8 Best Smartwatches For Small Wrist in 2021 [40, 42mm Case Sizes]

Smartwatches are nightmare countries for small wrists and if you end up with a big or too loose watch, it shall feel really uncomfortable. Sometimes, it may even lead to inaccurate health & fitness tracking. You now know that you need a watch that fits your wrist, but how to find the best small smartwatch?

That’s not it, you also need to make sure that the watch isn’t bulky and comes with a comfortable band, so you can wear it for a longer period of time. Also, it’s important that the device has the important health & fitness monitoring sensors in place, alongside all the other features you may require on a daily basis.

The fact that you’re reading this right now, implies that you want a slim smartwatch that doesn’t just fit perfectly on your small/thin wrist but also doesn’t miss out on all those important features & sensors.

Keeping so many factors in mind while making your favorable purchase, can be seriously confusing. But, if you end up with the wrong size, it ruins everything. Thankfully you don’t have to make that mistake as I’ve already listed the best smartwatches that fit small wrists perfectly.

8 Best Smartwatches For Small Wrist in 2021

To make sure the selection process doesn’t have errors, I took a bunch of smartwatches that are available in smaller case sizes with smaller band options to go with. After evaluating every single device that has qualified, these were the top options that made it to the final list.

1. Best Overall: Apple Watch SE

If you’re looking for the best smallest watch that fits your small wrists, then the newly launched Apple Watch SE is among the best available options. The only downside about this watch is, it isn’t compatible with Android phones.

For the iPhone users with a thin wrist, having a good Apple Watch that fits perfectly & serves you well, is important. For that, I will recommend the 40mm Watch SE. It brings a lot of goods from the superior flagships, integrates seamlessly in Apple’s ecosystem and the cellular variant is priced pretty reasonably.

Compatibility & Connectivity

Apple Watches don’t work with anything but iPhones. So, in case you have an Android phone from OnePlus, Google Pixel, Motorola, etc., or even an iPad or Mac, you won’t be able to activate & pair an Apple Watch with them. If you want to use an Apple Watch, you must be an iPhone user.

On the connectivity side, you get 4G LTE, Bluetooth 5.0, 802.11 b/g/n Wi-Fi alongside GPS, GLONASS, Galileo & Beidou. That’s more than what you’ll need and you’re simply making no compromises.

Comfort & Fit

As mentioned earlier, the smaller variant comes in a 40mm case and the band is 22mm. This combo fits wrists sizes from 130-200mm. However, if you’re buying the Solo loop though, please check the measurement either on Apple’s Website or in a store.

The rectangular case with rounded edges blends really well with the wrist and the weight distribution is also on point. The lighter Aluminum build and the precisely crafted design make the device extremely comfortable to wear all day.

Display

The 40mm variant comes with a 1.57-inch LTPO OLED panel. That is a bit of compromise considering you get a bigger 1.78-inch display on the 44mm variant. However, it blends well with the smaller size and it is the exact same quality display with infinite contrast, vibrant colors, sharp visuals & up to 1000 nits of brightness.

That may sound similar to the flagship Series 6 but, you do miss out on the Always-on display which is definitely a bummer. However, you can still create your own customized watch faces or choose one from Apple’s massive library.

Performance

Apple Watches are unbeatable when it comes to performance and that applies to the Apple Watch SE as well. The last-gen flagship SOC, Apple S5 has made its way to the SE, and paired with 1GB of RAM, the performance is literally unmatched in its segment. There is 32GB of Internal Storage which is also a lot.

WatchOS is well optimized and it thrives with the powerful home-baked hardware. Swiping through menus is super fast, apps open almost instantly, and there is third-party app support so the versatility & productivity aspects are on point.

Health & Fitness

The company hasn’t made any huge cuts in the health & fitness department. You do miss out on ECG & Blood Oxygen Monitoring, but you get Fall Detection & Emergency SOS (always active on LTE), which can be really helpful if you’re buying it for your parents or elderly.

Apart from Heart Rate Monitoring, Sleep Tracking, Swim Tracking, and Workout Tracking, the watch also tracks the progress of your Apple Fitness+ exercises in case you have a subscription. It also sets a 20-second timer automatically while you wash your hands.

Battery Life

Apple claims around 18-hours of mixed-use on a single charge. Now, that’s actually pretty accurate but, if you push the device hard, it will drain way faster. For example, if you stream music over LTE or use the GPS too much or take a lot of calls on LTE, you’ll be needing a charger in the middle of the day.

If you’re looking for something even smaller though, the 38mm Apple Watch Series 3 is still a really good option. It misses out on things like updated sensors, fall detection, and hand wash detection but it is using the latest WatchOS 7 and it costs less than $200.

My Opinion

The Apple Watch SE is a great option for most iPhone users out there. If you go with the 40mm variant, it should fit your slim wrist just fine. If you need the premium features like ECG & Blood Oxygen Monitoring, you’ll have to spend more and go for the 40mm Series 6 instead.

2. Best From Garmin: Garmin Venu Sq Music

Are you a sports enthusiast who is in search of the smallest Garmin smartwatch? Despite coming with a 40mm case size and a 20mm band size, it comes with high-end features like Pulse oximeter, music playback on Spotify, etc.

Garmin makes a bunch of circular smartwatches but, for those who find the square & rectangular shape more appealing and comfy, the Garmin Venu Sq Music is an excellent option. It comes in a compact form-factor and has a lot of features packed in for the price.

Compatibility & Connectivity

The Garmin Venu Sq supports both iOS and Android smartphones, so your current device should be compatible. On the connectivity front, you get Bluetooth 5.0, 802.11 b/g/n alongside, GPS, GLONASS & Galileo.

Comfort & Fit

Comfort is one of the major strengths of the Venu Sq. The squircle-ish-shaped case is made out of fiber-reinforced polymer with an Aluminum bezel and Corning Gorilla Glass 3 on the top. The 20mm strap fits wrists from 125mm, all the way to 190mm. So, you don’t need to worry about having a smaller wrist.

Once you have a good fit, the device can sit on your wrist comfortably for days. It’s easy to get used to the lower weight and eventually forget it’s on your wrist. The included silicone bands are also pretty comfy.

Display

Unlike the regular Garmin Venu, the Sq doesn’t have an OLED display. The 1.3-inch LCD panel is pretty similar to the Transflective MIP display’s that the company uses in most of their other smartwatches.

The quality is fine with okay-ish colors & decent outdoor visibility. The texts and visuals look good but, the lack of resolution does take a toll on sharpness. This is common with most Garmin smartwatches but, thankfully the company has made the always-on mode, optional.

Performance

Garmin doesn’t compete with Apples & Samsungs when it comes to processing power. But, they do hold up their own and the Venu Sq is no exception. The UI is smooth and app opening times are pretty quick as well. The 8GB Internal Storage is enough to store some third-party apps and download music from Spotify.

Health & Fitness

The Venu Sq does health and fitness really well. It has Blood Oxygen Monitoring and Stress Tracking which are generally found in pricier options. It also has Garmin’s exclusive set of features for Biking, Running & Golf.

In the more mainstream areas, it does Heart Rate Monitoring, Sleep Tracking, Swim Tracking, Workout Tracking, and a lot more. So, for the money, this one is actually a great value.

Battery Life

The Venu Sq can last up to 6 days on a single charge. However, if you push the device hard enough with things like GPS & Music playback, you may need to charge it every day. With light usage, you may be able to cover the entire week but, don’t count on that.

My Opinion

Garmin is highly fixated on circular form factors for their smartwatches so the Venu Sq is a blow of fresh air in that segment. If you like Garmin’s approach to health & fitness and you’re satisfied with the options provided with the Garmin Venu Sq, you should definitely give it a go. 

3. Best Small Face Smartwatch: Galaxy Watch Active 2

If you’re using a Samsung Galaxy phone, chances are you want something from that same ecosystem. For that, I have to recommend the Galaxy Watch Active 2. It comes in a more compact variant for smaller wrists and it is an excellent health & fitness tracking smartwatch.

Compatibility & Connectivity

It supports Galaxy S21 series, Galaxy Note 20 series, iPhones, and other Android phones too. So, although your current smartphone should be compatible, do keep in mind that cellular connectivity doesn’t work with non-Galaxy smartphones.

Speaking of connectivity, you get 4G LTE (optional), Bluetooth 5.0, 802.11 b/g/n Wi-Fi alongside, GPS, GLONASS & Galileo. Moreover, it also comes with a built-in mic and speaker, so taking calls on the watch shouldn’t be an issue.

Comfort & Fit

One of the major deciding factors for the Active 2 (over Galaxy Watch 3) is comfort. The more streamlined muted design without any fancy detailing that adds to its weight or chunkiness, makes it way more comfortable to wear, especially if you use Sleep Tracking on a regular basis.

The case is made out of Aluminum but there is a premium Stainless Steel variant available. The smaller 40mm size fits well and stays snug with thinner wrists.   

Display

As you may know, Samsung currently makes the best-looking AMOLED panels for their smartphones and wearables. The 1.2-inch Super-AMOLED panel reaches up to 1000 nits, produces pitch blacks, has sharp texts & contrasty visuals.

There is an always-on mode and you can also customize the look of the device with a variety of watch faces from Samsung’s library.

Performance

Samsung’s home-baked Exynos 9110  is an excellent SOC and along with 1.5GB of RAM (768MB in the non-LTE variant), it provides some massive performance benefits to the Watch Active 2. Day-to-day operations are super-smooth and the UI feels pretty responsive. There are no lags or stutters either.

The 4GB internal storage is indeed a bump as it doesn’t allow you to store a lot of music files on your watch. For storing apps & their data, it’s still kinda okay.

Health & Fitness

The device has gotten a lot right when it comes to health & fitness. This is one of the cheapest smartwatches to do ECG (US only) and it also does stress monitoring. It does miss out on SpO2 Monitoring & fall detection which Samsung has only included in the flagship Watch 3.

As far as necessities go, it has Heart Rate Monitoring, Sleep Tracking, Workout Tracking, Distance Tracking, Step Counting, dedicated Sports Modes, and much more.

Battery Life

The battery on the Watch Active 2 can last a full day with typical mixed usage. Now, as you may be aware by now, using a lot of GPS or streaming music, or taking calls, will drain the battery faster. So, in that case, you may need to find the charger in the middle of the day.

My Opinion

When it comes to comfort, there is no doubt that the Watch Active 2 is an excellent choice, especially for thinner wrists. If you have a Galaxy smartphone, and you’re in the market for a compact, yet superior smartwatch from Samsung, I’ve no issues recommending the Watch Active 2 to you.

4. Best Fitbit: Fitbit Versa 3.

The other company that makes really great wearables, is Fitbit. The Fitbit Versa 3 is the company’s flagship mid-range device and alongside fitting perfectly on thin wrists, it also has one of the best fitness monitoring systems in the industry.

Compatibility & Connectivity

Fitbit has the largest selection of compatible platforms. You can pair the Versa 3 with your iPhone and Android but, you can also get the Fitbit app on your Windows 10 PC or Mac, and view all your health data there.

For connectivity, you get Bluetooth 5.0, 802.11 b/g/n Wi-Fi alongside GPS & GLONASS. That’s not the most comprehensive set of options but it’s still more than enough.

Comfort & Fit

When it comes to comfort Fitbit’s squircle design, lightweight Aluminum 40mm case and the default Silicone bands do an excellent job. The device doesn’t feel heavy in hand, so it’s easy to just wear & forget that it’s even there. Even on smaller wrists, the device stays snug & comfortable.

Display

The 1.59-inch OLED panel is pretty great with up to 1000 nits of brightness, punchy colors, infinite contrast with perfect blacks, and sharp texts & visuals. There is also an always-on mode which can come really handy if you just want to check your watch without waking the entire display up.

Fitbit also has a large number of watch faces on its app store. So, if you want to change or customize the look of your watch, you can choose from their huge library.

Performance

One area where Fitbit doesn’t do that great is Performance. The Versa 3 does fine with day-to-day performance and app opening times but, it can’t be a little choppy at times. You won’t notice this unless you’re coming from a faster smartwatch, but it’s definitely time for Fitbit to upgrade its internal hardware.

The software is user-friendly and easy to use. You can also get a bunch of third-party apps from their app store. Do remember that, although Spotify is available, you cannot download songs to your device.

Health & Fitness

Where the company shines though is Health & Fitness. The device gives you Blood Oxygen Monitoring & Stress Tracking alongside the necessities like Heart Rate Monitoring, Sleep Tracking, Distance Tracking, Swim Tracking, Workout Tracking, Step Counting, and more.

The company also provides a more detailed analysis of your health data if you get the Fitbit Premium membership. Also, you can use their community features to connect & compete with other Fitbit users in your locality.

Battery Life

Thanks to the less power-hungry hardware and minimalist software, the Versa 3 can last up to 6 days with mixed usage. Now certain things will obviously drain the battery faster, so the actual battery life may vary for you, depending on your usage.

My Opinion

As far as health & fitness-focused smartwatches go, the Fitbit Versa 3 stands in the front row of premium mid-rangers. If you don’t care about slightly compromised performance and you can benefit from Fitbit’s set of features, you should definitely give the Versa 3 a go.

5. Best with Wear OS: Moto 360 3rd Gen

Google’s wearable ecosystem hasn’t gotten much hype lately but companies are making some really great devices running Wear OS. Among those, the Moto 360 3rd Gen would be my top preference. It fits smaller wrists without any issues and it is a really good smartwatch.

Compatibility & Connectivity

Unlike Apple, Google hasn’t put any restrictions on device compatibility, so both iOS and Android smartphones are supported. On the connectivity side, it has Bluetooth 4.2, 802.11 b/g/n Wi-Fi alongside GPS, GLONASS & Galileo.

Comfort & Fit

The thin 40mm Stainless Steel case paired with the 20mm Silicone or Leather bands create a comfy & snug fit on smaller-sized wrists. Alongside this, this is also one of the most well-built devices in its segment. The Stainless Steel case, the Corning Gorilla Glass 3 top & the Titanium screws make it weirdly premium for the price.

Display

The 1.2-inch OLED display is also great. It has all the advantages of OLED like the perfect black levels, punchy colors, excellent contrast, and better battery efficiency. On top of that, it is also high-res so the texts & visuals look extremely sharp and Motorola has also thrown in an always-on display which is pretty useful.

Performance

The Moto 360 is one of the better-performing devices in the Wear OS line-up. The Snapdragon 3100 & 1GB RAM handle day-to-day tasks really well, and there are no stutters or lags while swiping through menus and opening apps. 

The 8GB internal storage makes it easy to install a bunch of third-party apps on your watch. Again you can get Spotify in there, but you won’t be able to download the songs.

Health & Fitness

As far as health & fitness features go, Motorola hasn’t skipped on the necessities. The device supports Heart Rate Monitoring, Swim Tracking, Sleep Monitoring, Step Counting, Distance Tracking, and more. You do, however, miss out on Blood Oxygen Monitoring.

Battery Life

WearOS powered devices don’t last as much as the Fitbits or Garmins but the Moto 360 will still last you an entire day with mixed usage. If you use a lot of GPS to navigate through Google Maps or stream long Spotify sessions, the battery will drain significantly quicker. Thankfully the company does include fast charging.

My Opinion

If you are deeply invested in Google’s ecosystem and in the market for a Wear OS-powered smartwatch, the Moto 360 3rd Gen is an excellent choice. It fits thinner wrists really well, it is built extremely well, and most importantly, it handles Google’s power-hungry software, really well. 

6. Best Under Budget: Amazfit GTS 2 Mini

Coming to Amazfit’s line of devices, the GTS 2 Mini has some excellent features for a comparatively cheaper price and it fits small wrists really well. Amazfit attention to detail is also something we don’t see a lot around the 100 dollar-ish price point.

Compatibility & Connectivity

All of the Amazfit devices support both iOS and Android smartphones and the GTS 2 Mini is of course no exception. On the connectivity side though, you get Bluetooth 5.0 alongside, GPS & GLONASS. That means there is no Wi-Fi and you’ll need to sync all your data over Bluetooth.

Comfort & Fit

Looks can be deceiving & the GTS 2 Mini kinda looks like an Apple Watch which is clearly on purpose. The rectangular Aluminum frame has rounded corners and the top glass wraps around the sides. This setup is surprisingly lightweight and super comfortable on the wrist. The 20mm silicone strap fits smaller wrists easily.

The device looks comparatively premium for its price and the build quality is also really nice. It is very hard to find this type of build quality under this price segment. So, I have to give Amazfit props for that. They also have a Pink color variant that looks excellent on women.

Display

Amazfit has gone with a 1.55-inch AMOLED panel and thanks to the comparatively thinner bezels, it’s also pleasing to look at. Coming to the actual quality, it’s pretty good with vivid colors, pitch blacks, and sharp visuals & texts.

The device also supports an always-on display and you can also customize it with different watch faces & always-on display patterns.

Performance

When it comes to the overall performance, the GTS 2 Mini handles day-to-day tasks just fine. There are no significant lags or stutters and apps do open quickly. The internals, however, doesn’t really match up with some of the more premium options from competitors but, it’s okay for the price.

Amazfit UI works really well and it is also quite user-friendly, so there isn’t a huge learning curve. There is no third-party app support though so, you’re stuck with the built-in ones. If you need more app flexibility, maybe you should look elsewhere.

Health & Fitness

The budget offerings often skip on important health & fitness stuff but Amazfit hasn’t gone to that path. The GTS 2 Mini does support Blood Oxygen Monitoring and surprisingly enough, the readings are way more accurate compared to a lot of the competitors.

Alongside that, the device also does Heart Rate Monitoring, Stress Monitoring, Sleep Tracking, Distance Tracking, Step Counting, Workout Tracking, and it also has dedicated Sports Tracking modes built-in. However, do note that the Heart Rate Monitoring can be a bit inaccurate at times.

Battery Life

The GTS 2 Mini comes with a long battery life of up to 14 days. That is with typical mixed usage though. If you push the device hard enough you can drain it in a week. But, that is still really great battery life and when you’re out of charge, it takes around two hours to juice it back up.

My Opinion

Amazfit has done an excellent job of providing a lot of features for a comparatively lower price on the GTS 2 Mini. If you don’t care about third-party app support and you don’t have an issue with manually syncing the health data to your phone, you will really like the Amazfit GTS 2 Mini.

7. Best for Women: Fossil Gen 5E

Women are often looking for stylish smartwatches with at least some feminine aspects to them. Fossil has been making smartwatch designs dedicated to women for some time now, and the Fossil Gen 5E (for Women) has that variation as well. Alongside being stylish and fitting smaller wrists, it is also really good as a smartwatch.

Compatibility & Connectivity

Fossil uses WearOS for their smartwatches, hence the Gen 5E does support both Android smartphones & iPhones. That means it should work regardless of whatever smartphone you are using. For connectivity, you’ll be getting Bluetooth 4.2, 802.11 Wi-Fi, and GPS. 

Comfort & Fit

While the regular version comes with a 44mm case with a 22mm band, Fossil has reduced that to a 42mm case and an 18mm band for the ones designed for women. So, the device fits thinner wrists really well and the company is even making four different designs with different band options (Metal & Silicone) in different styles.

Display

The company has gone with a 1.19-inch AMOLED panel and it is great. The colors look nice & vibrant, the blacks are perfect with an infinite contrast ratio, outdoor visibility is great, and it even has an always-on mode.

Performance

When it comes to internals, the Gen 5E actually has the exact same Snapdragon 3100 and 1GB RAM as the regular Gen 5. So, it’s no surprise that the performance is identical. The device feels fast and the app opening times are pretty quick too.

Where you will notice a difference though, is the amount of internal storage. The 5E only has 4GB of internal storage, which is half of Gen 5. So, You can store fewer apps and app data before space runs out which may or may not be a concern for you.

Health & Fitness

The Fossil Gen 5E doesn’t have the most advanced health & fitness features out there. But, it doesn’t skip on any necessities either. It can do Heart Rate Monitoring, Sleep Tracking, Swim Tracking, Distance Tracking, Step Counting, etc. There is no Blood Oxygen Monitoring which is a bit disappointing at this price.

Battery Life

Just like most other Wear OS powered devices, the Gen 5E can last up to a full day with mixed usage. However, depending on your usage, the battery life may vary rapidly. Pushing the device hard will require you to charge it in the middle of the day. Thankfully it can charge-up to 80% in about 50 minutes.

My Opinion

If you’re in search of a stylish smartwatch that goes perfectly with female outfits, won’t have issues with thinner wrists, and does basic health & fitness tracking the Fossil Gen 5E (for Women) is going to be perfect for you. 

8. Cheapest Option: Amazfit Bip U Pro

If you’re on an even tighter budget and although you can’t afford the GTS 2 Mini, you also don’t want to compromise on a bunch of features, Amazfit's Bip U Pro is the device you should be eyeing at.

Compatibility & Connectivity

As mentioned earlier, Amazfit does support both Android & iOS-powered smartphones, so your current smartphone should be compatible. The connectivity situation is also the same as the GTS 2 Mini with support for Bluetooth with GPS & GLONASS. So, there is no Wi-Fi support on this one either.

Comfort & Fit

The Bip U Pro isn’t the most premium-looking device out there and that’s well expected considering the lower price. The case is made out of plastic and the display has thick bezels around it. So, it does look cheaper and the sturdiness is also okay-ish.

That doesn’t take away anything from a comfort perspective though. The band does fit thinner wrists comfortably and plastic is also lighter on the wrist, so wearing it for long periods of time isn’t gonna be an issue.  

Display

The company has gone with a 1.43-inch LCD display and although the visuals look fine, you do miss out on those pitch-black levels & poppy colors that can be found on the AMOLED panel of the GTS 2 Mini.

You can indeed customize the look with more than 50 built-in watch faces. However, as this is indeed an LCD panel, there is no always-on display either. So, the display is definitely one of the areas where you’re making a significant compromise.

Performance

The Bip U Pro performs well for its price with good responsiveness and decent app opening times. You may have some hiccups here & there but, that is kinda common at this price range. So, although the performance is okay, Amazfit isn’t blowing anyone’s mind here.

As it is also running Amazfit UI, it has the same advantages & drawbacks. So, on one hand, it is really easy to get used to the menus and features but, you do miss out on third-party app support. That’s the case with all Amazfit devices at this point but it’s something to keep in mind.

Health & Fitness

Surprisingly enough, the health & fitness department still looks pretty good. It has retained the Blood Oxygen Sensor which makes the Bip U Pro, one of the cheapest devices to have a SpO2 monitor. It also has Heart Rate Monitoring, Sleep Tracking, Stress Monitoring, Workout Tracking, and dedicated Sports Tracking modes.

As far accuracy goes, most things are on point but things like the SpO2 levels, Heart-rate, and GPS data for distance tracking can appear a bit inaccurate at times.

Battery Life

The device can last up to 9 days on a single charge with mixed usage. If you push the device hard enough, you can absolutely kill it in less than a week. However, considering the average use-case scenarios, that battery life is actually really good.

My Opinion

When you’re super-tight on budget, you don’t really get a lot of options and the ones you get have significant compromises. That’s mostly what the Amazfit Bip U pro is but it does retain some of the good features from its more expensive siblings. So, it is still one of the best budget options out there. 

Frequently Asked Questions

Verdict

Having a watch on your wrist that doesn’t have a good fit, can be really uncomfortable and it might bother you all the time or result in inaccurate health measurements. That’s why you need to make sure that the device will fit you well before you purchase it. 

You also need to make sure that it’ll fulfill all your health & fitness requirements without crossing your budget. Now, considering the fact that you’ve reached this far, I hope you have a very good idea about which smartwatch you should get. But, in case you’re still confused, let me make this simple for you:

• If you are an Apple user get the 40mm Apple Watch SE. If you need something even smaller, get the 38mm Apple Watch Series 3.
• Samsung Galaxy smartphone users should get the 40mm Galaxy Watch Active 2.
• If you’re a woman, get the 42mm Fossil Gen 5E. You can also get the Pink variant of the Amazfit GTS 2 Mini in case you’re on a budget.
• If you want a good smartwatch for fitness, get the Fitbit Versa 3.

I hope that the above list clears up any remaining confusion you had. In case you found this helpful, we also have a lot of other articles exploring different features of a wide variety of smartwatches. So, maybe consider reading those next.