A great fitness watch for swimming can make an amazing difference as you pursue your fitness goals. Smartwatches can be extremely helpful for swimmers as they can record laps, track your heart rate, count your kicks, and more. Unfortunately, most fitness watches don’t perform as well in swimming, which can ultimately frustrate you. Every year, more watches come out, each claiming to be the industry’s best. All these can be quite confusing if you don’t know what to look for in a fitness watch. After a week of sleuthing, we are happy to present the best fitness watches for swimming in 2023

© iStock.com/Drazen Zigic

  • Best Overall: Garmin Swim 2Best for Active Wear Fashion: Apple Watch Series 8Best for Battery Life: COROS PACE 2 GPS Sport WatchBest for Budget Friendly: Fitbit Versa 2 SmartwatchBest for Triathletes: Garmin Forerunner 955

Best Overall Fitness Watch for Swimming: Garmin Swim 2

The Garmin Swim 2 is our choice for the best overall fitness watch for swimming because it has almost all of the tech of the much pricer forerunner 545 but is made specifically for swimmers.

  • GPS swimming smartwatch for the pool and open watero Battery life: up to 7 days in smartwatch mode, 13 hours in GPS and optical heart rate (OHR) mode and 72 hours in pool and OHR modePool swim mode: records distance, pace, stroke count, stroke type and SWOLF (gauges swimming efficiency)Open-water swim mode: uses built-in GPS for swims in lakes, oceans or rivers; records distance, pace, stroke count, SWOLF, stroke rate and stroke distanceOffers advanced features for staying on pace, logging drills and more

Swim 2 from Garmin is cheaper than other high-end Garmin swim watches, which can set you back several hundred dollars. Some of the amazing features of this watch are the insanely accurate GPS and heart rate monitor and the automatic lap count/rest timer detection without the aid of external buttons.

While Garmin Swim 2 is great, it’s not without fault. Because this watch was specifically made for swimmers, the other workout modes, like running, bicycling, and cardio, don’t function as well as Forerunner 545’s.

That said, The Garmin Swim 2 easily takes the top place as the best fitness watch for swimming overall due to its amazing performance in the water and overall function.

Pros:

  • Fantastic GPSDecent Heart Rate MonitorBattery: Battery life: 7 days (smartwatch mode), 13 hours (GPS)Access to Garmin ConnectBuilt For SwimmersPrice

Cons:

  • Can only receive textsNot a touchscreenMinimal Smart Watch Features

Best for Lifestyle: Apple Watch Series 8

The Apple Watch Series 8 is the best choice for those who need a trendy smartwatch to make a fashion statement.

  • WHY APPLE WATCH SERIES 8 — Your essential companion for a healthy life is now even more powerful. Advanced sensors provide insights to help you better understand your health. New safety features can…EASILY CUSTOMIZABLE — Available in a range of sizes and materials, with dozens of bands to choose from and watch faces with complications tailored to whatever you’re into.INNOVATIVE SAFETY FEATURES — Crash Detection and Fall Detection can automatically connect you with emergency services in the event of a severe car crash or a hard fall. And Emergency SOS provides…ADVANCED HEALTH FEATURES — Temperature sensing is a breakthrough feature that provides deep insights into women’s health. Keep an eye on your blood oxygen. Take an ECG anytime. Get notifications…SIMPLY COMPATIBLE — It works seamlessly with your Apple devices and services. Unlock your Mac automatically. Find your devices with a tap. Pay and send money with Apple Pay. Apple Watch requires an…

This smartwatch is so accurate that it can count the number of kicks you perform during a swim workout, regardless of stroke style. Apple engineers keep making constant improvements to the software/firmware so it can only get better with time.

Unfortunately, all this tech comes at a steep price, with their most expensive models costing several hundred dollars. This price can be a huge deal breaker for most. But if you have the money and are already part of the Apple ecosystem. Then this watch could be the one for you.

  • Amazing AccuracyPart of the Apple EcosystemFantastic GPS

  • ExpensiveThe screen can be difficult to use in the water

Best for Long Battery Life: COROS PACE 2 GPS Sport Watch

Coming in for the best smartwatch for swimming with long battery life is the COROS PACE 2 GPS Sport Watch. This smartwatch boasts 20 days of day-to-day use and about 30 hours of GPS battery life.

  • The lightest GPS watch on the market at its launch – from 29g with the new COROS Nylon band with battery life of 20 days of regular use, 30 hours in full GPS modeBuilt-in running power metrics from the wrist plus native and complete integration with Stryd power metersFeaturing running, cycling, swimming, cardio, strength, and water sports modes with ongoing support and updates.Includes optical heart rate monitor, barometric altimeter, accelerometer, compass, gyroscope and thermometer with 24/7 heart rate monitoring, sleep, step, and calorie tracking

Coros Pace 2 is perfect for those who always find themselves out of juice before a workout. However, it’s not the cheapest in the market. The good this is it has an amazing battery life and a fantastic GPS, which justifies its price.

However, this price point comes to bite the Coros Pace 2. Because of its amazing price point and battery life, Coros had to make some sacrifices in the overall build quality of the watch. Wearers often report that the Coros Pace 2 has an overall cheap feeling and not an amazing button layout. This can be frustrating when training in the pool and you have to deal with the buttons and UI. If this doesn’t bother you, and the price is right, Coros can be a fantastic watch for you!

  • With the clasp, it weighs only 35 grams20 days of normal use, 30 hours of GPS

  • Not super accurate heart rate monitorNot great buttonsWatch feels cheap

Best Budget Option: Fitbit Versa 2 Smartwatch

Fitbit Versa 2 Smartwatch is a great option for those who need a good all-around smartwatch for everyday use and swimming.

  • Use amazon Alexa built in to get quick news and information, check the weather, set timers and alarms, control your smart home devices and more all through the sound of your voice (third party app may be required; amazon Alexa not available in all countries)Based on your heart rate, time asleep and restlessness, sleep score helps you better understand your sleep quality each night. Also track your time in light, deep and REM sleep stages and get personal insightsGet a 90-day free trial of the Fitbit Premium to help you stay active, sleep well and manage stress. Unlock it all in the Fitbit app. (The valid payment method required. Cancel before free trial ends to avoid subscription fees. Offer valid for new Premium users only)With a larger display and an always on option, your information?s always a quick glance away (always on display requires more frequent charging)Play your favorite songs and playlists with Spotify app controls on your wrist. Also make secure purchases with Fitbit Pay and get called, text and smartphone app notifications.

While not challenging some of the more high-end smartwatches on our list, Fitbit Versa 2 is a budget waterproof fitness tracker option that does its job. The Fitbit versa 2 boasts a solid 6+ day battery life for everyday use and swims. 

Fitbit Versa 2 is affordable and has many features that can instantly add value to your workouts. Unfortunately, its GPS option only works when connected to a smartphone. This can be a big problem for most open-water athletes, as swimming with your phone is not the most convenient option. Because of this price point, Fitbit Versa 2 remains the most budget-friendly of options on the market.

Pros: 

  • GPS not greatFeels CheapNot Accurate

Best for Triathletes: Garmin Forerunner 955

Topping our list of the best watches for multi-sport/triathletes is the Garmin Forerunner 955, with amazing battery life.

  • Built with an always-on, full-color display that’s light on the wrist and easy to read even in direct sunlight.Special Feature:Waterproof.Battery life: up to 15 days of battery life in smartwatch mode for a full picture of your health — from sleep to training; plus, get up to 42 hours in GPS mode and up to 80 hours in UltraTrac modeClick or swipe through maps and stats with traditional button controls or a new, responsive touchscreenWhether you’re running on city streets or riding densely covered trails, Forerunner 955 provides full-color, built-in mapping to keep you on trackAccess multiple global navigation satellite systems, and get access to multiple frequencies sent by navigation satellites for improved accuracy in areas where GNSS signals are reflected, weak or typically don’t penetrate — giving you superior accuracy for how far and how fast you’ve run — even in challenging environments

Garmin has made a name for itself in the world of triathlons and ultra runners for its reliability and build quality. You know, when you get a top-of-the-line Garmins model, it’s going to be great. 

Tests show the Garmin Forerunner 955 has an impressive battery life of 14 days in smartwatch mode and 16 hours in activity mode. To make things better, the 955 has impressive accuracy for laps counts, stoke style, and SWOLF (a score that measures your swimming efficiency). 

One drawback with the Garmin forerunner 955 is its wrist strap/case. The plastic wrap looks cheap and flimsy. Most owners lament that this watch costs a premium yet has a plastic casing.

If you want the “best of the best” smartwatch for multi-sports, and don’t mind the plastic casing, then Garmin Forerunner 955 can be a great option. 

  • Incredibly accurate with HR and GPSAn incredible array of features and metricsOne of the best watches on the market for multi-sport athletes

  • Plastic strap and around the bezelExpensive

How to Pick the Best Smartwatch for Swimming: Step by Step

When choosing a smartwatch for swimming, here are five factors you should consider:

  • PriceGPSComfortApp support/Customization

Let’s review each in more detail.

Price

For most buyers, smartwatch price is a major buying factor. First, decide what your budget is and the most you can spend. From there, you can sort out which watches would be available.

GPS

GPS is not a feature that most indoor swimmers would think about. But, when swimming outdoors/in open water, it is important to track how far you swim and your location. If a GPS is not necessary for the type of swimming, then more inexpensive options of watches open to you that can be a great fit.

Comfort

Comfort is another crucial consideration, but some swimmers often overlook it. You will be wearing your smartwatch as you train for potentially hours at a time. So, you want something that feels comfortable on your wrist while you put in the work.

App Support/Customization

Lastly, a lack of app support and customization can be a huge deal breaker for many athletes. If you choose a watch that can’t change its layout and is frustrating to use, or even worse, buggy. You could spend most of your training time worrying about your watch. Before buying, try out a few of the watches you are considering and see how they feel using the interface. 

What to Know Before Buying a Fitness Watch for Swimming.

One critical question to ask yourself before buying a watch is; what do I need this smartwatch to do? Sure, it might seem like a great idea to buy the Apple Watch 8th gen, but if you only need a watch for tracking your lap times once a week, then it would be a bit of an overkill. Not to mention you would spend a ton of money. Write down your must-haves, and look for watches that deliver on those points in spades.

Using a Fitness Watch for Swimming: What It’s Like

Using a smartwatch for swimming can sometimes be an equally frustrating and rewarding experience. Depending on what kind of smartwatch you use, it can be difficult to use the touch screen or button. Especially if the watch that you have on recommends that you don’t press the buttons underwater, which can be frustrating when you are trying to put in laps and don’t want to stick your hand out every time to count your lap. 

Thankfully, tech companies like Garmin and Koros continue developing and producing better and better products that try to solve these issues. If you have a heavier watch, it can take time to adjust your stroke to account for the added weight.