Oura Ring 3 vs Ring 4 vs Ring 5: which should you buy?
Buy Ring 4 or Ring 5 unless you can get a Gen3 (Oura’s name for Ring 3) at a price that saves real money. Oura no longer sells Gen3, so any Ring 3 you find comes from another seller, usually used or refurbished1. Ring 4 is $349 list in Silver and Ring 5 is $39936. Choose Ring 5 for the smallest ring and Ring 4 for the lowest new price and seven days of on-ring storage4.
All three use the same membership at $69.99 a year, which is $209.97 over three years before tax2. That fee is the same whichever ring is on your finger. A used Gen3 only wins on the one-time price, and Oura’s pages don’t give its battery life, sizes or storage, so those stay unknown here.
Oura Ring Gen3, Ring 4 and Ring 5 side by side
Ring 4 and Ring 5 figures come from Oura’s store and support pages, with US list prices as on our reviews, dated November 6, 2026. The Gen3 column uses only Oura’s own Previous Oura Ring Generations page, which Oura last updated October 1, 20261. Where that page is silent, the cell says so. None of this is an independent measurement.
| Question | Oura Ring 3 (Gen3) | Oura Ring 4 | Oura Ring 5 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sold new by Oura? | No. Oura lists it as no longer available for purchase1 | Yes, $349 list in Silver6 | Yes, $399 in Silver and Black, $499 in other finishes3 |
| Membership | $5.99 a month or $69.99 a year. Oura says membership applies to Gen3 and newer2 | The same $5.99 a month or $69.99 a year2 | The same $5.99 a month or $69.99 a year2 |
| Ring plus three years of membership | Used price plus $209.97. The used price is unknown | $558.97 at list price, before tax26 | $608.97 at list price, before tax23 |
| Battery life | Not published on the Oura pages we read | 5 to 8 days. Typically 20 to 80 minutes to charge5 | Typically 6 to 9 days. About 80 minutes to charge4 |
| Sizes | Not published on the Oura pages we read | Sizes 4 to 154 | Whole sizes 6 to 134 |
| Size and weight | Not published on the Oura pages we read | 7.90 mm wide, about 2.88 mm thick, 3.3 to 5.2 g45 | 6.09 mm wide, 2.28 mm thick, from 2 g. Oura says 40% less volume than Ring 44 |
| On-ring data storage | Not published on the Oura pages we read | Up to 7 days4 | Up to 3 days4 |
| Sensors | Green, red and infrared LEDs, an extra temperature sensor, an extra infrared sensor and accelerometers1 | 3 photodetectors, 2 triple LEDs (red, green, infrared), a temperature sensor and an accelerometer4 | 2 photodetectors, 2 triple LEDs (red, green, infrared), a temperature sensor and an accelerometer4 |
| Build | Titanium with a PVD coating (Gold, Silver, Rose Gold, Brushed Titanium) or a DLC coating (Black, Stealth)1 | Titanium with a PVD or DLC coating, depending on finish. Up to 100 m (328 ft)5 | Full titanium with a PVD coating. 100 m (328 ft), IP6834 |
| Charger | A USB charger. Oura says the Gen3 ring and charger are no longer available to buy1 | Size-specific charger and USB-C cable included5 | Charging Case sold separately3 |
| Software support | Oura lists Gen3 features. We found no end date for Gen3 updates, so it’s unknown1 | Active, with a membership7 | Active, with a membership4 |
| Sleep-stage accuracy | A sleep-lab study of Gen3, funded by Oura, agreed with polysomnography on 76.3% of 30-second epochs9 | We found no study of Ring 4 itself. The Gen3 study doesn’t cover it9 | Oura says more precise data than Ring 4. We found no Ring 5 study4 |
Ring 3, Ring 4 or Ring 5: which one fits which need
Each suits a different need, and this isn’t a ranking. Start with whether you’d rather pay for a new ring or take a chance on a used one.
- You want the smallest ring: Oura Ring 5. It’s $399 in Silver, 6.09 mm wide and from 2 g34. The catch: it stores three days of data against seven and fits whole sizes 6 to 13 only4.
- You want a new ring for less, or a size outside 6 to 13: Oura Ring 4. It’s $349 list in Silver, comes in sizes 4 to 15 and stores seven days of data46. The catch: it’s 7.90 mm wide and rated 5 to 8 days of battery45.
- You’ve found a used Gen3 for far less than $349: it can work, but you carry the unknowns. Oura’s pages give no battery life, sizes or storage for it, and no end date for software updates1.
Is the Oura Ring 3 still sold, supported and on the same membership?
Not sold: Oura’s generations page says Gen3 is no longer available for purchase, and says the same of the Gen3 charger1. Used and refurbished rings come from other sellers, and we didn’t check any resale price.
Membership: Oura says the membership applies to Gen3 and newer rings, at $5.99 a month or $69.99 a year in the US2. Its page says new members get their first month with a ring purchase. Whether that covers a ring bought used is unknown2.
Support: Oura’s page says Gen1 no longer gets customer support or updates, and it says nothing like that for Gen31. It lists current software features for Gen3, such as Cycle Insights and Daytime Stress1. We found no date when Gen3 updates stop, so we can’t say how long a Gen3 will keep working with the app.
What you give up with a Ring 3 against Ring 4 and Ring 5
Less than the spec sheets might suggest, and more than Oura publishes. Oura says Ring 5 with an active membership has the same features as Ring 4, and its Ring 4 page says several features, including body clock and chronotype, were also available on Gen2 and Gen347. Oura’s pages don’t say which membership features Gen3 lacks, so that part is unknown.
The hardware gap is what Oura leaves out. Ring 4 and Ring 5 have published battery ratings, size ranges and storage; Oura’s Gen3 page has none145. Oura’s Gen3 page doesn’t count its photodetectors either, so we don’t compare sensors. A used ring’s battery wear is unknown.
What Gen3 does have is the only sleep-lab study of the three. It tested Gen3 against polysomnography in 35 healthy adults, agreed on 76.3% of 30-second epochs and was funded by Oura9. It covers one night in healthy people and doesn’t extend to Ring 4 or Ring 5.
Oura Ring 3 vs Ring 4 vs Ring 5: what three years costs
Membership is $69.99 a year, so three years add $209.97 to any of them2. Ring 4 comes to $558.97 and Ring 5 to $608.97 at list price, before tax36. A used Gen3 comes to its price plus $209.97. If you paid $150, that would total $359.97, and if you paid $200, $409.97. Those are examples, not resale prices we observed. Oura’s Ring 4 Silver page also showed $244.30 on November 6 with no country named, so we don’t count it as a US sale and use the $349 list price; see Oura Ring 5 vs Ring 4 for the current check.
The saving over Ring 4 is $349 minus whatever you pay for the Gen3. That’s all of it. You also buy a ring Oura no longer sells, with no warranty terms we could confirm. Oura’s 1-year protection plan and 30-day returns are listed for rings bought from Oura, and we found nothing saying they carry over to a used ring68.
For what the membership buys and how cancelling works, see Oura membership cost and what it buys. Waiting for a sale on a new ring? See Oura Ring Black Friday 2026. For the Ring 4 to Ring 5 decision, see Oura Ring 5 vs Ring 4.
Before you buy a used or refurbished Gen3
Check three things with the seller. Ask the ring size and finish, since Oura’s pages don’t list Gen3 sizes. Ask whether the charger is included, because Oura no longer sells it1. Ask what return terms they give, since Oura’s own terms are for rings bought from Oura8.
Compare the price with Ring 4 at $349 list6. If the gap is small, the new ring buys a seller you can return it to and published battery and storage figures45. Other brands are an option too: Oura Ring alternatives covers rings with no required fee, and the three-year wearable cost page compares totals.
Are Oura rings banned in the US?
No. Neither Ring 4 nor Ring 5 is under an exclusion order. In January 2026 the US International Trade Commission opened Samsung’s patent case seeking to bar imports of Oura wearables (Investigation No. 337-TA-1478)10. The ITC’s notices show the case still open, with no violation finding in its October 2026 notices11. We didn’t read the complaint closely enough to say whether it names Gen3.
Sources
- Previous Oura Ring Generations Oura · manufacturer
- Oura Membership Oura · manufacturer
- Oura Ring 5 Oura · manufacturer
- Discover Oura Ring 5 Oura · manufacturer
- Oura Ring 4 Oura · manufacturer
- Shop Oura Ring 4: Silver Oura · manufacturer
- Oura Ring 4 Oura · manufacturer
- Return & Exchange FAQs Oura · manufacturer
- Accuracy of Three Commercial Wearable Devices for Sleep Tracking in Healthy Adults Sensors (MDPI)
- Certain Wearable Devices; Institution of Investigation (Investigation No. 337-TA-1478) US International Trade Commission (Federal Register) · regulator
- Commission notices: Investigation No. 337-TA-1478 US International Trade Commission · regulator
How this was written. Written from the sources listed above, checked . It is general information, not medical advice. Talk to a clinician before acting on anything here if you have a health condition or take medication.
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