There's no question that fitness trackers can be a helpful tool in improving your overall health. According to research, wearing an activity tracker may help improve physical activity, body composition and overall fitness. But not everyone wants to wear a bulky device on their wrist.
In the last few years, companies have been creating new, discreet ways to track your data. The Oura Ring is one example. While it looks like a piece of jewelry, it is a comprehensive fitness and health tracker that allows you to monitor everything from your daily workouts to your menstrual cycle. Though the brand has been around for over a decade, thanks to raving reviews from people on TikTok and celebrity fans, the gadget has reached peak popularity, with Google searches reaching an all-time high in December 2024 — and interest in the gadget continues to be high. Not only that but it was just crowned best splurge sleep tracker in our recent Sleep Awards.
Plus, right now, you can score an Oura Ring 4 for up to $150 off as part of the brand’s Black Friday sale. Yes, that's the lowest price ever!
Below, we're answering all of your questions about the gadget, from its standout features to cost and more.
Oura Ring Gen3
What does the Oura Ring do?
The Oura Ring is a sleep tracker, activity and stress monitor and so much more. It features a number of sensors along the inside of the band, including infrared photoplethysmography sensors (PPG), negative temperature coefficient (NTC) and a 3D accelerometer to track things like changes in body temperature, heart rate, respiration and movement to give you an in-depth look into your health metrics.
Along with other stats, each day, on the app, you'll find three scores: Sleep, Activity and Readiness, which all fall somewhere between 0-100. The Sleep score is calculated based on how long you spent in the different sleep stages, how long it took you to fall asleep and timing. Your activity score is based on your step count, workout frequency and volume from the day before. Finally, your readiness score takes into account sleep, activity, heart rate, body temperature and more and can help you decide how hard to push your body that day.
What our editors think
Associate partnerships editor Lauren Witonsky, who has been using the Oura Ring Gen3 Heritage since 2023, says that she uses it predominantly for sleep and that it's even changed her habits for the better.
"It's still the first app I look at every morning," she shares. "I've become really interested in the 'resilience' graph that gives you a more holistic view of your health over time, factoring in both activity and recovery. While having an active lifestyle comes naturally to me, I have a hard time prioritizing sleep — and no other product has held me accountable to get those eight hours every night as well as my Oura ring. I actually feel guilty if I don't wind down when it sends me a reminder on my phone! It has also made me realize that if I want those solid eight hours, I need to be ready for bed about an hour early to factor in the time it takes to fall asleep and any disturbances in the middle of the night."
For those with periods, the ring is designed not only to predict when you’ll start but also to estimate your peak fertility time and give you insights on how your cycle affects your body and energy levels as a whole.
"My favorite feature is probably the sleep and the period tracking abilities," shares production coordinator Camryn Privette. "It's super interesting to get a look at your whole sleep chart and get pointers on what to improve on. Also, the period tracking is great and pretty accurate in my experience."
The ring can also provide you with insights into things like your cardiovascular age, stress resilience and more. Multiple editors complimented the amount of data that the ring gives about your body and overall health, as well as its accuracy.
“I find its readings pretty accurate, from predicting my cycle, highlighting some changes in my oxygen levels and tracking my sleep,” editorial assistant Madison San Miguel says. “I’ve also learned some pretty neat things about my health, too, such as that your temperature increases slightly before your cycle, and that I’m a pretty light sleeper (unfortunately).”
Another big draw is the discreet and surprisingly chic design. San Miguel used to have another popular fitness tracker but hated how bulky it looked on her wrist. "I love how the Oura ring looks like any piece of jewelry I wear, so it feels more in disguise, unlike other health tracking devices."
Other things to consider about the Oura Ring
One of the biggest complaints that all of our staffers had about the gadget was the high cost and the subscription model. When you purchase an Oura Ring, you’ll get the first month of membership free. After, you’ll have to pay $5.99 per month or $69.99 annually to continue to get access to all of the data. "I would honestly rather pay more for the device and skip an inexpensive but recurring subscription fee," Witonsky says.
After a year of use, they also noted that the battery life had decreased. "It’s supposed to last for a week but now I can only get about three days of use out of it before needing to charge it," Witonsky says. However, she notes that it does charge quickly — plus, it still has a longer battery life than some other trackers that need to be charged daily.
I have been wearing the Oura Ring 4 for a few months now. It was my first introduction to the brand and as someone who has tried a variety of fitness trackers, ranging from standard bulky devices to more discreet bands, this is by far the most stylish one I've worn.
The data that it provides is pretty on par with other pricier trackers, but it's the first one that I've used that monitors body temperature at night. The app factors this into your readiness score for the day, and it can even help sense when you may be getting sick. At one point, the app alerted me to an elevated temperature, signaling that I might be coming down with something (lo and behold, the next day I ended up feeling under the weather, having to take a sick day from work), and so instead of pushing myself in a workout, I chose to focus on rest and recovery.
While I still wear another tracker, because I like being able to monitor my pace and distance as I'm running, I am impressed by the data it gives me around my sleep, menstrual cycle and overall health. It also helps motivate me to be healthier — my competitive side makes me want to figure out how I can get my resilience level and cardiovascular age as low as possible.
During the short time that I've had it, I've only taken it off to charge, so I've worn it for long, sweaty runs, strength training and in the pool and ocean. While I appreciate that the durable design means that I never really have to take it off (unless I were to go deep sea diving or something), I'm already noticing some light scratching around the outside.
What's the difference between the Oura Ring 3 and 4?
Oura released the fourth generation of its smart ring in the fall of 2024. While the third generation came in two styles — Heritage, with a smooth top and Horizon, which is totally round — the newer model comes in just one. The updated style also touts a longer battery life and a larger number of sizes to choose from, spanning from sizes 4 to 15. The biggest change is that the ring is powered by "Smart Sensing" technology, which the brand says features upgraded sensors that dynamically adapt to your finger to deliver more accurate and continuous data.
Is the Oura Ring worth it?
As a sleep and overall wellness tracker, our editors agree that the ring does a great job delivering useful and accurate data and were generally impressed by its capabilities. "Overall, I think the company's approach to tracking is really unique and effective," Privette says.
The minimalist, jewelry-like design is also a plus for anyone who wants to track their data but hates the look of a typical wrist gadget. "I'm not a watch girl so this type of device is the only type of tracker I'd ever use," Privette says. If you're someone who doesn't mind paying an extra fee for the design and in-depth data, it may be worth it. In fact, San Miguel loves hers so much that she's thinking about getting one for her mom and boyfriend as well.
While I agree that the subscription cost seems unnecessary, given the already high price of the gadget, the valuable health information and the motivation that it provides me to be healthier makes it worth it. Plus, when I realize that the monthly payment is the same as a latte — and I can probably skip ordering one of those every month to make up for the cost — it helps put it into perspective.
But for those who are looking for a similar option without a subscription model, we're sharing some additional picks below.
More fitness trackers
For Samsung Galaxy users, the brand’s smart ring is designed to provide a seamless (and stylish) way to track and access your data. According to the brand, the Galaxy Ring features advanced sensors to track your heart rate, sleep quality, steps, body temperature changes and more. It’s also designed to automatically detect and track different forms of exercise for you, so you don’t need to manually start any programs before beginning your workout.
This ring features a unique curved design, which the brand says helps to protect it against scratches, while still feeling comfortable on your finger.
While associate editor Kamari Stewart was initially intrigued by the Oura Ring, the additional subscription cost dissuaded her from making the purchase. Instead, she's been using this ring from Ultrahuman.
"It's obviously a little bulkier than most rings I wear but still blends in pretty easily," she shares. "It tracks my activity, heart rate, sleeping patterns, stress rhythm, recovery score, sleep debt, body temp and cycle. It also suggests when to start and stop having caffeine and when to start and slow down on screen time. There are more things you can track for no additional cost like vitamin D, screen time, pregnancy insights and it has a smart alarm and social schedules. The ability to track cardio adaptability and atrial fibrillation are the only two that cost additional money each month at $2.90 and $4.90, respectively."
She adds that the app is also easy to navigate. "Honestly, I have no complaints! It's cool to see the stats, especially about sleep and heart rate."
Frequently asked questions
You’ll get the first month of membership free after purchasing your Oura ring. After that, you’ll have to pay $5.99 per month or $69.99 annually to continue. Without paying for the membership, you’ll have access to basic functions, like your three daily Oura scores, ring battery and more. But in order to access features like workout heart rate tracking, trends over time, in-depth sleep analysis and more, you’ll have to pay the fee.
While you can take your Oura Ring off at any time, the brand says that you may miss out on data that will affect your scores for the next day.
The Oura Ring sizes are different than standard ring sizes, so it may be a good idea to try one on before you purchase. If you're hoping to get an accurate idea of sizing before you buy your Oura Ring, you can purchase a sizing kit at a number of retailers that come with plastic ring sizers for you to try on. When you purchase the kit, you will receive a credit toward your purchase of an Oura ring.
If you are between sizes, the brand recommends opting for the more snug fit, as it will help with sensor accuracy.
How we chose
We chose to highlight the Oura Ring because it is trending on social media and is currently a highly searched-for item on Google. All of the editors that we polled about the ring have been wearing it for over a year and are well-versed in its capabilities and features.
The alternative rings listed were chosen because they do not have an additional subscription fee and are either editor-approved or from a trusted brand.
Why trust Shop TODAY?
The Shop TODAY editors and writers search the internet to find the best products out there. We interview expert sources and use our own personal experiences with the product and brand to make shopping easier for our readers.
Emma Stessman is a writer for Shop TODAY. She has over a decade of experience in digital media — with nearly half of that time being focused on the health and wellness space. She has owned multiple fitness trackers from top brands over the years and recently compared three popular models. At Shop TODAY she covers a range of topics, from new tech releases to expert-approved beauty trends.
