Best blood pressure watches: I tested the top models that actually work

Jul 09, 2026 - 13:04

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Best blood pressure watches: I tested the top models that actually work

High blood pressure, or hypertension, affects an estimated 1.3 billion people worldwide, according to the World Heart Federation, and it's the number one risk factor for death on a global scale. The American Heart Association estimates that half of adults in the US have high blood pressure, with a large proportion not even knowing they have the condition. There are effective means to treat high blood pressure, but it's not always easy to detect and monitor.

Blood pressure watches offer a convenient, non-invasive way to keep track of your cardiovascular health on the go so you can consult with your healthcare provider. After years of being available only to those outside of the US, select Samsung Galaxy Watch models can now provide blood pressure measurements with regular calibration with a blood pressure cuff. Select Amazfit watches also support this type of blood pressure measurement as long as you live in certain regions or set up your watch with one of these regions.

With WatchOS 26, Apple launched its new Hypertension Notification feature that makes newer models of the Apple Watch one option to monitor your heart health with minimal effort. YHE offers a very accurate assortment of blood pressure watches starting at just $129, but the watch doesn't do much more than serve this key function. Whether you're managing hypertension, staying proactive about your wellness, or simply curious about your vital stats, these innovative smartwatches combine style, functionality, and accuracy.

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What is the best blood pressure watch you can buy right now?

We also tested most of the watches and compared the watch readings to blood pressure cuffs mounted on the arm.

Samsung Galaxy Watch models now have blood pressure as an option in the Samsung Health Monitor app. This functionality is not FDA-approved as a medical device, but the Galaxy Watch can be used as a wellness device to track trends in blood pressure. Select Amazfit watches outside the US can also provide this same blood pressure monitoring functionality and it is as simple as selecting Brazil as your region when setting up the watch to enable this functionality.

Also: Best Android smartwatches: Expert tested

Apple's new Hypertension Detection feature in WatchOS 26 has the potential to be a game-changer, with Apple Watches becoming the first widely-available wearable in the US to support this feature. Apple's notifications are only provided if something is detected though so very little information is shared with the watch owner. Apple designed its feature based on a series of studies involving thousands of adults, with a validation study of Apple's implementation revealing its method is as accurate in detecting signs of high blood pressure as a blood pressure cuff.

If you're looking for something simpler (and less expensive), I'd recommend the YHE BP Doctor Fit, which is one of the few wearables available that captures your blood pressure using an inflatable cuff around the wrist. Read on to see how all of the available blood pressure watch options compare.

Best blood pressure watches of 2026

The new Galaxy Watch Ultra has twice the storage and a compelling color scheme

Matthew Miller/ZDNET

Why we like it: The Samsung Galaxy Watch Ultra has a unique square design with a round watch face, an interesting magnetic lug system, three buttons on one side, gesture support, advanced running dynamics, and more. Samsung's Galaxy AI is present in the form of wellness insights that combine into a daily score to help guide you to optimal performance, including healthy sleep levels.

The Watch Ultra runs the Samsung-powered Google Wear OS 6.0 with One UI Watch 8.0, meaning it still looks like a Samsung smartwatch but also supports Google Assistant, Google Maps, Google Wallet, Google Play Store, and more Google apps.

Review: I've tested dozens of smartwatches, but I'm wearing the Galaxy Ultra Watch long-term

Who it's for: The Watch Ultra has an operating system optimized for the round watch design with a virtual rotating bezel. Fall detection, messaging, phone calls, and more are available on the watch, with advanced fitness data such as VO2 Max and advanced running dynamics data also supported. If you have large wrists, spend lots of time exploring the outdoors, or want a rugged, long-battery-life Wear OS watch, then the Galaxy Watch Ultra is for you.

Measuring your blood pressure once a year at the doctor office is not a good indication of your actual blood pressure, especially if you suffer from white-coat syndrome. The Galaxy Watch Ultra allows you to calibrate the watch with a blood pressure cuff, then monitor your blood pressure throughout the day for about a month before calibrating again. Regular measuring will help inform you of trends in your blood pressure and provide you, and your doctor, with indications of whether or not this is an issue for concern.

Who should look elsewhere: If you don't have a blood pressure cuff to calibrate the Galaxy Watch Ultra, then the YHE BP Doctor Fit may be best for taking your readings on the go. If you are an iPhone user, then look to the Apple Watch Series 11 for hypertension detection.

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Why we like it: The Samsung Galaxy Watch 8 is an internationally popular wearable that can measure your blood pressure. The Galaxy Watch 8 measures blood pressure and, using the watch's built-in health monitor app, takes ECG readings as well. However, Samsung does caution that the blood pressure function "cannot diagnose hypertension, other conditions, or check for signs of a heart attack. It is not meant to replace traditional methods of diagnosis or treatment by a qualified healthcare professional."

Review: Samsung's newest Galaxy Watch 8 got me running again

Who it's for: The watch is packed with other features, including sleep tracking and music streaming, and it also made ZDNET's list of the best smartwatches. It shows particular promise in monitoring existing conditions. A study conducted with the Galaxy Watch showed that taking blood pressure measurements with the watch resulted in reliable and accurate readings. The watch was used to help monitor BP in patients with Parkinson's Disease.

Who should look elsewhere: If you don't have a blood pressure cuff to calibrate the Galaxy Watch 8, then the YHE BP Doctor Fit may be best for taking your readings on the go. If you are an iPhone user, then look to the Apple Watch Series 11 for hypertension detection.

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There are some excellent watch face options available for free

Matthew Miller/ZDNET

Why we like it: One company that continues to push the limits of what you can buy for just under $300 is Amazfit. The Amazfit Balance 2 offers an elegantly designed smartwatch with Amazon Alexa support and the ability to answer calls via a Bluetooth connection to your watch, just like all other non-cellular smartwatches. It runs the latest Zepp OS 5 operating system, built for a lean and mean experience.

Who it's for: The Amazfit Balance 2 has significantly longer battery life (21 days vs 14 days), increased water resistance from 5 ATM to 10 ATM, a heavier weight and slightly larger size, dual speakers, and the latest generation BioTracker 6.0 biometric sensor. The increased battery life is due to the larger 658 mAh battery (previously 475 mAh) that adds seven grams of weight, but also feels slightly more power efficient.

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Amazfit provides the Zepp smartphone application that provides an exhaustive experience to track every detail of the data captured by the various sensors. The one flaw is that the application may be overwhelming for some users, and thankfully, Amazfit continues to refine and simplify the application to make it more useful for Amazfit Balance 2 owners.

Similar to the Galaxy Watch Ultra and Watch 8, you calibrate the Balance 2 with a blood pressure cuff and then use the Zepp app and the watch to measure your blood pressure on demand. You must select a compatible region; we suggest Brazil when setting up your account, so that the blood pressure functionality appears in the Zepp app. Setting the watch up for the Brazil region doesn't seem to impact any other functionality of the watch, but understand that US government agencies have not approved the watch for blood pressure tracking in the US.

Who should look elsewhere: While the Amazfit Balance 2 is a powerful health and fitness watch, it has limited support for third-party apps, so if you are looking for a phone replacement, then this is not the model for you.

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Nina Raemont/ZDNET

Why we like it: The Apple Watch Series 11 offers few upgrades over the Series 10, but the additional reported six hours of battery life is a major benefit. 5G connectivity is also important as wireless carriers start to phase out LTE. The most significant update for this article, which also applies to Series 9 and 10 Apple Watch models, is the addition of the Hypertension Detection feature to WatchOS 26.

Also: I tested the Apple Watch Series 11 for a week - here's my buying advice now

Who it's for: If you are over the age of 22, are not pregnant, and have never been diagnosed with hypertension, then this functionality is for you. Hypertension Detection is designed to detect whether or not there are possible signs of hypertension from your wrist-based heart rate readings. You must wear your Apple Watch for at least 30 days before any possible notification will appear.

The Apple Watch is one tool for possible detection, but not all people with hypertension will receive a notification, so checking your blood pressure is still something you should do on a regular basis to confirm your health status.

Who should look elsewhere: If you are not an iPhone user, then don't even consider an Apple Watch Series 11 since it doesn't connect to an iPad or MacOS computer. There are great options from Google and Samsung if you own an Android smartphone. If you want a more rugged Apple Watch, consider the Apple Watch Ultra 3.

Hypertension Detection is not designed for those who have already been diagnosed with hypertension, so if you have high blood pressure, the Apple Watch will not take your measurements automatically or manually. You can use the Apple Health blood pressure log to record and track your high blood pressure, assuming you take readings with your blood pressure cuff.

Apple Watch Series 11 tech specs: BP measurement: Notification only with manual blood pressure log Battery life: 24 hours | Dimensions: 46 x 39 x 9.7mm (46mm) and 42 x 36 x9.7mm (42mm) | Weight: 36.9 grams (AL 46mm) and 30.4 g (AL 42mm) | Water/Dust resistance: 50m with IP6X | App: iPhone only

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Matthew Miller/ZDNET

Why we like it: The YHE BP Doctor Fit promises medical-grade accuracy in measuring blood pressure, and after testing it for a few weeks, we can confirm that is a valid promise. The key is the watch's patented inflatable air cuff, which detects blood pressure fluctuations. You can measure your blood pressure at any time, and the watch has a host of other features, including typical activity tracking and sleep tracking.

Review: I tried the $129 blood pressure watch, and it came close to my Withings and Garmin trackers

Who it's for: If you need to capture your blood pressure easily throughout the day, the BP Doctor Fit is a great option. The watch's heart rate monitor tracks your heart rate continuously, 24 hours a day. The YHE BP Doctor Fit is a full-range smartwatch with sleep, activity, and health tracking, along with alarms, messages, and weather. You can sync your data to the Android or iOS app and create a health management plan that includes your whole family.

We were surprised by the low price given the solid build quality, vibrant AMOLED display, long battery life, blood pressure monitoring capability, and functional smartphone application. There is no support for third-party apps, but all of the basics you need are there to function as a daily wear smartwatch.

Who should look elsewhere: If you are looking for a watch that provides GPS activity tracking and extensive app support, you should consider an Apple Watch or a Galaxy Watch. However, if you want the most accurate blood pressure readings in a watch form factor, then this is the one for you.

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There are not as many options today for blood pressure watches as there are for smartwatches, but with the release of Apple's latest Apple Watch models, we are starting to see a focus on hypertension detection. Here are a few factors to consider, based on our years of experience testing wearables:

Capability: The Samsung Galaxy Watch models, and other select Amazfit watches, require that you measure and baseline your blood pressure readings with a certified external monitor and enter that data into the app. The watch then measures the incremental changes from that baseline and provides your blood pressure reading. The YHE BP Doctor Fit uses an inflatable cuff to measure your blood pressure directly or advanced algorithms in combination with wrist-based heart rate monitoring to detect anomalies that may indicate hypertension.
Other functions: The Samsung Galaxy Watch 8 and Ultra are full-blown smartwatches that run Google's Wear OS while the Apple Watch 11 runs WatchOS 26, but other watches in this list focus primarily on capturing your blood pressure and providing you with the time and data. The Amazfit Balance 2 works with both iOS and Android so this one may be best for people who use multiple smartphones. Make sure you check out the functions available in the watch and evaluate whether or not you need more from your blood pressure watch.
Fit and comfort: Anyone who has captured their blood pressure reading knows that placement of the blood pressure monitor is important in capturing accurate readings. Thus, the watch you use for your blood pressure should also fit well and be comfortable as you capture your readings. A blood pressure watch is used primarily for convenience and the ability to easily capture your readings throughout the day so comfort and fit are vital to success.

One obstacle we ran into when choosing the best blood pressure watches was the lack of options, but with Apple's work in WatchOS 26 that appears to be changing. The concept of a blood pressure watch itself seems to be embraced by many, but we found the execution to be less robust.

With few options on the market, it is easy to weed out the fake or unreliable wearables from the legit ones. We took into consideration a few major factors when choosing these best blood pressure watches:

Commercial availability: Samsung now has clearance to provide the ability to measure blood pressure for wellness tracking, so with an external cuff to validate the readings, you can now buy a Samsung Galaxy Watch 8 and Ultra for blood pressure readings. The Apple Watch Series 11 and Ultra 3 are extremely popular and as more people start enabling the Hypertension Notifications feature we look forward to reports of early detection that may possibly save lives.
Accuracy: We looked at evidence of accuracy from studies and medical research when choosing what blood pressure watches to consider.
Data privacy: Health information is extremely important to keep secure with wearables, so we looked into each brand and device's privacy protocols to ensure consumers' health data is safe.
Price: We keep price in mind when making our final picks while knowing there aren't many options on the market. However, more economical wearables don't seem as reliable or as focused on data privacy.

Other wearables we've tested for health tracking

Blood pressure monitor cuff next to a smartphone

We know, a watch that measures blood pressure sounds like something out of a science fiction novel. Recent advances mean that futuristic wearables are becoming more realistic than ever before. Blood pressure watches that are vetted and tested really do work, but I recommend talking to your doctor before use.

In an article featured in IEEE Engineering in Medicine and Biology Magazine, Dr. Paolo Bonato, associate professor at Harvard Medical School, identified four areas of focus that are especially important when understanding recent advances in wearables: 1) wearable sensors; 2) wearable systems; 3) signal processing and analysis procedures; and 4) closed-loop systems for adaptive orthoses and prostheses.

The first three areas are important in blood pressure monitoring, as sensors and systems feed into analysis and recommendations by doctors. Here's a comprehensive paper on wearable tech in healthcare that Dr. Bonato contributed to for those who want to learn more.

According to Healthline, the blood pressure range for a hypertension crisis is a systolic number above 180 mm Hg and a diastolic number above 120 mm Hg. Immediate medical attention is required at that level.

Healthy blood pressure is a reading of less than 120/80 mmHg, while elevated blood pressure ranges from a systolic number of 120-129 mm Hg and a diastolic number of less than 80 mmHg.

Hypertension occurs starting at 130-139/80-89 mmHg. It's good to have an idea of where your blood pressure should fall. Hypertension doesn't result in visible symptoms right away, so it's important to detect and manage it early on.

As described above, with the release of Apple WatchOS 26, the latest generations of Apple Watch can be used to detect possible hypertension. The Apple Watch won't provide you with your actual blood pressure reading, but it will inform you if you should start taking readings. The new feature also offers quick access to a manual blood pressure log so you can check it and discuss with your doctor.

The blood oxygen sensor in the Apple Watch measures the percentage of oxygen your red blood cells carry from your lungs to the rest of your body. It's an important health metric since it can help you better understand your overall wellness.

According to a 2022 medical study, the measurement of blood oxygen levels (in an Apple Watch Series 6) was not yet up to the medical standard of pulse oximetry; too many of the measurements remain unsuccessful or incorrect. Studies have not been conducted on the most recent Apple Watch models.

*Important Note: Earlier this year, a US federal judge has ruled that Apple cannot sell its Series 10 and Ultra 2 smartwatches if they have the blood oxygen sensor, due to a patent violation. As a result, a ban was placed on the import of all Apple watches with the feature. Apple Watch users in the US are no longer able to access the blood oxygen monitor app or sensors.

High blood pressure is equal to or greater than 140 over 90 mmHg, where the top number is a measure of the force in your arteries as your heart beats and pumps blood, and the bottom number is a measure of the force in your arteries as your heart is resting between beats.

Latest updates

July 2026: Samsung finally has the green light to provide blood measure functionality in the US. It is not FDA-approved as a medical device, but it can be useful for wellness and tracking trends in your blood pressure. Amazfit has also provided this functionality for accounts located outside the US. Apple continues to talk about blood pressure, and it is possible we may see broader implementation of blood pressure measurements in future WatchOS updates.
December 2025: No new watches have been released with blood pressure support. Apple Watch users with hypertension who have worn their watches since the release of the feature should start receiving notifications soon, since Apple required at least 30 days of wear to work with this feature.
October 2025: The October update was a significant one, with the addition of the Apple Watch Series 11 as our new pick for best blood pressure smartwatch overall, moving the YHE down to the no. 2 spot. We also replaced the Galaxy Watch 7 with the Galaxy Watch 8 as our pick for the best blood pressure smartwatch for people outside the US.
June 2025: We added in more information about who would benefit from each watch, updated pricing to reflect the most current costs and also provided some thoughts on possible future blood pressure watch availability.

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