15 Best GPS Running Watches For Women (2024), Expert Picks
Chandel is a Nationally Certified Pilates Instructor, Personal Trainer, Pregnancy and Postpartum Corrective Exercise Specialist, and the owner of Curls & Pilates, a fitness company. She has 4 years of experience and trains some of the top names on the Fortune 500 list, teaching them how to tune into their bodies and create fitness practices that blend strength training and Pilates in with their busy lifestyles.
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Aditi Naskar has a postgraduate degree in English literature from Presidency University, Kolkata, a bachelor’s degree in education from WBUTTEPA, Kolkata, and a diploma in health and wellness. She is an associate commerce editor with 5 years of experience and specializes in reviewing fitness and health products.
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Medha Deb is a commerce editor with a master's degree in applied linguistics from the University of Hyderabad, which has allowed her to develop a deep understanding of language and its application in various contexts. She specializes in the areas of beauty, health, and wellness and is committed to ensuring that the content on the website is of the highest quality.
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rajeshwari das Rajeshwari is a dedicated fitness and lifestyle enthusiast, deeply committed to enhancing our readers’ well-being and vitality. She has a master’s degree in Journalism & Mass Communication from the University of Calcutta.
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In This Article
There’s a reason running is one of the most preferred forms of exercise. It gets your heart racing and helps with fat reduction, promoting personal transformation. Investing in the best GPS running watches for women can help you become more strategic and plan your runs to meet your daily, weekly, and monthly goals. These devices track your performance and fitness level, and help you improve your form, making workouts more effective.
So, if your goal is to get fitter and be more mindful about your runs, this list of our top 15 watch recommendations will definitely be of help. Have a look!
GPS Running Watch Vs. Fitness Tracker Vs. Smartwatch – How Are They Different?
GPS Running Watch –
A GPS running watch provides you with accurate data on your pace and distance while running. These watches are perfect for sports like cycling, swimming, and hiking. They offer advanced metrics like an instant heart rate tracker and calorie count tracker. Some may even have software that helps you plan a workout routine.
Fitness Trackers – A fitness tracker estimates your running distances by counting the steps you have taken. Some fitness trackers may contain a GPS, though that tracking feature may not be as good as that of a GPS running watch.
Smartwatch – A smartwatch will not show you the pace and distance that you have run. But the smartwatch needs to be connected to your phone via Bluetooth app. You will see your fitness progress, sleep score, stress level, etc. uploaded on the phone.
Now that we have decoded how GPS running watches stand apart, let us look at the top brands available on the market.[table “1294” not found /]
15 Best GPS Running Watches For Women
1. Best Cost-Effective:Fitbit Inspire HR Heart Rate & Fitness Tracker
The Fitbit Inspire HR is an everyday friendly fitness tracker. This device will serve as a good motivator to reach your fitness goals. This fitness tracker will help you track your progress by letting you know how many calories you have burnt. It has various added features like recording 24/7 heart rate, workout features, calories burned tracker, and goal celebrations.
The 24/7 heart rate helps you track calories burned and resting heart rate and heart rate zones while you workout. This tracker tracks all exercises and training activities, including steps, calories burned, and distance. It also tracks sleep, and this smart feature will give you insights into different sleep stages – deep and REM sleep stages. With an impressive battery life, it lasts up to five days, and the charge time is 2 hours. Check out this in-depth review to get the user insights of using the Fitbit Inspire HR Heart Rate & Fitness Tracker on YouTube.
Pros
- Waterproof
- Comfortable to wear
- Cost-effective
- 5-day battery life
Cons
- Straps of the watch may be faulty
- Difficult to operate
"This thing is my trusty sidekick. It keeps tabs on all my daily moves and records my sleep routine. It is super user-friendly too. Bonus points for being water-resistant with a battery life that's in it for the long haul."
Quick Tip
Why We Think It's Worth Buying
More than 49,113 customers have given the product positive reviews on Amazon.
2. Best Battery Life:Garmin Forerunner 35, Easy-to-Use GPS Running Watch
The Garmin Forerunner is a stylish, easy-to-use GPS running watch. It monitors your heart rate and also doubles as an all-day activity tracker. Featuring a larger display with a clear screen and long battery life, Garmin can become a great addition to your daily exercise routine. The watch has an elevated wrist heart rate technology.
The GPS can track how fast you walk or run, even when you are under a tree. The watch does not need a phone. It comes with vibration alerts that notify you of running prompts. It also tracks milestones and shows your virtual pacing progress. Although it is a great device, its software may be too complicated to use for some people. For an honest review of the watch, check out this video to explore a reviewer’s experience of using it.
Pros
- Cheaper than other Garmin products
- Long battery life
- Can be paired with external sensors
Cons
- Slow GPS
- Complicated software
"I love the color of this watch. It monitors my heart rate, and the built-in GPS tracks the distance I have run. The silicone strap feels soft around my wrist. It leaves vibration alerts when I have missed any goal or fulfilled it."
Why We Think It's Worth Buying
This product has made it to our top favorite list with more than 14,245 rave reviews on Amazon.
3. Most Comfortable:Garmin Vívoactive 3 Music GPS Smartwatch
This smartwatch from Garmin is a multitasker. It has both music streaming and a sports app, which may become your perfect companion when the workout routine gets a bit dull. Along with its sleek design, it also is very comfortable to wear.
The watch fits wrists with a circumference between 5 to 8 inches. It can store over 500 songs. The Garmin Pay feature in the watch allows you to make payments right from your watch (you do not have to carry your card). The running watch has more than 15 preloaded apps. You can monitor your daily activities and fitness levels with the VO2 max and fitness age estimates. The watch battery lasts for 7 days in the Smartwatch mode and for about 5 hours in the GPS with Music mode. The reviewers mention that the product tracks steps accurately, works underwater, and has a long battery life.
Pros
- Comfortable wear
- In-built music and sports app
- Good battery life
- Sleep tracker
Cons
- Slow GPS
"The best thing about this watch is that I can download around 500 songs in it. It has 15 installed sports apps that help me exercise and meet my fitness goals. It has a large, round dial that helps me view my heart rate and workout data precisely. Its all-black look goes well with my formal dresses."
Why We Think It's Worth Buying
This product has garnered over 6,584 positive reviews on Amazon, and the number continues to grow.
| Attribute | Best Durable  | Best Battery Life  | Best Comfort  |
|---|---|---|---|
| Product Name | Fitbit Inspire HR Heart Rate & Fitness Tracker | Garmin Forerunner 35, Easy-to-Use GPS Running Watch | Garmin Vívoactive 3 Music GPS Smartwatch |
| Heart Rate Monitoring | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Sleep Tracking | Yes | No | Yes |
| Smart Watch Functionality | Limited | No | Yes |
| Water Resistance | Up to 5 ATM | 5 ATM | 5 ATM |
| GPS | Connected | Built-in | Built-in |
| Amazon Ratings | 4.4 | 4.5 | 4.5 |
| Amazon Reviews | 52,820 | 14,870 | 14,578 |
| Buy Now | Check Price | Check Price | Check Price |
4. Best Screen Size:Apple Watch Series 5
The series 5 watch from Apple is truly stunning. With its always-on feature, you will be able to see the time whenever you want without turning the watch on. One important feature of this smartwatch is that it has an ECG app. This app will read your heart rate and heart rhythm easily, thanks to its electrical and optical heart sensors for heart rate tracking.
Not only this, but the watch also lets you track your menstrual cycle and informs you when the noise around you is too loud to impact your hearing. The watch also comes with a built-in compass, an emergency SOS, and a fall detection feature. It has a 30% larger screen. The Apple Music Library allows you access to over 60 million songs, including podcasts and audiobooks. The most interesting feature of the watch happens to be its watch face. There are over 100 of them you can personalize them in several ways to suit your style. For further information about the Apple Watch Series 5, check out this video detailing a tester’s experience of using it.
Pros
- ECG App
- Water-resistant
- Always-on feature
- Comfortable wear
Cons
- Expensive
"I wear this watch almost every day while exercising and I am very impressed with its battery. I can connect it easily with my Apple phone to take calls and message my friends. It has a broad OLED display that helps me view the time, notifications, and workout data easily."
5. Best Wrist-Based Heart Rate Tracker:Garmin Forerunner 735XT, Multisport GPS Running Watch
The Forerunner 735XT is a perfect watch for athletes. This watch has a wrist-based heart rate tracker and comes with smart notifications, automatic uploads, and a connect IQ compatibility. This watch also has a slim feature and an in-built GPS. It is available in two colors – Black and Frost Blue.
The watch offers advanced dynamics for running, swimming, and cycling. These include ground contact time, stride length, vertical ratio, etc. It also has a recovery advisor. You can customize the watch with free watch faces from the Connect IQ store.
Pros
- Wrist-based heart rate tracker
- In-built GPS
Cons
- Not a very good battery life
- Expensive
"I love the sporty look of this watch. It has a heart rate tracker, which gives accurate results. Its live tracking feature is exceptional. The sturdy strap lies smoothly around my wrist without pinching my skin. Another plus is its smart notifications, which are super cool."
6. Best Sleek Design:Coros APEX Premium Multisport GPS Watch
The APEX premium watch from Coros is known for its long battery life. In addition to an in-built GPS, this watch also has a built-in barometer app. This multisport mode watch will also track your sleep. What makes this smartwatch different from others is its 24-day battery life. It has a comfortable and modern design, and you would want to wear this watch everywhere.
This watch bagged the 2019’s Runner’s World Editor’s Choice award. It has a ceramic bezel finish with a sapphire glass and a digital knob. In the UltraMax GPS mode, the battery lasts for about 80 hours. In the Full GPS mode, the battery lasts for about 25 hours.
Pros
- Excellent battery life
- Sleek design
- Accurate GPS
Cons
- Not suitable in cold weather
7. Best Smartphone Customization:Garmin Forerunner 935 Running GPS Unit
This running watch from Garmin will be a good addition to your workout routine. This may come in handy when you go for a run, as the navigation system in this watch is a class apart. The Forerunner 935 is completely smartphone customizable. One interesting feature of this watch is that it has an in-built electronic compass. The reviews mention the watch receives prompt GPS signals, shows accurate workout data, and has an easy setup. However, this watch comes in two versions – ROW (Rest of The World) and the Asia Pacific. Many have reported varying differences between the two versions and prefer ROW to Asia Pacific.
The watch is comfortable to be worn all day as it weighs only 49 grams. The built-in barometer provides elevation changes. The watch also helps you understand if you are under-training or overdoing it and helps in framing your training plans. It offers dynamics for running, cycling, and swimming, including ground contact time and stride length.
Pros
- Accurate navigation
- Customizable
Cons
- Overpriced
Why We Think It's Worth Buying
It has received 2,718 reviews on Amazon and is a popular choice among shoppers.
8. Best Advanced Sleep Tracking Feature:Polar Ignite – Advanced Waterproof Fitness Watch
The Polar Ignite is a waterproof watch with advanced wrist-based heart rate tracker, GPS, and personalized workout guides. The heart rate tracker includes the technology of bio-impedance of electrodes and optical sensors. This water-resistant watch has a lightweight design that makes it comfortable to wear every day.
It suggests workout routines on a daily basis. Its Nightly Recharge feature measures your recovery in the night and gives workout suggestions if you must workout the following morning. The Advanced Sleep Tracking feature gives you inputs on how to get a good night’s rest, thanks to the Polar’s Sleep Plus Stages analysis. Chandel Stallworth, a Personal Trainer reminds you, “Never underestimate the importance of a good night’s sleep. Lack of sleep can lead to weight gain, greater chance of injury during your workout, and just overall grumpiness”.
Pros
- Lightweight design
- Personalized workout guides
Cons
- Difficulty in pairing with smartphone
"This watch counts my steps and tracks my speed and the distance I have covered while running. The integrated GPS is very effective. I like the nightly recharge feature that measures how quickly my body can recover at night from the day’s stress. It tracks and provides me a detailed sleep data."
9. Best For Swimmers:Apple Watch Series 4
This is another one from the Apple watch series, The watch comes with an electrical heat sensor, an ECG app to monitor your heart rate, and personalized workout plans. Its ECG app will notify you about high and low heart rates and irregular rhythms, thanks to its electrical and optical heat sensors.
This watch also lets you share your activity with friends and awards you for reaching your achievements. This app also comes with a walkie-talkie, Apple music, and Apple podcasts that will keep you company during workouts. The watch has an improved accelerometer and a gyroscope for better fall detection. It is swim-proof. It comes with a 50% louder speaker and a 30% larger display. Many reviewers have testified that the product sends gentle action reminders to keep the body moving and allows you to customize all the functions according to your needs.
Pros
- In-built ECG app
- Electrical heart sensor
Cons
- Poor battery life
"This Apple watch has a sleek look. It has a 30% larger display for easy reading. It measures my heart rate and detects falls. I wear it daily during my workouts. It motivates me to exercise daily by providing me with monthly challenges. The best part is that it is easy to connect with my Apple phone."
10. Best Activity Tracking Mode:PlayBetter Garmin Forerunner 55 Black GPS Running Watch
The PlayBetter Garmin Forerunner 55 GPS Running Watch can keep tabs on your time, distance, pace, and speed no matter your level of fitness. The battery on this watch can last up to 20 hours when using the GPS function and up to 2 weeks when using the smartwatch function. This watch is lightweight and comfy, making it the ideal smartwatch for jogging and daily life. The watch’s built-in PacePro Technology uses GPS to provide personalized pace recommendations depending on the user’s chosen route or distance. The watch is fortified with HD tempered glass screen protectors, a portable 5000mAh battery charger, and a USB charging connection. The Race Predictor tool uses your level of fitness and exercise data to help you reach your race objective and observe how training affects your expected finish time. It can even notify your emergency contacts about your position if the watch detects any threat.
Pros
- Good battery life
- Good exercise and sleep tracker
- Sleek design
- Accurate GPS
Cons
- Expensive
"I wear this watch during my runs, and it tracks my steps, speed, and the distance I have covered. It charges up quickly, and the power lasts for hours. The dial is covered with HD tempered glass to prevent scratches."
11. Best Find Your Phone Feature:Huawei Band 3 Pro All-in-One Fitness Activity Tracker
The Huawei Band 3 Pro is a high-end running watch. This watch has integrated smart features like a heart rate monitor, GPS, fitness monitor, and sleep monitor. It also has a feature that sends you reminders about your workouts through messages. Another fun feature of this watch is its “Find your phone” feature. This comes handy when you forgot where you have kept your phone.
It also has True Sleep 2.0, a technology developed in collaboration with Harvard Medical School, that gives suggestions for better sleep. Many reviewers agree that the watch also works as a camera shutter remote for your smartphone.
Pros
- Good battery life
- Good exercise and sleep tracker
- Find your phone feature
- Inexpensive
Cons
- Connectivity issues
"This smartwatch features an AMOLED touch display. I like that I can adjust the brightness of the screen. The built-in GPS tracker helps me monitor the distance I am running. It is water-resistant so I can wear it while swimming. It also tracks my sleeping time."
12. Best For Multi-Sport Activities:SUUNTO 9 Peak & Peak Pro
The SUUNTO 9 Peak & Peak Pro Sports Watch is a full-featured GPS sports watch designed for the most strenuous activities and travels. Even in hard circumstances, the improved GPS navigation makes it possible for you to view your position as well as your speed and distance traveled with higher precision. The durability of the sports watch was evaluated using criteria established by the United States military. It is resistant to water immersion up to a depth of 100 meters and is constructed from materials of the best possible quality, including sapphire glass, stainless steel, and titanium in some models. The sports watch offers a battery life of 40 hours in GPS mode and 21 days in daily use. It is compatible with over 95 different sports and allows you to keep track of multisport activities as well. In addition, the watch monitors your activity levels by sensing any trackable activity around the clock, including your heart rate, calorie burn, and the number of steps taken, as well as your sleep.
Pros
- Long battery life
- Waterproof
- Durable
- Fast charging
- Long battery life
Cons
- Very expensive
"This watch resists water up to 100m depth, so I can swim in deep pools while wearing it. It has a long battery life, and it is sturdy. It features 80 sports modes, allowing me to make the most of it. The best part is that I can connect it to my Bluetooth music devices and adjust the volume from the watch."
13. Most Lightweight:Fossil Women’s GPS Watch
This running watch comes with a heart rate and activity tracker that uses Google Fit. The built-in GPS helps with navigation as well as tracking the distance one has run. It works as your personal Google, thanks to the responses from Google Assistant. This is an ultra-lightweight watch that is 40% lighter than other models. It tracks your workout as well, including swimming.
You can also receive notifications from your smartphone and other calendar alerts. The smart battery modes help extend the watch’s battery life for multiple days. It comes with a magnetic USB rapid charger that can charge up to 80 percent in under an hour.
Pros
- Fast charging
- Comes with Google Assistant
- Lightweight
Cons
- Poor battery life
"This smartwatch syncs easily with my Android phone and shows me all my phone notifications. I like its sleek dial that displays my heart rate. The bold font that displays the time and date allows for easy reading. The built-in GPS tracks the distance. Its LED flashlight comes in handy."
14. Most Accurate GPS:Garmin Forerunner 10 GPS Watch
This is a cute and easy-to-use running watch that is also button operated. It is waterproof and is a highly sensitive GPS receiver. It also motivates you while running by notifying you when you have completed a mile. An added bonus will be its heart rate and calories tracker and the ability to upload your runs easily to your computer or phone. This watch is available in multiple colors – Pink, Silver, Purple, and Red.
The battery lasts for 5 weeks in power saver mode and 5 hours in the training mode. The watch also has different training tools that help track training metrics. Virtual Pacer, one such tool, compares the current running pace with your target.
Pros
- Easy-to-use
- Accurate GPS signal
Cons
- Less storage space
"I like this watch as it provides me with accurate readings. It helps me track my speed, calorie count, and the distance I have covered. The dial is shock-resistant and waterproof. The strap sits softly around my wrist. It has buttons on the four sides of the dial, which are easy to operate."
15. Best Touchless Transition Design:Wahoo ELEMNT Rival Running/Multisport GPS Smartwatch
The Wahoo ELEMNT Rival Running/Multisport GPS Smartwatch features an optical heart rate sensor and barometer. The GPS smartwatch has a robust user interface, made possible by the ELEMNT operating system. The multisport features such as touchless transition, multisport handover, and ideal view zoom provide a smooth performance edge throughout training and competition. It has a battery life of 2 weeks in smartwatch mode and 24 hours in GPS exercise mode. The watch can monitor your heart rate, steps, and calories burned all day, every day. It can even keep track of your sleep patterns. The 64-bit color display, ceramic bezel, and gorilla glass lens of this watch make it not only durable enough to handle your toughest workouts but also stylish enough to wear every day.
Pros
- Stylish
- Accurate GPS
- Fully customizable screen
- USB rechargeable battery
Cons
- Expensive
"This watch looks super cool around my wrist. It tracks my workout data accurately. I like that it is easy to set up and operate. The large display has an ambient light sensor that allows me to see the timings even in low-light situations."
Pro TipThe Bottom Line
Runners or fitness enthusiasts prefer to record the distance and time taken to run. And for this, the GPS running watch will be of great help. The Fitbit Inspire HR Heart Rate & Fitness Tracker offers waterproof durability and a 5-day battery life, while the Garmin Vívoactive 3 Music GPS Smartwatch ensures comfortable wear and sleep tracking. The PlayBetter Garmin Forerunner 55 Black GPS Running Watch has a sleek design, and its form factor suits various kinds of fitness activities. These watches provide accurate readings while running. In addition, some watches can also show graphs of the calories burnt, monitor the heart rate, or show the time spent sleeping. If you are considering investing in a GPS running watch, check out the list of durable and accurate watches mentioned above and go through their reviews. However, restrain from watches that can not offer a good battery life.
Frequently Asked Questions
Are GPS running watches worth it?
Yes, GPS running watches correctly keep a track of your pace and distance covered without you having to use your phone during running. GPS watches offer accuracy and are widely used by runners.
Are GPS running watches durable?
Yes, many GPS running watches are made of good quality material and are durable.
How accurate are GPS running watches?
On a flat, plain area, the error on GPS running watches is less than 1%. In the urban landscape with buildings, the error margin may be slightly more than 1%. However, the error margin might be more than 5% when running through a rocky forest.
How long do GPS running watches last?
GPS watches may last up to seven or eight years.
How long does the battery last on a running watch?
The battery may easily last between 20 to 35 hours. Expensive watches usually have better battery life.
Why Trust StyleCraze?
The author of this article, Aditi Naskar, has a diploma in health and wellness with a keen interest in finding the latest fitness gadgets that can help you meet your fitness goals. She has gone through plenty of customer testimonials online and has curated this list of the best GPS running watches for women. These watches help you track your performance and keep you in shape.
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