With the expanding smartwatch market, it can be hard to separate great smartwatches from the not-so-good. What makes one watch better than the other can be subjective. Yes, software, apps, and battery life are important, but so is design.

Size matters in terms of comfort, especially for those with small wrist sizes. Bulky, ill-fitting smartwatches can be distracting and uncomfortable. If you find yourself in the small smartwatch camp, there are options with desirable specs at more reasonable dimensions — and these are the best we’ve tested.

Best smartwatches for small wrists

The Samsung Galaxy 6 has been one of our favorite smartwatches since it launched in 2023, and the aluminum 40mm model is a smaller and lighter smartwatch alternative. The 20mm silicone wristbands are interchangeable and adjustable to cinch to the correct size. However, a small stature is not the only perk this model brings.

With advanced health features such as vital tracking, fitness tracking, and sleep coaching, this watch is a great option for any health fanatic, but it is not just limited to a fitness tracker. The Galaxy Watch 6 has a microphone and speaker, so phone calls and notifications can be received. While this option is great with Samsung phones and devices due to the seamless integration, it’s not compatible with iOS, and a couple of the health features won’t even work on Android phones from other manufacturers.

Read our full Samsung Galaxy 6 watch review.

The Garmin Instinct 2S solar is one of the pricier smartwatches on the list but is well worth it for the outdoorsy or adventurous person. The small 28mm screen and adjustable 22mm QuickFit wristband make it an easy choice for most users. Despite the watch’s smaller dimensions, it remains tough and durable to handle whatever nature can throw at it. Its durability begins with waterproofing, withstanding depths of 328 feet. The watch is also shock-resistant with an anti-scratch case, making it durable under almost any condition.

While the Instinct doesn’t have a touchscreen like most smartwatches, its Power Glass screen will withstand rigorous activity. Under the glass, the watch lives up to its rugged exterior with several perks that will delight most outdoor adventures, like a built-in compass, temperature sensor, and barometer, as well as GPS and weather and surf reports. It even dabbles in fitness, tracking heart rate, sleeping patterns, and activity. Perhaps the most desirable feature is the solar charging battery. For all-day wear, it only requires three hours of sun exposure.

The watch is also compatible with Android and iOS. But again, it does not have a touchscreen display and lacks a lot of fancy phone integrations. It should be noted that even with the adjustable watch bands, the casing of the watch is available in three sizes: 40mm, 44mm, and 50mm. For those with small wrists, the 40mm case will be the best fit option.

The Amazfit GTR Mini is a more affordable choice when it comes to smartwatches that are ideal for smaller wrists. It’s lightweight and comfortable, with a pretty vibrant 1.28-inch touchscreen to work with. That’s always nice when the health monitoring features, heart rate, blood oxygen, stress levels, and sleep habits are available. There are over 120 exercise and sports modes to choose from, giving you plenty of ways to keep track of your activity, including water-related ones through the 5 ATM water resistance. Accuracy won’t always be on par with more expensive models but you get a lot of bang for the buck anyway.

The Amazfit GTR Mini has basic smart features, providing access to phone calls, SMS, and notifications, as well as the camera and alarm clock, but with virtually no third-party app support, it’s closer to a fitness tracker than a fully-featured smartwatch. That also goes for the lack of an NFC chip to make contactless payments from the watch. At least battery life is so superb, lasting up to two weeks per charge.

Alexa is your lone option for a voice assistant, and you can also used some of the preset phrases when you get incoming messages. The watch will also tell you about incoming phone calls, only you can’t actually use it to respond because there is no mic or speaker. Not unusual for budget smartwatches but something to keep in mind if that’s important.

While the Apple Watch SE 2nd Generation is not the latest and greatest Apple, it still brings a lot of great features in a minimalist design that is perfect for small wrists. The 40mm aluminum case ensures that the device is light, and the wristband can be adjusted to the perfect size. And if you’re concerned about wristband sizing, there are a lot of alternative sizes available, from one (140mm) to nine (184mm).

Aside from outward appearance, like many other smartwatches, Apple has health monitoring apps that integrate seamlessly with Apple watches to track heart rates, activity, steps, and sleeping patterns. This seamless integration also allows for texts and calls to be answered. The SE 2nd Generation is also compatible with various apps, such as music streaming, and bank apps, and even allows setting timers and alarms through the watch. Speaking of notifications, pairing Apple watches with iPhones, there’s a feature that will ping the user if either device goes missing.

Apple Watch SE’s caveats are that it is only compatible with Apple phones, and the battery life is not as long as some of the competitors out there. It is also good to note that even with the metal casing option, it is still a good idea to get some sort of protection, as Apple Watch screens can easily crack. Otherwise, this watch is great for anyone needing a smaller smartwatch for their iPhone but wants all the bells and whistles that come with smartwatches.

The Google Pixel Watch 2 is another recent smartwatch with a sleeker and smaller design. While the screen is a mere 41mm, the AMOLED display ensures users can easily see the notifications and more. With both a small and large Active Band, users can select the best-fitting band for their devices, and with the adjustable notches, the Google Pixel can be adjusted to fit snugly and comfortably.

The Pixel 2 is designed to pair with other Google applications like Google calendars, maps, and G-mail to integrate all information and other Google smart home information. Similar to the Apple Watch, the Pixel Watch 2 is designed to be used optimally with Google Pixel cellular devices. While this may be great for someone on the hunt for a small watch for a Google phone, this would probably not be the greatest smartwatch for a generic Android user.

The Pixel Watch 2 also uses Fitbit’s health monitoring service to track vitals and exercise, but these are not the only sensors. The watch tracks skin temperature changes, monitors for signs of atrial fibrillation, and even has fall alerts to mitigate injuries.

If you’re thinking of a fitness smartwatch with a more refined look, the Garmin Lily 2 is a small watch with a 1-inch diameter screen and a thin, adjustable, silicone wristband that measures 14mm. Newer standard lugs also make it much easier to swap out for other bands to make the Lily 2 fit in for any occasion or mood. Despite how thin and light it is, it comes with all the features users expect from Garmin smartwatches and packs in a hefty battery life of up to five days.

That comes in handy when using the Lily 2 to keep tabs on health and fitness metrics. It can track yoga, Pilates, cardio, and mindful breathing, along with a wide variety of exercises — including outdoor ones now that Garmin added built-in GPS so you don’t always need your smartphone with you. You will need it to play music since there’s no onboard storage for tunes on it, or if you want to use Garmin’s LiveTrack feature so friends and family can track your outdoor exercises as well. That can include swimming thanks to the 5ATM water resistance.

Notifications, incoming calls, and calendar events come through on the Lily’s screen while paired with your phone, though it’s a monochrome display leaves you no color to look at. Just bear in mind that you can accept phone calls from the watch but need your phone to actually talk to callers.

While Fitbit is known mainly for fitness watches, they have started to expand into smartwatch territory for a while now, and it shows with the Fitbit Versa 4 fitness smartwatch. The Versa is another 43mm, aluminum smartwatch with an adjustable wristband, making it lightweight and small enough to wear with ease. To honor Versa’s fitness roots, the Versa includes the expected activity tracker, heart rate monitor, and sleep monitoring.

The Versa has handy Bluetooth features that allow text messaging and phone calls through the watch. Compatibility should not be an issue either, as FitBits work with Android and iOS alike, but just expect limited integration with Apple devices. Fitbit syncs their health and vital information with their own application and not with Apple’s health application. Otherwise, the Versa is a great alternative that is still relatively affordable, but the design makes it look and feel like a high-dollar smartwatch.

However, it’s worth noting that the 43mm casing and the screen are a little larger than most on this list, achieving an acceptable middle ground between the 40 and 44mm sizes. So you’ll get a smaller smartwatch but still be able to see the display clearly. Just know it might be a little bulky depending on wrist measurements.

As the smartwatch trend is on the rise, kids will want to get in on the action just like their parents. But even some of the smallest adult options out there may not fit a child’s wrist. That is where the Cubitt Jr. smartwatch comes in; it has a kid-sized 38mm screen, which will be at home on smaller wrists, and an adjustable wristband. The smartwatch is sized perfectly, but most importantly, it’s durable. There’s an impressive IP68 waterproof rating, so it’ll withstand weather and dirt just fine.

The Cubitt Jr. offers fitness tracking features such as a step counter, sleep monitor, heart rate monitor, and activity tracker. Parents can also utilize the Good Habits Alarm feature to set reminders for their kids and help build healthy life practices. The smartwatch even comes with eight built-in games for entertainment. And while the smartwatch can receive social notifications, its features are somewhat limited to fitness, healthy habits, and games.

The Cubitt Jr. is compatible with both Apple and Android phones, available in multiple vibrant colors, and has great fitness features. So, the Cubitt Jr. is a great option for a child or teenager’s first smartwatch. While the cool design, fitness features, and games are pretty tempting, unfortunately, this watch will most likely not fit adult-sized wrists.

Choosing the right smartwatch

Choosing a smartwatch can be a daunting task, with all the competing brands, models, and features out there. Those with smaller wrist sizes must also factor size into the equation to avoid designs that are too large and will compromise fit. The most important attributes to consider are case/screen and band measurements. Note that smaller cases mean smaller screens, so you may have to sacrifice some real estate to get the perfect watch. And some watch bands are even interchangeable, so it is possible that a standard band can be swapped out for a better fit.

Depending on your preferences, one of the varied models on this list should suffice. For those seeking a sleek smartwatch packed with fitness features, the Amazfit GTR Mini is a good option with an agreeable price tag. Despite having Alexa built-in, it leans more toward a fitness tracker than a full smartwatch.

If an adventurous, waterproof design is what you’re after, the Garmin Instinct 2S Solar is designed with the outdoors in mind. It’s a sturdy smartwatch with built-in GPS and activity tracking. This compact smartwatch, compatible with both iOS and Android, is perfect for anyone who likes to go hiking or camping. It even charges via solar energy, helping the battery last through any outdoor adventure. The only downsides are that it is a bit pricey, and it doesn’t come with a touchscreen or messaging abilities.

But the best for most is the 40mm Samsung Galaxy Watch 6 due to its lightweight size, adjustable wristbands, state-of-the-art fitness features, and impeccable Samsung device integration. While this device is compatible with Androids in general, this smartwatch is best paired with other Samsung devices. The only downside is that the Galaxy Watch 6 doesn’t support iOS, and even lacks some features when paired with a non-Samsung Android phone.