Oura has topped the arena of smart rings, but it seems like with every passing quarter, there’s a new competitor in the market. With Samsung in the game already, there are going to be a lot more choices now.
Having used the Oura ring for quite a while now, I know it’s the best on the market, but it demands much time and investment. The monthly membership is a pain in the you-know-what, especially when the ring is not affordable either.
Ultrahuman Ring AIR and Samsung’s Galaxy ring are the top contenders for the best Oura ring alternatives. Without any subscription, both Ultrahuman and Samsung offer impressive fitness tracking and holistic health tracking.
Oura Ring Alternatives Without Subscription
Not everyone wants to get a subscription just to see the data their ring is already tracking. While Oura might have led the smart ring market with a subscription model, there are great alternatives without any subscription.
1. Ultrahuman Ring AIR
Ultrahuman Ring AIR is the best alternative to Oura Gen 3. Its design and look are the same as Oura but slightly lighter in weight, which is a good thing. Ultrahuman is available in 5 color options (gold, silver, titanium, matte grey, and black, but not in rose gold).
Having the same kind of sensors as Oura Gen3, Ultrahuman also tracks similar metrics including HR, RHR, HRV, temperature, SpO2, Respiratory rate, steps, workout and sleep. Ultrahuman also rightly uses skin temperature to predict periods and offers much extensive insights into a woman’s cycle phases.
I found Ultrahuman to be more focused on fitness than Oura, as it has guided workouts, marathon trainings, step counting and more. In offers multiple workouts such as Outdoor and Indoor walking, Running, cycling, Strength Training, cross training, HIIT and there’s much more.
Sleep tracking offers key insights just as Oura, along with sleep stages and the amount of time you spent in each sleep stage. However, instead of showing your temperature respective to your baseline temperature, it simply shows it in degrees Celsius as 35.00°C.
Ultrahuman works with both Android and iPhones. A few features that you might see in the app are in Beta, such as SpO2. There are continuous Firmware and app updates, and with Mohit Kumar, the cofounder, actually replying to people on Reddit, you know Ultrahuman Ring AIR is in constant updation and improvement.
$399 for Ultrahuman might seem pricey, but when you consider Oura’s $299 plus $6 monthly subscription, the $100 is covered in a year.
For a more detailed comparison, check out Oura Gen 3 vs Ultrahuman Ring AIR.
| Specifications | Details |
|---|---|
| Material | Outer: Fighter jet grade Titanium reinforced with Tungsten Carbide Carbon coating Inner: Medical-grade hypoallergenic epoxy resin |
| Width | 8.1 mm |
| Thickness | 2.45- 2.8 mm (varies with size) |
| Weight | 2.4 – 3.6 g (varies with size) |
| Size | 5-14 |
| Battery life | Up to 6 days |
| Charge time | 90 minutes |
| Charger Type | Charging Dock & Type C USB Cable |
| Memory | N/A |
| Water Resistance | Up to 100 metres |
| Connectivity | Bluetooth, EMF safe |
| Compatibility | iOS 15 or later, Android 6 or later |
| Sensors | Infrared PPG sensor, Skin temperature sensor, 6-axis motion sensors, Red, Green and Infrared LEDs |
| Health Tracking | HR, RHR, HRV, Temperature, SpO2, Respiratory Rate, Stress Rhythm, Recovery Score |
| Fitness Tracking | Step, Distance, Calories, VO2 Max |
| Sleep Tracking | Sleep score, Sleep stages, Sleep efficiency, Restfulness, Timing, Total sleep, Restoration Time |
| Menstrual Tracking | Cycle Tracking, Pregnancy Insights, Fertility window insights, Symptom patterns |
| Other Features | AFib Detection |
| Price | $349 |
| Subscription | No |
Reasons to Buy:
- Detailed workout and fitness training.
- Offers metabolic insights when used with Ultrahuman M1.
- Keeps adding new features
- No Subscription required
Reasons Not to Buy:
- Some core app features are in beta.
2. Samsung Galaxy Ring
The most recently launched Samsung’s Galaxy Ring is already an Oura ring alternative. Samsung in an attempt to convert more smartphone users into Samsung users, restricted to ring to Android phones. However, you can only utilise all of the best features if you use the Galaxy Ring with a Samsung phone. Galaxy ring comes in gold, silver and black finishes.
While the sensors, fitness, and sleep tracking is similar to Oura and Ultrahuman, Samsung has introduced many different features too. The AI-powered insights in Samsung’s native Health app are personalized and fresh to look at. Moreover, the workouts you do while wearing your Samsung Watch will be synced to the data of your Galaxy Ring, thus giving you a more wholesome experience.
Samsung also introduced a double pinch gesture to click pictures and snooze alarms. At the time of the launch, this feature was only limited to Samsung Flip 6 but it will be coming to more recent Samsng phones soon. Also, Samsung comes with a portable charger that’s super convenient to carry along.
The best feature I liked about Samsung’s Galaxy ring is its ability to integrate data with Natural Cycles. Despite the fact that its fertility tracking abilities are quite limited right now, even with NC°, I am still impressed with this head start.
Coming with a steep $399 price, Samsung did not keep any subscription at all. The app and all its advanced features are free, with just a one-time payment of the Galaxy Ring. With that in mind, the price is all alright as well.
A full review of the Samsung Ring is still pending, but considering Samsung’s history with gadgets, I am keeping my hopes high.
| Specifications | Details |
|---|---|
| Material | Titanium |
| Width | 7mm |
| Thickness | 2.6mm |
| Weight | 2.3-3.2 grams |
| Size | 5-13 |
| Battery life | Up to 7 days |
| Charge time | 80 minutes |
| Charger Type | Portable Charging Case |
| Memory | 8MB |
| Water Resistance | 10ATM, IP68, Up to 100m |
| Connectivity | Bluetooth 5.4 |
| Compatibility | Android 11.0 and above, Galaxy AI features will work only with Galaxy phones |
| Sensors | Optical Bio-signal sensor, Accelerometer, NTC-Temperature sensor, Red and Green LEDs, 2 Photodiodes |
| Health Tracking | HR, HRV Energy Score, Skin temperature, Stress level, SpO2, Respiratory Rate |
| Fitness Tracking | Steps, Distance, Calories, Active time, Speed, Pace, Cadence, Automatic activity tracking, Inactive time alert |
| Sleep Tracking | Sleep score, Sleep stages, Sleep duration, Sleep timing, Sleep time average, Sleep time consistency, Snoring time |
| Menstrual Tracking | Period prediction, Fertility, and ovulation tracking |
| Other Features | Trends, Sleep coaching, High and Low HR alert, Gesture control, Find my Ring |
| Price | $399.99 |
| Subscription | No |
Reasons to Buy:
- No subscription needed.
- AI features enabled.
- Syncs data with Samsung watches.
Reasons Not to Buy:
- Only works with Android smartphones and works best with Samsung.
- Limited app integrations.
3. RingConn
RingConn comes in 3 different colors (gold, silver, and black) and aims to give a holistic Wellness Balance. It offers a detailed analysis of your health, including Sleep, Activity, Stress, and Cardio insights.
There’s a Health Time feature, a Trends tab where you can see the average tracked data of your last 7 days. RingConn brings your focus to Stress Management by analyzing your Vital Signs, Sleep and Activity which is also something new to look at.
The only struggle I had with RingConn was its accuracy. There was a gap in my HR and HRV data, especially at night, which I rarely ever saw in my Oura Gen3. However, SpO2 tracking is pretty much on point.
And forget about fitness and activity tracking because your step count will be way bigger than your actual steps in the day. But that’s not something I can really complain about since Oura also does the same thing.
RingConn is a cheaper, a little less accurate alternative to Oura, coming at a price of $279-299. But since RingConn 2 is coming soon as well, I am keeping my hopes high with this one as well.
| Specifications | Details |
|---|---|
| Material | Lightweight Titanium & PVD Coating |
| Width | 7.8 mm |
| Thickness | 2.6mm |
| Weight | 3-5 grams |
| Size | 6-14 |
| Battery life | 7 Days |
| Charge time | 90 Minutes |
| Charger Type | Portable Charging Case |
| Memory | Up to 7 days of data |
| Water Resistance | IP68, Up to 50 metres |
| Connectivity | Bluetooth 5.2 (Low power Bluetooth module), EMF safe, Allows Airplane Mode |
| Compatibility | iOS 12.0 or later, or Android 8.0 or later |
| Sensors | PPG Sensor, Temperature Sensor, 3-axis Accelerometer, Red and Green LEDs |
| Health Tracking | HR, HRV, SpO2, Respiration Rate, Skin Temperature, Stress, Wellness Score |
| Fitness Tracking | Steps, Distance, standing Time, Calories, Activity, Workouts, Workout HR, Personalized Goals |
| Sleep Tracking | Sleep duration, Sleep Stages, Sleep Efficiency, Time in Bed, Nap detection |
| Menstrual Tracking | Cycle tracking, Period Prediction, Fertility & Ovulation Prediction |
| Other Features | Bedtime Guidance, Health Timeline & Note, Wellness Trends |
| Price | $279.00 |
| Subscription | No |
Reasons to Buy:
- Focuses on Overall Wellness
- No subscription needed
Reasons Not to Buy:
- Questionable HR and HRV data
- Only integrates with Apple Health
4. Circular Ring Slim
Circular Ring Slim does everything a basic smart ring does and more. It has all the sensors and tracking capabilities as Oura and is even lighter in weight (just 2 grams). It tracks your HR, HRV, SpO2, sleep duration & stages, breathing, steps and more.
Circular Ring Slim’s app offers Live Measurement for HR, HRV, SpO2, and Activity, which is something I haven’t seen in Oura and Ultrahuman. On the Real-time data page, you can also view Data Accuracy, which always came out as Poor for me with slight movements. It also has multiple features or tabs for-
- Alarm Clock
- Sleep Analysis
- Energy analysis
- Guided breathing
- Live measurement
- Medication reminder
- Stress levels
- Vital alerts
You can see there’s a lot of new stuff such as alarms and reminders, vital alerts. Along with it, the Circular Ring Slim also has a vibration feature for your alarms. Plus there’s an AI assistant Kira+.
All in all, the Circular Slim Ring provides a lot of insights, and all of them are pretty useful, if they are accurate, which brings me to my concern.
Even though the ring is around $285 (price may vary), which might look affordable when compared to other brands, it’s not worth your money yet. The accuracy of Ring Slim is questionable. The app is very buggy and doesn’t sync properly. Many people have even complained about its connection & charging issues.
For now, give it some time, Circular is headed in the right direction; it is giving analysis about all the right things, it’s just the firmware, app, and data collection that it needs to sort.
| Specifications | Alloy of matte black bead-blasted aluminum and carbon fibre |
|---|---|
| Material | Alloy of matte black bead-blasted aluminium and carbon fibre |
| Width | 8.8 mm |
| Thickness | 2.2 mm |
| Weight | 2 grams |
| Size | 6-13 |
| Battery life | 5 days in Eco mode and 2 days in Performance mode |
| Charge time | 45 Minutes |
| Charger Type | USB-C Male connector |
| Memory | Up to 20 days of data |
| Water Resistance | IP68, Up to 5m |
| Connectivity | Bluetooth Smart® (Low Energy) allows Airplane Mode |
| Compatibility | iOS 11.0 or later, or Android 6.0 or later |
| Sensors | PPG Sensor, Temperature Sensor, 3-axis Accelerometer, Infrared, Red and Green LEDs |
| Health Tracking | HR, HRV, RHR, Circadian Rhythm, SpO2, Skin Temperature, Stress, Recovery, Chronotype, Energy Score, Energy Monitoring |
| Fitness Tracking | Steps, Calories, Active Minutes, Activity, Distance, Automatic activity detection, Activity Intensity, Workouts, Workout HR, VO2 Max |
| Sleep Tracking | Sleep Debt, Nap detection |
| Menstrual Tracking | No |
| Other Features | Vitals Alert, Guided Breathing, AI Wellness Assistance, Vibration Alarm Clock, Medicines Reminder, Timer |
| Price | €264 (or ~$285.94 USD) |
| Subscription | Free |
Reasons to Buy:
- New and varied health-related features
- No subscription required
- Lightweight
- Has vibrations in the ring for alarms
Reasons Not to Buy:
- Accuracy concerns
- Ring and app malfunction and have many errors
5. Evie
Monavo’s Evie ring is the first smart ring designed just for women. Its open-cut design is a relief on my swollen fingers; it fits right with my other silver jewelry. There are 3 color options- gold, silver, and rose gold, available in sizes 5-12.
Evie’s portable charger is a blessing as it also works as a carrier I can keep in any bag I carry. I am truly impressed with the design, look, and feel of the Evie ring, but I can’t say the same about its app.
Simply tracking all the right metrics isn’t enough; the companion app has to present the data in the most helpful way. While the Evie app is colorful and fresh to look at, there are no trends in my past data.
Even though the Evie ring tracks skin temperature, the app doesn’t take skin temperature into account while predicting ovulation, fertile and infertile days. That’s a big bummer for me, as skin temperature is a crucial metric in determining a woman’s fertile days.
When the Evie ring is marketed as a Women-centric ring and now gives actual women-centric features, it loses a bit of its credibility.
For $269, Evie is a basic ring with mediocre tracking capabilities. If you are new in the scene and are beginning your journey, Evie can be a good smart ring to start with. However, if you want a detailed analysis of the history of your data, Evie might not be ideal for you.
| Specifications | Details |
|---|---|
| Material | Liquidmetal, a zirconium-based amorphous alloy with a titanium PVD coating |
| Width | 8mm |
| Thickness | 3mm |
| Weight | 3.2 to 3.7 gms |
| Size | 5-12 |
| Battery life | 4+ days |
| Charge time | Up to 60 minutes |
| Charger Type | Portable Charging Case |
| Memory | N/A |
| Water Resistance | Up to 1M, IP57 |
| Connectivity | Bluetooth, EMF safe, Airplane Mode |
| Compatibility | iOS v16 or above, iPhone 8 and above |
| Sensors | Infrared PPG sensors, Red and Green LEDs, Skin temperature sensors, Photodiodes, 3D accelerometer |
| Spot Check | Heart Rate and SpO2 |
| Health Tracking | HR, RHR, HRV, SpO2, Respiration rate, Skin temperature |
| Fitness Tracking | Steps, Active minutes, Distance, Calories, Manually add workouts |
| Sleep Tracking | Sleep patterns, Sleep respiration rate, Sleep stages |
| Menstrual Tracking | Period logging, Ovulation tracking, Menstrual symptoms, Mood logging, Energy logging |
| Price | $269 USD |
| Subscription | Free |
Reasons to Buy:
- Comfortable design and fit
- No subscription needed
- Affordable
Reasons Not to Buy:
- Limited female-centric features, pregnancy tracking not included
- Doesn’t use skin temperature for ovulation & cycle prediction
- No app integrations
- Only available in US
- Only available on iPhone 8 & above
Oura Ring Alternative With Subscription
There aren’t many Oura ring alternatives with a subscription right now, and I am hoping it stays that way. Because even after spending anywhere between two hundred and four hundred dollars for the smart ring, asking for the app is just bizarre for the users.
6. Amazfit Helio
Amazfit Helio is the only smart ring that is fully compatible with its smartwatch. The ring comes in just one dotted titanium finish in sizes 10 and 12. I couldn’t wear the ring myself simply because size 10 didn’t fit me, so size does matter a lot.
Although no subscription is needed to access the companion app- Zepp’s basic features- the core features are only accessible after getting the subscription.
Health, fitness, and sleep tracking in Helio is similar to Oura. However, the Zepp app does provide AI insights to dive deeper into your sleep data. Also, Helio has EDA and ECG sensors which Oura doesn’t have.
EDA sensors are specifically for stress tracking, and it is good that Amazfit tried to broaden its scope of tracking, especially since every other smart ring tracks almost the same metrics.
I find Amazfit a great option for those who really want a watch to sync with their ring. A good ecosystem helps with proper workout tracking. Helio comes at $299.00 and provides a lot of genuinely helpful features.
| Specifications | Details |
|---|---|
| Material | Outer: Titanium Alloy Inner: Resin |
| Width | 8mm |
| Thickness | 2.6mm |
| Weight | 3.75 & 3.82 grams |
| Size | 10 & 12 |
| Battery life | Up to 4 days |
| Charge time | 1 hr 40 min |
| Charger Type | Wireless Charger |
| Memory | N/A |
| Water Resistance | 10 ATM, Up to 100m |
| Connectivity | BLE |
| Compatibility | Android 7.0 and above, iOS 14.0 and above |
| Sensors | PPG Sensor, Photodiodes, Skin Temperature sensor, Accelerometer, Gyroscope, EDA Sensors, Red and Green LEDs |
| Health Tracking | HR, RHR, HRV, SpO2, Breathing Quality, Skin Temperature, Stress Level, Physical Recovery, Mental Recovery, Readiness Score |
| Fitness Tracking | Steps, Distance, Calories, Workout, Workout HR, Achievement Prediction, Advanced Running Support, Personalized Goals, VO2 Max |
| Sleep Tracking | Sleep Score, Sleep Quality, Sleep Stages, Nap detection, Sleep Breathing quality, Sleep Apnea, Daytime Sleepiness |
| Menstrual Tracking | Cycle tracking, Period prediction |
| Other Features | Sports Coach, Sleep Coach, Emotional state, PAI health assessment system |
| Price | $299.99 |
| Subscription | Yes (Optional) |
Reasons to Buy:
- Detailed fitness, sleep, and stress tracking
- Connects with Amazfit watches
- Good for underwater activities
Reasons Not to Buy:
- Comes only in two sizes
- Inaccurate data & discrepancies
- Some important features need a subscription
How to Choose the Right Oura Ring Alternative for You?
Choosing the right smart ring doesn’t have to be confusing. It really comes to your needs, preferences, and budget. If you can afford it, I would suggest Ultrahuman Ring AIR. It’s a great choice for fitness tracking plus it just keeps getting better with time. However, if sleeping is your focus, then Helio could be the perfect for you.
Here’s my suggestion-
- Ultrahuman Ring AIR- Best Oura ring alternative without any subscription, keeps introducing new features and updating software and firmware.
- Samsung Galaxy Ring- Best Oura ring alternative for Samsung users, has AI capabilities, and is subscription free.
- RingConn- Basic Smart ring with a special focus on Stress Management, requires no subscription.
- Circular Ring Slim- Smart ring with alarm and reminder with ring vibrations, has questionable accuracy but no subscription.
- Amazfit Helio- Offers impressive sleep tracking, additional important features need a subscription. Best Oura alternative if used with Amazfit watch.
- Evie Ring- Good design but average app features. Doesn’t show complete and detailed data, requires no subscription.
Frequently Asked Questions
Wrap Up
Ultrahuman tops my chart as the best Oura ring alternative. Although the Samsung Galaxy ring is a good competitor, it is under review, and I didn’t want to over-expect it.
Besides the rings mentioned above, there are many other wearable gadgets that do have specific functionality. Go2Sleep is another ring designed specifically for sleep tracking. Whoop is popular for recovery and smart watches also have a lot of similar features as smart rings.
The smart ring market has just started to flourish, and only Samsung, an age-old tech company, has expanded its product line. I am expecting the same from Apple. Until a new smart ring enters the market, these are the best rings, like the Oura ring, that you can find on the market.
