This year, I managed to get my hands on two of the best sleep trackers in 2026: the Oura Ring 5 and the Apple Watch.
While the Apple Watch provides a super-convenient way for iPhone users to understand what goes on while they’re asleep, the newly-launched Oura Ring 5, now $399 at Amazon has made headlines for its improved sleep tracking accuracy and sleeker design.
The Apple Watch 12, now $389.99 at Amazon, is the latest of many Apple Watch iterations, but the good news is that it doesn’t matter which model you get if your aim is to track your sleep stages every night.
So, which popular wearable is the best at sleep tracking: the Oura Ring 5 or the Apple Watch? I’ve tested both sleep trackers, and here’s the one I’m still wearing to bed…
Oura Ring 5 vs Apple Watch: Price & deals
Budget plays a huge role in picking the right sleep tracker, so let’s take a look at the prices and deals on both the Oura Ring 5 and Apple Watch.
Let’s get one thing out of the way: the Oura Ring 5 is a luxury spend, especially when you consider the additional costs. To begin with, you’ll need to buy an Oura Ring Sizing Kit, now $10 at Amazon to find out what size you need to order.
As for the Oura Ring 5 itself, you’re looking at a starting price of $399.99, which creeps up to $499.99 if you want the ring in a Gold or Deep Rose. On top of this, you’ll need to pay a monthly membership fee of $5.99, though the first month’s subscription is free.
The Oura Ring 5 is rarely discounted, though it was only launched back in spring, so we may see some savings in the upcoming Black Friday sleep sales.
One of the perks of the Apple Watch is that you don’t need to sign up for any membership or subscription fees. All you need to set up an Apple Watch is an iPhone; this does mean, of course, that the Apple Watch isn’t a sleep tracker for those who don’t own (or don’t plan to own) an iPhone.
As the Apple Watch comes in different models, there are plenty of Apple Watch deals to suit your budget. As the newest model, the Apple Watch 12, $389.99 at Amazon, will set you back the most, but predecessors like the Apple Watch SE 3, now $239.99 at Amazon, can save you over $100.
Oura Ring 5 vs Apple Watch: Sleep tracking
I’ve tracked my sleep with both an Apple Watch and an Oura Ring 5 this year (sometimes using them at the same time), and the experience has given me clearer picture of how both perform as sleep trackers.
First of all, let’s explore their similarities. Both take your overnight sleep data and synthesize it into handy, easy-to-read charts and infographics, which you can view on their respective apps as soon as you wake up.
These charts and graphs explore all the essential sleep metrics: sleep stages (REM sleep, deep sleep, light sleep), sleep consistency, overnight heart rate, respiratory rate, and body temperature. And of course, there’s your daily sleep score, which summarizes how well you slept with a score out of a 100.
(Image credit: Future)
However, there are key differences. From personal experience, I find it much easier to achieve a high sleep score (often venturing into the 90s) while wearing an Apple Watch than I do when wearing an Oura Ring 5 — and I believe this is a reflection on the depth and accuracy of the Oura Ring’s sleep tracking.
This is because the Oura Ring 5’s daily summaries of my sleep are much more comprehensive than the Apple Watch’s, as it provides more advanced sleep metrics.
While the Apple Watch generates its sleep score from three points (interruption, duration, and bedtime), the Oura Ring 5 generates a sleep score from seven: sleep efficiency (time you spent asleep vs time spent in bed awake), restfulness (how many times you moved around or woke up), REM sleep, deep sleep, sleep onset latency (how long it takes you to fall asleep), and timing of your sleep.
The Oura Ring 5 also provides continuous recovery scoring with its Readiness score, which gives you advice on how much rest you need during the day based on how well you slept the previous night.
The Oura Ring’s Body Clock feature also taps into the new circadian scoring trend, using your sleep data over time to identify your sleep chronotype to show how your sleep routine aligns with your circadian rhythm.
As for the Apple Watch’s sleep-tracking USP, its standout feature is its sleep apnea detection tool (available on the Apple Watch Series 10 and up). It can analyze your breathing patterns and alert you if it detects a high amount of breathing disturbances, which might indicate that you have sleep apnea.
Oura Ring 5 vs Apple Watch: Design and comfort
The Apple Watch has gone through so many eras that it’s difficult to summarize its overall design. It’s a smart watch, of course, but weight and size can vary depending on the series.
For example, I wore an Apple Watch Ultra, a model known for its excellent battery life and durability. However, it is a physically large, chunky, and thick smartwatch, which can make it difficult to wear to bed.
On top of this, I’ve never been a fan of wearing any kind of watch to bed, so it did take me a while to get used to having this bulky titanium design strapped to my wrist every night. Newer models, such as the Apple Watch 11, are much sleeker and slimmer, but they can still be pretty noticeable if you don’t like wearing wristwatches while asleep.
Wearing the Oura Ring straight after the Apple Watch was like taking off a pair of uncomfortable boots at the end of a long day. Its sleek smart ring design is completely screen-free, so it looks like an elegant piece of jewelry instead of sleep tech.
I can barely feel the Oura Ring 5 on my index finger at night (sometimes, I have to feel in the dark to check if I remembered to put it on), and that’s probably because its Oura’s thinnest, most lightweight smart ring yet (it’s 40% smaller than the Oura Ring 4).
Of course, whether its screenless design is a plus or minus depends on your outlook. If you like the fact that you can view your sleep metrics (via the Vitals app) on your Apple Watch’s face without reaching for your iPhone, then you may not like the Oura’s screen-free design.
However, if your priorities are limiting screen time and optimizing sleep comfort, then the Oura Ring 5 is ideal.
Oura Ring 4 vs Oura Ring 5: Which sleep tracker should you buy?
Choose the Oura Ring 5 if…
✅ More in-depth sleep tracking: The Oura Ring 5 provides more advanced sleep metrics, including a Readiness score and body clock analysis.
✅ You want optimal sleep comfort: The Oura Ring 5 has a sleek, lightweight design that provides much more sleep comfort than the relatively bulky Apple Watch.
✅ You don’t own an iPhone: You need an iPhone to set up your Apple Watch, so consider the Oura Ring 5 if you’re an Android user.
Choose the Apple Watch if…
✅ You don’t want to pay monthly fees: The Oura Ring 5 requires you to pay a monthly memberships fee, but the Apple Watch has no hidden subscription costs.
✅ You want to find a cheaper deal: The Oura Ring 5 is no cheaper than $399.99 and is never on sale, but you can always find a good deal on the Apple Watch’s many models.
✅ You want more versatility: The Apple Watch is on its 12th series, so there are plenty of iterations to suit your sleep needs.
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