We've tested the best smart rings for tracking your health without a smartwatch

Close up of a user showing two Oura Ring models side-by-side
(Image credit: Future)

The best smart rings available today provide in-depth sleep tracking and wellness analysis in an easy-wearing, long-lasting form factor that many folks, myself included prefer over even the best smartwatch models.

Of all the best smart ring models that have graced both my fingers and those of my colleagues, one rises to the top as best overall, the Oura Ring 4. With class-leading battery life, the widest selection of styles and sizes and the most comprehensive wellness insights, no wonder it's a TG fitness team fave.

That said, the Oura Ring is also the only model in our guide with a subscription fee, which may be a dealbreaker for some. Speaking of cost, the best smart rings range from $199 for the Amazfit Helio Ring to $399 for the Samsung Galaxy Ring. The latter is our top choice for sleep tracking but note that it's Android only; don't worry, I've got alternative options for the iPhone crowd.

Every model in this guide underwent extensive real-world testing, in one case, editor Kate Kozuch wore the Oura Ring for an entire year. Read on for our expert insights into comfort, durability, battery life, data digestibility and app usability for all the best smart rings available in 2025.

The quick list

Written by
Author photo for Dan Bracaglia who's in sunglasses sitting on a snowy slope
Written by
Dan Bracaglia

My name is Dan and I lead TG's coverage of wearables, including smart rings. My favorite emerging consumer tech category, I've been obsessed with smart rings ever since the first Oura Ring debuted in 2015. Since then, I've gotten my hands on and tested numerous models both from Oura and the competition and have witnessed first-hand the category's progression from quirky Kickstarter products to legit and reliable wellness-tracking machines.

The best smart ring you can buy today

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The best smart ring overall

Oura Ring 4 in handEditor's Choice

(Image credit: Future)
The best smart ring overall

Specifications

Subscription : $5.99 per month
Sizes: 4-15
Finishes: Gold, Rose Gold, Silver, Brushed Titanium, Black, Stealth
Thickness: 2.88mm
Weight: 3.3-5.2g
Battery life: 8 days
Water resistance : 100 meters

Reasons to buy

+
Comfortable, all-titanium design
+
Available in many sizes and finishes
+
Comprehensive Oura app
+
Excellent battery life

Reasons to avoid

-
Irregular step counting
-
Monthly subscription cost
Reason to buy

- Best-in-class battery life: The Oura Ring 4 battery lasts four eight days, the longest of any smart ring we tested.

- Our favorite wellness insights: The Oura app may have a subscription cost but the brand's wellness insights are second to none.

Reasons to skip

- Reoccurring costs: No one like paying a reoccurring fee, sadly, there's no way around the cost if you want the best smart ring. Access to the Oura app is $5.99 or $69.99 for the year.

- Weird step-count data: If you're looking to keep tabs on steps, you may be better suited by the Ultrahmuan Ring Air or something other than a smart ring like one of the best fitness trackers.

The Oura Ring 4 is by some margin the best smart ring available right now. It's an upgrade to the Oura Ring Gen 3, which launched in late 2021, and although the updates are fairly modest, no other smart ring offers this level of performance and insight.

There's only a single design to choose from (circular) replacing the circular Horizon and flat-topped Heritage from the Gen 3. The sensors are recessed into the ring, so the sensor bump is gone too, which we found made the ring more comfortable to wear.

And the epoxy (plastic) coating on the interior is gone too, replaced by an all-titanium design and a new 'smart sensing' platform that improves the accuracy of Oura's measurements. While testing, we found that this led to fewer gaps in sleep and stress data, as the ring could adapt to changing positions on your finger.

There's a slight bump in battery life too, increasing to a theoretical eight days between charges. We didn't find it lived up to this promise, achieving closer to six days, but it's an improvement on the previous models seven-day specifications and five-day performance.

But Oura's real edge over the competition is the companion smartphone app. Alongside the new ring, the app was redesigned to make it easier to see daily insights, long-term trends and an overall picture of your health. But it keeps the impressive analysis that made it the top smart ring in the first place.

So while it's still relatively new, it should be able to do everything the older ring could, but with improved accuracy. This means its also still the best smart ring for women, as its integration with Natural Cycles means you can keep tabs on your cycle and fertility, a feature that's so impressive it worked out one of our editors was pregnant before she did.

While the overall experience with the Oura Ring 4 is still miles ahead of its competitors, there's one major downside; the monthly subscription. You need to pay $5.99 to use the ring, which is a substantial ask when you've already paid at least $350 for the hardware.

This is where alternatives like the Samsung Ring shine, as there's so subscription or charge for its AI-backed analysis. However, the Oura Ring 4 works with iPhone and Android smartphones, so is more versatile than other smart rings too.

The best smart ring for sleep tracking

Samsung Galaxy Ring on a person's finger in front of some flowersEditor's Choice

(Image credit: Future)
The best smart ring for sleep tracking

Specifications

Subscription: n/a
Sizes: 5-15
Finishes : Titanium Black, Titanium Silver, Titanium Gold
Thickness: 2.6 mm
Weight: 2.3-3.0 g
Battery life: 7 days
Water resistance : 100 meters

Reasons to buy

+
New Galaxy AI health features
+
Comfortable and lightweight
+
Portable charging case
+
No membership fee
+
Great battery life

Reasons to avoid

-
Compatible with Android only
-
Pricier than the competition 

- Top-notch sleep insights: Samsung's sleep tracking data and insights are the best of the bunch, beating out even Oura.

- No subscription fee: Unlike the Oura Ring, once you've purchased the Galaxy Ring, there's no further payments to be made.

Reasons to skip

- You have an iPhone: Sorry Apple people, the Samsung Health app is for Android smartphones only.

- You're on a budget: At $399, the Samsung Galaxy Ring is one of the priciest smart rings on offer.

The Samsung Galaxy Ring is the new kid on the smart ring block. Easily the most highly-anticipated smart ring ever to launch, its debut didn't disappoint. And now, it's available in even more sizes, nearly matching Oura's offering. The companion Samsung health app is brimming with health metrics and insights into sleep, energy levels and workout recovery, many of which are underpinned by AI. It's also quite light and comfortable.

There's no subscription fee to speak of, though, the Galaxy Ring is the priciest of any smart ring in this guide. However, it's important to keep in mind the lifetime cost of the ring, which will be less than the Oura Ring once you factor in Oura's mandatory monthly membership fee.

On the flip side, you do need a Samsung phone to get the most from the ring. So, if you're using another Android device or iPhone, the Oura might be the better choice. Plus, it doesn't come in quite as many finishes as the Oura Ring and sizing ranges from 5 to 13, while the Oura Ring 4 is available in 4 to 15.

Battery life is also good for up to a week and the Galaxy Ring similarly provides female health tracking in partnership with Natural Cycles. That said, it isn't quite as comprehensive as what you get with the Oura Ring, since you don't get access to Natural Cycle's full suite of fertility and contraceptive features.

Sleep tracking is where the Galaxy Ring really shines with details on nightly body movements, breathing patterns, body temperature, heart rate, blood oxygen saturation levels and more. You also get a daily Sleep Score based on all of the above, along with insights and tips for improving your score.

The best value smart ring

A close up of the Amazfit Helio Ring on a user's finger against a colorful backgroundEditor's Choice

(Image credit: Dan Bracaglia/Tom's Guide)
The best value smart ring

Specifications

Subscription: n/a
Sizes: 8, 10, 12
Finishes: Titanium
Thickness: 2.6 mm
Weight: 3.8 g
Battery life: 4 days
Water resistance : 100 meters

Reasons to buy

+
Comfortable, lightweight design
+
Basic sleep and recovery tracking/insights
+
No subscription fee 
+
Zepp app works with iOS and Android device
+
Multiple days of battery life

Reasons to avoid

-
Only available in one finish
-
Only available in three sizes
-
Limited to four fitness-tracking modes
-
Sleep data isn’t as detailed as the competition
Reasons to buy

- Affordable price: The Helio Ring is just $199, half the cost of the Samsung Galaxy Ring. It's also subscription-free unlike the Oura Ring.

- Decent health insights: The Helio Ring's health and sleep insights aren't as detailed as Oura's or Samsung's but they're still pretty good.

Reasons to skip

- Limited ring sizes: Unlike the competition, the Helio Ring comes in only one finish and just three sizes: 8, 10 and 12.

- Battery life: Four days of battery may sound impressive but the Oura Ring 4 offers double that and many of the best smart rings last for closer to a week per charge.

The Amazfit Helio Ring is the best value smart ring because it offers similar health-tracking tech to the Galaxy Ring and Oura Ring for less money and without the mandatory subscription cost of the latter. Like the Oura Ring 4, the Helio Ring works with both Android and iOS devices.

This is Amazfit's first stab at a smart ring, the brand is better known for its fitness trackers and watches, and the results are impressive. While sleep and recovery insights don't go nearly as in-depth as what you get with Samsung, they're accurate and useful nonetheless. Battery life also isn't rated as highly as the competition but you can still easily get up to four days of power on a charge.

The Helio Ring also supports female health tracking, with period and ovulation predictions. Better yet, data from the device can be shared with several popular health-tracking apps including Apple Health, Google Fit, Strava and Adidas Running.

Presently, the Helio Ring is only available in sizes 8, 10 and 12 in a Titanium finish. Similar in size and weight to the Galaxy Ring, the Helio Ring is also quite comfortable to wear day and night.

The best smart ring for tracking steps

Ultrahuman Ring Air shown in handTom's Guide Recommended product badge

(Image credit: Tom's Guide)
The best smart ring for tracking steps

Specifications

Subscription : n/a
Sizes : 5-14
Finishes : Titanium, Black, Grey, Gold, Silver
Thickness: 2.4-2.8 mm
Weight: 2.4-3.6 g
Battery life: Up to 6 days
Water resistance : 100 meters

Reasons to buy

+
Decent amount of health data
+
No monthly subscription charge
+
Lightweight, comfortable design
+
Multiple days of battery life

Reasons to avoid

-
Scratches easily
-
App can be confusing
-
No way to download and export data
Reasons to buy

- Lightweight design: As the name suggest, the Ultrahuman Ring Air is among the lightest and thinnest smart rings available

-Subscription-free: Unlike Oura, you don't have to pay a monthly fee to access your data.

Reasons to skip

- Durability: The Ultrahuman Ring Air scratched easily in our testing.

- Clunky app: The Ultrahuman app isn't anywhere near as easy to navigate as the Oura or Samsung Health app. There's also no way to export your data from it.

The Ultrahuman Ring Air is the best smart ring for counting steps, especially for folks who want a subscription-free experience. (You can also now pick one up in actual gold or platinum for a cool $2k.)

In addition to providing daily step-count tallies, the Air also monitors your daily calories burned, VO2 Max and distance covered. You also get lots of sleep data, including insights into nightly body temperature and heart rate, along with helpful recovery tips.

While reviewing the Ultrahuman Air, we appreciated the fact that the companion app also provides suggestions for the best times of day to take a break and boost your vitamin D while in the fresh air, your ideal window for caffeine consumption and how screen time may be impacting your sleep.

The Ultrahuman app is available on both the Apple App and Google Play stores and though it can feel a bit overwhelming to navigate, there's a lot of useful health data that can be gleaned. You also get basic female health tracking, however, Ultrahuman makes it cumbersome to export health and fitness info to other apps.

Like its competition, the Air offers a comfortable wearing experience. You can choose four styles and the widest range of sizes of any device here. The build quality is solid, however, we found that the Ultrahuman scratched the easiest of these four smart rings.

Also tested

We put every smart ring we can get our hands on through thorough testing, but only the best models are featured above. That said, there are smart rings we've assessed that impressed us, just not quite enough to earn our full-fledged recommendation. You can find details on those below.

Circular Ring Slim

Circular Ring Slim

The Circular Ring Slim's claim to fame is that it's the slimmest smart ring on the market and also one of the lightest, weighing just two grams. The Slim additionally boasts a lot of cool tech like haptic notifications, a built-in AI assistant and more. However, this one feels like a work in progress compared to the smart rings above.

Read our in-depth Circular Ring vs. Oura Ring comparison

Best smart rings: features comparison

Smart rings are one of the newest categories in the world of wearable tech and though a handful of big brands currently dominate the space, like Oura and Samsung, there are plenty of worthy smaller companies vying for space on your finger, namely Amazfit, Ultrahuman and Circular.

The Amazfit Helio Ring is the most affordable option at $199 with no subscription costs while the Samsung Galaxy Ring is the priciest at $399 (also subscription-free).

Oura is the only model with a recurring fee of $5.99 a month for access to the Oura app. However, Oura's wellness insights are the most comprehensive and also our favorite.

While the latest Oura Ring, Galaxy Ring and Ultrahuman Ring Air each come in a wide selection of finishes and sizes to accommodate lots of users, the Helio Ring is limited to just three sizes, 8 10 and 12, and one finish.

All of the best smart rings are lightweight and easy-wearing, though some are a tad heavier and thicker than others. For example, certain Oura Ring 4 models weigh as much as 5.2 g, while the lightest options from Samsung and Ultrahuman are 2.3 g and 2.4 g respectively.

Battery life ranges from four days per charge for the Helio Ring to eight days per charge for the Oura Ring 4. The Galaxy Ring and Ultrhuman Ring Air each last for roughly a week. For durability, a water resistance rating of 100 meters is par for the course for all the best smart ring models, so feel free to keep them on while you shower and swim.

Swipe to scroll horizontally
Best smart rings: features compared
Header Cell - Column 0

Oura Ring 4

Samsung Galaxy Ring

Amazfit Helio Ring

Ultrahuman Ring Air

Starting price

$349

$399

$199

$349

Subscription

$5.99 per month

n/a

n/a

n/a

Sizes

4 - 15

5 - 15

8, 10, 12

5 - 14

Finishes

Gold, Rose Gold, Silver, Brushed Titanium, Black, Stealth

Titanium Black, Titanium Silver, Titanium Gold

Titanium

Titanium, Black, Grey, Gold, Silver

Thickness

2.88 mm

2.6 mm

2.6 mm

2.4 - 2.8 mm

Weight

3.3 - 5.2 g

2.3 - 3.0 g

3.8 g

2.4 - 3.6 g

Battery life

Up to 8 days

Up to 7 days

Up to 4 days

Up to 6 days

Water resistance

100 meters

100 meters

100 meters

100 meters

How to choose the best smart ring

Picking the best smart ring may seem challenging but once you dig into the differences between all the major models, things become more clear. If you have an Android smartphone and want the very best health insights, your choice boils down to the Samsung Galaxy Ring vs. Oura Ring.

iPhone users will likely be choosing between the Oura Ring vs. Helio Ring. The former has more impressive insights, the latter has no mandatory subscription fee. Of course, the Oura Ring vs. Ultrhuman Ring Air is another matchup worth taking a closer look at as the Ultrahuman is also subscription-free.

How we test the best smart rings

Testing the best smart rings involves wearing them for weeks at a time while we sleep, work, eat, exercise and perform daily chores. During this period we're taking diligent notes on overall comfort, durability — does it scratch or scuff easily? — how long the battery lasts and how quickly/easily data syncs with the device's companion app.

Assessing the accuracy of the best smart rings is another crucial part of our testing. It involves wearing them alongside other fitness trackers that have proven reliable to see how the results compare. For example, I walked 5,000 steps with the Helio Ring and Garmin Forerunner 165 to gauge the accuracy of the former; it proved quite precise.

We also do testing while we sleep to ensure the rest/recovery data is legit. For this assessment, we're noting how sleep duration, sleep cycles, heart rate and other core metrics compare to other popular sleep trackers worn during the same period.

Finally, we look at how the core features of each smart ring line up with other options out there by evaluating the data presented in each app. Are these metrics easy to parse? Are there insights and tips to help you better understand the big picture? And, are any core data points missing?

FAQs

What smart rings are coming out in 2025?

2025 is looking like a big year for smart rings. At this year's CES, I got my hands on the new Circular Ring 2 as well as the new Luna Ring 2. Both are highly anticipated and set for early spring releases with prices and features on par with Oura and Samsung. More importantly, neither require a subscription and both play nicely with Apple and Android.

I'm also expecting the Samsung Galaxy Ring 2 to make its debut later this year, possibly with a slimmer design and improved battery life. Finally, I wouldn't be surprised to see a fresh release from either Ultrahuman or Ringconn in 2025, too.

Do you need to pay for a smart ring subscription?

Whether or not you need to pay for a smart ring subscription all comes down to which device you choose. Neither the Samsung Galaxy Ring nor the Ultrahuman Ring Air have any paywalled features. They are, however, pricier than the Oura Ring hardware, but that requires a $5.99 monthly fee to use.

Most of the Helio Ring's metrics are free within the companion Zepp app, however, some extra insights and features can be unlocked via one of two monthly subscription add-ons: the Aura app ($69.99 per year) or the Zepp Fitness membership ($29.99 per year). Fortunately, the Helio Ring comes with a free trial to try both.

What are the pros and cons of a smart ring vs a fitness tracker?

Unlike most wrist-based fitness trackers and smartwatches, smart rings don't have a screen, which means that you primarily interact with them through a companion app. For fitness tracking, smart rings also don't have onboard GPS, unlike some trackers and watches, so you'll need to bring your paired smartphone along for location data.

On the flip side, smart rings tend to offer better battery life than non-finger wearables. Most last somewhere around a week before needing a recharge. I also find smart rings less cumbersome to wear to bed than smartwatches. And for the fashion-conscious, they're all but inconspicuous compared to an Apple Watch or Garmin device.

Dan Bracaglia
Senior Writer, Fitness & Wearables

Dan Bracaglia is the Tom’s Guide editorial lead for all things smartwatches, fitness trackers and outdoor gear. With 15 years of experience as a consumer technology journalist testing everything from Oura Rings to instant cameras, Dan is deeply passionate about helping readers save money and make informed purchasing decisions. In the past year alone, Dan has assessed major product releases from the likes of Apple, Garmin, Google, Samsung, Polar and many others. 

An avid outdoor adventurer, Dan is based in the U.S. Pacific Northwest where he takes advantage of the beautiful surroundings every chance he gets. A lover of kayaking, hiking, swimming, biking, snowboarding and exploring, he also makes every effort to combine his day job with his passions. When not assessing the sleep tracking and heart rate accuracy of the latest tach gadgets, you can find him photographing Seattle’s vibrant underground music community.

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