5 Cheaper Apple Watch Alternatives You Can Buy on Amazon

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The Apple Watch line is one of the most popular ways to track health and fitness, and it represents the go-to smartwatch option for those interested in the Apple software ecosystem. Apple Watches can track different workout activities, monitor health metrics, and pair with an iPhone for text messaging, music controls, and more. But there are common problems with Apple Watches, and they’re far from the most affordable smartwatches on the market.

There are plenty of options outside of those offered by Apple, which is good news for health and fitness enthusiasts who don’t want to break the bank to get in the game. Apple’s most affordable Apple Watch is the Apple Watch SE 3, priced at $249. More affordable alternatives are pretty easy to find, and with brands like Google and Garmin among them, you don’t have to sacrifice name recognition when looking for budget Apple Watch alternatives.

We took our hands-on experience with Apple Watches – as well as our knowledge of the competition – and turned to Amazon’s shelves to hand-pick some Apple Watch alternatives. There are plenty of Amazon gadgets to buy and ignore, and we think a quality smartwatch or fitness tracker is among the top ones. With a focus on affordability, let’s take a look at a few smartwatches that compare well to different Apple Watch models.

Like most Apple products, the Apple Watch line is known for its design and aesthetics. The Xiaomi Redmi Watch 5 is a cheaper alternative, especially if you like the look of the Apple Watch Series 11. Xiaomi has created a watch here that looks a lot like it physically, while also offering a number of fitness and health tracking features. It has a 2-inch LCD screen and can achieve up to a full 18 days of battery life between charges.

But while the Apple Watch Series 11 starts at $399 in the Apple Online Store, you can get the Xiaomi Redmi Watch 5 for just $44 on Amazon. That’s an impressive price for just about any smartwatch with over 140 different workout modes, not to mention one that people could easily mistake for an Apple Watch. The Redmi Watch 5 also features waterproofing and the ability to pair with an iOS or Android smartphone.

Xiaomi has been making noise with its smartphone lineup, but with the Redmi Watch 5 and other product lines, it’s doing more than just Android smartphones. The Redmi Watch 5’s affordable price may seem a little too good to be true, and a small number of Amazon customers are reporting setup difficulties and minimal built-in storage. But the overwhelming majority of Amazon reviews are good, with the Redmi Watch 5 receiving 96% favorable reviews and an overall rating of 4.6 stars out of 5.

Apple’s software ecosystem may be difficult to match, but in terms of compatibility, Apple Watch users can only pair the smartwatch with other Apple devices. But like some Android smartwatches, the Cubitt Viva Lite is capable of pairing with Android and iOS smartphones. In addition to supporting Bluetooth calling across all software platforms, it has a 1.85-inch AMOLED display, over 100 built-in sports modes with animated workout guides, and GPS that works on five satellite systems.

This is another alternative to the Apple Watch, much cheaper. Amazon has the Cubitt Viva Lite for $60, and it’s regularly marked down to $50. Apple has improved Siri AI features over the years, but the Viva Lite might be more appealing to fitness enthusiasts, especially with the built-in AI trainer. It’s capable of providing personalized workout insights and recovery tips, as well as a daily readiness score to help you stay in touch with your body as you transition from one workout to another.

The Cubitt Viva Lite received an overall rating of 4.5 out of 5 stars from Amazon customers. Reviewers on the less positive end of the spectrum report frustrations that include the smartwatch freezing during use and a somewhat cheap overall feel. But this is another smartwatch that has received overwhelmingly positive reviews on Amazon and can cover, at the very least, the basic needs of most fitness enthusiasts.

Some may argue that a Fitbit is no longer necessary, but as long as there is interest in fitness and health tracking, the Fitbit name will likely remain synonymous with the devices. Now owned by Google, Fitbit is still an interesting name among fitness trackers, and the Fitbit Charge 6 offers something you really can’t find in the Apple Watch line: discretion. This is a slim but attractive fitness tracker that’s stylish enough to use all day.

Amazon offers the Fitbit Charge 6 in three different colors, each priced at $160. This is, however, another smartwatch that is one of Amazon’s favorites when it comes to a deal. Its main features include built-in GPS, all-day activity tracking, 24/7 heart rate tracking, and automatic exercise tracking. With Fitbit now part of Google’s software ecosystem, the Charge 6 can provide running and cycling directions via Google Maps controls and YouTube Music for workout playlists.

When it comes to Amazon customers, the Google Fitbit Charge isn’t as highly rated as some other Apple Watch alternatives. It has an overall rating of 4.1 stars out of 5, with 82% of customer reviews rating it favorably. Some detractors feel that the Charge 6 can be a bit buggy and even inaccurate, but this is a smartwatch that has been on the market for several years now and it remains a popular entry within the Google Fitbit lineup.

The Apple Watch Ultra 3 is Apple’s most premium smartwatch, and its $799 starting price reflects that. It’s aimed at serious training programs, as it includes features like satellite connectivity for remote excursions and up to 42 hours of battery life. Amazfit makes several affordable smartwatches, and the one that compares similarly to the Apple Watch Ultra 3 is the Amazfit Bip Max. It doesn’t match the Ultra Watch 3 in terms of satellite connectivity, but it has GPS tracking and can download maps for offline use.

Amazon offers the Bip Max in three different color options, each priced at $100. This makes the smartwatch a much more affordable option, and it’s not really lacking in features. It features a 2.07-inch AMOLED display, 4GB of storage capacity, and battery life that far exceeds that of the Apple Watch Ultra 3, with up to a full 20 days of battery life between charges.

Although the Amazfit Bip Max compares well to the Apple Watch Ultra 3 in terms of looks and features, some Amazon customers have reported display issues. This includes display quality decreasing over time, as well as some brightness issues after software updates. But overall, it’s hard to beat the Bip Max at the $100 price point, and 95% of Amazon reviewers back their purchase with a favorable rating of the smartwatch.

The Garmin Forerunner 55 is a GPS smartwatch designed for simplicity. It’s aimed at runners who want solid fitness data without getting too bogged down in software ecosystems. Because it specifically targets runners of all types, it’s difficult to make a direct comparison to a specific Apple Watch. However, compared to the lineup as a whole, the Forerunner 55 stands out specifically because it doesn’t try to compete with smartwatches designed to make a fashion statement.

Priced at $200, the Forerunner 55 costs less than the $249 Apple Watch SE 3 and offers more ruggedness and durability. It’s also a favorite when it comes to discounts on Amazon, often priced closer to $150 and even dropping in price as low as $129. The smartwatch comes with built-in activity profiles that include running, cycling, and breathing, and it’s capable of up to 20 hours of battery life even with GPS mode enabled.

However, one thing about the Garmin Forerunner 55 is that it has been on the market for quite some time. It was released in 2021 and may get a bit long-winded in terms of hardware and software. But it’s an extremely popular device on Amazon, and it has an overall rating of 4.5 stars out of 5 despite its age. It has received over 6,000 reviews on Amazon, of which 79% are 5-star reviews and 93% are favorable reviews.

Our biggest factor here was selecting smartwatches that were more affordable than those available in the Apple Watch line. Amazon is a great place to shop for affordable electronics and mobile devices, so we’ve kept our focus on what the retail giant has to offer in that regard. In making our selections, our goal was to offer alternatives that compare well to one Apple Watch model or another, focusing on aesthetics, health and fitness features, and general smartwatch functionality, depending on the model.