Best Smart Rings: What My Family Wears
The best smart ring for most people is the new Oura Ring 5, the best value right now is the older Oura Ring 4, and the best budget pick is the COLMI R02. That is not a guess from a spec sheet. Both of my daughters wear smart rings every single day.
One has worn an Oura Ring for almost a year. The other has worn the cheaper COLMI R02 for about six months.
Oura launched the Ring 5 in mid 2026 and calls it the world’s smallest smart ring. The Ring 4 did not go away. It dropped in price to clear stock, which is what makes it such a good deal today.
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Smart ring comparison at a glance
| Feature | Oura Ring 5 | Oura Ring 4 | COLMI R02 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Price | From $399 | Around $349 or less on sale | About $55 |
| Monthly fee | $5.99 | $5.99 | None |
| Battery | About a week | Up to 8 days | Maker figures disagree |
| Illness alerts | Yes | Yes | No |
| Water | Swim safe | Swim safe | Splashes and short swims |
| Best for | Newest tech | Best value | Tightest budget |
Best overall: Oura Ring 5
The Oura Ring 5 is the newest model and the one to get if you want the smallest, thinnest ring with the best tracking.
It starts at $399 for silver or black, and the fancy finishes run $499. Oura says it is about 40 percent smaller than the Ring 4, so it sits lower on your finger.
It reads your sleep, heart rate, and body temperature, and Oura designed it to last about a week on a charge. It is also water resistant to 100 meters, so showers and swimming are fine.
The catch is the same as always. Most of the useful features need the Oura membership.
That runs $5.99 a month or $69.99 a year.
You can see the current Oura Ring 5 on the official Oura store.
Best value: Oura Ring 4
The Oura Ring 4 is the model my daughter has actually worn for almost a year, and it is now the smart money pick.
When Oura released the Ring 5, it cut the Ring 4 price to clear stock. It often sells for less than its old $349 start, and the ceramic version has seen even deeper cuts.
It tracks the same core things, reads your sleep and temperature, and lasts up to 8 days per charge. Her ring failed once in that first year, and Oura shipped a replacement fast.
Unless you really want the thinnest ring, the Ring 4 gives you almost the same experience for less money.
Check the current Oura Ring 4 price on Amazon
Read the full story in our Oura Ring review, including the morning it flagged a cold before anyone felt sick.
Best budget: COLMI R02
The COLMI R02 costs about $55 and asks for no monthly fee. You pay once and use the free app.
It tracks heart rate, blood oxygen, and sleep, and it charges full in under an hour. My other daughter has worn one daily for about six months with no problems.
She even wore it on an ocean swim last weekend and it survived, though I would not push that luck.
It is not as accurate or as polished as an Oura, but it does the basics for a fraction of the price. See how it holds up in our COLMI R02 review.
Oura vs a cheap smart ring: what you give up
Spending less means giving up some things. Here is the honest trade between an Oura and a budget ring.
An Oura reads your body more accurately and adds early illness alerts through a feature called Symptom Radar. A cheap ring like the COLMI covers the basics and skips the extras and the monthly fee.
The COLMI also has one honest catch. Its own two websites list different battery and water numbers, so we will not pin a single figure on it. Treat its battery as several days and its water rating as splash and short swim safe, not dive safe.
What to know before you buy a smart ring
A few things trip people up. Check these before you spend money.
Sizing matters. A ring cannot be resized later, so order a sizing kit first when the maker offers one.
Oura sends a kit, and its size range changed with the Ring 5, so use the current one.
Some rings charge a monthly fee. Oura needs a paid membership for most features, while the COLMI charges nothing after you buy it.
Water ratings are not all the same. Oura rings are rated to 100 meters and are safe for swimming.
The COLMI handles splashes and short shallow swims. Dry any ring after you get out.
You can often pay with pre tax dollars. If you have an FSA or HSA at work, the Oura Ring is usually eligible.
That is a real discount because the money was never taxed. Check with your plan first.
Why my family left Fitbit for rings
We owned three Fitbits over the years. The battery life let us down on all of them, and each one died sooner than it should have for the price.
We moved to rings and have been happier. If you are weighing the switch, our guide on what happened to the Fitbit app explains how much the ecosystem has changed.
Smart ring vs Apple Watch: which should you wear
My daughters own both an Apple Watch and a smart ring. They wear the rings every day. The youngest mainly puts the watch on at work.
A ring is smaller, lasts far longer per charge, and is nicer for sleep because you barely feel it. A watch shows notifications and has more apps.
If you mostly want sleep and health tracking, the ring wins. If you want a screen on your wrist, get the watch. Our piece on what the Apple Watch tracks can help you compare.
Want a cheaper ring with no fee?
Plenty of good rings skip the Oura membership entirely.
We rounded up the top no fee options in our best Oura alternatives guide, from budget picks to nicer rings that still cost nothing each month.
Frequently asked questions
Which Oura Ring should I buy in 2026? Buy the Ring 5 for the newest and smallest design, or save money with the discounted Ring 4, which tracks nearly the same things.
Do smart rings really track sleep well? Yes, often better than a watch, because a ring sits still on your finger all night and reads signals from your finger arteries.
Is the Oura membership worth it? For most people, yes, since the scores and trends live behind it. If you hate monthly fees, the COLMI R02 is the better fit.
Can I wear a smart ring in the shower or pool? Both brands here handle water. Oura is rated to 100 meters, and the COLMI is fine for short swims.
Which finger should I wear it on? Most makers suggest the index or middle finger for the best readings. Oura includes a sizing kit so you can test the fit.