Updated October 14, 2026 · ThriveCue Editorial Team
Polar vs Samsung
Where Polar and Samsung differ
| Compare |  Polar | Samsung ReviewVisitVisit |
|---|---|---|
| Price from | €179.90 | $299.99 |
| Membership per month | €0 | $0 |
| Battery life | 10 days | 14 daysHigher |
| Water resistance (m) | 50 | 100Higher |
| Warranty | 2 yearsHigher | 1 year |
| Markets | AT, BE, BG, CY, CZ, DK, EE, FI, FR, DE, GR, HU, IT, IE, NL, NO, PL, PT, SK, SI, ES, SE, CH, TR, GB, UA, AR, BR, CA, CL, CO, CR, MX, US, AU, BN, CN, HK, IN, JP, MY, NZ, PH, SG, TW, TH, VN, IL, SA, ZA, AE | Not confirmed |
Same on both: Platforms (iOS, Android).
We earn a commission when you sign up through links on this site. Partner status can affect where a brand appears in our rankings.
Key differences
- Samsung scores higher overall: 9.1 vs 9.0.
- Battery life is higher at Samsung: 14 days vs 10 days.
- Water resistance (m) is higher at Samsung: 100 vs 50.
- Warranty is higher at Polar: 2 years vs 1 year.
- Support channels: only Samsung offers Chat, Phone, Community.
- Products: only Polar offers Fitness tracker, Chest strap.
- Products: only Samsung offers Smart ring.
- Health sensors: only Samsung offers Blood pressure.
Our verdict on each
Polar
Polar suits anyone who wants a chest strap grade training setup from a maker trading since 1977. The trade off sits at entry and at the charger: €179.90 for the cheapest device and 10 days of battery both land mid table here, so the pull is the sensor set.
Samsung
Samsung sits in the middle of the wearables market here, selling a smart ring and smartwatches with a monthly membership of $0. Readers who want broad sensor coverage and a free app on both iOS and Android will find plenty to like, though the entry price of $299.99 is above most rivals.
Score breakdown
| Area | Polar | Samsung |
|---|---|---|
| Cost | 9.0HigherMembership is free at €0 a month, offsetting an entry price of €179.90. | 8.9Entry price of $299.99 is high, but the monthly membership of $0 means no recurring cost after purchase. |
| Offer | 8.8Sensors run to heart rate, spo2 and ecg with 50 metre water resistance. | 9.3HigherBoth smartwatch and smart ring come with a $0 monthly membership, and heart rate, spo2 and ecg cover the main health metrics. |
| Trust | 9.5Polar Electro Oy has traded since 1977 from FI with a 2 year warranty. | Not confirmed |
Availability and regulation
| Country | Polar | Samsung |
|---|---|---|
| Headquarters | Finland | Not confirmed |
How they place
| Ranking | Polar | Samsung |
|---|---|---|
| Smartwatches and fitness trackers | 8 of 41 | 6 of 41 |
Every fact side by side
| Fact | Polar | Samsung |
|---|---|---|
| Products | Smartwatch, Fitness tracker, Chest strap | Smartwatch, Smart ring |
| Health sensors | Heart rate, Spo2, Ecg, Skin temperature, Hrv, Sleep, Gps | Heart rate, Spo2, Ecg, Skin temperature, Hrv, Sleep, Blood pressure, GpsCovers more |
| Legal entity | Polar Electro Oy | Samsung Electronics America, Inc. |
| Headquarters | Finland | Not confirmed |
| Founded | 1977 | Not confirmed |
| Support channels | Help centre | Help centre, Chat, Phone, CommunityCovers more |
Where each stands against the rest
| Fact | Polar | Samsung | Median |
|---|---|---|---|
| Battery life | 10 daysbelow the median | 14 daysat the median | 14 days |
| Water resistance (m) | 50at the median | 100above the median | 50 |
| Warranty | 2 yearsabove the median | 1 yearat the median | 1 year |
Median across 27 listed brands.
Pros and cons
Polar
Pros
- Sensors cover heart rate, spo2 and ecg, a wider reading set than heart rate and step count alone.
- Water resistance of 50 metres handles pool and open water without a strap change.
- Warranty of 2 years runs longer than the 1 year median for smartwatches and fitness trackers.
Cons
- Entry price of €179.90 sits above the €99.90 median entry price in this category, so the first buy is dearer than most of this list.
- Battery life of 10 days is shorter than the 11.5 day median for smartwatches and fitness trackers.
- Support runs through help centre, so questions about a specific device go through written material rather than a direct line.
Samsung
Pros
- The monthly membership is $0, so the hardware and its app carry no running cost after purchase.
- Samsung covers smartwatch and smart ring, so a ring and a watch can share the same app and account.
- The sensor set spans heart rate, spo2 and ecg, with blood pressure and skin temperature alongside heart rate and sleep.
Cons
- The entry price of $299.99 ranks 27 of 31 brands compared, so the starting figure sits high in the field.
- Warranty cover of 1 year is brief, and there is no longer term offered to soften a long ownership.
- The range is limited to smartwatch and smart ring, where Amazfit stretches to smartwatch, fitness tracker and smart ring.
Who each suits
Polar
Who it suits
- Swimmers and open water athletes, given water resistance of 50 metres.
- Coaches and club athletes who want a chest strap next to a watch, since the range is smartwatch, fitness tracker and chest strap.
- Buyers who will not accept a subscription, with membership listed at €0 a month.
Who should look elsewhere
- Anyone after a ring or a scale, since Amazfit lists smartwatch, fitness tracker and smart ring.
- Shoppers who want the simplest watch and strap setup, since Runmefit's range is smartwatch and fitness tracker.
- Budget buyers shopping purely on entry price, since Oukitel's range is smartwatch while Polar starts at €179.90.
Samsung
Who it suits
- Buyers who want a discreet ring and a watch from the same maker, tracked in one app.
- Readers who care about the readings covered by heart rate, spo2 and ecg rather than a simple step count.
- Anyone who changes phone or moves between platforms, since the app runs on iOS and Android.
Who should look elsewhere
- Shoppers on a small budget, who should weigh Runmefit for a plainer smartwatch and fitness tracker setup.
- People who want bands, chest straps and scales under one roof, which Amazfit covers through smartwatch, fitness tracker and smart ring.
- Buyers after rugged outdoor hardware, who should compare Oukitel at smartwatch.
Current offers
Polar
Current offer
Discount code
Newsletter signup: 10% off one purchase: 10%
10% off one purchase; this promotion cannot be combined with other promotions or offers
Source, checked September 30, 2026
Free trial
Bonus pack: 60-day Strava free trial: 60 days
Bonus pack with purchase; not eligible if you previously signed up for two or more Strava trial offers or were a subscriber within the last six months
Source, checked September 30, 2026
Country by country
| Country | Polar | Samsung |
|---|---|---|
| Argentina | Yes | No |
| Australia | Yes | No |
| Austria | Yes | No |
| Belgium | Yes | No |
| Brazil | Yes | No |
| Brunei | Yes | No |
| Bulgaria | Yes | No |
| Canada | Yes | No |
8 of 51 countries where either is available.
Questions about each
Polar
What does the cheapest Polar device cost?+
Polar's entry device is priced at €179.90, which sits above the €99.90 median entry price across smartwatches and fitness trackers. On the ranking used here, Polar is placed 24 of 31 brands on entry price, so buyers pay toward the higher end of the field.
Is there a monthly membership fee?+
Polar's membership is free, listed at €0 a month, so the hardware is the only recurring cost and there is nothing to cancel each year. That sits alongside entry pricing of €179.90 for the cheapest device rather than being bundled into it, which keeps the long term cost predictable.
Samsung
How much does a Samsung smart ring or smartwatch cost?+
Prices start at $299.99 across the range, which covers both smartwatch and smart ring. Nothing is added afterwards, because the monthly membership is $0. There is no premium tier and no paid app feature to unlock, so the figure shown at entry is the entire cost of ownership.
Is there a monthly subscription for the Samsung Health app?+
No. The monthly membership is $0, and that covers the app as well as the hardware it pairs with. That matters for anyone weighing cost at renewal rather than only at entry, because the running cost of the software stays at nothing however long the device is kept.