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Fitness band

WHOOP MG

Life membership at $359 a year, including the WHOOP MG device, Wireless PowerPack and a choice of band

$359 a yearUS price, checked

Display-free strap with an FDA-cleared ECG, sold only inside the Life membership

Check price at WHOOP for WHOOP MG Full review →
CriterionWHOOP MGGarmin CIRQA Smart Band
US price$359 a yearChecked Oct 26, 2026 · Price details in the review$199.99Checked Oct 13, 2026 · Price details in the review
Three-year ownership estimate$1,077

Incomplete known subtotal.

Not included: energy use.
$199.99

Incomplete known subtotal.

Not included: energy use.
Choose ifYou want an FDA-cleared ECG on a screen-free strap and don't mind paying $359 a year for the membership that includes it.You want Garmin's sleep, HRV and recovery tracking without a screen or a monthly fee.
Main trade-offIt costs $1,077 over three years, and its Blood Pressure Insights is a beta wellness estimate with no FDA clearance.Guided workouts need a paid Connect+ plan, and there's no GPS without your phone.
Key specifications
  • Membership cost: $359 a year for Life, the only tier that includes the MG. Peak is $239 a year and One is $199 a year, both with a WHOOP 5.0 device. WHOOP's membership pages list yearly prices only. Memberships renew at WHOOP's then-current price until you cancel.
  • What Life includes: The MG device, a Wireless PowerPack and a choice of band. It also includes everything in Peak: Healthspan with WHOOP Age, Pace of Aging, Health Monitor alerts and a real-time Stress Monitor. On top of that come Heart Screener with ECG, on-demand AFib detection and Blood Pressure Insights.
  • Battery and charging: 14+ days per charge. A full charge takes about 2 hours. The Wireless PowerPack slides onto the sensor and charges it while you wear it. WHOOP says a fully charged PowerPack holds enough power for up to 30 days to fully charge the sensor. The join page calls the PowerPack that comes with Life waterproof.
  • Display and GPS: No display or built-in GPS. You read your data in the WHOOP app.
  • Sensors: WHOOP says its sensors capture data 26 times per second. The FDA's summary says the ECG reads from electrodes on the strap. WHOOP's launch release says you touch the ECG-conductive clasp to take a reading. Its heart health page says light sensors read your PPG pulse waveform overnight.
  • ECG (Heart Screener): The FDA cleared the WHOOP ECG feature on April 4, 2025 (510(k) K243236) for adults 22 and older. It classifies a 30-second recording as AFib, normal sinus rhythm, low heart rate, high heart rate, inconclusive or unsuccessful. WHOOP says it isn't for people with known arrhythmias other than AFib, and isn't recommended with a pacemaker or ICD. It isn't available in every region.
  • ECG study results: The study behind the clearance had about 540 subjects with a mean age of 60.4. The feature had 96.2% sensitivity for AFib and 99.4% specificity for sinus rhythm on classifiable recordings. The reference was a cardiologist's reading of a simultaneous 12-lead ECG. The feature called 11% of recordings inconclusive.
  • Blood Pressure Insights: A daily systolic and diastolic range, estimated once a day from overnight sensor data. WHOOP calls it a beta feature for wellness and says it is not a medical device. You calibrate it with cuff readings you log in the app. WHOOP says your true value may be higher or lower than the range shown. It also says the feature isn't intended for use if you are pregnant or on blood pressure medication.
  • FDA status of Blood Pressure Insights: No clearance is listed. The FDA's 510(k) records under WHOOP's name show only the ECG feature. In July 2025 the FDA told WHOOP it was marketing Blood Pressure Insights without clearance or approval. In June 2026 the FDA closed that warning letter, saying it doesn't intend to enforce device requirements for the feature as modified. The close-out letter doesn't say the feature is cleared, approved or validated.
  • Trial and trade up: The one-month free trial uses a certified pre-owned WHOOP 5.0 device on Peak, not an MG. WHOOP says free trials of Life aren't available. Trading in an eligible Oura Ring, Apple Watch, Garmin or Samsung watch takes up to $119 off the first year, and a Fitbit is worth $30. You have 30 days to ship the old device and charger. If you don't, WHOOP may suspend the membership or charge you the discount.
  • Upgrading to MG: Current members can move up to Life at any time and get a new MG device. WHOOP's membership page says you pay a prorated amount. Its terms also describe a membership extension or a one-time upgrade fee, and give no amount for the fee.
  • Battery life: Up to 10 days from a built-in lithium-ion battery, according to Garmin. Charging takes up to 90 minutes. All-day Pulse Ox and heart rate broadcasting shorten battery life. TechRadar got about a week per charge with three to four workouts a week.
  • Health tracking: Wrist heart rate, Pulse Ox, skin temperature, stress and Body Battery. Sleep tracking covers stages, sleep score, HRV, respiration and naps. Cycle and pregnancy tracking includes past ovulation estimates from skin temperature during sleep. Garmin says that feature isn't meant to help you conceive or avoid pregnancy.
  • Training: Automatic activity detection, plus more than 80 activities you can start by hand. Garmin lists training readiness, HRV status, VO2 max, training status, workout benefit and recovery time.
  • GPS: None built in. Connected GPS uses your iPhone or Android phone's GPS for outdoor walks, runs and rides. LiveTrack shares your location in real time and needs a phone with a data plan.
  • Subscription: None required, according to Garmin. Connect+ adds AI insights, nutrition logging and expanded LiveTrack features. Guided workouts need it, and the manual says some activities may too. It costs $6.99 a month or $69.99 a year. Garmin offered a 30-day free trial when Connect+ launched in 2025.
  • Display and controls: No screen. A single side button starts a favorite activity and snoozes alarms. An LED shows pairing, charging and low battery. The band vibrates for alarms, heart rate alerts and low battery.
  • Water rating: 5 ATM, which Garmin says withstands pressure equal to a depth of 50 m. Swim is in the activity list, but the manual doesn't say what it records in the water.
  • Wear: Wrist or upper arm. Garmin says the wrist gives the best performance. The upper arm band is sold separately, at Garmin ($59.99 on Oct 20, 2026) and REI. It's 36.0 cm long in S/M and 50.0 cm in L/XL.
Exact variantLife membership at $359 a year, including the WHOOP MG device, Wireless PowerPack and a choice of bandBlack, L-XL wrist band, part 010-04675-00
DimensionsWHOOP doesn't state dimensions, weight or water resistance for the MG on the pages checked. Its launch release says 5.0 and MG pack more technology into a form factor seven percent smaller, without giving measurements.Garmin lists the module at 27 x 47 x 9 mm and 14.8 g, and the whole band at 20.7 to 21.2 g with a wrist strap. TechRadar weighed it at 21 g. The wrist band is 24.5 cm long in S/M and 28.5 cm in L/XL, and both are 2.4 cm wide and 0.2 cm thick. Garmin says S/M fits 120–200 mm wrists and L/XL fits 145–240 mm.
InstallationNo installation. The strap pairs with the WHOOP app. For the ECG, WHOOP's launch release says you place your thumb and index finger on the ECG-conductive clasp. If you buy from WHOOP, your membership starts when you connect the device or 30 days after delivery, whichever comes first. The pages checked don't say which bands have the conductive clasp.No installation. You pair it with the Garmin Connect app on your phone. Garmin names compatible iPhone and Android phones for connected GPS, but the manual lists no minimum phone or operating system versions. It charges from a USB port with Garmin's proprietary cable. Garmin doesn't mention a power adapter.
MaterialsWHOOP doesn't say what the MG's housing is made of on the pages checked. Its membership FAQs name the Life band as a Titanium SuperKnit Luxe band but don't list band materials. The join page says Life comes with your choice of 6 included bands, and it lists 10 more band colors. The launch release mentions an ECG-conductive clasp but doesn't name its material.Garmin lists a fabric band and a fiber-reinforced polymer case. The module takes 24 mm bands on 14 mm quick-release pins and doesn't work with third-party bands. Garmin doesn't say which fabric the band is made of. The band can go in the washing machine on a gentle cycle at up to 40°C (104°F). The module can't.
WarrantyLifetime warranty with device replacement, for as long as your membership is active and paid up. WHOOP's terms cover defects in materials or workmanship. You need a valid payment method on file and a device bought from WHOOP or an authorized reseller. The terms exclude lost devices, including lost chargers or PowerPacks. They also exclude misuse, normal wear and tear, accidents, theft and cosmetic damage. WHOOP may repair or replace the device, or refund the device share of the membership price. You may pay shipping and handling for the replacement. The warranty can't be transferred.One year from the date of purchase, per Garmin's Consumer Limited Warranty. The terms, revised Dec 30, 2025, cover Garmin's non-aviation products and don't name CIRQA. Garmin chooses whether to repair it, replace it with a new or Garmin Recertified device, or refund the purchase price, and you pay shipping to Garmin. The warranty excludes cosmetic damage, batteries unless a defect damaged the product, and damage from accident, misuse or water. A repair or replacement is covered for 90 days or the rest of the original year, whichever is longer. In the US, it covers only devices bought from Garmin or an authorized US reseller.
ReturnsYou have 30 days from receipt to cancel and return the device for a full refund of the initial membership fee, less return shipping. You contact WHOOP support for a return label, and the device has to arrive within 30 days of your request. After 30 days WHOOP refunds nothing. Canceling later ends the membership at the end of the current term, with no prorated refund. The 30-day policy doesn't apply to free trials. Once you request a return, you can't use the account tied to that device. Reseller purchases follow the reseller's return policy. A wearable you trade in can't be returned, even if you cancel in the first 30 days.Garmin.com orders can be returned within 30 days of receipt for a refund, in their original condition. You start the return online. Garmin says opened software, downloadable items and custom products can't be refunded. Its page doesn't say who pays return shipping. Bought elsewhere, such as at REI, it goes back to that store under its own policy, and Garmin says restocking fees may apply.
Unresolved questions
  • MG dimensions, weight and water resistance rating
  • Which bands have the ECG-conductive clasp
  • Whether WHOOP's Irregular Heart Rhythm Notifications are FDA-authorized, since the FDA 510(k) search under WHOOP's name lists only the ECG feature
  • Independent accuracy data for the MG's sleep, heart rate and Blood Pressure Insights
  • Error figures for Blood Pressure Insights, and what WHOOP changed to get the FDA close-out
  • Renewal price after year one, shipping cost, and what the strap does after the membership ends
  • The amount of the one-time upgrade fee for current members
  • Whether the box includes more than one band
  • Who pays return shipping on a Garmin.com return
  • Charger power draw
  • Minimum phone and operating system versions for Garmin Connect
  • What the fabric band is made of
  • Which real-time workout data stays free, since the manual still lists some under Connect+
  • Peer-reviewed accuracy data for CIRQA's heart rate, HRV and sleep tracking

These comparisons use published specifications, not head-to-head tests. Prices and terms are dated. Unknown costs are not zero. Check the exact variant before you buy.