Best Budget Smartwatch for iPhone Users in 2026
Budget smartwatches and iPhones can be a slightly trickier pairing than budget smartwatches and Android — not because the watches don't work, but because Apple's ecosystem is more restrictive about what third-party devices are allowed to do. That doesn't mean you should rule out a COLMI watch if you're on iPhone; it just means going in with realistic expectations about what will and won't work as smoothly as it does for Android users. Here's an honest guide to the best options.
What's Different About iPhone Pairing
Apple's iOS uses a notification framework called ANCS (Apple Notification Center Service) that lets third-party accessories like the COLMI range receive alerts from your phone, and Da Fit supports this on iOS 9 and above. For most apps — email, calendar, social media, most messaging apps — notifications mirror through reasonably well, showing the app icon and a preview. Where things get less predictable is with iMessage and SMS previews, call handling, and quick replies, where Apple's restrictions on non-MFi-certified accessories (MFi being Apple's official "Made for iPhone" certification programme) can mean a less consistent experience than the same watch paired with an Android phone. This isn't unique to COLMI — it applies to nearly every non-Apple Watch smartwatch on the market at any price point.
Bluetooth Calling: Manage Your Expectations
Several COLMI models advertise Bluetooth calling — answering and rejecting calls from your wrist — and this generally does work on iPhone via the standard Bluetooth Hands-Free Profile, the same protocol used by Bluetooth headsets and car systems. That said, we'd recommend treating calling as a nice-to-have rather than the deciding factor if you're on iPhone, since call audio routing and reliability can vary more between phone models and iOS versions than it does on Android. If calling is your main reason for buying a smartwatch, testing the feature within your return window before relying on it for anything important is a sensible precaution.
Best Under £35: COLMI V72 and COLMI C8 Max
For iPhone users who mainly want solid health tracking, sleep monitoring, and basic notification glances without worrying about calling reliability, the COLMI V72 (£33) is an easy recommendation — AMOLED display, 100+ sports modes, and a battery that comfortably lasts a week between charges. If budget is the absolute priority, the COLMI C8 Max (£34) trades AMOLED for a larger 1.93-inch IPS screen at a similar price point, which some buyers actually prefer for outdoor visibility.
Best for Notification-Focused Use: COLMI V73 and COLMI i28 Ultra
If glancing at notifications is your main use case rather than calling or advanced sports tracking, screen quality and readability matter more than any other spec. The COLMI V73 (£35) offers the same reliable AMOLED experience as the V72 with an additional Pink colour option, while the COLMI i28 Ultra (£44) steps up to a sharper 466×466 resolution display that makes text previews noticeably easier to read at a glance — a genuinely useful upgrade if notification legibility is what you care about most.
Best for Fitness-Focused iPhone Users: COLMI P80 and COLMI P82
Health and fitness tracking works identically well regardless of phone platform, since it's processed on the watch itself and synced to Da Fit rather than relying on deeper OS integration. The COLMI P80 (£40) offers a 12-day battery and your choice of silicone or stainless steel strap, while the COLMI P82 (£50) adds built-in GPS — genuinely useful for iPhone users who want route tracking without needing their phone's location constantly active in the background, which can be a bigger battery drain on iPhone than some Android phones due to how iOS handles background location permissions for third-party apps.
Best With Standalone GPS: COLMI V76 GPS
Speaking of GPS, the COLMI V76 GPS (£62) is worth calling out specifically for iPhone users who run or cycle regularly. Because it has its own GPS chip rather than depending on your phone's location services, you avoid the background-permission friction that iOS sometimes introduces for apps requesting continuous location access, and you can leave your phone at home entirely for a workout while still getting accurate distance and route data.
Comparison Table
| Model | Price | Display | Best For |
|---|---|---|---|
| COLMI V72 | £33 | AMOLED | All-round value |
| COLMI C8 Max | £34 | 1.93" IPS | Largest screen, lowest cost |
| COLMI V73 | £35 | AMOLED | Notification-focused use |
| COLMI i28 Ultra | £44 | 1.43" AMOLED, 466x466 | Sharpest text readability |
| COLMI P80 | £40 | AMOLED | Fitness + battery life |
| COLMI P82 | £50 | 2.13" AMOLED | Fitness + built-in GPS |
| COLMI V76 GPS | £62 | 1.43" AMOLED | Standalone GPS, no phone needed |
Setting Up Da Fit on iPhone
Download Da Fit from the App Store, then during setup make sure you grant Bluetooth, Notifications, and Motion & Fitness permissions when prompted — skipping any of these at setup is the most common reason iPhone users report incomplete tracking or missing notifications afterward. If you've already set up the watch and something isn't working as expected, it's worth checking Settings > Notifications > Da Fit to confirm notification access hasn't been quietly disabled, which can happen after iOS updates in some cases.
What Doesn't Work as Well on iPhone
In the interest of honesty rather than salesmanship: replying to messages directly from the watch is more limited on iPhone than Android, since iOS doesn't allow third-party accessories the same level of access to compose and send messages that Android's notification listener permissions provide. Some preset quick-reply options may work depending on the app, but don't expect full custom text replies from your wrist. Similarly, while most notifications mirror through reliably, iMessage-specific formatting (read receipts, reactions, images) generally won't display beyond a basic text preview.
What Works Just as Well as Android
Core health tracking is identical regardless of phone platform — heart rate, sleep staging, SpO2, stress tracking, and step counting are all processed by the watch's own sensors and firmware, then synced to Da Fit. Watch face customisation, sports mode tracking, and battery life are also unaffected by which phone you use. If health and fitness tracking is your primary reason for buying rather than deep notification integration, the iPhone experience is genuinely comparable to Android.
Should You Just Get an Apple Watch Instead?
It's a fair alternative to consider, and if App Store access, Apple Pay, and full two-way messaging matter to you, an Apple Watch will do all of that in a way no budget smartwatch can. But that comes at 4–10 times the price of most COLMI models, with battery life measured in a single day rather than a week or more. If your priorities are long battery life, solid health tracking, and glanceable notifications at a fraction of the cost, a COLMI watch remains a reasonable choice even on iPhone — just with the caveats above factored into your decision.
Our Recommendation
For most iPhone users, the COLMI V72 offers the best all-round balance of price, display quality, and battery life without leaning on features (like full message replies) that iOS restricts more heavily. If notification readability is your priority, step up to the i28 Ultra. And if you exercise regularly and want to leave your phone at home, the V76 GPS is worth the extra spend for standalone GPS that sidesteps iOS's background location quirks entirely.
Common iPhone Pairing Issues and How to Fix Them
If your watch connects but notifications stop after a day or two, the most likely cause is iOS quietly reclassifying Da Fit's background activity after a system update — reopening the app briefly and confirming permissions haven't reset usually resolves this. If the watch fails to find your iPhone during initial pairing, make sure Bluetooth is toggled off and back on, and that the watch isn't already connected to another device (COLMI watches typically only pair with one phone at a time). A surprising number of "won't pair" reports also come down to iOS's location permission prompt being dismissed rather than answered — always choose "Allow" or "Allow Once" rather than closing the prompt, since Da Fit relies on this for certain background functions even on watches without built-in GPS.
Battery Life: iPhone Habits vs Android Habits
Interestingly, iPhone users sometimes report marginally better battery life on these watches than Android users with similar notification volumes, largely because iOS is generally more conservative about which apps can push notifications in the first place, meaning less overall wake-up activity for the watch's Bluetooth radio. This isn't a huge difference in practice — expect the same broad 7–12 day range most COLMI watches are rated for — but it's a small silver lining if battery anxiety is part of your hesitation about adopting a third-party wearable on iPhone.
Choosing Between Two Similar Models
If you're torn between two visually similar options — say the V72 and V73, or the P80 and P81 — remember that on iPhone specifically, the deciding factor is rarely going to be calling reliability or notification depth, since those are broadly similar across the range at a given price tier. Instead, focus on the differentiators that do matter regardless of phone platform: battery life, strap material, sports mode range, and price. This is generally less confusing than it sounds once you strip away the marketing language and compare the actual spec differences side by side.
Buying for a Family Member Who Uses an iPhone
If you're buying a COLMI watch as a gift for someone on iPhone, it's worth setting expectations rather than assuming Apple Watch-level integration. Most recipients are perfectly happy with the health tracking and notification glances a budget smartwatch provides, but if they specifically use their Apple Watch (or would expect an Apple Watch-like experience) for things like Apple Pay or full message replies, a COLMI watch isn't a like-for-like replacement and it's worth having that conversation before buying rather than after a disappointed unboxing.
A Note on Firmware Updates
Firmware updates for COLMI watches are delivered through the Da Fit app rather than through iOS directly, and the update process is identical regardless of which phone platform you use. It's worth keeping firmware current, since COLMI periodically ships improvements to Bluetooth stability and notification handling that can meaningfully improve the iPhone pairing experience over time — if you've had connectivity niggles, checking for a pending firmware update before troubleshooting further is a sensible first step.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do COLMI smartwatches work with all iPhone models?
Yes, provided your iPhone runs iOS 9 or later, which covers virtually every iPhone still in regular use, including older models like the iPhone 6s and above.
Can I reply to iMessages from a COLMI watch?
Full custom replies aren't supported due to iOS restrictions on third-party accessories, though some preset quick replies may be available depending on the app generating the notification.
Will Bluetooth calling definitely work on my iPhone?
It generally works via standard Bluetooth Hands-Free Profile, but reliability can vary by iPhone model and iOS version. If calling is essential to your decision, we'd recommend testing it within your return window.
Does the Da Fit app cost anything on iOS?
No, Da Fit is free to download from the App Store with no subscription required for any core tracking feature.
Can I use a COLMI watch with an iPad instead of an iPhone?
Da Fit is designed around a phone that travels with you throughout the day for notification relay, so while it may technically install on an iPad, you won't get the same practical benefit without a phone nearby, and we wouldn't recommend it as your primary pairing device.
Will a software update to iOS break my watch's compatibility?
It's rare, but not impossible — third-party accessory compatibility can occasionally be affected by major iOS updates. Keeping both the Da Fit app and your watch's firmware up to date is the best way to minimise any disruption, and COLMI typically issues app updates promptly if a widely-used iOS version introduces compatibility changes.
Do I need an Apple ID to set up a COLMI watch?
You only need an Apple ID to the extent that you need one to download Da Fit from the App Store in the first place — there's no separate account or subscription tied to Apple's ecosystem required for the watch to function day to day.