10 Best Budget Smartwatches 2025 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 Garmin vívoactive 5 is a strong contender in the budget smartwatch category, offering a vivid 1.2-inch AMOLED display that delivers bright and clear visuals, which is a nice upgrade compared to many budget watches with less vibrant screens. Its battery life is impressive, lasting up to 11 days in smartwatch mode, so you won’t need to charge it frequently. Fitness tracking is comprehensive, with over 30 built-in sports apps, sleep and stress monitoring, heart rate tracking, and even features for wheelchair users, making it a versatile companion for various fitness levels. It also offers valuable personalized health insights, such as Body Battery energy monitoring and sleep coaching, helping you better understand your overall wellness.

The watch supports both Android and iOS devices, ensuring broad compatibility, and allows offline music playback from popular streaming services, which is a nice bonus for workouts without your phone. Notifications are handled well, keeping you connected with calls, texts, and app alerts on your wrist. The weight is light at 1.3 ounces, though the round 1.2-inch screen might feel small for users wanting larger displays.

With excellent health and fitness features, solid battery life, and a sharp display, the vívoactive 5 is a smart choice for anyone looking for a budget-friendly, well-rounded smartwatch.