Garmin Cirqa Vs. Whoop: Which Screen-Less Fitness Tracker Should You Buy?

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The Whoop band pioneered the concept of a discreet, screenless fitness wearable more than a decade ago. Since then, other wearable brands have developed a screenless model for their flagship health and fitness trackers. We did a comparison of the Fitbit Air and Whoop screenless fitness bands already, but now another big name is joining the trend: Garmin. The new Garmin Cirqa Smart Band is available to order now, and it's every bit as minimalistic as its Whoop rival.

Screenless wearables keep track of various fitness and health metrics, from heart rate to sleep data and more, without the constant distraction of a screen. All the monitored data can be checked via the dedicated companion app on your smartphone. The Garmin Cirqa might be the newest fitness tracker to utilize this design, but Whoop has been innovating its flagship band over the years as well. Comparing the latest models, which one is most worth buying? The answer comes down to whether you prefer a one-time purchase or a premium subscription.

Unlike Whoop, the Garmin Cirqa provides a lot of its functionality without the need for a monthly or annual subscription. For the price of $199.99, you get the Cirqa band and access to detailed activity tracking, 24/7 health monitoring, performance metrics, sleep tracking, and even sleep coaching, all through the Garmin Connect app. However, some premium features are locked behind the Garmin Connect+ plan, which costs $6.99 per month. Nutrition tracking, the AI-powered Active Intelligence feature, and several other improvements are only available as part of this subscription.

These features have been price-gated ever since Garmin Connect+ was introduced in 2025, but even so, Garmin often beats the Apple Watch for fitness users by giving ready access to highly specific health metrics and packing in a long-lasting battery. Like its predecessors, the new Garmin Cirqa promises to last for up to 10 days on a single charge — and Garmin's smartwatches have proven capable of keeping that promise thus far.

When Tom's Guide reviewed the Cirqa screenless fitness band, its dedicated fitness team found that it did have a clear weakness when it came to counting steps. During an actual walking test of 5,500 steps, the Cirqa's step counter was approximately 16% off. However, Garmin claims that accuracy can improve over time as the device gets to know you. In a different test from TechRadar, the Cirqa demonstrated excellent heart rate monitoring accuracy compared to the gold standard Polar H10 heart rate monitor.

The Whoop fitness tracker is available strictly as part of a subscription membership. When you sign up for a plan, you receive the latest Whoop band (currently the Whoop 5.0) and access to all the health monitoring features in the Whoop app that are available for the membership tier you chose. The most basic membership costs $199 per year — the same price you'd pay for a Garmin Cirqa that you can theoretically use for years to come. If you want absolutely everything that Whoop has to offer, you're looking at a $359 per year membership. By comparison, an annual membership to Garmin Connect+ costs $69.99. Factoring in the Cirqa's upfront $199.99 cost, you could enjoy the full scope of Garmin's features for more than two years before the cost equals a one-year full-featured membership with Whoop.

Now, there are a few things to know before buying a Whoop band. Most importantly, it does offer health insights that other wearables don't have. Whoop is worth an expensive subscription for people who are interested in an optimized, data-driven lifestyle. CNET reviewed the Whoop 5.0 and called special attention to its medical-grade sensors and innovative Healthspan feature. But if you're looking for a financially reasonable way to live a moderately healthier life, the Garmin Cirqa may be the more prudent choice among the current lineup of unobtrusive screenless wearables.