Hi, hello, if you haven't heard, smart rings are legit eve-ry-where rn, and they're here to count your steps, track your sleep, and keep your stress in check—all while looking waaaay chicer than your smartwatch. (No shade to the Apple Watch that I wear every damn day, even to fancy events where my friends beg me to at least get a cuter watch band.) And while Oura is probs the best-known brand in the world of smart rings, it's not your only choice. FTR, the best Oura Ring alternatives aren't necessarily cheaper in price, but they can save you $$$ by avoiding a monthly subscription, and there may be a better choice for you based on what you're looking for.
First things first: What's so great about smart rings? In addition to being more discreet than smartwatches, smart rings also tend to be comfier to wear and fully waterproof (whereas smartwatches are usually just water-resistant). Ofc, just like smartwatches, smart rings usually come with a steep price tag. A word of caution: You're better off avoiding those "Oura Ring dupes" priced under $200, as tempting as they may be. Take the word of hundreds of tester reviews: budget smart rings are usually plagued by inaccurate data, poorly designed apps, and unreliably connectivity, so you're better off spending your coin on a ring from a reputable brand, mmkay?
To help you out, I did a deep dive into the best smart rings on the market to see how they stack up to the Oura Ring—and the results were surprising, tbh! Let's get into it, kicking things off with the OG (which Cosmo loves, btw).