It’s getting increasingly difficult to say smart rings are just a niche inside the broader world of wearable technology. The raft of celebrities who are seen wearing them, the NBA’s use of Oura rings as an early warning system against COVID-19 and, last year, Samsung’s entry into the market has made them far more prominent in the minds of mainstream consumers. We’ve tested plenty of smart rings, and are likely to test plenty more as the years roll on. To help you better understand the category, we’ve built this guide that explains what they do, what they’re for and which ones are worth your time and money right now.
Best smart rings for 2025
Daniel Cooper for Engadget 89 100 Expert Score The best smart ring for most people Oura Ring 4 Read our full Oura Ring 4 review Oura has arguably done more than anyone else to push the category forward and its rings are category-leading. The Ring 4 is one of the strongest on the market and the company makes a big deal about how much of its work is scientifically validated. What Oura does better than a lot of its competitors is making a ring and app ecosystem that is accessible to everyone. It turns all of the metrics it generates into a series of easy-to-understand scores that will tell you instantly where you need to improve. The company’s Symptom Radar, too, has the potential to act as an early warning system for some illnesses. Since it can keep an eye on your temperature and heart rate, it can catch when things start changing long before you start feeling it. The downsides are, really, that the company charges a monthly subscription ($6 monthly or $70 annually for US users), with some features paywalled behind it. And that while the ring is comfortable to wear, the dimple which marks which way the ring should be worn (with the mark pointing toward your palm) still annoys. Pros More comfortable
Better data collection
Gorgeous, clean app Cons Requires paid subscription to use basic hardware features
Unclear why the paint jobs cost extra $349 at Oura
Daniel Cooper for Engadget The best smart ring for fitness fans Ultrahuman Ring Air Ultrahuman’s Ring Air is stylish, elegant and sits comfortably on your finger to blend seamlessly in with your style. What sets the Ultrahuman Ring Air apart from its competitors is the sheer volume of data it will throw at you. You can set the ring to bombard you with statistics about every fact of your body from your sleep, recovery, stress, movement through to your caffeine window. Wear it to bed and, midmorning the next day, you’ll get a recap of your night, including being told off when you opted to reach for the snacks too close to bedtime. If you’re a weekend warrior, or part of the #MarginalGains crowd, then you’ll likely love the sheer volume of extra stuff the Ring Air can do. As well as the regular suite of features, you’ll be able to access “Power Plugs” which unlock additional stat-specific insights. That includes a score on how much Vitamin D you’ve been exposed to, or examining your cardiovascular fitness. Bear in mind that while some of these are free, the ones that charge aren’t just looking for a token fee. To add cycle and ovulation tracking to your ring will cost $40 per year, while AFib analysis will set you back $24. The company has also broadened its ecosystem to work with continuous glucose monitors (CGMs). These arm-worn sensors, which are primarily worn by people with diabetes but have become popular with the fitness crowd, offers real-time glucose monitoring. Similar to the Power Plugs, however, you’ll be forking out a chunk of change — $299 a month — for the privilege. The company has also built Ultrahuman Home, a sensor styled like an old Mac Mini that can monitor your air quality, light exposure, temperature, noise and humidity. It will set you back $549, although it’s worth adding all of its products are HSA/FSA eligible. Pros Stylish design
Tracks an impressive amount of data
Works in tandem with other health devices like glucose monitors Cons Some trackable data comes at an extra cost $299 at Ultrahuman
Sam Rutherford for Engadget 80 100 Expert Score The best smart ring for sleep tracking Samsung Galaxy Ring Read our full Samsung Galaxy Ring review Samsung has beaten the likes of Google, Fitbit, Garmin and even Apple to the category. Its debut offering has been surprisingly capable. While it doesn’t track as many things as some of its rivals, the Galaxy Ring feeds into Samsung’s Health App. If you’re already in Samsung’s ecosystem and own one of its phones, integrating the Galaxy Ring would be fairly seamless. Managing editor Cherlynn Low found it was responsive and accurate at monitoring sleep and walks. It has a sensor to keep tabs on your body temperature overnight and tracks your heart rate, blood oxygen and sleep stages. It also lasts about a week on a charge. Unfortunately, it doesn’t track workout data beyond walking and running at the moment, so if you’re looking for sophisticated exercise data, look elsewhere. If there’s one caveat, it’s that Samsung’s patchy track record with battery manufacture may be rearing its head once again. Daniel Rotar, a YouTuber who posts under the name ZoneofTech posted an image of his Galaxy Ring that had swelled on his finger. The swelling was caused by the battery pack, which led him to the ER to have the ring safely removed. Cherlynn said she hasn’t experienced this despite recently re-testing the Galaxy Ring for a week, and notes that other reviewers she’s spoken to have also reported no issues with their units. Because of its limited feature set, the Galaxy Ring is a lot lighter and smaller than its competitors. And while it does cost around $100 more than the Oura Ring, Samsung’s wearable doesn’t require an additional subscription to unlock some of its features. At least, for now. With its small size, light weight and accurate sleep tracking, the Galaxy Ring is a better buy for those looking for passive data collection. Pros Lightweight
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