The 6 best Apple Watch alternatives in 2024
While there's a lot to like about the popular Apple Watch Series 9, there are plenty of reasons to opt for a different smartwatch. Maybe you're an Android phone owner -- the Apple Watch is largely incompatible with Android. You might want a smartwatch designed for a specific sport, like running. Or maybe a $300 smartwatch isn't in your budget.
Regardless of the reason you're searching for an Apple Watch alternative, there are plenty of top-rated options out there. We've done the research to bring you six alternatives to the Apple Watch 9 that will serve you well, no matter your needs, wrist size or budget.
Our top Apple Watch Series 9 alternative picks
Our in-house team of tech experts has curated this roundup of the best smartwatches available right now that are good alternatives to the Apple Watch Series 9. Some of these smartwatch options are less expensive, have more specialized functionality, or cater to Android phone users (instead of iPhone users).
- Best Apple Watch alternative overall: Apple Watch SE (2nd Gen)
- Best budget Apple Watch alternative: Amazfit Bip 5 Unity
- Best Apple Watch alternative for outdoor adventurers: Apple Watch Ultra 2
- Best Apple Watch alternative for fitness-minded users: Garmin Venue 3
- Best Apple Watch alternative for Android users: Samsung Galaxy Watch 7
- Best budget Apple Watch alternative for Android users: Google Pixel Watch 2
Pro Tip: You can always save money by purchasing a smartwatch without cellular capabilities, but these devices must remain near your smartphone to utilize all features. Instead, we recommend investing in a smartwatch with cellular (LTE) capabilities, so the watch can work autonomously for calling, texting, streaming music, accessing the internet and more.
Best Apple Watch alternative overall: Apple Watch SE (2nd Gen, Wi-Fi + Cellular)
Perfect for an iPhone user who's new to a smartwatch, the Apple Watch SE (2nd Gen) is the perfect "starter" watch -- and it's inexpensive, too. This is a scaled-down version of the Apple Watch Series 9. However, it still offers all of the most popular features people love about Apple's smartwatch lineup.
We highly recommend the GPS + cellular version of this watch for kids (instead of giving them a smartphone) or to help monitor an elderly adult. Without the wearer needing their own iPhone, a parent or caregiver can track the watch's location, plus communicate with the wearer via phone calls or text messages.
The Apple Watch SE GPS/cellular version also works autonomously when taking advantage of its safety features, including fall detection, Emergency SOS and crash detection.
This version of the Apple Watch runs the same version of the WatchOS operating system and comes with the same collection of preinstalled apps as all other current Apple Watch models. And there's a vast selection of apps, watch faces and watch bands available. The phone must initially be paired and then managed using an Apple iPhone.
Best budget Apple Watch alternative: Amazfit Bip 5 Utility
While the Amazfit Bip 5 Utility might look a lot like an Apple Watch, its $70 price tag should be a good indicator that this smartwatch does not offer all of the functionality you'd get from a genuine Apple Watch. However, for the price, it does have some impressive built-in features.
The Bip 5 Utility has a 1.9-inch display and up to an 11-day battery life. It also provides more than 120 sports modes, customizable watch faces, heart rate monitoring, stress monitoring, an Oximeter and sleep tracking.
Beyond the apps that come preinstalled, the Bip 5's Zepp OS 3.0 operating system provides access to mini apps and games, all of which can be downloaded to the watch from the Zepp app running on your smartphone.
Since this watch works with both iPhones and Android phones, it's able to share data wirelessly with third-party health and fitness apps, like Strava, Adidas Running, Apple Health, Google Fit, Relive and Komoot.
While you do not get cellular connectivity, when the watch is paired with your smartphone, it's able to perform a wide range of functions outside of what basic fitness trackers and health monitors can do. If you're on a tight budget and looking for an entry-level smartwatch, the Bip 5 Utility is a viable option for many people.
Best Apple Watch alternative for outdoor adventurers: Apple Watch Ultra 2
Apple Watch Ultra 2 is currently Apple's most powerful and rugged smartwatch. It's designed primarily for outdoor adventurers. Among other things, it features a longer battery life and more safety features than the Apple Watch Series 9. However, just about any iPhone user can take advantage of its more advanced features.
Apple Watch Ultra 2 offers a brighter, always-on display. Its casing is made from durable titanium, and the special watch bands available for it are equally hardy. In addition to more precise GPS navigation, the watch has a built-in emergency siren, plus a slew of other health, fitness and safety features.
The watch includes advanced metrics and views in the Workout app, including heart rate displays, custom workouts and cycling workout views. Meanwhile, precision dual-frequency GPS provides incredible accuracy for calculating distance, pace and route maps. The Compass app delivers helpful views and details like elevation, incline, longitude and latitude.
Mark your location with Compass Waypoints and then backtrack using GPS to retrace your steps. Apple Watch Ultra 2 is also made for recreational water sports, scuba, and free diving for descents to 40 meters.
For scuba divers, the Depth app shows the time, current depth, water temperature, duration under water and maximum depth you've reached, while the Oceanic+ app puts a dive computer on your wrist. And that's just a sampling of what the Apple Watch Ultra 2 is capable of.
Best Apple Watch alternative for fitness-minded users: Garmin Venue 3
Garmin's Venue 3 is a smartwatch that comes with a stainless steel bezel and a matching silicone band. It's a good alternative to an Apple Watch whether you're an iPhone or Android smartphone user. You can choose between two casing sizes -- 41mm or 45mm -- available in a variety of colors.
One standout feature of the Venue 3 is that the battery can last up to 14 days before needing a recharge. Integrated into this smartwatch are more than 30 activity-specific fitness apps, along with a sleep tracker.
The watch features a bright, 1.4-inch circular AMOLED touchscreen display. You also get a built-in speaker and microphone, plus the ability to pair the watch with Bluetooth headphones or earbuds. These features are great for participating in hands-free calls or streaming music.
Of course, the watch also offers the usual assortment of sensors that can track heart rate, skin temperature, HRV status, blood oxygen levels and more. This makes it a useful health and fitness tool, along with a general-use smartwatch. In addition to the built-in apps, you can add functionality to the watch using optional apps available from the Garmin Connect IQ store,
Best Apple Watch alternative for Android users: Samsung Galaxy Watch 7
This latest iteration of the Samsung Galaxy Watch takes advantage of Galaxy AI and a more powerful processor to provide new and personalized ways to use and interact with the watch while it's strapped around your wrist.
Normally, this smartwatch has a starting price of $350, but Samsung has it on sale for an introductory price of just $300. Plus, you can get up to $250 instant trade-in credit with an eligible smartwatch or device.
Choose between three band styles and multiple casing and band colors. Compared to the Galaxy Watch 6 Classic, this latest version is lighter, has a more powerful processor, a slightly larger display, enhanced sensors, the addition of a body temperature sensor, plus the new AI functionality.
If you like the idea of the Samsung Galaxy Watch 7 but want a smartwatch that's a bit less expensive, there's the scaled-down Samsung Galaxy Watch FE ($200). Its feature set is not as robust, but it's still a useful health and fitness tool and a well-rounded, but entry-level smartwatch. Either Samsung Galaxy Watch is the perfect companion to any Samsung Galaxy smartphone, but these watches work just fine with any Android smartphone, too.
Best budget Apple Watch alternative for Android users: Google Pixel Watch 2 LTE
If you're an Android user, you probably know that the Android operating system was designed by Google and that many of the features built into the Android OS play well with Google apps and services. The same is true with Google's WearOS smartwatch operating system.
So, it makes sense that if you want a smartwatch designed by that same company, the Google Pixel Watch 2 is the way to go. A lower cost, GPS-only version of this watch is available, but we recommend the LTE version, so the watch can communicate with the internet on its own, plus provide calling and texting capabilities.
Since Google now owns Fitbit, all of the health and fitness tools that come with Fitbit trackers are incorporated into the Google Pixel Watch 2. It too is a powerful and versatile communications, productivity, entertainment, health/fitness and safety tool that takes the form of a wristwatch. (It also does a nice job telling time, by the way.)
The watch comes in eight colors, each with a matching band. You also get up to a 24-hour battery life and a bright, always-on display. The Google Pixel Watch 2 works seamlessly with any Google Pixel or Android smartphone. You can increase its capabilities by installing optional apps available from the Google Play Store.
