We tested the best LTE smartwatches and these are the picks you need to check out in 2025

All the best smartwatches feature basic connectivity standards, like Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, and even GPS support onboard. However, some watches take things to the next level with cellular connectivity. These 4G or 5G LTE watches help you stay connected even if your phone isn't nearby, which is excellent for those who live active lifestyles.

You can receive notifications and calls, stream music, follow turn-by-turn navigation, or perform other tasks that would normally require your smartphone as a relay. The most common use case is for athletes who want to stay connected on hikes, or at the gym, without carrying their phone. But it could be helpful for a number of reasons, such as if your phone dies at an inconvenient time.

You'll have to pay monthly to add your LTE smartwatch to your carrier, on top of the extra hardware cost. But our favorite pick, the Pixel Watch 4, comes bundled with certain features like messaging without paying extra. And some of the other best smartwatches with LTE have their own perks, like 5G on the Apple Watch Ultra 3 or converting the Galaxy Watch 8 into a standalone kids' watch. Read on to decide which is the right fit for you, and whether your watch will match with your carrier.

Michael Hicks

Michael Hicks is Android Central's resident smartwatch geek, having reviewed or tested dozens of wearables from Samsung, Google, Apple, Garmin, Fitbit, Coros, Polar, Withings, Amazfit, and others. He spends his free time running or hiking while wearing several watches at once, testing which is most accurate.

At a glance

Best overall

One of our favorite Android smartwatches available today, the Google Pixel Watch 4 is the rare LTE watch that gives you some cellular data without an additional cost. Continental U.S. buyers get two years of messaging, navigation, and music on the Google Fi network, though not calling and only 500MB per month. If you use Google Fi for your phone network, Google offers "wearable calling, texting and data at no extra cost" in some countries.

Google charges $100 for its 4G LTE upgrade, which felt expensive on the Pixel Watch 3 but is a bit easier to justify this generation, thanks to the additional satellite SOS. Only available on the Watch 4 LTE model, it uses the Skylo satellite network to enable emergency signals in cellular dead zones. More likely, the Watch 4 will use cellular data to call 911 if it detects Loss of Pulse, a car crash, or a hard fall, but it's nice to have a backup.

Once you make sure the Pixel Watch 4 LTE is available in your region and with your carrier, the only question is whether the smartwatch itself is the right fit. Read my Pixel Watch 4 review for an in-depth look, but one key upgrade is that the Snapdragon W5 Gen 2 chip doesn't just add satellite; it's also more efficient, stretching out the Watch 4's battery life to compensate for cellular data. And its dual-band GPS support ensures you're getting pinpointed location data while using Google Maps.

Otherwise, the Pixel Watch 4 will mainly appeal thanks to exclusive features like Gemini Raise to Talk and on-device AI replies, leveraging Google's Gemini smarts on your wrist. The Wi-Fi Watch 4 mostly relies on your phone's Gemini Nano to come up with quick replies, but the LTE model can use its own smarts in a pinch.

Best affordable LTE upgrade

The Galaxy Watch 8 comes in Wi-Fi and 4G/LTE variants, as do the Galaxy Watch FE and Galaxy Watch 8 Classic, available with standard carriers in dozens of countries. I specifically recommend the Watch 8 because the Watch FE, while cheaper, has much worse hardware (specifically battery life) that makes it less reliable as a standalone watch, while the Watch 8 Classic LTE is quite expensive with limited upside besides looks.

Thanks to Google and Samsung's close Wear OS partnership, Google offers Fi network subscribers the same perk for Galaxy Watch owners: Add it to your plan at no additional cost. And interestingly, even if you don't use Fi, you can get the same monthly 500MB plan for Fi messaging and data for two years, but only if you buy the Watch 8 through Best Buy in the U.S.

Wherever you live, Samsung generally makes its LTE upgrade more affordable than Apple and Google, and the watch itself is quite affordable while delivering enough value to be the best Wear OS watch of the year.

Our Galaxy Watch 8 review runs through the upsides (exceptional comfort, fast performance, reliable health data, and bright display), but its battery life is on the short side, even before LTE is factored in. You may prefer the Galaxy Watch Ultra, which has double the battery life and includes LTE support without an upcharge, if you can accept the much higher price.

As a final note, Samsung has a program called Galaxy Watch for Kids that lets you convert a Galaxy Watch 8 or 7 into a standalone device for your child, with the ability to call or message but with a limited selection of appropriate apps. So long as you have a Samsung phone for setup and connectivity, you can stay in touch with your kid without needing to buy them a phone.

Best 5G LTE

If you have an iPhone, you'd probably gravitate toward an Apple Watch anyway, but Apple's 2025 watches made significant cellular strides, most notably adding 5G capabilities to match your phone's network download speeds and calling quality.

You'll need to have a 5G-capable cellular carrier; otherwise, it'll default to 4G LTE or 3G standards, as they're available. Apple has a massive list of carriers to choose from, and if you go to another country, your watch will be able to connect with other networks, assuming your carrier supports international roaming.

Plus, Apple notes that the Series 11 has a "redesigned cellular antenna" designed to boost reception in weak signal areas. If the algorithm detects a poor signal, it "engages the two system antennas when needed, significantly increasing the signal strength."

The Apple Watch Series 11 has significant upsides to its LTE support, like sending car crash or fall alerts out without a phone nearby, or using it for apps like Maps in a pinch. But while its battery life has improved over past generations — Apple promises it'll last 24 hours, including four hours of standalone cellular — it's still a short-lived device. You may end up wanting the Apple Watch Ultra 3 for its battery boost; it includes 5G and satellite messaging by default, but costs $300 more.

Like the Galaxy Watch 8, the Apple Watch Series 11 has a standalone option for kids without a phone, with calling and texting, location tracking, and parental controls.

Best budget LTE smartwatch

The Galaxy Watch 8 and Apple Watch SE 3 share one thing in common: both cost only $50 to add LTE support, whereas most other brands charge an extra $100. Apple's special-edition watch is more affordable overall, but it has notable hardware downgrades that you'll have to accept — though it's much better than the 2022 model we used to recommend.

Like the pricier Apple Watches, the SE 3 has a 5G modem, giving it an edge over Android models. Apple specifically promises "better performance with greater throughput," along with better power efficiency. In practice, it only gets 18 hours per charge, giving you less flexibility, but Apple is still promising 4+ hours of cellular connectivity without a major battery hit.

Either the Ultra 3 or S11 beat the SE 3 if you're looking for an impressive standalone device. The SE 3 has a dimmer display and fewer health sensors (no SpO2, ECGs, or hypertension alerts), though it has the same performance and software. Still, I'd say the SE 3 is best if you see LTE connectivity as a backup, or if you want an affordable watch for your kid; if you're planning to leave your phone behind frequently, you may prefer the Ultra 3 or Series 11 instead.

Best for battery life

LTE smartwatches let you leave your phone behind for a workout, but typically for an hour or two at a time. For anyone who needs a true standalone watch that'll last for days, if not weeks, off the grid, the Garmin Fenix 8 Pro is the clear choice...if you can afford it.

Unlike my other picks, the Fenix 8 Pro uses a lower-powered cellular connection called LTE-M; it's available wherever LTE is, and uses less battery life to keep the Pro running longer, but is more susceptible to signal blockage. It also supports satellite messaging and SOSs, keeping you connected in dead zones.

You can use cellular data for voice calls, sending voice or text messages, calling for help after a fall, or transmitting your GPS location to family in real time (LiveTrack). The latter ensures loved ones can know where you are at all times and can call 911 to send help if you stop moving at a specific spot on a hike. The 51mm model lets you use dual-band GPS and LTE LiveTrack for up to 21 hours in a row, while lower-end GPS or fewer check-ins can stretch this out for days.

Also unlike our other picks, Garmin makes you use its own InReach network plan — which includes both LTE-M and satellite messaging for $7.99/month — and its own Garmin Messenger app to connect with people. Cellular data is available in 34 countries, specifically U.S. and Canada, most of Europe, Japan, Australia, and New Zealand; satellite data is slightly more limited.

The Fenix 8 Pro is a very specialized device, with limited apps; an Apple Watch Ultra 3 is a good alternative if you need more smarts and a superior 5G connection. But the Fenix 8 lineup has incredible training tools and offline maps to help you navigate without wasting battery life.

Best for kids

I've made a point of mentioning which of the above picks can be converted to work for kids, but you don't have to buy a full-priced watch and then restrict it; there are plenty of kids' smartwatches with built-in LTE to stay connected to your phoneless children, many of which cost less. But one we particularly recommend is the Fitbit Ace LTE, which is essentially a stripped-down, squircle Pixel Watch.

Our Fitbit Ace LTE reviewer praised the watch, describing how most kids' watches are "thick and chonky" with unappealing software, but that his son really enjoyed using the Ace LTE because it rewarded staying active with fun wrist-based games and customization options for the Tamagotchi-like Eejie on the main watch face.

Kids will be able to call or text/ voice message parents on their wrist, and parents can set up school time restrictions so that they're not distracted by games during class. You'll be able to check where your kid is using the built-in GPS, though the Ace LTE doesn't have the automatic geofencing feature of some other kids' watches, like the Garmin Bounce.

You'll need to pay $10/month to Google for its Fitbit Ace Pass, though this is a fairly standard amount of money for a cellular plan.

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How to choose

If you're buying this LTE smartwatch for yourself (not your kid), then it comes down to whether you own an iPhone or Android phone; niche options like Garmin aside, you're probably going to want an Apple, Google Pixel, or Samsung Galaxy Watch. Alternative LTE brands exist, but your options are limited in North America.

Your MVNO is more likely to support an LTE Apple Watch than an Android watch, and Apple's new 5G modems give you the best speed. But SE 3 aside, its LTE models are quite pricey, and LTE Android watches give you slightly more reliable battery life.

Apple and Samsung bundle LTE connectivity into their Ultra smartwatches because those are best suited to be standalone devices, with the extra battery life to handle phone duties instead of acting as an intermediary. But these models are both heavy and expensive, even before you factor in your monthly carrier fee.

Google Fi subscribers aside, I appreciate that Google gives Pixel Watch 4 buyers a couple of years of limited data for messaging and satellite SOS alerts; if you only need this as a backup option and don't need LTE calling, you could skip adding it to a carrier entirely and save on two years of monthly fees.

The Fenix 8 Pro is an interesting alternative because it bypasses your carrier, but to be frank, if you're paying for a budget MVNO, you probably don't want to spend $1,200 on a smartwatch. The Pro is truly for "pros" whose safety depends on staying connected at all times, and who can't count on having access to charging every night.