Whilst there’s no written rule on what is a more suitable GPS watch for women than it is for men, it’s clear that some manufacturers have come out with more feminine styles.
When looking for the best fitness watch for yourself, it’s important to remember that style is just one component that you should look out for. Features, battery life, and durability should also be important factors to consider.
Best Accuracy
Apple Watch Series 6
Best Value
Huawei Watch Fit
Best Style
Garmin Lily
Minimalistic
Fitbit Charge 4
Best Multi Sport
Garmin Venu Sq GPS
Best Fitness Watches And Trackers For Women Reviewed
We’ve reviewed some of the best fitness watches for women when comparing them against style, features, battery life, durability, and more. Check out the list below to find one that might be suitable for your needs.
1. Apple Watch Series 6
Key Features
- Water-resistant up to 50m
- 18-hour battery life
- 32GB storage capacity
- 30.5g (1.07oz) or 36.5g (1.289oz)
- Runs on a 64-bit dual-core S6 processor
Reasons to buy
- Luxurious aesthetics
- Reliable sports-oriented features
- Wide variety of customization options
- Complete smartwatch functions and tools
- Strong set of health and wellness metrics and features
Reasons to avoid
- Very expensive
- Short battery life
It’s not difficult to see why Apple is dominating the smartwatch industry – and we mean that literally. The Apple Watch Series 6 is one of the sleekest, most elegant fitness watches for women you can buy right now. Coupled with its solid performance and strong fitness tracking features, there’s practically no reason not to get this watch if you have the budget for it.
As mentioned, from the looks alone, the Apple Watch Series 6 already shines. It has a minimalist yet stylish design that will appeal to anyone looking for feminine grace – something that’s not very common in the smartwatch industry.
There are two size options, 44mm and 40mm. Women with thinner wrists will definitely appreciate the smaller variant. The case is made of cool aluminum, which feels very comfortable.
With its full-colored screen, you’ll never have a dull moment with the Series 6. You can do everything from taking calls to reading notifications and even to responding to texts.
Aside from this, the Series 6 has many features designed for health and fitness tracking: optical heart sensor, altimeter, GPS, fall detection, blood oxygen sensor, electrical heart sensor, noise monitoring, menstrual cycle tracking, workout modes, and sleep analytics. All of these can sync seamlessly with any iOS device.
The biggest downsides? Very disappointing battery life of roughly 18 hours per charge and the unsurprisingly high price.
Nevertheless, if you don’t mind paying a premium price for something luxurious and feature-packed, then the Apple Watch Series 6 is still one of the best fitness watches for women you can get today.
2. Huawei Watch Fit
Key Features
- 21g (0.74oz)
- Water-resistant up to 50m
- 240 hours (10 days) of battery life
- Offered in 4 colors
Reasons to buy
- Very affordable price
- Offers blood oxygen monitoring
- Wide selection of exercise modes
- Modern smartwatch features
- Health and wellness metrics
Reasons to avoid
- Plastic case
The Huawei Watch Fit doesn’t have the same premium feel as the Apple Watch Series 6, but it does look just as fantastic.
It has a lightweight plastic case, a 42mm rectangular screen set in a pretty bezel, and a simple strap design that looks smooth and classy. For the style-conscious, the Huawei Watch Fit is available in multiple colors, and the bands can be replaced with various options to suit your taste better.
The screen features a high-definition 280 x 456 resolution AMOLED touch screen, resulting in a vivid, colorful display. Like the Series 6, you can also customize the always-on screen to reflect your style.
It has an onboard GPS and can track heart rate, blood oxygen, sleep, and menstrual cycles. It also has over 96 workout modes that you can choose from to keep fit. Plus, as a full-fledged smartwatch, the Huawei Watch Fit supports notifications, music control, and touchless pay. It also has a 10-day (240 hours) battery life – which, although relatively average, is vastly superior when compared to the Apple Watch Series 6.
Although it doesn’t have the same set of health and wellness, sports, and fitness features that the Series 6 has, for the price it’s being offered, the Huawei Watch Fit is pretty capable in its own right. In fact, if you’re looking for affordability, sophistication, and function, the Huawei Watch Fit should be your top pick.
3. Garmin Lily
Key Features
- 24g (0.85oz)
- Water-resistant up to 50m
- Offered in 6 variants
- 120 hours (5 days) of battery life
Reasons to buy
- Plenty of women-specific features
- Reliable fitness tracking basics
- Smart and sophisticated design
Reasons to avoid
- No built-in GPS
- Can’t replace watch faces
- Limited smartwatch features
Nothing encapsulates the saying “simplicity is beauty” more than the Garmin Lily. Lightweight and ideal for those with small wrists, this fitness watch for women has a very minimalist design that exudes a sense of timeless sophistication.
The only thing we dislike in terms of looks is the lack of watch face options. The watch has a touch screen display, but only one watch face is available for every color variety.
For instance, if you choose the purple variant, you have to make do with the purple watch face. That said, there are plenty of strap colors, designs, and materials to choose from. You can get anything to suit your level of formality, from silicone to leather and even to metallic.
When it comes to functionality, the Garmin Lily doesn’t disappoint. Many of its features are wellness-oriented. You can use it to monitor respiration, heart rate, energy levels, blood oxygen, hydration, menstruation, menopause, and even fertility. You also get a pretty reliable stress management function that gives you relaxation prompts when your stress levels rise.
As for fitness tracking, the Garmin Lily covers the basics well. It can monitor the typical metrics like the number of steps, calories burned, distance, and timed activities. It doesn’t have a built-in GPS though, so you need to connect it to your smartphone during your runs.
While it does feel like a rather stripped-down smartwatch, it still has functions such as push notifications, calendar views, and music playback, among a few others. Battery life is rather average at 120 hours (5 days) of continuous use.
With all things considered, if you don’t mind not having some modern smartwatch features, the Garmin Lily is certainly one of the most beautiful fitness watches for women everywhere.
4. Fitbit Charge 4
Key Features
- 30g (1.06oz)
- Water-resistant up to 50m
- 5-hour battery life with GPS enabled
- 168-hour battery life in regular mode
- Connects through Bluetooth and WiFi
Reasons to buy
- Great built-in GPS
- Controls Spotify Premium
- Great health and wellness features
- Active Zone for workout optimization
- Motivational push notifications
Reasons to avoid
- Poor battery life with GPS enabled
If you want a fitness watch for women that has a little something for everything, you’ll find that with the Fitbit Charge 4.
It has a minimally-designed exterior, with an angular longitudinal display that seamlessly blends with the band to create a sleek, unified silhouette. Where the Fitbit Charge 4 really shines, though, is performance. It basically has it all: sports, fitness, health and wellness, stress management, and even sleep monitoring.
The built-in GPS and great navigation system make this watch especially appealing for women who love to jog outdoors. You can mark your route, analyze how your route affects your runs, and even measure pace and distance on the way. It also includes 20 preset sports and exercise modes and the Active Zone feature.
The Charge 4 also has pretty great sleep metrics, with SpO2, skin temperature, and heart rate sensors that will stay active 24/7 to measure your baseline state and alert you of any irregularities. You can also use the Fitbit companion app to track your menstrual cycles.
As a smartwatch, the Charge 4 can show push notifications, control your Spotify, and enable Fitbit Pay for touchless payments. In terms of battery life, it can last up to 168 hours (7 days) when GPS is disabled. With GPS enabled, though, battery life drops to a very disappointing 5 hours.
The Fitbit Charge 4 won’t win you any competitions, but it’s undoubtedly one of the best fitness watches for women that you can take beyond the gym.
5. Garmin Venu Sq GPS
Key Features
- 36g (1.28oz)
- Water-resistant up to 50m
- Bluetooth connectivity
- 14 hours of battery life in GPS mode
- 144 hours of battery life in regular mode
Reasons to buy
- Smart and stylish design
- Strong smartwatch features
- Lots of strap designs to choose from
- Reliable sports and performance trackers
- Multiple health and wellness features
Reasons to avoid
- Average watch face selection
- No serious features for athletes
The Garmin Venu Sq GPS has a rounded square look with a full-color 240 x 240 resolution display on a 40mm screen. Like most smartwatches on this list, you can change the watch face of the Venu Sq GPS, although the selection is limited, and most designs are just so-so.
One thing we love about this particular model is its customizable options in terms of style. You can choose from a ton of color options, designs, and even materials for your bands. No matter the look you’re going for, we’re sure you’ll find one right up your alley with the Venu Sq GPS.
Fitness-wise, this watch offers a lot of value. Aside from the basics, the Venu Sq can also track fitness metrics such as your overall energy score, calories burned, hydration, and respiration. There’s even a stress level notification and an accompanying mindful breathing exercise to help calm you down. Women will especially love the trackers for menstruation and sleep.
There are also over 20 different sport modes included for those who are on the athletic side. Lastly, the Venu Sq has various smartwatch features such as music controls, notifications, and contactless payment. All these for a fairly decent 144-hour (6 days) battery life.
If you think the Apple Watch Series 6 is too much, but you need more sports features than the Huawei Watch Fit, you’ll find the Garmin Venu Sq GPS a worthy choice.
6. Samsung Galaxy Watch Active 2
Key Features
- 30g (1.05oz)
- 4GB storage
- 768MB RAM
- 50m water resistance
- Runs on Tizen OS 4.0 processor
Reasons to buy
- Workout auto-detection
- Social media app access
- Women’s health tracking tools
- Full-fledged smartwatch functionality
- Stress and sleep management features
Reasons to avoid
- Battery life can be improved
The Samsung Galaxy Watch Active 2 is a stylish smartwatch with a ton of useful fitness features.
It has a 44mm touchscreen with an ultra-clear, full-color 360 x 360 resolution display. The round watch face and the slightly thicker aluminum case give the Active 2 a premium feel. If you love customizing your watches, you’re going to enjoy all the strap colors and designs that the Active 2 offers.
When it comes to features, the Galaxy Active 2 has a lot to give, as well. It has a comprehensive fitness function that is designed to provide deeper insights into your body’s state. It can also auto-detect up to 7 different workouts and exercises and can track about 39 more.
The Active 2 has an integrated sleep tracking function that can monitor sleep times and break it down to light, deep, and REM sleep, a stress management function that tracks your stress levels and keeps you relaxed with calming exercises, and a women’s health tracking function that allows you to log your menstrual cycles and calculate your ovulation windows.
A full-fledged smartwatch, the Active 2 lets you store music, receive notifications, and even take calls right from your wrist. It can also access a wide selection of social media apps such as YouTube and Twitter. Although not the best on the list, the battery life is a bit better than the Apple Watch, lasting about 48 hours on a single charge.
All told, the Samsung Galaxy Watch Active 2 is a strong choice for those looking for a beautiful yet feature-packed fitness smartwatch.
7. Fitbit Sense
Key Features
- 30g (1.06oz)
- Water-resistant up to 50m
- 144 hours (6 days) of battery life in regular mode
- 12 hours of battery life in full training mode
Reasons to buy
- Accurate built-in GPS
- Decent fitness tracking
- 12 minutes charging for 24 hours of battery life
- Detailed sleep analytics
- Modern smartwatch features
Reasons to avoid
- More focused on health and wellness than fitness
The Fitbit Sense has a 40.5mm touchscreen display framed by shiny bezels and well-designed easy-to-remove silicone bands. It has the same minimalist feel as many of the watches on this list, though it lacks a bit in terms of function and hardware.
That said, the Fitbit Sense is still a solid fitness watch in its own right. It has all the basic fitness metrics covered: steps, calories burned, pace, and distance. It also has an accurate onboard GPS that you can use to map your runs and outdoor activities. Customized workouts are also another feature that serious fitness enthusiasts will appreciate.
Other than that, the Fitbit Sense places a lot of emphasis on the health and wellness side of things. For one, it has a pretty comprehensive sleep tracking which, along with blood oxygen levels, heart rate, and skin temperature logs, can create a pretty accurate picture of your body’s physical state. There’s also a great stress management function, menstrual cycle tracking, and heart health notifications.
A true smartwatch, the Fitbit Sense has all the basics and more in the form of integrated voice assistants (Google Assistant and Alexa). Lastly, it has a battery life of about 144 hours (6 days) in regular mode and 12 hours in full training mode.
If you’re looking for a watch that will manage your health and nudge you towards your fitness goals at the same time, the Fitbit Sense is the one for you.
8. Garmin Vivoactive 4S
Key Features
- 40g (1.4oz) for 40mm
- 50.5g (1.78oz) for 45mm
- Water-resistant up to 50m
- 4GB storage
- 6 color choices
Reasons to buy
- Accommodates music storage
- Plenty of pre-installed workout apps
- Wide range of health and fitness metrics
- Simple and clean design
- Replaceable straps
Reasons to avoid
- The standard strap can be uncomfortable
The Garmin Vivoactive 4S looks a lot like the Polar Ignite 2, with its large round screen, thin, stainless steel angles, and subtly patterned strap.
Coupled with its full-color 218 x 218 resolution touchscreen display that comes in either 40mm or 45mm, you have just the right blend of classic and modern with the Vivoactive 4S. In addition to that, you can choose from different color variations and thousands of free watch faces to reflect your personal style.
As the name implies, the Vivoactive 4S is a fitness and sports watch through and through. It has all the standard performance tracking features down pat, such as steps, calories burned, and energy levels.
It also has easy-to-follow animated workout demonstrations, a personalized running training program, and about 20 preinstalled sports apps. Aside from that, you can also track heart rate, blood oxygen, menstrual cycles, liquid intake, and daily sweat loss, among others.
Of course, all the essential smartwatch features are here, too, like music storage, Spotify support, touchless pay, push notifications, and Bluetooth connectivity. Without GPS, it can last for about 144 hours (7 days) on a single charge. Turn on the GPS function,, and it dwindles down to a mere 5 hours, though.
All in all, the Garmin Vivoactive 4S is a solid choice for those with an active lifestyle who still want to look good.
9. Polar Ignite 2
Key Features
- 34g (1.2oz)
- Water-resistant up to 30m
- Bluetooth and ANT+ connectivity
- 120 hours in normal mode
- 20 hours in full training mode
Reasons to buy
- Excellent built-in GPS
- Responsive trading guide
- Plenty of strap options
- Reliable 24/7 sensors for health and wellness
Reasons to avoid
- No music storage
- No contactless payments
- Larger-than-average watch face
The Polar Ignite 2 brings the same level of sophistication and functionality as watches that cost twice as much.
If good looks are all you need in your fitness watch, the Polar Ignite 2 won’t let you down. It has a 43mm display with solid bezels and a slim yet sturdy stainless steel case. That said, the large watch face may be too big for thinner or small-wristed women, so keep that in mind.
As for the straps, they’re fully replaceable, allowing you to choose something that would match your personal style. The default woven yarn wristband of the rosegold variant is an admittedly unique offering, though if you’re planning to do a lot of vigorous activities, the silicone band of the champagne and black variants is probably the better option because it doesn’t absorb sweat.
When it comes to performance, the Ignite 2 is filled with tons of fitness features. It has an accurate GPS to track your runs and outdoor excursions. Push notifications include weather forecasts, perfect for those who are always on the go. Aside from that, the Ignite 2 has a heart monitor, rest and recovery analytics, and a responsive training guide that creates a personalized daily workout for you. Sadly, there are no female-specific features present.
To keep costs relatively low, Polar excluded music storage and contactless payment functions from the Ignite 2. Also, the 120-hour battery life is quite disappointing compared to other Polar watches, but it’s certainly not the worst out there.
If you’re willing to forgo storage, touchless payments, and the lack of menstruation tracking, the Polar Ignite 2 is a great pick.
#1 Choice – Editor’s Pick:
Apple Watch Series 6
- The Apple watch has always been a key competitor in the smartwatch industry, and the reason why we’ve chosen it as the best fitness watch for women is that it serves as a great all-rounder that has arguably the best heart rate tracking and health stats. The only downside is you’ll be charging the Apple watch everyday.
How to Choose the Best Fitness Watch for Women
As great unisex gadgets are, many people appreciate something more tailored for our specific biology.
Most modern watches can and will monitor the same metrics, but the best fitness watches for women should have something specific to women’s needs.
For instance, while women can benefit from any old fitness watches out there, it helps to have something that can help track and calculate menstrual cycles, ovulation, fertility windows, and even pregnancy. Luckily, every single product on this list except for the Polar Ignite 2 has these features.
In addition to that, many women may prefer a bit more charm and flair to their watches. Many smartwatches and fitness trackers tend to lean on the plain side – a lot of women may find that these don’t fit their particular aesthetic or personal style.
This is especially true for those who are into fashion since they need a watch that they can easily customize and reflect their personality best. Again, all products on this list are stylish and fashionable, though the Garmin Lily, the Apple Watch 6, and the Huawei Watch Fit are our personal favorites in terms of aesthetics.
Lastly, it’s also a matter of fit. Women generally have thinner wrists than men, which makes big and bulky watches a huge no-no when it comes to choosing the best fitness watches for women. Some of the smaller watches on this list are the Garmin Venu Sq GPS (40mm), Apple Watch 6 (40mm), and the Garmin Vivoactive 4S (40mm).
Frequently Asked Questions On Waterproof GPS Smartwatches
There’s no one-size-fits-all when it comes to watches. Simply put, the best fitness watch for another woman may not be the best for you. Factors that affect which fitness watch is the best include aesthetics, fit, and features. What we can assure you, however, is that you’ll see nine of the best fitness watches for women on this list.
The Apple Watch Series 6 still offers one of the most accurate heart rate and ECG monitoring on the market today. However, other strong smartwatch brands like Fitbit and Samsung are slowly catching up to Apple’s game.
As mentioned, your needs and preferences will dictate which brand is the best for you. That said, Apple is your best bet if you don’t mind paying a premium price and want a feature-packed watch that comes with a stylish angle. Otherwise, there are many other equally great options such as Garmin, Polar, Fitbit, Huawei, and Samsung.
Conclusion
More often than not you will be able to find a fitness watch or tracker that will have all the features that you want as well as a style to go with it. Weigh out the options such as battery life, design and features before making a decision on getting one.
Marko Rakic is a trail runner and fitness enthusiast from Sydney, Australia. He is the lead writer for The Ultimate Primate and believes the best way to live a happy life is through constantly challenging yourself.
