Best Cheap Smartwatch 2024: Bargain wearables, tried and tested

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

Compared to some of the options on this list, the Apple Watch SE 2 isn’t exactly among the most affordable out there, but it is the most affordable option if you have your sights set on picking up an Apple Watch.

The SE 2 is still something of an anomaly from Apple, as it’s a great device in its own right and doesn’t come with a ton of caveats in the same way that the iPhone SE 2022 does. In fact, it boasts the same chipset found in the Apple Watch 8 (which launched at the same time as the SE 2).

This means that you can expect high-end performance as you zip from one app to another before heading out on a run. It’s all seamless and ideally the option you’ll want to go for if you do use an iPhone.

Because of the SE 2’s integration into Apple’s ecosystem, you can dive straight into applications like Siri and Apple Calendar, while also using Find My to locate your watch if you ever misplace it. Simply put, if your budget can stretch this far then the Apple Watch SE 2 is well worth picking up.

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

Even though the Samsung Galaxy Watch 4 has now had several successors come to market, Samsung has smartly decided to keep the watch around by reducing its price over time, making it a budget-alternative to folks interested in a Wear OS device.

With a new starting price of £199/$199, it’s now quite common to see the Galaxy Watch 4 fall to a rate much lower than that. This is quite impressive when you consider that the watch is still receiving the latest Wear OS updates from Google, so you won’t be missing out on the software front.

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