Best Smartwatches for third-party app support

third-party app support Decision Dashboard

Best for third-party app support

Garmin Forerunner 70

5.0 feature score

Highest scored product for this feature based on supporting review evidence.

Safest pick

Garmin Forerunner 170

5.0 feature score

Balances feature score, supporting reviews, and overall product strength.

Most evidence

Amazfit Balance 2

8 supporting reviews

Has the broadest review evidence for this feature.

Best overall product

Garmin Tactix 8

4.4 overall score

Strongest overall product among items with scored evidence for this feature.

See ranked products
#1 Garmin Forerunner 170
5.0

Connect IQ supports major services such as Spotify and YouTube Music plus a wide range of community apps and widgets.

Pros: recovery insights, fitness tracking accuracy

Cons: ECG functionality, call handling

#2 Garmin Forerunner 265
5.0

Third-party workout syncing was praised as very easy, especially for sending activities to external services.

Pros: step counting accuracy, third-party app support

Cons: ECG functionality, LTE connectivity

#3 Garmin Forerunner 70
5.0

Completed workouts sync easily to services such as Strava and Apple Health. The broad integration makes Garmin data easy to use across a larger fitness setup.

Pros: step counting accuracy, app ecosystem

Cons: Bluetooth connectivity, pairing reliability

#4 Apple Watch SE 3
4.8

Third-party app support was praised for extending the native experience, with reviewers highlighting Apple’s App Store depth and useful fitness apps.

Pros: app ecosystem, operating system experience

Cons: cross-platform compatibility, ECG functionality

#5 Apple Watch Series 11
4.8

Third-party app support is a clear strength, especially for sports and customization apps such as WorkOutDoors.

Pros: ECG functionality, app ecosystem

Cons: cross-platform compatibility, recovery insights

#6 Samsung Galaxy Watch 8
4.8

Third-party app support was praised strongly, with one reviewer saying the watch supports every major smartwatch app they wanted.

Pros: third-party app support, heart rate accuracy

Cons: music controls, cross-platform compatibility

#7 Apple Watch Ultra 2
4.8

Third-party app support was a standout, with reviewers praising the selection and the ability to fill mapping or sports gaps with apps.

Pros: app ecosystem, smartwatch features

Cons: cross-platform compatibility, blood oxygen tracking

#8 Garmin Tactix 8
4.8

Third-party app support was positively noted for easy route loading and AllTrails-connected navigation support.

Pros: wellness insights, build quality

Cons: LTE connectivity, band quality

#9 Apple Watch Ultra 3
4.7

Third-party app support was a major advantage, especially for runners using apps such as WorkOutDoors, Strava, and other services.

Pros: app ecosystem, watch face quality

Cons: cross-platform compatibility, size options

#10 Samsung Galaxy Watch 6
4.6

Third-party app support was strong in the scored reviews, especially through Google Play and well-integrated Wear OS apps.

Pros: voice assistant quality, music controls

Cons: blood oxygen tracking, cross-platform compatibility

#11 Polar Pacer
4.6

Third-party app support has limited but strong evidence, with one reviewer praising Strava, Adidas Running, Nike Run Club, and Strava Live Segments support.

Pros: third-party app support, comfort

Cons: contactless payments, onboard music storage

#12 TicWatch Pro 5
4.6

Third-party app support was consistently strong thanks to Play Store availability and broad watch-face or fitness-app options.

Pros: contactless payments, battery life

Cons: voice assistant quality, LTE connectivity

#13 Xiaomi Watch 2 Pro
4.6

Third-party app support was strongly positive, with reviewers highlighting access to apps such as Google Maps, Spotify, WhatsApp, YouTube Music, and the Play Store.

Pros: pairing reliability, outdoor visibility

Cons: ECG functionality, running power support

#14 Xiaomi Watch 2
4.6

Third-party app support was a major advantage, with multiple reviewers praising access to Google Play apps and big-name services.

Pros: charging speed, Bluetooth connectivity

Cons: ECG functionality, recovery insights

#15 Garmin Lily 2 Active
4.5

Third-party app support is positive, especially syncing workout data outward and broadcasting heart rate to other devices.

Pros: health tracking accuracy, blood oxygen tracking

Cons: ECG functionality, onboard music storage

#16 Coros Pace Pro
4.5

Third-party app support was positive where mentioned, with a rich set of apps and quick data sharing.

Pros: outdoor visibility, display quality

Cons: contactless payments, flashlight usefulness

#17 Garmin Approach S70
4.5

Third-party app support is positive but not seamless, with Spotify/Connect IQ setup described as smooth and straightforward rather than Apple-like.

Pros: recovery insights, GPS accuracy

Cons: software smoothness, fitness tracking accuracy

#18 Garmin Forerunner 170 Music
4.5

Connect IQ adds downloadable apps and watch faces, while services such as WhatsApp, Spotify, and Deezer broaden everyday usefulness.

Pros: music controls, pairing reliability

Cons: LTE connectivity, ECG functionality

#19 Garmin Forerunner 255
4.5

Third-party app support was praised in one walkthrough for the availability of free apps, glances, watch faces, and music apps.

Pros: durability, cross-platform compatibility

Cons: stress tracking, app ecosystem

#20 Garmin Vivomove Sport
4.5

Third-party support was positive where discussed, especially easy syncing with Strava and other fitness apps.

Pros: pairing reliability, reliability

Cons: contactless payments, onboard music storage

#21 Garmin vivomove Trend
4.5

Third-party app support was positive where reviewed because workout data could flow to connected platforms such as Strava and MapMyFitness.

Pros: activity auto-detection, build quality

Cons: blood oxygen tracking, Bluetooth connectivity

#22 Google Pixel Watch 4
4.5

Third-party app support was strong, with reviewers saying major apps and options were present.

Pros: step counting accuracy, charging speed

Cons: stress tracking, band quality

#23 Samsung Galaxy Watch Ultra (2025)
4.5

Third-party app support benefits from extra storage and useful fitness/media apps, giving users more room for services beyond Samsung’s own tools.

Pros: LTE connectivity, pairing reliability

Cons: antioxidant index, blood oxygen tracking

#24 Withings ScanWatch Light
4.5

Third-party app support is positive in limited evidence, with syncing to Google Fit, Strava, and Samsung Health mentioned approvingly.

Pros: comfort, build quality

Cons: call handling, contactless payments

#25 OnePlus Watch 2R
4.4

Third-party app support was strong overall through Wear OS, but one reviewer noted that some wanted apps were missing.

Pros: software smoothness, charging speed

Cons: ECG functionality, safety features

#26 OnePlus Watch 3
4.3

Third-party app support was strong through Play Store access and Google services, though individual apps could still have quirks.

Pros: blood oxygen tracking, step counting accuracy

Cons: LTE connectivity, calorie tracking usefulness

#27 Polar Ignite 2
4.3

Third-party app support was positive where reviewers discussed integrations, especially exports to Strava and other training platforms.

Pros: wellness insights, coaching features

Cons: mapping and navigation, contactless payments

#28 Tag Heuer Connected Calibre E4
4.3

Third-party app support is positive overall, with reviewers valuing the ability to install apps and use external fitness options.

Pros: contactless payments, pairing reliability

Cons: LTE connectivity, call handling

#29 Polar Vantage M2
4.3

Third-party support was viewed positively, with reviewers noting adequate data export and broad connections to services such as Strava and Google Fit.

Pros: running power support, fitness tracking accuracy

Cons: contactless payments, smartphone notifications

#30 Samsung Galaxy Watch FE
4.3

Third-party app support was rated well, with reviewers highlighting popular apps and an advantage over cheaper non-Wear OS watches.

Pros: materials quality, workout tracking variety

Cons: size options, cross-platform compatibility

#31 Suunto Vertical 2
4.3

Third-party app support was positive where discussed, especially clean syncing with Strava, TrainingPeaks, and health-app workflows.

Pros: operating system experience, materials quality

Cons: contactless payments, onboard music storage

#32 Suunto Vertical
4.2

Third-party app support was praised as practical add-on functionality rather than cosmetic extras.

Pros: battery life, durability

Cons: resume later function, ECG functionality

#33 Ticwatch Atlas
4.2

Third-party app support is solid through Wear OS and the Play Store, with Strava, Spotify, and other apps working well.

Pros: touchscreen responsiveness, software smoothness

Cons: ECG functionality, LTE connectivity

#34 Garmin Forerunner 970
4.2

Third-party app support was useful for watch faces, data fields, and niche apps, though reviewers did not equate it with a full smartwatch app store.

Pros: stress tracking, customization options

Cons: menu navigation, companion app quality

#35 Ticwatch Pro 5 Enduro
4.1

Third-party app support was a Wear OS advantage, with Strava, Spotify, WhatsApp, and low-power display integrations mostly viewed positively.

Pros: menu navigation, battery life

Cons: ECG functionality, voice assistant quality

#36 Apple Watch Series 10
4.0

Third-party app support was valuable for sports and customization, though reviewers wanted better APIs for route syncing and deeper integration.

Pros: reliability, comfort

Cons: calorie tracking usefulness, mapping and navigation

#37 Xiaomi Redmi Watch 4
4.0

Third-party app support is a positive surprise, especially for sharing data with platforms such as Suunto, Apple Health, and Strava.

Pros: battery life, software smoothness

Cons: contactless payments, recovery insights

#38 Google Pixel Watch 3
4.0

Third-party app support was generally strong, especially for Wear OS fitness and smartwatch apps, though app updating and some ecosystem limitations remained less intuitive.

Pros: outdoor visibility, pairing reliability

Cons: calorie tracking usefulness, materials quality

#39 Amazfit Cheetah 2 Pro
3.9

Third-party support was strong for fitness platforms like TrainingPeaks, Runna, Intervals.icu and Strava, but weaker for streaming services and app breadth.

Pros: calorie tracking usefulness, durability

Cons: ECG functionality, size options

#40 Garmin Instinct 3
3.8

Third-party app support is present and somewhat useful through Connect IQ, but the evidence is limited and not central to the watch’s appeal.

Pros: customization options, charging speed

Cons: onboard music storage, voice assistant quality

#41 Suunto Race 2
3.8

Third-party app support was mixed: SuuntoPlus integrations impressed one reviewer, while another found the two-app limit restrictive.

Pros: operating system experience, brightness

Cons: safety features, health tracking accuracy

#42 Amazfit Balance 3
3.4

Fitness-service connectivity and data export are useful, but wrist-app support is limited. The absence of Spotify and the shallow app catalog keep it behind Apple Watch and Wear OS for...

Pros: battery life, watch face quality

Cons: activity auto-detection, LTE connectivity

#43 Amazfit Cheetah 2 Ultra
3.4

Third-party app support is mixed, with useful athlete integrations offset by a storefront lacking major apps.

Pros: software smoothness, flashlight usefulness

Cons: sleep tracking accuracy, ECG functionality

#44 Samsung Galaxy Watch 7
3.4

Third-party app support is generally good through Wear OS and the Play Store, but deeper Samsung Health data export and integration remain limited.

Pros: display quality, durability

Cons: cross-platform compatibility, antioxidant index

#45 Garmin Forerunner 965
3.3

Third-party app support was mixed: Strava and Connect IQ are useful, but Garmin apps can feel clunky or less polished.

Pros: water resistance, workout tracking variety

Cons: LTE connectivity, ECG functionality

#46 Garmin Venu 3
3.3

Third-party app support is limited compared with mainstream smartwatch platforms, though Garmin’s activity export and Connect IQ extras still add value.

Pros: health tracking accuracy, software smoothness

Cons: LTE connectivity, mapping and navigation

#47 Garmin Forerunner 165
3.3

Third-party app/widget support was available and sometimes useful for tailoring data, though one reviewer did not find it especially useful.

Pros: smartphone notifications, watch face quality

Cons: music controls, Wi-Fi connectivity

#48 Garmin Forerunner 570
3.3

Third-party app support was useful but limited: Connect IQ adds apps and data fields, but trails watchOS and Wear OS.

Pros: charging speed, GPS accuracy

Cons: ECG functionality, smartphone notifications

#49 Samsung Galaxy Watch Ultra (2024)
3.3

Third-party app support was useful through Wear OS, but custom watch-face support created a notable limitation for one reviewer.

Pros: build quality, software smoothness

Cons: stress tracking, blood oxygen tracking

#50 Suunto 9 Peak Pro
3.3

Third-party app support was promising but constrained: reviewers liked partner depth yet criticized the one-app-per-workout limitation.

Pros: step counting accuracy, durability

Cons: voice assistant quality, contactless payments