The best Samsung Galaxy Ring alternatives

5 months ago 94

The Samsung Galaxy Ring has introduced the notion of finger-based trackers to the mainstream. No longer are smart rings novelties for fashionable folk too trendy to wear bulky smartwatches or heart-tracking rubber bands. Although it’s a breakthrough device in many ways, the Galaxy Ring has its work cut out to establish itself as the one ring.

It faces steep competition from industry leader Oura and heaps of other companies wanting a slice of the smart ring pie. Importantly, this means that consumers have a broad choice, and choice is good. Here are the best Samsung Galaxy Ring alternatives to broaden your horizon.

Buying the right Samsung Galaxy Ring alternative for your needs

Smart ring design is far more varied than you’d probably expect. While they all appear similar, they range wildly across use cases, materials, functionality, and customizability. The Galaxy Ring is a fitness tracker for wear on a finger, making it not too dissimilar to smartwatches, and many of its alternatives offer similar functionality. Notably, the Galaxy Ring has one main advantage: its relationship with Samsung devices and Samsung Health. This makes it a robust smartphone companion and discreet wellness monitor, too.

Nevertheless, as I’ve noted, you have options. Whether you’re an athlete considering a circlet or a consumer merely interested in an understated health solution, we’ve found the best Galaxy Ring alternative for you below.

The best Galaxy Ring alternatives

  • Oura Ring 3: The Oura Ring 3 is the best all-around Galaxy Ring alternative. It’s the gold standard of smart rings at present. It covers the basics, offers a robust design, and provides detailed fitness tracking, albeit for a monthly fee.
  • RingConn Smart Ring: The RingConn Smart Ring is the best Galaxy Ring alternative that doesn’t demand a subscription fee. It’s an attractive first-generation device with an elegant design that should appeal to early adopters.
  • Amazfit Helio Ring: The Amazfit Helio Ring is a good Galaxy Ring alternative for those with larger fingers. It’s limited to sizes on the larger end of the size spectrum and plays nice with Amazfit smartwatches.
  • Ultrahuman Ring Air: The Ultrahuman Ring Air is the best Galaxy Ring alternative for athletes and those who want a keen wellness monitor. The ring also pays particular attention to wellness metrics, and supports AFib monitoring.

The Oura Ring 3 is the best Galaxy Ring alternative

An Oura Ring 3 rests on a smart phone with the Oura App open.

Kaitlyn Cimino / Android Authority

As mentioned, the Oura Ring 3 is the current smart ring king that the Galaxy Ring hopes to topple. The circlet is available in two styles and multiple finishes but packs a plastic inner layer that houses its business equipment. Visually, it isn’t easy to distinguish from actual jewelry, and this will be a positive for many people. Adding to its easy-wear credentials, the Oura Ring 3 is water-resistant and lasts up to a week on a single charge.

The Oura Ring 3 is the current smart ring king that the Galaxy Ring hopes to topple.

Oura’s real party piece is its fitness tracking smarts, and the Ring 3 tracks dozens of key metrics. At the top of its repertoire is a trio of scores for sleep, readiness, and activity. To drill down into specifics, you must fork out for Oura’s $5.99 monthly subscription. This is a pain point for those who only consider the cost of the hardware. Nevertheless, we can confirm that it’s among the best sleep trackers we’ve ever used, while the company regularly introduces new features to the ring. For some users, this fee might be a worthwhile investment.

Oura Ring 3

Oura Ring 3
AA Recommended

Oura Ring 3

Inconspicuous • Clean design • Excellent sleep tracking

An excellent and unintrusive sleep tracker that focuses on personal wellness more than numbers

The Oura Ring 3 is a smart ring that tracks your sleep, activity, and heart rate. Its minimal design makes it inconspicuous to wear while sleeping, working, exercising, or even when out to a fancy dinner. The companion Oura app takes a well-rounded approach to health, focusing on your overall well-being.

What makes it stand out

  • The current smart ring benchmark: Oura evidently knows what it’s doing when it comes to tracking health, with reliable sleep monitoring and ceaseless development.
  • Proven build quality: The Ring 3 is a robust combination of metal and plastic and is supremely comfortable on the finger.
  • Multiple options: There’s a Ring 3 model for everyone, including two different bodies, three finishes, and sizes from US 6 to 13.

The RingConn Smart Ring is the best Galaxy Ring alternative that doesn’t lean on a subscription

A RingConn Smart Ring rests in its charging case

Kaitlyn Cimino / Android Authority

Like the Galaxy Ring, the RingConn is a first-generation product that nails several aspects of the smart ring experience. Importantly, it doesn’t require a subscription fee, so its list price is all you’ll pay to maximize its usage. Fit and finish are excellent, with the RingConn exuding an elegant, lightweight, and form-fitting aesthetic. Smartly, the ring is paired with a portable charging case, making the entire experience much more portable than the Oura Ring 3’s puck charging system.

However, there are some pain points to acknowledge. The RingConn covers all the health and wellness data basics, but the data is far from reliable. The app itself is also indicative of a fledgling operation. There’s lots to improve here, and all signs suggest that the RingConn can grow into a capable fitness tracker. It’s just not entirely there yet.

RingConn Smart Ring

RingConn Smart Ring

RingConn Smart Ring

Elegant lightweight design • Handy portable charging case • No subscription fee

Subscription-free smarts.

The RingConn Smart Ring offers smart ring health tracking features without the need for a subscription.

What makes it stand out

  • Portable charging: The charging case makes it easy to tote the RingConn practically everywhere.
  • Great design: It’s lightweight and offers gorgeous finishes that trump the Galaxy Ring’s blander options.
  • Affordability: It’s the cheapest product on this list, and doesn’t require a subscription either.

The Amazfit Helio Ring is a great Galaxy Ring alternative for Amazfit smartwatch users

A user attempts to weight lift wearing an Amazfit Helio Ring.

Kaitlyn Cimino / Android Authority

Amazfit is well regarded as a fitness tracker and smartwatch maker, but the Helio Ring is its first go at a consumer-ready ring. It’s currently available in just two sizes at the larger edge of the size range. This limits its appeal to those with much larger hands. However, if you own an Amazfit smartwatch, you can enjoy seamless interaction between the two pieces of hardware. Currently, only the Galaxy Ring can lay equal claim to this nifty little feature.

Functionally, the Helio Ring provides reliable sleep and wellness tracking, but core features are locked behind a subscription. That’ll be a bitter pill to swallow for most, especially considering the Ring’s limited four-day battery life.

Amazfit Helio Ring

Amazfit Helio Ring

Amazfit Helio Ring

Small, lightweight form factor • Useful sleep and readiness data • Seamless integration with Amazfit smartwatches

A smart ring with tight integration with Amazfit smartwatches.

The Amazfit Helio Ring is a lightweight, comfortable fitness tracker that offers background data collection to anyone not interested in wearing a smartwatch around the clock, but also offers extra features for existing Amazfit smartwatch users looking to double down.

What makes it stand out

  • Reliable wellness tracking: The Helio Ring’s data without a subscription is good enough for most users.
  • Lightweight design: Despite its limited size availability, it’s a good-looking piece of hardware that isn’t overly weighty.
  • Integration with other Amazfit devices: The big feature is its seamless integration within the Amazfit platform, although you will need a smartwatch from the brand to take advantage of this.

The Ultrahuman Ring Air is a great Galaxy Ring alternative for athletes

A user models an Ultrahuman Ring Air in Gold.

The Ultrahuman Ring Air can claim a few unique features in the smart ring arena. It recently received FDA approval for its AFib detection smarts, a feature you won’t find on the Galaxy Ring or any other major consumer smart ring at present. Beyond this, you can expect the Ring Air to sample all the standard health indicators, including heart rate and sleep details.

Its app also tracks multiple exercises, making it a more comprehensive and versatile smartwatch alternative. That said, the Ultrahuman Ring Air’s biggest pain points are its lofty asking price and limited four-day battery life. However, that’s all you’ll need to pay to get the most from this ring. There’s no subscription fee required.

What makes it stand out

  • AFib monitoring: This is unique in the smart ring world at present. The Ring Air can monitor for instances of atrial fibrillation and irregular heartbeats.
  • No subscription needed: Another smart ring that doesn’t require a subscription fee to unlock its wealth of features.
  • Detailed sleep tracking: Many users regard the Ring Air’s sleep tracking is its best asset, but it also supports numerous workouts making it ideal for athletes.

FAQs

The Galaxy Ring costs $399.99.

No, the Galaxy Ring requires an Android smartphone that can run the Samsung Health app.

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