Smartwatches are everywhere now, and honestly, it makes sense. These little gadgets let us check messages, count our steps, or set a timer without fishing out our phones.
Pair one with an iPhone, and you unlock even more tricks—like pinging your lost phone or firing off an emoji reply that’s way too dramatic for the situation.
But let’s be real, not every smartwatch plays nicely with the iPhone. Slick ads and shiny screens can be tempting, but there are a few things we really have to care about.
For iPhone fans, the big ones are smooth iOS compatibility, battery life, and how easily the watch works with Apple’s apps.
Comfort, screen size, and water resistance matter too—nobody wants a wrist gadget that’s annoying or fragile.
We kept all of that in mind while digging into the most popular smartwatches out there. We wanted to find the best picks for iPhone users—watches that are fast, stylish, and make it way easier to find your phone when it’s lost under the couch.
Best Smartwatches for iPhone Users
We’ve all checked our wrists to look a little cooler—or just to sneak a peek at a text without dropping our phones. Here are our favorite smartwatches that work great with iPhones and might even make us feel a bit more put-together.
If you want a smartwatch that just feels like an extension of your iPhone—and doesn’t scream “retro sci-fi prop”—this is the one to beat.
Pros
The screen is bright and big, so every glance feels a little fancy.
Health and safety alerts look out for us (and give us something to show off).
Charging is so quick, we barely have time to lose the charger before it’s ready to go.
Cons
The price stings a bit—our wallets definitely notice.
Works only with iPhones, so sharing with Android friends is a no-go.
Battery lasts all day, but not all week (so yeah, another night on the charger).
The first time we strapped on the Apple Watch Series 10, we noticed how light and comfortable it felt. It’s like wearing a mini computer, but without the try-hard vibe.
That screen could probably signal ships at sea—it’s that bright. But mostly, we just use it to check notifications.
Health tracking feels straight out of a spy movie: heart rate, ECGs, sleep, and even cycle tracking are all here. If we suddenly decide to do yoga in a thunderstorm, those safety features have our backs.
Battery life won’t win any marathons, but it recharges so fast it barely matters. If you’re deep into the Apple ecosystem, this watch is the smoothest way to get notified, track your health, and pay for coffee—without pulling out your phone. (Unless you want to show off, which, let’s be honest, we all do sometimes.)
If you want a smartwatch loaded with features that actually gets you moving—and doesn’t empty your bank account—this one’s a winner.
Pros
Syncs with iPhones faster than we can lose them.
Tracks health and fitness so well it might guilt us into moving.
Handles water like a champ, even if our swimming mostly involves snacks.
Cons
Battery isn’t endless, so the charger needs to stay close.
No always-on display, which makes checking the time a little awkward.
Lacks some of the advanced health tools in pricier models.
We worried this watch would nag us more than our group chats, but honestly, the reminders and daily goals actually made us want to close our rings and be less of a couch potato.
Heart rate and sleep tracking give us lots of data to overthink, but in a good way.
Pairing it with our iPhones felt as easy as sending an emoji—super quick and painless. Texts, calls, and even Siri all work on our wrists, so now we can ghost people at lightning speed.
Changing bands and watch faces is almost too much fun. We probably spent more time matching them to our socks than we’d like to admit.
The battery isn’t endless, so now we carry a charger everywhere. Some fancy health features are missing, so hardcore fitness fans might want to upgrade.
For everyday use, though, the Apple Watch SE 2nd Gen (44mm) checks all the boxes and actually looks good—yes, even with pajamas.
If you want a budget-friendly smartwatch with Alexa and solid health features, the Tensky should be on your radar.
Pros
Make calls and chat with Alexa without grabbing your phone.
Tracks health and fitness with more sports modes than we’ll ever actually try.
Waterproof enough to survive surprise dishwashing or a rainstorm.
Cons
Needs the app open for all features, which can drain your phone battery.
Doesn’t have the fanciest apps or extras you’ll find in pricier watches.
The screen might feel big if your wrists are on the smaller side.
With the Tensky watch on, we feel one Alexa command away from full-on tech superhero status. You can answer calls, get messages, and control music just by poking your wrist and mumbling to Alexa.
We especially love swapping watch faces with the most embarrassing photos we can dig up.
Whether you’re a health nut or a professional napper, this watch tracks heart rate, steps, and sleep. The “get up and move” reminders are equal parts helpful and guilt trip, but at least it’s polite about it.
Scrolling through 100+ sports modes made us realize we don’t know half of them, but hey, the options are there.
The battery lasts so long that we sometimes forget it even needs charging. The only real gripe is needing the companion app open for everything, which can make our phone battery beg for mercy.
Still, for the price, you get a ton of features that make your wrist feel a lot smarter—maybe even smarter than us most days.
Looking for a reliable smartwatch for iPhone that won’t wreck your budget? The Paybay checks a lot of boxes.
Pros
Calls and notifications come through without a hitch.
The screen stays bright and readable, even outside.
So many fitness features—seriously, good luck trying them all.
Cons
Speakerphone is a bit too loud for private calls.
No built-in GPS, so runners might want to look elsewhere.
The app looks a bit dated.
Sometimes, we just want that Apple Watch look without the Apple Watch price. The Paybay slides in as a solid alternative.
We connected it to our iPhones in just a few minutes, and notifications started rolling in fast (which is helpful when you get way too many texts before noon).
During our last jog/walk/shuffle, the step and heart rate tracking seemed accurate. We loved not having to squint at the screen in sunlight.
Customizing the watch face with a random cat photo? Absolutely, we did that.
Answering calls from the watch made us a little paranoid about everyone hearing our conversations, so maybe stick to texts if you value privacy. The fitness features cover almost every activity—110 sports modes is probably overkill, but hey, options are nice.
For basic call handling, tracking, and a bright, cheerful display, this one’s worth a look.
If you want a stylish, affordable smartwatch that works with iPhones, the Odsslgw model gets the job done—and honestly, it feels a bit fancy every time we answer a call on our wrist.
Pros
Making and taking calls is super simple.
Battery lasts a long time, so charging isn’t a constant chore.
Not all notifications play nicely, especially from some messaging apps.
The manual is, well, a bit of a mystery.
This watch gave us major “spy movie” vibes when we answered a call with just a tap. Setting it up with our iPhones took just a few minutes, and we started customizing the home screen right away.
There are over a hundred watch faces, which is probably ninety-nine more than we need, but it’s fun to have options.
Health and sports tracking worked better than we expected. It tracked heart rate, steps, sleep, and even nudged us if we sat too long or skipped water.
It actually got us moving, which is saying something. The companion app, though, felt clunky at first.
We had to poke around before it made sense, and the instruction book didn’t help much (unless you enjoy creative guessing games in three languages). Once we got it set up, the watch did a solid job keeping us updated—just don’t expect to reply to messages from your wrist.
For that, we’re still stuck using our phones, like it’s 2010 or something.
If you want a feature-packed smartwatch for your iPhone that won’t wreck your budget, the Quican watch deserves a closer look.
Pros
Built-in Alexa, so you can yell at your wrist instead of your phone
Battery hangs in there for about a week if you’re not too needy
Plenty of sports modes—even your “yoga” attempts count
Cons
No emoji support in messages (a little heartbreaking)
Strap slides around if you get too enthusiastic
Charging can get weird if the magnetic charger acts up
Honestly, sometimes you just want a solid smartwatch that works with your trusty iPhone and doesn’t cost a fortune.
The Quican Smartwatch handles a lot—answering calls, showing notifications, and even nudging you to stop sitting so much.
Setup felt so easy, we almost doubted we did it right.
When you strap it on, the comfortable band stays put most of the time, unless you get a little wild with your hands or are scrubbing dishes.
The massive library of watch faces lets you swap designs as often as you want, and that bright HD screen? It makes everything pop, even when you’re trying to ignore your step count.
We tried the fitness features and, honestly, felt pretty accomplished just tracking our dramatic stroll to the mailbox.
Alexa came in handy for checking the weather, but yeah, replying with emojis isn’t happening.
For this price, though, we’re fine typing “ok” like it’s 2005 and enjoying all the extras.
Looking for a smartwatch that won’t make your iPhone jealous? The AEAC Alexa Smartwatch is a great value pick with plenty of handy features—and a little sass, thanks to Alexa.
Pros
Take calls and boss Alexa around
Battery actually goes all week
Tons of sports tracking, including that Pilates class you keep promising to attend
Cons
Can’t reply to all messages directly
App looks basic and isn’t much to brag about
Limited app support (no “group me” for your work drama)
Pairing it with our iPhone took less time than untangling headphones.
Bluetooth connected right away, and suddenly our wrists buzzed with all the notifications we usually fish for in our pockets.
The built-in Alexa is great for reminders, smart home controls, or just showing off.
Making and taking calls from the watch worked smoothly, and the 1.8-inch screen is big enough that you don’t need to squint.
The fitness tracking features are solid—heart rate, sleep, and even stress tracking kept us honest about our “healthy lifestyle.”
We actually trusted the data after a long run.
With over 120 sports modes and real waterproofing, we didn’t sweat it when a rainstorm hit during our walk.
The app could use more bells and whistles, and you won’t get notifications from every random app.
Still, for the price, it’s a solid pick if you want Alexa, calls, and fitness tracking all in one (and a battery that lasts more than a weekend).
You get heart rate, sleep tracking, and even stress measurements—without feeling like a science experiment.
Getting started takes a little patience.
The instructions could be clearer, and you’ll probably do some trial and error with the buttons.
Still, after a few minutes (okay, maybe more), things start to make sense.
The Yoever isn’t winning any minimalism awards, but for what you save over an Apple Watch, you could buy, I don’t know, a lot of cheese wheels.
If you don’t care about replying to every text on your wrist and want fitness tracking that’s easy to check, this smartwatch is a reliable, feature-packed sidekick.
If you’re after a wallet-friendly smartwatch for your iPhone with health features and a few quirks, the aeac Smart Watch might be the one.
Pros
Gorgeous AMOLED screen—sharp and bright
Battery lasts longer than most resolutions
Smooth health and fitness tracking, with lots of sports modes
Cons
iPhone notifications can be moody
Syncing sometimes just does its own thing
No seamless app experience like the expensive brands
We slipped it on and felt a little like secret agents—mostly because the AI voice assistant actually works for hands-free calls.
It’s easy to use, and changing up the watch face is almost as frequent as changing socks.
If you want one device to track nearly every health stat you can think of, this one won’t let you down.
Monitoring heart rate, blood oxygen, and even stress is straightforward.
With over a hundred sports modes, you’re suddenly an expert in everything from yoga to, uh, competitive sitting.
It survived a rainy jog, so waterproofing checks out.
On the downside, connecting with iPhones sometimes feels like herding cats.
Notifications play hide and seek, and syncing could use a pep talk.
But with so many features at this price and a comfy design, it’s hard to complain much.
If you want Apple Watch vibes without the Apple Watch price, the aeac does a pretty convincing job—quirks and all.
Buying Guide
So, we’re on the hunt for a smartwatch that isn’t smarter than us—but can at least keep up, right? Here’s what to keep in mind before you swipe your card and cross your fingers.
Compatibility comes first. Not every smartwatch plays nice with iPhones, so double-check for iOS support before you get too excited.
Now, let’s talk about battery life. We all want a watch that lasts longer than those endless phone calls with relatives. Some watches go for days, while others run out of juice before you even finish the setup.
Features are a big deal. If you want to count steps, check texts, or maybe skip a song, look for these:
Health tracking (heart rate, steps, sleep)
Notifications (calls, texts, calendar)
Water resistance (for those dramatic rainy walks)
Built-in GPS (because getting lost happens)
Here’s a quick cheat sheet:
Feature
Why We Need It
Health Sensors
For pretending we’re fit
Customizable Faces
So we don’t get bored
App Support
For more than just telling time
Durability
Because “oops” happens
Don’t forget about design. Our wrists deserve something that looks sharp—bonus points if it actually matches our shoes.
And, of course, price. We all like shiny things, but nobody wants to live on instant noodles just for a new gadget.
Hi, my name is Garrett Jones, and I am a tech enthusiast. I enjoy researching the new tech that has been released, and have a vast knowledge of the best tech to purchase.
From a young age, I have always had a big interest in technology, and this blog is an extension of that interest. Through this blog, I hope to provide others with all of the information they need regarding tech options to consider, and things such as compatibility. Some of the different items I will be discussing include headphones, smartwatches, and how to fix common issues.
