The Apple Watch comes with a magnetic charger cable in the box but there are plenty of excellent alternative products that charge your beloved smartwatch with a bit more functionality and style. Whether you want a charging stand that lets your Watch dock on its side and act as a bedside alarm clock or if you want a charging hub for your Watch and iPhone, there’s something for everyone.
Apple makes its own charging dock product but there are plenty more to choose from. In fact, there are two Apple chargers on our list, but also a range of alternatives of all shapes and sizes to help you pick the best Apple Watch charging stand for your needs and budget.
These charging stands are compatible with every generation of Apple Watch right up to the latest Apple Watch 6 and Apple Watch SE, as Apple has always used the same clever magnetic charging connector. Whether its high rising towers, subtle wood effect designs or space age metallic stylings, these are the best options for charging your Apple Watch.
Note that not all these stands come with a charging cable built in. For many, you have to use the charging cable that came with your Apple Watch and attach it to the stand. It’s also worth noting that the Apple Watch 6 and Apple Watch SE do not come with a charging brick in the box, only the cable, so you’ll have to use one you already have – or buy another.
The good news for potential buyers is that Black Friday 2020 on November 27 and Cyber Monday on November 30 should knock down the prices on these products even further.
These are products that we haven’t had in our test labs, but based on our experts’ opinion and knowledge of the most reputable brands around, we think these are worth looking at.
Our selections take into account online reviews, brand reputation, product capability or unique features, to help you pick through the maze of choices available to you.
The Control Option, the standard upon which all the other chargers in this lineup are based, is Apple’s signature Apple Watch Magnetic Charging Cable that comes in the box. It’s little more than that – a pad the watch snaps to and a meter-length of cable ending in a USB-A port.
The cable is functional and inexpensive, but it doesn’t prop the watch up to double as a nighttime visible clock – plus, it tends to separate from Apple Watches at slight jostling. But in a pinch or if you don’t have much room, this could be the right pick – at least until you see what else we have in store.
Note that the cable also comes in a USB-C option, as well as lengths of 0.3m, 1m, and 2m options.
If you have an Apple Watch then you almost certainly also have an iPhone and there’s a good chance you have AirPods as well, and if you have all of them, then you should definitely consider the OLEBR 3 in 1 Charging Stand, as it can charge all three of those devices at once.
It holds your Apple Watch at an angle that allows you to see the screen, so you can use it in Nightstand mode, and it supports all Apple Watch sizes, so whether you’ve got a 38mm, 40mm, 42mm or 44mm one, you’re covered.
The OLEBR 3 in 1 Charging Stand also has a reasonably stylish design, in a choice of black, rose gold, space grey or silver colors, so you should be able to get one that matches your iDevices.
If you want a stylish charging solution for your Apple Watch who better to go to than Apple itself? This official dock is every bit as simple and elegant as you would expect from a company with Apple’s eye for design, and it’s a perfect companion to the Apple Watch.
The design allows you to charge the Watch flat, or on its side – the latter of which puts it into Nightstand mode, so you can use it as an alarm clock.
The only real downside to this dock is that – in typical Apple fashion – it’s expensive, but if you’re invested in the Apple ecosystem that’s something you’re probably used to.
The Belkin Powerhouse isn’t cheap, but it is well thought through, letting you charge both your Apple Watch and your iPhone, with the latter working even if the phone is in a case thanks to an adjustable Lightning connector that can be moved forwards, backwards, up and down.
The PowerHouse looks sturdy too, yet it shouldn’t take up too much space, and it’s designed to charge both watch and phone quickly.
Disappointingly, the position it holds your Apple Watch in means Nightstand mode won’t work when using this dock, but if you can live without that – and live with the price – it’s a great two-in-one option that won’t force you to take your phone out of its case.
We’re always big fans of wood here at TechRadar, and charging stands are an ideal place to use it, as shown here by the AICase Bamboo Wood Charging Holder. This dock houses both your Apple Watch and iPhone, and it looks great doing so.
That’s thanks mostly to the aforementioned wood – bamboo in this case. As well as providing a great look, the use of wood also makes this charger sturdy, so it’s not going to go skidding across your desk with the slightest nudge.
It’s quite compact too, at least for a dock that charges multiple devices. The horizontal angle it positions your watch screen at perhaps isn’t ideal, but since you can dock your iPhone at an easily viewable angle it’s not a big deal.
If you’re not so taken by the idea of twinning your all-metal Watch with a plastic stand, take a look at this artful option from Just Mobile. Machined from a single block of aluminum, the cylindrical bar feels nice and weighty in the hand but stays kind to bedside cabinet surfaces thanks to its protective rubber-lined base.
The Apple Watch charger slots in to an angled recess in the top, which has a channel running out from the side and down to the base to route the cable neatly. And that sculpted cylindrical hole isn’t just for looks – your Watch’s buckled wristband tucks in here when you mount it on the stand (in portrait orientation at least). The price seems about right, too.
This aluminum stand keeps things simple from the moment you open the box. The included quick start guide explains how to place your Watch’s inductive charger into the circular cut-out and feed the cable down a rubber channel inside the vertical arm, through the base and out the back.
Faux leather padding on the angled cradle provides a safe buffer between the metal and the back of your watch, while a rubber pad on the base provides protection for your desk/table. At four ounces, it’s fairly light, but provides a stable mid-size mount for both sizes of watch. Some might find the price a bit steep though.
TwelveSouth has taken the same brushed aluminum of its mainstay HiRise for iPhone device and machined it into a wide-base stand that gives great stability if you like to interact with your watch when it’s not on your wrist.
The charging disk fits snugly into a silicone recess in the reclining stand and the cable runs down a rear channel and underneath the base’s band-friendly leather-lined platform, which raises for easy routing and storage.
Silicone padding on the cut-outs protects from any mishaps when placing and removing your watch, making for a solid, yet surprisingly lightweight, stand all round.
Your Apple Watch is a gorgeous thing to behold, so it’s no surprise Griffin has designed this totemic stand to help you show it off when it’s not on your wrist.
At the top of the plastic stand lies an angled cradle for your Watch’s charging connector and a hole for the cable to wind around the detachable rubber inner core and slip out the rear of the base. The Watch sits securely on top with the band either buckled round the back or open and hanging down the front (hint: not the best look).
The weighted, non-slip base provides confident footing to the display and has a thoughtful lip at the front to rest your iPhone against lengthways; there’s no power outlet for it, mind, but that’s where Griffin’s WatchStand Powered Charging Station (£41/US$60/AU$84) comes in – it takes care of your iPhone’s power needs too.
The Mercase Apple Watch Stand is a cheap option, but you get quite a lot for your money. For one thing it’s partially clad in aluminum, giving it a more premium finish than even some pricier docks.
It also has a compact design, so it won’t take up your whole bedside table, and it can charge both your iPhone and your Apple Watch at the same time.
There are some reports of it toppling over when charging a watch with a heavy band, so that’s something to be aware of, though if you charge your iPhone at the same time it should help weigh the stand down. And if you have a light watch strap there’s nothing to worry about.