Garmin takes on Whoop with screen-free Cirqa Smart Band
Garmin’s new $199.99 Cirqa Smart Band tracks health metrics without a display and does not require a subscription.
By Poppy Nakagawa · Culture Writer
2 min read
Garmin is stepping into Whoop territory with the Cirqa Smart Band, a screen-free fitness tracker built for constant wear and priced at $199.99.
The company says the Cirqa will be available to order on July 24. The band skips the smartwatch-style display altogether, sending health and activity data to the Garmin Connect app instead.
Mashable noted that the new device looks a lot like Whoop, the best-known name in the screen-free tracker category. The comparison is hard to miss: both products are wearable bands focused on health data rather than on-screen notifications or apps.
Garmin’s biggest difference is the business model. According to the company, Cirqa does not require a subscription, meaning buyers get access to its listed features after purchasing the device. Whoop, by contrast, is known for pairing its hardware with a membership model.
What the Cirqa tracks
Garmin says the Cirqa Smart Band is designed for round-the-clock use and can run for up to 10 days on a charge. The band records activity even without a display, with the data appearing in Garmin Connect.
The app shows biometrics including heart rate, Body Battery energy monitoring, Pulse Ox, stress and skin temperature, according to Garmin. The company also says the band provides insights tied to women’s health and cycles.
Cirqa is compatible with the Natural Cycles app, Garmin says, putting it in the same broader health-tracking conversation as products like Whoop and Oura, both of which have leaned into recovery, biometrics and cycle-related insights.
A band for the wrist or arm
The Cirqa uses a fabric band that Garmin describes as comfortable enough for all-day wear. It can be worn on the wrist or higher up as an arm band, giving users another option for workouts or sleep tracking.
Garmin lists two sizes: small/medium and large/extra-large. The color lineup includes citron gray, mauve, French gray, dark olive, captain blue, French blue and black.
The launch arrives as screen-free and low-distraction fitness trackers continue to spread beyond their early breakout products. Mashable pointed to the Oura Ring’s wave of smart-ring competitors and said Whoop is now seeing a similar challenge, including Fitbit Air and Garmin’s Cirqa.
For Garmin, the pitch is clear: a no-screen band that collects familiar fitness and health data, feeds it into Garmin Connect and avoids a recurring subscription. The Cirqa Smart Band goes on sale July 24 for $199.99.
This story draws on original reporting from Mashable.