Best Cheap Smartwatch 2024: Bag a bargain with these high rated wearables

I know that some of you may decry the Fitbit Charge 6 as being more of a fitness tracker than a smartwatch, and while there’s some weight to that argument, there’s no denying that the Charge 6 does so much right that it’s simply an easy wearable to recommend to most people.

While Fitbit has some stiff competition from the likes of Apple and Samsung at the upper end of the smartwatch market, the same can’t be said about the budget market, where it sometimes feels like Fitbit stands in a class of its own.

As such, the Charge 6 is the go-to option in the budget market for those who want accurate daily tracking, rock-solid sleep monitoring and advanced health features without paying hundreds. It sports an updated design with the return of the handy side button compared to the Charge 5, with a plethora of new Google services like Wallet, Maps and YouTube Music now also available on the wearable.

Fitbit has also worked hard to improve the reliability of its tracker with a new AI-based heart rate algorithm that should improve the accuracy of HR readings. However, our reviewer found that the GPS performance is still pretty poor. Hey, the budget nature had to shine through somehow.

It also retains key bits of smartwatch functionality such as incoming notifications, alarms, timers and ‘find my phone’, but the real meat here is in Fitbit’s operating system and accompanying app. There’s no shortage here of workouts to track, and Fitbit’s week-on-week style metrics are a lot easier for beginners to get into than the standard ‘reach this goal today’ method. The catch is that some features and metrics lay behind a Fitbit Premium paywall.

Reviewer: Conor Allison
Full review: Fitbit Charge 6 Review

In 2024, there’s no shortage of smartwatches that fall below the £100 mark but for our money, the Oppo Band 2 is a great go-to in this category. The device might appear unassuming but for its £59.99 price tag, it still manages to pack in tons of helpful features.

One of the best things the Oppo Band 2 has going for it is its battery life, which Oppo claims is up to 14-days on a single charge (although we found this to be closer to 12-days after testing). Still, that’s more than enough battery to get you through the week and it easily puts some pricier smartwatches to shame.

To our surprise, the Band 2 also features one of the best watch face libraries out there, being close in quality to what you’ll find from the likes of Apple and Samsung. You can even use AI to make a new watch face that’ll blend with the colours of your outfit on any given day. It’s all quite impressive and just not what one would expect for the price.

The workout tracking also does a good job, and you can view your metrics clearly on the device’s bright 1.57-inch display. There’s unfortunately no GPS to speak of here and the sleep tracking is a bit of a mess, so if those are key concerns for you then you might want to check out the Fitbit Charge 5 instead.

Reviewer: Thomas Deehan
Full review: Oppo Band 2 Review

Even though the Apple Watch Series 9 is a great device, and the super tough Apple Watch Ultra 2 is a solid pick for runners, the humble Apple Watch SE 2 is easily the best pick for most people. The reason for this is that, in spite of its more affordable price point, the Watch SE still packs the vast majority of features that you’d want from an Apple Watch.

The only major features that aren’t available on the device are ECG and blood oxygen readings, as well as the lack of an always-on display. Aside from that however, you’re still getting access to key functions like iMessage, Maps and Apple Wallet on your wrist, as well as plenty of third party apps.

The Apple Watch SE is also particularly good at fitness tracking, with almost every type of workout you could think of being catered to here. Sure, there are other watches like the Huawei Watch GT 4 that do a better job of breaking down statistics into actionable advice, but Apple’s fitness rings do let you know at a glance whether or not you’ve met your goals for the day or if there’s still some work to do.

Even though it retails with a starting price of £219/$249, we’ve regularly seen the Apple Watch SE fall to around the £199/$199 mark, making it an absolute bargain for iPhone users.

Reviewer: Max Parker
Full review: Apple Watch SE 2 Review

Again, much like the Apple Watch SE 2, the Huawei Watch GT 4 definitely pushes the boundaries of what constitutes a ‘budget’ smartwatch but at £229.99, it’s still cheaper than most of the mainline wearables. The reason why it’s included here is that if you want a cheaper watch that looks anything but, then the GT 4 is an easy one to recommend.

With the GT 4, Huawei has leaned heavily into a new fashion-first approach to ensure that the device can be worn as an eye-catching timepiece when out and about, and not just when you’re at the gym

There are two size options available (41mm and 46mm) and seven colourways thereafter, each of which not only looks unique but is varied enough from the others that there’s sure to be a particular style that suits you best.

All of that style doesn’t get in the way of substance either as the GT 4 packs some impressive fitness tracking tech, including the new Stay Fit app which allows you to keep better tabs on your caloric intake. Unfortunately, because this is a Huawei watch, the GT 4 doesn’t have the same app functionality as the Apple Watch or even a Wear OS watch, but if you’re simply interested in something affordable that looks great and works well at the gym then this is your best bet.

Reviewer: Michael Sawh
Full review: Huawei Watch GT 4 Review

It’s incredibly rare to see a wearable under £100 that allows for GPS tracking independently of a connected smartphone, and yet that’s exactly what’s being offered on the Xiaomi Smart Band 8 Pro.

In spite of its budget-friendly nature, the GPS tracking on the Band 8 Pro is surprisingly solid, and our reviewer found that it was able to keep up with the far pricier Garmin Epix Pro (Gen 2), so if you want to keep better tabs on your running routes then this is a great option that’s easy on the wallet.

Xiaomi has also updated the UI here with several handy widgets that give you quick access to music playback, settings and more. Beyond the GPS tracking, it’s a fairly bare bones experience where smart features are concerned, so if you want a more fully-featured smartwatch on the cheap then you’ll be better suited with either the Samsung Galaxy Watch 4 or the Apple Watch SE 2.

Reviewer: Conor Allison
Full review: Xiaomi Smart Band 8 Pro Review

At the time of writing, Samsung no longer officially sells the Galaxy Watch 4 but there are still plenty of retailers out there selling remaining stock as well as used units. If you are able to get your hands on one then you’ll be quite impressed with the value proposition on offer here.

Despite being released several years ago now, the Galaxy Watch 4 has been updated to Wear OS 5. This means you can benefit from the latest software tweaks provided by Google, showing that there’s plenty of life left in this device.

With access to tons of third-party apps like WhatsApp, Calm and Spotify, the Galaxy Watch 4 gives you plenty of functionality directly on your wrist so if you want to spend less time scrolling on your phone and only interact with apps when it’s important, this wearable can provide just that. It’s also a great fitness tracker in its own right with lots of workouts to be tracked, not to mention Samsung’s detailed BioActive sensor for determining key health metrics.

Reviewer: Thomas Deehan
Full review: Samsung Galaxy Watch 4 Review

Even though big name brands like Garmin and Apple dominate the world of running with higher priced devices, Huawei proves that you don’t have to spend a fortune in order to get a great digital companion for whenever you’re out on the track.

As its name implies, the Huawei Watch Fit 3 is all about fitness tracking which makes it a bargain wearable for any entry-level runners looking to make improvements to their performance and overall bill of health.

For starters, the accompanying Huawei Health app can sync your workout results with the running app Strava, so you can get a better idea of how you’re performing against runners in your area, which can help towards motivating you to a new personal best.

When you’re out on the track or down your local park, the Watch Fit 3 can connect to GPS without the need for a smartphone, although users in the west are limited when it comes to music playback (due to the absence of mainstay apps like Spotify or Deezer), so on that front it’s probably still worth bringing your phone with you to stay entertained.

In spite of its more affordable price point, the Watch Fit 3’s heart rate sensor proved to be quite accurate in our testing, staying largely in line with the Garmin HRM-Pro, so you’ll get a good idea of how your body is responding to each particular workout.

That data is also funnelled into a Running Ability Index as well as a VO2 Max rating so you can see your progress in real time. We did notice that race estimates informed by the VO2 Max rating weren’t quite as accurate as they should be, which is sure to put off the more athletic crowd, but for entry-level runners the Huawei Watch Fit 3 packs tons of great features for a low cost.

Reviewer: Conor Allison
Full review: Huawei Watch Fit 3 Review

The Nothing CMF Watch Pro 2 is rather unique in the world of smartwatches, largely thanks to the level of customisation on offer. You can not only swap out the straps like most other smartwatches, but you can also switch out the bezel around the screen to further personalise the look of the smartwatch. This level of personalisation, especially at the £69/$69 price point, is rare.

It’s not just a gimmick slapped onto an otherwise unremarkable wearable either; the software is stylish, inspired by Nothing’s dot-matrix-style phone OS, with a solid selection of original watch faces, and it offers a range of fitness tracking capabilities with built-in GPS that allows you to leave your phone at home. It does lack advanced features like support for contactless payments and a full app store, but that’s nothing unusual for such an affordable smartwatch.

GPS performance isn’t as strong as some of its more premium rivals, taking a while to lock on to your location, but there are notable improvements in the accuracy of heart rate monitoring and general data collection, with in-depth workout analysis via the companion app after recording any form of exercise. Battery life is also excellent, offering around 4-5 days with the always-on display active and 10-12 days with more conservative use of its power-draining features.

Reviewer: Conor Allison
Full Review: Nothing CMF Watch Pro 2 Review