Best Apple Watch Alternatives Reddit 2023

TLDR: If you are in a hurry the Fitbit Versa 3 is the Best Cheap Apple Watch Alternative According to Reddit

u/HowardTaftMD – I’ve really enjoyed my versa 3. It’s a poor man’s apple watch I guess. Doesn’t do as much but I’m fine with that. I like it for the general health tracking, the alarm is solid in the morning, the timers are great while cooking. I mostly use WhatsApp and you can see WhatsApp messages on it. It feels nice and kind of swanky.

I think for the money it’s worth it, if you find it on sale definitely worth it.

A smartwatch has not remained luxury anymore. With a lot of features packed in it, it has been an excellent option for keeping track of your day to day activities. And when you think of a smartwatch, the best that comes to your mind is an Apple Watch. It is quite huge – both functionally and figuratively.

However, what if you are looking for the best Apple Watch alternatives? Though it may be the best, it isn’t exactly designed for everyone. You may not want the expensive price tag, or you may not be comfortable with the iOS interface. Whatever be your reasons, here are a few excellent options you can check out for your needs in the best Apple Watch alternatives in 2023.

Why Get An Apple Watch Alternative

Apple watch is perhaps the king of smartwatches. However, it comes with a hefty price tag. The expensive price can be something beyond one’s reach.
Moreover, there are some of us who are not comfortable using an iOS device. With a huge number of us having been using a smartphone running on Android, we would want something that runs on Android. Those two reasons should force us looking for the Apple watch alternatives.

Best Apple Watch Alternatives Reddit

1. Fitbit Versa 3 – Cheap Apple Watch Alternative According To Reddit

What Reddit thinks about this smartwatch:

u/HowardTaftMD – I’ve really enjoyed my versa 3. It’s a poor man’s apple watch I guess. Doesn’t do as much but I’m fine with that. I like it for the general health tracking, the alarm is solid in the morning, the timers are great while cooking. I mostly use WhatsApp and you can see WhatsApp messages on it. It feels nice and kind of swanky.

I think for the money it’s worth it, if you find it on sale definitely worth it.

u/billymumfreydownfall – I have a Versa 3 and love it. I find the heart rate sensor to be accurate, love all the features.

Fitbit has been a name to reckon with if you are looking for the best features in a smartwatch. The lightweight design and very affordable pricing are the two features that would make it one of the preferred choices. Availability of more than 15 different exercise modes. The Versa is an excellent option from the water-resistance properties to up to 50 meters.

You have access to a wonderful list of the best apps from the Fitbit Labs; some worthy mentions can be fitness, sports, and social.

What makes it the perfect choice?

If you have liked Fitbit Iconic and are deciding against it because of the price, Fitbit Versa should be the right one for you. You may not get the same features as on the Iconic, but most of the available options should be the right one for you. A clear and beautiful screen and improved heart rate sensor are a few features you would find impressive. You can have access to the contactless payment capabilities.

It can also be an excellent option for women as it can log your period, record the symptoms, and track your cycle. This can be helpful to ensure that you can come with trends and patterns of your periods.

Who is this for?

The Fitbit Versa is best suited for those looking at the everyday lifestyle. It can be good for you if you are pro fitness, but are not much enthusiastic.

It can be the everyday watch with the fitness capabilities thrown into a good measure. The health aspect is one of the best options you would love with the Fitbit Versa.

2. Samsung Galaxy Watch 5 – Best Apple Watch Alternative According To Reddit

An excellent option for a watch, it brings in a huge number of options. Some of them would include GPS, heart rate monitor, water resistance, and a whole lot of advanced features. You can either opt for a Frontier look or a Classic option based on your preferences.

Just like Apple Smartwatch, this one too comes with a high price, but the features should compensate for the high cost. Samsung Pay integration is one of the best added advantages. The built-in GPS functionality is one of the features that take it ahead of the Fitbit Versa we just discussed. You can be assured of the military-grade performance on the watch.

What makes it the perfect choice?

Samsung offers you an enhanced performance on the smartwatch in more ways that one. It comes with plenty of training programs that should be good enough for improved performance and fitness tracking. One of the best key features you would find interesting would include the automatic workout direction. No matter what you are doing, the watch tracks your dynamics and measures the calories that you have been able to burn.

Who is this for?

If you are using a Samsung device, this can be the right choice for your needs. It may also be a good option for those who are looking for enhanced battery life. You would be highly impressed with the smartwatch if you have been a die-hard smartwatch user.

If you have no issues spending huge amount for a smartwatch, it may be the right option you want to go with. Yet another plus point would be for those living in the regions where Samsung Pay is available and widely used.

3. Google Pixel Watch – Standalone 4G Apple Watch Alternative

What Reddit Thinks About This:

u/austiena96 – For me, the watch is amazing. I easily get through a day, 7am-10pm ish. Ending around 40-50% battery. I absolutely love my watch. I’ve had a few galaxy watches in the last, and always ended up returning after a few days cause they were clunky and not likable. The pixel watch is great with my pixel 7 pro.

Quality of both the band and the watch seems super top notch. The feeling of the screen and the stainless steel feel very nice.

u/TnP-87 – 💯 I love the pixel watch. It’s exactly what I wanted it to be. Health, Google services, fast, and effortless. The battery is also not bad in my opinion.

Yes it is better with more than a day of battery but honestly I get between 22 to 24 hours of battery life when it gets to 16%. I never passed that so I could’ve gone more. But I charge it in the morning after my sleep tracking. I do exercises in the morning and complete my daily steps. Jogging some days as well. The battery is acceptable for my use.

I also have always on display on and Tilt to Wake off.

u/FuckingRantMondayP7P – I’m loving it. I do use it for sleep tracking, and I just charge during my morning shower and a little in the evening. It doesn’t have any “wow” features IMO, but I wasn’t looking for that. Just a smartwatch that’s worth wearing–that can act as a good watch, and handles my notifications well. So far it’s great

Reason to buy:  You’re a hardcore android user who will your smartwatch for more than just making calls.

• The Google Pixel Watch has a beautiful circular, domed design and new experience with Wear OS by Google, so it’s easy to get help at a glance
• Stay on top of activity, calories burned, and more with Fitbit activity tracking Plus, enjoy 6 months of Fitbit Premium included.
• Track your heart rate and get insight into your sleep[2]; and assess your heart rhythm for AFib with ECG
• Save time with things like Google Wallet for contactless payments, turn-by-turn directions using Maps, and event notifications from Calendar
• Stay connected and productive wherever you go; respond to messages, manage your inbox, and make calls right from your wrist
• With Emergency SOS, your watch can alert trusted contacts or 911 when you’re feeling unsafe
• Made with scratch-resistant ​​Corning(R) Gorilla(R) Glass, the fitness watch can withstand up to 5 ATM (50 meters) water resistance

4. Garmin Vivoactive 4 – Cheap Apple Watch Alternative With Long Battery

Reason to buy: You want only the best smartwatch not only for everyday use but also for the sport that is made of highly durable materials.

The Garmin Vivoactive 4 Music is the phone-free or standalone sports watch that its predecessor the Vivoactive 4 always wanted to become. Moreover, it’s not only that but also the perfect balance that the Vivoactive 4 has between sports and everyday use making this the best smartwatch Garmin’s ever made! The Vivoactive 4 Music is a great balance of sports and smartwatches.

If you’ve used a Garmin product you probably already know this product is going to be sick in fact the Garmin Vivoactive 4 Music should pretty much explain itself. It is the latest sports smartwatch from the fitness giant that takes the infamous Vivoactive 4 we know and love and bestows on it the gift of music. The Vivoactive 4 music lets you play your tunes from your watch instead of your phone by combining best a sports smartwatch with features for everyday use.

Waterproof rating: 5 ATM (50m)

Pool and open water swim tracking: Pool only

Waterproof details and its usability in water

Till now Garmin has made sure pretty much most of its trackers can be taken and used in a pool. The fitness trackers Vivosport and Vivofit 4 already bring 5ATM to the table so this is not something new for the Garmin. With the Garmin Vivoactive 34 being waterproof up to 5ATM you can take it swimming with you at up to 50 meters depth so think pools or shallow snorkeling. This also means you can wear it in the shower YAY!

The Garmin Vivoactive 4 music has a dedicated swimming screen called the Garmin Connect, which collects real-time data of distance, time, stroke, SWOLF, temperature, pace, speed and more. Also, the Chroma Display ensures you can view your real-time swim data whilst under the water (how cool is that). Currently, there is no support for open water swim tracking but you can get this with the more expensive Garmin devices. If you spend most of your time in the pool, then the Garmin Vivoactive 4 music is a good fit for you.

Design and looks

On looks at least, the Vivoactive 4 was a major upgrade to what Garmin had come up with before it. Garmin morphed from the unsightly bulky rectangle into a beautiful circular watch face. The change between something like that and the Music is not a lot but still, it is very much an improvement to be noted. The Garmin Vivoactive 4 Music actually only comes in black, but this time Garmin’s upgraded its glass by going for a chemically strengthened glass finish that is much more glossier and much better than the former metallic look of the Vivoactive 3’s. We were very quickly collecting scratches on the metallic ring around the former Vivoactive 4’s face, but so far the Music has remained scratch and scuff free! This is all thanks to the strengthened glass finish.

Interface and usability

As we already mentioned earlier, the Vivoactive 4 Music has pretty much all of the same sports tracking features as the Vivoactive 4. However, the Vivoactive 4 Music also works as an everyday smartwatch with support for notifications, infamous Garmin Pay and a few other “smart features”. Garmin is now venturing into the wearable market with this device after pretty much dominating the sports space. Although the Notifications still a work in progress they aren’t handled as nicely as they are on the Apple Watch Series. You still can send quick replies if you’re on an Android (sorry but no iPhone for now)Also using the Garmin’s nifty cut-out responses you can pretty much use it as a smartphone on the go.

Music, Music, and Music

So finally let’s talk music. Garmin’s put aside enough space for close to 500 songs, which can either be uploaded as files directly from a computer using proprietary software i.e Garmin Express program or simply synced from one of the music services Garmin’s partnered with. At the moment this list is solely comprised of iHeartRadio in the US and UK, but soon another music giant Deezer will soon start supporting it.

Sports and fitness tracking

As you may already know Garmin is currently leading the sports wearable space this is as a result of years of dedication towards pushing the boundaries in this niche. To no surprise the Garmin Vivoactive 4 Music is the best sports watch on the market right now. The Vivoactive 4 is essentially a GPS sports watch that comes preloaded with a whole multitude of workouts that include running, biking bot indoor and outdoor, swimming, rowing, skiing, golf, yoga and a bunch of gym activities. The best part is you can now also create custom workouts by taking making custom lists. You also have the ability to tweak data screens and alerts as per your workout!

Battery life

Now although Garmin says you should get a cool 8 days of battery life if you use it in “smartwatch mode” which basically is not powering the GPS or sports modes that’s simply not possible because these are the two features you probably are buying it for.

5. Garmin Fenix Plus 5

Garmin Fenix Plus 5 is the next best option on our list of best Apple watch alternatives. It is perhaps the highly expensive one in this compilation. Are you are checking the options for the multi sports variants? This should be the perfect option with its focus on providing as many features as would be possible.

The features offered on the watch would indeed justify the high price. GPS feature can be considered to be one of the best a perfect one at that. You would also like the perfect build quality that offers you a stainless steel construction. The sports-specific smart tracking options are highest in their own class. The advanced training options are some of the options you would find impressive.

What makes it the perfect choice?

Routable color topo maps and the built-in music functionality are the best for those who tend to travel a lot. The contactless payment options offered by the watch indeed make it one of the right options for enhanced security.

However, it may not be for everyone. The expensive price tag can be a deterrent for most of you who may be looking for a budget option. The plenty of options offered on the device should make it the right option for adventurous trips.

Who is this for?

Well, we already said it. The Garmin Fenix Plus5 is a great choice for those of you who love adventures. It can also suit those people involved in multi-sports and take part in a wide range of fitness activities.

Are you are into activities like hiking, biking, running, swimming, and a host of other similar activities? You would find the watch offers you better compatibility with practically every one of them. However, if you are involved in general fitness training, opting for this one may not be an ideal choice.

6. Ticwatch E3 – Cheapest Apple Watch Alternative

Featuring proactive sorts modes, the Ticwatch E3 is equipped with almost every option that forms part of a standard smartwatch. You do not have access to contactless payments or other similar features.

You can have access to excellent battery life, more so when you compare it to the other smartwatches running on Wear OS. Ideally, you would get two days of battery backup. But it should be at least a day if you are into heavy tasks with your smartwatch. The onboard Snapdragon 2100 may give room to a little worry and slowness from the performance point of view occasionally.

What makes it the perfect choice?

The 5 atm water resistance is what would make it suitable for an effective waterproof functionality to up to 50 meter deep water. There is also a swim mode that detects your swimming style and tracks the swim activities accurately.

High-end customization is yet another plus point that would offer you a great deal of personal preferences in terms of watch faces and straps. A few special apps would include Less good: Mobvoi’s fitness software, which consists of TicExercise, TicHeath, TicPulse, TicRanking, and Pool Swim.

Who is this for?

Well, are you are not too much into fitness tracking, but looking for a decent fitness tracking needs? The Ticwatch E3 should be the right choice you would want to go with. The price would be yet another factor that can impress the budget buyers.

In fact, the water-resistance properties added in the Ticwatch 3 edition can be one of the reasons swimmers would opt for it. Especially because of the right price it commands for a high-end feature.

7. Amazfit Bip U Pro Smartwatch

If you are looking for a perfect Apple Watch alternative that exactly matches the Apple watch, the Amazfit Bip can be a good option. In fact, the watch has earned a name for itself as a layman’s Apple Watch.

The smartwatch stands as an excellent option if you are checking out the options for a wide range of features in a tighter budget. It can handle almost everything a regular user and fitness enthusiast would want to look for. An excellent feature we noticed with the Amazfit smartwatch is its sleep tracking feature. A full charge would give you access to a mammoth 30 days of backup.

What makes it the perfect choice?

Amazfit range of smartwatches has brought in a huge change. They have introduced the high-end features to an affordable smartwatch. Notable among these would be the water-resistance properties and GPS connectivity.

As long as your fitness needs are not much heavier, the Amazfit smartwatch can be the right option you can go with. The accurate heart rate monitor and sleep tracking are the two features make it a great choice. This should make it sit among the top-end smartwatches and compete with them.

Who is this for?

Well, the watch is best designed for those checking the best Apple watch features, but do not want to pay much higher prices. You have access to an amazing battery and a sleuth of activity trackers and other features. This makes it a great option for those involved in fitness tracking to a greater extent.

In essence, the smartwatch packs in the multiple features in an affordable package. That should ideally make t a good option for you if you have a tight budget.

8. Samsung Galaxy Active2

This is yet another excellent option and the second from Samsung to feature in this compilation. The smartwatch provides you features meant for tracking sports and work out activities. In fact, the Samsung smartwatch can be a good option if you are into too much of sports.

The water proof properties provides you access to the protection against water to up to 50 meters. This would help you use it for swimming activities as well. Support for NFC would be useful enough for the contactless payments right on the move.

The affordable price tag when you compare it to the other smartwatches from Samsung.

What makes it the perfect choice?

A comfortable and user-friendly interface are the two features we would rate as being the most efficient functionalities on the watch. It can handle almost every task you throw at it in an effective manner.

The sports features provided on the Samsung Galaxy Active2 would make it ideal for sports lovers. The fitness tracking offered by the smartwatch is just excellent. It comes with features like OLED screen, easier notification aggregation, and music playback functionality powered by Spotify. That should take it to the appropriate level as the Apple watch alternative to the core.

Who is it for?

Well, you might have already guessed it right. The watch is designed specifically for sports lovers. The swim tracking feature will make it the icing on the cake. If you are someone who is quite active with multiple sports activities, this is the one you would go with.

The smartwatch is best meant for the sportsperson. But you can use it for a wide range of uses if you are into casual biking and gaming.

9. Fossil Gen 5 Carlyle – Stylish Apple Watch Alternative

The heart rate tracking and activity monitors are the two great options you would find impressive on the product. A classic design and a perfect modern touch would be what should make it a great choice by almost every standard. Coming from Fossil, , it is an option for the right Apple watch alternative. Fossil has gained a name for itself in the realm of smartwatches.

A huge screen that can be customized to your heart’s content makes it a best options. And then it is available for a price less than half of an Apple watch. The water and dust resistant properties would make it yet another worthy option. A smoother touch screen coupled with a durable stainless steel construction are the two features you would find highly impressive and effective.

What makes it the perfect choice?

The smartwatch, available at a lower price segment, comes with the advanced features like heart rate monitor, NFC payments, and contactless payments. The swim-proof design offering you a 3 atm water resistance can be one of the reasons that would offer enhanced performance. You can have access to practically every one of your needs that you would use an Apple watch for.

The comparatively cheaper price tag makes it one of the right Apple watch alternatives you would go with. In fact, the watch is available at a price even lower than the Samsung smartwatches.

Who is it for?

If you are someone who is looking for an elegant smartwatch, the Fossil offering should be the right one for you. In case you are looking for advanced features, this may not be the option you would want to go with.

If you are a casual user, you will find the option of Fossil 5 generation a good alternative to Apple watch. An affordable price tag and all the features is what you would find here. And that you would need as a normal user can be what can make it a great choice.

Found You Next Apple Watch Alternative?

Those were a few perfect options for an Apple watch alternative you may be looking for. Of course, an Apple watch is an excellent option when you are checking out the smartwatches that handle anything you throw at it. But the expensive price tag is what would keep it out of reach for most of the smartwatch enthusiasts. That is here an Apple watch alter=native assumes importance.

We assume the list of the best Apple Watch alternatives listed here should meet almost every one of your requirements. Check them out and make a really learned choice for the best that meets your requirements. Get the best watches for activity tracking, syncing with your smartphone, or for any other task that you are opting for a smartwatch.

Read Next:

Best Waterproof Smartwatch Reddit

TicWatch Pro 3 Review

Best Fitness Tracker For Women

Last update on 2023-02-05 / Affiliate links / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API