I Wear an Oura Ring and Apple Watch Every Day. Here’s Which One You Should Buy.

6 min read

I was never a big watch guy before getting an Apple Watch. In my late teens I ran cross-country with a cheap watch to keep time, nothing more. But from the moment I was gifted my first Apple Watch seven years ago, I was hooked on the smartwatch.

At the time, I was working in a bar, on my feet a lot, so I got a ton of satisfaction out of completing my rings for standing, moving, and exercise. It was the first time I really got to see data over time about my fitness and health, and for a long time it was a great motivator to get to the gym. I currently own and swap between the Series 11 and the Ultra 3 watches. I rely on them to check not only time but also weather, notifications, and messages. I could live without it. Some days I do and I’m just fine. I’m no evangelist, but I’ve never regretted being on the Apple Watch hype train.

I’ve tried a lot of wearables in the years since, and as a product expert only one other has stuck with me beyond the testing period. That honor goes to the Oura Ring. I first reviewed the Oura Ring 3 back in 2024 and the Oura Ring 4 in 2025. Currently I’m rocking a Tide Ceramic Oura ring that is virtually indistinguishable from jewelry. The tiny wearable has definitely unlocked a new level of caring about my sleep health. Compared with what the Apple Watch does for me, it’s a totally different type of device with a different function. Most days, I wear them in tandem. Still, a lot of people see them both on my hand and ask me which one is better.

Here’s the spiel I give. The Apple Watch is perfect if you want a full-time lifestyle product. It’s a phone on your wrist, as well as an accurate exercise tracker. If your primary goal is to only track your vitals and sleep, I recommend the Oura Ring. Ultimately, both are some of the best in tech, and each has become a part of my daily routine. Here’s how they compare.

For Sleep and Vitals Tracking

For Workouts and Phone Replacement

Apple Watch Series 11

Now 23% Off

Apple Watch, the do-it-all wearable

Cons

• The in-box bands are a no-go
• Only compatible with iPhones

I’ve been using an iPhone as long as I’ve been using smartphones. I’ve been using Apple Watches for nearly half that time, and I can say this definitely. The new generation of watches is built to last in a way that previous watches were not. My first Series 3 watch got beat to shit in a matter of months. After months with the Ultra 3, Series 11, and SE 3, they all look spotless. And the battery life and app integration are better than they’ve ever been.

Aside from checking the time, the most frequent action I take on my Apple Watch is checking the weather. With the Weather app integrated into my watch face, the forecast is one tap away at all times. In general, the number of apps that sync data between your watch and phone always impresses me. Just the other day I was using a new app with a timer feature, and having that timer immediately on my wrist without syncing the app was the perfection encapsulation of how the Apple Watch works in your daily life.

I also can’t exercise without it. My most common workout is on the elliptical in my apartment building’s sad basement gym. My watch never fails to identify my body movement as elliptical exercise. In the case of runs, walks, and swims, the tracking always feels accurate.

In terms of other complaints, the only one I can bring to the table that’s not a nitpick is that the standard bands don’t excite me. If you want something that both is comfortable and doesn’t look like a hospital bracelet—as my partner loves to point out—pick up a luxury Apple Watch band. I love my stainless-steel mesh Milanese Loop for outings and this Nomad sport band for workouts.

Apple Watch Series 11 [GPS 42mm]

Now 25% Off

Apple Watch Series 11 [GPS 46mm]

Now 23% Off

Apple Watch Ultra 2 [GPS + Cellular 49mm]

Apple Watch SE 3 [GPS 40mm]

Now 12% Off

Oura Ring, a tool with specific uses

Cons

• No screen
• Must pay the subscription fee for basic features
• Workout tracking less seamless than on Apple Watch

The Oura Ring is an amazing piece of tech in a sparkling package. As with my Apple Watch, I don’t see a time in the near future where I stop wearing this daily. I love the sleep insights. I don’t love being asked if it’s a wedding ring, but that just goes to show how classy they look.

I’ve had three at this point, and each one has been comfortable, easy to wear, and low-maintenance. When it comes to charging, I have to charge mine only once a week. As a step counter, it’s just as accurate as the Apple Watch, I’ve found, in terms of tracking daily steps and time spent active. As a health tracker, it goes deeper and can be worn more often for better data. But as a fitness buddy, it’s not quite up to par with the Apple Watch.

The lack of a display really hurts the Oura Ring most in this regard, and the fact that it’s not quite as good at identifying my workouts didn’t help either. Typically, there are four or five “walking” workouts for me to confirm when I check the app before bed, and half of that is just commuting to work. This makes engaging with that aspect of the Oura app feel a bit tedious, contrasted with the active nature of the Apple Watch’s workout tracking.

With the Apple Watch, you can spend an exorbitant amount for the highly durable and feature-rich Ultra. Or you can opt for the pared-down SE. Or meet in the middle with the Series 11. It’s a lot. The Oura process is simpler. Each ring has identical feature sets, even the fancy ceramic ones. This actually puts it ahead in this category. I’d take knowing I’m paying an extra $200 for a gold ring over an obfuscated list of differences between a $250 Apple Watch and an $800 one.

It’s also worth mentioning that without the annual Oura membership, the sleep data is pretty limited. That’s $70 a year to use the core functions of the device. Not an anomaly these days—and Apple certainly offers its fair share of subscriptions—but it is a cost worth considering if you’re deciding between the two.

Oura Ring 4 Ceramic – Petal

Oura Ring 4 Ceramic – Tide

Oura Ring 4 Ceramic – Cloud

Apple Watch vs. Oura Ring: The Winner

If I’m being completely honest, it’s not easy to pick a winner. These two devices are both great at what they set out to do and are well worth the price of admission. I’ve been a loyal fan of the iPhone and Apple Watch combo for years, and the Apple Watch Ultra 3 is the best iteration I’ve tried. Even with an Oura Ring, I still wear it daily and use it for fitness tracking and checking my apps and messages.

I didn’t think there was room for another smart device in my life, but the Oura Ring has proved me wrong time and time again. Even if I no longer check my energy levels and how I’ve been sleeping every day, the ease and aesthetic of my ceramic Oura Ring still make it the wearable that I wear most.

Both have made a tangible difference, but there is one that I think is a better value.

The Apple Watch simply does more than the Oura Ring for a comparable price. It’s more versatile, and that makes it a lot easier to recommend. The Oura is a nice, discreet health and fitness tracker. But that’s all it is, and you have to pay an annual fee to get the most of it. The Apple Watch can be whatever you need it to be—whether that’s a second cell phone, a FitBit, or just a watch. It’s up to you.