Whether you are on a tight budget or simply do not want to splurge on an Apple Watch, cheap budget smartwatches are the way forward.
From fitness trackers to heart rate monitors, the cheaper smartwatch continues to take the world by storm.
This is because more people are wanting to track their daily activity and movements using these highly wearable devices, but without the hindrance of a hefty price tag.
That being said, it might be hard for you to believe that a cheap budget smartwatch can do exactly the same job as its expensive counterparts.
Yes, you may find yourself short of a few features (namely GPS) but the general running is the same. And, it is at a price that you can afford. What is not to love?
Many smartwatches are designed to be not just functional. They have both the seemingly endless array of useful features, but also are extremely sleek looking, too.
But if you find yourself questioning where you would even begin to look for such a product, you have come to the right place.
We have taken all the stress out of looking for an attractive cheap budget smartwatch for you. All you have to do is read through this guide and decide which features and operating systems are right for you.
AGPTEK Smartwatch
You really can not go wrong with this stunningly simple smartwatch.
With this smartwatch, you can expect nothing but the best at a budget-friendly price. It offers a 1.3 inch anti-scratch touch screen that rests in a sturdy yet attractive metal frame.
A silicone strap means that even if you opt to keep the smartwatch wrapped around your wrist, it is breathable, easy to wear, and durable, too.
All of these qualities combined ensure that the watch provides extra comfort. With the additional aid of a fast release mechanism, the strap can be replaced quickly and effortlessly whenever you want or need to do so.
It also comes in pink and gold, black, or blue, and has a customizable watch face which means you can completely personalize your smartwatch. How fun does that sound?
Battery life is also not a problem with this product. A single two-hour charge could provide you with anywhere from 8 to 10 days of fully functional operation.
However, this does depend on how much you use the smartwatch. Much like your phone or laptop, the more you use the smartwatch, the more charging it is going to need.
Aside from being a highly functional health and fitness tracker, the AGPTEK Smartwatch also comes with many other useful features.
Notably, it has an alarm clock, sleep tracking, weather report, stopwatch, find phone, and call rejection.
You could even use it when exercising in the rain or washing your hands, thanks to its waterproof abilities!
Pros
- Great Design – This smartwatch is simple yet elegant.
- Accuracy – It provides you with an accurate reading of your heart rate.
- Long-Lasting Battery – A single charge can give you a few days of use. This is highly convenient.
Cons
- Quiet Sound – Any alarm you set may not be as loud as it would be on other devices.
Also available at Walmart.
KALINCO Smartwatch
If you want an Apple Watch but can’t afford the price tag, then this might be exactly what you need.
The KALINCO Smartwatch has a sporty appearance that still retains a sense of elegance.
It features a metal body with curved edges which ensures that while it is practical it is also sleek and stylish, too.
Delivered in a stunning glossy finish in a choice of black, silver, or rose gold.
This smartwatch also boasts a 1.4 inch full touchscreen display with toughened glass.
It comes with an entirely custom watch face that can provide you with a high-quality touch and visual experience.
This smartwatch allows you to read text messages and receive app notifications for your social media accounts including Facebook, WhatsApp, and Twitter. The real-time alerts are highly convenient.
You can’t send texts or make calls, but that’s a small price to pay for such an intelligent piece of software.
And, if you want to better understand your health, this smartwatch will come in very handy.
Whether you are working out at the gym or sitting at home, you can use this smartwatch to check your SpO2 levels.
This includes blood pressure and heart rate monitoring. You can also keep track of your sleep state and patterns using this technology.
It can also be used for up to 7 days and standby for 30+ days after receiving a full charge.
Pros
- Appearance – This smartwatch has a stunning appearance.
- Staying Healthy – You can track your activities all day long.
- Battery Life – It offers a great battery life.
Cons
- Inaccurate Readings – The blood pressure data is not medically accurate.
This watch is also available at the the official Kalinco store.
Donerton Smart Watch
Those who want a low-cost wrist watch that can accurately track their fitness and health can opt for the Donerton smartwatch.
It has a number of simple and complex functions that will help to make your life that little bit easier.
Unlike other smartwatches in this budget, the Donerton model has a much better design.
When wearing this watch, you might mistakenly believe it has a full-edge display thanks to broad bezels on its 1.4-inch screen.
Due to a high-pixel density, the panels on this particular smartwatch appear to be sharper and brighter.
It has also been crafted in a metal case which provides a great layer of protection if you accidentally drop your watch.
And, thanks to synthetic rubber straps, this smartwatch is designed for optimum comfort.
This means you can wear it about all day with little to no issues! These straps are also easily replaceable so you can freshen up your look whenever you want.
We found this watch to be really useful for tracking steps, the amount of calories burned, and the number of active minutes.
The calories tracker provides reasonably precise and detailed insights into the calories consumed, but it does not provide information on the calories consumed.
A single charge of 2.5 hours can power up the device for daily use spanning up to 7 days. If kept on standby, it could last for up to 30 days!
Unique functions including camera control, IP67 waterproof qualities, and a connection to the Hero Band III app make this smartwatch one of the best for convenience.
Pros
- Design – It has a simple design with comfortable and stylish elements that make wearing it all day an absolute breeze.
- Accurate Tracking – The watch has accurate tracking functionalities (especially calories and steps).
- Battery life – An extra long battery life that is highly convenient.
Cons
- No Location Tracking – This Donerton smartwatch doesn’t come with a built-in GPS.
UMIDIGI Uwatch 2S
The budget friendly UMIDIGI smartwatch is highly practical. Best of all, you do not have to compromise with the design integrity.
This lightweight design smartwatch comes with a 1.3-inch square color touch display, which is both elegant and scratch-resistant – providing the perfect medium between design and practicality.
We also found it really easy to adjust the contrast and brightness levels for optimum viewing.
The UMIDIGI Uwatch 2S comes in a variety of shades including rose gold, ocean green, black, and white, so feel free to choose your favorite color!
This excellent range of neutral shades makes the watch suitable for everyone to use in their daily life.
The Qualcomm 4100+ processor of this watch also works to a high efficiency. It also establishes a connection to entry-level smartphones which is unlike other smartwatches.
In addition, you can actually connect this watch to your smartphone using Bluetooth 5.0 LE to control apps on your phone (including your music player).
One of the most impressive features is that this UMIDIGI Smartwatch has a storage capacity of 64 MB.
This means you can store far more on here than other similar items on the market – all while staying at a highly budget friendly price.
If that was not enough, you can even track your exercise, heart rate, and sleep quality using this smartwatch. The best part is that it is all done automatically so you do not have to put any effort in.
Pros
- Design – The color range and structure of the watch makes it a highly universal product.
- Longer Battery Life – Breakthrough battery performance means up to 15-Day Battery Life after one 2.5 hour full charge.
- Water Resistance – Resistant for up to 164 feet.
Cons
- No GPS Tracking – Doesn’t contain GPS, although this is common in budget smartwatches.
CanMixs Smartwatch
If you are after an equally elegant and practical smartwatch then this might be the product for you.
This CanMixs Smartwatch offers a 1.3-inch touch screen display with an impressive resolution of 240-240 PX, giving you access to a high quality screen at all times.
It also means that you will be able to view a variety of notifications and functions on screen with ease.
Overall, this smartwatch is both sleek and fashionable – and has the visual appeal of a more expensive model.
You can also mix and match the straps if you want to change things up a little bit, or simply if you would like to match the watch to your outfit.
One of the best features of this CanMixs Smartwatch is that it will record your whole day’s activity without a complicated analyzing process. Simply pair the watch to your phone using the easy-to-connect app and you are done.
It also acts as a fitness tracker across 8 different sports modes and provides you with accurate data about your steps, calories, blood pressure, and heart rate.
With this model you can also track your sleep quality thanks to a sleep monitoring sensor.
Another factor about this watch is that is waterproof for everyday wear.
After connecting the watch to your phone, you can stop, play, or skip music which helps to free up your hands when you’re busy with other activities.
Pros
- Technologically Compatible – This device can be used with various Android and iOS devices.
- Battery Life – An increased battery capacity (180 MAh battery) makes this a very convenient product, especially if you’re busy and on the go a lot of the time. You can use it for 7-10 days after a single charge.
- Universal – The unisex design of this watch makes it perfect for men and women.
Cons
- Inaccurate Reading – Its blood pressure reading might not accurate, but that should be expected considering it is not a medical grade tool.
Buyer’s Guide
Buying – and finding – a smartwatch can be a difficult process because you have to narrow down and seriously think about many factors before committing to a single device.
This includes considering its design, the type of functions you want the device to have (heart rate monitoring, step tracker), device compatibility, whether it is waterproof or not, and also your budget.
So if you are planning to buy a smartwatch, then you should spend a bit of time researching each of these factors to figure out exactly which direction you want to move in.
Dedicating time to researching the best smartwatch within your price range will make all the difference in the type of product that you end up with.
But if you don’t know where to begin looking, our handy buyer’s guide will guide you through the process.
Budget
When buying anything, cost is one of the most important things you need to think about.
This means that knowing the exact budget you are working with is an essential component when you are looking to buy a new smartwatch.
We would not recommend spending much money on a new device, but you should have a fixed amount you are willing to spend and then filter your search around that.
Design And Display
Design is significant regardless of the type of device you are in the market for. But it has special importance for smartwatches.
This is because these devices are placed on your wrist and, by design, are one of the first things another person will see on your body.
Regarding the design, not only do you have to consider the type of color palette that you would typically prefer your device to have, but you must also think about the screen shape that you want.
Some smartwatches have a round face whereas others have a square one, so it is best to weigh up all your options to figure out your preferences before you go on the hunt for a new smartwatch.
At this stage you may also want to decide on what screen size you are after, and whether you would want a screen with a higher resolution or not.
For instance, a wider and more detailed screen will be simpler to access and will be far easier to read on days where the sun is shining directly onto your watch, obscuring your vision as a result.
Waterproof
It is always best to seek out smartwatches that offer IP67 waterproofing so you know that you can frolic in the rain without having to worry about your watch short circuiting, or stopping altogether.
One thing you need to be aware of is that even if your preferred smartwatch offers waterproofing, these watches usually won’t survive if you opt to go swimming or wash your dishes with it on.
Essentially, you should not wear your watch anywhere that involves you having to plunge your hands directly into water if you’re planning to keep it running.
Features
Aside from the typical features of a watch, a good smartwatch needs to have several features that attract you to that particular device.
In addition to timekeeping, smartwatches can provide you with access to important features such as health and activity monitoring, Bluetooth connection, and camera control.
With smartwatches, you can also often receive notifications from your phone including text messages, missed phone calls, and social media notifications.
However, with cheaper models, you will not be able to respond to said notifications using the watch. This is down to the type of technology that is used to manufacture these products.
Overall, there are quite a few different features employed in smartwatches these days.
It can be a little confusing trying to find one product that suits your every need, so we would strongly recommend making a list of your desired features before you plan to purchase a smartwatch.
Battery Life
We are going to assume that you will not just use your smartwatch at home. If that is the case then you need to look for a product with a long-lasting, and large-capacity battery to keep it powered.
Smartwatches are portable devices which means they will need to be charged from time to time, and won’t have endless days of battery life.
Much like your phone, the battery life will drain the more that the device is used. So, finding an item with a good battery is crucial – especially if you’re planning to put it to the test at the gym or on a hike!
Fitness Tracking
As we mentioned before, a smartwatch is not just for timekeeping. Fitness tracking is one of the main reasons for buying a smartwatch.
It helps you to keep track of the number of steps you have taken, the calories burned, your heart rate, and even your sleep quality in some devices.
Many smartwatches also come with built-in GPS. It is a very useful feature, especially for runners and bikers who are at risk of suffering an injury while out and about.
Though it is tough to find GPS in low-priced watches, some can be connected to your phone’s GPS in order to track successfully.
All things considered, it would definitely be best if you double-checked the watch you are going to buy comes with a good tracking service.
Here is our “4 Step Guide To Find The Best Smartwatches” as an additional source.
Frequently Asked Questions
What Are The Typical Features Of A Smartwatch?
There is not an exact answer to this question as it depends entirely on the brand and type of smartwatch.
Generically, there are a few common features shared by smartwatches regardless of who the manufacturer is.
These include phone notifications, fitness tracking, GPS, health assistance tools such as calorie and step tracking, and even Bluetooth.
Can I Use My Smartwatch Without A Phone?
Yes, you can. In fact, thanks to the innovative technology, many smartwatches can be easily connected to the nearest network, meaning they can perform a lot of the same functions as your phone.
You can also connect the watch to your smartphone via Bluetooth connection to enhance the features of the watch.
Can I Send A Text From A Smartwatch?
This depends entirely on the smartwatch you are using, and whether the technology is equipped to handle this type of connection.
Phones running on IOS aren’t typically able to connect, whereas Android phones are more likely to connect to a smartwatch – meaning you can send texts.
On these devices, you can connect to the text app on the watch and then view any messages.
You might also be able to reply to the text. Again, this depends on the type of smartwatch you are using.