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WEARABLES COMPARISON

WHOOP alternatives with no membership: Amazfit Helio Strap, Garmin CIRQA, Polar Loop and Fitbit Air compared

WHOOP Peak costs $717 over three years and WHOOP MG $1,077. Four screen-free bands cost $99.99 to $199.99 and need no membership: Amazfit Helio Strap, Google Fitbit Air, Garmin CIRQA and Polar Loop. Each gives up something WHOOP includes. This page lines up what the makers published. None of these figures is evidence of a health effect.

By Comparison Updated

Skip to the prices The products compared

The bottom line

If you want to leave WHOOP’s fee behind, Amazfit Helio Strap and Google Fitbit Air are $99.99, and Garmin CIRQA and Polar Loop are $199.99. None requires a membership. You give up WHOOP’s Healthspan and Stress Monitor features, and for the MG, an FDA-cleared ECG that none of the four offers.

Our reviews rest on published sources, not hands-on testing. Our method

Porsche also cofounded Superhuman Chambers, which sells hyperbaric chambers · About the author. This is general information, not medical advice, and no clinician has reviewed it.

Stock photo: Ketut Subiyanto / Pexels

The products compared

Compare the specs side by side →

These links go to each brand’s own store and earn us no commission. Prices are dated US snapshots.

In this article

The six side by side

The two WHOOP rows are the memberships that include a strap: Peak at $239 a year and Life at $359 a year, which is the only tier with WHOOP MG12. The three-year figures for WHOOP assume the fee renews at that price, which WHOOP’s membership page doesn’t state1. WHOOP’s terms say memberships renew at the then-current price3. Optional plans appear in the three-year column only where marked.

Prices are US prices before tax, checked on Nov 6, 2026 (WHOOP Peak’s on Oct 13 and WHOOP MG’s on Oct 26). None was a sale price. ‘Not stated’ means the maker didn’t publish it. For the Garmin CIRQA against the Fitbit Air in more depth, see WHOOP Peak vs Garmin CIRQA vs Google Fitbit Air.

Price, fees, battery, warranty and returns for two WHOOP memberships and four screen-free bands without a required fee, checked Oct 13 to Nov 6, 2026
BandBest forUS pricePrice and where to buyRequired feeThree-year costBatteryWarrantyReturns
WHOOP Peak (WHOOP 5.0)Paying yearly for WHOOP’s scores and warranty$239 a year, with the strap included1$239 a yearUS price, checked Check price at WHOOP for WHOOP Peak (WHOOP 5.0) The whole price. WHOOP One, the entry tier, is $199 a year1$717 if it renews at $239114+ days. About 2 hours for a full charge14Lifetime with device replacement, while the membership stays active1Cancel and return within 30 days of receipt for a refund minus shipping1
WHOOP MG (Life)An FDA-cleared ECG on a screen-free strap$359 a year, with the strap included2$359 a yearUS price, checked Check price at WHOOP for WHOOP MG The whole price2$1,077 if it renews at $3592314+ days. About 2 hours for a full charge4Lifetime with device replacement, while the membership is active and paid up330 days from receipt for a refund of the first membership fee, less return shipping3
Amazfit Helio StrapA $99.99 band with no required fee$99.997$99.99US price, checked Check price at Amazfit for Amazfit Helio Strap None required, according to Amazfit7$99.99, or $309.96 with Zepp Aura’s annual plan79Up to 10 days, according to Amazfit7One year, for purchases from Amazfit’s US store830 days with an authorization, and you pay return shipping. Orders in November and December can be returned through Jan 31 or for 45 days, whichever is longer8
Google Fitbit AirGoogle’s app on a $99.99 band$99.99, with 3 months of Google Health Premium19$99.99US price, checked Check price at Google for Google Fitbit Air None required. Premium is $9.99 a month after the trial1921$99.99, or $396.99 with a $99 yearly Premium plan, per TechCrunch1924Up to 7 days. About 90 minutes for a full charge1920Not stated for the Air. Older Fitbit terms give one year23Within 15 days of receipt at the Google Store, in the original box22
Garmin CIRQA (Black)Garmin’s training scores with no required fee$199.9914$199.99US price, checked Check price at Garmin for Garmin CIRQA Smart Band None required, according to Garmin. Connect+ is optional1418$199.99, or $409.96 with Connect+ on the annual plan1418Up to 10 days14One year from purchase16Within 30 days of receipt on Garmin.com orders17
Polar Loop (Night Black, SoftWeave)Recovery scores with no locked features$199.9911$199.99US price, checked Check price at Polar for Polar Loop None. Polar says no monthly fees and no locked features11$199.9911Up to 8 days11Two years on the device, not the SoftWeave bands12Within 30 days, unused and in the original packaging13

These links go to each brand’s own store and earn us no commission.

Which WHOOP alternative suits you?

Each suits a different need, and this isn’t a ranking. All four are screen-free bands you read in a phone app, as WHOOP is47111420.

  • The least money with a 10-day battery: Amazfit Helio Strap. It’s $99.99 with no required fee, wears on the wrist, or on the upper arm with the separate Helio Armband, and Amazfit rates it at up to 10 days a charge7. The trade-off: no charging cable in the box, a 15% restocking fee can apply to a return missing parts, and one reviewer found its readiness insights shallower than WHOOP’s7810.
  • The same price with Google’s app: Google Fitbit Air. It’s $99.99, and activity and sleep tracking stay free1921. It’s a 12 g band rated at up to 7 days a charge, and it needs Android 11 or iOS 16.4 and later1920. The trade-off: Google’s coach costs $9.99 a month after 3 months, returns close after 15 days, and Google doesn’t state the Air’s warranty2123.
  • Training scores from Garmin: Garmin CIRQA. It’s $199.99 with no required fee, and Garmin rates it at up to 10 days a charge14. It adds training readiness, VO2 max and recovery time to sleep and HRV14. The trade-off: guided workouts need Connect+, and GPS comes from your phone141518.
  • Recovery scores with nothing behind a paywall: Polar Loop. It’s $199.99, and Polar says there are no monthly fees and no locked features11. It has the longest device guarantee here, two years12. The trade-off: it has no GPS of its own, lists no skin temperature or blood oxygen sensing, and can’t send heart rate to other devices11.
  • Staying with WHOOP: Peak or MG. Peak’s $239 a year includes Healthspan, Pace of Aging, a Stress Monitor and Health Monitor alerts1. MG is the only one with an FDA-cleared ECG, and it needs the $359-a-year Life tier25. The trade-off: $717 or $1,077 over three years, and the lifetime warranty ends with the membership13.

What do you give up by leaving WHOOP?

The table below shows what each band lists. You give up WHOOP’s own feature set, not just its fee. Peak’s Healthspan, Pace of Aging, Stress Monitor and Health Monitor alerts have no named counterpart in the four bands’ listings, and WHOOP says Healthspan is for wellness purposes only1. TechRadar’s reviewer called the Helio Strap a good lower-cost alternative to a WHOOP band, with readiness insights that aren’t as deep10. If you are choosing between WHOOP’s own tiers, see WHOOP Peak vs WHOOP MG.

Phone support differs. Google lists Android 11 or iOS 16.4 and later for Fitbit Air1920. Garmin’s manual lists no minimum versions15. Amazfit’s page lists iOS 15.0 or later and Android 7.0 or later7. We have no minimum phone version on record for Polar or WHOOP, so check each app’s store page before you buy.

If you’d rather wear a watch than a band, Fitbit Charge 6, Garmin Vivoactive 6 and Galaxy Watch9 are compared on subscription, battery and phone fit. For Google’s two trackers head to head, see Fitbit Air vs Charge 6.

Sensors, display, optional plans and FDA status as each maker lists them, checked Oct 13 to Nov 6, 2026
BandSensors and displayWhat an optional plan addsFDA status
WHOOP PeakSensor types not named. No display or built-in GPS14Peak is the plan. WHOOP One, the entry tier, is $199 a year and Life is $359 a year1WHOOP describes no Peak feature as FDA-cleared1
WHOOP MGLight sensors and an ECG-conductive clasp. No display or built-in GPS226Life adds Heart Screener with ECG, on-demand AFib detection and Blood Pressure Insights2The ECG was cleared on April 4, 2025 (K243236) for adults 22 and older5. WHOOP calls Blood Pressure Insights a beta wellness feature and not a medical device26. The FDA warned WHOOP in July 2025 about marketing it without clearance, and closed the letter in June 2026 without clearing it2728
Amazfit Helio StrapOptical heart rate sensor, accelerometer, gyroscope and temperature sensor. No display7Zepp Aura adds unlimited AI messages and sleep reports, at $11.99 a month or $69.99 a year after a 14-day trial9No clearance claimed. The FDA database lists none for Zepp, Huami or Amazfit725
Google Fitbit AirOptical heart rate, red and infrared blood oxygen sensors, a temperature sensor, accelerometer and gyroscope. No display20Premium adds the Gemini-built coach, adaptive fitness plans and detailed sleep insights21Google says it looks for signs of AFib and lists Irregular Rhythm Notifications. Its FDA status is unknown, as the Air pages don’t mention clearance1920
Garmin CIRQAWrist heart rate, Pulse Ox and skin temperature. No display. GPS comes from your phone1415Connect+ adds AI insights, nutrition logging and expanded LiveTrack features, at $6.99 a month or $69.99 a year1518No clearance claim. Garmin’s manual says CIRQA isn’t a medical device15
Polar LoopPrecision Prime optical heart rate sensor. No display and no built-in GPS11None. Optional free trials of Strava, TrainingPeaks and Clue11The page mentions no FDA clearance. Polar says Loop isn’t for medical purposes11

What the accuracy claims don’t settle

We found no peer-reviewed accuracy study of the Helio Strap, Polar Loop or Garmin CIRQA, or of the WHOOP 5.0 or Fitbit Air. A 2024 systematic review of earlier WHOOP straps found 62% sleep-stage agreement (kappa 0.46) against polysomnography6. It was published before WHOOP 5.0 launched6.

What exists for the cheaper bands is a reviewer’s experience. TechRadar’s reviewer saw the Helio Strap overestimate heart rate by around 10 bpm against a chest strap on some long runs and read close in other workouts10. That is one reviewer, not a validation study. Our evidence review covers what independent studies show about sleep staging, resting heart rate and HRV across devices.

The FDA clearance for WHOOP’s ECG covers that feature alone. Its study had about 540 subjects, and the feature called 11% of recordings inconclusive5. It doesn’t extend to the sleep, recovery or stress scores, and none of the four alternatives claims clearance for any feature in the pages we checked711151920. Google lists AFib-related alerts for the Air, and its FDA status is unknown.

Keep reading

Sleep and recovery wearables: our picks and whyWHOOP membership cost and is it worth it? Wearables over 3 yearsWHOOP Peak vs Garmin CIRQA vs Google Fitbit AirOura Ring alternatives: rings without a subscription, comparedSleep and recovery wearables: the evidence reviewFitbit Charge 6 vs Garmin Vivoactive 6 vs Galaxy Watch9: sleep tracking, subscription and battery comparedFitbit Air vs Charge 6: a $99.99 band with no screen or a $159.95 tracker with GPSWHOOP Peak vs WHOOP MG: are Life’s ECG and Blood Pressure Insights worth $120 more a year?Oura Ring 3 vs Ring 4 vs Ring 5Oura Ring 5 vs Ring 4Oura Ring 5 vs WHOOP Peak vs Ultrahuman Ring PROOura Ring vs Apple Watch for sleep trackingOura Ring vs RingConnUltrahuman vs Oura

Sources

  1. WHOOP Membership WHOOP · manufacturer
  2. Join WHOOP WHOOP · manufacturer
  3. Terms of Use WHOOP · manufacturer
  4. How Long Does WHOOP Battery Last? WHOOP (The Locker) · manufacturer
  5. 510(k) clearance letter and summary K243236: WHOOP ECG Feature US Food and Drug Administration, 2025 · regulator
  6. Accuracy of Fitbit Charge 4, Garmin Vivosmart 4, and WHOOP Versus Polysomnography: Systematic Review JMIR mHealth and uHealth, 2024 · systematic review
  7. Helio Strap Amazfit · manufacturer
  8. Amazfit Warranty & Return Policy Amazfit · manufacturer
  9. Zepp Aura Amazfit · manufacturer
  10. Amazfit Helio Strap review TechRadar, 2026 · news
  11. POLAR Loop: Screen-Free Wearable Health Band & Fitness Tracker Polar · manufacturer
  12. Warranty | Polar USA Polar · manufacturer
  13. Return policy | Polar USA Polar · manufacturer
  14. Meet CIRQA Smart Band: The screen-free health and fitness tracker from Garmin Garmin Newsroom, 2026 · manufacturer
  15. CIRQA Smart Band Owner's Manual Garmin · manufacturer
  16. Consumer Limited Warranty Garmin · manufacturer
  17. Shipping, Returns & Refunds Garmin · manufacturer
  18. Elevate your health and fitness goals with Garmin Connect+ Garmin Newsroom, 2025 · manufacturer
  19. Google Fitbit Air Google Store · manufacturer
  20. Google Fitbit Air tech specs Google Store · manufacturer
  21. Google Health Premium with Google Health Coach Google Store · manufacturer
  22. Return your Google Store purchase Google Store Help · manufacturer
  23. Fitbit Limited Warranty Google · manufacturer
  24. Google's $9.99-per-month AI health coach launches May 19 TechCrunch, 2026 · news
  25. FDA 510(k) database search (openFDA): applicants Zepp, Huami and Amazfit US Food and Drug Administration · regulator · data file
  26. WHOOP Heart Health | Stay Connected to Your Heart WHOOP · manufacturer
  27. Warning letter: WHOOP, Inc. (MARCS-CMS 709755), July 14, 2025 US Food and Drug Administration, 2025 · regulator
  28. Close-out letter: WHOOP, Inc. (MARCS-CMS 709755), June 17, 2026 US Food and Drug Administration, 2026 · regulator

How this was written. Written from the sources listed above, checked . It is general information, not medical advice. Talk to a clinician before acting on anything here if you have a health condition or take medication.

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