As a smartwatch reviewer, I often field questions from Apple Watch owners about whether they should switch to a Garmin smartwatch, and vice versa. In 2025, Apple and Garmin are easily two of the most popular smartwatch brands, but is one better than the other?

That depends on what you're hoping to get out of your smartwatch. To help you choose, I've compared the current generation of Apple Watches to Garmin's modern lineup across eight categories, with a winner declared for each. The categories include price, design, durability, health tracking, fitness tracking, safety tools, smart features, and battery life.

Apple Watch vs Garmin: Price

Garmin's least exspensive smartwatch model that we recommend is the Garmin Forerunner 55, which starts at $200 or $50 less than Apple's cheapest model

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