11 Best Smartwatches for iPhone in 2021 [Compatible with All iOS Devices]

The Apple Watch 5 syncs best with the iPhone devices. Not only that, it is one of the best when it comes to iOS compatibility. It also owns 55% of the Global wearable market share. However, just like most of the products from the Cupertino giant, it’s quite pricey and not everyone has a high budget.

The good thing is, there are many other smartwatches that are compatible with the iOS devices such as iPhone and iPad. Although, the non-Apple watches won’t provide you the irresistible ecosystem, but they have all the other features for a much lesser cost. Isn’t that great?

Before making this list, I spent hours testing each of the watches in the list. To be honest, none of them were as good as the Apple Watch 5 in terms of compatibility, accuracy, and missed the ecosystem. However, it doesn’t mean that the other options aren’t worth it, in some cases the price difference between them and the Apple Watch is more than $200-300, huge right?

Which iPhone Models Did We Test For Compatibility?

One of the major issues faced when purchasing a smartwatch is compatibility with a smartphone, that’s why I tested all the watches listed below with the following iPhone models (they also work with Android devices):

• iPhone 11 and 11 Pro (even the Max versions are compatible.)
• iPhone X series (includes XR, XS, XS Max)
• iPhone 8, 8 Plus.
• iPhone 7 and 7 Plus.
• iPhone 6 (Yes, no one uses it, but I own one for testing.)

Choosing the right smartwatch could be a daunting task for many of us, especially because they’re not standalone devices which means you can’t just pick a random watch that has all the features you need. You’ll need to make sure that the watch you’re getting is compatible with your device.

Note: I have not just tested the below listed models, but I also have tested 11 other watches and didn’t include them in this list, because of multiple reasons such as inaccuracy, unreliability, and incompatibility.

Best Smartwatches for iPhone [Highly Compatible with iOS]

Different people have different expectations and usage, that’s why what’s best for me won’t be the best for you.

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For instance, if you’re a fitness enthusiast, you might prefer watch that has fitness centric features such as being able to calculate the burnt calories, steps, sleep tracking, etc. over other features such as GPS navigation. I understand it, that’s why I’ve included 11 best options that are suitable for diverse usage.

1. Best For iOS: Apple Watch Series 5

There’s not a smartwatch list (except for non-Apple lists) that doesn’t have the Apple Watch 5. It is because, it’s among the best options available. Whether you’re a man, woman, this watch is perfect for everyone. (Note: I currently use this.)

The Apple Watch Series 5 had to be the first watch on this list because it’s made by Apple themselves makes it. It is 100 percent compatible with all iOS devices and has some fantastic features.

For starters, it has an amazing always-on retina display, which is quite large and bright. You will have no trouble using it under sunlight. This might not seem like an important feature, but believe me, it is (you really wouldn’t want to bring your watch closer to your eyes everytime you get a notification, do you?)

When underwater, the watch will turn the screen controls off to prevent the accidental touches. So, you will have to come out of the water to use it. Whether you take it to the pool or go sea-diving, this watch can handle it all.

Whether you are a fitness freak or a sports enthusiast, the Apple watch 5 is suitable for all. Be it tracking your swimming sessions, running laps, or counting the reps of your weight exercises, it can do it all.

It has an in-built GPS for the tracking, so you can leave your iPhone at home when going on a run. Moreover, the model we are discussing is the cellular version. So, you will not miss any calls when you are on these runs.

The Apple Watch 5 will also keep an eye on your heart rate, thanks to its optical HR sensor. This intelligent timepiece can monitor your heart rate and its rhythm throughout the day, giving you valuable insights. (Fact: It has saved a life of a person, by notifying about his heart state before he got an attack.)

Other key features of this smartwatch are Fall Detection, Ground Elevation, Weather and Pressure Updates, and more. It will do all those tasks, which a smartwatch is supposed to do.

2. Best Cheap Apple Watch: The Apple Watch 3

The Series 3 watch is one of the highest-rated smartwatches on this list when it comes to customer ratings. Over 13,000 people out of 15,000 reviews, have given a 5 star rating, which in itself is a fantastic achievement. So, it makes sense for us to include Apple Watch Series 3 on this list, even though it is quite old at this point.

Although, it’s 2 generations older than the Apple Watch 5, but the Series 4 is discontinued, that’s why this is the next be option available. Considering the cheap price tag it comes with, it’s much better than many other models in the market (at least in terms of iPhone compatibility.)

The Apple Watch 3 comes equipped with the 1st generation of sensors from Apple. They are quite accurate and will get the job done. You will find an in-built GPS, ECG, and Compass sensor inside the watch.

The watch can do all the fitness-related tasks like keeping an eye on the intake of your calories, calories burned, distance traveled when running, average pace, and more.

You will not feel as if it is an outdated watch because Apple updates their products very often. Series 3 shall get the latest watchOS updates that comes with the Apple Watch 5 (although you shall miss a few features, but for a huge pricing difference, isn’t it worth it?)

Apart from these workouts and measurements, the watch will also deliver notifications to your wrist. You will not miss out on a single message when it is connected to your smartphone. You can store music, podcasts, and do all other kinds of activities on it.

Series 3 is available in 2 colors, Space Gray and Silver. Click on the link mentioned above to check out its price.

3. Best From SAMSUNG: Samsung Galaxy Active 2

The Galaxy Watch Active 2 is one of the best non-Apple watches that work smoothly with iPhone’s. Although, you shall miss the ecosystem, the watch has a similar size and features as the Apple Series 5 watch at a much cheaper price.

The Galaxy Active 2 smartwatch comes with 750MB RAM and has a storage capacity of 4GB. These numbers might not look so high on the paper, but they are more than enough for such a tiny device.

The Tizen OS is super fast and responsive, thanks to this raw power. It will not freeze or lag, no matter how much stress you put the watch into.

The Active 2 is equipped with plenty of smart features like Enhanced Sleep Analysis, Stress Level Monitoring, Auto Workout Tracking, Pace Coaching, Heart Rate Monitoring, and more. These features will give you valuable insights about your health, which you can analyze and improve on.

The only feature of this smartwatch that will not work with an iPhone is Samsung Pay and that’s because Apple does not allow third-party devices to make payments on their own, so you will have to deal with that. Otherwise, everything else works the way it is supposed to.

Samsung has nailed the battery backup of the Active 2 smartwatch. It will consistently give you over 5 days of screen time on a single charge. This is much better than the Apple Series 5 watch, which needs to be charged every day.

You can buy the Galaxy Active 2 for about 300 Dollars, and it comes in 4 unique colors. They are Black, Gold, Silver, and Pink. You can choose either of the 2 sizes (40 and 44 mm) in all of these variants.

If you liked this Samsung Active 2, you might be interested in checking out the other best-rated smartwatches made by Samsung.

4. Best For Fitness: Fitbit Versa 2

Fitbit Versa 2 is a smartwatch whose primary emphasis is on the fitness sides of things, and not on the fashionable side. So, if you are a fitness enthusiast, who loves to keep an eye on his/her numbers, Fitbit Versa 2 would be an ideal product for you.

The watch will keep a steady eye on your sleep cycle, heart rate, calories, and more. All you will have to do is not to remove the watch, and it will keep taking the data. You will be able to access all these numbers on the watch itself.

To keep you healthy and active, the watch will let you know when you have been sitting for a while. It will encourage you to take a step and get your heart rate up. Not many watches have this feature, so Versa 2 is unique in its way.

On the watch, you will be able to store more than 300 songs. You will be able to control apps like Pandora and Spotify from your wrists. However, you will have to buy their subscription separately.

Versa 2 does not need to be charged very often, as it goes an entire week on a single charge. So, you can walk around freely, without having to worry about its battery running out.

The price of this smartwatch is just 150 Dollars, which is a bargain, given its features. It is one of the highest value for money ratios.

5. Best For Sleep Tracking: Samsung Galaxy Watch

The Samsung Galaxy Watch has one of the most significant dials and displays on the market. So, if you like big watches, try this one out. I am sure you will love it.

The panel of the watch is a Super Amoled 46mm one, which is quite bright and color accurate. Every color comes to life on it, so the watch faces that you will set will look amazing.

Samsung has built the watch to be compatible with more than 39 workouts. It will automatically start to take data when you do an activity. Even when you switch between exercises, the watch will adjust on its own, and you will not have to do anything.

This Galaxy watch will simplify your life in more than one way. Apart from tracking your workouts, sleep, and heart rate, it will also allow you to control your home appliances. You will be able to turn on/off a wide variety of items like lights, AC, LED, and more. You can set personalized commands to carry out these numerous tasks at once.

Battery backup of the watch is just 1 day, so you will have to charge it regularly. It comes with a wireless charger that you will find inside the box. Just place the watch on it, and it will start to charge.

The starting price of the Samsung Galaxy Watch is 275 dollars, which I know is a bit on the higher side. However, it is worth every penny, and you will see that for yourself when you use it.

6. Best For Rough Use: Samsung Gear S3 Frontier

Samsung Galaxy Gear S3 is one of the few smartwatches that look like an actual watch. It creates this deception with the help of its distinctive bezel that you can use to access apps.

The Samsung Gear S3 Frontier watch was launched in 2016, so it is quite old at this point. However, its features and specs are still relevant today.

It will give all the notifications alerts without any delay from your smartphone and will keep an eye on your physical fitness. For example, it will encourage you to get up and move around when you have been sitting for a while.

The built-in S Health app will keep measuring your steps, monitor the heart rate, calories burned, and the floors you have climbed throughout the day. You can also install other apps for more fitness-related features, thanks to the versatile Tizen OS; however, you will have to do it on your own.

The Gear S3 can withstand extreme pressures, temperatures, and rain. So, you can use it any weather you want. You will not have to take it off.

Samsung Pay feature will not work with iPhones, so do not rely on the watch to make payments when going shopping. Carry the wallet with yourself, and avoid the trouble.

Even though the watch was released in 2016, it still uses wireless charging. You will find a charging dock inside the box, and just place the watch on it for charging. Many modern watches do not have this feature.

7. Best with Wear OS: Fossil Gen 5 Garrett

Fossil Gen 5 is a stylish and fashionable smartwatch. It is one of the products on this list that does not look like a gadget, but a simple watch. If you put on one of its watch faces, you will forget that it is a smartwatch, as it looks so realistic. However, it has all the major features that you would expect from a 2021 smartwatch.

The watch is capable of tracking your Heart Rate, Distance Travelled, Calories Burned, Steps Taken, Average Speed, and more. All of this data will be taken with the help of its inbuilt GPS and ECG sensor. They are entirely accurate, and you will see that yourself when you use the watch.

Since Fossil does not specialize in technology, they have installed Wear OS by Google on this smartwatch. So, you will get access to the entire play store library, which means there are plenty of apps for you to choose from.

The watch is water-resistant up to 5 ATM, so you can go swimming with it. The water of any kind will not have any effect on its surface. Let it be salty or freshwater.

My mother has blood pressure issues and she has been using Dexcom G6 to monitor the levels. The good thing about the Fossil Gen 5 is the WearOS device, it is compatible with Dexcom G6 and other BP monitoring transmitters (Although, they can’t be directly connected with a smartwatch, it just acts as an interface/widget to fetch the readings from your smartphone.)

Battery backup of the watch will vary on your usage. However, you can expect it to last for more than 2 days with all the features on. This number can easily go up if you use it judiciously.

You can buy the Fossil Gen 5 for about 220 Dollars, and it is available in 7 models. They differ in colors and the material of its strap.

8. Best Value For Money: Huawei Watch 2 Classic

Huawei Watch 2 Classic is more of a luxurious smartwatch than a smartwatch. This fact is evident by looking at its design and build quality, both of which are extra premium. Its strap is made from a combination of plastic and leather, which gives it that luxurious look and keeps it comfortable to wear.

The company has provided Built-in GPS, HR Sensor, and NFC Chip inside the watch. These sensors are accurate, but I would not say that they are the best. The accuracy of GPS and HR sensor is questionable at times. So, do not take their reading as 100 percent reliable.

The watch has Google’s Wear OS as its Operating System. It is quite smooth, and I am sure it will not cause you any trouble. There are plenty of apps on its PlayStore, which are dedicated for smartwatches, and you will have access to all of them. You can download apps for New Watch Faces, Workouts, and Activity Trackers, and much more.

The watch is compatible with iPhones that have iOS 9.0 or later. It will work fluently with all of them.

In watch mode, the Huawei Watch 2 will give you a backup of more than 7 days, which is quite remarkable. However, it will come down to 7 hours when you use it in training mode, when everything is on, from HR to GPS sensor.

9. Best For Outdoors: Huawei Watch GT 2E

This is one of the latest smartwatches on this list. Huawei Watch GT 2E is available in 4 very unique colors, Lava Red, Graphite Black, Icy White, and Mint Green. All of them are special in their own way, and you will not find designs similar to them in any product, whatsoever.

The watch has a 1.4-inch AMOLED display which portrays colors with absolute clarity. It is quite bright too, so reading numbers and text messages on it is easy. You will not feel any stress on your eyes.

Huawei has loaded this smartwatch with plenty of features like 15 Professional Workout Modes, Sleep Tracking, Stress Analysis, SPO2 monitoring, Breathing Analysis, and much more. In these workout modes, you will be able to track your Running, Hiking, Cycling, Swimming, Triathlon, Climbing, Rowing Machine, and many other sports. So, it is safe to say that you will be covered on all fronts with this machine.

Battery backup is one of the best aspects of this smartwatch. It will give you over 14 days of screen time on a single charge, which is one of the highest on this list.

The starting price of the GT2e is just 160 dollars. For the number of features that you will be getting out of this watch, this price is a bargain. The company can not sell any lower than it unless they do not want to make a profit. So, take its advantage and order it at the earliest.

10. Best Hybrid Watch: Garmin Vivomove HR

Garmin Vivomove HR is a hybrid smartwatch, which is inclined towards the fashionable side of things. However, that does not mean that it can not take accurate readings and give you valuable insights. It will provide its user with the best of both worlds.

There are plenty of smart features on the Vivomove HR like Music Controls, Alerts for incoming calls, Text Messages, Calendar Reminders, and more. Just pair it with your smartphone, and you will receive all your notifications on the wrist.

In terms of fitness, the watch will keep an eye on your stress level, heart rate, VO2 Max, Calories Burned, sleep pattern, and distance covered. It will tell you relaxation techniques if these numbers have any discrepancies in them. So, it will look after both your physical and mental health.

Battery backup of the Vivomove HR is 5 days, which is okay, but not the best. I would recommend you to use it in hands-only mode when you are low on battery. This will considerably improve the battery backup.

There are plenty of colors that you can choose from when buying this smartwatch. A total of 10 variants are available, which have different strap materials and colors. Click on the link mentioned above to check them out. Its starting price is just 170 dollars.

11. Best Under $200: Ticwatch S2 Waterproof

TicWatch S2 might not be as popular as some of the other products on this list, so you might not have heard about it a lot, but it is an excellent smartwatch. It is rated highly by its existing customers, which can be seen by clicking on the link above.

The main selling feature of this smartwatch is its ruggedness. It is built with extremely durable material, which is capable of withstanding extreme pressure and temperatures. The US Military Standard 810G has certified it, so you can take it anywhere you want.

There are a total of 6 sports modes on this watch that you can use to track your fitness. They include Running, Swimming, Cycling, Hiking, and more. The data taken by it is accurate, and you can trust it 100 percent.

The Heart Rate monitor will keep an eye on your pulse 24 x 7. It will let you know if there is something that needs to be checked out by the doctor, like non-rhythmic beats or high resting heart rate.

Google Wear OS is the operating system of the TicWatch S2, so it is quite smooth. The user interface is fairly simple, and you will not have any trouble navigating around it. From the play store, you can download millions of apps that have been designed for smartwatches. So, you will never run out of new features.

Frequently Asked Questions

The Verdict

Products from all price ranges have been included on this list, so I hope you have found the right one for yourself. Before you press that final place order button, I would recommend you to check out the reviews and features of that device with absolute surety. Let them be on YouTube or the company’s site.

Just make sure you know everything about the product because these expensive devices can not be returned once they have been delivered to your doorstep. They can be replaced in case they are defective, but you can not just return them by saying “ I do not like it.” So, gather all the information that you can about them before you place the order. I hope you get your desired product.

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