Although tracking your workouts and health metrics from your wrist isn’t new, in recent years the industry has moved towards a more discreet option for consumers: one that can be worn on your finger like a piece of jewellery. If you’re ready to see what the best smart rings have to offer, then you’re in the right place.
Whether it be the best smartwatch, best fitness tracker or the best running watch, the wearables industry at large has very much adopted wrist-based tech as the norm, but if you’re someone who doesn’t like to wear a watch, or you haven’t found one that complements your style, then you may be the exact person who would get on much better with a smart ring.
Our experts have rigorously tested and reviewed countless smart rings, with only the top-rated making it into our best list. These compact trackers can be worn, usually on a finger of your choosing, just like a typical ring, and while they lack a display that’d let you dive into their smarts on the spot, they are far more discreet but no less powerful.
Of course, if you are the type of person who enjoys having certain smart features like Google Maps directions on your wrist, then you may get along better with one of the best Apple Watches or the best Samsung Galaxy Watches.
On a similar note, marathon runners who rely on detailed GPS tracking to reach the finish line will likely find that the best Garmin Watches are designed with their needs in mind.
For everyone else, however, who simply wants to keep tabs on their core health and exercise metrics to make more positive moves towards a healthier lifestyle, a smart ring can be just the ticket. But where do you start when looking for a smart ring? That’s where we come in.
If you need more help choosing a new smart ring, scroll down to our FAQs section, where we’ve answered the most common questions about the wearable, from any required subscriptions to the best finger to wear a smart ring on.
Best smart rings at a glance
SQUIRREL_ANCHOR_LIST
How we test smart rings
Much like how we test smartches, any smart rings we come across are used by one of our experts for at least a week to give you an in-depth understanding of how they work day to day, the accuracy of their data and more. All of that information is then fed into this very list so that you can make an informed decision every time.
-
Fantastically compact, premium design
-
Great overview of health and fitness
-
Polished, clutter-free app experience
-
Excellent battery life and rapid charging
-
No real changes to the app
-
New software features are region-locked
-
Requires a monthly subscription
Oura has been making some of the best smart rings on the market for years now, and with the Oura Ring 5, the company has taken a significant step forward in just about every area that matters.
If you’re after the best all-round smart ring available right now, this is the one to beat.
The headline change is a design overhaul that makes the Ring 5 40% smaller than its predecessor. That means it’s thinner, lighter and narrower than before, which makes for a ring that sits comfortably on any finger and genuinely looks and feels like a piece of jewellery rather than a fitness gadget. It’s the kind of design leap that could push smart rings firmly into the mainstream.
Where the Ring 5 truly earns its place at the top of this list is in its tracking accuracy. Sleep monitoring is arguably the strongest you’ll find in any smart ring right now, picking up sleep stages and disturbances with impressive precision so that you can get a clear picture of how rested your body actually is. Workout tracking can’t quite match a smartwatch for live data, but the Ring 5 auto-detects exercise sessions and logs them, with noticeably improved movement accuracy over the previous generation.
The Oura app remains a real highlight too. Key information, including a readiness score, sleep and activity scores and a stress monitor, is all laid out clearly on the main screen. If you want to dig deeper, the Vitals tab breaks down individual metrics while the My Health tab lets you keep tabs on longer-term trends.
The one thing to be aware of going in is that, just like the Ring 4, this is a subscription product. Full access to the features will cost you £5.99/$5.99 a month on top of the upfront hardware cost. Competitors like the Samsung Galaxy Ring and RingConn give you everything for a one-time fee, so the ongoing cost is worth factoring in. Battery life, at least, is genuinely impressive, with Oura claiming six to nine days per charge and our testing landing closer to eight. A full charge takes around 80 minutes.
If you want the most refined, best-looking smart ring with class-leading sleep and health tracking, the Oura Ring 5 is the one to go for. Just make sure you’re comfortable with the subscription before you commit.
SQUIRREL_PLAYLIST_10208548
-
Lightweight, understated design
-
Great health and fitness tracking
-
Consistent 4-day battery life
-
No automatic workout detection
-
Features can differ between iOS & Android apps
-
Takes a while to charge
Ultrahuman has emerged in the last few years to stake its claim in the smart ring market, taking more established brands like Oura to task. What’s impressive is that, in spite of its relative ‘newcomer’ status, Ultrahuman has managed to hit the ground running with its Ultrahuman Ring Air, which really impressed our team of experts.
In terms of the design, Ultrahuman absolutely understood the assignment here. With its very minimalist look, the Ring Air could easily be mistaken for a traditional piece of jewellery until further inspection, which is exactly why smart rings are so appealing compared to smartwatches in the first place. There are quite a few colour options available, including Raw Titanium, Matte Grey and the more recent Brushed Rose Gold edition.
Of course, the Ring Air wouldn’t have made it to this list if it had only stuck the landing where the design was concerned. When it comes to fitness tracking, there’s a lot to love here. The ring can discreetly track your effort throughout the day, using its sensors to monitor your heart rate levels, blood oxygen and more, so that, much like the Whoop MG, you can better understand how much rest you need to get in to accommodate your routine.
Speaking of rest, the sleep tracking on the Ultrahuman Ring Air is also excellent. You can clearly see how much time your body is spending in the different sleep zones, which gives you an idea of what you can do throughout the day to try to accommodate a better night’s sleep. The sleep index score is great in this regard, providing a quick understanding of whether your body is fully rested and ready for a challenging workout.
The accompanying Ultrahuman app is well built, with a modern aesthetic that makes the process of monitoring your health feel a bit more exciting. In what is sure to please more budget-conscious buyers, the Ring Air has no subscription fees whatsoever, so you’ll only have to part with the initial £329/$349 asking price for the pleasure of using it.
SQUIRREL_PLAYLIST_10208056
-
Battery life beats the competition
-
Attractive look
-
Delivers strong fitness and sleep tracking
-
Battery drop when using sleep apnea monitoring
-
Companion app isn’t the prettiest or most helpful
As much as we love the Oura Ring 4, its subscription model can make it a bit too costly over time. To that end, the RingConn Gen 2 is the ideal alternative, offering much of the same features as Oura, but for just £349/$359 and with no subscription in sight.
Even though RingConn is a lesser-known entity in this market than Oura, the Gen 2 smart ring is still an excellent option for general workout and sleep tracking. It can pick up on all of the key metrics that you’d want to know about, including SpO2 level, your heart rate variability (which signals how well rested you are) and your stress levels. It’s all fairly comprehensive and well laid out in the accompanying app.
What really separates the RingConn Gen 2 from the Oura Ring and all other competitors on the market is that it absolutely reigns supreme when it comes to battery life. Given how small smart rings are, most of them tend to suffer from lacklustre longevity, but this pick can run for up to 12 days on a single charge. That’s more than most smartwatches, and it means you won’t have to worry quite so often about crucial data being missed.
Circling back to sleep tracking, another ace up the Gen 2’s sleeve is the addition of sleep apnea detection. Given just how damaging sleep apnea can be in reducing your chance of having a solid night’s sleep, it’s no wonder that plenty of wearables have started to accommodate for it in their tracking, and it’s great to see RingConn do the same.
As you may have already noticed, RingConn’s wearable is also a stylish bit of kit. You can buy the ring in four unique colours, with a total of nine size options available for each. This makes it easy to find the right combination that’s both comfortable for daily use and fashionable enough to complement your wardrobe.
SQUIRREL_PLAYLIST_10208057
-
Great smart ring look
-
Solid tracking performance
-
Over a week of battery life
-
Some familiar software quirks with companion app
-
RingConn has ditched the portable charging case
The standard RingConn Gen 2 is already a bit of a bargain compared to the Oura Ring 4, but if the £349/$359 asking price was still just a bit too far out of your remit, then you’ll be glad to know that the company has a more affordable alternative in the RingConn Gen 2 Air. Despite its more affordable £239/$199 price tag, the Gen 2 Air still packs all of the key features that you’d want from a smart ring.
When it comes to the core fitness and sleep tracking experience, there’s very little that differentiates the Gen 2 Air from the full-fat Gen 2. For instance, these smart rings share the same sensors, which means that on the Gen 2 Air, you’re still getting access to your heart rate, blood oxygen levels, stress and more.
The only major feature that’s missing from the Gen 2 Air is sleep apnea tracking. While we won’t deny that it’s a useful feature to have, it’s far from being essential if you’re someone who has either already gone through the necessary steps to determine whether you have sleep apnea, or doesn’t have any major issues with getting to sleep, which would otherwise indicate that you don’t have sleep apnea.
Given that this is a more budget pick within RingConn’s range, we would have understood if the materials for the Gen 2 Air needed to be scaled back quite a bit to help reduce the price, but that isn’t the case here. Instead of a titanium build, the Gen 2 Air uses stainless steel, a significant improvement over plastic, which is more commonly associated with fitness wearables.
You needn’t worry about durability either, as the watch can survive being submerged in depths of up to 10ATM, which means that it’s more than ready for a dip at the local pool.
RingConn hasn’t skimped on its greatest offering of battery life either. The Gen 2 Air can run for a total of up to 10 days on a single charge, which runs rings about the five-day longevity of the Oura Ring 4.
SQUIRREL_PLAYLIST_10208058
-
Colourful design
-
Approachable AI Coach
-
Nicely designed companion app
-
Cudis Store rewards only available in some countries
-
Heart rate data looked high at times
-
Limited app integration currently
The Cudis 002 Sporty Ring is unlike anything else on this list, and that’s very much the point.
Where most smart rings lean into understated jewellery aesthetics, this one goes in the opposite direction entirely, with a chunky titanium body wrapped in a textured silicone band that you can swap out across 12 colour options. It’s a smart ring that actually looks like it belongs at the gym, which makes it a natural fit for anyone who wants their wearable to reflect a more active identity.
If you’re after a smart ring that actively tries to push you towards your fitness goals rather than simply recording what you’ve already done, this is the one to consider.
The customisable band does more than just look the part. It acts as a protective layer for the titanium body underneath, helping to keep scuffs at bay during daily wear. Sizing runs from 6 to 13, and while fit was comfortable in our testing, the ring does sit a little taller on the finger than most competitors on this list. A 5ATM water resistance rating means swimming is no problem, so you can keep it on without a second thought during pool sessions.
Core tracking covers the fundamentals well enough. Optical sensors handle sleep monitoring, resting heart rate, blood oxygen and step count, with readings landing in the right ballpark across most metrics. Heart rate did read a touch high compared to our reference devices, so it’s worth keeping that in mind if precision is a priority for you.
Where the Cudis 002 genuinely stands out, and the main reason it earns its place on this list, is in its approach to motivation. The built-in AI coach works as a proper chatbot, letting you ask questions about your stats and receive contextual suggestions in return. It feels far more conversational and less scripted than the AI-driven insights you tend to find on rivals.
Alongside this, a Health Points rewards scheme dishes out points for hitting goals, which can then be redeemed for perks like free fitness classes or coupons. That said, the scheme is currently only available in a limited number of countries, which is a frustrating restriction for anyone outside those regions.
Battery life is a genuine strong suit. Expect around 10 days of regular use, or closer to two weeks with lighter day-to-day use. Charging is handled through a portable case, with a full top-up taking just under an hour.
If you want a smart ring that brings a genuine sense of fun and encouragement to your fitness routine, this is the most distinctive option available right now.
-
Excellent sleep tracking accuracy
-
Emphasizes practical sleep coaching
-
Energy Score is user-friendly and insightful
-
Sleek design and very comfortable to wear
-
Offers fewer features than competitors and the Galaxy Watch
-
High price (but no subscription fee)
-
Inconsistent heart rate data and unreliable SpO2 readings
Although Samsung was far from the first company to dive into the smart ring market, the Galaxy Ring has shown that it’s still a force to be reckoned with, offering up a genuine alternative to more established picks from the likes of Oura and Ultrahuman.
As much as we love those other smart rings, the Samsung Galaxy Ring is easily the go-to pick for anyone who currently uses one of the best Samsung Galaxy smartphones.
Because this is a Samsung device, the Galaxy Ring is designed with the company’s ecosystem in mind, and if you already use the Samsung Health App as a means of keeping tabs on your fitness levels, then bringing the Ring into the mix is a no-brainer. Even if you already use a Samsung Galaxy Watch, having the ring in tow means that you can leave your watch at home on occasion when you want to travel light (or would just prefer not to wear a watch to bed).
In fact, we’d argue that weaning the Galaxy Ring overnight is a smart idea given just how great its sleep tracking actually is. Far too often, we see sleep data collected and then simply regurgitated as a series of numbers and charts that don’t really mean all that much to most people – Samsung’s Ring, on the other hand, goes down a more practical route by offering tangible advice.
The sleep coaching will offer actionable ways to improve the quality of your rest, and you’ll also be assigned a sleep animal, which is a fun way to better understand your nighttime habits. The data is also funnelled into an Energy Score so you can know right away whether or not your body is ready to take on a more challenging day.
Because the Samsung Galaxy Ring doesn’t work with iPhones, Apple users will need to check out the other options on this list if they are set on buying a smart ring. For Android users, it’s a great option, especially since it doesn’t require a subscription like the Oura Ring 4, and the ring itself is often available at a discount. The catch is that some features require a Samsung phone to work.
SQUIRREL_PLAYLIST_10208059
-
Unique smart ring design
-
Handy for tracking steps, sleep and daily heart rate
-
Data nicely presented in companion app
-
Just the one colour option
-
Battery life isn’t best in class
-
Comes in fewer sizes than other smart rings
Anyone who’s been reading our coverage of fitness trackers for some time will no doubt be familiar with the brand Amazit. The company has already released many great yet affordable smartwatches, including the Amazfit Active 2. Now, with the Amazfit Helio Ring, it has finally entered the world of smart rings, offering a more budget-friendly alternative to the competition.
With an original launch price of £269/$199, the Helio Ring was already cheaper than most other smart rings, but in the time since it came to market, the device has seen several price cuts making it easy to find at around the £110/$150 mark. When compared to the mounting costs of the Oura Ring 4, which features both an upfront cost and a monthly subscription, Amazfit’s Helio Ring packs astonishing value.
In spite of its affordable price tag, the Helio Ring still packs a punch where it counts. The optical sensor is capable of tracking your heart rate and sleep cycle, while the EDA sensor can keep tabs on your emotions and stress levels (always handy if you find yourself getting overwhelmed at work and need some guidance).
The ring can also track your skin temperature, which is crucial for women’s health and keeping tabs on the menstrual cycle. Again, for a budget upfront cost, it’s incredible what Amazfit can provide here, and it’s hard to imagine that any adopters of the Helio Ring will feel shortchanged on the value.
All of the health data that’s collected can be easily read in the accompanying Amazfit app, and it’ll tell you right away if any of your baseline metrics are off course, which could signal a broader issue at play. The only reason why you might opt for the RingConn Gen 2 Air instead is that it provides a longer battery life than the up to four-day stint offered by Amazfit.
Still, given just how much money you’re saving at the checkout, having to charge the ring a little more often is hardly a major trade-off.
Full Specs
| Oura Ring 5 Review | Ultrahuman Ring Air Review | RingConn Gen 2 Review | RingConn Gen 2 Air Review | Cudis 002 Sporty Ring Review | Samsung Galaxy Ring Review | Amazfit Helio Ring Review | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Manufacturer | – | Ultra Products | – | – | – | Samsung | Amazfit |
| Screen Size | 0 mm | – | – | – | – | – | – |
| IP rating | IP68 | IP68 | IP68 | IP68 | IP68 | IP68 | IP68 |
| Waterproof | 5ATM | N/A | 10ATM | 10ATM | 5ATM | 10ATM | 10ATM |
| Battery | 22 mAh | 24 mAh | – | – | – | – | 20.5 mAh |
| Size (Dimensions) | 6.09 x 6.09 x MM | 8.1 x x 8.1 MM | x x INCHES | x x INCHES | x x INCHES | x x INCHES | 2.6 x x 8 MM |
| Weight | 2 G | 2.4 G | – | 2.5 G | 3 G | – | 3.75 G |
| Release Date | 2026 | 2023 | 2025 | 2025 | 2026 | 2024 | 2025 |
| First Reviewed Date | 08/06/2026 | – | 13/08/2025 | 12/08/2025 | 08/04/2026 | – | 14/08/2025 |
| Colours | Black, Silver, Stealth, Brushed Silver, Gold and Deep Rose | Matte Black, Aster Black, Gold, Silver | Future Silver, Matte Black, Royal Gold, Rose Gold | Dune Gold, Galaxy Silver | – | – | Titanium |
| UK RRP | £399 | – | – | £185 | – | £399 | £149.9 |
| USA RRP | $399 | $349 | $359 | $238.8 | $399 | $399 | $199.99 |
Although some brands offer slightly different guidance, generally speaking, you can wear a smart ring on either your ring, middle or index finger. The choice between the fingers essentially boils down to what feels most comfortable for you. Even so, it’s recommended that you avoid fingers where your knuckle is much wider than the base.
However, Oura suggests that while the middle or ring finger should also work well for accurate tracking, the index finger offers the “best accuracy”. Even so, it’s recommended that, regardless of the smart ring you choose, you try it on both hands and different fingers to see what’s most comfortable and fits best for you.
At the time of writing, we’ve crowned the Oura Ring 5 as the best smart ring, thanks to its accuracy, well-presented data and overall comfortable design.
Some smart rings, like the Oura Ring 4, require either a monthly or yearly subscription for full access to their data and advanced features. However, there are a good number of smart rings on our list that don’t require any additional subscription fees, including the RingConn Gen 2, Gen 2 Air and the Samsung Galaxy Ring. We’d especially recommend the Ultrahuman Ring Air, which is currently our best subscription-free smart ring.
