I wore the Oura Ring and the Whoop, and one will absolutely fit into your life better than the other

Interested in a Whoop fitness band or an Oura Ring smart ring? Here’s what you should know before buying.

What about the Oura Ring 5?

Credit: Oura

At the time of publication, Oura has announced the Oura Ring 5, so does it make a difference to our comparison?

The Oura Ring 5 is a design update and is thinner and lighter than the Oura Ring 4. Plus, the underside of the ring has been redesigned, which Oura says will result in better accuracy.

The Oura Ring 4 supports all the same features and uses the same app as the Oura Ring 5. The Oura Ring 5 only comes in titanium, so if you’ve been looking at a ceramic version of the Oura Ring 4, you will have to settle for the older version.

For the majority of our comparison, we will talk about baseline data, differences between the overall design, and how each product works. The Oura Ring 5 has not fundamentally changed from the Oura Ring 4, so almost all will still apply.

Whoop MG vs. Oura Ring 4 price and subscription

These are both expensive products

The Whoop and Oura Ring both require a subscription, so they are not the devices for you if you only want to pay once and enjoy your new purchase without ever spending more.

The Oura Ring 4 starts at $349, while the Oura Ring 5 starts at $399. The subscription can be paid monthly for $6 or yearly for $80. If you don’t pay, you only get the very basic daily scores.

The Whoop is more complicated. You pay a yearly subscription, which includes the Whoop band and access to the app. There are three options, each with different features included. You may also get a different version of the Whoop band depending on which one you choose.

To make it easier to explain, the chart above shows the differences and costs involved with owning the Whoop. The Whoop is the more expensive device to own, but not by much.

Each requires commitment, and you need to be sure not only that you’re going to use it after you buy it, but also that it fits in with your lifestyle.

Many similar features are available on wearables that do not have a subscription attached.

The RingConn Gen 3 and Samsung Galaxy Ring are both alternatives to the Oura Ring, while the Fitbit Air is considerably cheaper than the Whoop.

Also consider a smartwatch like the Samsung Galaxy Watch 8 or Apple Watch Series 11.

Whoop MG vs. Oura Ring 4 design and wearability

Easy and convenient

The biggest difference between the Oura Ring and the Whoop is where it’s worn, but because neither is a smartwatch, you don’t have to sacrifice wrist space if you like to wear a mechanical watch.

The Oura Ring 4 is supremely comfortable, and after a short period of getting used to wearing a ring, I’ve worn it practically non-stop for more than four years now. I think that speaks to the convenience of the Oura Ring, and smart rings in general,

The ceramic version of the Oura Ring 4 has proven to be more durable than the titanium version, which picks up scratches and marks very quickly. Oura says the Oura Ring 5’s titanium finish is more durable.

The Whoop is more practical. On your wrist, it avoids all the issues that specifically affect a smart ring, such as gripping a dumbbell, rock, or another abrasive surface. The bands are hard-wearing, don’t get sweaty, and even if they do get wet, they dry quickly.

Whoop makes various versions, but the standard fabric version is absolutely fine.

Where the difference comes is in what each says about you. The Whoop is an obviously sporty device, and because it’s quite big, it’s always noticeable. The Oura Ring, because it’s based on jewelry, is far more incognito and delicate.

Your decision on which suits you best should be based on whether you’re really into fitness or not. The Whoop’s design lends itself to more activities and harsher environments than the Oura Ring 4, which is as much a piece of jewelry as it is a lifestyle tracker.

Whoop MG vs. Oura Ring 4 app

The data you’re paying to see

Oura has one of the best apps in the wearable space, and not even Whoop can compete with its design, simplicity, and easy-to-read data.

Oura’s app is defined by its three main scores for Readiness, Sleep, and Activity. These give you an easy-to-understand, at-a-glance look at how you’re set for the day.

The main page also shows progress towards your goal, stress, and a timeline of your previous day’s activities.

Whoop replaces Readiness with Strain, which is a more activity-based metric. Working towards and meeting Whoop’s Strain goals is far more challenging and intense than on the Oura Ring.

If you’re not sporty and don’t visit the gym regularly, the Whoop won’t line up with your lifestyle.

Whoop is better at assessing recovery, and the app makes it easy to see how overtraining or stress affects your ability to train. Oura changes your daily goals based on sleep and has a handy Rest Mode for when you’re sick.

Oura also marks your wins with “crowns” to show how you’ve worked to meet sleep and activity goals, and I’ve found the Whoop is far less concerned with marking such achievements and is more interested in charting your physical improvements long-term as a reward.

That said, Whoop’s proactive notifications are more informative and helpful, and where its motivational aspects lie. I like to see how it congratulates me with a notification after exercise.

Oura nails the fundamentals. The app is more logical and attractive than Whoop’s app. It doesn’t need a data connection to operate, unlike the Whoop, plus it’s faster to sync data from the wearable.

It requires less maintenance, as the Whoop often needs notifications reading and dismissing to clean up the main page view, but they do provide helpful guidance on changes to your stats.

If I were really sporty, the Oura Ring 4 probably wouldn’t feel enough, and the Whoop would provide me with more relevant data and information.

If you rarely do much more than walk, run, or do a few gym sessions, the Oura Ring 4 will probably be fine.

Whoop MG vs. Oura Ring 4 health and fitness data

One is for sporty people, one less so

The Whoop has a lot more activities and sports in its library for you to track. Anything beyond walking, running, and cycling has to be added after the fact with the Oura Ring, further emphasizing its lifestyle focus.

Oura takes your average daily movement into account more than the Whoop, and automatically tracks things like housework and yard work, while these are less consequential to the Whoop.

How about the data presented? The Oura Ring 4 shows key metrics for sleep, such as heart rate, heart rate variability (HRV), resting heart rate, and sleep stages. It adds additional data on sleep debt, breathing regularity, chronotype, and blood oxygen levels.

The Whoop has the same data, but presents it in a less logical way. Metrics aren’t found under Sleep, but under a Health Monitor instead.

I’ve found that both wearables record very similar sleep data, indicating both are aligned, and the data presented represents your body.

Tracking exercise with the Oura Ring 4, you get basic data including duration, steps, active calorie burn, average heart rate, and information on heart rate zones.

You’ll see much of the same data in the Whoop, but presented differently, with an emphasis on heart rate zones.

This is where it gets interesting. I consistently see the Whoop and Oura Ring 4 differ regarding which zone my heart rate is in, with the Whoop showing lower zones than the Oura when tracking the same activity.

When you look at the two apps, the way each categorizes heart rate zones is different. For example, the Whoop puts zone two between 128bpm and 139bpm, while the Oura Ring’s app puts zone two between 102bpm and 118bpm. Its equivalent to Whoop’s zone two is zone three.

It means the Oura thinks I work harder than the Whoop does, which also explains why it requires more effort to meet its Strain goals.

Effective heart rate zones vary from person to person, and are often calculated by your heart’s capacity to work hard. Here’s a good explainer on what they mean, and why strict numbers may not matter.

The Whoop’s higher beats-per-minute zones suggest it expects more athletic people to wear it. If you fall into that category, the Whoop will reward you. If you don’t, it’ll be hard to meet its targets, while the Oura Ring will flatter your efforts.

Whoop MG vs. Oura Ring 4 AI modes

Surprisingly useful

Both apps include an AI advisor mode, where you can discuss your data and other aspects relevant to your health and fitness.

I asked both AI advisors why I may be feeling fatigued, and the answers I got were quite similar and fairly informative.

Neither will give you medical advice, and statements stop short of making any diagnosis, but answers are usually interesting and can be reassuring if you’re a bit too invested in tracking your data daily.

The AI relies on your data, so to get the most from it, you have to wear the product. I definitely found the Oura Ring’s Advisor dug deeper into trends than the Whoop’s coach, purely because I’ve worn the smart ring for longer. It’s an important point to note.

The AI advisors won’t be all that useful immediately, but will get better the more time you spend wearing and using the product.

One does not stand out as better than the other in terms of advice. Both understand natural language, but only the Whoop supports voice and not just text.

AI is clearly improving fast for this kind of application, and what started as a feature I’d rarely use, has evolved into something I find helpful.

Whoop MG vs. Oura Ring 4 special features

Nice to have, not to sway your choice

Each wearable has a host of special features, which we go into more detail on in our separate reviews, but I want to highlight two that I really like.

The Whoop MG includes Blood Pressure Insights, which provides information on your blood pressure after it has been calibrated using a cuff. It’s well-presented, informative, and, unlike a feature like an ECG, more helpful to more people.

Coinciding with the Oura Ring 5’s announcement, the Oura Ring will also gain a similar blood pressure estimation tool, but we have not tested it yet.

Additionally, the feature will only be available in the US, India, and the United Arab Emirates at launch. The Whoop’s feature is available in the UK and other regions too.

The Oura Ring’s Symptom Radar is an informative feature that shows when your body may be under too much strain, either because you’re getting sick or from other factors.

It has proven itself to be highly accurate and allows you to make informed decisions about your day.

Whoop MG vs. Oura Ring 4 battery life and charging

Long enough not to frustrate

The Whoop’s battery lasts around 14 days on a single charge, while between five and seven days is achievable with the Oura Ring 4.

Don’t automatically think the Whoop’s longer battery life makes it “better,” because the way they’re charged will immediately alter this thought.

I place my Oura Ring 4 on its charging plinth when I shower, and never think about charging it otherwise. All it realistically needs is 20 to 30 minutes of charging every few days to never run out.

The Whoop uses a battery pack you attach to the module while you’re wearing it. It means you don’t miss any data logging, even when it’s being charged. The pack is small and may be easily lost. And it gets a bit warm on your wrist when charging.

The only place where the Whoop’s longer battery life helps is if you’re traveling a lot, when you won’t always need to take a charger with you. Oura makes a travel charging case, but this costs an extra $100.

Whoop MG vs. Oura Ring 4: Which one should you buy?

On the surface, the Oura Ring 4 or Oura Ring 5 are in direct competition with the Whoop fitness band, but when you wear and use them both, it becomes clear they’re aimed at very different types of people.

8.5/10

Heart rate monitor

Yes

Notification support

No

Battery life

Up to 8 days

Sensors

Heart rate/HRV; blood oxygen; skin temperature; accelerometer

Splitting them is surprisingly easy. The Whoop makes most sense for people who are very active, very sporty, or are training for a particular event or discipline.

There’s a good reason why Whoop puts its fitness band on the wrists of athletes. It suits their lifestyles.

8/10

Display

N/A

Battery Life

14 days

IP rating

IP68

Health sensors

PPG sensor, ECG sensor, Blood pressure sensor, Accelerometer, Temperature sensor

The Oura Ring is less appropriate for the very sporty. Yes, it will track exercise, but the app’s data isn’t focused on it, and it’s not committed to pushing you hard to meet goals.

It’s about overall health, reducing stress, improving sleep, and maintaining a healthy lifestyle.

You probably know which description suits you best, and luckily, one of these two wearables will fit in with your life better than the other. The good thing is, the hardware is excellent, and the apps are among the best in the business, and you’ll be pleased with your purchase, provided you make the right initial choice for you.