10 Best Smartwatch With Texting 2026 in the United States

The Garmin vívoactive 6 is a solid choice if you're looking for a smartwatch that supports texting alongside strong health and fitness features. It has a bright 1.2-inch AMOLED round display, which makes reading messages and notifications clear and easy, even in sunlight. In terms of battery life, it impresses with up to 11 days on a single charge, so you won’t need to charge it often. It connects via Bluetooth, allowing you to receive texts and notifications from your phone. However, it doesn’t support replying via voice or keyboard directly on the watch, which might limit texting convenience for some users.

This watch shines in health and fitness tracking. It offers comprehensive insights like heart rate monitoring, stress tracking, sleep scores, and even personalized coaching based on your activity and rest patterns. It also tracks a wide range of exercises with built-in apps for running, cycling, swimming, yoga, and more. The Body Battery feature helps you understand your energy levels throughout the day, making it easier to balance activity and rest.

Durability-wise, Garmin watches are known to be robust and suitable for active lifestyles, and the vívoactive 6 is no exception. It’s lightweight and designed to handle daily wear and workouts comfortably. One downside is that the operating system is Garmin’s own, which means app options and texting features are more limited compared to some competitors that offer more extensive app stores. If you want a durable, fitness-focused smartwatch with excellent battery life and clear display, plus basic texting notifications, the vívoactive 6 fits well. However, if texting directly from the watch is a top priority, you might find its options a bit basic.

The Samsung Galaxy Watch 8 (44mm) is a strong choice if you're looking for a smartwatch that supports texting and more. It runs on Wear OS powered by Samsung, ensuring good compatibility with many Android phones. The 1.47-inch round touchscreen has a sharp 396x396 resolution, making messages and notifications easy to read at a glance. Texting is smooth thanks to the responsive interface and Bluetooth connectivity, although you should be mindful that it only supports Bluetooth (no cellular version here), so your phone needs to be nearby for full texting functionality.

Battery life is solid for daily use, with a 425mAh battery that can comfortably get you through a full day of activity tracking, notifications, and texting. The watch is notably lightweight and thin, providing all-day comfort without feeling bulky. It also offers advanced health and fitness tracking features like heart rate monitoring, sleep coaching, running coaching, and vascular load tracking. These make it a well-rounded device if you want to keep an eye on your wellness while staying connected.

Samsung generally builds its watches to handle everyday wear. The personal AI assistant and improved user interface add convenience for managing tasks hands-free. Since it relies on Bluetooth, texting without your phone nearby isn’t possible. The watch’s operating system, while powerful, may have a learning curve if you’re not familiar with Wear OS. This smartwatch is stylish and feature-packed, ideal for users who want reliable texting combined with advanced health features and solid daily performance.

The Samsung Galaxy Watch 8 Classic (2025) is a stylish and well-built smartwatch ideal for users seeking a device that supports texting and daily tasks smoothly. Its 1.3-inch round display is bright and clear, making messages easy to read and interact with. The rotating bezel and quick button add convenience for navigating apps without always relying on the touchscreen. Running Wear OS powered by Samsung ensures compatibility with many Android phones, providing access to a wide range of apps and texting options.

The watch supports reliable Bluetooth connectivity for syncing calls and messages, though LTE capability is not mentioned, which may limit texting without your phone nearby. The battery life is sufficient for busy days, though heavy users might need to charge daily. The new lug system allows for easy band swaps, enhancing comfort and style flexibility. It also features advanced health and fitness tracking, including sleep coaching, running guidance, heart and vascular monitoring, and an Energy Score summarizing overall wellness.

A personal AI assistant facilitates hands-free commands, which is helpful for texting and managing notifications. While the watch is very capable, it may feel a bit large for those with smaller wrists. Its 64GB memory offers ample space for apps, although such capacity is uncommon and might be more than necessary for a smartwatch. This smartwatch effectively combines good texting functionality, strong health features, and a premium design, making it well-suited for users who value both style and comprehensive wellness tracking.