Smartwatches come in all shapes and sizes, and they’re an essential accessory for the modern woman. Smartwatches for women aren’t necessarily just for the ladies. But they tend to be daintier, thinner in size to accommodate a smaller woman’s wrist, and with female-friendly features, like female health and cycle tracking. Of course, every person is different. Some women prefer bulkier, more rugged looking smartwatches. But if you’re looking for a traditional women’s smartwatch, you’ll want to make sure you’re getting one that has more than just a pretty face.
A good women’s smartwatch can empower you to take control of your health, wellness, and fitness. But it will also fit in with your personal style. Along with female-specific features like menstrual tracking, they also include tools that are especially useful for women. These include stress management, along with forms that females will appreciate, like a lightweight design. Here, I’ll cover why you need a smartwatch for women, how to choose the right one with some specific suggestions, and tips for getting the most out of it.
Why women need smartwatches
First off, why do you need a smartwatch anyway? There are many important benefits you’ll get out of wearing a smartwatch for women.
Multifunctional features
A smartwatch tracks and logs aspects of your health, including fitness, like steps and workouts. It also captures health data, like heart rate, blood oxygen, and sleep. It can afford access to useful apps like a mobile wallet, music streaming service, and messaging. Get notifications on your wrist for calendar appointments, calls, instant messages, and social updates. It’s basically a daily assistant on your wrist. It keeps you apprised of everything from when you have a meeting to when it’s time to stand and stretch, do an intense workout, or take a break.
Female cycle tracking
Smartwatches for women have unique features that ladies can leverage. This includes cycle tracking, which allows you to input a menstrual period start and end date along with symptoms throughout. The app can then predict when your next period will start. It will also calculate your ovulation period. This is great for couples looking to conceive and also for those who want to minimize the chances of doing so. Log symptoms like spotting, cramps, fever, or headache. The app will generate a history to show to your doctor at the next appointment. You can also use this information to gauge how your cycle is changing. This could be due to things like perimenopause, or simply changes in your lifestyle.
Many women’s smartwatches have built-in apps for cycle tracking so you can log a period and symptoms right from the watch’s screen. Alternatively, there are third-party cycle tracking apps in both the iOS and Android stores.
Other unique features
There are additional unique features that women especially will appreciate, like stress tracking. Many provide guidance for stress management. Some include the option to log emotions throughout the day. You’ll also commonly find mindfulness breathing exercises or even with some smartwatches built-in stress-reducing exercises like yoga and meditation.
How to choose the right smartwatch
Now comes the decision: how do you choose the right smartwatch that will meet your needs? There are a few things to keep in mind.
Lifestyle considerations
What is the main reason you want the watch? Are you looking for something to track exercises, like daily gym workouts, walks, or runs? If so, you’ll want a smartwatch with tracking that fits your preferred activity. This could involve a swimproof design and lap counting if you swim, for example, or running metrics if you’re a runner. If you travel a lot or for runners, features like long battery life and built-in GPS will be important, too.
Style and comfort
No matter the reason you want the smartwatch, it needs to be stylish enough to wear at the gym, work or school, and while out for evenings. It should be lightweight and slim so it doesn’t feel heavy on your wrist. And it should be comfortable to wear even overnight to track your sleep. Interchangeable straps mean you can swap them based on the activity. Maybe you want silicone for workouts but metal or a leather-like material for daily wear.
Compatibility
Not all smartwatches are brand-agnostic. While smartwatches from brands like Fitbit, Garmin, and Amazfit work with both Android and iOS phones, others are tied to a specific type. OnePlus Watches, for example, only work with Android since there’s no version of the OHealth app for iPhone. Apple Watch only works iPhone. While you can technically use a Samsung Galaxy Watch with another Android phone, you’ll get additional features and more seamless connectivity with a Samsung Galaxy phone. The same goes for Google Pixel Watches and Google Pixel phones versus other branded Android devices. It’s worth noting that not all smartwatches work with all third-party apps. So, if there’s one you already use and love for tracking things like runs or nutrition, verify that it’s compatible with the watch you want.
Top smartwatches for women
Need some help narrowing down the options? Here are some models worth considering, organized based on primary needs.
Fitness focused models
If your primary concern is a smartwatch that can keep on top of your health, wellness, and fitness, these models are ideal options.
Garmin Venu 2S
Garmin is one of the best brands if your primary focus is fitness. This model is smaller in size, ideal for women with smaller wrist circumferences and who don’t want a big and bulky face. It comes with 25 pre-loaded sports app and allows you to follow animated workouts right from the watch face. It has storage for music so you can listen on-the-go without your phone. With up to 10 days of battery life and a bright AMOLED screen that’s viewable in sunlight, you can’t go wrong.
Fitbit Charge 6
OK, so technically the Fitbit Charge 6 isn’t a smartwatch, it’s actually a fitness tracker. However, it makes the cut because of how beautifully it combines the best of both worlds between a smartwatch and a fitness tracker. It has a slim, rectangular screen so it looks like an activity tracker. But that screen can display tons of information, from workout stats to incoming notifications, in beautiful clarity. It’s more than you’re used to seeing on a standard thin tracker that you easily forget it’s not just a small smartwatch. Actually, it kind of is because you get tons of features like access to YouTube Music, Google Maps, Wallet, and more. It tracks skin temperature, heart rate variability, and delivers high and low heart rate notifications via the ECG app. The best part? It lasts up to seven days and is ultra affordable.
Apple Watch Series 10
This is the smartwatch I have on my wrist 24/7 and I feel lost without it. It becomes such a big part of your day to track your steps, activities, and sleep, receive notifications, health reminders, and more. You can log menstrual cycles right from the watch itself. Set up reminders for medications or supplements like probiotics or protein shakes. There’s no better smartwatch companion for iPhone. The only downside is that you need to charge it daily. But the Series 10 battery is more efficient and charges more quickly than previous generation models.
Style-first
While these smartwatches have tons of health and wellness features, too, the primary appeal is that they look fabulous.
Fossil Gen 6 Wellness Edition
Combining high-tech with modern fashion, the Fossil Gen 6 Wellness Edition smartwatch comes with a stunning stainless-steel case and silicone band you can swap for another if you want to change up the look. It tracks all the usual suspects along with Sp02, VO2 Max, and cardio levels. Running on Wear OS, the battery lasts multiple days per charge when leveraging the smart battery modes. You can customize the full-colour display with personalized dials that highlight the information that’s most important to see at-a-glance.
Samsung Galaxy Watch 7
The newest model in the Samsung Galaxy Watch line, the Galaxy Watch 7 comes in the option of a smaller 40mm size and attractive finishes like Cream and Green. It’s like a personal wellness coach on your wrist. It provides wellness tips through Galaxy AI and a personalized energy score. Enjoy seamless pairing with a Samsung Galaxy phone (it works with any Android device but you’ll get the best experience with a Samsung Galaxy phone). AI features throughout assist with everything from heart rate tracking to suggested replies for incoming messages.
Fitbit Versa 4
An oldie but a goodie, the Fitbit Versa 4 launched back in 2022, but it still has some life left in it. With more than 40 exercise modes, guided breathing, cycle tracking, and accurate sleep tracking, you get plenty more with the addition of a Fitbit Premium subscription. This includes access to workouts you can play back right on the watch screen, daily readiness score, and more. Plus, you get notifications, turn-by-turn directions with Google Maps, and Google Wallet. Lasting up to six days per charge, you’ll love changing up the look with all types of third-party and Fitbit-branded bands.
All-around, everyday
Just looking for a decent smartwatch that looks good and tracks all the basics, maybe with a few add-ons, that you can wear all day? We have you covered.
Apple Watch SE
As a pared down, cheaper version of the Apple Watch, the Apple Watch SE is a great option to get you into the Apple Watch ecosystem without spending a bundle. It has the same essential features and a similar look to other Apple Watch models. You’ll also find useful safety features like fall detection, crash detection, and emergency SOS. It’s a perfect everyday watch. You can customize the face and even the band and choose from colors like Starlight and Denim. Plus, it comes with a three-month trial subscription to Apple Fitness+.
Garmin Lily
This smartwatch screams fashion and style. While it has all the same smarts other smartwatches, it resembles a traditional wristwatch with a thin band and round face. Available in feminine Coconut or Lilac finishes, it has features like Body Battery energy monitoring, LiveTrack and Assistance for safety, and menstrual as well as pregnancy tracking features. You’ll get up to five days per charge.
Google Pixel Watch 3
The perfect companion to a Google Pixel phone (it also works with any Android device), the Google Pixel Watch 3 oozes class and sophistication. The screen is twice as bright as the previous-gen model and the battery lasts longer. It does, however, still needs to be charged daily or every few days using Battery Saver mode. Build your own run workouts, leverage a Fitbit Premium subscription, and enjoy Google AI for assistance in setting goals and reaching targets. There are neat added features, too, like the ability to access offline Google Maps. Control a Pixel phone’s camera from the watch, compatible music apps and Google TV models. You can even see notifications from a connected Nest Cam or Nest Doorbell. With Pixel Recorder, you can record music, thoughts, and more.
Tips for using your smartwatch
Once you have chosen the smartwatch that fits you best in every way possible, you’ll want to familiarize yourself with its features and functions.
Get familiar with navigating the watch
This includes how to operate the watch screen itself, including navigating menus, swiping or scrolling through screens, rotating the digital crown if it has one, starting workouts, and more. Learn where the different options are, what side buttons do, and how to create shortcuts if available. Use the companion app to change the watch face and adjust things like font size or even the app arrangement if available.
Get acquainted with the companion app
You’ll also want to get acquainted with the data available in the app. Learn where to find everything the watch tracks, and how to interpret it. Go through the settings to ensure everything is correct. This will include personal information like age, weight, and height. Set goals for things like steps per day, calorie burn, and stand minutes per hour. You can always go back and change these as you get more familiar with the watch and your routine.
Connect third-party apps and devices
Connect compatible third-party apps and devices you might have. This could be everything from a running app like Strava to a smart scale or smart ring. In most cases, there’s an option in the app during set-up that allows you to turn on syncing with other devices. Conversely, the other devices may have a feature that asks if you want to sync with a compatible smartwatch. For example, Withings smart scales can sync with Apple Watch. Once done, you can see your weight measurements in the Apple Health app and your fitness and sleep data in the Withings app.
Learn how to optimize battery life
There are lots of ways to optimize battery life for a smartwatch. Turn off features like GPS or Sp02 monitoring if you don’t need them. Do the same with an always-on display, which can drain a lot of power. This just means you’ll have to tap the screen or press a button when you want to see the live face. Leverage power saver modes, which often kick in automatically once the battery gets to a certain point. You’ll learn over time how long the watch usually lasts. Then, figure out the perfect time to charge it every day, every few days, or weekly, as needed.
Frequently asked questions
Armed with all this knowledge, you may still have some questions about what makes a good women’s smartwatch and how to choose the right one.
Are smartwatches waterproof?
You’d be hard-pressed to find a smartwatch that is fully waterproof, but most are water-resistant. If they have an IP68 and/or 5ATM rating, this means you can safely swim (to shallow depths for up to 30 minutes), shower, or run in the rain with them. But no smartwatch is safe from saltwater, which can corrode the internals. If you want to swim in the ocean with one, you’re best to purchase a separate waterproof casing. There are ultra-rugged smartwatches, like the Apple Watch Ultra 2 and Samsung Galaxy Ultra that are rated to be used in even deeper depths for longer periods. The Apple Watch Ultra 2 is even a certified diving device! But these tend to be bulkier, more rugged-looking devices.
How does female cycle tracking work?
Female cycle tracking relies on your input to generate predictions. Enter the start date of your menstrual cycle and the typical duration. Ideally, do this for a few months in a row. From there, the watch will calculate your standard cycle length and predict when your next period is likely to start. It can even tell you in which week you’ll be ovulating. I have used this feature with numerous smartwatches for years, including Fitbit and Apple Watch, and it’s incredibly accurate. Some smartwatch apps allow you to include symptoms as well as extenuating factors like pregnancy, lactation, or contraceptive, so it serves as your full female health diary.
Is rated battery life accurate?
For the most part, rated battery life for smartwatches is fairly accurate. To be on the safe side, subtract a day or two from the rating to give you the worst-case scenario with heavy use. There are factors that impact battery life as well. These include the use of GPS, apps, and continuous tracking, an always-on display, and age of the watch. As with any electronic device, battery life will degrade over time. Some smartwatches need to be charged daily, others last upwards of a week, even longer, with heavy use.
What fitness activities can I track?
Virtually every smartwatch, from the most basic to the top-of-the-line option, can track common workouts like walking, running, treadmill, rowing, and cycling. Most also include other common workout types, like strength training, cardio, core training, elliptical, and yoga. Others add even more, like HIIT, boxing, dance, or specific sports or activities like tennis, swimming, even pickleball! In some cases, the specific workout is for your own personal records, so you know what you did and when. But with some, they can track unique metrics depending on the type of workout. This might be intervals during HIIT training or speed running or laps and strokes for pool swims.
Do I need sleep tracking?
Getting enough sleep, but also quality sleep, is crucial to your overall health and well-being. Given this, a smartwatch that can not only track sleep but provide detailed sleep data is useful. These will track the time you go to sleep and wake up and the duration or sleep. They also break down sleep stages by light, deep, REM, and awake periods. Some can check for elevated breathing during sleep, pointing to potential signs of sleep apnea. A sleep score is also a useful metric to help you determine if you need to improve. This provides guidance on how to do better, like reducing screen time before bed or eliminating alcohol. Smartwatches that track sleep usually integrate this data with other vitals like blood oxygen, heart rate, and heart rate variability. Altogether, this will help you determine readiness and advise if you should engage in an intense workout or take a rest day.
Treat yourself to a women’s smartwatch
Investing in a women’s smartwatch is a decision you won’t regret. You will be able to keep tabs of valuable information about your health, wellness, and fitness. You’ll have a stylish wearable on your wrist that fits with every outfit and doesn’t stick out like a sore thumb. With benefits like female health tracking, stress tracking, and slim and lightweight designs, these options are the best fit for ladies. Explore the models recommended here or visit your local Best Buy store or visit the Best Buy website to browse even more smartwatch options.
