Forget pricey smartwatch bands — you can make huge savings by swapping to third-party straps for Apple, Garmin and Samsung watches

I have what some would describe as an unhealthy obsession with smartwatch straps. Whatever watch I’m using, I like to swap out the band regularly, and I’ve amassed a huge collection of straps to fit Garmin, Apple and other smartwatches.

Had I been doing this by buying official straps from the brands themselves, I’d have had to take out a second mortgage by now, given the crazily high price charged for simple bands. Fortunately, it’s very easy to find great third-party smartwatch straps online that cost a fraction of the price of official bands.

For just a couple of dollars, you can completely change the look and feel of your watch, and all of the best smartwatches have a thriving third-party strap market, while most sports watches use standard 20mm, 22mm, or 26mm bands.

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Some of the very best deals on straps can be found on sites like eBay and Temu, but there are also a lot of options on Etsy and Amazon.

Official vs third party smartwatch bands

While third-party bands might not be quite as nice as official bands, especially when compared to Apple’s in-house options, they come very close, especially if you opt for a premium alternative that can still cost a lot less, even if it’s not the cheapest option.

As someone with slender wrists, I find that third-party bands that use the same fit as Apple’s Solo Loops are often too big for me, even in the smaller sizes — Apple has a wider range of sizes for its own bands.

I’ve also found the alternatives to Garmin’s nylon bands can feel a bit flimsier and degrade faster than official straps, but since they cost so much less, you can pick up a new band regularly and still come out way ahead on price.

You also get a much wider range of designs with third-party bands. Many alternatives mimic the most popular official bands, but there are plenty of wild designs that can make your watch stand out from the crowd, including many that look more like jewelry than sports watch straps.

5 great third-party watch bands

Abanen Hook and Loop Quick Dry Watch Band: $21 at Amazon

These simple nylon bands are my go-to with Garmin watches, and you get two of them for $21 as opposed to paying $39 for the official Garmin Ultrafit Nylon band. They are comfortable to wear 24/7 and dry quickly after getting wet and sweaty. It’s also easy to adjust the fit quickly and you can get a variety of colors.

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Solace Imperium Adapt : $39 at Amazon

This is my colleague Dan Bracaglia’s go-to Apple Watch band and while it’s not the cheapest third-party option, it’s $10 cheaper than an official Apple Sport Loop and it comes in a wild range of color options to fit all size options of the Apple Watch. The Solace band is comfortable, easy to adjust and machine washable, so you can keep it fresh even with regular workouts.

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NotoCity Quickfit 22mm Watch Band: $14 at Amazon

Garmin’s silicone watch straps cost at least $39, which is a lot of money for what is a pretty simple product, and there are lots of third-party options that undercut that price considerably. NotoCity’s band has a high quality feel, comes in a range of colors and costs less than half the price.

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WINPH 4 Pack Nylon Watch Bands: $12 at Amazon

These bands mimic the look and feel of Apple’s nylon Sport Loops but fit regular watches thanks to the 22mm quick release pins, so you can use them with Garmin watches. You get four bands for just $12 so you can switch between straps when it suits, and there are different color options.

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DMVEIMAL Braided Solo Loop: $6 at Amazon

Apple’s Braided Solo Loop is one of the nicest smartwatch straps you can get, but also one of the most expensive at $99. This band will cost you just $6 and provides the same style for your Apple Watch, stretching to fit without any buckles at all. You need to get the sizing perfect for the strap to work for you, but there’s a clear size guide to help you do just that.

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