10 Best Budget Smartwatches 2026 in the United States

The Garmin vívoactive 6 is a solid choice for anyone looking for a budget-friendly smartwatch with strong fitness and health tracking features. Its bright 1.2-inch AMOLED round display delivers clear and vibrant visuals, which is a bit unusual at this price point and great for easy readability outdoors. It offers an impressive battery life of up to 11 days in smartwatch mode, so you won’t need to charge it constantly, which is convenient for everyday use.

This watch focuses heavily on health insights, providing detailed data like body energy levels, stress, sleep quality with coaching tips, and even nap tracking. It supports over 80 sports and fitness activities including swimming and golf, making it versatile for different workout preferences. The built-in GPS helps track outdoor activities accurately, and features like animated workouts and personalized training plans add real value if you want guided exercise.

In terms of compatibility, it connects via Bluetooth and works well with Garmin’s app for syncing and customizing your experience. Notifications from your phone are supported, so you can see calls, texts, and alerts on the watch without pulling out your phone. This smartwatch is especially good for fitness enthusiasts who appreciate detailed health insights and a variety of sports modes, though if you need extensive app support or robust water resistance, you might want to explore alternatives.

The Garmin Forerunner 265 is a strong contender in the budget-smartwatch category, especially for users focused on fitness and running. Its vibrant 1.3-inch AMOLED display is bright and clear, offering both touchscreen and physical button controls, which makes navigation easy and responsive. Battery life is impressive, lasting up to 13 days in regular smartwatch mode and around 20 hours when using GPS, which is great if you don’t want to charge daily.

The watch excels in fitness tracking with detailed training metrics, recovery insights, and a variety of built-in activity profiles, including running, cycling, and swimming. It also offers advanced features like personalized workout suggestions and a training readiness score, helping users train smarter rather than just harder. Compatibility with both Android and Apple smartphones allows you to receive smart notifications like calls and texts directly on your wrist, and it supports Garmin Pay for contactless payments, which is convenient for everyday use. Safety features include incident detection and location sharing when paired with your phone. The watch includes reliable multi-band GPS for accurate positioning, even in tricky environments.

Some advanced tracking features might be more detailed than what casual users require, and the watch needs a smartphone nearby for certain functions such as emergency assistance and notifications. It provides water resistance suitable for swimming, making it appropriate for moderate water exposure rather than deep diving. This watch delivers substantial value for those seeking a budget-friendly yet feature-rich smartwatch focused on fitness and running without overwhelming complexity.

The Fitbit Versa 4 Fitness Smartwatch is a feature-packed option for those seeking a comprehensive fitness companion on a budget. Its 1.58-inch display is crisp and clear, offering an excellent size for viewing fitness stats and notifications. The battery life is impressive, lasting over six days, so you won't need to charge it frequently. Fitness tracking is robust with 40+ exercise modes, built-in GPS, 24/7 heart rate monitoring, and automatic exercise tracking, making it ideal for anyone serious about tracking their physical activities.

Additionally, it includes tools for measuring sleep quality and managing stress, which are great for overall wellness. The smartwatch is water-resistant up to 50 meters, allowing you to swim or shower without worry. It is compatible with both Apple and Android devices, ensuring broad usability. On the downside, the Fitbit Versa 4's build quality is solid but feels less premium than higher-end models. Notifications work well, but the experience can be slightly limited compared to more expensive smartwatches due to the Fitbit OS.

While the smartwatch offers excellent value with features such as on-wrist calls, texts, and payment options, some users may find the additional 6-month premium membership trial to be less useful once it ends, as it requires a subscription for continued use. The Fitbit Versa 4 offers a lot for its price and is particularly well-suited for fitness enthusiasts looking for an affordable yet capable smartwatch.