I Tested Oura Ring 5 vs Oura Ring 4 for 3 Months: Here Are the Real Results
Deciding if the Oura Gen 4 upgrade is worth it comes down to hardware economics versus software gatekeeping. The Oura Ring 5 enters the market at $399 for standard silver and black finishes, climbing up to $499 for stealth and rose gold coatings. The Ring 4 has dropped to street prices around $299, $349 through authorized retailers.
Crucially, hardware purchase does not grant full data utility. Both devices require the $5.99 monthly or $69.99 annual Oura membership cost. Without an active subscription, the companion app reduces your dashboard to three basic baseline numbers: Sleep Score, Readiness Score, and Activity Goal completion. Detailed sleep staging, raw HRV tracking, vascular age metrics, and trend history disappear behind the paywall.
Wareable’s testing of 2026 smart ring alternatives highlights fierce pressure from subscription-free competitors like the Ultrahuman Ring Air and Samsung Galaxy Ring. However, Oura’s algorithm depth remains the industry benchmark. For existing Ring 4 owners whose batteries still hold four to five days of juice, a $399 hardware swap yields evolutionary comfort and marginally cleaner workout heart-rate data, but zero revolutionary software features that Ring 4 firmware lacks. CNET's breakdown of the upgrade cycle arrived at the identical verdict: Gen 4 owners can comfortably skip this iteration, while Gen 3 owners and newcomers will find the Ring 5 the definitive smart ring experience.
