The Best Running Watches (2025): 8 Watches Tested and Chosen by Certified Fitness Professionals

The Garmin Forerunner 965 is our pick for the best running watch because it does nearly everything you could possibly want from a running wearable. It also earned the title of best smartwatch in our guide to the best Garmin fitness trackers.

Our tester, Amanda Dvorak, ISSA-CPT, ISSA-CNC, has been using Garmin watches for years, so she’s no stranger to the functionality Garmin offers. Nevertheless, she’s still extremely impressed with the power of the Forerunner 965. 

For tech capabilities, Amanda gave this watch 5 out of 5 stars.

Since many runners are using watches to monitor both their performance and recovery, Forerunner 965 owners will love the morning report feature. Amanda says, “Every morning, it gives you a ‘morning report’ that summarizes how well you slept, how ready your body is for training, a suggested workout for the day, and step goals…since I’ve had this watch, I haven’t gotten out of bed without looking at my morning report first!”

This watch is also built to last and earns 5 out of 5 for durability. Amanda noted that she’s only had this watch for a couple of months, but she owned the original Garmin Venu for 4 years, and it worked perfectly the entire time, so she has no doubts about the lifespan of the Forerunner 965.

It’s not cheap, but with so many incredible features packed into one watch, we still give this a 5 out of 5 for the overall value.

For more, check out our full Garmin Forerunner 965 review.

If you want a more budget-friendly Garmin, the Garmin Forerunner 265 is a great choice.

If you’re shopping for a running watch and don’t want to spend hundreds of dollars, the Fitbit Versa 4 is our favorite budget pick.

At the time of writing, we’ve only tested the Versa 3. However, the Versa 4 is nearly identical in every way, minus the addition of one extra side button to activate Alexa, so everything we said about the Versa 3 should be true about the latest edition. 

Our tester, Stephen Sheehan, CPT, CNC, wore this watch for about a month. As a regular Apple Watch user, he didn’t know what to expect but was pleasantly surprised. 

For the tech capabilities, the Versa 4 earns 4 out of 5 stars. 

“I love that this tracker gives you so much data and insight,” Stephen said. “However, one callout is that the heart-rate monitoring seems to be somewhat inaccurate, especially during strength training/HIIT workouts. There were times when it displayed my heart rate in the 110 region when I knew it was higher – I was VERY out of breath after a set!”

Stephen also gave the watch 4 out of 5 stars for durability, noting that the battery life is particularly impressive, especially compared to his Apple Watch. 

The one drawback is that you need to pay for Fitbit Premium to unlock some advanced data tracking features, such as the daily readiness score; however, you receive 6 months of free Premium access. 

We still give this 4.5-out-of-5-star rating for the value. Stephen said, “You get a TON of useful tech capabilities that can give you valuable insight into your health and wellness. 
In addition, you also get 6 months of Fitbit Premium access with the Versa 3. This gives you access to more features, including a Daily Readiness Score that uses insights to gauge if you’re ready for a workout or need to focus on recovery.”

For more, read our full Fitbit Versa 3 review, which, again, is nearly identical to the Versa 4.

If you want a budget-friendly watch with a bit more battery life, we recommend the Suunto Race Watch.

The Apple Watch is one of the most popular smartwatches, but it’s also fantastic for running, especially for those who enjoy music on the go. 

I’ve owned multiple Apple Watches and used to upgrade every few years, most recently purchasing the Apple Watch 9. I haven’t formally tested the latest model, but the Apple Watch 10 is very similar to the 9, minus a few small upgrades to make it even better. 

For tech capabilities, the Apple Watch earns 5 out of 5 stars. If you’re heavily engrained in the Apple ecosystem like I am, I’d go so far as to call this watch a no-brainer.

In addition to tracking plenty of health metrics, the tech feature that truly shines is the ability to add your Apple Watch to your cellular data plan if you choose a model that has cellular compatibility. I pay $15/month plus fees to have my watch share my cell phone’s data plan, and even if I’m nowhere near my phone, I can place calls and texts or stream music and podcasts using my watch and Bluetooth headphones. 

The durability earns 4 out of 5. I’ve banged my watch against metal machines in the gym many times, and while there are a few small dings on the side, the screen looks perfect, even without a screen protector.

My biggest complaint is the battery life, which requires daily charging. I’m accustomed to this and don’t mind, but if you’re used to smartwatches that can last days or even weeks without a charge, you may not appreciate this feature. 

Finally, the Apple Watch 10 earns 4 out of 5 for value. The pricing varies based on the size you select, as well as whether you want cellular data. It’s not more expensive than a high-end Garmin, and the cellular data is great, but the battery just can’t keep up with most of its competitors. 

RELATED: Garmin vs. Apple Watch

If you don’t need streaming music and want a similar watch that’s significantly cheaper, the Fitbit Versa 4 is a great choice with a very similar appearance.

For beginners who want a great smartwatch that’s sleek, stylish, and priced to fit most budgets, the Coros Pace 3 is a great option. 

In both appearance and functionality, it appears very similar to many of the higher-end Garmin watches, which are consistently among the most popular running watches, but it is significantly cheaper. This makes it a great choice for beginners who want to try a running watch but aren’t ready to spend $500+ just yet. 

Our tester was Kate Meier, NASM-CPT, USAW-L1, CF-L1, a certified fitness expert and gym owner who’s tested plenty of equipment over the years. Kate wore this watch for about a month, taking it through a variety of workouts, both indoors and outdoors. 

To start with the look, Kate gave this watch 4 out of 5 for the aesthetics. She said, “I’m rating this high because it comes in a few options – a nylon or a silicon strap – as well as a variety of colors. However, I’m docking it a little because the face is huge – I have small wrists, so the face spans the entire width of my wrist.”

If you’re okay with the watch’s appearance, you’ll love its tech capabilities, which earn it 4.5 out of 5 stars. Put simply, this watch tracks nearly everything imaginable. 

“You can track every workout you do and see progress over time; you can download workouts from Coros to do on your watch; you can even create your own workouts,” says Kate. “It tracks every metric you can think of, and the watch face itself can be customized during workouts to show the stats you want.”

However, Kate did run into a couple of issues. She said it doesn’t track indoor runs/walks very accurately, and the numbers on her watch were significantly different from the numbers on her treadmill. 

She said the step count was not accurate, although she acknowledged that many runners may not care too much about this. The watch added steps while Kate was driving, sitting, and typing, making her step count appear higher than it truly was.

Finally, Kate gave the Coros Pace 3 a 4.5 out of 5 for durability. She wore it nonstop for 30 days without any issues and was especially impressed by the battery life, which lasted for an entire week of daily, sometimes two-a-day workouts. 

For new runners looking for an excellent, affordable running watch, this is a solid choice. 

If you’re willing to spend a little more on something that does a better job with step tracking, we recommend trying the Garmin Forerunner 265.

If you’re a trail runner, you want a watch that’s easy to read, has great battery life, and is built like a tank in case of any bumps and scratches. The Garmin Fenix 7x Sapphire Solar meets these standards perfectly. 

Yes, there’s a newer model available, but the Fenix 7x Sapphire Solar is still sold through Garmin, and this is the one we’ve spent the most time with.

Our tester gave this a 5 out of 5 for tech capabilities. In typical Garmin fashion, it can track just about everything you can think of. 

“It tracks so much,” says our tester. “Stamina tracking, training status, advanced performance metrics, and 30 plus built-in sports apps. There are built-in maps, and I can download Spotify and listen to music. It’s pretty wild!”

The watch also features an extremely rugged design, earning 5 out of 5 for durability. The battery life is also excellent, thanks to the watch’s built-in solar charging capability. The watch can last up to 28 days in smartwatch mode or up to 37 days when the solar panels are exposed to sunlight. 

The only downside is the cost, and this watch earns 4 out of 5 for value, costing nearly $900. Our tester said, “This watch is not for the everyday person…it’s for people who take their training more seriously. The GPS capability alone is worth it to me, but it’s expensive.”

While not cheap, if you’re a trailer runner looking for a durable watch that’s packed with features, the Garmin Fenix 7x Sapphire Solar is worth considering.

For a more budget-friendly watch that tracks over 150 sports, we love the Polar Pacer.

Polar is known for its heart rate monitors, which are used in both athletic and medical facilities everywhere, and the Pacer watch delivers the same high-quality tracking in a simple, affordable watch.

Although it doesn’t feature all the typical smartwatch capabilities, such as music storage or streaming, we still give this 4.5 out of 5 for its tech capabilities, as it can track over 150 different sports and activities. 

We also love the durability, which earns 5 out of 5. The battery lasts up to 6.5 days on a single charge, and the watch is water resistant to 50 meters, which meets the industry standard for running watches. 

If you’re looking for a lightweight, affordable, versatile watch that can track over 150 sports, the Polar Pacer may be the watch for you.

For those who want more bells and whistles, the Garmin Forerunner 965 is our choice for the best overall running watch.

If you’re an outdoor runner who wants a GPS watch to track the details of each training session, the Garmin Forerunner 265 is an excellent choice. It’s cheaper than many of the more expensive Garmin models but still provides plenty of data for all types of runners. 

Our tester was former GGR writer and certified personal trainer Lauren Strong, who used this watch for about a month. She also had her husband test the watch, as Lauren said she’s not a huge fan of having constant data on her wrist. 

The Forerunner 265 earns a 4 out of 5 for tech capabilities. “This can do a ton of stuff,” says Lauren, “But I bet neither me nor my husband would use all the features. My husband uses it for steps, heart rate monitoring, sleep tracking, stress level tracking, blood oxygen levels, and the GPS features.”

Lauren also gave the watch 5 out of 5 stars for durability. 

“This thing is rugged,” says Lauren. “My husband is super hard on his stuff, and it still looks brand new after 6 or 8 ish weeks. The battery lasts at least 15 days, but I think maybe more if you don’t want to wear it while sleeping, as it’s a bit bulky.”

Finally, this watch earns 3.5 out of 5 for value. At $450, it’s not cheap, but it’s quite durable and has plenty of features. To read more details, you can check out our full Garmin Forerunner 265 review.

If money is no concern and you want the best Garmin available for running, we recommend the Garmin Forerunner 965.

We’ll start with the tech capabilities, which earn 5 out of 5 stars. In addition to the usual features you’d expect, like heart rate monitoring, blood oxygen, step count, and more, Suunto has a feature called Coach AI. 

This provides personalized feedback based on your training load, recovery, heart rate variability, and more, helping you train at the appropriate intensity. We haven’t tested this watch yet and can’t comment on how well Coach AI works, but it’s certainly an intriguing feature.

If you’re a seasoned marathon runner who doesn’t need AI coaching, there’s still plenty to love, like the 26-day battery life (up to 40 hours in training mode), large AMOLED display, and water resistance up to 100 meters, which is more than many competitors.

The watch costs $399 for the steel version or $499 for the titanium version, so it’s not exactly cheap and earns 3 out of 5 for the value. Still, if you’re looking for an excellent battery life and a watch that’s built for endurance training, the Suunto Race is a great choice.

The Suunto Race Watch doesn’t have any music storage, so if music is important to you, you may want to consider the Apple Watch 10 instead.