Apple Watch SE 3 (expected in September 2025)
In the past few years we've seen an influx of budget-friendly smartwatches. Some of these should be avoided, but cheap doesn't have to mean low-quality. Some of these smartwatches deliver premium features and top-level performance in a more affordable package. This guide will help you sort the wheat from the chaff.
All of the smartwatches that have made it into our list have been personally tested by us during runs, rides, gym sessions and other fitness-based activities. We've tested all the best Apple Watches, best Android smartwatches, best Garmins, and best Fitbits, so you know you're getting expert and in-depth advice.
Before you begin exploring, the easiest way to narrow down your search is to decide if you need an Apple or Android smartwatch. This will, of course, be determined by your smartphone of choice. We've picked out the Apple Watch SE 2 as the best option for Apple users, whereas the CMF Watch Pro wins the award for Android fans.
If you'd like to explore more premium options, then we have a dedicated guide to all the best smartwatches. You'll also want to keep an eye on our Apple Watch Series 11 hub for all the latest watch announcements, including the Apple Watch SE 3, which is expected to land this September.
Now, without further ado, here are our top picks for the best cheap smartwatch in 2025.
The quick list
The best cheap smartwatch overall
New for 2025, the Amazfit Active 2 costs just $99 and delivers the most complete budget smartwatch experience we've ever tested, scoring five stars in our review thanks to its classic design, great battery life, and very few flaws.
The best cheap smartwatch designed by Apple
The Apple Watch SE 2 isn't the cheapest option in this guide but it is the best for iPhone users. The screen is fantastic, watchOS is amazing, and it's the most feature-rich experience going.
The best cheap smartwatch for general fitness
The Fitbit Versa 3 is super cheap now the Versa 4 is here, but the older model is much better for a variety of reasons.
The best cheap smartwatch for Android
This works with both iPhone and Android, but is our top pick in 2025 thanks to its brilliant feature set, excellent design, and large display. We also think its a better pick overall than the newer CMF Watch Pro 2 thanks to its battery life and design.
The best cheap smartwatch from Garmin
The best cheap Garmin for running is the 165, with 13 days of battery life, an AMOLED touchscreen, and loads of great training features.
The best cheap smartwatch for runners
A feature-rich smartwatch with everything a runner could need. By tracking stride length, cadence, heart rate zones, and elevation, the Coros Pace 3 delivers the metrics to boost performance.
The best cheap smartwatches you can buy in 2025
Why you can trust TechRadar We spend hours testing every product or service we review, so you can be sure you're buying the best. Find out more about how we test.
The best cheap smartwatch
At just $99 the Amazfit Active 2 is a standout in the cheap smartwatch market, garnering a coveted five-star review in our estimation.
It comes with an impressive array of smartwatch and health tracking features, including some unique strength training and AI-powered running coaching.
It also has a virtual AI assistant, astonishing 10-day battery life, a vibrant screen, and a classic stainless steel design.
We found it extremely comfortable to wear thanks to its light weight, and the companion app is suitably functional as well.
Given its price tag and the fact that it works with both iOS and Android, this is truly the ultimate cheap smartwatch right now, and would give the Apple Watch SE a run for its money despite costing less than half the price.
Read our full Amazfit Active 2 review
The best cheap Apple Watch
We absolutely loved the Apple Watch SE 2 in our review, and it clocked an impressive 4.5 stars. It delivers the complete Apple Watch experience at a very impressive price point. Naturally, because it's cheaper, it lacks a couple of premium features like Apple's Always-On display and ECG.
In the plus column, we found its interface to be extremely snappy and slick. Apple offers unparalleled software and hardware optimization to deliver a user experience you won't find anywhere else on the market. Animations and loading is slick, as is the excellent synchronization with iPhone.
We also liked the extremely light design and very comfortable fit. For the price you get a well-rounded set of health tracking features like heart rate monitoring and sleep tracking, as well as safety features like car crash detection. Apple promises the same all-day battery life as it does in all its models, and we found it more than matched those claims. Our testing saw a 50% battery drop in 24 hours, although naturally your mileage will vary.
Read our full Apple Watch SE2 review
The best cheap Fitbit
The Fitbit Versa 3 has reached the affordable price range and brings with it some of the best health and sports tracking from one of the brands that started it all. There is a Versa 4, but this model is both cheaper and scored much more highly in our review.
Our reviewer loved its beautiful display, built-in GPS, and lightweight and comfortable design. While it's more fitness tracker than smartwatch, we found the 40mm AMOLED display to be bright, crisp, and clear. Fitness tracking includes blood oxygen monitoring and good workout support, as well as the option to upgrade this through the Fitbit Premium service.
By contrast, the Versa 4 comes with HR accuracy issues and a poor integrated speaker. It scored a paltry three stars in our review compared to the Versa 3's four-star rating.
Read our full Fitbit Versa 3 review
The best cheap smartwatch for Android
After putting the CMF Watch Pro 2 through its paces, we're convinced that the original Watch Pro is still a better option.
In our Watch Pro 2 review, we branded the device more as a spin-off than a sequel, owing to the fact that upgrades are very limited and the drastic design change isn't necessarily an improvement.
The CMF Watch Pro comes with a mind-boggling array of features considering its price. It's not perfect, but it's a great cheap Android option that costs less than our top overall pick, the Active 2. It offers exercise and sleep tracking, blood oxygen, a nifty display, and a staggering 13 days of battery life, enough to rival most Garmins.
It's got a larger display than the newer model, and more battery life as a result. The squircle design of the original also lends itself much more readily to a smartwatch operating system in a way the circular design can't quite match.
As such, even in 2025 our pick is the original Watch Pro over the Watch Pro 2.
Read our full CMF Watch Pro review
The best cheap Garmin watch
The Garming Forerunner 165 is definitely the best affordable Garmin in 2025. The older 55 might be cheaper, but it's getting on for four years old and lacks the touchscreen most users would expect from a smartwatch.
We loved the 165's array of premium training features, as well as its AMOLED touchscreen and 11-day battery life (19 hours in GPS mode). The chassis is similar to the 265 and the overall package is light and attractive. Other features include a Morning Report, Garmin Coach, and running power metrics, but no Training Readiness score.
You won't get some of the more premium Garmin running features, but that's reflected in the cheaper price. It's a lot better than the Forerunner 55, but decidedly more expensive as a result. However, it's still plenty affordable enough to land in our best cheap smartwatch guide.
Read our full Garmin Forerunner 165 review
The best cheap smartwatch for runners
In our review we loved the Coros Pace 3's outstanding value as a cheap running watch for road and light trail running.
It boasts astonishing battery life, and our reviewer found that casual use over 10 days with GPS turned on still left some 40% in the tank, which more than stacks up to claims this will do 24 days in smartwatch mode on a single charge.
The design is solid and we found it extremely comfortable and light to wear. It is slightly cheaper in feel, but this comes with the territory of buying any cheap smartwatch. We also found the touchscreen a little slow and the smart features more stripped back, but it still scored very highly thanks to its excellent running metrics, battery life, and price.
Read our full Coros Pace 3 review
How to choose the best cheap smartwatch for you
Besides the price, it's important to check its compatibility with your phone, as some smartwatches aren't compatible with an iPhone, for example.
There's also the battery life and features. If you're a runner, it's important to get the best cheap smartwatch for running, as it'll have running-specific features that others might not have. If you need to track your sleep, a longer battery life is certainly important, as you don't want to be charging twice a day.
Don't expect the latest Apple or Samsung flagships to be on the list, as those tend to sit at a much higher price point. However, as we mentioned earlier, 'cheap' can be relative. A cheap regular smartwatch is going to be considerably more affordable than a budget smartwatch for divers. Keep that in mind when looking at your options.
How we test the best cheap smartwatches
Every smartwatch in this guide has been extensively tested and hand-picked by our experts. We spend hours using them to test battery life, performance, design, and features. We score all of our watches in these categories to give them a total score, data we use to then curate our overall guide.
We use these smartwatches in daily life, as well as for dedicated activities like sleep and exercise. We also rigorously test their setup and connectivity features, looking for quirks that might make them stand out or harder to live with.
