The best Oura Ring alternatives in 2025

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The Oura Ring brand is incredibly popular. There's no doubt about it. While we weren't so sure about the Oura Ring 4, just look at our Oura Ring 3 review, where we compliment the ring for its gorgeous design, abundant features, and convenient battery charging. When you're done, check out this interesting look at the Oura Ring Horizon, where Digital Trends mobile editor Joe Maring discusses how he keeps bumping into other Digital Trends contributors that have and love the Oura Ring, so much so that he had to try it. And he loved it, but it ultimately wasn't for him due to having somewhat boney knuckles.

In other words, the Oura Ring is great, and if you're reading this you're probably enthralled by what they do. However, it isn't the perfect product for everybody. So, we're collecting some alternatives that you — and possibly Joe — might like. We've included everything from smart rings to smartwatches and fitness trackers in our roundup, so if you're not sold on the smart ring idea, one of these alternatives is sure to tick all your boxes.

RingConn Gen 2

Best smart ring Oura Ring alternative

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Apple Watch Series 10

Best smartwatch Oura Ring alternative

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Samsung Galaxy Watch 7

Best Android smartwatch Oura Ring alternative

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Fitbit Charge 6

Best fitness Oura Ring alternative

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Whoop 4.0

Best unobtrusive Oura Ring alternative

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RingConn Gen 2

We compared the Oura Ring 4 and RingConn Gen 2 in November 2024, and though the Oura Ring 4 came out on top, the RingConn Gen 2 is still an excellent buy.

The RingConn Gen 2 is compatible with Android and iOS. Its squircle shape is squarer and flatter than the Oura Ring 4, and it's IP68 rated for water and dust resistance. It's worth noting that it's only available in sizes 6 to 14, and we'd recommend ordering the free sizing kit to ensure you get it right the first time.

The RingConn Gen 2 offers sleep apnea detection, though the feature is currently undergoing FDA approval. Still, for those concerned about the health condition, it's an excellent buy considering this feature isn't included with the Oura Ring. Sleep tracking is excellent, including data on sleep time, stages, efficiency, blood oxygen, heart rate, heart rate variability (HRV), skin temperature, and respiratory rate. There's also stress monitoring, but the app doesn't collate and interpret the collected data for you — so you'll need to do this yourself.

There's no automatic workout tracking and very limited workout tracking, with three manual activities to choose: running, walking, and outdoor cycling. The app also isn't as well designed or feature-packed as the Oura Ring's app, though anyone who's owned the first-gen RingConn will notice connecting and syncing data is slightly faster this time around.

You get up to eight days' battery life, depending on usage, and a handy travel charging case to keep your ring charged on the go. The ring comes in silver, black, or gold, with all finishes costing $299, a $20 increase from the Gen 1. One of the best features about the RingConn Gen 2 is that there's no subscription, so the $299 is all you'll ever pay.

Provided you're not looking for a smartwatch alternative — or needing automatic activity tracking — the RingConn Gen 2 is a fantastic smart ring and offers a great value for money, without the need for ongoing subscription costs.

RingConn Gen 2

Best smart ring Oura Ring alternative

Apple Watch Series 10

If you're not sold on the idea of a smart ring, a smartwatch could be a great alternative, and they don't come much better than the Apple Watch Series 10. Improving over the Series 9 in almost every way, it packs a redesigned speaker, so you can listen to music and podcasts without earbuds, improved charging speeds, and all the health and fitness features you could ever dream of, with one notable exception.

There's no blood-oxygen tracking in the U.S. on the Watch Series 10, due to ongoing patent infringement lawsuits between Apple and Masimo. If this is a dealbreaker for you, consider the Apple Watch Series 9 instead, which does include the feature. The Watch Series 10 does have sleep apnea detection, which you won't find on the Oura Ring 4, though that's also included on the Apple Watch Series 9. There's improved heart rate tracking and the Apple Health app packs in a ton of data, though you'll need to interpret a lot of it yourself, or use a third-party app to do it for you. The Oura Ring app, on the other hand, interprets your data and puts it in an actionable format, which could make it easier to hit those goals.

Other considerations when choosing the Apple Watch Series 10 over the Oura Ring are that it may not be as comfortable to sleep with as a smart ring, despite being one of the comfiest smartwatches around. If you're buying it mostly for sleep tracking, it's definitely worth thinking about, as is the one-day battery life, which will see you constantly reaching for a charger. That said, charging is faster than the Watch Series 9, taking around 30 minutes to reach 80% battery, and there are no subscription costs here.

The Apple Watch Series 10's S10 chip ensures speedy performance, watchOS 11 gives you automatic workout tracking and all the health and fitness features you'd expect, and Apple promises several years of updates. You can pick up the Apple Watch Series 10 in aluminum or titanium, and six colors, starting from $329. Overall it's an excellent Oura Ring alternative for those with iOS devices, provided the short battery life and lack of blood oxygen tracking aren't dealbreakers for you.

Apple Watch Series 10

Best smartwatch Oura Ring alternative

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Samsung Galaxy Watch 7

Just as the Apple Watch Series 10 is one of the best Oura Ring alternatives for iOS, the Samsung Galaxy Watch 7 ensures Android users aren't left out in the cold.

You get a choice of two sizes here: 40mm or 44mm, with the smaller model more unobtrusive for sleep tracking. In our review, we noted that the watch band can get a little hot and sweaty if your wrist gets warm overnight.

The Watch 7 has all the health and fitness tracking features you'd expect from a smartwatch of this caliber, with tracking for 90 workouts, an upgraded BioActive sensor, dual-frequency GPS, and excellent sleep tracking, with all your data shown at a glance in the Sleep Tile. There's also the Samsung Health app to collate and interpret all your data, with no subscription required.

Unlike the Apple Watch Series 10, the Galaxy Watch 7 has FDA-approved sleep apnea detection, though you'll need a Samsung Galaxy phone to access this and several other features including fall detection. There's also a handy Energy Score, similar to the Oura Ring's Readiness Score, which tells you how prepared your body is for the day ahead, and helps you decide how intensive your workouts and activities should be.

The downsides? Besides the necessity to pair with a Samsung phone to access the full range of features, the Galaxy Watch 7 has pretty poor battery life, and you shouldn't expect it to last much more than a full day and night, depending on how intensively you use it during the day. Charging is slow, taking around 85 minutes to reach full from zero. Setting up notifications and sleep tracking can be complicated and time-consuming, too.

Negatives aside, you can currently pick up the Galaxy Watch 7 starting from $239, and you get a choice of sizes, colors, and bands, with a traditional watch-like design, and sturdy durability thanks to an IP68 rating for dust and water-resistance and 5ATM water resistance. For anyone with an Android phone seeking an Oura ring alternative — particularly those with Samsung Galaxy devices — it's an excellent buy.

Samsung Galaxy Watch 7

Best Android smartwatch Oura Ring alternative

Fitbit Charge 6

Our pick for the best fitness alternative to the Oura Ring is the Fitbit Charge 6, with its excellent battery life, comprehensive health tracking, and Google apps.

The Fitbit Charge 6 is compatible with iOS and Android devices, and you get access to Google apps such as Google Wallet for contactless payments, Google Maps, and YouTube Music. There's no local music storage, though, so you can't download tracks to your wearable.

There's tracking for over 40 exercises, with automatic workout tracking for walking and running, step tracking, SpO2 tracking, and sleep tracking with a sleep score based on your time spent asleep, sleep stages, heart rate, and movement. You also get comprehensive heart health features including HRV tracking plus irregular heart rhythm and high and low heart rate notifications, plus an ECG app.

The Fitbit Charge 6 is surprisingly snappy for such a low-cost tracker, and packs excellent battery life of almost a week. It charges from zero to full in around 80 minutes and is comfortable to wear thanks to its petite size and silicone band.

The newly-redesigned Fitbit app gives you all the data you need at a glance on the Today page — and you can customize it so you see what matters to you most. The Coach page provides guided workouts and mindfulness sessions, while the You page is where you'll find your friends, badges, and health goals.

The negatives? Some features, such as detailed sleep and stress tracking and guided workouts, are locked behind a Fitbit Premium subscription, so you'll likely need to factor in the price of this. That said, a subscription is only $10 per month and you get six months free bundled with the Charge 6. Our review also noted that notifications are unreliable. These need to be set up manually and still can't always be relied upon after that.

Negatives aside, if you're looking for an affordable fitness tracker that's the best alternative to the Oura Ring, the Fitbit Charge 6 is the one to get. Though you may need a subscription to Fitbit Premium, the Charge 6 starts from just $130, making it the most affordable option on our list, even factoring in that subscription.

Fitbit Charge 6

Best fitness Oura Ring alternative

Whoop 4.0

The Whoop 4.0 is our best pick if you're looking for a sleek, unobtrusive alternative to the Oura Ring. That said, it's a niche product that will really only suit a very specific use case — athletes and keen fitness fans who want a way to track metrics without wearing a smartwatch or smart ring.

Compatible with Android and iOS, the Whoop 4.0 offers automatic workout tracking — though this doesn't always activate. There's no screen, which means no intrusive notifications, and it weighs just 27 grams, with a soft fabric strap that ensures it's comfortable for 24/7 wear. It's IP68 rated for dust and water resistance, too.

Since there's no screen, you're entirely reliant on the Whoop app, with its slick design. However, it's slow to process data, which can be irritating when your sleep stats don't show up until an hour after breakfast. Whoop uses three metrics: Strain, Recovery, and Sleep. Strain is your daily target, but it's often unclear how much activity you'll need to do to meet this target.

According to Whoop, automatic workout tracking requires 15 minutes of intensive, sustained activity to kick in, which means it may not activate at all and you'll need to do this manually via the app. There's no built-in GPS, and the LED battery indicator works sporadically.

Sleep tracking is solid, with all the usual metrics such as bloody oxygen, skin temperature, HRV, sleep time, and sleep stages. Unfortunately, sleep data in the app is poorly organized and you won't find it all consolidated under the Sleep menu.

Battery life lasts for around four days, but charging is awkward and clunky. You'll first need to charge the battery pack, which takes around two hours, then charge the band itself, taking another two hours. Other negatives include the fact that the sporty design isn't for everyone and, since there's no screen, you'll likely want to wear a smartwatch or traditional watch too, which can be cumbersome.

Overall, this is the closest competitor to the Oura Ring. Both track almost identical metrics, though the Whoop 4.0 provides more extensive fitness tracking. The Oura Ring's Readiness score is aimed at those looking to generally improve their health and fitness, while the Whoop's Strain score will more likely appeal to athletes and hardcore fitness fans.

Where the Whoop really falls down though is cost. It's completely free for the band but you need to pay a monthly subscription — and commit to a 12-month contract. This works out at around $360 a year, though you can save a bit by paying for the year upfront. That said, you'll pay those same costs in year two, making the Whoop 4.0 more expensive than the Oura Ring and many other smartwatches on the market. If the subscription commitment and overall cost doesn't deter you, and you fall into the niche market, it could still be a good buy.

Whoop 4.0

Best unobtrusive Oura Ring alternative

What to consider

When choosing an Oura Ring alternative, there are plenty of factors worth considering. We've chosen the most important things you should bear in mind to help you choose the best alternative for your needs.

Why don't you want an Oura Ring?

The Oura Ring is an excellent choice for those who want to track health metrics and improve their health and fitness over time, but there are a number of reasons why it might not be right for you. First up, the subscription. Many features can't be accessed without paying a monthly subscription of $6 per month or $70 per year. That bumps up the cost of the already pretty expensive smart ring considerably. You also might want your device to have a screen, so you can check notifications or the time. Since the Oura Ring is worn on your finger, there's no display. Some people might also find a smart ring uncomfortable to wear 24/7 for sleep tracking.

Do you want a little screen with you all the time?

If you absolutely must have a little screen with you 24/7 for checking the time, weather, and notifications, you'll likely want a smartwatch such as the Apple Watch Series 10 or the Samsung Galaxy Watch 7, depending on whether you're an iOS or Android type. You could opt for a fitness tracker like the Fitbit Charge 6, provided you don't mind the subscription cost. If you're not bothered about a screen, an alternative smart ring like the RingConn Gen 2 is the way to go — or the Whoop 4.0, if you'd rather wear your tracker on your wrist.

Would you prefer no subscription cost?

It can be tempting to pick up a seemingly-affordable device based solely on its low price point — Whoop 4.0, we're looking at you — but there are often hidden costs involved, like a subscription. If you're not bothered by the idea of paying a monthly subscription, which often involves a minimum commitment, there's no reason not to opt for a tracker like the Fitbit Charge 6 or the Whoop 4.0. Remember to compare the costs over time with devices which don't require a subscription.

If you'd prefer a smart ring, the RingConn 2.0 is perfect, with no subscription required, or you could opt for a smartwatch like the Apple Watch Series 10 or the Samsung Galaxy Watch 7.

You can still use many subscription-based devices, including the Oura Ring, without paying for the subscription. Just bear in mind that a whole host of features will be locked behind the subscription, which could be annoying if you're buying a device specifically for those features.

What other smart rings are out there?

If your heart is set on a smart ring but neither the Oura Ring nor the RingConn Gen 2 seem quite right, there are other options. You might want to consider the Samsung Galaxy Ring, designed as a companion to the Galaxy Watch. Its features are more limited than the Oura Ring, and it may fall short on the workout tracking front for some — plus, it's only compatible with Android phones — but it boasts longer battery life of up to nine days, and the included carrying case holds two full charges. There's also no subscription to commit to.

Then there's the Ultrahuman Ring Air, which tracks more exercises than the Oura Ring and includes similarly excellent sleep tracking. In tests, our team found the Ring Air less comfortable to wear 24/7, while the app was also more confusing than Oura's offering. There's no subscription cost with the Ring Air, but the rings themselves cost about the same. Overall, the Ultrahuman ring is aimed more at athletes and fitness fanatics training hard to smash their goals, while the Oura Ring best suits those concerned with improving their health and fitness overall, focusing more on lifestyle goals.

How we test

If we boil the Oura Ring down to its most basic properties, we see three things: an object that is a ring, an object that can track sleep, and an object that can track fitness.

Ring, Fitness, Sleep… these are the three key ingredients of an Oura Ring

Surprisingly, the ring part of the Oura Ring was the most discardable element. Our colleague Joe, after all, lost out on a great sleep and fitness tracker as a result of its shape. The reality is, we’re looking for sleep and fitness trackers here. If they’re in the form of a ring, that’s just a bonus (sometimes). To put it another way, many people that wear an Oura Ring would consider wearing a hypothetical “Oura Necklace” as a substitute. Few, however, would wear a rose gold wedding band and substitute it for an Oura Ring, that just doesn’t make sense.

Additionally, how we test smartwatches and wearables includes favoring trusted products that we've either reviewed in-house or been recommended before. This doesn’t mean that just anything we’ve enjoyed in the past made it in, however.

Why trust us

Digital Trends has been covering all things consumer tech since 2006, a time when smart rings were just a futuristic fantasy. Writer John Alexander has contributed to publications including Digital Trends, Wired, and PopSci, while tech journalist and writer Paula Beaton has over 12 years' experience as a writer for publications including Digital Trends, Android Authority, and Android Central. Reviewers mentioned here include the likes of our Senior Mobile Writer Andy Boxall, who's been writing about mobile technology for almost a decade, and Mobile Section Editor Joe Maring, who has over 12 years of experience as a tech writer and editor.