Best match
COROS PACE 4
$249vs $450Save $201 (45%)
Why it's a good swap A light AMOLED running watch with accurate GPS and long battery life.
You give up: No NFC payments, music streaming or offline maps, and a plastic build.
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Prices checked October 2026Not tested in handNo paid rankingsHow we pick
You give up: No NFC payments, music streaming or offline maps, and a plastic build.
Short answer: The closest cheaper alternative to the Garmin Forerunner 265 (46mm) is the COROS PACE 4, about $249 instead of $450 (save 45%). What you give up: No NFC payments, music streaming or offline maps, and a plastic build. The cheapest is the Amazfit Active 2 at about $100. Prices checked October 2026.
Why it's a good swap A light AMOLED running watch with accurate GPS and long battery life.
You give up: No NFC payments, music streaming or offline maps, and a plastic build.
Why it's a good swap An AMOLED smartwatch with built-in GPS and run tracking for a fraction of the price.
You give up: Far fewer running and training tools than Garmin, and a less refined app.
Why it's a good swap Garmin's 2026 running watch with the same app, training metrics and accurate GPS.
You give up: Single-band GPS and no multisport mode, so it is less suited to triathlon.
Typical US prices, checked October 2026. Not live prices; check the listing before you buy.
Looking for a cheaper alternative to the Garmin Forerunner 265 (46mm)? It usually sells for about $450. Here are 3 cheaper swaps from $100: the COROS PACE 4 is the closest match from another brand, the Garmin Forerunner 170 is a cheaper option from Garmin and the Amazfit Active 2 is the cheapest at about $100. Each one says what you give up for the lower price.
The Garmin Forerunner 265 sells for $449.99. Garmin's newer Forerunner 170 costs $299.99 and the Amazfit Active 2 is the cheapest pick at $99.99.
Worth it for runners and triathletes who want multi-band GPS and a bright AMOLED touchscreen: Tom's Guide was impressed by its GPS accuracy in a crowded half marathon. It also has full multisport modes and on-watch music storage.
The Garmin Forerunner 170 ($300) has the same Garmin app and training metrics, but single-band GPS and no multisport mode. The COROS PACE 4 ($249) is a light AMOLED running watch, without NFC payments, music streaming or offline maps.
| Option | Type | Typical price | You save | What you give up | Buy |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Garmin Forerunner 265 (46mm) | The original | $450 | – | – | View ↗ |
| Amazfit Active 2 | Budget pick | $100 | $350 (78%) | Far fewer running and training tools than Garmin, and a less refined app. | View ↗ |
| COROS PACE 4 | Close match | $249 | $201 (45%) | No NFC payments, music streaming or offline maps, and a plastic build. | View ↗ |
| Garmin Forerunner 170 | Same brand, cheaper | $300 | $150 (33%) | Single-band GPS and no multisport mode, so it is less suited to triathlon. | View ↗ |
Typical US prices from retailer listings and price trackers, checked October 2026. They are not live Amazon prices and may have changed, so check the listing before you buy.
The Amazfit Active 2, at about $100 (78% less). An AMOLED smartwatch with built-in GPS and run tracking for a fraction of the price. The catch: Far fewer running and training tools than Garmin, and a less refined app.
The COROS PACE 4, at about $249 (45% less). A light AMOLED running watch with accurate GPS and long battery life. The catch: No NFC payments, music streaming or offline maps, and a plastic build.
Yes. The Garmin Forerunner 170, at about $300 (33% less). Garmin's 2026 running watch with the same app, training metrics and accurate GPS. The catch: Single-band GPS and no multisport mode, so it is less suited to triathlon.
Tom's Guide says the 265 adds multi-band GPS, full multisport modes and 8GB of storage versus 4GB. The 46mm 265 also has a larger 1.3-inch AMOLED screen. Garmin Forerunner 170 ($300) is the cheaper pick if you don't need those.
Tom's Guide lists the 46mm model at up to 13 days in watch mode and 14 hours of multi-band GPS with the always-on screen. The smaller 42mm 265S lasts a bit longer.
Yes. Tom's Guide notes it no longer comes in separate music and non-music versions, and you can download music from Spotify, Deezer and Amazon Music. The COROS PACE 4 ($249) has no music streaming.
Each swap links to amazon.com. Prices are typical US prices checked October 2026 and change often, so check the listing before you buy.
Every swap is a product sold in the US that does the main job of the original. Close match is another brand with similar features, Same brand, cheaper is an older, smaller or renewed model from the same maker, and Budget pick is the cheapest thing that still does the job. On each page, Closest match is the close match nearest the original in price, and Lowest price is the cheapest swap. We compare published specs, retailer listings and reviews; we don't test products ourselves.
A cheaper product is cheaper for a reason. Each swap says what you give up, like weaker noise cancelling, a smaller screen or a shorter warranty, so you can decide if the savings are worth it.
Prices are typical US prices from retailer listings and price trackers, last checked October 2026. They are not live Amazon prices, which change often. When a price couldn't be confirmed, the page says “Check price on Amazon” instead of showing a number.
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