I tried the best smart rings of 2026 — the Oura Ring 5 is the best you can buy

Smart rings monitor your health in a tiny, inconspicuous package. At first glance, they look like any other piece of jewelry, a simple gold or silver ring. But with tiny sensors, these rings track biometrics through your finger. Yes, they'll track your step count and calories burned, but more advanced technology allows them to track sleep and stress levels, all detected through heart rate and variability.

After extensive testing — including some epic marathon training — we selected the best smart rings of the year so far. This year, Oura debuted the Oura Ring 5, which is an exceptional ring for comfort, design, and overall health tracking. While it takes the top spot in our guide, we tried plenty more options.

This guide compares the top options for fitness-minded tech users who want a low-profile health tracker. To compare the rings, we dug into what actually separates these rings: design, battery life, health features, price, subscription costs, and device compatibility.

Latest updates to this guide

As of August 2026, we've replaced the Oura Ring 4 with the Oura Ring 5. Yes, it's the latest model, but its smaller size has greatly improved its comfort, making it the best Oura Ring but also the best overall smart ring.

We've also removed the Evie Ring from this list as it appears to be out of stock. The website for the Evie Ring appears to be unavailable, and the product is no longer listed for sale. We've reached out to Evie for comment on whether the ring is officially discontinued and the status of the company.

We're in the process of testing the RingConn Gen 2 Air for inclusion in this guide. Currently, we've included the Ultrahuman Air in this guide, which is no longer being made but is still available for purchase. We'll update this guide with the Ultrahuman Ring Pro once we've completed testing.

What's the best smart ring?

The smart ring market is ever-growing, with new models debuting each year. Samsung launched a smart ring in 2024, and while Apple doesn't have a smart ring on the market yet, we're sure it will be here in a matter of time. But smart rings are synonymous with the Oura Ring, a leader in the field, and for good reason. Having tried multiple Oura rings (the Oura Ring 4 and Oura Ring 5), testing their hype, and comparing them to other devices, we can confidently say Oura makes the best smart ring in 2026.

Oura offers the most expansive biometric tracking, monitoring your health around the clock. It focuses on daily and long-term health goals more holistically than other rings.

However, the Oura Ring has downsides, like a monthly subscription fee. If you're not down for a monthly fee, we tested some popular alternatives to Oura rings.

Why should you buy a smart ring?

Smart rings are not just another fitness tracker. Yes, they do track your activity, steps, and calories burned. However, they're really meant to offer a more holistic view of your health so you can gain deeper insights into your sleep habits, cardiovascular health, and more.

You're a good candidate for a smart ring if you hate the look of a smartwatch or fitness tracker with LED screens, which are categorically not cool. Smart rings are posed as a discreet option, looking like a regular piece of jewelry. However, to be frank, they don't blend in that well. In my weeks of testing, while wearing the rings during hangouts, someone would inevitably ask me, "What's that?"

Since a smart ring doesn't have a screen, you have to pull out your phone and open an app whenever you want to track activity. That's certainly not the end of the world, but if you convert from a smartwatch, you'll miss the convenience of tapping your wrist. That being said, I actually find a smart ring most useful when paired with a smartwatch. I ran all my testing while simultaneously wearing an Apple Watch, and I appreciated the smart rings that were compatible with my watch so I could receive push notifications.