Best Smart Rings: What My Family Wears
The best smart ring for most people is the 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 these 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.
This guide is honest about what a smart ring does well, what it does not, and which one fits your budget. Our hands on time is with these two rings. Everything else here is checked against the makers’ own pages.
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The quick picks
| Ring | Best for | Price | Battery | Monthly fee | Water |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Oura Ring 4 | Best overall | From $349 | Up to 8 days | $5.99 a month | Yes, swim safe |
| COLMI R02 | Best budget | About $55 | Up to 7 days | None | Yes, IP68 and 3ATM |
Check the current Oura Ring 4 price on Amazon
Best overall: Oura Ring 4
The Oura Ring 4 is the one to get if you want the most accurate tracking and the nicest app. It starts at $349 for silver or black, and the fancy finishes cost more.
It reads your sleep, heart rate, and body temperature, and it lasts up to 8 days on a charge. My daughter’s ring failed once in almost a year, and Oura shipped a replacement fast.
The catch is the membership. Most of the useful features need the Oura app membership, which costs $5.99 a month or $69.99 a year.
The best part in real life was a health warning. 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 the 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.
| Feature | Oura Ring 4 | COLMI R02 |
|---|---|---|
| Price | From $349 | About $55 |
| Monthly fee | $5.99 a month | None |
| Early illness alerts | Yes, Symptom Radar | No |
| Sleep tracking depth | Deep and detailed | Basic |
| App quality | Excellent | Simple |
| Battery | Up to 8 days | Up to 7 days |
| FSA or HSA eligible | Yes | Usually no |
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 like a watch band. Order a sizing kit first if the maker offers one. Oura sends one, and it now fits sizes 4 to 15.
Some rings charge a monthly fee. Oura needs a paid membership for most features. The COLMI does not charge anything after you buy it.
Water rating is not all the same. The COLMI R02 carries an IP68 and 3ATM rating, so it handles splashes, showers, and short shallow swims. Oura is also safe for swimming. Always dry the ring after.
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.
Frequently asked questions
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 rings here can handle water. Dry the ring after, and do not wear a cheap ring in very hot water or the ocean often.
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.