The 9 Best Smartwatches for Women in 2021

Best Overall: Samsung Galaxy Watch Active2

4.2

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The Galaxy Watch Active2 is the latest and greatest iteration of this fitness smartwatch from Samsung. This Android and iOS compatible wearable now has improved sensors, built-in GPS, and more size options than it's predecessor.

While most wearables are content to stop at a step counter, the Galaxy Watch Active 2 is capable of tracking up to 39 different fitness activities, ranging from cycling to rowing or swimming. As of February of this year, Samsung's health app now also offers menstrual cycle tracking, a noticeably absent feature from the original wearable.

This wearable also comes in a variety of colors for both its 40 and 44mm watch faces, as well as different bands available in either leather or sweat-friendly nylon. But there are a virtually limitless number of 3rd party wristbands for this wearable that allow it to suit nearly any style.

The Galaxy Watch Active 2 can last several days on a single charge and can even be topped off from other Samsung devices through its convenient Wireless PowerShare feature.

Runner-Up, Best Overall,: Fitbit Versa 3

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The Fitbit Versa 3 is arguably one of the best, most feature-packed Fitbit devices on the market next to the feature-packed Fitbit Sense. It boasts built-in GPS, has an attractive design with an AMOLED display, and comes with a lightweight and comfortable strap. Our reviewer found it easy to wear for a whole day and had no problem sleeping with it on.

The nice looks aside, the Fitbit Versa 3 is heavily wellness focused. The smartwatch can track your runs, monitor your heart rate, sleep schedule, and keep track of your workouts and activity tracking. It has support for smart voice assistants, can store music and do playback. It doesn't have the more advanced sensors that track SPO2 and stress levels like the Fitbit Sense, but the six-day battery life is an excellent trade off.

Best for Apple Users: Apple Watch Series 6

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The new Apple Watch Series 6 builds on other models with a number of new improvements in both hardware and software. For starters, it comes with a wide range of new case and design options, along with some fancy new straps. There are now plenty of ways to customize the Apple Watch to suit your style and sense of fashion. Beyond that, it comes with a new 64-bit dual-core processor, making it 20 percent faster than the Series 5. This should allow you to more smoothly navigate settings, menus, and apps.

The display is still an always-on Retina display, but it's now 2.5 times brighter than the one you get on the Series 5, making for easier sunlight visibility. On the software end, there are lots of new features rolled in with watchOS 7. You get an oximeter to measure blood oxygen levels, sleep tracking which can detect sleep apnea, and an always-on altimeter for hiking and climbing to track elevation. An improved wireless chip (U1 Ultra Wideband) also offers improved tracking and accuracy for Bluetooth and Wi-Fi.

Best Sensors: Fitbit Sense

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The Fitbit Sense is the newest smartwatch model from the Fitbit brand and it’s also the most tech-forward. It’s designed with premium materials including high-end aluminum and stainless steel and a larger AMOLED display with a Corning Gorilla Glass 3 finishing and an always-on option. The Sense band is also a new seamless and lightweight infinity-style strap, which comes in both small and large sizes. Another unique design aspect of this wearable is the low-profile button that’s virtually invisible but responds to both long and short presses. 

Aside from design innovations, the Fitbit Sense features a biosensor core that can provide clues about changes in health. New sensors measure skin temperature, SPO2 (blood oxygen saturation), and provide even more accurate 24/7 heart rate tracking. The device-exclusive ECG app puts the Sense in company with the Apple Watch, and EDA monitoring, which tracks electrodermal responses, encourages stress management throughout the day by logging reflections and meditation sessions. 

Fitbit also emphasizes the addition of a slew of extra connectivity features, including the option of responding to texts and calls received on Android smartphones, music streaming and storage with premium Deezer and Pandora subscriptions, Fitbit Pay, and Amazon Alexa and forthcoming Google Assistant integration. That’s on top of onboard GPS and support for over 20 different exercises and the step and heart-rate tracking users have come to know and love from Fitbit wearables.

Our product reviewer found the brand’s battery life claim of over six days to be accurate and appreciated the consistently quick charging times. She was less impressed by GPS consistency but was a fan of the Sense’s general wellness support and the opportunity to view long-term trends via the companion Fitbit mobile app. 

Best Design: Fossil Juliana Smartwatch Gen 5

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The rugged and stylish designers at Fossil pulled out all the stops with their Gen 5 Juliana Smartwatch. This WearOS powered smartwatch is a drastic improvement over Fossil's previous iterations, providing you with all the features you've come to expect from wearables and blending that seamlessly with a classic watch style that can be customized for a variety of users.

The Fossil Juliana now features built-in GPS tracking as well as heart rate and activity tracking powered by Google Fit making it a solid option for fitness in addition to being an effective accessory. While Google Fit doesn't natively support menstrual cycle tracking, it can still import data from 3rd party apps like Clue or Glow and the 8Gb of onboard storage provides you with plenty of space for 3rd party apps as well as music.

While currently only available in a 44mm face format, the Fossil Juliana comes in a variety of finishes and bands to complete any look making it an excellent accessory despite its steep price.

Best Accessory: Michael Kors Sofie Smartwatch (Gen 4)

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Most of the smartwatches out there appeal mainly to techies and fitness enthusiasts. Their designs, while sleek and functional, don’t always fit your outfit. Michael Kors’ 4th generation Sofie smartwatch, on the other hand, keeps you both connected and classy.

While previous versions of this watch were notably lacking important fitness features like heart rate monitoring, the latest version of the Sofie includes many of the glaring omissions from its previous versions. The watch still includes a Snapdragon 2100 CPU for snappy performance as well as 4GB of storage for apps and music.

This piece operates on WearOS 2.0, and with the Michael Kors Access app, you can customize the watch face. You can even set the watch face to automatically change at a certain time, helping you transition your day look to your night look. All of these features make the 4th generation of the Sofie smartwatch an excellent accessory and a capable fitness tracker as well.

Best for Fitness Tracking: Fitbit Versa 2

4.3

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The Fitbit Versa 2 is a remarkably capable and full-featured smartwatch that costs a fraction of its Apple analog. The low-cost alternative to Apple’s watch is both a qualified fitness tracker and smartwatch, compatible with iOS as well as Android.

Pair it with your smartphone and you’ll receive all your calls, messages and notifications, plus it’ll track things such as your heart rate, sleep, menstrual cycle, and activity. The battery lasts about three days on a single charge, which is exceptional if you’re comparing it to the Apple Watch, but disappointing if you compare it to other Fitbit models. But if you didn’t have to charge it, you’d likely never take it off because it’s fully waterproof, meaning you can wear it in the shower (and even in the swimming pool), and also so comfortable you can sleep with it on.

Best Style: Kate Spade Scallop 2

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This sleek-looking smartwatch marks the fashion brand's second attempt at a touchscreen display smartwatch. And inside its stylish casing, the Kate Spade Scallop 2 packs a serious set of features that improve on its predecessor. Powered by Google's Wear OS, the Scallop has 4GB of internal storage for storing music and apps, as well as customizable watch faces, smartphone notifications, and voice activation with Google Assistant. Fortunately, iOS users aren’t left in the dark — Scallop connects to any iPhone running iOS 9.3 or above as well as AndroidOS version 4.4 or higher.

This smartwatch pairs easily with Bluetooth 4.1 headphones. The watch face, designed with Kate Spade's iconic blend of sophistication and playfulness, is 42mm across and only 9mm thick with a band that's styled like a traditional adjustable watchband. And, with 24 hours of battery life, there’s more than enough power in the Scallop to last you all day.