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By Haley Perry and Nick Guy Wire Mesh Belt Filter Screen
We’re currently testing new watch bands for this guide, and we’ve added notes on models we’ve already dismissed to the Competition.
We’re currently testing new watch bands for this guide, and we’ve added notes on models we’ve already dismissed to the Competition.It’s easy to walk into an Apple store and find a great Apple Watch band. But we don’t think Apple’s bands—which start at $50 a pop—are worth the price when there are more affordable options that are just as stylish and comfortable.
We searched through hundreds of third-party Apple Watch bands and tried 45 for ourselves, with help from watch experts and our discerning staff. A watch band is a personal style choice, and there’s no single option that’s best for everybody. But if you want a different style than what Apple offers, we’ve found picks in a range of styles and prices that should suit most tastes.
For our 2021 update, Haley Perry researched dozens of watch bands and tested 15 of them to find options for an even wider range of needs and occasions. These included vegan leather alternatives, bands designed for intense workouts, jewelry bracelets, and slim bands tailored more for smaller wrists.
Nick Guy has been reviewing accessories for Apple products since 2011, first as the accessories editor at iLounge and then here at Wirecutter. After researching the most promising bands for our initial round of testing, he presented them to a panel of Wirecutter writers, editors, and designers. He also interviewed several experts: Thomas Lodowski, a watchmaker at Manhattan Time Service with more than 15 years of experience in horology; Jack Forster, the editor in chief of Hodinkee.com, an online watch-enthusiast publication; and Ashley Kinder, the manager at Hodinkee Shop, the company’s sales channel. All of these experts have experience with the Apple Watch, in addition to traditional watches.
This thick, sturdy leather band features handsome stitching and comes in beautiful colors.
Who it’s for: Someone who wants an understated leather band that looks like it costs more than it does, thanks to great-feeling material and clean stitching.
Why it’s great: As the Arrow & Board Porter proves, a higher-quality leather band doesn’t have to cost $100 or more. The Porter’s leather is soft and supple yet thick enough to be sturdy. And this band’s smooth finish looks more formal than those on the cheaper leather options we tried, so the Porter is better suited for wearing with a button-up shirt and blazer. Its buckle is also much smaller and more refined, with smaller loops for catching the tail of the strap after you close it; both factors make this band look slightly more business-appropriate. The Porter’s leather also holds up to scuffs better than the leather of other, cheaper bands. But when the Porter does get roughed up, you should be able to easily polish out minor markings, potentially just by rubbing it with your fingers (though you could also just embrace the patina).
Unlike most leather bands with cowhide on the outside and either exposed suede or some sort of padding against your wrist, the Arrow & Board Porter has the same finished leather surface on both sides. It therefore looks neater and is more comfortable to wear for extended periods, and we like the band’s sturdiness and the evenness of the stitching. The Porter is about ⅞ inch wide, providing a bolder look than a narrower band.
Flaws but not dealbreakers: The Porter is a classically designed watch strap. If you’re looking for a leather band that will stand out, with different design patterns in more unusual colors, you might be better off with a Wristpop strap.
Colors: chestnut, tobacco, espresso, midnight
Made of thick, high-quality faux leather, the Wristpop Mustang is comfortable to wear.
Who it’s for: Someone who wants a fashion-forward band that looks like leather but also wants to keep it vegan.
Why it’s great: The Wristpop Mustang is sturdy and comfortable to wear. And when it was compared side by side with a real leather strap, the Mustang’s faux leather was convincing to observers who didn’t know its materials beforehand. Wristpop makes a few different versions of this band in multiple colors, and those versions also all come in a double-wrap style. The Mustang, our favorite, is black with a white racing stripe down the middle—a stylish pattern that adds a sharp accent to any outfit, without being too loud or dominating.
One of the reasons we love the Wristpop band is that it’s surprisingly comfortable to wear in a variety of situations. Haley wore it for multiple days at a time, including during work, to the gym, and even to bed, and she barely felt it at all. Visually, the band is eye-catching and adaptable—it’s a great statement accessory for everyday wear, but it’s also chic enough to wear on a date or to a party.
The Wristpop band has a traditional pin buckle, and its hardware feels sturdy. At about ¾ inch wide for the 38 mm / 40 mm / 41 mm Apple Watches, this band is a good size for people who don’t like watch bands that look too thick or chunky on their wrists.
Flaws but not dealbreakers: The Mustang has only eight holes for adjusting (a smaller range than on many other bands we tested), and silver is the only color option for the hardware. We will be watching to see whether the material creases noticeably over time, as many faux leathers do because they’re less pliable and resilient.
Colors: various stripe colors, at Wristpop
I wore this watch band almost daily since testing it for this guide back in 2021. It broke off from the clasp at the end of 2023 after I dropped my Apple Watch on the ground, but only after a repetitive series of drops by my own accord. Unless you’re as reckless as I am, the clasp will likely hold up just fine. In every other way, the band stayed intact, and I plan on rebuying it as soon as possible.
The Lei’ohu Designs Kou band is lightweight and soft on the inside. This band is more adjustable for different-size wrists, and we liked the floral pattern. It’s less likely to be confused for leather, though.
Who it’s for: People looking for a vegan leather band that’s anything but plain.
Why it’s great: We love the collection of Hawaiian-inspired bands made by Lei’ohu Designs. And the Kou band is our favorite, due to its stunning floral print and brown base color (which seems easier to mesh with an entire wardrobe than some of the brighter color options). Compared with the Wristpop Mustang band, this band is thinner and more lightweight, but it’s also less likely to be confused with real leather.
You can choose the color of the Kou band’s hardware—black, silver, gold, or rose gold—something that few of our other picks allow. On the Lei’ohu Designs website, the band’s material appears shiny and plasticky. But, fortunately, in person the finish is more matte and textured. The underside material is soft against the skin, so it’s easy to wear this band all day without noticing it.
The Kou band has a traditional pin buckle and 11 holes, which is a generous range. This is also the best faux leather option for people with small wrists who struggle to find bands that are tight enough. For reference, Haley’s wrist circumference is 5½ inches, and when she closes the Kou, two holes are still available. At ¾ inch wide for the 38 mm / 40 mm / 41 mm Apple Watches, this band is just as narrow as the Wristpop. We think the Kou is suitable for those who dislike the look of bulky watches.
Flaws but not dealbreakers: The loop that keeps the end of the watch band from dangling is solid black, which clashes noticeably against the band’s brown base color. We wish the design matched better, but this is a small trade-off for an otherwise-gorgeous piece.
Colors: various patterns and prints, at Lei’ohu Designs
A lightweight watch band with a casual utilitarian look on the outside and the comfort of silicone on the inside.
Who it’s for: Someone who wants the softness and breathability of silicone but likes the handsome look of nylon.
Why it’s great: If you want a watch band you can hike with by day and wear on the town by night, Barton’s Cordura Fabric and Silicone Hybrid Band is the one you should get. It combines the practical benefits of silicone on the band’s interior with the stylish appeal of nylon on the outside. And it comes in a small range of neutral shades that will go well with most wardrobes.
The Hybrid band is the most versatile watch band we’ve tested. It looks nice enough to wear into work or on a casual night out. But it doesn’t have to be swapped out for intense gym workouts or outdoor treks, thanks to the silicone base layer. And even though it has fabric on the outside, this band is still waterproof, and it dries quickly if you get caught in the rain or you wear your watch swimming.
Few bands are as lightweight as our Otterbox pick, but the Hybrid band is a close second. It’s easy to forget you’re wearing it at all—a trait we consider ideal. It’s also a little narrower in width than the Otterbox band, making it more flattering for petite wrists. Just like the Otterbox band, the Hybrid has 12 holes—more than nearly every other band we tested.
Flaws but not dealbreakers: Haley tested the Barton Cordura Fabric and Silicone Hybrid Band on her own wrist, which measures 5½ inches in circumference. Though this band has a generous range of 12 holes for adjusting, Haley tried the tightest hold the band offered and found that it fit with a touch of wiggle room. Anyone with a wrist smaller than 5½ inches may find the band to be too loose.
Colors: army green, black, chocolate brown, smoke grey, navy blue
Compatible watches: 38 / 40 / 41mm, 42 / 44 / 45mm, 49mm
The Otterbox is the most comfortable and lightweight band we’ve worn, for daily or active wear.
Who it’s for: The person who doesn’t want to feel their watch at all.
Why it’s great: The Otterbox All Day Comfort Band is the softest, most lightweight band we’ve tested, and it’s also one of the cheapest. Though it looks bulkier in photos than some of our other recommendations, it’s anything but: It looks great even on the most petite wrists, and it feels like you’re wearing nothing at all.
If you have a physically demanding job, frequent the gym, or live in a hot or humid climate, you should consider a silicone band. Silicone is more moisture-resistant and antimicrobial (PDF) than other materials like nylon, leather, and metal, and the Otterbox band feels especially suited to workouts. But it’s not just suitable for sweaty activity—it’s also the perfect choice for anyone who wants a simple band for everyday wear. It comes in a few vivid colors, for those who like bolder options. And there are also a couple of darker, more understated shades.
Compared with Apple’s own Sport Band, the Otterbox band has a traditional pin buckle, which we found sturdier and less likely to come undone than Apple’s pin-and-tuck system. It also has a ridged, waffle texture on the inside, which feels more breathable than the Sport Band’s smooth interior. And compared with bands that make you choose between a small/medium or medium/large band size, the Otterbox band has 12 holes, so it allows for a wider range of adjustment than almost every other band we tested.
Flaws but not dealbreakers: The sporty aesthetic of the Otterbox band makes it less versatile for all occasions. It’s great for athletic activities and everyday wear, but depending on your preferences, you might not want to wear it out to something like a nice dinner. If you don’t like swapping out watch bands, this could deter you from making it the only band you own.
Colors: many solid colors and two-tone variations
The Kades band looks a lot like Apple’s pricier steel model. But this one is nicely designed in its own right. It’s also the easiest steel band to resize.
Who it’s for: People who like the look and heft of metal bands but don’t want to pay Apple’s price.
Why it’s great: Most of the steel link bands we tested were quite similar to one another, but the Kades Stainless Steel Link Bracelet is just different enough to stand out. It’s clearly designed with an eye to Apple’s Link Bracelet, but it’s not a straight ripoff. The Kades band costs about $25 (at the time of writing), considerably less than the $350 for Apple’s band. And out of all the steel bands we tested, this one is the easiest to resize, which helps to give you a secure, comfortable fit.
Easy resizing is this band’s main advantage. Instead of having to rely on a jeweler’s tool, you can use the glorified paper clip (included with the band) to pop out the pins holding the links together. It’s simple to do, but the pins aren’t loose enough to fall out accidentally.
This band is made up of a series of links that taper from just under an inch at the lug to about 0.85 inch wide at the clasp. We like how the links run all the way across the width of the band, rather than being split into three segments like the rest we tested. The links meet at a butterfly-style clasp (squeezing the release allows you to lift both sides of the band, rather than just one, like on a folding clasp), which more or less disappears when the bracelet is latched. The steel also has a nice heft to it, making this band feel like a quality product.
Flaws but not dealbreakers: One of our senior staff writers has been testing the band for almost four years, and notes below that the clasp has started to unlatch on its own. We can’t vouch for the company’s 12-month warranty or responsive customer service claims, and Kades doesn’t have a retail presence other than as an Amazon seller. However, we think this band is inexpensive enough to replace if something goes wrong.
Colors: matte black, black, stainless steel, titanium
This stainless steel bracelet dresses up the Apple Watch for fancy occasions. And it has removable links that don’t require tools to adjust the band.
May be out of stock
Who it’s for: Someone who enjoys wearing nice bracelets, or who prefers to keep their Apple Watch on at weddings, formal events, and other occasions that call for dressing up.
Why it’s great: Good-quality jewelry bands for the Apple Watch are hard to come by: There aren’t many options available, and the ones that are tend to be way overpriced or made by questionable sellers. We like Kate Spade’s Pavé Scallop Link Band because it’s a nice, sturdy bracelet that makes the Apple Watch feel elegant, whether you wear jewelry regularly or just need a decorative band for special occasions.
The Kate Spade band is a stainless steel bracelet with pavé-set stones lining the sides of the band all the way around. Though the embellished stones merely mimic the look of real diamonds, they refract light beautifully, giving the bracelet a shiny, eye-catching look. The band is made up of fold-over scallop links. These links can be removed individually without having to use tools, making it easy to adjust the tightness of the bracelet. Do this before rushing out of the house, since it takes a moment to experiment with how many links you should remove to get the perfect fit (and once you start taking them off, the links are easy to lose).
The scallop links on the Kate Spade band give the illusion, at first glance, that the bracelet is chunky, but it looks surprisingly slim when worn. The band is tapered in at a narrow 0.625 inch—the same width as our favorite slim band. We also love that it has a folding clasp to hide where the bracelet starts and ends.
Flaws but not dealbreakers: For some reason, all of Kate Spade’s Apple Watch bands only fit the 38 mm / 40 mm / 41 mm case sizes. If you have the larger Apple Watch, but you’re still interested in a jewelry band, we tested a couple of cheap Amazon bands that will work just fine for a special occasion or two.
Colors: silver, rose gold, two-tone stainless steel and gold
Turn a traditional watch band into something that can be used with your Apple Watch.
Who it’s for: Someone who wants to use an existing watch band with their Apple Watch.
Why it’s great: The Barton Watch Bands Apple Watch Adapter allows you to take a band that’s made to work with a standard wristwatch and make it compatible with an Apple Watch. So if you have a band that you already love and want to keep using, or if you fall in love with one you find, you don’t have to give up using your smartwatch simply because there’s no Apple Watch version.
The Barton adapter looks and feels the same as what you’d find on any Apple Watch band with metal hardware. It fits perfectly into the Watch, lining up flush with the edges. There’s about 0.06 inch between the tension rod and the rest of the adapter, so unless you’re using a particularly thick band, you shouldn’t have an issue installing yours. We also like that Barton is a responsive company, one that should be willing to assist you if something goes wrong; all of the other competitors in this category are less reliable.
Flaws but not dealbreakers: To attach and remove bands, you need to use a spring bar tool or have a watch band with a quick-release adapter. If you have a band you love enough to want to keep using it with your Apple Watch, there’s a chance you already have such a tool; if not, you can get one for a few bucks on Amazon. Barton’s color choice is limited to just two options, which may contrast with the metal shade of your Apple Watch.
For our first round of testing, we took 15 leather straps, three Milanese loop-style bands, and six metal bracelets to watch experts and asked them to consider the quality of the bands compared with both Apple Watch straps and watch bands in general. They examined the look and feel of each band, and they helped inform us on style trends and other things to look for, including small details, such as if the band slides around on the lug or how it tapers. (One thing that stood out as especially important with leather bands was stitching. Good stitching helps make a band more durable than bands that are glued or otherwise fused together.) In subsequent tests, we panel-tested a handful more in each category and also tried silicone and nylon bands.
Initially, we tried only bands that came in both 38 mm / 40 mm and 42 mm / 44 mm sizes, and we focused on bands that cost roughly $100 or less. We opened up this criteria for our winter 2021 testing to make room for a jewelry category, where most bracelets are only available for the smaller Apple Watch sizes. We also set the price cap at around $200—above that price range, your personal aesthetics are likely more important than our evaluation.
Our second round of testing also included researching and testing more silicone and vegan leather options, in addition to slim bands tailored more for smaller wrists. We attached each band to an Apple Watch to make sure the lugs fit properly—not too tightly or loosely—and would release without issue. (All of the bands we tried passed this test.) We then wore each of our picks for at least a few days, from morning until night, including to the gym and into the shower (if the band was declared waterproof).
Our current picks have received positive feedback from the Wirecutter staff members who’ve worn them through the years, but we’re still interested in expanding our recommendations to suit more preferences.
We’re currently testing the Twelve South Action Sleeve and Action Band, the Spigen Lite Fit, the Dot Outfitters Yoga Band, and the WITHit Silicone Band, which offers more vibrant prints than the silicone bands we recommend. We’re also testing a couple of vegan leather bands from Society6, as well as the slim, stainless steel bands from Waloo and Lelong. We’ll update this guide with our findings once we’ve finished testing them.
We’ve also tested and dismissed the stainless steel mesh bands from Insignia, Platinum, Fossil, and Worryfree Gadgets, as well as the Heyday Scrunchie and Knit bands.
The Belkin Classic Leather Band is made of nice, supple leather, but its leather pieces are fused together rather than stitched. If you prefer that look and accept that it might not last as long, this band is one of the better options.
The Marge Plus Genuine Leather Watch Strap is a perfectly serviceable budget strap with a slight taper toward the clasp (so it may look a bit better on smaller wrists). The band’s ends slide around on its lugs a little more than we’d like, meaning the band can look off-center, and the stitching runs only along the length of the band. We prefer stitching underneath the lugs as well, for added durability.
Lodowski and Kinder agreed that the Monowear Classic Leather Band felt of “lower quality” and “generic.” It also lacks any stitching.
The Monowear Leather Deployant Band is made of nice leather with clean stitching. Lodowski really liked the clasp, but the pin fell out during our testing (he suggested that it should be threaded, rather than straight, to avoid this issue). The band is also very squeaky where the leather moves against the metal, which could quickly get annoying.
The Monowear Perforated Leather Band is among the narrowest we tested (not necessarily a bad thing). The perforated look may not appeal to as many people as leather without the holes, and none of our experts were excited about the quality of the leather.
The Nomad Modern Band is designed to develop a patina over time, and we saw this to be true as scuffs and marks appeared more quickly than on any other band. There’s a clear line where the pieces are glued together, rather than fused, which makes us wary about long-term durability.
The Barton Watch Bands Leather Band is very basic but inexpensive. There was simply nothing about it that wowed us, and the leather feels a little too smooth.
The Epic Vintage Leather Watch Band feels cheap compared with others we tested, and we were specifically turned off by the thick padding between the band’s layers.
We hoped The Urban Flair’s Solid Earth Tone Apple Watch Band would offer a neutral, vegan leather alternative for those who like the look of real leather, but it certainly won’t fool anyone. We ordered a band that appeared dark brown in photos, and we received a tan version with an unexpectedly metallic finish and a pinkish hue. It’s also thinner than our other faux leather picks.
Insignia’s stainless steel mesh band has a weak magnetic clasp that loosens after a few minutes of wear, which causes the watch to slide up and down the arm. It’s also not tight enough for any wrist smaller than about 5½ inches in circumference.
The Fossil Stainless Steel Band has pins underneath the connectors that stick out, preventing the band from wrapping tightly against the wrist. This kept the Apple Watch from sitting flush against our skin, and in some cases, it kept the watch from registering the wearer at all.
Best Buy’s own Platinum Magnetic Mesh Band arrived missing an entire piece, but the half of the band we did wrap around our wrists pinched and snagged at arm hair.
The Worryfree Gadgets Metal Mesh Magnetic Band is a pain to adjust, and even comes with a little screwdriver to aid in moving the clasp up and down the fixed notches. It also pinched the arm hair of our testers.
The Monowear Metal Band costs about four times as much as the budget steel models we tested, but it offers no real benefit. We don’t like the contrasting finishes of the outer and inner links as much as the uniform look of the others. And because it lacks a resizing tool, you’d have to visit a jeweler if it doesn’t fit out of the box.
The Casetify Link Bracelet Band is more expensive than comparable models we’ve seen on Amazon (although you get the benefit of buying from a company that likely won’t disappear tomorrow). Our panel didn’t care for the contrasting matte and glossy elements or how aggressively the band tapers.
The Epic Stainless Steel Link Watch Band is a heavy, chunky band (one panel tester called it “beefy”). We like its uniform width and the monochromatic color variants, but we think it’s a little too large for most people.
Previously, we recommended the Astra Aere stainless steel band, but we removed it as a pick in this guide due to poor customer service reports and issues with durability.
We tested two watch bands from Target’s house brand, Heyday. The Heyday Scrunchie Band feels cheap and scratchy, and you have to stick your fingers into a hole in the scrunchie to adjust the tightness from the inside. The Knit Band simply refused to stay tight.
The Carterjett Nylon NATO Apple Watch Band comes in a variety of colors and stripe patterns, but our testers preferred the stitched edges and overall aesthetics of the Monowear model.
We loved the look of Barton’s Two-Piece NATO Style Band in Retro, and it feels sturdy. But its fabric is stiff and a little scratchy, so it’s not as comfortable to wear as the Cordura and Silicone Hybrid band.
The Barton Watch Bands Elite Silicone is the only silicone band we tested that’s not styled like the Apple Sport Band. Our panel testers were unanimous in preferring Apple’s flat, understated band to the Barton’s diamond-textured pattern.
Groove Life’s Apple Watch Band is one of the most comfortable bands we tested. It’s soft, handsome, and lightweight, but it’s ever-so-slightly heavier than the Otterbox band, and it’s a bit more expensive. Still, we think it’s a great choice if the Otterbox band is unavailable or if you like Groove Life’s color selection more.
The Coach Ceramic Band was $175 at the time of writing, but it looks and feels like cheap plastic. It’s also available only for the 38 mm / 40 mm / 41 mm Apple Watches.
The Braxley Band comes in a ton of funky colors and patterns, but the one we tested felt like it cut off our circulation, and the stitching and tailoring looked cheap.
We tested the Kades Bling Jewelry Bracelet and the Surace Diamond Bracelet, which were literally identical in every way—including price and packaging. (Amazon is full of indistinguishable listings like these.) If you need a dressy jewelry option just once in a while, these should get the job done for less than $20. Though they certainly felt cheap, they actually looked great on the wrist and were comfortable and durable enough to wear for days at a time. But we can’t speak to the lifespan of these bands, or the quality of customer service from the companies.
The Luvvitt Apple Watch Adapter seems more convenient than the Barton on its face but doesn’t work as well in practice. The adapter comes packed with a tiny screwdriver for installation and removal, eliminating the need for a separate pressure-bar tool. But in our testing, the screwdriver became stripped almost instantly, rendering it useless. And the screws are so small that even a common eyeglass screwdriver was too large to use as a replacement.
Jack Forster, editor in chief of Hodinkee, in-person interview, September 15, 2017
Ashley Kinder, manager at Hodinkee Shop, in-person interview, September 15, 2017
Thomas Lodowski, watchmaker at Manhattan Time Service, in-person interview, September 14, 2017
Haley Perry is an associate staff writer at Wirecutter covering video games and technology. She used to review video games full-time, and she’s also a big fan of mezcal. If you get enough in her, she may just admit that she still plays The Sims ... a lot.
Nick Guy is a former senior staff writer covering Apple and accessories at Wirecutter. He has been reviewing iPhones, iPads, and related tech since 2011—and stopped counting after he tested his 1,000th case. It’s impossible for him not to mentally catalog any case he sees. He once had the bright idea to build and burn down a room to test fireproof safes.
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Slot Wire Screen Tube Wirecutter is the product recommendation service from The New York Times. Our journalists combine independent research with (occasionally) over-the-top testing so you can make quick and confident buying decisions. Whether it’s finding great products or discovering helpful advice, we’ll help you get it right (the first time).