5 Cheaper Apple Watch Alternatives You Can Buy On Amazon

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The Apple Watch lineup 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 even more. But there are common problems with Apple Watches, and they’re far from the most affordable smartwatches on the market.

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

We’ve taken our hands-on experience with Apple Watches — as well as our knowledge of the competition — and have turned to the Amazon shelves in order to hand-pick some such Apple Watch alternatives. There are plenty of Amazon gadgets to buy and to skip, and we feel a quality smartwatch or fitness tracker is among the former. With a hard focus on affordability, let’s dive into some smartwatches that compare well next to various Apple Watch models.

Along with most Apple products, the Apple Watch lineup is known for its design and aesthetics. The Xiaomi Redmi Watch 5 is a cheaper alternative, particularly if you like the look of the Apple Watch Series 11. Xiaomi has made a watch here that closely resembles it physically, while also providing a number of fitness and health tracking features. It has a 2-inch LCD display and can reach up to 18 full 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 at Amazon. That’s an impressive price point for just about any smartwatch that has more than 140 different workout modes, let alone one that people might easily confuse for an Apple Watch. The Redmi Watch 5 also comes with waterproofing and the ability to pair with either an iOS or Android smartphone.

Xiaomi has made some noise with its smartphone lineup, but with the Redmi Watch 5 and other product lineups, it does more than just Android smartphones. The affordability of the Redmi Watch 5 may seem a little too good to be true, and a small number of customers at Amazon report setup difficulties and minimal onboard storage space. 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 out of 5 stars.

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

This is another Apple Watch alternative that’s significantly cheaper. Amazon has the Cubitt Viva Lite priced at $60, and it is pretty regularly discounted to $50. Apple has improved Siri AI features over the years, but the Viva Lite may be more appealing to fitness enthusiasts specifically because of the built-in AI coach. It’s capable of giving personalized training insights and recovery guidance, as well as a daily readiness score to help you keep in touch with your body as you move from one workout to another.

The Cubitt Viva Lite has 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 up during use, and a somewhat cheap overall feel. But this is another smartwatch that has received overwhelmingly positive reviews at Amazon, and one that can cover, at the very least, the basic needs of most fitness enthusiasts.

Some may say there’s no need for a Fitbit anymore, but as long as there’s an interest in fitness and health tracking, the Fitbit name is likely to remain somewhat synonymous with the devices. Now owned by Google, Fitbit is still a worthwhile name among fitness trackers, and the Fitbit Charge 6 offers something that really isn’t found in the Apple Watch lineup: unobtrusiveness. It’s a slim but attractive fitness tracker that is stylish enough to leave on throughout the day.

Amazon offers the Fitbit Charge 6 in three different colors, each priced at $160. This is another smartwatch, however, that is a favorite of Amazon’s when it comes to a deal. Its top 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 biking routes through Google Maps and YouTube Music controls for workout playlists.

As far as Amazon customers are concerned, the Google Fitbit Charge doesn’t rate quite as highly as some other Apple Watch alternatives. It has an overall rating of 4.1 out of 5 stars, with 82% of customer reviews rating it favorably. Some detractors feel the Charge 6 can be a bit buggy and even inaccurate, but this is a smartwatch that’s been on the market for several years now, and it remains a popular go-to 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 geared toward serious training regimens, as it includes features like satellite connectivity for remote excursions and up to 42 hours of battery life. Amazfit makes several affordable smartwatches, and 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 does have GPS tracking and can download maps for offline use.

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

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

The Garmin Forerunner 55 is a GPS smartwatch made 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 different kinds, it’s difficult to make a direct comparison to any specific Apple Watch. Compared it to the lineup as a whole, however, the Forerunner 55 stands out specifically because it isn’t trying 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 discount favorite at Amazon, often priced closer to $150 and even seeing price drops all the way down to $129. The smartwatch comes with built-in activity profiles that include running, cycling, and breath work, and it’s capable of reaching up to 20 hours of battery life even with GPS mode turned on.

One thing about the Garmin Forerunner 55, however, is that it’s been on the market for quite some time. It was released in 2021 and may be getting a little long in the tooth when it comes to both hardware and software. But this is an extremely popular device at Amazon, and it has amassed an overall rating of 4.5 out of 5 stars despite its age. It’s received more than 6,000 reviews at Amazon, with 79% of those being 5-star reviews and 93% being favorable reviews.

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