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Oura Ring 4 review: still on top—for now

The Oura Ring 4 is still one of the best sleep-and-recovery rings, but Ring 5 means it is no longer the automatic leader. Here is when the discounted Ring 4 makes sense—and when to choose newer hardware or a subscription-free rival.

By WatchRanker Team 8 min read
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Verdict: The Oura Ring 4 remains one of the best smart rings for sleep, recovery and long-term wellness trends, but it is no longer the automatic category leader. As of August 18, 2026, Oura sells the newer Ring 5 alongside it. Buy the Ring 4 when a meaningful discount, its wider size range (4–15), or its mature platform outweighs the Ring 5’s thinner design and longer claimed battery life. Otherwise, the Ring 5 is the more future-proof Oura purchase; subscription-averse buyers should look elsewhere.

Oura Ring 4 at a glance

Item Oura Ring 4
US starting price From $349; finish pricing and discounts vary on Oura’s store (official store)
Membership $5.99 per month or $69.99 per year in the US; first month included for new members (Oura membership terms)
Advertised battery Approximately five to eight days, depending on size, settings, activity and battery age
Sizes 4–15
Compatibility iOS and Android
GPS No built-in GPS; richer workout context requires a phone
Best for Sleep, recovery, stress and passive health trends
Biggest drawback Recurring membership and limited live-exercise capability

The Ring 4 launched in 2024 and improved Oura’s established formula with recessed sensors and adaptive signal selection. Those strengths still matter, but a discounted previous-generation ring now has to be judged against the Ring 5 rather than against older competitors alone.

Should you buy the Oura Ring 4 now?

Buy the Ring 4 when the discount is substantial

Choose it if the Ring 4 is meaningfully cheaper than the Ring 5, you need a size outside the Ring 5’s 6–13 range, and your priority is sleep and recovery rather than live training. Its app, scoring system and integrations are mature, and it works with both major mobile platforms.

Choose the Ring 5 when the price gap is small

Oura lists the Ring 5 from $399, compared with $349 for the Ring 4. The newer model is advertised as 40% less volume and offers a claimed six-to-nine-day battery range. If you are buying new for several years and do not need sizes 4, 5, 14 or 15, the newer hardware is the sensible default.

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#1 Best Overall
New Smart Ring Health Tracker for Women & Men, Sleep Exercise Health Monitoring, Daily Tracking, iOS/Android Compatible, IP68 Waterproof, No Subscription Required, 5‑Day Battery Life (Silver, 7)
  • 【Check the Size Before Purchase】 Before buying the BIEMHA Smart Ring, we strongly suggest that you refer to the size chart and carefully measure the circumference of your finger. This will ensure you get the most comfortable wearing experience and easily avoid any unnecessary returns or exchanges.
  • 【Real‑time Accurate Sleep & Fitness Monitoring】 BIEMHA smart ring tracks your sleep quality and daily activities in real time. With advanced sensors, it provides precise data about your sleep cycle, helping you optimize rest and recovery. Whether you are tracking steps, calories or exercise performance, this smart ring can provide you with the most accurate insights to support your fitness goals and enhance your overall health.It is a good choice for family and friends.
  • 【Health Monitoring】The BIEMHA ring features advanced 4.0 sensors that automatically measure your heart rate every 30 min when worn. It provides continuous health tracking and comprehensive wellness management all day.
  • 【2‑3 Day Battery Life】 With a 2‑3 day battery life, the BIEMHA smart ring ensures continuous health monitoring without frequent charging. When used with the smart charging case, the usage time can even exceed 5 days. Whether you are tracking sleep patterns or fitness activities, you can count on long‑lasting performance without constant interruptions.
  • 【80‑meter Waterproof, Suitable for Various Scenarios】 The BIEMHA Smart Ring has excellent waterproof performance, with a waterproof depth of up to 80 meters. Whether it's for daily wear, an intense workout session or a pleasant swimming time, it can handle it with ease. What's more, even if you have sensitive skin, you can still enjoy an extremely comfortable wearing experience when wearing this ring.

Skip Oura when the model does not fit your use case

  • You will not pay $5.99 monthly or $69.99 annually for the full experience.
  • You need a screen, buttons, built-in GPS, live pace or detailed interval guidance.
  • You want a smartwatch replacement or a medical diagnostic device.
  • You are uncomfortable with a sealed battery that will eventually age.

Design, sizing and everyday comfort

The Ring 4 uses a fully titanium body with sensors recessed into the interior rather than protruding bumps. Oura lists sizes 4 through 15, a practical advantage for unusually small or large fingers. Ring width and weight vary by size, so neither comfort nor discretion is identical across the range.

Use the Ring 4 sizing kit and test the intended finger for a full day and overnight. Fingers change size with heat, exercise, sleep and time of day. A ring that feels fine in a shop can become tight after a workout. The Ring 4 is water-resistant to 100 metres (328 feet), subject to Oura’s limitations; water resistance does not make it ideal for every activity. Weightlifting, gripping exercises and contact sports can be uncomfortable, and removing the ring creates data gaps.

Oura warns that Ring 5 uses a different sizing system, so do not assume a Ring 4 size transfers directly. See the Ring 4 specifications and Ring 5 guide before ordering.

Smart Sensing and what the hardware measures

Ring 4’s central hardware change is Smart Sensing. Oura describes 18 signal pathways and software that selects the strongest available path for the wearer’s finger instead of relying on one fixed optical route. The sensors support heart rate, heart-rate variability (HRV), blood oxygen, temperature trends, respiration during sleep and movement.

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Sensor capability is not the same as guaranteed accuracy, and accuracy is not clinical usefulness. ECG-related heart-rate functions in a specification do not turn the ring into a diagnostic ECG device. Treat readings as wellness information and discuss concerning symptoms with a qualified clinician.

Rank #2
Oura Ring 5 Smart Wearable - Silver - Size 9 - Fitness & Sleep Tracker
  • THE WORLD’S SMALLEST SMART RING - 40% smaller than the previous generation, Oura Ring 5 is thinner, lighter and smaller than ever. The updated all-titanium design is more scratch-resistant and comfortable than ever
  • SIZING IS ESSENTIAL - Oura Ring 5 uses unique sizing different from standard jewelry rings and other Oura Ring generations; use the Oura Ring 5 Sizing Kit to find your perfect fit before purchasing
  • EVERYDAY HEALTH SENSING - Oura tracks over 50 health metrics, including sleep, activity, stress, heart health, metabolic health and women’s health metrics. Oura seamlessly integrates with over 40 apps including Natural Cycles, Strava, & more
  • OURA MEMBERSHIP - First month of membership is included with purchase, for new members only. Subscription is 5.99/mo afterwards. Membership is tied to your account via the Oura App, not your physical ring
  • REBUILT FOR GREATER ACCURACY - Oura Ring 5 has been re-engineered and reconfigured, providing more precise personal health data. Larger, smarter sensors bring research-grade accuracy—all in Oura’s smallest form factor yet

Sleep tracking is still its strongest case

The Ring 4 records bedtime and wake time, estimated sleep stages, sleep duration, restfulness, overnight heart rate, HRV, respiration, naps and sleep regularity. Oura’s main advantage is the interpretation layer: the app turns overnight signals into scores, trends and explanations rather than leaving you with a spreadsheet of measurements. Independent reviews from Wareable and WIRED have rated Oura’s sleep experience among the strongest in the category.

Sleep stages are algorithmic estimates, not polysomnography. Fit, movement, skin contact, alcohol, illness, irregular schedules and charging gaps can change the result. The ring can show that your sleep pattern changed; it cannot establish why or diagnose a sleep disorder.

Readiness, recovery and stress insights

Readiness, stress and recovery features help users notice relationships between sleep, exertion, illness, temperature trends and HRV. That is the product’s core value: turning passive data into a longitudinal picture and practical prompts.

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The interpretation can also become a liability. A poor score is not proof that you must avoid normal activity, and a good score is not proof that you are healthy. Look at multi-day patterns and how you feel rather than reacting to one number. People who prefer raw data and their own analysis may find Oura’s simplified scores restrictive; people who want guidance usually find them approachable.

Fitness and activity tracking: useful context, not a sports watch

The Ring 4 supports Automatic Activity Detection, steps, movement, activity heart rate and workout context. It is good at adding daily strain to a sleep-and-recovery picture, but it has no display and no built-in GPS. NBC Select’s review identifies sleep, heart rate, stress, temperature and blood oxygen as its core functions (review).

Rank #3
Milavan Smart Health Ring Fitness Tracker for Men Women, Rose Gold 8
  • 【Size Before You Buy】Before purchasing the Milavan Smart Ring, we recommend referring to the size chart and carefully measuring your finger circumference. This helps ensure a comfortable fit and avoid unnecessary returns or exchanges
  • 【Wellness Tracking】The slim ring features advanced 4.0 sensors that automatically track your heart rate every 30 minutes while worn. Daily data is available in the app for reference only and is not intended for medical use
  • 【Intelligent Sleep Tracker】The fitness ring automatically tracks your sleep quality, including deep and light sleep, REM (eye movement), and awake periods. You can view all sleep data anytime in the app for daily reference
  • 【8 Sports Modes Tracking】Supports 8 sports modes, including Running, Cycling, Jump Rope, Walking, Hiking, Yoga, Dancing, and Golf. View workout duration, steps, heart rate, speed, calories burned, distance, and other activity data in the app
  • 【Stylish Fitness Companion】Featuring a slim 2mm profile and a specially polished inner surface, this smart ring is designed for comfortable all-day wear and most sports activities. View detailed workout data in the app after selecting a sport mode

For running routes, live pace, navigation, interval workouts or detailed exercise analytics, use a GPS sports watch or phone. A ring can also be awkward during strength training and contact sports. It works best as an unobtrusive all-day companion, not as your primary training computer.

Battery life and charging in real use

Oura quotes approximately five to eight days for Ring 4, but that is a range, not a guarantee. Its published test assumptions include all-day wear, one hour of activity heart-rate capture per day, blood oxygen disabled and eight hours of sleep tracking nightly. Ring size, settings, feature use, temperature and battery age all affect runtime (battery guidance).

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  • Smaller rings can have less battery capacity.
  • Blood oxygen sensing and frequent activity heart-rate capture consume more power.
  • Runtime declines as the battery ages.
  • Short daytime top-ups are safer than charging overnight and losing sleep data.

If a ring that previously lasted days suddenly lasts less than a day, update the app and firmware, review battery-intensive features, fully charge it and observe performance over several days. Persistent drain warrants Oura support or warranty service. Online reports of battery and Bluetooth failures are anecdotal and may overrepresent unhappy owners; they are a reason to check warranty terms, not evidence of a universal failure rate.

The membership changes the value calculation

In the US, full Oura functionality costs $5.99 per month or $69.99 per year after the first month included for new members. Membership applies to Gen 3 and newer rings and follows your Oura account rather than the physical ring (current terms).

That means the $349 hardware price is not the total cost of ownership. At the annual rate, membership adds $69.99 each year; over three years it totals $209.97 before tax if the price does not change. The right question is whether Oura’s interpretation, trends, software improvements and integrations are worth that continuing cost. Buyers who will cancel quickly should compare subscription-free rings instead of assuming the cheaper hardware price represents a complete bargain.

Rank #4
Sale
Women Men Smart Ring Health Tracker, Sleep Exercise Health Monitoring Wearable Device, IP68 Waterproof, iOS/Android Compatible, No Subscription Required, 5‑Day Long Lasting Battery (Rose Gold, 8)
  • 【Check the Size Before Purchase】 Before buying the BIEMHA Smart Ring, we strongly suggest that you refer to the size chart and carefully measure the circumference of your finger. This will ensure you get the most comfortable wearing experience and easily avoid any unnecessary returns or exchanges.
  • 【Real‑time Accurate Sleep & Fitness Monitoring】 BIEMHA smart ring tracks your sleep quality and daily activities in real time. With advanced sensors, it provides precise data about your sleep cycle, helping you optimize rest and recovery. Whether you are tracking steps, calories or exercise performance, this smart ring can provide you with the most accurate insights to support your fitness goals and enhance your overall health.It is a good choice for family and friends.
  • 【Health Monitoring】The BIEMHA ring features advanced 4.0 sensors that automatically measure your heart rate every 30 min when worn. It provides continuous health tracking and comprehensive wellness management all day.
  • 【2‑3 Day Battery Life】 With a 2‑3 day battery life, the BIEMHA smart ring ensures continuous health monitoring without frequent charging. When used with the smart charging case, the usage time can even exceed 5 days. Whether you are tracking sleep patterns or fitness activities, you can count on long‑lasting performance without constant interruptions.
  • 【80‑meter Waterproof, Suitable for Various Scenarios】 The BIEMHA Smart Ring has excellent waterproof performance, with a waterproof depth of up to 80 meters. Whether it's for daily wear, an intense workout session or a pleasant swimming time, it can handle it with ease. What's more, even if you have sensitive skin, you can still enjoy an extremely comfortable wearing experience when wearing this ring.

App, compatibility and ecosystem

The Oura app is the main interface on iOS and Android. It presents sleep, readiness, activity, stress and temperature trends, and connects with third-party health and wellness services. Oura supports data export and integrations, but the exact number of supported apps changes by page and product generation; check the current documentation for the services you use rather than relying on a headline count.

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Confirm phone compatibility and availability in your country before ordering. Samsung Galaxy owners should also consider whether Samsung’s own health ecosystem is more convenient than maintaining a separate Oura platform.

Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.Support on Ko-Fi

Oura Ring 4 versus Ring 5

Area Oura Ring 4 Oura Ring 5
Status Previous generation, still sold Current generation
US starting price shown From $349 From $399
Claimed battery About five to eight days About six to nine days
Sizes 4–15 6–13
Design Titanium body with recessed sensors Oura advertises 40% less volume than Ring 4
Membership $5.99/month or $69.99/year Same membership structure
Best reason to buy Discount, mature platform, wider sizing Thinner current hardware and longer claimed battery

Oura says Ring 5 with active membership includes the same core feature set listed for Ring 4. The upgrade is therefore mainly about hardware, comfort, sensing, battery and future support rather than a completely different software product. See Oura’s Ring 4 page and Ring 5 page for current configurations.

How it compares with alternatives

Samsung Galaxy Ring

Galaxy Ring is the logical first comparison for Samsung Galaxy owners who value ecosystem integration. It is less compelling for iPhone users or buyers who specifically want Oura’s mature sleep-and-recovery interpretation. Compatibility and current commercial terms should be checked on Samsung’s official page.

RingConn

RingConn targets buyers who reject recurring fees and want a value- and battery-focused alternative. It will not reproduce Oura’s scoring model, app experience or ecosystem. Check current specifications and pricing at RingConn.

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Best Value
Mirlray Smart Ring for Women & Men, Smart Ring Health Tracker, Blood Oxygen & Heart Rate Monitor, Long Lasting Battery Sleep Ring, Waterproof Fitness Ring (R02C, Rose Gold, 7)
  • 【Ultra-Thin & Lightweight Design】Our smart ring is thinner and lighter than others, and is designed for all-day comfort. Its ergonomic, globular gluing process ensures a perfect fit for your finger, providing a comfortable experience even during extended wear.
  • 【Comprehensive Health Tracking】Keep track of your health with health monitoring features, including heart rate detection, blood oxygen level, stress analysis, sleep tracking and step counting. Instantly understand your body metrics and help you manage your health indicators scientifically.
  • 【Long-Lasting Battery Life】Enjoy up to 5 days of regular use on a single charge, eliminating the need for frequent recharging. Whether you're working out or on the go, the smart ring's efficient battery ensure uninterrupted usage.
  • 【10ATM Waterproof & Remote Camera Control】Built with 10ATM waterproof technology, this smart ring is perfect for swimming, showering, and other water activities. Plus, its innovative remote camera control feature lets you capture photos effortlessly by simply waving your hand—ideal for capturing life's special moments.
  • 【No Subscription Fees】Accessing your health data through a mobile app, with no subscription fees, is an affordable and easy-to-use option for your health journey!

Ultrahuman Ring AIR

Ultrahuman positions Ring AIR as subscription-free, with a stronger performance and metabolic-wellness emphasis. It may suit users who want that orientation, while Oura remains the safer choice for a polished sleep-first experience. Verify regional availability, warranty and current terms at Ultrahuman.

Common problems and practical fixes

Poor fit or missing readings

  1. Use the correct sizing kit and intended finger.
  2. Wear the sample for a full day and overnight.
  3. Check whether swelling, heat or exercise changes comfort.
  4. If gaps persist, contact Oura support.

Battery drain

Review blood oxygen and activity heart-rate settings, update software and track runtime after a full charge. Use Oura’s official support route rather than buying a used replacement. Oura warns that unofficial secondhand purchases can carry condition, performance or device-restriction risks (purchase policy).

Scratches and finish wear

Titanium is durable, not scratch-proof. Dark and polished finishes can show wear differently, so choose for the look you can live with rather than expecting permanent cosmetic perfection.

Who should buy the Ring 4?

  • Sleep and recovery are more important than live sports data.
  • The Ring 4 is substantially below the Ring 5 in price.
  • You need size 4–5 or 14–15.
  • You use iOS or Android and want a mature app.
  • You accept the ongoing membership.

Who should skip it?

  • You will not maintain a subscription.
  • You need GPS, a screen, buttons or detailed training guidance.
  • You need clinical diagnosis or medical monitoring.
  • You dislike wearing a ring during exercise or cannot tolerate a sealed, aging battery.

The Bottom Line

Bottom line: The Oura Ring 4 is still a superb sleep-and-recovery ring, but in 2026 it is a value purchase rather than the automatic category leader. Buy it when the discount is substantial, you need its broader size range and you are comfortable paying for membership. Otherwise, the Ring 5 is the more future-proof Oura choice; subscription-averse buyers should choose a different platform.

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