a touch more refined and polished.

Xiaomi’s added a brighter AMOLED display though it doesn’t keep the LTE connectivity included on the China version of the Watch S4 to make it more useful when away from your phone. Most of the new software smarts, like using it as a smart home controller, require owning additional Xiaomi hardware to use them, with the tweaked operating system now feeling like a better match for its sleek design surroundings.

There’s no shortage of fitness and health features onboard, including the latest dual-frequency GNSS to offer a boost for outdoor sports tracking and you can get anywhere from a few days to a couple of weeks of battery out of this solid performer and a more sophisticated yet affordable smartwatch package.

Who should buy the Xiaomi Watch S4?

You want a flagship style watch at a very affordable price with features like changeable bezels.

Xiaomi Watch S4: Further considerations

Look elsewhere for Wear OS.

The Samsung Galaxy Watch FE essentially sees Samsung take its older Galaxy Watch 4 and give it a bit of software tune up to make it a viable alternative to its pricier Galaxy Watch 7.

Given the Galaxy Watch hasn’t radically changed all that much over the last few versions, the FE has a look very much in keeping with the latest Watch, with three colour options available and features a punchy 1.2-inch Super AMOLED display. Unlike newer watches, it comes with just the one 40mm case size option.

Originally running on Google’s Wear OS 4 with Samsung’s One UI 5 overlaid on top (but since updated to the latest software), the FE still gives you Google apps like Google Maps and access to the Google Play Store for more big-name apps to download.

When it’s time to work out, there’s your pick of over 100 workout modes and also usefully includes a running coach mode for running newbies. It’ll track steps, sleep and even packs an ECG sensor, which is only accessible if you own a Samsung smartphone.

If you like the idea of a Samsung Galaxy Watch that looks and runs mostly like its latest Watch and you’re an Android phone owner, this might be one for you.

Who should buy the Samsung Galaxy Watch FE? 

Samsung fans looking for the cheapest Galaxy Watch. 

Samsung Galaxy Watch FE: Further considerations 

Look elsewhere for better performance and better value prices. 

The Xiaomi Watch 2 gives you a more affordable route to Google’s Wear OS when you’d typically have to spend a lot more to get access to Google’s apps, user interface and all-important access to the Google Play Store.

Xiaomi gets plenty right with the design, matching up an aluminium case and the choice of a more exercise-friendly strap or leather and braided bands. The swim-proof smartwatch also hosts a good-sized, 1.43-inch AMOLED that’s bright, vivid and can stay on at all times.

There’s good all-round performance powered by one of Qualcomm’s Snapdragon W5+ Gen 1 chipsets with 32GB of storage to play with and 2GB of RAM to keep things running nice and smooth.

Along with access to Google’s best through Wear OS, there are over 160 workout modes to pick from, built-in GPS and an optical heart rate sensor that wasn’t the best-performing during exercise. Like many budget options, it’s a better fitness and sleep tracker. One Wear OS undesirable is that the battery isn’t exactly stellar and lasts typically a day.

If you want a cheap route to Wear though, the Watch 2 will give you that.

Who should buy the Xiaomi Watch 2? 

You want a very affordable and sleek smartwatch running Wear OS. 

Xiaomi Watch 2: Further considerations 

Look elsewhere for better battery life and tracking. 

If you like your smartwatches slimmer and more fitness tracker in form, that’s exactly what the Xiaomi Smart Band 9 Pro serves up.

There’s three strong colour options to pick from with the ability to switch in more stylish strap options and while it’s a button-less design, it helps to create a more minimalist profile where the emphasis is placed on tapping and swiping on a now brighter 1.74-inch AMOLED screen.

While its smartwatch features are kept to the basics like displaying notifications and controlling music playing on your phone, it’s a smartwatch that does play nice with third party apps including Apple Health, Google Health and even Strava.

There’s enough room to squeeze in built-in GPS that’s best suited for casual workout users, though the promise of improved heart rate and blood oxygen tracking isn’t the way things played out in our testing.

Battery life of up to 21 days typically worked out to closer to a week with key features in regular use, which is still a good showing for a smartwatch that looks like a fitness tracker and is going to appeal to anyone looking for a nice Fitbit alternative.

Who should buy the Xiaomi Smart Band 9 Pro?

You want an affordable smartwatch with a big screen and GPS.

Xiaomi Smart Band 9 Pro: Further considerations

Look elsewhere for better software and tracking.