You can buy an Android smartwatch without breaking the bank

Every user has a different set of priorities and if you don’t want to spend a fortune on your Wear OS device, then you may find yourself interested in the best cheap Android watches. Luckily, there are numerous quality options available at lower price points. One of the most affordable yet feature-packed Android smartwatches you’ll find is the TicWatch S2, which is all about rugged durability. There’s plenty more where that came from.

Best Overall: TicWatch S2

The TicWatch S2 isn’t for the faint of heart. This smartwatch was designed with the active individual in mind. Whether you’re the outdoorsy type or a certified gym fiend, you’ll be glad to have this level of strength on your wrist. The large 1.39-inch display is crisp and easy to read. It’s not only waterproof but it was also built with military-grade durability, so you know it’s tough. You won’t have trouble keeping track of your stats, either. The combination of Google Fit and TicMotion will help you stay motivated with easy access to all of your workouts and data.

The TicWatch S2 also provides you with smartphone notifications so can stay connected to the world as you go about your day. Let’s not forget about the convenience of having Google Assistant readily available. With that said, you can expect up to two days of battery life. If you take advantage of always-on display and regularly use GPS and apps, you can expect closer to one day of battery. It would’ve been nice to have Google Pay on the S2, but at this price point, it’s hard to complain. You also don’t have an altimeter, so you won’t be able to track floors climbed.

Pros:

• Onboard GPS
• Two color options
• Military-grade durability
• 5 ATM water resistance
• Heart-rate monitoring

Cons:

• Lacks NFC payments
• Rugged look isn’t for everyone
• No altimeter

Best Overall

TicWatch S2

• $180 from Amazon
• $144 from Walmart
• $144 from Newegg

Affordable durability

The S2 offers a pretty display, military-grade durability, GPS, and great fitness tracking. It’s also reasonably priced.

Best Value: TicWatch E2

When you’re seeking the best possible bang for your buck, you can’t go wrong with the TicWatch E2. It might resemble the S2 at first glance, but there are a few differences between the two. This model isn’t nearly as bulky, which means you won’t get the military-grade durability. If you’re not worried about maximum ruggedness in a smartwatch, this could be a great choice.

Other than that, the TicWatch E2 functions just like the S2. They have the same display and battery size as well as the same processor and storage space. It’s only available in one color, but this can easily be jazzed up with a new band. You’ll still enjoy onboard GPS, Google Fit and TicMotion, 24/7 heart-rate monitoring, and Google Assistant. Like the S2, the E2 is also missing an altimeter and Google Pay.

Pros:

• Onboard GPS
• Sleeker look than the S2
• 5 ATM water resistance
• Great fitness tracking
• Heart-rate monitoring

Cons:

• No NFC payments
• Lacks MIL-STD-810G rating
• No altimeter
• Only available in one color

Best Value

TicWatch E2

• $160 from Amazon
• $128 from Walmart
• $128 from Newegg

The most bang for your buck

Aside from lacking military-grade durability, the E2 is just as capable as the S2. You’ll have the same core features that count.

Best for Athletes: Michael Kors Access Gen 4 MKGO

Typically, when you think of a Michael Kors watch, you think about a stylish timepiece that’s all about elegance. The MKGO, on the other hand, is a fitness-focused smartwatch that’s packed with perks. Most importantly, it comes with a reasonable price tag, which makes it one of the best cheap Android watches out there.

It’s lightweight and comes with a silicone strap, which is ideal for fitness enthusiasts who want to be as comfortable as possible during their exercise routines. You’ll enjoy onboard GPS, fitness tracking with Google Fit, water resistance up to 30 meters, and heart-rate monitoring. Some other smartwatch features make the MKGO convenient and fun to use, such as Google Assistant and Google Pay.

While you’ll settle in some areas with a price tag this low, the Michael Kors Gen 4 MKGO is an all-around great place for athletes to start tracking their health and fitness. You’ll only have about a day of battery life, which won’t be a surprise to those who are accustomed to Wear OS. You also won’t have music storage but you will have the option to control your smartphone’s music from the watch.

Pros:

• Onboard GPS
• Heart-rate monitoring
• 3 ATM water resistance
• Decent fitness tracking
• Google Assistant & Google Pay

Cons:

• Short battery life
• Lacks music storage

Best for Athletes

Michael Kors Access Gen 4 MKGO

• $149 from Amazon
• $160 from Walmart
• $149 from Best Buy

Get going

The MKGO is ideal for athletes who want features such as GPS, fitness tracking, and heart-rate monitoring.

Best for Men’s Fashion: Fossil Gen 4 Explorist HR

If you’re looking for a touch of class when choosing an Android smartwatch, go for the Fossil Gen 4 Explorist HR. It comes in many eye-catching colors, including Gunmetal, Black, Silver, and Rose Gold. It’s slightly more expensive than some of the other options on this list, but still affordable compared to other high-end options you’ll find on the market today.

This successor offers heart-rate tracking, Google Pay, onboard GPS, and music storage. All of these features are new when you compare it to the previous Gen 3 model. Battery life is estimated to last for up to 24 hours. A recent update offers additional battery modes. For example, Extended mode claims to prolong battery life for multiple days by turning off nonessential features, like Wi-Fi, always-on display, and so on. Time-Only mode gives you additional hours when you’re running low by turning off all features except timekeeping.

While the Fossil Gen 4 Explorist HR is a step in the right direction, t’s still lacking in some important areas. It’s not fully waterproof like many of the other smartwatches on this list nor does it have its own swim tracking app. It’s also still running on the old Snapdragon Wear 2100, which is a bit of a bummer. When all is said and done, though, you’ll get some solid features without breaking the bank.

Pros:

• Fashionable design
• Onboard GPS
• Activity and heart-rate tracking
• Music storage and controls
• Google Pay

Cons:

• Only 3 ATM water resistance
• No native swim tracking
• Still running old processor

Best for Men’s Fashion

Fossil Gen 4 Explorist HR

• $208 from Amazon

Form and function

An affordable watch doesn’t have to lack style. The fashionable Gen 4 Explorist model gives you GPS, NFC, music storage, and more.

Best for Women’s Fashion: Michael Kors Access Sofie

Women can wear smartwatches without having to give up their passion for fashion. One affordable choice is the Michael Kors Access Sofie, which is available in silver, gold, rose gold, and some other sparkly options. Keep in mind that this watch was designed as a luxurious accessory above all else. That being said, you still get some helpful smartwatch features, like notifications, music controls, customizable watch faces, Google Assistant, and activity tracking via Google Fit.

As you may have noticed, you’ll be missing out on some premium features, like onboard GPS, heart-rate monitoring, and Google Pay. However, if you’re all about looks and less about the function, you may not be missing these features at all. Of course, if you’re investing in an Android smartwatch to start tracking your activity and want access to these key features, you may want to keep scrolling.

Pros:

• Activity tracking
• Stunning design
• Google Assistant
• Music controls
• Smartphone notifications

Cons:

• Only 1 ATM water resistance
• Battery only lasts one day
• Lacks HRM, GPS, NFC

Best for Women’s Fashion

Michael Kors Access Sofie

• $150 from Amazon
• $175 from Walmart
• $149 from Newegg

Luxury at its finest

The Michael Kors Access Sofie lets you enjoy smartwatch perks, like activity tracking, while staying stylish.

Best Compact Design: Skagen Falster 2

The Skagen Falster 2 is now in the affordable smartwatch category thanks to the release of the third edition. At just 11 mm thick, this is a super-slim smartwatch that boasts a compact yet attractive design. This stainless steel smartwatch is available in an array of band materials and colors. It also works with 20 mm interchangeable bands, so you can swap them out for new ones as you please. It isn’t lacking in features, either. You’ll have onboard GPS, heart-rate monitoring, 3 ATM water resistance, Google Assistant, Google Pay, and activity tracking with Google Fit.

Considering that the Skagen Falster 2 is running the old Snapdragon Wear 2100, battery life and software performance are mediocre at best. You can expect it to last for up to 24 hours before you need to recharge it. The new processor might have helped with laggy software issues, too. However, if it’s a slim, compact smartwatch full of features that you’re after, you may not find this to be a major issue.

Pros:

• Onboard GPS
• Heart-rate monitoring
• Google Pay
• Google Assistant
• Compact, slim design

Cons:

• Short battery life
• Laggy software
• Lacks new Snapdragon Wear 3100

Best Compact Design

Skagen Falster 2

• $189 from Amazon
• $145 from Walmart
• $189 from Amazon

Compact yet robust

You can’t go wrong with a feature-packed smartwatch. The compact Falster 2 has heart-rate monitoring, GPS, Google Pay, and more.

Best Improvement: Moto 360 (3rd Gen)

We hadn’t heard a peep about Motorola smartwatches for years. Suddenly, we were blessed with quite the improvement when a new version of the Moto 360 came out. The 3rd gen models are equipped with Snapdragon Wear 3100 as well as 1GB of RAM and 8GB of storage. These upgrades alone make a major difference in the performance. Did we mention that this smartwatch is highly fashionable? It comes in a gorgeous stainless steel case with a colorful AMOLED display. Whether you rock the leather strap or the silicone band, you’ll be turning heads with the new Moto 360. You’ll have fitness tracking with Google Fit, heart-rate monitoring, onboard GPS, Google Assistant, and Google Pay.

While your battery should last for about a day depending on usage, don’t expect it to go much longer than that. You’ll also have to decide if the elegant design can withstand your workouts. Those who are tracking casual activity such as walks and jogs might not have any trouble. However, the heavier and bulkier design might be cumbersome for high-intensity workouts.

Pros:

• Onboard GPS
• Activity tracking
• 3 ATM water resistance
• Google Pay
• Google Assistant

Cons:

• Battery doesn’t last long
• Too bulky for some wrists

Best Improvement

Moto 360 (3rd Gen)

• $200 from B&H

Truly new and improved

The new Moto 360 is a great improvement from its predecessor. It has an AMOLED display, GPS, mobile payments, and activity tracking.

Best cheap Android watches Which should you choose?

While Wear OS smartwatches may not be the most popular wearables, there are still some excellent options that hold their own. Most importantly, you don’t have to spend a fortune when there are a fair amount of cheap Android smartwatches on the market. Mobvoi’s TicWatch series is a great place to start, especially if you’re a beginner in the smartwatch world and you’re also on a budget. When it comes to finding one that offers both affordability and a well-rounded experience, the TicWatch S2 is ideal. This rugged watch comes with military-grade durability, all-day battery life, waterproofing, heart-rate monitoring, and more.

If you’re not a fan of how large most of the TicWatch models are, there are other Wear OS options that you may find more suitable. Whether you’re prioritizing fashion, features, or both, you’ll have the chance to choose a smartwatch that will make your wrist happy without making your wallet sad. If you’re willing to expand your horizons beyond the walls of Wear OS, you may also want to consider exploring all the other types of Android smartwatches on the market these days.

Credits — The team that worked on this guide

Courtney Lynch is a freelance writer at Android Central. She’s obsessed with all things health, fitness, and music. At any given time she can be found checking out the latest and greatest gadgets while simultaneously petting her dog and sipping iced coffee.