The best smartwatches for Android range greatly in terms of style, price and functionality. In other words, there’s something for everyone.
We tested the most popular models from Garmin, Google, Samsung, OnePlus and more assessing core features, wearability, build quality, battery, connectivity, compatibility and value to determine which are truly the best smartwatches for Android smartphone users.
After trying dozens of models while sleeping, working, exercising and running daily errands, we've settled on the Google Pixel Watch 3 and Samsung Galaxy Watch 7 as our favorite full-featured Android smartwatches and the Garmin Venu 3 as the best for fitness tracking.
The quick list
The Samsung Galaxy Watch 7 is the best Android smartwatch we've tested. It has first-rate communication, fitness, health and safety features, wears comfortably and looks sharp, making it our top pick for most people.
The 45mm Google Pixel Watch 3 is the Android battery life king, matching only the premium and pricier Galaxy Watch Ultra in longevity. It's also a darn well-rounded device with loads of wellness tech and smart features.
The Garmin Venu 3 is a versatile Garmin watch with a bright AMOLED display, accurate GPS and tons of helpful fitness insights. It also boasts multiple days of battery life and Garmin Coach for custom workout training plans, too.
If you’re looking for a perfect companion to your OnePlus smartphone, the OnePlus Watch 2 is your best pick. It has a sharp design, impressive battery life and reliable fitness tracking. However, there's no LTE option.
The Garmin Forerunner 265 is the best overall Garmin for most people, especially runners. It boasts a bright AMOLED screen, accurate GPS and advanced training metrics. It also comes in two sizes and offers onboard storage for music.
The Samsung Galaxy Watch Ultra is a sporty and rugged GPS watch with up to 48 hours of battery life and more health and fitness tracking tech than most of the other options here, except for the Galaxy Watch 7. Hower, it's also among the chunkiest Android wearables around.
The Garmin Instinct 2 is an adventure-ready sports watch that comes in three different sizes and with optional solar charging. Whichever model you choose, battery life is exceptional. It's also one of the only Android smartwatches with 100 meters of water resistance.
My name is Kate and I oversee our guides to the best smartwatches, best Android smartwatches, best Apple Watches, best Samsung watches and more. This means I usually walk around like a cyborg with multiple devices on my wrists. I've been testing wearable tech for Tom's Guide for more than 5 years, documenting my experience on the site, on our YouTube channel and on my Instagram.
The best Android smartwatches you can buy today
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The best Android smartwatch overall
The Samsung Galaxy Watch 7 is the best smartwatch for Android users thanks to its focus on AI-backed health and fitness insights. Lightweight and comfortable, you can choose from two sizes, each with up to 40 hours of battery life when using the power-saving mode and 24 hours with the always-on screen.
While the Galaxy Watch 7 looks nearly identical to its predecessor, the Galaxy Watch 6, an updated processor, GPS antenna and new BioActive health sensor make it a much more capable device. You also get double the storage capacity.
The most impressive feature, though, is the Galaxy Watch 7's advanced sleep analysis which is available after your first night wearing it. You also get Samsung's new, daily Energy Score to help plan your day, along with accurate fitness tracking and monitoring for health anomalies including sleep apnea and irregular heartbeats.
Read our full Samsung Galaxy Watch 7 review.
The best Android smartwatch for battery life
For the first time ever, the Google Pixel Watch comes in two sizes, 41mm and 45mm. However, it's the larger model that's a battery life beast, easily lasting for up to 48 hours in our testing, putting it up there with the pricier and higher-end Galaxy Watch Ultra.
The Pixel Watch 3 also features a thinner bezel than its predecessor and twice the maximum screen brightness, 2,000 nits vs. 1,000 nits, making it a match with the Galaxy Watch 7. Google's flagship smartwatch is a little heavier and thicker than its Samsung counterpart but I still found it comfortable to wear day and night, regardless of whether you rock the 41mm or 45mm.
Like the latest Galaxy Watches, the new Pixel Watch 3 offers loads of tools centered around exercise and wellness. Google also unveiled a first-of-its-kind loss of pulse detection feature that works similarly to fall/crash detection, alerting help when triggered. However, it won't be available at launch in the U.S. but will be for folks in the UK and Europe.
The Pixel Watch 3 additionally inherits many of Fitbit's best training metrics, including a daily Readiness score, Cardio Load metric and Target Load score. There are also new metrics for hardcore runners to help improve form and a handy new Build a Run tool.
Read our full Google Pixel Watch 3 review.
The best Android smartwatch for fitness
The Garmin Venu 3 is one of the best Garmin watches that’s both a capable workout companion and stylish lifestyle device. The $449 Garmin Venu 3 maintains Garmin’s reputation for thorough fitness tracking and accurate GPS, while having the smarts of mirrored notifications and an on-wrist voice assistant.
Though Garmin still lacks a large third-party app store and continues to steer clear of LTE support, nap-tracking and a new sleep coach work on tracking your rest while daily summaries offer behavioral insights. An abundance of sport profiles, added Recovery Time suggestions, and on-watch interval creation keep you tuned into your activity, too. What's more with a 14-hour battery life, you rarely need to stress about keeping the Garmin Venu 3 charged.
Read our full Garmin Venu 3 review.
The best Android smartwatch for OnePlus
The OnePlus Watch 2 is the ultimate accessory for those with OnePlus smartphones, although it is compatible with any Android smartphone. The combination of elegant design and durability rivals pricier alternatives. OnePlus has also integrated its RTOS (real-time operating system) with Wear OS 4, the software powering popular flagships you'll find on this list of the best Android smartwatches.
Loaded with a thorough suite of accurate health sensors, the OnePlus Watch 2 makes a strong pitch as a fitness tracker, too. In addition to sleep- and stress-tracking, the watch supports activity tracking for dozens of sports types. Plus there are perks for select sports modes such as running. The dual-frequency GPS makes sure your movement is monitored precisely all the while. The only things to note is that it lacks some modern smartwatch features like LTE support and fall detection, so keep that in mind while shopping.
Read our full OnePlus Watch 2 review.
The best Android smartwatch for running
The Garmin Forerunner 265 is the best smartwatch for runners. Lightweight and comfortable, the 265 offers everything you’d want in a running watch, including a wealth of accurate tracking metrics, music controls, customizable workouts and more. You also get access to Garmin’s wide range of training insights, which can help you plan workouts and periods of recovery.
During testing, we found the Garmin Forerunner 265's beautiful AMOLED screen easy to view in direct sunlight. Users can navigate the watch's interface via touchscreen or physical buttons; I prefer the latter when I'm sweaty. Battery life is ample enough for marathons, even while listening to music.
The 265 supports tracking complex multisport training sessions using the triathlon mode. Plus, users have access to advanced features usually reserved for Garmin’s more expensive running watches, like Training Readiness Score and Morning Report.
Ultimately, the Forerunner 265 is a fantastic improvement on an already fantastic watch and a great buy for all levels of runner. However, for something nearly as competent but a little more wallet-friendly, check out the Garmin Forerunner 165.
Read our full Garmin Forerunner 265 review.
The best Android smartwatch for adventures
The Galaxy Watch Ultra is the best Android smartwatch for adventures thanks to a tough-built, lightweight titanium case, ultra-bright 3,000 nit screen, accurate GPS tracking, offline maps and Samsung's latest BioActive health monitoring tech. It also has a Track Back feature to help you find your way home, a customizable Action button that can be set up as a flashlight and up to 48 hours of battery life.
Sleep analysis and insights are industry-leading (and a match with the Galaxy Watch 7). You also get AI-powered tips and suggestions for improving your health along with monitoring for conditions including sleep apnea and irregular heartbeats.
Water resistance is 100 meters, though Samsung advises against wearing it while diving or during other high-pressure water activities. Still, the thing is built to take a beating with its screen protected by the metal bezel and side buttons guarded by bumpers.
Read our full Samsung Galaxy Watch Ultra review.
The best Android smartwatch for outdoors
The Garmin Instinct 2 boasts an infinite battery life — yep, it has the power to last forever, charging with the sunlight. There are a few catches, from which features work on solar power, to which versions of the Garmin Instinct 2 even pack a solar panel, to how many hours a day the watch needs to be exposed to sunlight. But beyond that, the Instinct 2 is better than the first Garmin Instinct in almost every way.
It retains its rugged feel while borrowing features from some of Garmin's more expensive watches. It also now comes in a smaller 40mm size — the 2S, designed for smaller wrists., in addition to two larger options Unlike the Garmin Fenix 7 range, there's no touchscreen, but the five-button functionality is easy to figure out and use on the move.
Read our full Garmin Instinct 2 review.
Features compared
| Header Cell - Column 0 | Samsung Galaxy Watch 7 | Google Pixel Watch 3 | Garmin Venu 3 | OnePlus Watch 2 | Garmin Forerunner 265 | Samsung Galaxy Watch Ultra | Garmin Instinct 2 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Starting price | $299 | $349 | $449 | $299 | $449 | $649 | $349 |
| Case Size | 40mm, 44mm | 41mm, 45mm | 41mm, 45mm | 47mm | 42mm, 46mm | 47mm | 40mm, 45mm, 50mm |
| Weight | 29 g (40mm), 34 g (44mm) | 31 g (41mm), 37 g (45mm) | 27 g (41mm), 30 g (45mm) | 49 g | 39 g (42mm), 47 g (46mm) | 61 g | 42 g (2S); 54 g (2), 67 g (2X) |
| Display size | 1.3 in (40mm), 1.5 in (44mm) | 1.27 in (41mm) , 1.46 in (45mm) | 1.2 in (41mm), 1.4 in (45mm) | 1.43 in | 1.1 in (42mm), 1.3 in (46mm) | 1.5 in | 0.7 in (2S), 0.9 in (2), 1.1 inch (2X) |
| Display type and max brightness | AMOLED, 2,000 nits max | AMOLED, 2,000 nits max | OLED, 1,000 nits max | AMOLED, 600 nits max | AMOLED, 1,000 nits max | AMOLED, 3,000 nits max | B&W MIP, not listed |
| Waterproof rating | 50 meters | 50 meters | 50 meters | 50 meters | 50 meters | 100 meters | 100 meters |
| LTE | Optional | Optional | No | No | No | Yes | No |
| Battery life tested | 24 hours, 40 hours in low-power mode | Up to 24 hours (41mm); Up to 48 hours (45mm) | 12 days (41mm), 14 days (45mm) | 3 days | 13 days / 20 hours with GPS (42mm), 15 days / 24 hours with GPS (46mm) | Up to 48 hours | 28 days / 30 hours with GPS (Instinct 2), unlimited (Instinct 2 Solar) |
How to choose the best smartwatch for Android for you
When looking at the best smartwatches for Android, you have plenty of options, no matter the connected smartphone brand (as long it’s not an iPhone, obviously.) That said, if you have a Samsung smartphone, you’ll probably enjoy the ecosystem experience of a Samsung-made Galaxy Watch more than a smartwatch from Fitbit or other third-party maker. But if fitness tracking or working out is your priority, a Fitbit or Garmin wearable might be better for reaching your goals.
After that, when picking any smartwatch, you want to get one that fits your wrist comfortably. Those with smaller wrists may find larger smartwatches — ones with case sizes larger than 44mm — bulky and cumbersome. Many of the watches listed above are large, which might make them awkward to wear overnight. On the other hand, the larger displays make whatever is on your screen easier to read.
Lastly, consider style. Some of the best smartwatches for Android look like high-tech fitness trackers while others look like traditional timepieces. If you want something sporty, stick to sleek materials with fewer embellishments. If you want something you can wear on nicer occasions, look for bezels or other eye-catching accents.
How we test the best smartwatches for Android
Whenever an attractive, Android-compatible smartwatch is released, we fully charge it up, then strap it on our wrist for about a week or so to test out all the features.
We gauge how it feels on our wrist throughout our day-to-day, as well as how easy (or not) the interface is to navigate when we need to read notifications, set timers or change other settings. Next, we look at its fitness features, such as heart rate readings, blood oxygen readings, step counts and, when applicable, GPS. How accurate are all these readings?
Finally we consider battery life claims and compare it to our actual use. Some features like continuous GPS use, playing music or enabling an always-on display chew up juice faster than others. We understand that not all smartwatches last two weeks — we just want our experience to match up with the expectations put forth by the company.
