Best 2023 Garmin Smartwatches for contactless payments

Narrow by brand

Showing Garmin only. Switch back to all brands anytime.

#1 Garmin Venu 3
3.6

Contactless payments are convenient when set up, but evidence is mixed because setup can feel unnecessary and bank support is patchier than Apple or Google Pay.

Pros: health tracking accuracy, software smoothness

Cons: LTE connectivity, mapping and navigation

#2 Garmin Epix Pro (Gen 2)
3.6

Contactless payments are polarizing: Garmin Pay can be quick and widely useful, but bank support and intuitiveness vary by region.

Pros: GPS accuracy, charging speed

Cons: ECG functionality, voice assistant quality

#3 Garmin vivomove Trend
3.5

Contactless payments were useful but mixed, with easy setup in one review and bank/support slickness criticized against Apple Pay in another.

Pros: activity auto-detection, build quality

Cons: blood oxygen tracking, Bluetooth connectivity

#4 Garmin Vivoactive 5
3.0

Garmin Pay worked, but reviewers repeatedly noted it was less slick or had narrower bank support than rival payment systems.

Pros: fitness tracking accuracy, wellness insights

Cons: software smoothness, ECG functionality

#5 Garmin Forerunner 265
2.8

Garmin Pay was useful when supported, but bank compatibility could make contactless payments worthless for some users.

Pros: step counting accuracy, third-party app support

Cons: ECG functionality, LTE connectivity

#6 Garmin Approach S70
2.5

Contactless payments are limited by bank support in the evidence, especially for the UK reviewer who could not test Garmin Pay with his bank.

Pros: recovery insights, GPS accuracy

Cons: software smoothness, fitness tracking accuracy

#7 Garmin Forerunner 965
2.3

Garmin Pay was treated as useful in concept but limited by inconsistent bank support, especially outside the US.

Pros: water resistance, workout tracking variety

Cons: LTE connectivity, ECG functionality

#8 Garmin fēnix 7X Pro
2.0

Contactless payments were criticized mainly for limited bank support, especially in the UK.

Pros: GPS accuracy, app ecosystem

Cons: ECG functionality, calorie tracking usefulness