APPLE WATCH ALTERNATIVES
When budget meets fitness needs
By Anna Roberson
If you’re interested in tracking your fitness metrics on a budget, check out these Apple Watch alternatives.
Oura Smart Ring $299.00 – Available in silver, gold, black, and matte black, this fitness ring is sleek and effective. The Oura Smart Ring generation three is priced at $299, still an expensive accessory, but easier on the wallet than the Apple Watch. With a 4–7-day battery life, the Oura ring is apple health and google fit compatible. Also, the first six months of Oura membership are free, normally priced at $5.99 per month. Not only does Oura track your fitness, sleep, and health metrics, they provide a comprehensive analysis of your habits for health improvement insight.
Fitbit Charge 4 $119.00 – I remember when Fitbit were thin, flimsy little bands that tracked steps. Now, they’ve caught up with the Apple Watch, with numerous new health and fitness features. The Charge 4 model includes all-day activity tracking, calories burned, heart rate and breathing rate tracking, active zone minutes, and real-time pace and distance tracking. By synching with the FitBit app, you can track and access your menstrual cycle, sleep monitoring and patterns, as well as guided meditations and stress management reflections.
Garmin Vivosmart 4 $129.99 – Available in a range of 5 different colors, this band is slimmer than the Fitbit Charge and has a smaller face than the Apple Watch. Safe for swimming and showering, the Vivosmart 4 has a 7-day battery life. It tracks your wrist-based heart rate, has dedicated activity timers for different workouts, monitors sleep, and measures REM sleep. One shared feature with the Apple Watch is its notification feature; the user gets a vibration alert for incoming calls, texts, and more.
iTouch Air 3 SmartWatch $59.99 – Sold at Target, this iTouch Smartwatch looks almost identical to the Apple Watch for a fraction of the price. Android compatible and water-resistant, this watch has a sleep, exercise, and mobile phone notification features. Complete with a pedometer, calorie tracker, heart rate monitor, Bluetooth, and GPS connectivity, this watch does it all.
Fitpolo smartwatch (Android compatibility) $39.99 – Available on Amazon in 4 different colors, this smartwatch is also nearly identical to the Apple Watch and one of the cheapest options out there. The Fitpolo has full touchscreen features, and fitness trackers, including steps, calories, and sports modes. There’s also a music controller, alarm, and timer feature.