I review running watches for a living - but these are the only 5 I recommend
Inspired by the sunshine and looking to get into running? From budget-friendly trackers to state-of-the-art smartwatches, I've tried them all
I've racked up over 1200 kilometres on the best running watches in the last year alone. Out in my running shoes, I've been pounding the pavements, on the fells, in the woodlands, and on the treadmill at the gym.
As woman&home's digital health editor, I've tried many of the best fitness trackers, including watches from Garmin, Fitbit, Huawei, and Google, logging my workouts meticulously to see my progress. There are only a few I haven't put through their paces.
Quick list
The Coros Pace 4 is the upgrade from my beloved Pace 3. Initially, I wondered how this watch could get any better - but then I started using the new model. With added benefits like a third button for map and music control, better resolution, and improved accuracy, this one was guaranteed to keep the top spot on my list.
If you're looking to do your first 5km run or even just try a few treadmill workouts at the gym, then the Fitbit Charge 6 is ideal. Often it's on sale, but even when it's not, it's still a budget-friendly buy at £120 and the cheapest smartwatch I'd recommend. It also connects seamlessly to your favourite gym machines for better heart rate monitoring.
The Garmin Forerunner 265 is the upgrade for anyone inspired by recent marathons to try one for themselves. It's my favourite Garmin for runners, thanks to advanced analytics (more so than the Coros Pace 4), in-built music storage, smartwatch features, and a premium design.
If you're running 5km to half-marathons and don't mind keeping your watch charger close to hand, the Apple Watch Series 11 is another one I recommend. The running features have come on leaps and bounds in the last few years, and there's no denying it's an excellent daily assistant for everything from taking calls on the move to paying for coffee.
There's no denying the Garmin Forerunner 970 is an investment, but if you've got the funds, then it's one worth making. I loved the lightweight design as soon as I slipped it onto my wrist, and the huge array of features is not to be sniffed at. Once you have them, you'll wonder how you ever ran without them.
The best running watches
The best running watch overall
The Coros Pace 4 is my pick of the bunch after switching from the Pace 3 (which is no longer widely available). After logging hundreds of kilometres (including a marathon) on the former model, I was so impressed that I struggled to see what else an upgrade could offer. Yet, six months down the line, I'm so glad I upgraded.
On the watch's homepage, you'll find your workout profiles for various running types (including Road, Trail, Track, and Indoor). Scroll, and you'll see your Training Load (your workout intensity and suggested intensity needed to improve fitness); Running Fitness, a prediction of your race times for 5km, 10km, half-marathon, and marathon distances; and Training Status, which reveals your trends in your training and offers tips to improve fitness.
The highlight of the upgrade is the third action button. It sits discreetly to the side, but it's so useful for changing music during a workout. I don't have to take my phone out or tap at my exercise headphones when I'm in the gym. On a run, you can use the side button to toggle between map and data screens.
But what I love most about the Coros brand, and why it's always at the top of my list for fitness trackers generally, is how easy the watches are to use. Not just on your wrist, but in the app as well. Even if you're not familiar with the metrics available (like ground contact time and vertical oscillation), it doesn't matter. The app is so intuitive and full of information tidbits that explain all the data points and how they apply to you. Whether you're totally new to running or a marathon runner, you'll learn something.
Read my full Coros Pace 4 review here
The best Garmin running watch
While I'd recommend the Coros Pace 4 to anyone, the Garmin Forerunner 265 is certainly the answer if you're a runner looking for the best Garmin watch that combines must-have data with affordability. For under £300, you'll get a perfect blend of advanced data insights and features, a sleek design with a super-bright screen, and easy usability.
Training Readiness is the standout running metric on this watch. This is a score that combines your sleep score, HRV, recovery time, and workout data to help you plan your training for the next week. From here, you can use Garmin Coach to find running plans and specific workouts to help you reach your goals.
Along with this, you'll get some of the most advanced insights into your running form and performance, such as stride length, cadence, vertical oscillation, and ground-contact time, helping you become a better runner in just a few weeks.
The Garmin Forerunner 265 also offers phone-free music playing. Just plug in your headphones, and you'll be able to listen to music through Spotify and Amazon Music, a feature not offered by the Fitbit Charge 6 or Coros Pace 4.
Lauren Scott, a member of the woman&home health team who also tested the Forerunner 265, described it best as "the 'Goldilocks' of Garmin's current running watch lineup - not as expensive as its rugged Fenix series, but with more data chops than the lifestyle-friendly Venu (more on Garmin Venu vs Forerunner here) series."
For more, read my full Garmin Forerunner 265 review
The best running watch for beginners
The Fitbit Charge 6 is hands-down the best Fitbit for runners and those looking to improve their fitness. Take it from me, I've tested every one on sale today. What makes this watch a little different from the others is the technology behind it as it's part of the Google family - much like the Google Pixel 4, for example.
While it's not as advanced as the Pixel 4, it's packed with features that'll have you well on the way to running your first 5km or more. For starters, you'll be able to see your distance, pace, and timing of your workout both on your wrist and in the app. If you spring for Fitbit Premium (as I recommend), you'll benefit from similar Readiness features as the Coros Pace 4 and Garmin Forerunner 265, with an overview of how your workouts, sleep, and recovery scores are impacting your fitness.
While the other two watches thrive outdoors, with the super bright screens, in-built maps, and long battery life in GPS mode, the Fitbit Charge 6 should be a go-to if you enjoy treadmill workouts. This watch links to many popular treadmills (including Nordic Track and Peloton machines) via Bluetooth, so you'll get a live and very accurate distance readout on your watch. Even the most advanced fitness trackers struggle with this.
Read more in our Fitbit Charge 6 review
The best running watch with smart features
While every other watch on this list is the best of the best when it comes to running features, they all lack the smartwatch capability of the Apple Watch Series 11. Ever since the Series 9, the brand has focused on improving the running features on the watch, so as much as it can act as a replacement for your phone when you're on the move, it's also one of the best running watches.
Having taken the Series 9 for a spin, I can attest to these running features, however. One unique offering is in the Track workout mode, where you can specify what lane you're in for better distance, speed, and timing accuracy - something I've not seen on another fitness tracker yet. You can also structure your own interval runs and follow along, and get advanced insights into your form with vertical oscillation, stride length, and cadendence insights, along with the basics like heart rate and pace.
However, the problem with this Apple Watch is the same as every other: the battery life. You'll get 24 hours with regular use, and that starts to go down once you enable a GPS workout, as you would on a run. The Apple Watch Ultra 3 promises more, but for a much higher price.
Read our full Apple Watch Series 11 review here
The best premium running watch
The Garmin Forerunner 970 is one of the newer Garmin watches at the time of writing, coming up tops in the running-specific range. New features include a sapphire crystal display (which makes it more scratch-resistant), an upgraded heart rate sensor for better accuracy, and a torch.
The new running insights really caught my eye, however. It's these, in my eyes, that give the watch its premium name. While most top-level Garmin watches (including the Forerunner 265) will offer Training Load and Readiness, two metrics that outline how ready your body is for exercise, the Forerunner 970 takes it one step further with a Running Economy rating and Running Tolerance prediction, my two favourite additions.
The better your running economy is, the easier your run will feel. You can run faster and/or longer, and enjoy it more as a result, which is always the number one goal. I got quite fixated over the weeks on trying to lower this number, and I did feel the difference. To get this feature, however, you'll need to use the Garmin HRM 600 chest strap as well, which was an adjustment for me as I typically don't wear a heart rate monitor. It's also another £150 on the bill.
Running Tolerance adds another level to the Training Load feature by taking your effort and your distance for the week into account, so it provides a better picture of running impact. Together, I found the two new metrics very useful for balancing my workouts with recovery. Over the weeks, I did more running than I normally would. It's rare to find a running watch that actually gets you out the door more often, but this one did it for me.
There's no doubt this is a pricey running watch, especially with the heart rate monitor, so it's not going to be an option for everyone. However, much like how the Garmin Fenix 8 is a great choice for hikers who are ready to invest, the Garmin Forerunner 970 is a durable, reliable, and worthwhile investment for those who want to take their running up a notch.
Testing the best running watches
How I tested the best running watches
In total, I tested 10 of the best running watches. While there were many near misses, these were the ones that stood out to me for the following reasons:
- Set-up: Each of the running watches I chose was very easy to set up and get moving with, including charging and linking to external workout apps like Runna and Strava.
- Ease of use: These three watches scored top points for being easy to navigate on the wrist with touchscreens and haptic crowns and/or buttons, but they also had excellent associated apps. These were also easy to navigate and understand.
- Price: With the cost-of-living crisis putting luxury items at the bottom of many of our shopping lists, I wanted to present a range of price points for those on all budgets. None have ongoing subscription costs - outside of Fitbit Premium, which is entirely optional.
- Design: Running watches look sportier and more like fitness trackers than smartwatches. Nevertheless, I still took design and appearance into consideration and looked for seamless and sleek styles with multiple strap options.
- Outdoor vs indoor workouts: As we see above, some of the best running watches are suited more to indoor runs, while others thrive outdoors. I did over 10 workouts in both environments with each of these watches.
How to choose the best running watch
It can be difficult to decipher between all the best running watches to decide on a favourite. "While your phone can definitely get the job done for tracking runs, getting a basic smartwatch can make a huge difference in how you monitor your progress – and it can be a lot easier than constantly checking your phone," says British Olympian and Runna Coach, Steph Davis. "Progress feels even better and more motivating when you can see it, and a good watch gives you handy insights like pace, heart rate, and recovery data."
Here, Steph helps me outline the features to look for and think about as a priority:
- Make sure it has reliable GPS: "GPS measures the distance of the actual route you run instead of just estimating steps," Steph explains. "Precise GPS data helps you nail your pacing, lets you review your route afterwards, and see elevation changes."
- It should be easy to use: "A simple, uncluttered interface lets you quickly glance at the important metrics (like your pace and time) and focus on your form and effort, rather than getting distracted by complicated statistics," she notes.
- Prioritise a long battery life: "Choosing a watch with good battery life is essential for being able to get through your weekly runs without having to constantly remember to put it on charge. This becomes even more important as you increase the distances you cover and makes it more multi-functional if you enjoy weekend hiking," she says.
- Think about your running in six months time, not just today: I'd suggest looking into the future as you buy your running watch. While you might be a beginner now, you may want more advanced features and better GPS function in the future, especially if you're looking to enter any races. That's why the Coros Pace 3 was my pick of the bunch.
