A smart ring does the sleep and recovery tracking of a smartwatch without the bulk on your wrist, and the latest crop is smaller, lighter, and in some cases much cheaper. Six are in this guide, listing between $199 and $499, and the biggest difference between them is whether you pay a monthly fee. If you are still deciding whether a ring is for you, our rundown of what smart rings can do covers the basics.
Prices below are list prices. Every ring needs sizing before you buy, and all six brands sell or recommend a sizing kit for that reason.
Oura Ring 5: best overall
Oura says the Ring 5 is 40% smaller than the Ring 4, with 6 to 9 days of battery life and more than 50 tracked health metrics. It works with Android through the Oura app, and Oura says the all-titanium body is scratch-resistant and waterproof to 100 m.
Membership is $5.99 a month after the first month, which Oura includes with the ring. The Ring 4 is still sold at $349, with Oura quoting up to 8 days of battery life, if you want to spend less.
Key specs
- Price: $499 list
- Battery: 6 to 9 days per Oura
- Water resistance: up to 100 m per Oura
- Subscription: first month included, then $5.99 a month
- Compatibility: Android and iOS via the Oura app
Samsung Galaxy Ring: best for Galaxy phones
Samsung says the Galaxy Ring is Android only, needs no app subscription, and lasts up to 7 days on a charge. The concave titanium design is meant to resist scratches, and Samsung says it can start tracking workouts automatically.
It lists at $399.99.
Key specs
- Price: $399.99 list
- Battery: up to 7 days per Samsung
- Water resistance: 10ATM classification per Samsung
- Subscription: none per Samsung
- Compatibility: Android only
Ultrahuman Ring Pro: best battery life
Ultrahuman quotes up to 15 days of battery life, or up to 45 days with the included charging case. The unibody titanium shell is 2.65 mm at its thinnest, is rated to 100 m, and the ring stores up to 250 days of data on-device.
Ultrahuman says there is no mandatory subscription for core tracking, and optional PowerPlugs add extra tools if you want them. It also includes Jade AI for asking questions about your own data.
Key specs
- Price: $479 list
- Battery: up to 15 days, up to 45 with the case per Ultrahuman
- Weight: 3.3 to 4.8 g depending on size
- Water resistance: 100 m per Ultrahuman
- Subscription: none for core tracking, optional PowerPlugs
RingConn Gen 3: best for no-fee health insights
RingConn says the Gen 3 lasts up to 14 days and adds discreet vibration alerts for health signals, inactivity, and low battery. After a one-time calibration, it also shows vascular load trends over time.
RingConn says its features are available in the app with no subscription required, and the ring works with both Android and iOS.
Key specs
- Price: $349 list
- Battery: up to 14 days per RingConn
- Extras: vibration alerts, vascular trends, sleep apnea monitoring
- Subscription: none required per RingConn
- Compatibility: Android and iOS
RingConn Gen 2 Air: best budget ring
RingConn says the Gen 2 Air is 2 mm thin and weighs 2.5 g, with up to 10 days of battery life and an IP68 rating tested to 100 m. A full charge takes about 90 minutes.
RingConn says standard features carry no subscription fee. It lists at $199.
Key specs
- Price: $199 list
- Battery: up to 10 days per RingConn
- Thickness and weight: 2 mm, 2.5 g
- Water resistance: IP68 per RingConn
- Subscription: none for standard features per RingConn
Amazfit Helio Ring: best for stress tracking
Amazfit says the Helio uses an EDA sensor alongside heart rate variability to monitor stress, and it also tracks sleep stages, blood oxygen, and VO2 Max through the Zepp app. The body is titanium alloy, and Amazfit says no subscription is needed.
It lists at $199.
Key specs
- Price: $199 list
- Tracking: sleep stages, heart rate, blood oxygen, stress, VO2 Max
- Body: titanium alloy
- Subscription: none per Amazfit
- Compatibility: Android and iOS via the Zepp app
Verdict
On paper, the Galaxy Ring is the easy call for Galaxy owners, and the RingConn Gen 2 Air is the pick if you want to spend as little as possible. The Oura Ring 5 suits anyone who wants the most established app and does not mind the monthly fee, while the Ultrahuman Ring Pro is the one for people who hate charging.
All six are listed here at full price, but smart rings are often discounted on Amazon, so it's worth keeping an eye out for promotions. We are still waiting to see how these battery and accuracy claims hold up in daily wear, and we cannot wait to put more of them to the test.
