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A smart ring does most of what a fitness tracker does, minus the screen, minus the bulk, and minus the weird tan line. It’s the best sleep tracker most people will ever wear, because you’ll actually keep it on at night. What it won’t do is show notifications or track a run as accurately as a watch with GPS. If you’re fine with that, here’s what to buy.
| Best for | Ring | Claimed battery | Subscription |
|---|---|---|---|
| Best overall | Oura Ring 5 | About 6 to 9 days | Required for full features |
| Best without a subscription | RingConn Gen 3 | Up to about 14 days | None |
| Samsung phone owners | Samsung Galaxy Ring | About a week | None |
| Biohackers and long battery | Ultrahuman Ring Pro | Up to about 15 days | Optional add-ons |
| Tight budget | RingConn Gen 2 Air | Up to about 10 days | None |
Battery numbers are the makers’ claims. Real life usually lands a bit shorter, and small ring sizes hold smaller batteries, so they tend to run out first.
Best smart ring overall: Oura Ring
Oura invented this category for most people, and it still has the best app. The sleep and readiness scores make sense, the trends are easy to read, and the ring itself is slim enough to pass as jewelry. The newest model is the thinnest Oura yet.
The catch is the membership. Without it, Oura shows you very little. Over two or three years, that fee adds up to more than the cost of the ring, so be honest with yourself about whether you’ll keep paying. Our Oura vs Samsung Galaxy Ring comparison goes deeper on that trade-off.
Best without a subscription: RingConn Gen 3
This is the ring I’d buy with my own money. RingConn gives you sleep, heart rate, HRV, stress and activity tracking with no monthly fee at all, and the battery is among the longest of any ring. The Gen 3 adds gentle vibration alerts, which most rings still don’t have. The app isn’t as polished as Oura’s. It’s close enough that I don’t think the fee is worth it for most people.
Best for Samsung phones: Samsung Galaxy Ring
If you already own a Galaxy phone and maybe a Galaxy Watch, this ring fits right in with Samsung Health and costs nothing extra after you buy it. It comes with a handy charging case. iPhone owners should skip it, since it’s built around Android and Samsung Health.
Best for data nerds: Ultrahuman Ring Pro
Ultrahuman leans hard into metabolic and recovery data, with lots of charts and optional add-on features you can pay for one at a time. The base experience doesn’t need a subscription, and the battery claim is the longest in this list. It’s pricey, though, so it makes the most sense for people who love numbers.
Best on a budget: RingConn Gen 2 Air
Light, thin, no fee, and noticeably cheaper than the others. It’s a great way to find out whether you’ll wear a ring every day before spending more.
How to buy a smart ring without regret
Use the sizing kit. Every serious brand sends a free plastic sizing kit, and you should wear the sample ring for a full day and night before ordering. Your regular ring size is not reliable, and sizes don’t carry over between brands or even between generations of the same brand.
Wear it on your index finger if the kit fits there. Most brands recommend it for the best sensor contact. And check phone compatibility, which matters most with the Galaxy Ring.
Not sure how they actually measure all this? Read how smart rings work. And if the monthly fee is a dealbreaker, we keep a list of smart rings with no subscription.
FAQ
What’s the best smart ring?
The Oura Ring has the best app and design overall. If you don’t want a subscription, the RingConn Gen 3 is the best value.
Do smart rings work with iPhone?
Most do, including Oura, RingConn and Ultrahuman. The Samsung Galaxy Ring is designed for Android phones, especially Samsung’s.
Are smart rings accurate?
For sleep and resting heart rate, they’re very good, often better than watches because they sit snugly on the finger. For workouts, especially weightlifting or interval training, a chest strap or watch does a better job.
How long does a smart ring battery last?
Most last about a week. Some, like the RingConn Gen 3 and Ultrahuman Ring Pro, claim up to two weeks. Bigger ring sizes usually last longer.
Can you swim with a smart ring?
Most are water resistant enough for swimming and showering. Check each ring’s rating, and skip scuba diving unless the maker says it’s fine.
