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The best smartwatches in Australia have come a long way since the first Apple Watch landed in 2015, and the category is now considered mainstream. Over more than a decade, they’ve evolved into genuine all‑rounders: health and fitness trackers, digital wallets, and even a handy stand‑in for your phone when it’s not within reach.
The latest smartwatches can track your heart rate, detect changes in elevation, and even connect you to emergency services automatically if you take a fall. Some models come with features like electrocardiogram (ECG) monitoring and blood oxygen (SpO2) measurement, while newer watches are even exploring antioxidant tracking and sleep apnoea detection.
For iPhone owners, the standout is the Apple Watch 11. It may look identical to last year’s model, but improved battery life, tougher build quality and upgraded health sensors make it the most feature‑rich Apple Watch to date.
All the top models can be found in the list below, but you should also consider looking at the best cheap smartwatches if you want to save some cash. Enough talk — here are the best smartwatches to buy in Australia in 2026.
The best smartwatches in Australia you can buy today
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Best smartwatch for iPhone
The Apple Watch 11 is the best Apple Watch yet, and a smartwatch many of us at Tom's Guide use daily. It’s not a major upgrade over the Apple Watch Series 10, but there are some noteworthy changes.
The main difference between the Apple Watch 11 vs Apple Watch 10 is the battery life. The newer watch now has 24 hours of battery life, which is an improvement on its predecessor's 18 hours.
On the surface, the Apple Watch 11 looks identical to the Apple Watch 10, which had a big redesign compared to the Series 9. It's still easy to view at odd angles thanks to Apple's use of wide-angle OLED display technology.
The watch is available in a 42mm and 46mm case size. There are also new case finishes and materials, too, including lightweight titanium options, plus the Apple Watch 11 offers double the scratch resistance, which should better prevent damage to the display.
During testing, we found the Apple Watch 11 was comfortable and easy to use. From tracking workouts to messaging friends to navigating cities to monitoring sleep, the Series 11 is extremely easy to use and interact with. Speaking of sleep, this is one of the first Apple Watch models with Apple's new sleep score.
The device ships running watchOS 26. This latest software delivers a new Workout Buddy feature, which is practically an AI coach on your wrist, and hypertension alerts. It also showcases Apple's latest Liquid Glass design.
The Series 11 also boasts a bump from LTE to 5G connectivity, for better connection on the go. All of this adds up to the best Apple Watch for most people, and also the best smartwatch for iPhone users overall.
- Read our full Apple Watch Series 11 review
Best smartwatch for sleep tracking
The Samsung Galaxy Watch 8 Classic is the pricier, larger version of the standard Galaxy Watch 8, and my preferred model in the series thanks to superior battery life (40 hours per charge versus 30 hours per charge in my testing), a clicky bezel for navigation, and an additional customisable button on the case.
That said, the standard and Classic provide the same sleep tracking insights. So, if you're looking to save some cash or prefer a sleeker/lighter smartwatch, the 40mm or 44mm Galaxy Watch 8 might be a better choice.
Samsung's AI-powered health insights are among the most detailed and actionable of any smartwatch brand in 2026, and the sleep reports, in particular, thoroughly impress me.
In addition to how much time you spent in individual sleep cycles and total sleep, the Galaxy Watch 8 also tells you how much you may or may not have thrashed around, whether you snored, and if any signs of sleep apnea are detected.
The device also offers comprehensive and accurate fitness-tracking tools with personalised training plans for runners. While I'm not much of a pavement pounder, I found Samsung's Run Coach feature extremely beginner-friendly and surprisingly encouraging. Heck, I may even run a 5K in the near future.
While the Galaxy Watch 8 Classic's case is admittedly on the heavier side (63.5g), it's also quite resilient to scratches, scuffs, and blemishes. Like the other smartwatches here, water resistance is 50 meters, enough for showers and shallow swims.
The Galaxy Watch 8 series boasts the same max screen brightness as the Pixel Watch 4 of 3,000 nits, making it a pleasure to view even in direct sunlight. Similar to the latest Apple Watches and Pixel Watches, the Galaxy Watch 8 is also offered with optional cellular support for a little extra cash.
- Read our full Samsung Galaxy Watch 8 review
Best Android smartwatch
The Google Pixel Watch 4 is the best smartwatch for Android users right now, thanks to best-in-class battery performance that cruised for an average of 60 hours per charge in our testing (45mm model).
It also boasts the best AI voice assistant, Gemini, built right in. Best of all, a new gesture control allows you to activate Gemini by simply raising your wrist, a feature you won’t find on any other smartwatch.
The Pixel Watch 4 also gains a bigger and brighter display than its predecessor, despite the same relatively sleek and comfortable case dimensions and a similar weight. A max brightness of 3,000 nits is a match with the Samsung Galaxy Watch 8 and 1,000 nits greater than the Pixel Watch 3 or even the Apple Watch Series 11.
Health and fitness tracking tools are expansive, with detailed insights into sleep quality, rest, and recovery. An updated GPS with two bands instead of one should result in even greater fitness tracking accuracy when working out outdoors (and the Pixel Watch 3 was no slouch at tracking).
Google’s latest is also one of only a small handful of smartwatches with an emergency SOS feature that can connect you to help via satellite when off the grid. The other is the pricey Apple Watch Ultra 3. However, only the pricier LTE-capable models support it (though no data plan is actually needed to use it).
The device also supports a plethora of Fitbit’s best training metrics, from a daily Readiness and Sleep Score to insights into heart rate variability and a user’s training load.
- Read our full Google Pixel Watch 4 review
Best smartwatch for fitness
The Garmin Venu 4 is one of the best Garmin watches because it's both a capable workout companion and a stylish lifestyle device.
The combo also makes it the best smartwatch for fitness enthusiasts. Maintaining Garmin’s reputation for thorough workout tracking and accurate GPS, the Venu 4 also offers the smarts of mirrored notifications and an on-wrist voice assistant.
And even though Garmin still lacks a large third-party app store and continues to steer clear of LTE support, the Venu 4 has other smart features up its sleeve, like Garmin Pay for contactless payments and onboard storage capacity for music. You can also make and receive calls from the wrist, assuming your paired phone is near.
While tracking workouts, Incident Detection works similarly to Apple's Fall Detection for safety. And, an abundance of sports profiles, helpful recovery time suggestions, and on-watch interval creation keep you tuned into your activity, too.
The device additionally features nap-tracking and a nifty sleep coach feature to keep tabs on your rest, while daily summaries offer behavioral insights. What's more, with up to 20 hours of battery in GPS mode and 12 days in smartwatch mode, you rarely need to stress about keeping the Garmin Venu 4 charged. It also comes in two easy-wearing sizes, each sporting a bright and immersive AMOLED screen.
- Read our full Garmin Venu 4 review
Best smartwatch for runners
Our pick for the best running watch is the Garmin Forerunner 265. This lightweight device gives you everything you’d want in a running watch, from accurate tracking to music controls to the ability to create custom workouts, for the price of an Apple Watch. The device also offers access to Garmin’s wide range of training metrics, which help you not only plan workouts but also recovery time.
During testing, my colleague found the Garmin Forerunner 265's beautiful AMOLED display bright and easy to read, even in direct sunlight. It also has a touchscreen, which makes it easy to navigate around the watch. The battery is long enough to last through a few workouts, even with music playing.
The Forerunner 265 has inherited some of the more advanced health features usually reserved for Garmin’s more expensive running watches. It also now can track multisport training sessions in the triathlon mode, and Garmin's Training Readiness Score. It's a fantastic improvement on an already fantastic watch and a great buy for all levels of runner.
- Read our full Garmin Forerunner 265 review
Best 'Ultra' smartwatch
The Galaxy Watch Ultra is Samsung's take on a sporty, premium smartwatch model, like the Apple Watch Ultra series.
The ultimate Android wearable for outdoor adventures, the Galaxy Watch Ultra is also the best smartwatch for health tracking. It sports the same competent BioActive sensor found in the Galaxy Watch 7 but in a longer-lasting and better-built package.
Fitness, rest and recovery metrics are accompanied by AI-backed explainers and insights, which help make the dizzying array of data points recorded by the Ultra easy to parse at a glance but dig into as desired. The Galaxy Watch Ultra additionally monitors for health anomalies like sleep apnea and irregular heartbeats.
This is the longest-lasting Android smartwatch currently available, with up to 48 hours of battery life. It also features an eye-catching titanium finish, a customisable 'Quick' button and a bright, easy-to-view AMOLED screen that reaches 3,000 nits — the same as the Apple Watch Ultra 2 — making it easy to read even in direct sunlight.
The only downsides to the Galaxy Watch Ultra are the steep AU$1,299 RRP (though it can often be found at a significant discount) and the fact that it's not meant to be worn while scuba diving or for other extreme water sports, despite 100 metres of water resistance. Oh, and it's just as hulking on the wrist as the Apple Watch Ultra.
- Read our full Samsung Galaxy Watch Ultra review
How to pick the best smartwatch for you
When looking at the best smartwatches for you, you're somewhat limited by the smartphone you own. If you want an Apple Watch, for instance, you'll need to have an iPhone. And while Wear OS watches work with both Android and iPhones, you get far less functionality if you connect an iOS device. There are plenty of differences between Apple Watch vs. Fitbit and Apple Watch vs. Garmin as well.
Samsung's smartwatches offer the greatest in terms of cross-functionality, but even here, Android phone owners will get more in terms of replies to notifications and the ability to make and receive phone calls.
After that, when picking a smartwatch, you also want to get one that fits your wrist comfortably. Those with smaller wrists may find larger smartwatches — ones with case sizes larger than 44mm — to be too bulky and cumbersome to wear. If you need features like cycle or pregnancy tracking, you might find our list of the best smartwatches for women helpful, too.
Similarly, you want to find a smartwatch that fits your style. Although the Apple Watch is limited to one shape, you can purchase it in different finishes. Samsung's smartwatches offer a little more choice, while Wear OS watches, which are made by several companies including Fossil, Skagen, Kate Spade, Moto, TAG Heuer, Diesel, and others, give you many more options when it comes to their design. Does your smartwatch come with a metal strap? Here's how to remove a link from a watch.
And if you need smartwatches for certain fitness goals. see our guides to the best running watches and best GPS watches. You also might be better suited for one of the best fitness trackers instead.
How we test the best smartwatches
We test every new smartwatch to gauge its design and comfort. If it’s not stylish and comfortable enough to get you from an early morning workout to the office to a night out, you probably won’t wear it every day. Most smartwatches are also fitness trackers, so we put all of its sensors to the test, from step counts to heart rate to GPS (when applicable).
We install apps and use them to see if the device’s app store is robust enough to elevate it to smartwatch status. If the watch has built-in LTE, we test cellular connectivity and call quality to make sure the device can actually stand on its own without a smartphone nearby.
And we measure battery life using everyday scenarios — including workouts, using apps, and getting notifications — to make sure you can get through an entire day without needing to charge up.
For more smartwatch tips, see our smartwatch buying guide.
