Smartwatches and fitness bands are the go-to solutions for most people looking for reliable health and fitness tracking. However, that trend is starting to change, with some looking to alternate solutions. WHOOP was one of the first to enter this space and has pretty much dominated it for the past several years.
But screenless bands are having a bit of a moment in 2026, with big competitors throwing their hats into the ring. Google introduced its take with the Fitbit Air, and now Garmin is doing the same this week with the CIRQA. With products like these, it’s important to be able to get all the basics when it comes to health and fitness tracking.
That apparently wasn’t the case with Garmin
The core problem is that the live heart rate tracking feature during workouts wasn’t available for the Garmin CIRQA unless you paid for Garmin’s premium service called Garmin Connect+. Garmin clarified the news to DC Rainmaker, someone who is well-known in the world of sports technology products (via Notebookcheck).
As you can imagine, that’s a pretty big feature to omit from a product, especially when the competition’s products offer the feature for free. DC Rainmaker reports that Garmin will make an update to the Garmin Connect Mobile app so that this feature can be unlocked for CIRQA users.
The good news is that Garmin is taking feedback. The brand offers a wide range of devices, but the CIRQA is the first screenless wearable that it offers. WHOOP has had a strong hold on the product category for some time. The only downside of owning a WHOOP is that you need to sign up for its subscription service, or it will not work.
While the base products are already pretty good, Google’s Fitbit Air and Garmin’s CIRQA aim to get ahead of WHOOP by ditching the subscription fees. While both do offer extended features if users opt to subscribe, it isn’t necessary just to experience the core features of their respective products.
You might not think a lot about a subscription, but it can become costly when WHOOP charges up to $359/year. By going with an alternate product, you can enjoy tons of savings. Of course, you’ll have to make your own choice when it comes to products. But it will be interesting to see whether other brands can gain traction in this space.
