5 Best Smartwatches with Call & Text Features – Without Phone

Can a smartwatch make calls or send texts? Yes, for sure.

In fact, the whole point of writing this guide is to introduce you to smartwatches on the market that can call and text (without a phone).

But before we dive in, let’s take a step back and understand the basics.

To offer these connectivity features, a smartwatch must have the necessary hardware specs, which include a speaker and a microphone.

If these conditions are met, any watch has the hardware support to make on-wrist calls.

Next, you’ll want to make sure that your smartwatch supports both Bluetooth calling and cellular calling. What’s the difference?

The same goes for texting on a smartwatch. However, the overall experience of texting is largely defined by the operating system of the watch (WearOS & WatchOS). Features such as a QWERTY keyboard, emoji support, and voice-to-text functionality depend on the operating system.

Now that you understand the basics, let’s jump straight into the guide.

Smartwatches for Standalone Texting and Calling: Top 5 Picks

Here is a short summary of all the watches featured in this roundup:

Apple Watch Series 9 Cellular:

For iPhone folks, there is no better standalone smartwatch than Apple Watch Series 9 cellular. In fact, it offers the best connectivity experience on the market.

The foremost advantage is its seamless integration with iOS. This will allow you to conveniently access notifications, calls, and texts directly from your wrist. You can control what notifications come through to your watch, take notes on the fly, and do a whole bunch of other things.

The embedded eSIM technology in the watch allows it to function independently, so you can make or receive calls even when your iPhone isn’t nearby. This feature is especially useful during outdoor activities or whenever you want to leave your phone behind.

Bear in mind, to activate these features, you’ll need a separate cellular plan for your watch, which can cost around $10-15, depending on your carrier and location.

iWatch Series 9 isn’t the first to feature texting support, but it is the first to include a QWERTY keyboard. For those who don’t know, smartwatches used to offer a T9-style classic keyboard that gets quite cumbersome. So the QWERTY keyboard is a big plus on this watch.

Texting on a smartwatch didn’t feel like a pleasant experience until Apple perfected it on Series 9. The watch has a large display and a high-resolution screen with thin bezels. The interface powered by WatchOS works like a charm.

So you will find it convenient to view and compose messages. Here is what you can send in a text message:

• Voice notes
• Emojis
• photos
• Videos

The Series 9 also supports music streaming and includes Apple’s voice assistant, Siri. With Apple Pay, you can make contactless payments, and it’s not even dependent on cellular connectivity.

There are also countless third-party apps available to enhance your experience. While some popular apps like Whatsapp, Instagram, and Facebook aren’t directly available, there are workarounds, like using the built-in web browser or downloading bridge apps like WatchChat2.

Apple Watch SE 2 Cellular:

As it goes with Apple Watches, there is always an underpowered, budget-friendly option that offers all the core features.

Interestingly, it offers all the connectivity features of its premium siblings, so you aren’t missing out on anything in this department.

Here is a brief run-down of its capabilities. Most of them are repeat

1. It supports Bluetooth and cellular calls from the wrist, given that the eSIM is activated and a cellular plan is in place.
2. Messaging capabilities are robust, including support for iMessages along with features like Autocorrection, Dictation, Quickpath, and Scribble. Users can send photos, emojis, videos, and voice notes directly from the watch.
3. The watch also offers contactless payments via Apple Pay, widely accepted worldwide.
4. Music streaming is simple, with options for Apple Music and third-party apps like Deezer and Spotify available on the App Store.
5. Pre-installed apps abound, but users can further personalize their experience by adding third-party apps from the largest collection available on the Apple Watch.

The features that you will miss out on in this watch compared to Series 8 include:

However, as I looked, people mostly complained about aesthetic features rather than practical ones. For example, the larger bezel on the SE 2 is a common complaint.

Galaxy Watch 5 Pro LTE:

When it comes to LTE smartwatches for Android users, the Samsung Galaxy Watch 5 Pro stands in a league of its own. This watch can change many hats: it can be your personal assistant, fitness coach, and outdoor companion.

Note: You will get the same LTE capabilities on its sibling Samsung Galaxy Watch 5 which is slightly less expensive. However, it’s not as durable, its battery doesn’t last as long, and it lacks some outdoor features.

The user interface of the watch is powered by the latest Wear OS, that not only means buttery smooth performance but also access to thousands of third-party apps.

Its powerful Exynos W920 chip and 1.5GB of RAM ensure everything works fast, from notifications to calls and texts.

Speaking of calling, Samsung has truly nailed this feature. The watch’s built-in LTE lets you make calls straight from your wrist. Last I heard, they can take calls even on Whatsapp.

The calling feature is perfectly complemented by its enhanced texting capabilities. With the new QWERTY keyboard, texting on your watch has never been easier. You can quickly reply to messages, send emojis, and even voice notes, all from the comfort of your wrist. The watch’s high-resolution display makes for a pleasant texting experience.

Also, you can stream music from apps like Spotify and YouTube Music. For contactless payments, we have both Google Pay and Samsung Pay.

It comes with a 590mAh battery that will comfortably last through the day, even with LTE usage. And when it’s time to charge, its new 10W charging feature gets it to 100% in just over an hour.

But it’s not all work and no play. The Galaxy Watch 5 Pro is also your ultimate health companion. It comes packed with improved sensors that can track your sleep, body composition, and even your toughest workouts. Its durable titanium casing and sapphire glass display make it suitable for any outdoor adventure, all the while keeping you connected.

Samsung Galaxy Watch 4 LTE:

The Galaxy Watch 4 LTE may be older, but its connectivity department is on par with the newer Galaxy Watch 5 and 5 Pro. It runs on WearOS, just like its siblings

Basically, it runs WearOS which also powers its latest siblings. You can connect the dots.

I won’t go into all the connectivity details, as they are identical to the Watch 5 Pro. So, your choice between the Watch 4 and the Watch 5 Pro won’t depend on connectivity.

So how to pick?

1. As you can expect, Galaxy Watch 4 LTE is the cheaper option.
2. The latest Galaxy Watch 5 Pro is more likely to get the latest OS update (WearOS 4).
3. The sapphire glass and titanium casing on GW5 pro speak of its high durability.
4. Visuals, such as text and images, appear clearer and more detailed on the Watch 5 Pro, thanks to a brighter and sharper AMOLED screen.
5. When compared head to head, the Galaxy Watch 4 comes up with a shorter battery life. So, you would need to charge the Watch 4 more frequently.

Google Pixel Watch

Samsung Galaxy Watch 5 Pro is compatible with Android phones, but there are still pickles. It works best when it is paired with Samsung phones. Samsung still holds select features from other Android users.

So what are our options? Google’s very own Pixel watch. Like the Samsung watch, it can be your wrist-bound communication hub.

This smartwatch’s user-friendly Wear OS interface, last-gen Samsung chip, and a generous 2GB of RAM offer snappy performance.

However, where it truly shines is in its core communication features.

The Pixel Watch offers LTE compatibility, allowing you to make or receive calls directly from your wrist (without a paired phone).

Texting on the Pixel Watch is just as impressive. The beautiful edge-to-edge display makes for an easy and enjoyable texting experience. Whether you are quickly replying to messages, sending emojis, or even voice notes, the Pixel Watch makes it a breeze.

The Pixel Watch doesn’t stop at basic cellular connectivity features. You can download offline playlists from YouTube Music, or Spotify. Plus you get access to Google Maps, Google Assistant, Google Pay, and more.

Honorable Mentions:

Best Smartwatch with standalone features: How I Picked?

I have been covering wearable tech for some years now, so before even writing a single word, I knew where to look for the best connectivity experience.

Here is the simplified process for you.

1. Compatibility: I had to bear in mind that the Apple Watch is only compatible with iPhones. Samsung Watches can pair with Android phones, yet some of their features are exclusively for Samsung phones. On the other hand, Google Pixel Watch is built for Android devices.
2. Calling Capabilities: I made a list of all the watches, over 15 in total, that came with speakers and microphones. These are the fundamental prerequisites for making calls.
3. Texting Experience: The choice of the operating system, which governs the user interface, greatly impacts the quality of the texting experience. I found that WearOS and WatchOS were standouts in this aspect. I set a QWERTY keyboard as my basic requirement and also considered the types of files that could be sent, like emojis, voice notes, and photos. This brought down my list to 10 watches.
4. Cellular Capability: Finally, I examined whether these watches had the cellular capability or integrated eSIM, which further shortened my list to a mere 5 options.

As you will find out, most watches in the final selection offer nearly identical experiences in terms of cellular connectivity. So, your ultimate choice will likely depend on:

1. Your budget
2. Your existing device ecosystem (Samsung, iPhone, or other Android Phones)
3. Your expected battery performance

FAQs: Smartwatch with call & text function