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If you have an iPhone and want a smartwatch, the easy answer is usually an Apple Watch. The harder question is which one. Do you go for the affordable Apple Watch SE 3, the all-round excellent Series 11, or splash out on the rugged Ultra 3?
But here’s the thing: an Apple Watch is not your only option, and for some people, it might not even be the best one. If things like battery life or style matter more than Apple’s ecosystem, brands like Garmin, Amazfit, and Huawei are worth casting your eyes on. A Garmin watch, for example, will comfortably outlast an Apple Watch between charges and packs in more serious training tools for runners and athletes, while cheaper options from Amazfit can give you the smartwatch basics for far less money.
That said, Apple still has the edge for most iPhone users. Nothing integrates quite as smoothly. Notifications feel seamless, setup takes minutes, and features like Focus Modes, Apple Pay, and tight app integration make an Apple Watch feel less like an accessory and more like part of the iPhone experience.
We test every smartwatch ourselves, rating them for design, features, performance, battery life, and value before deciding which deserve a place in this guide. Whether you want a budget-friendly option, something built for fitness, or simply the best smartwatch for your iPhone, these are the models we recommend.
Matt is TechRadar's Senior Fitness and Wearables Editor, which means he's an expert on workouts, smartwatches, and all things fitness tech. Matt's spent a decade covering the health and fitness beat as a journalist, and has been TechRadar's in-house wearables guru since 2022.
The best smartwatch for iPhone overall
If you want an Apple Watch that delivers plenty of features without the premium price tag, the Series 11 sits right at the sweet spot for iPhone users. It’s a clear step up over the SE 2, offering a brighter screen, always-on display, and more robust health tracking, yet it remains far more accessible than the Ultra line. In our hands-on review, the Series 11 quickly established itself as the best all-round choice for most people, combining seamless iOS integration with a set of features that feel genuinely useful day-to-day.
The display is a major reason to upgrade. The always-on OLED is both crisp and responsive, and Apple’s measured 2,000-nit peak brightness means the screen stays visible even under direct sunlight. During a busy week of testing, we appreciated how easy it was to manage calls and notifications even in noisy city environments, where the clarity of both visuals and audio really stood out.
Battery life on the Series 11 has improved over the outgoing Series 10, now comfortably lasting a full day with typical use or stretching to around 39 hours in low power mode. That’s a real advantage over the SE 2, which has a simpler display and shorter endurance, though it falls short of the Ultra 2’s multi-day stamina. On the health side, you get comprehensive tracking, including ECG and blood oxygen sensors, which aren’t available on the SE 2. For most users, these upgrades are meaningful, even if the battery can’t match true adventure watches.
For iPhone owners who want a watch that feels like a natural extension of their phone, the Series 11 is the obvious pick. It delivers the integration, display quality, and health tracking that matter most for everyday use. If you need true multi-day battery life or advanced fitness features, rivals like Garmin, Amazfit, or Huawei offer better longevity or specialist training tools, but for all-round utility and polish, the Series 11 is the one to get.
Read our full Apple Watch Series 11 review
The best Garmin smartwatch for iPhone
Apple isn’t the only brand to consider when picking the best smartwatch for iPhone. Garmin has consistently been one of the best fitness tech brands and, depending on your preferences, Garmin’s top smartwatches might better suit you. Our top Garmin pick right now is the Garmin Venu X1.
It’s an impressive fitness-focused smartwatch with a sleek design and an upgraded AMOLED display we thought was stunning during testing. In our review, we particularly loved its maps capability, which (unlike Apple) can be interacted with within the workout app itself – no switching apps on long runs, walks or cycles!
Its slender case and cambered stainless-steel back is light at just 34g, making it comfortable for all-day and all-night wear, whether you're working out or tracking daily activities. Without always-on display enabled, the Venu X1 lasts up to 9 days – realistically, a week with multiple GPS workouts. Features like Pulse OX monitoring, Body Battery and Training Readiness energy tracking, sleep tracking, Garmin Coach training plans and stress monitoring round things out. It's even got an LED torch!
It's not cheap, but for those who want a versatile and well-rounded fitness watch with excellent battery life while retaining that Apple Watch visual language, it’s a great option.
Read our full Garmin Venu X1 review
The best budget smartwatch for iPhone
In 10 years of using Apple Watch, the $99 Amazfit Active 2 is the closest I've ever come to jumping ship.
This inexpensive, understated wearable sports a classic design that users will love as a contrast to the blocky smartwatches that dominate the wearables market today. The AMOLED display is bright and vibrant, and the overall design makes the watch extremely comfortable to wear and very light.
The chip is snappy for everyday use, and in my testing I found the calorie tracking and overall workout metrics to be right on par with my Apple Watch Ultra 2. GPS performance is also strong, as is battery life, which was more than good for the promised 5 days of heavy use in my testing.
There are a bunch of impressive, well-designed faces and an onboard AI-powered assistant that can actually do things, unlike Siri on the Apple Watch.
For the price this is a formidable smartwatch with a great range of features, and well worthy of our five-star rating.
Read our full Amazfit Active 2 review
The best premium smartwatch for iPhone
The Apple Watch Ultra 3 is clearly built for people who want something tougher than a standard Apple Watch, but you don't need to be halfway up a mountain to justify it. It also works well as a high-end everyday watch if you prefer something more capable on the wrist. As you would expect, it pairs seamlessly with iPhone and feels very refined in daily use.
Health and fitness tracking is a real strength here. It covers the basics, but also goes a step further than standard models. Our tester found heart rate tracking to be exceptionally accurate, and the hypertension notifications add a more proactive layer that can flag potential hypertension risk, though you should still follow this up with a doctor if alerted.
Battery life is rated at up to 42 hours depending on use. In practice, our tester found it could last a full day, and with lighter use stretch close to a day and a half. It still doesn't match the endurance of Garmin watches, but within Apple’s own range it is a clear step forward.
Compared with the Series 11, the Ultra 3 is noticeably easier to read outdoors, especially when you are on the move. Our tester found this made a real difference during runs and any time spent outside, where you don't need to screw your face up to read the screen.
If you just want the basics, the SE 3 will do the job without fuss. But if you want a watch that feels more capable in almost every sense, the Ultra 3 is the one to go for.
Read our full Apple Watch Ultra 3 review
The best cheap Apple Watch for iPhone
The Apple Watch SE 3 is the Apple Watch we’d point most Apple fans towards if you want the essentials without paying Series 11 or Ultra money. It skips some of the fancier health tools and newer design touches, but when you are saving $100+, it doesn't feel like the biggest compromise.
One of the biggest upgrades this time around is the Always-On display. It sounds small, but once you’ve had it, going back feels oddly annoying. Our reviewer found it made everyday moments much easier, whether that was quickly checking the time in a meeting or glancing at notifications without doing the slightly awkward wrist flick Apple Watch users know all too well.
Performance is another big win. The SE 3 runs on the same S10 chip as the pricier Series 11 and Ultra 3, and our reviewer found it just as smooth in daily use. Apps open quickly, watchOS 26 feels snappy, and gestures like Double Tap and Wrist Flick work just as well here as they do on Apple’s more expensive watches.
There are a few compromises for the lower price, but none feel dealbreaking for the right person. You miss out on some of Apple’s more advanced health features, including ECG and Blood Oxygen monitoring, and the thicker bezels mean it looks a little less modern than the Series 11 or Ultra 3. Battery life is solid rather than show-stopping, but our reviewer still comfortably got through a full day, even with sleep tracking enabled, and fast charging helps take some of the sting out of daily top-ups.
Still, if what you really want is an Apple Watch that works brilliantly with your iPhone, tracks workouts reliably, handles notifications without fuss, and does not cost a small fortune, the SE 3 is very easy to recommend.
Read our full Apple Watch SE 3 review
The best Huawei smartwatch for iPhone
Huawei makes some of the best high-quality smartwatches out there for people outside of the US, and up there competing with the best that Apple and Samsung have to offer. Unfortunately, Huawei products are still not accessible in the US, which limits their appeal to the UK and Chinese markets.
The Watch GT5 is the first Huawei watch to feature TruSense, which is designed to provide the highest possible level of health and fitness tracking. The emphasis is on runners and cyclists, although there's plenty on offer for a much wider range of exercise types. The watch interface is clear and large enough to display all the required data while working out.
Choose between 46mm and 41mm models with very little difference in features. Both provide a geometric-style watch face that looks great on the wrist. The watch can be partnered with the Huawei Health app on Android and iOS, crossing platforms.
Read our full Huawei Watch GT 5 review
How to choose the best smartwatch for iPhone
Choosing the best smartwatch for your iPhone requires you to think about compatibility, features, and your priorities. The first thing to consider is compatibility. The Apple Watch is the best smartwatch for most people with an iPhone. It’s designed to work seamlessly with iOS and it offers great integration with Apple’s ecosystem. Features like notifications, messaging, Apple Pay, and health data syncing all work incredibly well. If you want the most out of your smartwatch, for most people an Apple Watch is the top choice.
Consider the features you need the most. The Apple Watch offers a range of fitness and health tracking, including heart rate monitoring, ECG, sleep tracking, and blood oxygen levels. Newer models now offer even more advanced features, like body temperature tracking. But if health and fitness aren’t your priority, many of the watches in the guide above offer support for notifications, app interactions, and even cellular connectivity for use without your phone.
The Apple Watch is considered the gold standard for iPhone users, but other options, like Fitbit or Garmin smartwatches, also work very well with iOS. You may find that they don’t offer the same level of integration but do bring you excellent health tracking features and longer battery life. So if you're primarily looking for a fitness tracker with basic notification functionality, these can be great alternatives.
A downside of the Apple Watch, at least compared to some other brands, is its battery life. It typically lasts a day or two. This means that if you prioritize longer-lasting battery life over advanced features, you may want to consider alternatives from other brands, like Garmin, which can last longer on a single charge, depending on the model.
Since you’re going to be wearing it most of the time, the design of the smartwatch for iPhone you choose will be a crucial factor. Apple Watches come in a range of sizes and you can customize them with interchangeable bands, which makes it easy to find a style that suits you. Other smartwatch brands also offer nice-looking and comfortable designs, but depending on your preferences, Apple has the edge in terms of aesthetics and comfort.
For the best overall experience, especially if you have a lot of other Apple products, an Apple Watch is the clear winner. However, if you’re looking for specific features, like extended battery life or more focused fitness tracking, other brands can still offer a solid experience for your iPhone.
What's the best smartwatch for iPhone users?
Most smartwatches will track your basic health metrics such as steps and calories, while devices with built-in GPS make for perfect running, cycling and swimming companions. Many of the watches here also sync up so you'll receive notifications via your watch, saving you the need to dig out your phone as often.
We’ve fully worn, tested and evaluated all the watches in this list and ranked them based on software and which we think is best for most people. Bear in mind the watch at number one might not be best for you though depending on your needs, tastes and budget.
How we test the best smartwatches for iPhone
Our smartwatch process typically involves using the device as if it were our own personal wearable. That's the best way for us to fully test it and see how it fares in the real world. We do a comprehensive sweep of its features, functionalities, performance, battery life, and ease of use, doing so over multiple days.
Of course, since we also want to know how it performs and which features are available when it's paired with an iPhone, we make sure to squeeze that into our testing as well. Once we've collected all the data and information we need, we take all of it and compare it to the smartwatch's price, finding out if it's a great value for our readers before making a recommendation.
