10 Best Cheap Smart Watches 2025 in the United States

The Garmin Forerunner 165 is a strong option if you're looking for a budget-friendly smartwatch designed mainly for running and fitness. Its bright 1.2-inch AMOLED touchscreen display offers clear visuals, making it easy to read your stats during workouts. The watch includes built-in GPS and wrist-based heart rate monitoring, which are essential for tracking pace, distance, and heart health without needing your phone. Battery life is impressive for this price range—up to 11 days in smartwatch mode and 19 hours when using GPS, so you won't have to charge it constantly.

It supports over 25 activity profiles, including running, cycling, and strength training, plus smart coaching features that adapt workouts based on your performance and recovery. Compatibility with both Android and Apple devices ensures you can receive call and text notifications, as well as sync data with the Garmin Connect app for deeper insights and community challenges. The lightweight, 43 mm design feels comfortable for everyday wear, and safety features like incident detection add extra peace of mind. Garmin watches typically handle sweat and rain well, though it might not be suited for deep swimming.

The build quality is solid for a budget watch, but if you want a more rugged model, you might need to look higher up in price. Garmin Pay support is a nice bonus for contactless payments, though availability depends on country and bank support. This smartwatch is ideal for runners and active users who want detailed training metrics and good app integration without spending a lot. If you need advanced smartwatch features like music storage or a larger app ecosystem, there are more expensive options, but for fitness tracking and durability, the Forerunner 165 delivers good value.

The Garmin Venu 3S is a compact, stylish smartwatch with a bright 1.2-inch AMOLED touchscreen that offers sharp and colorful visuals, making it easy to read notifications and fitness stats. Its battery life of up to 10 days in smartwatch mode is impressive for this size, so you won't need to charge it frequently. The watch excels in fitness tracking with over 30 built-in sports apps including running, cycling, swimming, and golf, plus advanced health monitoring like sleep coaching, stress tracking, and Body Battery energy monitoring. This provides detailed insights to help you better understand your daily energy and recovery needs. Compatibility is solid as it works with both iPhone and Android phones through the Garmin Connect app, enabling phone calls and voice assistant features right from your wrist.

The stainless steel bezel and lightweight design make the Garmin Venu 3S feel premium and durable, while it supports water resistance suitable for swimming and everyday use. Compared to some cheaper smartwatches, it might be a bit pricier and relies on GarminOS, which has less third-party app support than more common platforms like Wear OS or Apple watchOS. For those seeking a reliable fitness-focused smartwatch with a bright display and long battery life, this model is an excellent choice. However, if extensive app variety or a lower price is a priority, other options might be more suitable.

The Samsung Galaxy Watch 7 40mm Bluetooth AI Smartwatch offers several compelling features for its price point. It boasts strong fitness tracking capabilities, including heart rate tracking, sleep monitoring, and personalized wellness tips, which makes it a solid choice for fitness enthusiasts. The watch's Galaxy AI provides valuable insights and comparisons to help users improve their performance over time. Additionally, the Energy Score feature is a neat touch to gauge your daily readiness based on past activities.

The watch's compatibility with Samsung’s ecosystem and its Bluetooth connectivity ensure it can integrate well with many devices, although it's best suited for Android users, particularly those with Samsung phones. The cream color and lightweight design add to its aesthetic appeal and comfort for daily wear. For those looking for a budget-friendly smartwatch with strong fitness features and good app support, the Samsung Galaxy Watch 7 is a worthwhile consideration, especially for users within the Samsung ecosystem.