The best swimming smartwatches are presented in the following list.
Compare
Why buy?
Why avoid?
The Huawei Watch Ultimate 2 is a luxury adventure smartwatch featuring a zirconium-based liquid metal case, a scratch-resistant...Read more
Compare
Why buy?
Why avoid?
The Huawei Watch GT 6 is a premium smartwatch featuring a 1.47-inch AMOLED display (46mm) or 1.32-inch (41mm) with a 466 x 466...Read more
Compare
Why buy?
Why avoid?
The Samsung Galaxy Watch Ultra is a rugged, 47mm premium smartwatch featuring a durable Grade 4 Titanium case and a 1.5-inch...Read more
Compare
Why buy?
Why avoid?
The Huawei Watch Ultimate is a premium, adventure-focused smartwatch featuring a high-durability zirconium-based liquid metal...Read more
Compare
Why buy?
Why avoid?
The Amazfit Balance 2 is a high-performance 47mm smartwatch featuring a vibrant 1.5-inch AMOLED display (480x480 resolution)...Read more
Compare
Why buy?
Why avoid?
The Samsung Galaxy Watch5 LTE 44mm is a high-performance smartwatch featuring a 1.4-inch Super AMOLED display (450 x 450 pixels)...Read more
Compare
Why buy?
Why avoid?
The Huawei Watch GT 3 Pro Titanium is a premium 46.6mm smartwatch featuring a seamless titanium body, a scratch-resistant...Read more
Compare
Why buy?
Why avoid?
The Samsung Galaxy Watch8 LTE 44mm features a 1.47-inch Super AMOLED display with a peak brightness of 3,000 nits, powered by a...Read more
Compare
Why buy?
Why avoid?
The Garmin Epix Pro Gen 2 Sapphire 51mm is a premium multisport smartwatch featuring a 1.4-inch AMOLED touchscreen with 454x454...Read more
Compare
Why buy?
Why avoid?
The Samsung Galaxy Watch8 LTE Classic is a premium 46mm smartwatch featuring a stainless steel 'cushion' design, a 1.34-inch...Read more
Compare
Why buy?
Why avoid?
The Amazfit Balance is a health-focused smartwatch featuring a 1.5-inch HD AMOLED display with 480x480 resolution and 1,500 nits...Read more
Compare
Why buy?
Why avoid?
The Samsung Galaxy Watch7 LTE 44mm features a 1.5-inch Super AMOLED Always-On display (480x480 resolution) protected by sapphire...Read more
Compare
Why buy?
Why avoid?
The Samsung Galaxy Watch5 Pro LTE is a rugged 45mm smartwatch featuring a premium titanium case and a 1.4-inch Super AMOLED...Read more
Compare
Why buy?
Why avoid?
The Samsung Galaxy Watch6 Classic LTE 47mm is a premium smartwatch featuring a durable stainless steel chassis, a signature...Read more
Compare
Why buy?
Why avoid?
The Garmin fēnix 7 Pro Sapphire Solar is a high-performance multisport GPS smartwatch featuring a 47mm fiber-reinforced polymer...Read more
Compare
Why buy?
Why avoid?
The Garmin fēnix 7X Pro – Solar Edition is a rugged 51mm multisport GPS smartwatch featuring a 1.4-inch sunlight-visible...Read more
Compare
Why buy?
Why avoid?
The Samsung Galaxy Watch6 LTE 44mm features a 1.5-inch Super AMOLED sapphire crystal display with 2,000 nits peak brightness and...Read more
Compare
Why buy?
Why avoid?
The Garmin Epix Pro (Gen 2) 47mm is a high-performance multisport smartwatch featuring a vibrant 1.3-inch AMOLED touchscreen...Read more
Compare
Why buy?
Why avoid?
The Huawei Watch Fit 4 Pro is a premium, lightweight smartwatch featuring a rectangular 1.82-inch AMOLED display with an...Read more
Compare
Why buy?
Why avoid?
The Garmin epix Pro (Gen 2) Sapphire 47mm is a high-performance multisport smartwatch featuring a vibrant 1.3-inch AMOLED...Read more
Audited using multi-parameter algorithmic scoring, verified specs, and multi-market user reviews.
The best smartwatch for swimming overall is Huawei Watch Ultimate 2, with an overall score of 9.18 points, a battery life of up to 4 days, a screen size of 1.50 inch, and a price of around £880.
The Huawei Watch Ultimate 2 is a luxury adventure smartwatch featuring a zirconium-based liquid metal case, a scratch-resistant sapphire glass face, and a 1.5-inch LTPO AMOLED display with an industry-leading peak brightness of 3,500 nits. Designed for extreme environments, it offers a 20 ATM rating for professional-grade diving up to 150 meters and introduces a world-first sonar-based underwater communication system.
Best value alternative: Huawei Watch GT 6, with an overall score of 9.05 points, a battery life of up to 12 days, and a price of around £200.
The best swimming smartwatch brands are as follows:
The chart below ranks swimming smartwatch brands by average overall score.
[horizontal-chart-01233770264639327141131329657017016108331810147622]The best smartwatches for swimming usually cost about £130-£520.
A practical split is around £130-£220 for solid pool tracking basics, about £220-£340 for stronger GPS and broader training analytics, and roughly £300-£500 for premium durability and advanced multisport features.
Price differences mainly come from GPS quality, swim metric depth, build materials, and advanced training ecosystem features.
A swimming smartwatch is a smartwatch that you can use in the pool or open water to track your swimming sessions. It has a water resistance rating that protects it against submersion and lets you record laps, distance, speed, and stroke type. Many models also measure SWOLF score (a metric that combines stroke count and lap time), so you can track your swimming efficiency.
When you use a swimming smartwatch, you see metrics like calories burned, average pace, and heart rate if the device supports underwater heart rate monitoring. Some models include GPS for open-water sessions, while others focus on pool tracking where you enter pool length before you start.
The watch can sync your data with fitness apps, so you can review progress, compare sessions, and adjust training.
Swim tracking is common in fitness-focused smartwatches, but it is still not universal across the full category.
A swimming smartwatch should have a water resistance rating of at least 5 ATM (50 meters). This rating means you can use it for swimming in a pool or shallow water without risk of damage. Watches with a lower rating, such as 3 ATM (30 meters), only handle splashes or rain and are not suitable for swimming.
If you swim regularly, look for models rated 5 ATM or higher, since this level withstands continuous submersion. Some advanced smartwatches reach 10 ATM (100 meters), which makes them suitable for open water swimming or snorkeling.
You may also see an IP rating (like IP68), but ATM ratings are more reliable for swimming because they are tested under water pressure.
Yes, a swimming smartwatch can be used in saltwater if it has a proper water resistance rating. Most models rated at 5 ATM or higher are built to handle swimming in pools and the sea, but saltwater places more stress on seals and materials than freshwater. The salt can corrode metal parts and affect buttons or sensors if you do not take care of the watch after use.
You can swim with your smartwatch in the sea, but you should always rinse it with fresh water after each session. This step removes salt crystals that stick to the case, strap, or charging contacts, which helps the watch last longer and keep its resistance level.
SWOLF on a swimming smartwatch is a score that measures your swimming efficiency.
The watch calculates it by adding the number of strokes you take with the time you need to swim a pool length. For example, if you swim one pool length in 30 seconds and take 20 strokes, your SWOLF score is 50. A lower score means higher efficiency, because it shows that you need fewer strokes and less time to cover the same distance.
When you use a swimming smartwatch, you can track SWOLF to compare your performance across different sessions. It helps you see if you improve your technique, since the score reflects how smoothly and effectively you move through the water.
You should not compare SWOLF scores between swimmers, because pool length, swimming style, and individual technique affect results.
