Whether you're a couch-to-5K runner, marathoner, or somewhere in the middle, you'll find plenty of watches and trackers to fit any workload or preference. An Apple Watch or Wear OS watch will give you some basic fitness functions along with lifestyle apps for a more well-rounded experience. But the best running watches prioritize sensor accuracy, advanced fitness features, and durable battery life above all else. Starting with the Garmin Forerunner 255, we've tested and chosen the best running tech that caters to your passion for running.
Keep the pace going with the best running watches
Why you can trust Android Central Our expert reviewers spend hours testing and comparing products and services so you can choose the best for you. Find out more about how we test.
For years, the Garmin Forerunner 245 was Android Central's #1 pick thanks to its reliable health and location tracking, along with tools like Garmin Coach and Running Dynamics that keep you on the right training path. But it lacked some key features and its battery life didn't exactly wow us. Thankfully, the Garmin Forerunner 255 arrived in 2022 with some key upgrades to cement its place as the first choice for runners.
The many useful running widgets from the 245 return, including Body Battery, Pacepro, Training Effect, and so on. But it added a few new gems, starting with Morning Report: a widget that sums up your current energy and recovery level, local weather, your workout goal for the day, and other customizable data. Your sleep recovery is calculated with heart rate variability (HRV) measurements via the upgraded HRM, helping to show your body's stress levels during workouts or rest. There's even a new Race Widget showing how long until your next race and how you should train that day to prepare.
Another neat new feature is all-systems multi-band GPS, which tracks you across all three GNSS systems (GPS/GLONASS/GALILEO) and across multiple satellite frequencies simultaneously for near-perfect location tracking. It burns through your battery, but some serious runners needing accurate results in areas with poor coverage will really benefit from this tool.
All of the shiny new features aside, the Garmin Forerunner 255 is the best runner's watch because it gives you all the data on your form, performance, and health you need without a monthly fee. Our review details how the watch lived up to Garmin's two-week battery estimate even with regular GPS usage, as did the watch's accuracy boost for workout tracking.
The Forerunner 255 comes in 1.3-inch and 1.1-inch display sizes, offering a 0.35oz-lighter model with a slightly shorter 12-day/26-hour battery life. Our reviewer loved the 1.3-inch display but found it a bit large, preferring the display and battery trade-off for a slightly more compact 255S fit. But it's a matter of preference, and the larger 255 is still perfectly comfortable compared to some of the larger Garmin watches.
Shopping for the best running watch doesn't automatically mean you need to spend a fortune. With the Garmin Forerunner 55, it comes with core Garmin features like built-in GPS, heart-rate monitoring, activity/sleep tracking, sports apps, Body Battery energy monitoring, and stress tracking. It trades off features like NFC, an altimeter, and music storage; but it has all the essentials for a much lower price than most Garmin devices.
As our Garmin Forerunner 55 review explained, this bargain running watch won't win any style awards — though some third-party Garmin Forerunner 55 bands could help with that — but its 5-button design makes it just as easily navigatable as more expensive models. And it packs in two weeks of battery life in smartwatch mode or 20 hours in GPS mode, beating many non-Garmin watches at this price point.
Runners will enjoy several run profiles like treadmill running, indoor track running, outdoor track running, and virtual running for various workouts. The recovery advisor helps you understand how much rest time you need between workouts, and the race predictor accounts for your fitness level and training history when helping you reach your race goal. You'll also be able to view the impact of training on your predicted finish time.
You'll miss out on plenty of Forerunner 255 features; but self-guided runners who care more about metrics than training guidance won't miss out on much with this budget runner's watch.
Most people are happy enough with a watch that lasts one day under normal circumstances, while last-gen running watches often only lasted 10-20 hours with GPS tracking enabled, or relied on solar panels to last longer. The COROS APEX 2 can last a whopping 45 hours per charge, ensuring it'll never die on you even if you start a workout with low battery levels.
COROS is a popular brand among many runners, and in recent years it has developed significant software tools like an EvoLab for measuring training effect and recovery time and a Training Hub for getting training plans to improve your times. If you're only familiar with Garmin watches, you shouldn't sleep on the APEX 2, which gives the Forerunner 255 a run for its money (no pun intended).
It has a titanium frame and sapphire glass, giving the APEX 2 a more premium appearance than most plastic running watches. We appreciate that it has both a touchscreen and digital crown for whichever type of navigation you prefer, and it has blood oxygen and ECG detection — though you can only spot-check this information rather than run it continuously. And it uses all-systems GNSS tracking, meaning it relies upon multiple satellite systems at once to detect your positioning more exactly, in case your signal is blocked from a specific direction.
Technically, the better option for battery life is the COROS APEX 2 Pro, which lasts a whopping 75 hours per charge and offers other "pro" upgrades like increased storage and dual-frequency GPS tracking. But we recommended the APEX 2 over the Pro in our review, noting that it's a better deal for its lower price point.
If you're looking for a straightforward running watch with stellar battery life, look no further than the COROS PACE 2. It offers many of the same perks as a Garmin watch — a Training Hub with free data and running metrics, button-based navigation, and a long battery life — but at a lower price point. Our COROS PACE 2 review dives into various ways it beats the Forerunner 55 while selling at the same price point.
The PACE 2's battery life is the star of the show. This smartwatch can last for up to 20 days with regular use. That translates to 30 hours in continuous GPS mode. Whether you're a casual runner or a more serious one with daily training, you'll likely only need to charge your watch 2-3 times a month. You'll likely remember that the COROS APEX 2 lasts 15 hours longer, but it also costs twice as much and weighs much more, making the PACE 2 the more accessible option.
It also offers a lightweight design at a mere 29g with a nylon strap (or 35g with silicone). You also get a 1.2-inch LCD with 64 colors and a useful rotating crown for unlocking the watch and scrolling quickly through data and menus. Plus, of course, you'll have all of the features you'd expect, including built-in GPS, heart-rate monitoring, activity/sleep tracking, multiple workout modes, and more.
In terms of data, COROS EvoLab has the essentials like Training Effect/Load, your relative Running Performance, your Fatigue level, a Race Predictor, and even a Marathon Level score for your marathon training.
Just don't expect the COROS PACE 2 to offer much else beyond the essentials. You lack NFC payments, music storage, an SpO2 sensor, or 3rd-party apps. Plus,some will want to invest in the silicone strap, as the default nylon strap gets somewhat itchy and uncomfortable as a trade-off for the lighter weight; still, the nylon strap allows for a more effortless fit and truly makes the watch feel near-weightless.
The only reason the Garmin Forerunner 955 doesn't claim the top spot on this list is its high price. If you ignore that, we called it the "best runner's watch, period" in our review; but many runners won't need its top-tier features and will do perfectly well with a cheaper and smaller watch instead.
With that out of the way, the Forerunner 955 is a bigger but more polished version of our top pick, the Forerunner 255. Take all of the praised features above, then get ready to add even more. For starters, while the 255 Music has 4GB of space for $50 extra, the 955 comes with 32GB for both music and maps — including preloaded topographical maps, golf and skiing maps, and room for uploaded GPX maps.
Next, you get a more advanced version of Body Battery called Training Readiness. It operates on the same data like HRV status, sleep data, and acute load, but instead of focusing on your energy dipping throughout the day, it instead puts more stock in your recovery time, letting your readiness improve for a workout even if it's late in the day. Plus, once you start running, you can see a real-time stamina bar that shows your estimated energy left based on data like your VO2 Max.
We wish there were a smaller version of the Forerunner 955, even if it meant losing some of its epically-long battery life (42 hours of GPS tracking or 20 with multi-band tracking, well above the 255). And the 945 LTE, further down this list, did receive many of the 955's features in addition to its cellular tools. Still, this is the watch we recommend for serious athletes if price is no object.
For the most reliable running metrics and health data that isn't tied to a paid subscription, we have three main brands we trust: Garmin, Coros, and Polar. The latter recently released the Polar Pacer Pro, a revamped mid-level running watch that made some significant spec upgrades to go with its typically reliable data tools. Aside from missing a few key features, our Polar Pacer Pro review mostly raved about this watch as another Garmin Forerunner rival.
For starters, we tested the GPS and HRM tracking compared to other watches' results, and were satisfied with the accuracy, especially for heart rate. Button-tapping through watch faces is fast, so you can swap between info like daily activity progress, weekly heart rate zone data, current heart rate, weather, nightly recharge, and recommended workouts in a snap. No need to open the mobile app to find out how your body is doing or what your next run should be.
We're also fans of the Running Performance test, which has you steadily run faster and faster while staying in an MPH/KPH zone to test your VO2 Max and judge what kind of pace and distance to recommend daily. The Polar Flow app collates your data and gives you a clear look at how your running fitness is progressing.
Compared to other watches, it's certainly missing some sensors other brands add by default, and it lacks many uses outside of running that makes a typical smartwatch handier in everyday life. But simply as a watch you strap on for runs and fitness guidance, it's an excellent choice.
The Garmin Instinct 2 Solar's appeal is the claim that it has "unlimited" battery life thanks to its Solar Panel, though mileage will vary based on local weather and your daily habits. Sunlight will counterbalance everyday health tracking and your GPS tracking will be much more efficient than most Garmin watches — with 18 more GPS hours than our top pick, the long-lived Forerunner 255.
Runners will need to charge it eventually, but much less often than any other watch if you get regular time outdoors. In our Garmin Instinct 2 Solar review, we found it lived up to Garmin's battery estimates, with the solar panel offsetting the GPS use across multiple running races so it rarely needed a charge.
As we noted above, the COROS APEX 2 or PACE 2 may be better running watches; the PACE 2 costs much less while hitting a respectable 30 hours, while the APEX 2 has a comparable price and battery life even without a solar panel, as well as more focused running tools. But the Instinct 2 Solar has the capacity to last much longer in standby mode and refill its battery over time, so it depends on what you need.
It's a good choice for trail runners, with MIL-820 shock resistance and a scratch-proof Gorilla Glass display that'll handle any fall or collision. The black-and-white memory-in-pixel display is lower resolution than most other Garmin watches at just 176 x 176 pixels, but it's fully visible in sunny conditions and contributed to the long battery life.
Otherwise, it gives you all the core Garmin metrics you need, from Body Battery to Pulse Ox, daily workout suggestions to recovery time. It supports Garmin Pay and connects with the Connect IQ app for different watch faces. Just keep in mind that the Instinct 2 Solar lacks many of the running widgets you'd get on the Forerunner 255, or even the 55. Its software isn't specifically designed for everyday runners in the same way as our other picks.
The Samsung Galaxy Watch 5 and 5 Pro give you three different size options for practically the same experience. The only question is whether you want to prioritize comfort or battery life.
Each watch has an Exynos W920 Dual-Core with 1.5GB of RAM for silky-smooth performance and app support that most other runners' watches can't offer. Each has a gorgeous super AMOLED display with a touch bezel for scrolling through menus (no physical rotating bezel like the Galaxy Watch 4 Classic, unfortunately). And they all share a bevy of health sensors that measure everything from your heart's health and rhythm to your overall body composition (aka fat and muscle percentage) and blood oxygen.
The Galaxy Watch 5 Pro is the "better" watch for runners because it has an 80-hour battery life, something that proved accurate in our review testing. Where other Wear OS watches and the Apple Watch could die after just a few hours of GPS tracking, the Galaxy Watch 5 Pro is much more dependable to handle that, continuous HRM, music storage, and so on without instantly dying. Unfortunately, the tradeoff for this battery life is that it's "hard to get past just how heavy this watch is" as a runner used to lighter devices.
Then you have the standard Galaxy Watch 5, which our reviewer praised for its comfortable design and more accurate sensor data than the last generation, thanks to a redesign that gives the sensors better contact with your skin. It'll give you accurate data for training, and you have your pick between Samsung Health and popular third-party running apps. Unfortunately, the battery barely lives up to Samsung's 40-hour estimate with regular use, let alone with GPS tracking. But you can make up for that with the watch's ultra-fast charging speed, taking the battery back up to full in a little over an hour.
We bundled these two watches because, again, there aren't many differences between them for runners, aside from the Pro getting exclusive access to a Trackback tool. The Galaxy Watch 5 is more comfortable to wear, but you have to pay closer attention to the battery. The Pro isn't as comfortable for all-day wear, but ultramarathoners who need something dependable will prefer it despite the extra weight.
They're the two best Android smartwatches we've tested, giving you plenty of perks outside of fitness to enjoy, while still giving plenty of perks for casual runners striving to achieve their goals. It's up to you to decide which is "better" for your needs!
We may focus on Android smartwatches on this site, but we're not blind to the fact that Apple Watches have achieved their widespread popularity for a reason. We called the Apple Watch Series 7 "the only premium smartwatch you should buy," and while we didn't review the newest Series 8, our colleagues at iMore (opens in new tab) noted that the watch is basically unchanged except for a few features that runners will really appreciate.
The Apple Watch Series 8 has an advanced accelerometer for fall or crash detection, noting when you've come to a sudden stop and asking if you need assistance. This applies to everyone rather than runners, but the watch also supports an SOS shortcut letting you contact services if you need help; you'll need your iPhone on you, but you can pay for the Series 8 Cellular edition to call for help even if your phone is dead.
WatchOS 9 (opens in new tab), the newest OS available on the Apple Watch Series 8, adds heart rate zones, custom and multisport workouts (aka triathalon mode). It measures Stride Length, Ground Contact Time, and Vertical Oscillation, includes new Sleep Stages for better sleep tracking, and even adds AFib history if you're monitoring any longstanding heart issues.
Then, of course, you have the daily activity rings as a great "gamification" tool that motivates you to get running every day. And Apple Fitness+ video workouts offer plenty of cross-training potential for HIIT or Strength days, though you'll have to pay extra for it.
The latest model ships with all of the core health and fitness sensors you need: built-in GPS, heart-rate monitoring, an always-on altimeter, blood oxygen (SpO2) monitoring, electrocardiogram (ECG) readings, native sleep tracking, and one brand-new tool: a skin temperature sensor. Mainly designed to help women track ovulation cycles for health planning, it also lets you check your temperature averages for possible signs of illness.
Like the Galaxy Watch 5, the Apple Watch requires daily charging and is much more likely than any of the other best running watches to die mid-workout if you don't keep it topped off. But it's more attractive, lightweight, and generally useful than most of our other picks.
Some people run for the joy of running; others because it's the simplest way to get your heart and body healthier. If health is your main concern, or if you spend as much time in the gym as hitting the pavement, you may want to opt for a Fitbit instead. The Fitbit Versa 4 is the more affordable watch, or you could switch to a tracker like the excellent Charge 5 instead. But the best Fitbit for health tracking is the flagship Fitbit Sense 2.
The Sense 2 comes with one of the widest ranges of health sensors available, tracking your heart rate, rhythm, and variance, blood oxygen, and skin temperature. With Fitbit Premium, you'll get various reports on your Daily Readiness, overall health, stress levels, health trends over the last 90 days, possible issues like fevers or AFib, and other useful tools and scores.
Our Fitbit Sense 2 review explains the many perks that come with this model, starting with the attractive "squircle" design with AMOLED touchscreen and the new side button that replaces the finicky capacitive button of the original Sense. Its reliance on a touchscreen makes it less reliable than button navigation when your fingertips get sweaty, but it's undoubtedly a lighter, more attractive watch for casual wear outside of runs. And you'll get good everyday mileage out of tools like tap-to-pay, Amazon Alexa integration, and even Google Maps support.
In terms of fitness features, you get essentials like heart-rate monitoring, sleep tracking, automatic exercise recognition, on-screen workouts, and female health tracking. And you'll love Active Zone Minutes, which shows the time you spend in fat burn, cardio, or break heart-rate zones.
You don't get any super-advanced features here as far as running is concerned, and the six-day battery life doesn't match other options on this list. Plus, it only has 5 hours of estimated GPS tracking, well below the other options on this list — plenty for casual runners who won't run longer than an hour or so, but not enough for all-day tracking.
If you're familiar with the Garmin Forerunner 945, you'll notice that the more recent Garmin Forerunner 945 LTE offers many of the same features, including two weeks of battery life. As the name indicates, the main difference is LTE connectivity. When it comes to LTE smartwatches, most people think of making calls and sending texts from their watch without their phones connected. The Forerunner 945 LTE takes a different approach.
As our Garmin Forerunner 945 LTE review explains, the watch's LTE support is both more independent and less functional than what you'll find on other LTE smartwatches. It requires a $6.99 monthly Garmin subscription to use; in exchange, it lets runners share live tracking or broadcast an emergency signal if you go somewhere without your phone (or your phone dies). It's especially helpful as an emergency backup if you tend to run on rough trails or hike deserted paths, but isn't helpful for on-watch calls or messaging.
Other LTE watches — like the Galaxy Watch 4 or Apple Watch Series 7 with cellular upgrades — will have more robust features, but they're unlikely to last more than a day and won't have the same fitness tools. The Forerunner 945 LTE has a ton of useful tools like full-color mapping and turn-by-turn navigation that cheaper Garmins lack, plus all the essentials like VO2 max, training load, training status, performance condition, and training effect. This makes the 945 LTE a great choice for runners who like to run all over the world and want plenty of data to go with it.
Best running watches: How to decide
When shopping for the best running watch, there are several factors to consider, including your battery life needs, feature preferences, and budget. Most dedicated runners will find the Garmin Forerunner 255 is the best option. It's a mid-level running watch that covers all the essentials without breaking the bank. Of course, there are cheaper options out there, but you're going to receive a solid set of features for the price. It also offers a whole week of battery life, which will be more than enough for most runners.
If you feel like something's missing from the Forerunner 255, you could always consider one of the more advanced options on this list. While you might spend more for a premium pick, keep in mind that these are some of the best running watches you can buy right now. With that said, if you're new to all this, you might want the bare minimum from your wearable. No matter what you're looking for, there's a running smartwatch out there for everyone.
