I've been writing about smartwatches and fitness trackers for the past decade. Long enough to remember when cycle tracking was added to a device for the first time (the Fitbit Versa in 2018), and when devices started coming in two sizes, to better fit the female wrist.
Right now, the best smartwatch for women is the Apple Watch Series 10. The newest Apple Watch is thinner and lighter than its predecessor, making it one of Apple's comfiest wearables yet. It only works with iPhone, though, so if you're an Android user, it's not your best pick.
If you're looking to track fitness, the best watch for women is the Garmin Lily Active 2. It has most of the features found on the best Garmin watches, but in a more stylish and svelte package that won't break the bank.
Read on to find my other picks.
Quick list
If you have an iPhone, this is easily the best smartwatch for women. Apple's wearable has become a style icon in its own right, but you don't have to compromise on features either. It has everything you could want from a smartwatch, except it only lasts up to a day between charges.
The Galaxy Watch 7 is Samsung's answer to the Apple Watch. It's also packed with features, including a load of new health tracking capabilities powered by Samsung AI. It works with any Android phone, but is optimized for Samsung's devices. Plus, it can keep tabs on your sleep and look for signs of sleep apnea.
Garmin's watches are usually quite bulky, but not the Lily 2 Active. It packs some of the brand's top features, like accurate GPS tracking and detailed fitness monitoring, into a more discreet package. You can switch out the straps, and it offers menstrual health and pregnancy tracking from your wrist.
Jane is our Senior Fitness Editor, and has been testing and writing about fitness tech for the past 10 years. Her go-to running watch right now is the new Garmin Forerunner 570, and she tracks just about everything there is to track on her Oura Ring 4.
The best smartwatches for women right now
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Best smartwatch for women overall
The Apple Watch 10 is the best Apple Watch yet. It’s not a major upgrade over the Apple Watch Series 9 in terms of features, but it does introduce some useful updates in terms of design.
What's new is the chassis, which is 10% lighter and thinner before, while the screen is also about 9% larger. The Series 10 comes in an attractive collection of colors and materials, too.
It was the first watch to ship with watchOS 11, the latest version of Apple's wearable software. This delivered a new Vitals app, the ability to translate languages on your wrist, and — finally — the option to disable your Apple Watch rings when you need a rest day. watchOS 11 also tracks more advanced pregnancy data, such as gestational age.
Faster charging, speakers that play music out loud, and the Depth app (carried down from Apple Watch Ultra) on board, it'd be easier to name the things the Apple Watch doesn't do than all the things it does. That's why it's the best smartwatch for women (and for most people) if you have an iPhone.
- Read our full Apple Watch 10 review
Best smartwatch for women for Android
The Galaxy Watch 7 launched in mid-2024, and is one of Samsung's first smartwatches powered by Samsung AI. Design-wise, it's not visually that different to the previous Watch 6, but these new AI functions power the Galaxy Watch 7's health features.
The watch can help pick up signs of sleep apnea as it tracks your rest periods, and there are new personalized insights in the Samsung Health app based on your data. Plus, the Watch 7 adds a daily Energy Score, one number that combines your sleep, health and exercise data.
It strikes the balance of sleek and sporty, while two display sizes and large collection of interchangeable bands offers ample customization. But the reason it really stands out as one of the best smartwatches for women is its integration with fertility-tracking app, Natural Cycles.
Famously, the Oura Ring works with Natural Cycles, but the data syncs from one app to the other and you need a subscription to both to make it work. Samsung's implementation is different.
Natural Cycles' algorithm powers the menstrual tracking and fertility data in the Samsung Health app. So, you buy the watch and get access to some of Natural Cycles' key features without taking an additional subscription.
- Read our full Samsung Galaxy Watch 7 review
Best smartwatch for women for fitness
The Garmin Lily 2 Active is a stylish smartwatch that will make you forget the bulky GPS wearables the brand is best known for. An offering designed with active-minded female smartwatch users in mind, the $299 Garmin Lily is a great choice for those looking to prioritize health and wellness in a fashionable package.
I like the Garmin Lily 2 Active’s comfortable fit and fashionable appearance, which is accentuated by a patterned lens that somehow doesn't obstruct the display. Of all the best smartwatches for women I've tested, this one with some interesting flair.
Between its 38-millimeter buttonless case, intricate hardware details, and thin straps, it's dainty. The Garmin Lily 2 Active offers menstrual cycle tracking, as well as a pregnancy tracking guide that gives expecting mothers a more complete overview of their health. While it lacks an always-on display mode and onboard music storage, it's a watch with a lot to offer.
That said, this wouldn't be my pick of the best Garmin watches if you're serious about sport, however. It lacks some of the more advanced features. If you're looking for a more sporty all-rounder, it's worth looking at the Garmin Venu 3. On the other hand, if you're training for your first marathon, check out the Garmin Forerunner 570.
- Read our full Garmin Lily 2 Active review
Best smartwatch for women for health tracking
The Fitbit Sense 2 is the company's premium smartwatch that comes with more advanced health and wellness features than the Versa line. Not only does it have an FDA-cleared ECG sensor and blood oxygen reading, but the Sense has the ability to measure electrodermal activity and skin temperature, too.
An update to the stress-detecting EDA (electrodermal activity) sensor plays a large role in the device’s success: now called cEDA ('c' for continuous,) the sensor monitors stress levels or heightened responses throughout the day, prompting the user to take action on mood monitoring with Body Response notifications.
During testing, we were impressed by the Sense 2's long battery life and attractive design, as well as the huge number of health tracking options. The Sense 2 works with both iOS and Android, and comes with onboard GPS, Alexa, and more.
- Read our full Fitbit Sense 2 review
Best budget smartwatch for women
The Apple Watch SE is kind of a hybrid device, pairing an older Apple Watch design with the Apple Watch Series 8's chipset. The $249 smartwatch doesn't have all the Series 10's features, but still stands out for its great fitness tracking and safety features.
When choosing between the Apple Watch Series 10 vs. Apple Watch SE (2022), your ultimate decision will be if you want to spend an extra $150 for a brighter display with an always-on option, an ECG monitor and skin-temperature sensor, and a bigger display.
If those tools aren't deal-breakers for you, the SE is a highly capable option for iPhone users. It even gets watchOS 11, the most up-to-date Apple Watch software, so the main difference between this and the Watch Series 10 is you can't access the flagship model's sleep apea notifications. Though it does share the more expensive model's one-day battery life.
- Read our full Apple Watch SE (2022) review
Ok, I know this isn't a smartwatch, but I'd be remiss to speak about female health tracking tech without mentioning the Oura ring. It's one of the best when it comes to tracking your cycle (it worked out I was pregnant before I did), and it looks like a piece of jewellery, so you won't be tempted to remove it when you're going out with friends.
From a tracking perspective, Oura helps you keep an eye on your recovery and sleep, but also the impact of the day's stress on your body. But Oura's real edge over the competition is the companion smartphone app. Alongside the new ring, the app was redesigned to make it easier to see daily insights, long-term trends and an overall picture of your health. But it keeps the impressive analysis that made it the top smart ring in our best smart rings guide.
While the overall experience with the Oura Ring 4 is still miles ahead of its competitors, there's one major downside; the monthly subscription. You need to pay $5.99 to use the ring, which is a substantial ask when you've already paid at least $350 for the hardware. It's definitely a commitment, but if you're looking to get a better understanding of your overall health, it's my top pick.
Read our Oura Ring 4 review
How to choose the best smartwatch for women
Among the best smartwatches for women, you have a bounty of options to match your needs and style. That said, if you have an iPhone, you’ll probably appreciate the ecosystem experience of the Apple Watch 10 or Apple Watch SE.
The same goes those with Samsung smartphones, your best choice is a Samsung-made Galaxy Watch, But if fitness tracking or working out is your priority, a Fitbit or Garmin wearable might be better for reaching your goals. Plus both those companies offer diverse design options.
When picking any smartwatch, you’ll also want to get one that fits your wrist comfortably. Those with smaller wrists may find larger smartwatches bulky and cumbersome. All of the smartwatches above have 40mm or smaller size options, though the 38mm Garmin Lily is by far the more compact.
Some of the best smartwatches for women look like high-tech fitness trackers while others look like traditional timepieces, too. If you want something sporty, stick to sleek materials with fewer embellishments. If you want something you can wear on nicer occasions, look for bezels or other eye-catching accents.
How we test the best smartwatches for women
Whenever an attractive smartwatch for women is released, we fully charge it up, then strap it on our wrist for about a week or so to test out all the features.
We gauge how it feels on our wrist throughout our day-to-day, as well as how easy (or not) the interface is to navigate when we need to read notifications, set timers or change other settings.
Next, we look at its fitness features, such as heart rate readings, blood oxygen readings, step counts and, when applicable, GPS. How accurate are all these readings? Does the smartwatch offer female-specific features for menstrual cycle or pregnancy tracking?
Finally we consider battery life claims and compare it to our actual use. Some features like continuous GPS use, playing music or enabling an always-on display chew up juice faster than others. We understand that not all smartwatches last two weeks — we just want our experience to match up with the expectations set by the company.
