Smartwatches are a great set of devices no doubt as they don’t just only tell the time like traditional watches do, but also come with other amazing features like smart notifications, heart rate monitor, GPS tracking, steps counter, and a whole lot of other exciting features.
Let’s face it, most smartwatches we see from top well-known brands like Apple, Samsung, Fitbit, and others are not cheap and although these smartwatches to me might be worth every penny spent on them, not everyone has a couple of hundred dollars to splash on a new smartwatch.
As smartwatches and wearable tech devices in general grow, more companies become interested in manufacturing these devices and this development mostly works in the favor of the consumers as more competition leads to lower-priced watches and more room to spend money on other things.
Finding cheap smartwatches that check all the options of a good smartwatch is hard and with many low-quality smartwatches being pumped into the market each day, this is going to get harder.
In response to this, I have decided to compile a list of the best smartwatches under $100 in 2021. After spending days testing these smartwatches and reading what others think about them online, i have shortlisted the top 10 best smartwatches you can get for under $100 right now.
What To Look Out For When Choosing A Smartwatch Under $100
Battery Life
For me, the most important factor to look out for when choosing a smartwatch within this price range would be its battery life. No one likes to charge their watches every day or every two days so I assume you don’t too!
When choosing a smartwatch under $100, make sure you go for a watch that is advertised with at least 5-7 days of battery life or more. This ensures that you will be getting 3 days of battery life in the worst-case scenario.
Durability
Unlike traditional watches we see every day, many smartwatches are not very durable and can’t stand tough events like falls and avoidable scratches so make sure you’re getting a smartwatch with a good build quality.
Althugh, there are some very rugged and extra-durable smartwatches designed for outdoor activities like hiking & climbing, you generally don’t want to get those if you just need a smartwatch for basic stuff.
Design & Style
Watches are meant to complement our dressing when worn. Having a watch which doesn’t look so good defeats the point of having wristwatches in the first place.
It is good practice to check out the design of any watch you’re getting and to check whether it fits your dressing style or not. Most smartwatches now come with multiple watch faces which allows you to customize the looks and colors of your watches screen so this is a good addition.
Alerts & Notifications
One of the most important (and core) features of smartwatches is notifications and if a smartwatch doesn’t have this, there’s no point in buying it as it defeats the point of smartwatches in general.
In case you don’t understand what smart notifications mean, it is a feature on smartwatches that allows the user (you in this case) to view notifications like call notifications (missed & incoming), SMS, emails, and other notifications from social media apps like Facebook, Instagram, Twitter and others directly on their smartwatches. This feature only works when the smartwatch is paired to your smartphone via a Bluetooth connection or any other connectivity the watch uses to communicate with the phone.
For me, smart notifications are a must-have on your smartwatch so make sure any smartwatch opt for within this price range has this feature.
Compatibility
If a smartwatch is not compatible with your phone, then there is no point in getting that watch because you won’t be able to use it unless it’s a standalone smartwatch.
Thankfully, most smartwatches these days tend to be compatible with most Android and iOS smartphones, but still, it’s good practice to make sure a smartwatch is compatible with your phone before buying.
Top 10 Best Smartwatches Under $100
1) Amazfit Bip – Best Overall
The Amazfit Bip smartwatch is an outstanding smartwatch from Amazfit and the best smartwatch under $100 right now. It features a 1.28-inch bright touchscreen display + an impressive battery for backup.
This watch is also lightweight weighing only about 32g overall meaning that you wouldn’t have problems if you choose to put it on for longer periods. It is also about 11.5mm thick which makes it an ideal smartwatch for small wrists.
On its battery life, the Amazfit Bip offers an impressive battery backup that can last up to 30 days on a single 2-3 hour charge. Even when using power-hungry features like activity tracking & continuous heart rate monitoring all the time, I was still able to get around 2-3 weeks of battery life on a single charge. Very impressive if you ask me!
Other features of the Amazfit Bip smartwatch include major activity tracking features like heart rate monitoring, GPS tracking with its inbuilt GPS, multi-sport tracking (including running, cycling & walking), and others. It also comes with a smart notifications system which shows your notifications (calls, emails, and text messages) + other notifications from popular social media apps like WhatsApp, Facebook, Twitter and more directly on your watch screen when paired with your smartphone.
The only issue I noticed with the Amazfit Bip is the inability to install third-party apps as it lacks an app store. This is because the watch runs on Amazfit’s proprietary OS and there are no methods to tweak the OS to allow you install other apps. Aside this, it is a great smartwatch offered at a seriously affordable price in a market where brands like Apple and Samsung offer their watches at aggressively high amounts.
Verdict: The Amazfit Bip smartwatch if you ask me and a nice pick if you’re on a budget and need something that works out of the box with incredible battery life. The only downsides however are that you won’t be able to install third-party apps as you would do on most androidWear & Apple watches.
2) Umidigi Uwatch 3 – Best HR Tracker
The Umidigi Uwatch 3 is an impressive budget smartwatch from the top technology brand, Umidigi. It features a 1.3-inch large colored touchscreen display + many fitness tracking features and a good battery to ensure the watch stays on for a good period of time.
Activity/fitness tracking features on this smartwatch are pretty much accurate and you will be able to do things like heart rate monitoring, steps counting, calorie monitoring, exercise distance measurement, and many others directly on the watch. Tracking data is synchronized with a smartphone via the VeryFitPro app and a Bluetooth connection.
The Umidigi Uwatch 3 also comes with 9+ sport modes which are meant to measure your fitness tracking data diffrently for each sport or exercise.
Battery life on this smartwatch is great and one of the best you’ll find in this price range. According to Umidigi, you would be getting around 10 days of battery life on this watch and it could be lesser if you enable power-hungry features like GPS tracking, all-night sleep tracking, and heart rate monitoring all the time.
Compatibility wise, the Umidigi Uwatch 3 is compatible with most iOS 9. 0 and Android 4. 4 and above smartphones out there so there isn’t much to worry about here. Other features of this smartwatch include sleep tracking, waterproof (5 ATM rated), stress training, music playback control, stylish and customizable watch faces, and many more.
Verdict: The Umidigi Uwatch 3 is a pretty decent & stylish smartwatch and for its price and i really didn’t find much to complain about. If you need a budget-friendly smartwatch with a great battery life that just works out of the box, then I recommend you check out this smartwatch.
3) Morepro CS201 – Best Budget
The Morepro CS201 smartwatch is a budget smartwatch from Morepro and one of the best smartwatches you can get under $100 in 2021. It comes with most of the popular features we see in most modern smartwatches + more at a very affordable price.
Fitness tracking on this watch is pretty decent and one of the best you’ll find within its price range. It comes with popular fitness tracking features like steps counting, heart rate monitor, sleep tracking, and more. It also has around 18 inbuilt sport modes which are geared at recording your fitness data differently for each sport. Some of the supported sports include running, cycling, yoga, tennis, basketball, and more.
The Morepro CS201 also offers good battery performance and according to Morepro, the watch should last for around 4-5 days on light use and 2-3 days on when most or all of its features are enabled. It’s not one of the best battery life smartwatches out there but a great deal for its price.
Smart notifications on this watch ensure you don’t miss any important notification be it calls, emails, text messages, or notifications from social media apps like Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, and the likes. The watch is also IP68 rated waterproof meaning you can use your watch while swimming, taking a shower, or washing your hands without ant issues, just don’t use in salty water.
Other features of the Morepro CS201 smartwatch include remote camera control, music playback control, heart rate curve, alarm clock, compass, and more.
Verdict: The Morepro CS201 smartwatch is an ideal smartwatch for those on a tight budget as it’s one of those quality smartwatches under $50. Fitness tracking works great and it offers a pretty decent battery life too.
4) Amatage HUG19 SL – Best Build Quality
The Amatage HUG19 SL smartwatch is a rugged, well-built budget smartwatch from Amatage. It features a full HD round color touchscreen display and an aluminum frame which gives it a premium look and protects its internal components from damage.
It offers most of the fitness tracking features you’ll find on popular smartwatches and at an affordable price. Some fitness tracking features you can find on the Amatage HUG19 SL smartwatch include blood pressure and blood oxygen monitor, steps counter, heart rate monitor, calories burned calculator, walking mileage, and more.
This smartwatch like other fitness-oriented smartwatches on this list also come with multiple sport or exercise modes (23 to be specific) focused on helping you record your fitness data differently for each sport or exercise you do. Some sports included are running, climbing, hiking, climbing, cycling, and more.
It is also IP67 rated waterproof meaning it can be worn while doing some wet activities like taking a shower & handwashing but not swimming. Battery life on this watch is also pretty decent and I was able to get around 6 days of battery backup on a single 2 and half hour charge. It could be a bit lower than this or slightly higher depending on how you use and what you use on it.
The build quality is one thing I loved about this smartwatch. It comes with a leather band which can be swapped with an additional rubber watch band. This is great because you can’t use the leather band when doing wet activities with the watch on your wrist.
Verdict: The Amatage HUG19 SL is an excellent budget smartwatch and something we don’t see all the time. If you need a smartwatch with a good build quality at an affordable price, then the Amatage smartwatch could suffice.
5) Blackview X1 – Best Battery Life
The Blackview X1 smartwatch is one of my favorite smartwatches and an excellent smartwatch you can get for under $100 right now. It features a 1.3-Inch round IPS colored touchscreen display made from a high-end glass.
This watch is a stylish looking smartwatch that fits both men and women and can be worn for any type of event whether formal or informal. Style aside, the Blackview X1 smartwatch is also a great fitness tracker that provides you with a comprehensive analysis of your everyday fitness activities.
Some of its fitness tracking features include step counting, heart rate monitoring, calories burned calculator, and more. Its battery is also great and according to Blackview, the watch could easily last up to 45 days on a single 2.5-hour charge. This is greatly reduced when you have most of its features enabled and I was able to get more than 1 week of battery life on the watch before it needed to be recharged.
The watch is also 5 ATM rated waterproof meaning that it is water-resistant up to 50m and you can have it on while swimming, taking a shower, or washing your hands without any problems at all. Don’t go too deep while swimming and don’t use the watch while swimming in salt water because the waterproof doesn’t cover this.
Other features of the Blackview X1 smartwatch include music playback control, alarm, receiving calls, and smart notifications which include calendar notifications, SMS, and notifications from social media apps like Whatsapp, Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, and the likes.
Verdict: The Blackview X1 smartwatch is an excellent offering for its price but not the “best” smartwatch out there. For a little under 50 bucks, there’s not much to complain about here. If you need a budget-friendly smartwatch that does what it says + 7 days of battery life, then you might consider getting this watch.
6) Yamay 020 – Best Waterproof
The Yamay 020 smartwatch is another interesting budget smartwatch that you can get for just under $100 right now. Although not the best smartwatch out there, for its price, I didn’t find much to complain about.
First off, let’s take a look at its display. The Yamay 020 smartwatch features a 1.3 inch LCD color touchscreen display which although not big enough can handle all your touchscreen needs adequately.
Fitness tracking is another area where this smartwatch excels when compared to most watches on this list. It comes with accurate activity tracking features which include 24/7 heart rate monitoring, sleep tracking, steps counter, and 19 special sport modes which give you more detailed data and insights into your most frequent fitness activities.
Battery life on the Yamay 020 smartwatch is great but not the best. According to Yamay, you would be getting at least 7-10 days of battery life on this watch but this can be reduced to around 2-3 days of battery life when you have power-hungry features like heart rate monitoring and continuous GPS tracking (although connected to your phone’s GPS) switched on all the time.
It is also an IP68 rated waterproof smartwatch meaning that you can have it on while doing wet activities like swimming, shower, hand washing, and the likes without issues. Smart notifications on this watch also work as advertised and it shows call notifications, new SMS, emails and other notifications from social media apps like Facebook, WhatsApp, Twitter and others directly on your watch screen so you won’t always need to have your phone out when checking your latest notifications.
Other features of the Yamay 020 smartwatch include menstrual cycle tracking (for females), stylish looks, alarm, stopwatch, multiple watch faces, music playback control, and more.
The only major downside I could find on this smartwatch is the inability to install third-party apps which is a feature I love to see on any smartwatch. It’s pretty much understandable because the watch runs Yamay’s proprietary OS and not popular smartwatch operating systems like the Android wearOS for example where there are a ton of apps to choose from.
Verdict: Although not the best smartwatch out there, the Yamay 020 watch gives you the most premium features we see on the $300+ Apple watch for a price as little as less than $40. Great value if you ask me.
7) Umidigi Watch GT – Best For Fitness Tracking
The Umidigi Watch GT is another budget smartwatch offering from Umidigi and the second Umidigi watch I’m listing here because they offer good products at nice prices!
On its display, the Umidigi Watch GT features a 1.3-inch round colored touchscreen display, unlike the Watch3 I mentioned earlier that comes with a square-shaped display. It also features a 47mm metal watch case which ensures that all its internal components (including the screen) are well protected from external damages.
The Umidigi Watch GT is also a fitness/sports-focused smartwatch and you can notice that by merely looking at its design. As a sports watch, it comes with most fitness tracking features we see on popular smartwatches including heart rate monitoring, and multiple sport modes focused on recording your fitness data differently for specific sports. Unfortunately, it doesn’t have its inbuilt GPS tracker but relies on a phone’s GPS for tracking activities where GPS is required.
Battery life is a major concern for most people while getting smartwatches and Umidgi did justice to that with the Watch GT. According to them, you would be getting around 10-15 days of battery life but this could be reduced to around 5-7 days if you enable features like heart rate monitoring all day, every day. I was able to get about a week of battery life when I tested.
The watch also comes with a smart notifications system that gives you notifications on calls (incoming & missed), SMS, emails + notifications from popular social media apps like WhatsApp, Facebook e.t.c directly on its screen when connected to your smartphone.
Other features you’ll be getting on this watch include water resistant technology (5 ATM rated), alarms, custom reminders, stopwatch, multi-language support, weather check, calories burned calculator, and more. Unfortunately, there is no way to control music playback on the watch so you will have to stick to your phone for music if you’re getting this watch.
Verdict: Overall, the Umidigi Watch GT is an excellent fit for anyone who needs a fitness-focused smartwatch that doesn’t cost an arm and a leg. The only thing I didn’t like is the inability to control music from the watch screen, hopefully, Umidigi will do justice to that in the next update.
8) NiceFuse W3 – Stylish Looking
If you need a lightweight smartwatch with a traditional look and feel, then the NiceFuse W3 smartwatch might be a good watch to consider.
On its display, the NiceFuse W3 smartwatch features a 1.3 inch round color touchscreen display made from high-end glass. Its case which is made from durable metal gives it a traditional watch look and helps in keeping most of its internal components from external damage.
Fitness tracking is something everyone expects a good smartwatch to have and the NiceFuse W3 smartwatch comes with many fitness tracking features as expected. Some fitness tracking features on this smartwatch include heart rate monitoring (with HRV reporting), blood pressure monitoring, sleep tracking, blood oxygen monitor, step counter, and 10 sport modes which help in measuring & tracking your fitness data differently when performing specific sports.
Battery life on the NiceFuse W3 smartwatch is great but not the best. While testing, I was able to get about 5 days of battery life on heavy use and it easily lasted for 1 week when I had some features like continuous heart rate monitoring and GPS tracking switched off for most parts of the day. Again, it might not be the best out there, but for its price, there is next to nothing to complain about.
The watch is also IP67 rated waterproof which means that you can have the watch on while sweating or washing your hands without any problems. I wouldn’t recommend swimming or taking a shower when you have the watch on.
Other features of this smartwatch include menstrual cycle reminder & pregnancy planning (both for females), stopwatch, alarms, smart notifications system which shows notifications for calls, SMS, emails, and messages from social media apps like Facebook, Whatsapp e.t.c. The watch is also compatible with iOS 8.0 & Android 4.4 and above smartphones. Almost nobody uses smartphones lower than this version nowadays so most phones should be compatible with the NiceFuse W3 smartwatch.
On its downsides, one major thing I disliked about the NiceFuse W3 smartwatch is that it uses a smartphone’s GPS when tracking activities which means that you’ll have to be with your phone most of the time when using activity tracking features on this watch.
Another issue I noticed while testing this watch was that there are only 5 watch faces you can choose from and you can’t download any additional watch face or tweak the existing faces. Not everyone cares about changing or tweaking their watch face but this is something I love to have on my watch.
Other than these few downsides, the NiceFuse is an excellent smartwatch for its price and surprisingly, I was able to get very accurate fitness tracking data from this watch when I tested. This is something we don’t see all the time from cheap smartwatches.
Verdict: The NiceFuse W3 smartwatch is an excellent budget smartwatch for fitness enthusiasts and people who want to know more about their health and need a smartwatch that doesn’t break the bank.
9) FullMosa Smartwatch – Best Apple Watch Lookalike
The FullMosa smartwatch is one of the best cheap android smartwatches you can get for under $100 right now. It is a strong Apple Watch look alike and although it lacks the side button Apple calls the “Apple watch crown”, the watch still features a stylish design and screen quality you can find on most Apple watches.
On its display, the FullMosa smartwatch features a 1.3-inch IPS full touchscreen color display. It is also IP68 rated waterproof and comes with an interior nano-coating technology which helps in keeping its screen dry during wet activities like swimming, washing hands, or taking a shower.
Fitness tracking is something everyone wants on their smartwatch and the Fullmosa smartwatch delivers just that. It comes with the most popular fitness tracking features like heart rate monitoring, sleep tracking, blood pressure monitor, Sp02 tracking, and more.
Battery life on this watch is also pretty nice. FullMosa says you would be getting around 30 days of battery life on standby mode and around 10days of battery life (or less) when you have most of his power-hungry features like continuous GPS tracking and heart rate monitoring all the time.
Other features of the FullMosa smartwatch include smart notifications which includes call notifications, SMS, emails, and other notifications from social media apps like Facebook, Whatsapp, Twitter e.t.c, alarm, stopwatch, reminders and more.
Verdict: The FullMosa smartwatch is a fairly good smartwatch and one of the best smartwatches under $100. If you need a stylish Apple watch lookalike on a tight budget, then this could be the smartwatch for you. It’s not the best, but it works most of the time.
10) FITVII CS201
The FITVII CS201 is also a decent smartwatch you can get for under $100 and an excellent fitness companion. It has a stylish looking design like the one we see on high-end smartwatches like the Apple watch series and Fitbit smartwatches and comes at a low price!
Talking on display, the FITVII CS201 smartwatch features a high-end full HD touchscreen display, and many watches faces to choose from. These watch faces are also customizable and you can tweak their looks and colors to match specific outfits. This is something I love to see on smartwatches.
Fitness tracking on this smartwatch is also decent and I was able to get almost accurate tracking data when testing. Fitness tracking features you’ll be getting on the FITVII CS201 smartwatch include steps counting (pedometer), calories burned calculator, heart rate monitoring, blood oxygen monitor, and more. The sleep tracking feature is capable of calculating your sleep quality data such as total sleep time, sleep score, the time you fell asleep, and when you woke up.
The watch also comes with 18 sport modes and some sports included are running, hiking, cycling, swimming, basketball and more. These sport modes are focused on helping you get more fitness data like calories burned, heart rate, and distance traveled for specific sports.
It is IP68 rated waterproof and comes with 2 swimming modes so having your watch on while swimming (non-salt water), taking a shower, sweating, or washing your hands won’t be a problem here.
On its battery life, the FITVII CS201 does just as we would expect for its price. According to FITVII, the watch can last up to 7days on a single 2.5-hour charge but in reality, the battery lasts around 4 days or less. Using power-hungry features like continuous GPS tracking, heart rate monitoring and the likes all day would greatly reduce the battery life but 3 days of battery life is the average you’ll be getting on this watch.
Other features include alarm clock, stopwatch, customizable reminders, compass, music playback control and smart notifications which shows you call notifications, SMS, emails and other notifications from social media apps like Facebook, Whatsapp, Twitter and more directly on your watch when connected to your phone via the “Zeroner Health Pro” app and a Bluetooth connection.
Verdict: Although with some minimal flaws, the FITVII CS201 remains one of the best smartwatches under $100 in 2021. For its price, there is little to complain about.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
Q: Is There Any Smartwatch Better Than Apple Watch?
A: Apple watches are great smartwatches and some of the best smartwatches in the market today. Choosing a “better” smartwatch is a personal thing and while some might see other watches (like the Samsung Galaxy watch for example) as a better watch, others believe Apple watches are the best in the market.
There are currently no $100 smartwatches better than Apple watches. The only $100 watch that could come close to any Apple watch would be the Amazfit Bip smartwatch.
Q: Are Cheap Smartwatches Any Good?
A: Cheap smartwatches are good but not the best smartwatches out there. They’re mostly for those on a tight budget or people who want to try out smartwatches for the first time.
Q: What Are The Best Places To Buy Cheap Smartwatches?
A: Some of the best places you can buy cheap smartwatches online are Amazon.com, Gearbest, Banggod & eBay.
Q: Are There Cheap Smartwatches You Can Text On?
A: I haven’t seen any cheap smartwatch ($50 – $100 range) where you can send text messages on. Smartwatches that have this feature are called standalone smartwatches and can cost anywhere from $250 to $300 or more.
Some of the best standalone smartwatches you can text on (and even make/receive calls directly) include the Apple Watch Series 5, Samsung Galaxy Watch, and the Garmin vivoactive 3.
Conclusion
There you have it, my top picks on the best smartwatches under $100 you can buy right now.
In my opinion, these smartwatches are not to be compared to $300+ smartwatches like the Apple Watch and Samsung Galaxy watch for example but they can surely fill in the gap if you’re on a tight budget.
If this article helped you choose the right smartwatch under $100, please leave a comment below so I can know which smartwatch you opted for. Got questions or contributions to make? Also leave them down in the comment below and i will reply as soon as i can.