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 11 Cellular:

For iPhone folks, there is still no better standalone smartwatch than the Apple Watch Series 11 cellular. It offers the best connectivity experience on the market, and this year it earned that position rather than inheriting it.

The foremost advantage remains its seamless integration with iOS. You get notifications, calls, and texts directly from your wrist, you control exactly what comes through, and it all just works in a way no Android watch quite matches on an iPhone.

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

Two things changed this year and both matter for this article specifically.

The first is 5G. Series 11 cellular models carry a 5G modem and a redesigned antenna. In practice this means better coverage in weak-signal areas and less battery burned holding a connection. If you have ever watched an cellular watch chew through its battery hunting for signal, this is the fix.

The second is battery life. Apple rates the Series 11 at 24 hours, up from 18. That is the first meaningful battery improvement in the flagship line in years, and it is the difference between charging your watch before bed and wearing it overnight for sleep tracking. Low Power Mode stretches it to 38 hours.

Texting on the Series 11 is the best experience available on any smartwatch. The QWERTY keyboard that arrived on the Series 9 has matured, the display is large and bright with thin bezels, and WatchOS handles message composition properly. Here is what you can send in a text message:

• Voice notes
• Emojis
• Photos
• Videos

The Series 11 also supports music streaming and includes Siri. With Apple Pay you can make contactless payments, and that works without any cellular connection at all.

There are countless third-party apps available. While some popular apps like WhatsApp, Instagram, and Facebook still aren’t directly available, there are workarounds through bridge apps.

The remaining downside is the price. Apple has also added hypertension notifications and a daily sleep score this year, which are genuinely useful, but you’re paying flagship money for them.

Apple Watch SE 3 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. That now includes 5G, which is the part that surprised me — Apple could easily have left the cheap watch on LTE and didn’t.

Here is a brief run-down of its capabilities.

It supports Bluetooth and cellular calls from the wrist, given that the eSIM is activated and a plan is in place.

Messaging is robust, including iMessage support along with Autocorrection, Dictation, QuickPath, and Scribble. You can send photos, emojis, videos, and voice notes directly from the watch.

Contactless payments via Apple Pay are included, as is music streaming through Apple Music or third-party apps like Spotify.

The SE 3 also finally gets an always-on display and fast charging, both of which the previous SE lacked. Fast charging takes it from empty to 80% in about 45 minutes.

The features you’ll miss compared to the Series 11:

• ECG monitoring
• Blood oxygen tracking
• Hypertension notifications
• The larger, edge-to-edge display

That last one is the complaint you’ll see most in reviews — the SE keeps a noticeably thicker bezel.

Battery life is where the SE shows its price. It is still rated at 18 hours, so unlike the Series 11 you are charging it daily.

For families, one thing worth knowing: because the SE 3 supports cellular, it works with Family Setup. That lets a parent manage an Apple Watch for a child or an older relative who doesn’t have their own iPhone. For a lot of buyers, this is the whole reason to pick this watch.

Samsung Galaxy Watch 9 LTE:

When it comes to LTE smartwatches for Android users, the Samsung Galaxy Watch 9 stands in a league of its own. This watch can change many hats: it can be your personal assistant, fitness coach, and outdoor companion.

The headline change this year is under the case. Samsung dropped its own Exynos chip for Qualcomm’s Snapdragon Wear Elite, built on a 3nm process. That means faster performance and, more importantly for this article, better efficiency — which is exactly what you need when the watch is running its own cellular connection.

Note: Samsung did not release a Galaxy Watch 9 Classic this year. The lineup is the standard 40mm and 44mm, plus the Ultra 2 covered below. If you were waiting for a rotating bezel, it isn’t coming this generation.

The user interface runs One UI 9 Watch on Wear OS 7, which means buttery smooth performance and access to thousands of third-party apps. Samsung has also committed to five years of OS upgrades, up from four on the Watch 8 — that’s a genuinely meaningful promise on a device you might keep for a while.

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 complemented by strong texting. The QWERTY keyboard makes replying quick, you can send emojis and voice notes, and the 3000-nit display means you can actually read what you’re typing outdoors.

You can stream music from Spotify and YouTube Music, and for contactless payments you have both Google Pay and Samsung Pay.

The 44mm carries a 445mAh battery that will comfortably last through the day even with LTE usage. The 40mm has 390mAh. Neither is a multi-day watch when you’re leaning on cellular. WearOS is to blame here.

Samsung Galaxy Watch Ultra 2:

Galaxy Watch Ultra 2 is a far more serious watch than Galaxy Watch 9.

Two numbers tell the story. The battery is 800mAh nearly a 35% jump over the first Ultra. And the display hits 5000 nits, which is brighter than anything else on this list by a wide margin. Samsung managed both while making the case 12% thinner.

For our purposes, that big battery is the point. Every other watch in this roundup drains fast when you lean on cellular. The Ultra 2 is the only one where I’d genuinely trust leaving the phone at home for a long day out. Independent reviewers have reported three days on a charge, though results have varied enough that I’d treat that as a best case rather than a promise.

Note: The Ultra 2 is LTE-only. There is no Bluetooth-only version and no 5G option. If you buy this watch you are buying the cellular model.

Durability is the other half of the pitch. Titanium case, sapphire crystal, IP69K, 10ATM, MIL-STD-810H, and EN13319 dive certification with automatic depth and water temperature tracking. It’s the only watch here you could reasonably take diving.

Connectivity is LTE, Bluetooth 6.0, Wi-Fi on both bands, NFC, and dual-frequency L1+L5 GPS. No satellite messaging, despite some pre-launch rumours suggesting otherwise.

Calling and texting work exactly as they do on the Galaxy Watch 9 as they both share the same OS, same keyboard, same apps. You’re paying extra for the battery, the screen, the case, and the dive rating.

Google Pixel Watch 5 LTE:

Samsung Galaxy Watch 9 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 own Pixel Watch, which is fully unlocked for any Android phone.

Let me be honest about what the Pixel Watch 5 is, though: it is a Pixel Watch 4 with a faster chip. Same case, same weight, same thickness, same display, same battery estimates. Google bumped the RAM to 3GB, doubled storage to 64GB, and made it about 20% quicker. That’s the update.

If you find a Pixel Watch 4 LTE discounted, you are giving up very little.

The Pixel Watch 5 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 domed edge-to-edge display makes texting genuinely pleasant. 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.

The one genuinely new thing is worth mentioning: cloud-based GPS post-processing. Google reprocesses your route after a workout using 3D building models and atmospheric corrections, and claims twice the route accuracy in difficult environments like city centres and canyons.

The Pixel Watch line also has satellite SOS, which no Samsung watch offers.

Battery remains the weak point, as it has been since the first Pixel Watch. Google rates the 45mm at 40 hours with always-on display, the 41mm at 30. Turn on LTE and lean on it, and you will not see those numbers.

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