While smartwatches have long ruled the roost as the go-to wearable for keeping track of your fitness, a new challenger has emerged over the last few years in the humble smart ring. These screen-less devices provide a less obtrusive means of analysing your health throughout the day, and thanks to our team of experts, we know which ones are actually worth buying.
Due to continued innovation, the best smart rings are no longer just an accessory to wear alongside one of the best smartwatches, but rather they are great fitness trackers in their own right, providing key metrics like your heart rate, step count, blood oxygen and more – all of which are essential for monitoring your fitness journey.
Just like with other wearables, our tech experts make sure to wear each smart ring 24/7 and use it as their own to get a concrete understanding of how well they perform from one day to the next, comparing the data that’s captured with high-end tracking devices, including chest-worn heart rate monitors.
Only when a smart ring has done enough to impress one of our reviewers will it then be considered for entry in this list, ensuring that no matter which option you go for, you’ll be getting a top-tier device in return.
Keep on reading to see our current top picks from brands like Oura, Samsung, Ultrahuman, RingConn and more.
Best smart ring reviews
1. Oura Ring 4 – Best Overall
Pros
- Improved battery life
- Plenty of useful insights
- Very comfortable to wear
- Range of colours
Cons
- Picks up scratches
- Subscription model
Even with the increase in competition, the Oura Ring 4 emerges with an improved design, better battery life, tracking and a companion app that continues to set the standard for how to present your stats. Add in the fact that you can now also nab it in a stylish-looking ceramic option and it’s still the smart ring to beat.
The new Oura now adds titanium to the inside of the ring, all while adding a new sensor that doesn’t have the same bump as it did on the Ring Gen 3, helping to make it one of the most comfortable rings to wear.
While it largely tracks the same things as its predecessor and other smart rings the tracking accuracy, particularly for heart rate, has got better and now better accounts for when the sensors aren’t sitting in the optimal position.
You still need to pay up to make the most of the companion app, and when you do, you’ll get something that’s packed with stats and insights that, crucially, are glanceable and easy to take on board.
Who should buy the Oura Ring 4?
You want the perfect combination of fitness smarts, battery life and style.
Oura Ring 4: Further considerations
Subscription costs add up over time.
Read our full Oura Ring 4 review
2. Samsung Galaxy Ring – Best Subscription-Free
Pros
- Stylish and comfortable
- Good user experience
- Solid core tracking
- Excellent charging case
Cons
- Erratic stress tracking
- Expensive
- Doesn’t feel like metal
Despite lots of models to choose from across the market, we don’t think any tech brands have perfected the smart ring yet – far from it, However, the Galaxy Ring is the best choice for most people right now.
Although it’s a first-generation product, Samsung has done a great job of offering a solid all-round experience. The ring itself looks nice and is more durable than rivals, so it stays looking good, even though it doesn’t feel like titanium.
The fitness and wellbeing tracking is mostly solid, with erratic stress tracking the main downside. Battery life is also very good and the charging case is brilliant.
It’s one of the most expensive rings on the market which could put it out of reach for many but there are no subscription fees here.
Who should buy the Samsung Galaxy Ring?
You want an excellent all-round smart ring with no subscription, with additional benefits if you have a Galaxy Watch.
Samsung Galaxy Ring: Further considerations
Issues have been reported with the long-term durability of the ring.
3. RingConn Gen 2 – Best Battery Life
Pros
- Slim, light and comfortable
- Class-leading battery life
- Solid core tracking
- Affordable and no subscription
Cons
- Susceptible to scratches
- Sleep apnea monitoring drains battery
- Some features still in beta
If you hate having to charge your gadgets, then the RingConn Gen 2 is the right smart ring for you.
It outlasts rivals by some margin, with up to 12 days of battery life. Furthermore, the convenient charging case can top the ring up an impressive 15-20 times.
We found the RingConn Gen 2 comfortable to wear 24/7, although the design is prone to scratches, which is a big shame.
Elsewhere, the core tracking is strong and the smart ring is one of the cheaper options (currently via Kickstarter) and doesn’t come with any subscription fees either.
It doesn’t have the best software experience, with a few gripes and features in beta, but that should get better over time.
Who should buy the RingConn Gen 2?
Anyone who prioritises battery in a smart ring above all else.
RingConn Gen 2: Further considerations
The build isn’t quite as durable as other smart rings we’ve tested.
4. RingConn Gen 2 Air – Best Budget
Pros
- Slim, stylish design
- Very good battery life
- Solid core tracking support
- Affordable with no subscription
Cons
- Data syncing can labour
- Only two colours
- App still needs some polish
The RingConn Gen 2 Air takes pretty much everything good about the RingConn Gen 2 and makes it even more affordable to get this subscription-free ring on your finger.
While it swaps titanium for a stainless steel look, it’s still one of the sleekest smart rings you can buy. It can still last for over a week, though you do miss out on the useful charging case included with the more expensive Gen 2.
Features-wise, it only misses out on RingConn’s new sleep apnea feature but still offers strong sleep, step and daily heart rate tracking with a new AI-powered chatbot that aims to offer more personalised insights that perhaps lacks the polish of similar smarts on rival rings.
If you don’t want to spend big on a smart ring and don’t want a subscription to pay for either, this is simply the best budget smart ring.
Who should buy the RingConn Gen 2 Air?
Budget-conscious buyers who want great features without spending loads.
RingConn Gen 2 Air: Further considerations
You’ll find more expressive colour options on other smart rings.
5. Oura Ring Gen 3 – Best Previous-Gen
Pros
- Simple, attractive design
- Excellent software experience
- Recovery-focussed tracking
Cons
- Liable to scratches
- Almost useless without a paid subscription
- Limited workout tracking
While the Ring 4 now tops this list, Oura’s older Gen 3 model is still on sale and at reduced prices, making it a good value option if you can’t afford the newest edition.
It comes in more shapes and colours than rivals, meaning there’s something for everyone. It also has one of the best software experiences out there (the same as the Ring 4 of course), focusing on recovery rather than blindly pushing you to nominal targets.
However, it’s not perfect, starting with the fact it scratches easily. You will still need the subscription service to get the most out of it, too.
Who should buy the Oura Ring Gen 3?
Anyone who wants the Oura experience but for less.
Oura Ring Gen 3: Further considerations
It picked up more scratches over time than other rings we’ve tested.
Read our full Oura Ring Gen 3 review
6. Amazfit Helio Ring – Best Value
Pros
- Distinctive design
- Good core tracking
- Revamped companion app
- Affordable
Cons
- Only three sizes & one colour
- A tad chunky
- Battery life with all tracking enabled
The Amazfit Helio Ring is Zepp Health’s debut smart ring and like other challengers to the smart ring throne, it comes subscription-free, which helps to make it one of the cheapest smart rings you can buy.
You’re more restricted with the ring sizes compared to other smart rings with only one colour choice on offer. It’s not the slimmest ring available but is still a good-looker that can survive in water up to 100 metres deep.
It’s capable of tracking steps, sleep, stress and heart rate and does a good job of it across the board. Using it alongside a compatible Amazfit smartwatch can fill in the data gaps for areas like exercise where it can struggle, to ensure you can make the most of its headline Readiness metric, which is displayed in Zepp Health’s revamped companion app.
The promised 4-day battery life seems a touch optimistic based on our testing, but if you want a smart ring that’s more affordable than the competition and one of the few ring sizes available is a good fit, it’s a good albeit not groundbreaking entry into the world of smart rings.
Who should buy the Amazfit Helio Ring?
Smart ring enthusiasts on the lookout for a bargain option.
Amazfit Helio Ring: Further considerations
Battery life is bested elsewhere, which means you’ll be charging it more often.
Read our full Amazfit Helio Ring review
7. Ultrahuman Ring Air – Best Comfort
Pros
- Very light and comfortable
- Solid core fitness and sleep tracking
- No subscription required
- Useful notification prompts
Cons
- Prone to scratches
- Not built for workout tracking
One of the most balanced rings on the market, the Ring Air from Ultrahuman is affordable (although not the cheapest) and without subscription fees, and there’s a lot to like about it.
The design is attractive and comfortable, although like many, prone to scratches.
It offers strong core tracking and a nice companion app where the data and insight are presented in a pleasing, helpful and intuitive way. The app does have to lean on some third-party integration to fill some gaps, though.
Battery life lags behind some rivals and we wish it had a charging case rather than a cradle, preventing it from being any higher in this list.
Who should buy the Ultrahuman Ring Air?
Anyone who values comfort above all when buying a fitness tracking device.
Ultrahuman Ring Air: Further considerations
It’s not durable enough to hold up with more involved workouts.
8. Circular Ring 2 – Best Advanced Tracking
Pros
- Comfortable to wear 24/7
- Unrivalled ECG sensor
- Good core tracking and plenty of features
- Subscription-free
Cons
- Data syncing can be slow
- Companion app could be more user-friendly
- Future features need virtual coins
While we appreciated the cheaper price tag and subscription-free model of the Circular Ring Slim, the device just had too many setbacks to make it a solid recommendation for all users. Thankfully, Circular went back to the drawing board and came back with a much better device that excels in almost every way.
Right off the bat, the fact that Circular retains the subscription-free model is a huge win for anyone who wants to keep their expenditure down to a minimum. You don’t feel as if anything is missed either as the Ring 2 features excellent core health and fitness tracking. There are tons of sports workouts to track, and the sleep monitoring provides helpful information that can guide you towards improving your circadian rhythm.
More importantly, the Ring 2 is the first smart ring of its kind to feature an ECG sensor. If you do have heart arrhythmia then an ECG scan can be essential in recognising the problem and steering you towards professional help, so to have it finally available in such a compact device is a big win, doing away with the need to also wear an ECG-toting smartwatch.
Even though smart features take greater precedent here, it’s worth mentioning that the Circular Ring 2 is particularly comfortable to wear over a long period of time. This hasn’t been a given for all smart rings we’ve tested, so to have one that doesn’t draw attention to itself when worn to bed is great. We only wish that the accompanying app was a bit less cluttered, but it’s a minor gripe given how well the hardware performs.
Who should buy the Circular Ring 2?
Fitness enthusiasts who want a comfortable smart ring that boasts an ECG sensor.
Circular Ring 2: Further considerations
The app isn’t quite as user-friendly as what you’ll find with Oura or Samsung.
Other smart rings tested
Because this is still a burgeoning industry, there aren’t too many other smart rings that have turned up at our offices. The only major entry which has since been supplanted on this list by a newer model is the Circular Ring Slim. Although it was a solid starting point in showing how smart rings can be slimmed down to pack even more tech into a smaller build, the ring itself was too lacking in its overall fitness tracking to be an easy recommendation for most people.
With the newer Circular Ring 2 on the market, that option provides a much better buy for anyone who wants to enjoy fairly high-end features without having to also fork out for a subscription. Of course, as more brands try to get in on the action and we see even more successors to the established picks, it’s worth checking back on this page regularly to see if our rankings have changed.
Mike Sawh
Smart ring news that could affect your buying decision
Just when you though Samsung’s infamous battery woes were behind it (remember the Galaxy Note 7?), the company is in the midst of a similar saga after one Samsung Galaxy Ring user (a tech YouTuber no less) had to be hospitalised after the battery on the ring in question expanded to the point where it couldn’t be removed without medical assistance, which in turn meant that he was denied entry to a flight.
Several other users have reported similar problems on Reddit so it’s not a one-off, and while we don’t yet know if this is a widespread problem, it definitely means that anyone looking to pick up a Galaxy Ring should take extra care of the device. This includes avoiding sea water, high temperatures, and making sure that the ring isn’t left on the charging dock for too long.
Samsung is looking into the issue but it seems like the number of cases is small enough to avoid a recall for now.
In other news, Oura has introduced a range of ceramic options to its Ring 4 lineup, and it now offers a charging case that users can buy separately to keep their device topped up. While not a groundbreaking change, it is great to see Oura continuing to expand the amount of choice it offers to consumers, and this is on top of the AI-powered Oura Advisor, which was introduced earlier in the year to provide personalised insights to users.
Can I get a better smart ring deal?
With the industry at large still somewhat in its infancy, deals on smart rings are few and far between, but if there are any offers available, you can rest assured that the deals widgets on this page have already found them for you. The prices shown are scoured in real time, so you’ll always know the moment you click on this page as to which retailers are currently offering the best prices for the latest smart rings. No need to go down a rabbit hole – the work has already been done for you.
Still, over the last year or so we have started to see more smart ring deals pop up during major sales events like Black Friday and Amazon Prime Day. If you don’t mind holding off until the next big event comes around, you could end up saving a decent amount of cash.
The best smart rings remain expensive but if you really need something cheaper then one of our best budget smartwatches might suit if a ring isn’t an absolute must.
Mike Sawh
How we test smart rings
To ensure that you have a comprehensive understanding of each smart ring that we review, we put each of them through the same rigorous testing process as the latest smartwatches, making sure they’re worn for at least a week but often a lot longer, subjected to a range of workouts and compared to data-accurate devices like chest-worn heart rate monitors.
Why you should trust Tech Advisor for smart ring reviews and buying advice
Tech Advisor has been covering the smartwatch beat ever since the first Apple Watch came to town, which has given our team a unique understanding in seeing how wearable fitness technology has developed over time. Now that smart rings are the new vertical in this industry, we have years of knowledge to back up our expertise in this field, which you can then rely on to make the right buying decision each and every time.
Who curated this article?
Chris Martin is the Managing Editor for Tech Advisor and quite particular about the type of fitness wearables he prefers to use. Never swayed by the latest marketing jargon, Chris is always keen to cut through the noise and see whether or not a device is actually worth buying, which is why any smart ring featured here has to pass a high bar for inclusion. He’s supported by Mike Sawh, our freelance wearable expert and marathon runner.
How to choose the best smart ring
Unlike all of the extra features that get brought into the discussion over which smartwatch to buy, the lack of a display or access to apps means that smart rings are best viewed from a different lens. Namely whether you are most interested in fitness tracking or health tracking.
For instance, if you’re someone who needs a solid fitness tracker for all occasions, then you’ll want to make sure that the durability available is top-notch, and not prone to scratches, otherwise anything that involves weight training is going to be a big problem.
Mike Sawh
However, if what you’re more interested in keeping tabs on is the quality of your sleep then you’ll want to make sure that a smart ring can offer up accurate data on this front, and boasts a long-lasting battery so that you don’t have to worry about it dying out in the middle of the night.
In either case, it’s worth double-checking if a smart ring you have your eye on requires an ongoing subscription, as this can lead to a decent expenditure over time, and certainly the last thing you want to be dealing with if you’re trying to live within a strict budget.
Make sure you click through to our full reviews of each smart ring if you need more information.
FAQ
What is the point of a smart ring?
As mentioned in the intro, the idea of a smart ring is to do a lot of what a smartwatch or fitness tracker does but on your finger.
A set of sensors inside means they can typically track your steps, heart rate, sleep and potentially other things like stress and blood oxygen levels.
It provides a small, light and discreet way of gathering data on your daily activities and frees up your wrist to wear a regular watch.
Or, you could wear it in conjunction with a smartwatch. In Samsung’s case, this will provide more accurate tracking and increase the battery life of the Galaxy Ring by up to 30%.
Is a smart ring worth it?
Of course, this depends on how you answer various questions. Primarily, do you want to wear a fitness tracker on your finger that, at least at the moment, costs more than most smartwatches?
Is there one you like the look of, since this is more of a fashion choice than other wearables? And are you ok with it not having a display to provide you with information? You’ll need to use the companion app for everything.
They also last longer than a lot of smartwatches, so often only need recharging once a week.
There are also limitations of what a smart ring can do due to its size, so smartwatches can often track more data and have the ability to automatically track activities and workouts.
What are the disadvantages of smart rings?
As with anything, there are downsides to smart rings, starting with the fact they are generally more expensive than a lot of smartwatches and some even come with subscription fees.
They’re more of a faff to buy as you need to make sure you select the right size – although many offer a free sizing kit. Getting the right fit is crucial for accurate tracking and to make sure you don’t get it stuck or conversely it falls off too easily.
The lack of a display means you can’t really do anything without looking at your phone – though some have a vibration motor option for some feedback or an alarm.
Also, most don’t come with NFC to enable contactless payments, unlike smartwatches.
What finger do you wear a smart ring on?
To an extent, you can wear a smart ring on whatever finger you choose. However, most smart ring makers suggest you avoid your thumb.
You should also wear a smart ring on your non-dominant hand and manufacturers typically agree that the index finger provides the most accurate tracking. It’s also the best for ones like the Galaxy Ring, which includes pinch gestures as a feature.
Wearing it on your index finger will also help to avoid it rubbing against a wedding ring if you wear one.
Author: Chris Martin, Managing Editor, Tech Advisor
Tech Advisor Managing Editor Chris got his break as a reporter at infamous site The Inquirer and has been with us for more than 12 years. With a BA degree in Music Technology, audio is his specialism, but over the years he has reviewed all kinds of gadgets, from smartwatches to mesh Wi-Fi to coffee machines.