11 Best Smartwatches (2026): Apple, Wear OS, Hybrid & Kids’ Watches

The Best Smartwatches Featured in this article A great timepiece doesn’t just display the time of day. It can also elevate your outfit and make you feel good. The best smartwatches can do even more, from tracking your workouts and heart rate to serving notifications and accessing voice assistants. While wearing a connected watch , you can leave your phone in your pocket and use your wrist for simple tasks. The Apple Watch Series 11 is my favorite for iPhone owners, but Google’s Pixel Watch 4 is the best smartwatch for Android users. I also like several other options-in various styles and with different levels of smarts. Below is a roundup of the best smartwatches I’ve tested. Looking for a fitness tracker or smart ring instead? There's plenty more in our Best Apple Watch Accessories , Best Fitness Trackers , Best Smart Rings , and Best Cheap Watches guides. Updated January 2026: We've expanded our thoughts on the Tag Heuer Connected Calibre E5 after prolonged testing. Fitness Trackers vs. Smartwatches vs. Smart Rings Smartwatches typically replicate many of the functions found in your smartphone via apps-you can control smart home functions, start conversations via WhatsApp, respond to Slack messages, and call up smart assistants like Siri or Gemini to ask almost anything. This is in conjunction with the standard health and fitness tracking features, plus a more familiar touchscreen interface. However, the downside is the battery life typically lasts a day or two, if not a little more. Fitness trackers , on the other hand, aren't as feature-rich. You typically won't be able to access many other apps. There's the basic ability to read emails and texts, control music playback, or even access tap-to-pay features, but you're generally more restricted. They deliver the same if not better health- and fitness-tracking capabilities (depending on the model) than smartwatches. Battery life is where fitness trackers win out, typically lasting days if not a week. If battery life and fitness and health are top of mind, get a fitness tracker. (Read our Best Fitness Trackers guide for options.) But if you want rich notifications, the ability to respond to them, and the option to access apps without having to pull out your phone, a smartwatch is the better pick. Smart rings are the least functional of the lot but they trade versatility for battery life. Devices like the Oura Ring and Ultrahuman Ring Air can last close to a week while still tracking your heart rate and sleep, though few are successful at automatic workout tracking. You might not wear a fitness tracker and a smartwatch, but you totally can and might want to wear a smartwatch and a smart ring. The two complement each other well, and some devices, like Samsung's Galaxy Ring and Galaxy Watch8, can work with each other to extend battery life, passing off duties from ring to watch and vice versa. Read our Best Smart Rings guide for recommendations. Swap Your Straps You don't need to stick with...

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