Best Fitness Smartwatches for Women!
Heard the news? Women are tired of marketing trickery. It’s all that guff with pink razors and fluffy feminine packaging. It’s patronizing, to say the least. Keeping it real, however, there are some products designed with either a male or female demographic in mind. Smartwatches fall under that category, fitting slimmer wrists and sporting slightly smaller watch faces, plus a smidge of feminine style
Here’s the catch: women don’t want some watered-down version of a male-designed wearable. They want something that’s been manufactured specifically for them, to grace their slimmer wrists while it delivers health and fitness tracking features that match their male counterparts in every way. Add to that female-centric capabilities, menstrual cycle tracking and such, and one of the best fitness watches for women has to be on our expertly curated review.
We’ll be using a couple of keen office interns for our tests, employing the wrists of our two lady employees as slender review aids. Features that will differ have been discussed among our staffers. They include things like pilates and pregnancy tracking, plus a hint of feminine aesthetics, courtesy of smaller case designs and thinner wristbands. A powerhouse opener is just the thing, instantly locking in the attention of our readers. The Garmin Venu 3S fits the bill perfectly.
Top 6 Fitness Smartwatches Widely Loved by Most Women Today!
Garmin Venu 3S Smartwatch for Women
Less strength exercising and more yoga or pilates targeted, the Garmin Venu 3S sports a petite 41x41x12mm bright AMOLED display with an above average 390×390 pixel resolution. The featherweight 40g wearable fits slender wrists, opting for a band circumference that suits 110-175mm woman’s wrist. The 1.2 inch smartwatch and its elegant soft gold bezel seems designed to accompany a fashionista on her travels through a fashionable shopping district, but the Corning Gorilla Glass 3 face and stainless steel under the gold coating suggests more active lifestyle choices.
The 5ATM waterproofing reinforces that suspicion. We could have taken the watch for a quick snorkeling trip, safe in the knowledge that one of its 30+ sports apps was monitoring our activities underwater. Done with the swim, a built-in microphone and speaker array then snaps to life, taking and receiving calls, Bluetooth and Wi-Fi protocols working in tandem to send through notifications while low power ANT+ takes care of real-time digital comms between the fitness sensors.
Of those sensors, there was a wrist-based heart rate monitor and blood oxygen saturation sensor, both designed to send vital statistics to a smartphone app, where the Garmin Connect app uses a precisely calibrated ECG section to analyze heart signals and detect health trends, both wanted and not wanted. Heart irregularities, for example, can be detected so that an alarm can be raised. Contact your physician if this behavior occurs. At any rate, this is a beautifully crafted timepiece, one that’s built with holistic balance in mind. For fitness and health, it excels, just as it does as a not-so-common wristwatch.
Rated for women – A sophisticated wearer interface grants the Garmin Venu 3S even more appeal among women. The watch guides users with stress-reducing meditation exercises and provides biology-specific functions, such as a menstrual cycle calendar. Nutrition and mindful breathing modes keep the wearer calm while all around them is chaos. For more practical applications, with women constantly vigilant in areas where they’re alone, the watch operates as a silent alarm, sending out a danger alert to local authorities when a button is pressed.
It’s features like these that elevate the Garmin Venu 3S above a crowded smartwatch market space, signaling its intent to feature highly among our best fitness watches for women.
Samsung Galaxy Watch 7 for Women
Did our female intern just volunteer so that she could play with the newly added Galaxy AI? The jury is out, but we suspect she veered towards the Samsung Galaxy Watch 7 for just that reason. Wear OS compatibility and a Super AMOLED display with an equally super 432×432 pixel resolution didn’t do any harm, either. Out of the two watch sizes, the 40mm edition was selected, which was good news for our intern as it sells at a slightly lower price point. A small/medium fabric band was added, completing our purchase.
Just to spice things up a little, we started with the health metric capabilities of the smartwatch this time. Pulse and heart health tracking are both built in, with an ECG app conjuring up data on an informative graphic, just like the ones used in hospital monitors but smaller. Blood oxygen saturation—known by medical experts as SpO2 monitoring—also features in the little sensory module, as well as skin temperature readouts. Using all of this data, the Exynos W1000 processor runs algorithms, analyzes ECG data, and charts cardio trends.
It’s all about the hardware with the Samsung Galaxy Watch line, with incremental little improvements adding silky interface speed and sensory accuracy. The latest generation promises fine grained monitoring thanks to an additional collection of LEDs on the opposing side, bound close to the skin by its 20mm aqua black Sports band now, captured heart and blood oxygen info, keeping track of important vital statistics during a tough exercise regimen. Between those sensors and the ultra-sharp display, however, we felt that battery life on the 300mAh battery did suffer a little. That’s the one engineering issue plaguing certain smartwatches for women; a smaller case often equals a physically smaller battery.
Rated for women – On the plus side the smaller face does allow the case to shrink to a petite 40.4×40.4×9.7mm size. It’s a slender profile, so there’s not likely going to be any snagging on blouse cuffs or dress sleeves. Additionally, small or not, there’s plenty of wearable tech packed inside the tiny form factor. The 802.11a/b/g/n wireless worked well in built-up areas, connecting the device when tall buildings crowded close on busy streets. Bluetooth 5.3 and NFC (Near Field Communications) were also in evidence, making quick contactless payments a breeze.
We saw our intern slowly fall for this smartwatch and had to wrestle it out of her grasp. The workouts and activities covered by its accelerometer, barometer, skin impedance sensor, heart rate and blood oxygen sensor, ranged from ballet to boxing, covering every imaginable sport and exercise type. Horse riding was even mentioned, but our horse had the day off, alas.
Apple Watch Series 10 for Women
If Apple series gear is looked upon only as a status symbol, owners are doing their Mac flavored devices a huge disservice. Okay, the woman’s wrist textile bands and rose gold finish on the 42mm Apple Watch Series 10 wearable we selected looked feminine and appealing in an elite-class way, but it was the fitness oriented perks residing inside the titanium case that attracted our keen reviewing senses, not merely its good looks—gorgeously rendered in 2000 nit, full Retina-display color. For instance, where’s the ECG workings?
An ECG sensor is standard, so the slender 9.7mm thin case had no trouble monitoring cardio efforts. It was joined by respiratory rate and skin temperature readouts, creating a fully fleshed out picture of overall health. There was even a temperature function for cycle and ovulation prediction, a biological feature that solely targeted women. And, with healthy deep sleep being impacted by so much stress these days, advanced sleep tracking capabilities closely monitored key slumber periods for restlessness.
Concern over battery life struck us as a real possibility, considering the slender form factor on the Apple Watch Series 10. A battery life of 18 hours felt distinctly average, but it climbed up to 36 hours when the watch was placed in low power mode. That’s the thing about Apple wearables, they tend to automatically be one step ahead, ready to call up Siri, pop up a notification, or intelligently cut the juice so that the watch lasts all day long. Next, we went swimming at our local olympic-sized indoor pool. Did the wearable have the wherewithal to resist chlorine-filled water? Let’s find out.
Rated for women – A 50m water resistance ensured utmost protection during pool exercises. We changed stroke styles several times, but the sensors onboard the Apple wearable refused to be fooled. That’s not as good as their Watch Ultra edition, but it’s good enough for regular swimming, which is what our intern loves to do after leaving the office. Stable Wireless 802.11n kept her notifications actively slipping in whenever she decided to take another lap in the pool. Of some interest to swimmers here, a temperature sensor in the watch was designed to record water temperature, and there was a depth gauge and app, prepped and ready to take note of small, playful dives.
There was no need for superb GPS functionality in the pool, but a planned weekend hike took advantage of Glonass and Beidou, as well as regular GPS. Offline maps are also available, which is good to know if we stray too far from cellular reception. If that was any indication of all-round performance, from remote hiking to local pool swimming, we were all in on this device, rating it a winner among the best fitness watches for women.
Garmin Lily 2 Active for Women
Looks can be deceiving. The Garmin Lily 2 really does look like it’s been designed as a fashion accessory, no more than a watch that complements a stylish outfit or new purse. Frankly, that’s such an off base perception, but we couldn’t blame the casual observer from taking on this opinion, not when the watch is disguised by its hidden display. If we come across as fashionistas for a moment, it’s only to use a discerning eye as we picked out the cream gold watch and its coffee toned nylon band. Review mode is now re-engaged.
The goal of the design is to make the small case look delicate and feminine, but it’s all a big con. In reality, the 35.4×35.4×10.1mm fitness watch face is protected by Corning Gorilla Glass 3 and a durable anodized aluminum case. It may slip automatically into a patterned display, hiding its fitness credentials under the proverbial laurel bush, but a light manicured press on the screen instantly drops the disguise. The liquid crystal clock comes up first, then heart rate and stress levels, followed by blood oxygen saturation and what’s colorfully referred to as ‘Body Battery,’ a nod towards overall health.
With the true nature of this fitness wearable uncovered, we dived deeper into its many features. A five-day battery life powered advanced health monitoring and fitness tuned apps. Knowing the watch would work overnight and well into the next day, we used sleep tracking, taking note of our interns’ sleep number. Ease up on the late night, we told her, receiving a cold stare in return. Also, being a Garmin product, their Pay app was quick to call up, paying for our fitness snacks with contactless ease.
Rated for women – Most of the best-in-class wearables on this list clearly identify as fitness smartwatches. It’s a little more complicated with the Garmin Lily 2 Active. It blends against feminine apparel, never standing out, unlike some of the models we’ve reviewed. If style is an important factor when buying one of these wearables, this is the fitness watch to buy. Although you will lose access to the kind of all-reaching apps found on the Wear OS and Apple WatchOS stores.
Fashion is important to some, fitness and app compatibility to others. The Garmin watch strikes a decent balance between the two, minus the two huge app ecosystems. It’s also a lot tougher than it looks, equipped with a long battery lifespan and solid hardware specs. Expect Garmin sensors, reliable GPS, Bluetooth connectivity, and both iPhone and Android compatibility.
Fitbit Luxe For Women
It’s under the guiding hands of expert Google designers and hardware engineers that the Fitbit range has steadily improved, maturing to the point that their fitness watches have crept their way into smartwatch territory. The Fitbit Luxe is one result of this push for wearable excellence. It doesn’t have any identity issues, nor does it sport a price tag that could be off putting to some women who are on a tight budget. It’s clearly designed as a stylish wearable, one that conceals more than a few key wellness-related features.
Our reviewer, with a flare for dramatics, talked about the optical heart rate monitor. It sits tight to the wrist, observing cardio metrics. An oxygen saturation sensor is also in the mix, building a more complete picture of holistic health. For fitness tracking, the Luxe isn’t blind to sports workouts. A high quality three-axis accelerometer is fitted inside the chassis, under the AMOLED display. Not so good, though, a manual press is needed to change to the appropriate activity tracking mode. It’s definitely up there, part of the best fitness watches for women collection, but the fact that it’s an older model could sway a buyer towards a more recently released Fitbit.
The Corning Gorilla Glass 3 scratch-resistant face and stainless steel housing suggest a build that’ll take a beating and keep right on ticking. Looks-wise, it’s all about feminine class and style, so the watch is a winner on two fronts, toughness and fitness smarts. It’s also only 10.05 mm high, assuring a snag-free fit. What more is there to say? It’s a fitness watch that will complement any woman’s wardrobe, yet it can also accurately measure health and activity metrics, keep on operating for over five days, and stay connected to smartphones via Bluetooth.
Being the fashion hounds that we are, we brought in the stainless steel mesh band. It cost more than the standard classic, but we all agreed that it set off the Fitbit Luxe well, giving it a jewelry-like, chic appearance that didn’t clash with the wearer’s clothing. No workout stumped the Fitbit Luxe, with its built-in apps including stress relief and sleep tracking, and the entire user experience felt effortlessly smooth.
Google Pixel Watch 3 for Women
It wasn’t difficult to handpick a Google Pixel Watch 3 for the office women in our workplace. The 41mm watch face was the logical wearable. The screen layout did sacrifice a few things to keep content well spaced, but nothing essential. The graphics were a little smaller, a few outer edge bars of activity tracking missing, but the core health and fitness metrics were intelligently maintained. Slipping on a beautifully crafted Italian leather band, the wearable practically radiated premium appeal, every bit a match for anything on offer from Apple.
Where this fitness watch excelled was in its design. The curved housing looked like an onyx black pebble, layered with colored graphics and fitness data. Outside again, under a bright sun, an up-to 2000 nit screen kept the display free of reflective dazzle. The trio of circular dials rendered to the right of the screen read out steps taken, heart rate, and skin temperature with super bright accuracy, using the alway-on watch to monitor wellness info around the clock. A 24 hour life for the 307mAh battery was quoted on the Pixel Watch 3 website, but it was unclear whether this was for the 45mm or 41mm edition. Obviously, the physically larger watch gets the longer battery life, but there’s a Battery Saver Mode to extend its energy needs a further 12 hours.
Smart devices are one of the cornerstones of Google’s hardware market. From Nest to Pixel Buds, they rule the roost. As no surprise, then, accessories connect seamlessly to a Pixel Watch 3. Connect the buds through Bluetooth 5.3, check a Nest thermostat after a cold hike using 4G LTE cellular, or use Wi-Fi 802.11 to pull up a Spotify playlist. All controllable via the haptic-feedback side button and Actua Display, the 320 ppi pixel AMOLED display centralizes every analyzed data input in vibrant color. As for sensory talents, the Pixel 3 has ECG cardio tracking, SPO2 monitoring, and a skin conductance sensor. And that’s just the health metrics. A compass, barometer, altimeter, and tons more besides covers fitness and activity tracking
Rated for women – It’s hard to narrow down a features list when it could spill over onto two or three pages—both sides. To summarize, the Google Pixel Watch 3 rockets into the top three devices in this curated best fitness watches for women review. It’s a match for Garmin or Apple, built for slender wrists and market reinforced by Wear OS and a slew of accessories, too. Flo Period & Pregnancy Tracker was downloaded and installed, but then we had our second tester switch to Strava for her Wear OS device, so hands on handlebar cycling—much safer—became easy to handle.
With Glonass, GPS and Galileo mapping available, hiking and endurance level sports activity tracking were all entirely within the wheelhouse of this Google wearable. Snapdragon W5 processor inside with Cortex-M33 chipset handling background tasks, the 5ATM aluminum case, Corning Gorilla Glass 5 toughened Pixel 3 handled everything we could throw at it, from cold lake swims to endurance runs without complaint.
Fitness Watches Tailored for Women
A promise was made to deliver the best fitness watches for women, and that’s exactly what we’ve done. Not a single one of these wearable is fluffy and pink, built to accommodate some outmoded stereotype. They’re functional first, stylish second. Granted, the Garmin 2 Lily and Fitbit Luxe have been purposefully designed with chic looks, but that doesn’t undermine their intrinsic functions, that of a durable fitness wearable that can take any kind of punishment and come out shining.
We rate the Apple Watch Series 10 highly, but the Google Pixel Watch 3 is nipping close on its heels. They both come with massive app collections, although they’re competing operating systems and brands, so choose accordingly. The Garmin Lily 2 was also an attractive alternative, adding style to an already complex buyers’ equation. Fortunately, we’ve cut through all of that marketing talk to bring you a limited collection of wearables that suits every woman’s lifestyle. That lifestyle could be very diverse, filled with commutes and business activities, only switching to fitness at a late hour. Alternatively, if a dedicated hiking companion is needed, something that’ll sport offline maps when you slip off-the-grid, we’ve got a smartwatch that’ll fit that role. Whatever the goal, whatever the smartwatch form factor and built-in apps, we’ve got you covered.
Fitness watches for women are never one-size-fits all, built to suit a narrow slice of life, which is why the watches listed here have been put through the wringer. We’ve been swimming and diving, hiking and jogging into the wee hours. Our exhaustion, though, is your gain. Whether you’re an athlete in the making or a woman on the go, driving into the gym parking lot after concluding a big deal, one of the watches in this review absolutely will tune itself to your needs, earning its keep as your fitness and wellness companion. Whether that’s for sleep tracking or yoga, that’s up to you. Strap on and start taking the steps towards a healthier you.