Smartwatches are quite convenient. They are portable and provide you with so much valuable information, like heart rate, number of steps, calories burned – and let’s not forget that they still tell time. All of this sitting on your wrist.
As this tech continues to grow in popularity and more companies manufacture this device, the supply/demand formula works in your favor. The applications afforded by smartwatches are continually upgraded year after year for the past decade. With more choices in the market the more the prices go down.
Not everyone can easily put out a few hundred dollars on a smartwatch. So we spent a little time doing some research for you and have found some smartwatches priced under $100 that will give you what the expensive models provide.
| PRODUCT | FEATURES | LATEST PRICE |
|---|---|---|
1. Donerton Smart Watch  |
| Check Price |
2. UMIDIGI Uwatch3  |
| Check Price |
3. YAMAY  |
| Check Price |
4. Willful  |
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5. Popglory Smartwatch  |
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6. Arbily  |
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7. Amazfit GTS Fitness Smartwatch  |
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8. GOKOO (for women)  |
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9. MAXTOP Smartwatch  |
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10. NiceFuse  |
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Table of Contents
Our Best Smartwatch Under $100 Reviews and Comparisons
1. Donerton Smart Watch
Product Highlights
The Donerton Smart Watch is a highly accurate all-purpose sports tracker. It features an easy-to-use 1.4-inch screen interface that allows you to check your stats at any time of the day and is completely customizable.
You can choose from four different clock faces that suit different moods. As for more practical applications, it also includes a stopwatch and a timer and can control your music, phone camera, the brightness of your screen.
The Donerton Smart Watch packs a lot of capabilities into a small package. You can track your heart rate and steps, as well as use it to monitor your running, hiking, yoga, and even cycling. Most impressively, though, this sports tracker is completely waterproof, so you can use it in the pool to track your heart rate. It will not track the number of laps you swim, though.
At the end of a workout, you can check how many calories you burned, how long you worked out for, and how many miles you covered. You can even use the GPS tracker to map out your workouts. Additionally, this watch will monitor your sleep cycles and create a reading for how well you slept and for how long.
If you want a fully comprehensive sports tracking watch, this is the model for you!
Features
- An adjustable rubber watch band
- A 1.4 in interactive screen interface
- Heart rate/GPS/calories burned/sleep tracker
- Waterproof capabilities
- Links to a mobile app via Bluetooth
- Customizable clock faces
Type: Wristwatch/wristband
Colors: Black
2. UMIDIGI Uwatch3
Product Highlights
As your fitness accomplice, this smartwatch will accurately track all of your daily exercises, steps, calorie consumption, heart rate, sleep, and more thanks to the Very Fit Pro app, in real-time.
Features
- 9 activity modes
- 5ATM waterproof
- 24 hours continuous monitoring of heart rate, sleep and analysis of sleep quality
- Receive alerts for calls, SMS, email, calendar, Social Media, etc.
What We Like
Looks exactly like an Apple Watch with the exact same functions. Lightweight and comfortable. Customers enjoy the 1.3 inch TFT colorful screen display. Easy to navigate and accurate fitness tracker.
No worries when you wear it while swimming or working out on a rainy day.
What We Don’t Like
Selected options will reset themselves without the user prompting a reset. The watch will only sync with the app when the watch is rebooted through the app and resets the settings.
Users find navigating the device is more complicated than necessary while the data presentation is not convenient.
PROS
- One full battery charge provides 10 days of continuous use
- Music controller
- Sedentary reminder
- Syncs data from watch to phone
CONS
- Inaccurate monitoring for exercise, heart rate or sleep
- Burned holes into users’ skin
3. YAMAY
Product Highlights
This waterproof fitness watch is great for anyone who is seeking a tool that will keep them motivated to stay the course of an active lifestyle. Beginners will also find this device an excellent aid in getting started. With so many useful features that will take you far thanks to its long-life battery (7-10 days) to keep you going long before you need to recharge between uses.
Features
- Full touch HD color, easy control and sensitive touch screen
- 14 Modes Activity
- IP68 waterproof (can be worn when swimming)
- 24 Hours continuous heart rate monitoring
- Automatically monitor and analyze sleep quality
What We Like
This cost-effective alternative is quite suited for a child or someone who doesn’t need all the bells and whistles of a more expensive model.
Setting up this device is easy. Download the VeryFitPro app, sync your phone with the device and then run the relevant updates. You will be able to modify the features you want to turn on and off according to your needs.
What We Don’t Like
Users have found the smartwatch and phone would disconnect when they are at a distance of 10+ feet. Alerts are unreliable and emails do not appear on the watch.
The company doesn’t speak fluent English. This device may not be compatible with the US version Samsung Galaxy J series mobile phones (e.g. Galaxy J3, J7, etc.)
PROS
- Female Health Tracker included
- Two hours of battery charge gives 7-10 days of usage
- GPS Connectivity
- Automatically adjusts screen brightness to see the display screen clearly in the sun
CONS
- Does not track swimming data
- Buttons do not work properly
4. Willful
Product Highlights
This smartwatch monitors health and fitness metrics in real-time to provide you with comprehensive analysis readings that guide you in making the right choices in developing a healthier lifestyle.
Features
- 9 sports modes
- GPS connectivity
- IP68 waterproof
- Compatible with Android and iPhone
What We Like
Full-text messages can be viewed on this device’s display screen. When synced, all alarms set up on the phone will go off simultaneously on the smartwatch. Includes a medication alarm.
With all the sports and tracking features you stay motivated all day!
What We Don’t Like
Customers have found that the automatic feature of the heart rate monitor did not continuously monitor and any reading was found to be inaccurate. The step counter and calories burned monitor similarly displayed inconsistent and unreliable readings.
PROS
- Sleep tracker records sleep quality (deep sleep, light sleep and wake up time)
- No need to have the phone when wearing this smartwatch
- 9 sports mode
- Music control access
CONS
- Unreliable and inconsistent readings from different monitors
- Phone call alert displays on smartwatch when no call is coming through the phone
5. Popglory Smartwatch
Product Highlights
The Popglory Smartwatch offers everything you could want from a fitness-tracking smartwatch. It features a standard design, using a durable reinforced rubber band that connects to a sleek interactive screen interface. The screen is also customizable with an extensive range of background wallpapers.
Design aside, the Popglory Smartwatch has an amazing number of capabilities. It comes with 7 preprogrammed sports modes that function with walking and running, jumps roping, cycling, badminton, football, and basketball. After you are done exercising, you can connect to the HeroBand III mobile app to track your:
- Calories burned
- Total distance traveled
- Heart rate
- Number of steps
- Blood pressure
- SpO2 blood oxygen saturation
These last two readings make the PopGlory Smartwatch a standout competitor on this list. Thanks to some advanced sensors, you can keep track of your blood oxygen levels throughout your workouts and even as you sleep.
When you’re not exercising, you can use this fitness tracker to find your phone, keep the time, control your music, check your texts, or even the weather.
The only downside to this fitness tracker is that it can take a while to get a reading and the readings are not always the most accurate. For a more accurate SpO2 reading, we recommend purchasing a different product from this list.
Features
- An adjustable rubber watch band
- An interactive touch-screen interface
- Heart rate/GPS/calories burned/sleep tracker
- SpO2 blood oxygen sensors
- Blood pressure sensors
- Links to a mobile app via Bluetooth
- Customizable wallpapers
Type: Wristwatch/wristband
Colors: Black
6. Arbily
Product Highlights
Arbily fitness tracker accurately records all-day activities like steps, distance, calories burned, miles walked, active minutes, sleep status, and more highlighting your health habits all to keep you motivated to improve your health and fitness goals.
Features
- Personalized interfaces with touch screen
- Daily fitness monitoring
- IP68 waterproof
- Long-lasting battery
What We Like
This reasonably priced fitness tracking wearable includes sleep monitor and notification alert. The magnetic band reduces wear and tear that prevents it from being accidentally pulled off.
What We Don’t Like
It is not waterproof, so, therefore, can not track swimming. The device started deleting data every other day even when synced. GPS function does not work too well.
PROS
- Easy to read one-liner notification
- Lightweight
- Simple touch gestures
- Excellent battery life
CONS
- Not waterproof
- Advertises 9 activity modes, only has 8
7. Amazfit GTS Fitness Smartwatch
Product Highlights
The Amazfit GTS Fitness Smartwatch perfectly blends everything you’d want from a typical digital clock and a comprehensive fitness tracker. It features a standard design consisting of a durable reinforced rubber band and a small 1.6 in interactive touch-screen interface, reminiscent of an Apple Watch.
Unlike other options on this list, the Amazfit GTS is waterproof up to 50 meters, making it a top contender for swimmers. Additionally, it is preprogrammed to work with multiple swimming activities and can sense your stroke style, calories consumption while swimming, your pace, and SWOLF. You’ll be hard-pressed to find other watches that can do that!
Out of the pool, you can also use the Amazfit GTS to track your steps, distance traveled, calorie consumption, and sleep. As long as you wear it through the night, this fitness tracker will record data on how deeply you slept and for how long. You can then use that data to adjust your daily routines.
In daily life, you can also use it to adjust your music, and, thanks to a powerful low-consumption battery, you can go 14 days without having to charge your watch.
Overall, even though it lacks some of the sports modes you’ll find in other smartwatches on this list, the Amazfit GTS offers the best features for swimmers and divers.
Features
- An adjustable rubber watch band
- An interactive touch-screen interface
- Heart rate/GPS/calories burned/sleep tracker
- In-depth tracking system for swimmers
- Links to a mobile app via Bluetooth
- An easy-to-read analog clock face
Type: Wristwatch/wristband
Colors: Black
8. GOKOO (for women)
Product Highlights
This sleek and modern smartwatch for women offers all the usual health fitness tracking. It is rated IP67 waterproof. Includes a physiological time reminder to support a woman’s overall lifestyle. So many features all conveniently sitting on your wrist.
Features
- Built-in heart rate monitor
- Dust, water, and heat resistant
- Intelligent sleep tracker
- Compatible with iOS and Android
Smartwatch is perfect for women because it features a physiological time reminder. This feature is designed to display menstrual or pregnancy period plus additional important information.
What We Don’t Like
Customers found they started having problems with the device the first day. The app had to be open at all times or the watch would disconnect.
PROS
- Simple to use
- Beautiful display
- Comfortable to wear
- Features an intelligent mode
CONS
- Won’t sync to the phone
- Messages don’t come through
9. MAXTOP Smartwatch
Product Highlights
Unlike other options on this list, the MAXTOP Smartwatch is a fashion-forward option featuring a brown leather strap and a rose gold watch face. Yet don’t let its fancy design lead you into thinking that it lacks any capabilities. The MAXTOP Smartwatch is constructed using an interactive touch-screen interface that can be adjusted to lower the brightness depending on your surroundings.
It comes preprogrammed with an outstanding 10 different sports modes, including cycling, running, walking, and rowing. It is waterproof, however, the MAXTOP Smartwatch will not track your laps, stroke, pace, or SWOLF. Therefore, it will only be useful in the pool to measure your heart rate.
Nonetheless, you can still use the MAXTOP Smartwatch to track your steps, the total distance you’ve traveled, your heart rate, calories burned, and your blood pressure. After exercising, you can then view these stats on your phone and upload them to social media or your friends.
When you’re not exercising, you can also use the MAXTOP Smartwatch to take selfies, control your music, view text messages, find your phone, or just as a basic digital watch.
We should note that some buyers have been dissatisfied with the MAXTOP Smartwatch’s accuracy. Some buyers have reported inaccurate heart rate and blood pressure readings. However, when balanced with the wide array of other capabilities, these problems seem to balance out.
- A breathable brown leather band
- A rose gold Zinc watch face
- Heart rate/GPS/calories burned/sleep tracker
- Waterproof design
- Links to a mobile app via Bluetooth
- A wide array of capabilities beyond just exercise
Type: Wristwatch/wristband
Colors: Brown and rose gold
10. NiceFuse
Product Highlights
A slim and lightweight smartwatch, the body is made from anodized aluminum and stainless steel with a high quality comfortable leather band.
Multiple health monitors that automatically track 24/7 detecting with personalized in-app reports that give you real time readings directly on the watch.
Features
- Ergonomic design
- 10 sport modes
- All day activity tracker
- Message and phone call reminder
- Compatible with iPhone and Android
A comfortable and expensive-looking watch that continues to work even when exposed to moisture from exercising or working.
What We Don’t Like
First few weeks the life of the battery lasted 4 days. After 3 weeks the battery had to be charged every other day. The device does not inform the user of incoming phone calls and some of the text messages.
Cannot turn off outgoing signals which is both a privacy and health risk. It does not sync to phone via Bluetooth. The sleep, heart rate, and blood oxygen monitor readings were inaccurate and unreliable.
PROS
- GPS connectivity providing precise real-time pace and distance
- Excellent display
- Light weight
- Battery lasts for days
CONS
- Outdoor visibility is not great especially in bright sun
- Missing 4 out of 5 homescreen theme options
- Watch band pin does not hold and band falls off
Final Verdict
These smartwatches offer a variety of features that address many needs. For example, Timemaker offers a unique tracking feature that will appeal to the needs of the adventurous mountaineers. Yamay and Kungix highlight the custom-tailored female physiological reminders. Be clear about what you are looking for and you will certainly find the right smartwatch for you.
BUYER’S GUIDE
Smartwatch Benefits
Is a smartwatch really necessary? Why would you invest in a smartwatch when you have a smartphone? If you want to know if it is worth it to own a smartwatch we are listing here some of the many benefits that smartwatches offer that may convince you to go and buy one (or two).
They tell time and much, much more…
Wearing a watch is on the decline both in fashion and sales. While you can still find a good watch that looks great on your wrist, why buy a watch when the smartphone tells time, has a calendar, and an alarm?
Smartwatches fill in another niche. In addition to typical watch settings there are other apps you will find that smartphones do not offer.
Travel Guide
Many smartwatches include a GPS to help guide you on the right path for any activity you choose. If you prefer to enjoy the scenery instead of staring at a map the whole time there are smartwatches that guide you through vibrations that differ to let you know to go right or left.
Fitness Tracker
One of the most attractive features of most smartwatches is the fitness and health tracker, which helps you reach your fitness goals. Instead of purchasing a standalone fitness tracker or pedometer to carry along, you can find both devices incorporated in any good smartwatch.
With a smartwatch you can rely on it to track the following metrics: steps, running or walking distances, calories burned, heart rate, pulse rate, sleep. These are the typical metrics and then you can find some smartwatches offering additional features.
Receive Messages and Calls
When you don’t want to carry your smartphone with you while you are exercising, a smartwatch on your wrist is the perfect solution. You can receive calls or reply to messages on the go.
Nowadays, you can also find watches that include voice support, so you can have brief chats from your wrist.
Social Media Notifications
A popular feature, many wish to view their social media (Facebook, Twitter, WhatsApp, SnapChat, etc.) accounts on their smartwatch. You can buy a watch that will display your messages and social media activity. With other watches you can interact via the application, while this is a cool feature it’s not likely you will be doing this when you are exercising.
When choosing such a watch take note that it must be connected through the Bluetooth signal from your cell phone. If you want to access your social media with a standalone smartwatch then you will need to purchase a data plan and SIM card
Stay Connected During Workouts
Keeping your smartphone on hand while exercising is very inconvenient and awkward. With a smartwatch you can check on your messages, calls, and social media notifications easily from your wrist. Very handy…or more accurately, very wristy…
Battery Life that is Longer Than Your Phone
It would be understandable if you believe that a phone battery, which is larger than a smartwatch battery, would last much longer. Well prepare to be corrected. Smartwatch batteries are more powerful and can last for days before needing a recharge.
