The best smartwatches for fitness
Smartwatches are one of the best ways to measure, maintain and improve your fitness - no matter what kind of exercise you enjoy. Here's our pick of the best devices for anyone looking to beat their PB.
The best fitness smartwatches of 2023:
Apple smartwatches for fitness
Apple Watch Series 9
GPS and cellular connectivity¹
Advanced health features, such as Cycle Tracking² with retrospective ovulation estimates
Swim proof up to 50m³ and dustproof⁴ with a crack-resistant front crystal
Innovative safety features, such as Crash Detection, can connect you to emergency services
Blood oxygen⁵ and ECG app⁶, with heart rate and rhythm notifications⁷
Apple Watch Series 9 helps you stay connected, active, healthy and safe - providing you with powerful insights and help when you need it. Featuring double tap, the S9 chip enables a magical new way to quickly and easily interact with your Apple Watch without touching the screen⁸. With an even brighter display you can track your overall well-being with temperature sensing⁹, and the watch will work seamlessly with your other Apple devices with faster on-device Siri and Precision Finding for iPhone¹⁰. The Workout app gives you a range of ways to train plus advanced metrics for more insights about your workout performance. And Apple Watch comes with three months of Apple Fitness+ free¹¹.
Apple Watch SE
GPS + cellular connectivity¹
High and low heart rate notifications
Irregular heart rhythm notification²
Stream content from Apple Music³
Water resistant up to 50m⁴
Retina display
Battery lasts up to 18 hours⁵
With powerful features to help keep you connected, active, healthy and safe, Apple Watch SE is the ideal fitness companion. It works swimmingly in water, as it's is water resistant to 50 metres⁴, so you can dive right in and start tracking your splits and sets in the pool. Check your heart rate at any time with the Heart Rate app. Or get heart health notifications if you have an irregular heart rhythm or an unusually high or low heart rate². You can even stay centred with the Mindfulness app, which helps you reduce everyday stress, be more present and mentally prepare to take on new challenges. Finally, you'll get three months of Apple Fitness+ free when you buy an Apple Watch⟡, featuring world-class workouts by the world's top trainers. Use Apple Fitness+ for a different kind of fitness experience tailored to you. There are new workouts every week ranging from 5 to 45 minutes, and even workout modes for HIIT, strength training, Pilates and yoga.
⟡Apple Fitness+ requires watchOS 7.2 or later. £9.99/month after trial. Offer valid for three months after eligible device activation. One subscription per Family Sharing group. Plan automatically renews until cancelled. Restrictions and other terms apply
Android smartwatches for fitness
Samsung Galaxy Watch5
BIA body composition¹
Bioactive sensor
Blood oxygen monitor²
Heart rate and blood pressure monitor³
Tracking, goal setting and coaching
Uses Samsung Health
4-sleep stage analysis for general wellbeing
Water resistant to 50 metres⁴
GPS
Achieving your fitness goals and staying on top of your health has never been easier, thanks to Galaxy Watch5. Track your workouts, set goals, compete with friends, and watch videos from expert coaches - all with Samsung Health. Get a complete picture of your overall fitness and wellbeing with body composition¹, heart rate, and blood pressure readings³. Plus, precision sleep-tracking tools⁵ provide valuable insights to help you improve the quality of every slumber, including blood oxygen monitoring⁴, stages of sleep analysis, and snore detection. So, you can make sure your well rested and ready for every big workout.
Samsung Galaxy Watch5 Pro
BIA body composition¹
Bioactive sensor
Heart rate and blood pressure monitor³
Turn by turn GPS navigation
Track back - return home guidance
Fall detection monitoring⁶
Uses Samsung Health
Galaxy Watch5 Pro is so much more than just a workout partner. Whether you're trail biking, wild swimming, or hiking in the great outdoors, you will stay on track and find your way home thanks to active GPS guidance. You can keep tabs on your health with the option to measure heart rate, blood pressure³, and body composition¹. And with sleep tracking and coaching², you can improve the quality of your slumber and make sure you're ready to take on any challenge. Plus, with sapphire crystal glass, a tough titanium frame, and a magnetic D-buckle strap, you can enjoy great performance without compromising on style.
Samsung Galaxy Watch4
GPS + cellular connectivity¹
Uses Samsung Health
ECG measurements²
Blood Pressure monitoring³
Blood oxygen level tracking
Body composition tracking
Stream music⁴
5ATM/IP68/MIL-STD-810G⁵
Samsung has engineered the all-new Galaxy Watch4 to be the companion to your journey towards a healthier you. Measure your body composition and get to know your body fat percentage, skeletal muscle, body water and more to achieve your goals - the new Samsung BioActive Sensor captures your body composition in real time. Count steps, check calories and stay on the grid with GPS. Galaxy Watch4 detects physical activity to track your routines and supports more than 90 exercises for a more accurate report of your workout. You can even compete with friends in fun competitions through a live message board. Challenges come with commemorative badges and a point system to get you moving - and staying in pole position.
Google Pixel Watch
GPS + cellular connectivity
Uses Fitbit¹
ECG measurements²
Sleep tracking
Stream music
Water resistant to 50 metres³
Designed with fitness in mind, the Google Pixel Watch⁴ allows you to choose from 40 exercise modes and tracks the time you spend in fat burn, cardio, and peak heart rate zones⁵. Keep a tab on how many miles you've run with built-in GPS or jump in the pool safe in the knowledge that the watch is water resistant³ up to 50 metres. Google Assistant⁶ means you can control your connected home from your wrist - just say 'Hey Google' to turn on your hot water ready for your post-run shower.
Terms and conditions
Apple Watch Series 9 requires iPhone Xs or later with iOS 17 or later.
¹Wireless service plan required for cellular service. Contact your service provider for more details. Connection may vary based on network availability, participating network providers and eligibility. Additional setup instructions
²The Cycle Tracking app should not be used for birth control or to diagnose a health condition.
³Apple Watch Series 9 has a water resistance rating of 50 meters under ISO standard 22810:2010. This means it may be used for shallow-water activities like swimming in a pool or ocean. Apple Watch Series 9 should not be used for scuba diving, waterskiing, or other activities involving high-velocity water or submersion below shallow depth. Water resistance is not a permanent condition and can diminish over time. More information on Apple Watch water resistance
⁴Apple Watch Series 9 is rated IP6X dust resistant.
⁵The Blood Oxygen app is for wellness purposes only and not for medical use.
⁶The ECG app is available on Apple Watch Series 4 and later (excluding Apple Watch SE) and can generate an ECG similar to a single-lead electrocardiogram. Intended for use by people 22 years old and over.
⁷Irregular rhythm notification requires the latest versions of watchOS and iOS. It is not intended for use by people under 22 years old or those who have been previously diagnosed with atrial fibrillation (AF).
⁸Available late 2023. Requires Apple Watch Series 9 or Apple Watch Ultra 2.
⁹The temperature sensing feature is not intended for medical use.
¹⁰Requires an iPhone and Apple Watch with second-generation Ultra Wideband chip.
¹¹A subscription is required for Apple Fitness+.
¹Wireless service plan required for cellular service. Contact your service provider for more details. Connection may vary based on network availability. International roaming is not supported. Check apple.com/watch/cellular for participating wireless carriers and eligibility. See support.apple.com/en-us/HT207578 for additional setup instructions.
⁴Irregular rhythm notification requires the latest versions of watchOS and iOS. It is not intended for use by people under 22 years old or those who have been previously diagnosed with atrial fibrillation (Afib).
³The ECG app is available on Apple Watch Series 4 and later (not including Apple Watch SE) with the latest versions of iOS and watchOS. See apple.com/watch for compatibility details. ECG is not intended for use by people under 22 years old. With the ECG app, Apple Watch is capable of generating an ECG similar to a single-lead electrocardiogram.
⁴Apple Watch Series 7, Apple Watch SE, and Apple Watch Series 3 have a water resistance rating of 50 meters under ISO standard 22810:2010. This means that they may be used for shallow-water activities like swimming in a pool or ocean. However, they should not be used for scuba diving, waterskiing, or other activities involving high-velocity water or submersion below shallow depth. Series 7 is also rated IP6X dust resistant.
⁵Apple Watch SE: Apple Watch All-Day Battery Life testing was conducted by Apple in August 2020 using pre-production Apple Watch SE (GPS) and Apple Watch SE (GPS + Cellular), each paired with an iPhone; all devices were tested with pre-release software. Battery life varies by use, network coverage, configuration and many other factors; actual results will vary. See apple.com/uk/batteries and apple.com/uk/watch/battery for more information.
Audio streaming requires an Apple Watch (GPS + Cellular) Series 3 or later. Apple Music requires a subscription.
Apple Fitness+ requires watchOS 7.2 or later.
Not all features will be available if the Apple Watch is set up through Family Setup. Wireless service plan required for cellular service. Contact your service provider for more details. Check apple.com/watch/cellular for participating wireless carriers and eligibility.
¹Do not measure your body composition if you are pregnant, have an implanted pacemaker or other implanted medical devices.
²SpO2 is defined as saturation of percutaneous oxygen. Normal levels in humans are measured at approximately 95-100%. Factors like vigorous exercise, the amount of oxygen in the air, your elevation, and various health conditions can all result in lower readings.
³ECG and BP feature only to be used by 22 years+. For accurate BP readings, monthly calibration required by GP or BP monitor and arm cuff. Requires a Galaxy smartphone running Android 8.0 or above.
⁴Water resistance rating of 50 meters under the ISO standard 22810:2010. It is not suitable for diving or high-pressure water activities.
⁵Compatible Smartphone required.
⁶Can initiate Emergency call and message if you take a hard fall and don't seem to move. Galaxy Watch4 Series cannot detect all falls. The more physically active you are, the more likely you are to trigger Fall Detection due to high impact activity that can appear to be a fall. Sending SOS calls and messages requires network connection and smartphone pairing.
¹ECG and BP feature only to be used by 22 years+. For accurate BP readings, monthly calibration required by GP or BP monitor and arm cuff. Requires a Galaxy smartphone running Android 7.0 or above.
²Available to all Vodafone Pay Monthly Mobile customers on a Red Plan. You will use the allowance from your current Pay Monthly or SIM only plan to call from your Samsung Watch. For initial set-up, wireless network and pairing with an Android smartphone with OS Android 5.0 or newer and at least 1.5GB RAM required.
³Water resistance rating of 50m under the ISO standard 22810:2010. It is not suitable for diving or high-pressure water activities.
¹Some features may require a Fitbit account, mobile app and Fitbit Premium membership. Not intended for medical purposes. Consult your healthcare professional for questions about your health.
²The ECG app is only available in select countries. Not intended for use by people aged less than 22 years old. See fitbit.com/ecg for additional details. The Health Metrics dashboard and the metrics displayed in the dashboard are not available in all countries. This feature should not be relied on for any medical purposes. It is intended to provide information that can help you manage your well-being. If you have any concerns about your health, please talk to a healthcare provider. If you believe you are experiencing a medical emergency, call emergency services.
³The Google Pixel Watch is designed to comply with a water protection rating of 5 ATM under ISO standard 22810:2010 when manufactured, but it is not waterproof. Water resistance is not a permanent condition and decreases or is lost over time due to normal wear and tear, repair, disassembly or damage. Dropping your Google Pixel Watch may result in the loss of water resistance. The Google Pixel Watch has been designed to be used in shallow water and should not be used for activities involving water at high velocity or high temperature. Some Google Pixel Watch bands are not water resistant. See g.co/pixelwatch/water for details.
⁴Requires an Android 8.0 or newer phone, a Google Account and Internet access. See g.co/pixelwatch/help for more information. Google, Pixel, G logo, Android and related logos and marks are trademarks of Google LLC.
⁵Some features may require a FitBit account and the mobile app.
⁶Google Assistant and some related features are not available in all languages. See g.co/assistant/languages for updates to language availability. Connected home control requires compatible smart devices.