This subscription-free smart ring gave my Oura a run for its money (and it’s cheaper too)

Whereas I put on watches on each of my wrists, that sort of wearable is not the most effective for monitoring sleep with out being disruptive. For greater than two years, I’ve additionally had an Oura Gen3 Ring on my finger, and there have been some compelling updates to each the software program and the {hardware}.

RingConn launched its Good Ring again in 2023 after a profitable Indiegogo marketing campaign. I examined the RingConn Good Ring — Moonlit Silver, dimension 13 — on my left index finger for about three weeks in 2024, and I preferred it quite a bit. I quickly grew to become caught deciding whether or not I ought to preserve it or the Oura Gen3 Titanium ring. I wore the latter on my proper index finger for comparability functions over that very same three-week interval.

The Moonlit Silver coloration appears to be like nearly precisely just like the brushed titanium Oura mannequin, and it is vitally enticing. It isn’t fully spherical, with only a trace of a squircle form, though most will suppose it’s a circle at first look. The scale 13 one I’m sporting weighs about 5 grams, and inside, you can find a 3D accelerometer, 4 temperature sensors, 4 PPG sensors, and a low-power Bluetooth module.

The RingConn Good Ring is out there for $259 in Moonlit Silver, Midnight Black, and Pale Gold. The ring is fabricated from light-weight titanium, and every coloration has a matte end. Sizes fluctuate from 6 to 14, and step one within the shopping for course of is to have a sizing package despatched out to verify the proper dimension to your chosen finger.

An IP68 waterproof score is offered so you possibly can put on the ring always. Identical to the Oura Ring, the battery life is rated at one week. Nonetheless, RingConn offers a singular transportable charging case that comprises a 500 mAh charger able to preserving the ring going for as much as 150 days.

The Oura Ring Heritage mannequin begins at $299, so the preliminary prices of those two rings could also be comparable (though the Gen3 Horizon brushed titanium mannequin that appears just like the RingConn silver model is priced at $449). One other important value distinction is discovered within the month-to-month subscription payment. Oura prices $6 per thirty days for accessing your whole well being and wellness particulars, whereas RingConn has no subscription related to its sensible ring.

Android and iPhone units are nicely supported by the RingConn Good Ring. For folks like me who use each smartphone platforms, switching between Android and iOS is a seamless course of with RingConn. In distinction, Oura Ring customers are required to reset the ring when switching platforms — thereby dropping out on seeing constant information and tendencies.

One of many main features of a sensible ring is sleep monitoring. The 2 rings’ outcomes over the previous three weeks present comparable time asleep, coronary heart price, and SPO2; nevertheless, the scores are usually 8-10 factors greater on the RingConn mannequin than the Oura mannequin. The scores are simply indicators, and sleep monitoring through watches and rings is extra about monitoring tendencies and confirming how you’re feeling. I might like to see an organization like Garmin associate with RingConn to attach its sleep information captured by the ring into Garmin Join, so I needn’t put on a watch to trace my sleep.

The RingConn app offers many extra particulars associated to emphasize than the brand new day by day stress characteristic on the Oura Ring. The exercise rating on the RingConn extra intently matches what I anticipated to see given the workouts I accomplished on these days. (Actually, sensible rings will not be the best choice for exercise monitoring.) Oura connects and brings in exercise information from different companies, whereas RingConn depends on information captured simply by the ring. That is one space the place I want to see RingConn hook up with Garmin, Apple, Polar, or Samsung.

One metric that RingConn doesn’t present is a readiness rating or restoration evaluation. Then once more, I belief the readiness rating on my Garmin greater than the worth proven on the Oura Ring. Oura normally reveals a reasonably excessive readiness rating for me whereas my Garmin varies extra and appears to match how I really feel after a day of operating, rowing, or biking.

RingConn has a characteristic known as Wellness Stability that’s presently in beta. It reveals an total evaluation based mostly in your sleep, exercise, very important indicators, and stress. Wellness is offered as glorious, good, and improvable. I’ve solely had sooner or later out of the previous three weeks that was not supplied with a very good score, and I’ve but to see a wonderful score.

The RingConn app offers insights into the three key metrics of sleep, exercise, and stress, with a second main view offering tendencies. Traits may be seen by week, month, or 12 months and supply a ton of attention-grabbing information in simply viewable charts and plots. You can too view and share weekly and yearly reviews which are filled with attention-grabbing and helpful info.

I used to be far more impressed with the RingConn Good Ring than I anticipated to be;  it is nice to see such compelling competitors within the sensible ring house. If you’re not taken with paying a month-to-month subscription payment, then it’s straightforward for me to suggest the RingConn ring. I am near switching to it as my main sensible ring as a result of I just like the in depth quantity of knowledge offered and the power to simply swap smartphones that I hook up with the ring.

RingConn continues to develop options and features with exercise mode, menstrual cycle prediction, meditation, and conscious respiration on the schedule for future updates.

ZDNET’s shopping for recommendation

Good rings are rising in popularity, with rumors that Samsung and others could also be releasing them quickly. RingConn stepped up after years of growth and provides a worthy competitor to the present chief within the sensible ring house. In the event you like the concept of not paying a month-to-month subscription payment, this wearable is price your consideration. Proper now, the RingConn Good Ring is on sale for $179 over on the model’s on-line retailer.

The way it compares

Newest updates

July 29, 2025: Added a brand new comparability chart evaluating the first-generation RingConn Good Ring to the second-generation RingConn Good Ring. The newer mannequin is smaller, has a longer-lasting battery, and distinctive sensors that the earlier wearable lacks. Outdated hyperlinks have been additionally changed.