Best Smartwatches Under £100 in the UK 2026
You don't need to spend £300 to get GPS, AMOLED, and solid health tracking — here are four watches that prove it.
By CelestaDeals Editorial
Image credit: Unsplash
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Quick Answer
The best smartwatch under £100 in the UK right now is the Amazfit Active 2 at around £89 — it covers fitness, health, and daily wear better than anything else at this price. For tight budgets, the Redmi Watch 5 at £39 delivers a stunning AMOLED display and 20-day battery that most £150 watches can't match.
- #1Redmi Watch 5 — best under £45, 20-day battery
- #2CMF Watch 3 Pro — best design with NFC payments, around £59
- #3Amazfit Bip 6 — best for runners with offline GPS, around £69
- #4Amazfit Active 2 — best all-rounder under £100, around £89
Redmi Watch 5 — Best Under £45
A 20-day battery and AMOLED for under forty quid
Xiaomi's Redmi Watch 5 is one of those rare budget gadgets that makes you question why anyone spends more. Its 1.96-inch AMOLED panel is bright and sharp — a noticeably better screen than many watches in the £80–£120 range. The headline figure is battery life: Xiaomi rates it at 20 days under typical use, and real-world testing by UK reviewers confirms you'll easily get two weeks without reaching for a charger.
Health coverage is comprehensive for the price. Continuous heart rate monitoring, SpO2 blood oxygen tracking, stress scoring, and sleep analysis are all on board. Built-in GPS means you can leave your phone at home during morning runs and still get accurate distance and pace data. The companion Mi Fitness app is straightforward and works well on both Android and iPhone.
- Pros: Stunning AMOLED for the price, 20-day battery, GPS, SpO2, lightweight design
- Cons: Limited third-party app support, no NFC payments, basic notification interaction
CMF Watch 3 Pro — Best Design Under £65
Nothing's sub-brand nails style and substance
CMF by Nothing — the budget arm of Carl Pei's Nothing brand — has developed a loyal following among design-conscious UK buyers who want something that looks premium without the price tag. The Watch 3 Pro carries the brand's industrial aesthetic forward with a physical rotating crown for navigation, a feature that makes menus feel noticeably more fluid than a flat touchscreen alone.
The AMOLED display is crisp with always-on display support, and the watch faces are genuinely attractive. Crucially, it supports NFC payments — a feature you'd expect to pay far more for — so you can tap to pay at contactless terminals without touching your phone. Battery life sits at around 11 days in standard mode, dropping to roughly 2 days with always-on display active. It works with both Android and iPhone, though full feature access requires the CMF Watch companion app and an Android phone.
- Pros: Excellent build quality, NFC payments, rotating crown, AMOLED, works with iPhone
- Cons: Full features need Android, always-on display cuts battery sharply
Amazfit Bip 6 — Best for Runners
Offline GPS maps on a sub-£70 watch
The Bip series has always been Amazfit's value flagship, and the Bip 6 is the biggest generational step in years. The TFT panel of earlier models is gone, replaced by a vibrant 1.69-inch AMOLED at 338ppi — sharp enough that text is comfortable to read on your wrist without squinting. A 6-axis IMU with dual-frequency GPS provides accurate route tracking, and the offline maps feature means you can navigate trails and new routes without a phone connection — almost unheard of at this price.
Battery life reaches 14 days in typical daily use, dropping to around 8 hours with GPS active — fine for half marathons and long training runs. The Zepp companion app gives you granular training load data, readiness scores, and sleep stage breakdowns. If you run, hike, or cycle and want a capable GPS watch without spending £150+, the Bip 6 is the obvious choice.
- Pros: Offline GPS maps, AMOLED display, 14-day battery, accurate GPS tracking, Zepp app
- Cons: GPS battery drops to 8 hours, no NFC payments, no speaker or mic
Amazfit Active 2 — Best All-Rounder Under £100
The smartwatch that does everything well
If you want one watch that handles fitness, daily health tracking, smart notifications, and looks good enough to wear to the office, the Amazfit Active 2 is the pick. It covers 164 sport modes — from swimming to yoga to padel — and the AI coaching feature analyses your training history to suggest recovery advice and workout intensity targets tailored to your current fitness level.
The AMOLED display is among the best on any watch under £100, with crisp visuals and a responsive touch layer. The battery delivers a genuine 5 days of normal use with heart rate and SpO2 monitoring active, or around 10 hours in full GPS mode. It connects to both Android and iPhone, handles WhatsApp and calendar notifications cleanly, and even has a built-in microphone for quick voice assistant commands. At £89, it outperforms watches priced £30–40 higher from more established brands.
- Pros: 164 sport modes, AI coaching, AMOLED, built-in mic, works with Android and iPhone, 5-day battery
- Cons: No NFC payments, GPS battery life around 10 hours, Zepp app less polished than Garmin Connect
Buy on Amazon UK
Prices updated May 2026
Redmi Watch 5
Sharp 1.96" AMOLED, 20-day battery, GPS, and SpO2 monitoring — the most capable watch under £45 in the UK.
$39
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CMF Watch 3 Pro
Nothing's budget sub-brand delivers a vivid AMOLED, a rotating crown, NFC payments, and a customisable design for around £59.
$59
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Amazfit Bip 6
The biggest Bip upgrade in years: offline GPS maps, a 1.69" AMOLED display, and 14-day battery for under £70.
$69
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Amazfit Active 2
164 sport modes, AI coaching, 5-day battery, and a premium AMOLED display — the best all-round smartwatch under £100 in the UK.
$89
As an Amazon Associate we earn from qualifying purchases.
Buying Tips
What to look for
- If you run or cycle, prioritise built-in GPS — not all budget watches include it.
- AMOLED displays are worth seeking out: they're far easier to read outdoors than LCD panels.
- Check iPhone compatibility — some features (like NFC payments) require Android.
- Battery life ratings are under ideal conditions; expect 20–30% less with always-on display or heavy GPS use.
- NFC payments are a genuine quality-of-life upgrade but add around £15–20 to the price at this budget tier.
Frequently Asked Questions
- What is the best smartwatch under £100 in the UK in 2026?
- The Amazfit Active 2 at around £89 is the best all-round smartwatch under £100 for UK buyers in 2026. It combines an AMOLED display, 164 sport modes, AI coaching, and a 5-day battery in a watch that works well with both Android and iPhone. For pure budget value, the Redmi Watch 5 at £39 offers a 20-day battery and built-in GPS that rivals watches costing twice as much.
- Do smartwatches under £100 have GPS?
- Yes — several do. The Redmi Watch 5, Amazfit Bip 6, and Amazfit Active 2 all include built-in GPS at under £100. The Amazfit Bip 6 goes further with offline maps support, which is rare at this price. The CMF Watch 3 Pro uses connected GPS via your phone rather than a built-in chip, which is the common trade-off on fashion-forward budget watches.
- Can I use a budget smartwatch with an iPhone?
- Most budget smartwatches work with iPhone for notifications and basic health data, but some features — especially NFC payments and voice assistants — may require an Android phone. The Amazfit Active 2 and Redmi Watch 5 both offer solid iPhone compatibility. If you're on iOS and want the deepest integration, the Apple Watch SE 3 is worth stretching to, though it sits above the £100 mark.
- How accurate is heart rate tracking on budget smartwatches?
- Amazfit has published 94%+ accuracy figures for the Bip 6 during workouts, which is competitive with mid-range Garmin and Fitbit devices. Resting heart rate accuracy is generally good across all four picks here. For medical-grade accuracy you'd need a chest strap, but for fitness trends and sleep tracking these wrist sensors are reliable enough for everyday use.
- Is it worth buying a smartwatch under £100 in 2026?
- Absolutely. In 2026 the gap between budget and premium smartwatches has narrowed significantly. For under £100 you can get a vivid AMOLED display, GPS, comprehensive health sensors, and 5–20 days of battery life. What you typically give up is cellular connectivity, premium build materials, and the deepest software ecosystems (Wear OS, watchOS). For most people who want daily fitness tracking and smart notifications, £40–90 is more than enough to spend.
