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5 Best Smartwatches With NFC for Contactless Payments

With NFC-enabled smartwatches, you can easily pay for your purchases by simply tapping on a POS terminal. As such, if you don’t like to carry your phone all the time, or simply don’t want to take it out of your pocket, check out the best NFC-enabled smartwatches below.

Fitbit Versa 4: Best Budget Smartwatch With NFC

fitbit versa 4

Fitbit’s smartwatches have evolved quite a lot over the years. The Fitbit Versa 4, for instance, lets you tap into music, navigation, and contactless payments with Fitbit Pay. You can link your card to the wearable, which you can then use at POS terminals.

That’s not all there is to the Fitbit Versa 4. The wearable also offers several sports modes for athletes. You can also rely on the watch’s automatic activity detection to track your workouts. Thanks to the built-in GPS, you can leave your phone behind when going out for runs, too. Apart from the usual set of health features, the Versa 4 also includes a SpO2 monitor.

What We Like

  • Accurate health tracking
  • Affordable

What We Don’t Like

  • Fitbit Pay isn’t as widely compatible as Google Pay or Apple Pay

Fossil Gen 6 Smartwatch: Best Stylish Smartwatch

fossil gen 6 smartwatch

The Fossil Gen 6 smartwatch runs on the latest Snapdragon 4100+ SoC and Wear OS 3. The combination of stellar hardware and well-optimized software ensures the wearable operates smoothly. The wearable also lets users download hundreds of apps, including Google Pay, which facilitates contactless or NFC payments.

The wearable is replete with all the standard health-tracking features, including SpO2 monitoring. If anything, Wear OS can drain the smartwatch’s battery like nobody’s business. If you’re okay with charging the watch every night, consider the Fossil Gen 6.

What We Like

  • Excellent design
  • Smooth performance

What We Don’t Like

  • Average battery life

Samsung Galaxy Watch 5: Best Overall

galaxy watch 5

The Galaxy Watch 5 is among the rare breed of smartwatches that support two separate contactless payment features, including Google Pay and Samsung Pay. Additionally, you can sideload Samsung Pay to use NFC payments, too, if the service is unavailable in your region.

Just like the Fossil Gen 6, the Galaxy Watch 5 also runs Wear OS 3, so you can download a truckload of apps from the Google Play Store. Samsung’s health tracking is also reliable. As such, the Galaxy Watch 5 checks most of the right boxes. The battery life is better than the Fossil Gen 6, but you’ll still have to charge your watch every other day.

What We Like

  • Reliable software
  • Works with both Google Pay and Samsung Pay

What We Don’t Like

  • Average battery life

Ticwatch Pro 3 Ultra: Best Smartwatch With Long Battery Life

ticwatch pro 3 ultra

Along with its premium design and detailed fitness monitoring, the biggest USP of the TicWatch Pro 3 Ultra is its long battery life. The same can be attributed to Mobvoi’s dual-display technology, which can reportedly increase the wearable’s battery life by up to 45 days.

When used normally, the TicWatch Pro 3 Ultra is like any other Wear OS smartwatch. All important health features work as intended, including the unit’s fatigue assessment sensor. You can download apps from the Play Store or sideload any app of your choice. Google Pay does come pre-installed in supported regions and can be used to make contactless payments via the watch.

What We Like

  • Solid battery life
  • Attractive design

What We Don’t Like

  • Slight stutters in the UI

Apple Watch Series 8: Best Smartwatch for iPhone Users

Apple Watch 8

Thanks to its stellar dependability, the Apple Watch Series 8 is our top pick. While Wear OS smartwatches have drastically improved in the past few years, they still can’t match the fluidity and no-frills experience offered by the Apple Watch. The Apple Watch Series 8 is a no-brainer if you have an iPhone.

Additionally, the wearable comes with a suite of fitness tracking and other health features, like ECG. You can also share activity stats with friends to compete against them. This can help keep you accountable and motivated while working towards your fitness goals. As for payments, the Apple Watch is backed by Apple Pay, which works via NFC on the watch.

What We Like

  • Best software on a smartwatch
  • Reliable fitness data

What We Don’t Like

  • Only compatible with iPhones
  • Needs to be charged every day

FAQs

1. Does Apple Pay work on Fitbit?

No, Apple Pay is limited just to the Apple Watch. If you have a compatible Fitbit, you can use Fitbit Pay instead.

2. Are NFC payments safe?

Contactless payments via NFC are safe since you first need to unlock your smartwatch before tapping to pay. However, it’s best not to leave your smartphone or smartwatch unattended to avoid security risks.

3. Where can I pay using my smartwatch?

Most POS terminals at coffee shops, grocery stores, malls, restaurants, etc., support NFC payments. Look for a terminal’s Apple Pay or Google Pay sticker to know if it supports contactless payments.

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Last updated on 27 April, 2024

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