Polar
Polar Loop
Screen-free band with sleep and recovery scores and no subscription
$199.99
Compare with this one →Our screen-free band pick
GarminCIRQA Smart Band
Garmin's screen-free band with no required subscription and up to 10 days per charge
Source-based analysis, not hands-on testing. Our method
Cofounder of Superhuman Chambers · About the author. General information, not medical advice. No independent clinical review is claimed.
The verdict
CIRQA puts Garmin's sleep, HRV, heart rate and training scores in a $199.99 band with no screen. Garmin says no subscription is required and rates the battery at up to 10 days. The catch is that guided workouts need Connect+, and outdoor GPS comes from your phone.
The trade-off
Guided workouts need a paid Connect+ plan, and there's no GPS without your phone.
Model reviewed: Black, part 010-04675-00, wrist band (a retailer lists this part as L/XL)
$199.99
Check price at Garmin US price, checked
No affiliate commission on this link. Check the exact variant before buying.
About this price
Garmin's launch release of July 21, 2026 gives a suggested retail price of $199.99 and says CIRQA is available now. Garmin's US product page showed no price when checked. REI listed it at $200.00 with no sale price, in four colors including Black and in S/M and L/XL. REI showed its default color, Captain Blue, as sold out and mentioned pre-orders, so check stock. REI's estimated $20.00 member reward isn't deducted. Ascent Outdoors listed Black L-XL, part 010-04675-00, at $199.99 with no sale price. TechRadar's review also gives $199.99 in the US. Prices are before tax and shipping.
A GOOD FIT FOR
You want Garmin's sleep, HRV and recovery tracking without a screen or a monthly fee.
- You want sleep, HRV and stress tracking without a monthly fee
- You'd rather not wear a screen and are happy reading your data in Garmin Connect
- You want to charge about once a week or less (Garmin rates it at up to 10 days)
- You want cycle tracking and past ovulation estimates from overnight skin temperature
- You'd like the option of wearing it on your upper arm, with a separately sold band
THINK TWICE IF
- You want GPS without carrying your phone, since CIRQA has none built in
- You want guided workouts without paying for Garmin Connect+
- You want to see the time or your stats on your wrist
- You have very thin wrists: TechRadar found the module large for a discreet band
- You need a medical device: Garmin says CIRQA isn't one
What still needs checking
- Garmin's own confirmation of which size part 010-04675-00 is, and whether the box includes more than one band
- The module's size and weight from Garmin
- Warranty length and return window
- 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
The practical details.
| Exact variant | Black, part 010-04675-00, wrist band (a retailer lists this part as L/XL) |
|---|---|
| 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 LiveTrack+. 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 REI. It's 36.0 cm long in S/M and 50.0 cm in L/XL. |
| Dimensions | Garmin lists the wrist band at 24.5 cm (9.6 in) long in S/M and 28.5 cm (11.2 in) in L/XL. Both sizes are 2.4 cm wide and 0.2 cm thick. REI says the S/M fits 120–200 mm wrists and the L/XL fits 145–240 mm. Garmin's US page labels part 010-04675-00 only as Black, but Ascent Outdoors lists it as the L/XL. Garmin doesn't give the module's size or weight. TechRadar says CIRQA weighs 21 g but doesn't say whether that includes the band. |
| Materials | The band is fabric, according to Garmin. The module takes 24 mm fabric bands and doesn't work with third-party bands. Garmin doesn't say what the fabric or the module 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. |
Before you buy
InstallationNo installation
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.
WarrantyNot confirmed
Not confirmed. The owner's manual doesn't mention a warranty, and neither does REI's listing. Garmin's US Consumer Limited Warranty page loads its terms with JavaScript, so they couldn't be read. Check that page before buying.
ReturnsNot confirmed
Not confirmed. Garmin's Shipping, Returns & Refunds page loads its terms with JavaScript, so the return window couldn't be read. REI's listing links to its return policy without stating it. Check the policy of whoever you buy from.
More about this assessment
CIRQA is Garmin's screen-free smart band, and Garmin says it works without a subscription. It tracks heart rate, Pulse Ox, skin temperature, sleep, HRV and stress, and you read it all in the Garmin Connect app. Garmin's launch release lists it at $199.99 and rates the battery at up to 10 days. There's no GPS inside, so outdoor routes come from your phone. Guided workouts need Garmin Connect+, which costs $6.99 a month or $69.99 a year. Garmin says CIRQA isn't a medical device. In TechRadar's review, heart rate stayed within 1–3 bpm of a chest strap in most workouts. No peer-reviewed study of CIRQA's accuracy was reviewed.
Strengths on paper
- $199.99 suggested retail price with no required subscription, according to Garmin
- Up to 10 days per charge and up to 90 minutes to recharge
- Heart rate, Pulse Ox, skin temperature, HRV, sleep and stress tracking
- Training readiness, VO2 max and recovery time in Garmin Connect
- 5 ATM water rating
- A physical button to start a favorite activity
- It can broadcast heart rate to paired devices
Limitations
- No screen, so you check everything in the app
- No built-in GPS: outdoor routes need your phone
- Guided workouts need a paid Connect+ plan, and some activities may too
- The charging cable is proprietary
- It fits only Garmin's 24 mm fabric bands, not third-party bands
- TechRadar notes Garmin Connect lists some stats the band can't supply
- Warranty and return terms couldn't be read on Garmin's site
What it costs to own.
Adjust the assumptions for your use. Missing costs stay unknown.
PLAN YOUR OWNERSHIP COSTS
What will it cost to own?
Change the assumptions to fit your use. Leave an unknown cost blank. Add water, subscriptions, cleaning, shipping and taxes if they apply. Use average operating power, not the maximum rating.
3-year known subtotal
$199.99Incomplete: energy use. This is not the full ownership cost.
Energy component: Unknown
Purchase + installation + years × (annual consumables + annual other) + watts/1000 × hours/day × 365 × years × $/kWh. Annualized allowances, not an exact replacement schedule. Excludes taxes, shipping, finance and resale unless entered.Replacement parts & cost assumptions
No scheduled consumable is listed. That does not mean zero maintenance or repair costs.
- Purchase is $199.99, the suggested retail price in Garmin's July 2026 launch release. REI listed it at $200.00 on Oct 13, 2026. With no required fee or part, the three-year estimate is $199.99 plus charging energy, which is unknown.
- Annual other costs are $0 because Garmin says CIRQA works without a subscription. Garmin Connect+ is optional at $6.99 a month or $69.99 a year. On the annual plan it would add $209.97 over three years, which isn't counted.
- Annual consumables are $0 because Garmin lists no refills or required parts. The upper arm band is sold separately and isn't counted. Neither are battery wear or repairs.
- Garmin doesn't state the charger's power draw, so energy is unknown. A full charge takes up to 90 minutes and lasts up to 10 days, according to Garmin.
Evidence & sources.
How accurate are sleep trackers? Our evidence review grades the research as Moderate. That grade is about the claim, not about this product.
- Manufacturer claimGarmin's manual says CIRQA isn't a medical device. Its launch release says the Pulse Ox and ovulation features aren't meant to diagnose or monitor any medical condition. The manual adds that heart rate alerts don't notify you of any potential heart condition.23 Garmin makes no FDA clearance claim for the band. The release mentions syncing data with the FDA-cleared Natural Cycles app, which needs its own subscription. That clearance belongs to the app, not the band. The FDA's device databases weren't searched.
- Independent testTechRadar's review compared CIRQA with a Polar H10 chest strap. One 40-minute gym strength session was off by an average of 10 bpm. The other workouts were within 1–3 bpm (the review gives both 1–2 and 2–3 bpm). The reviewer found sleep tracking competent and got about a week per charge.9 One reviewer's testing, not a peer-reviewed validation study. No independent study of CIRQA's accuracy was reviewed.
- Independent testTechRadar reported on July 23, 2026 that live heart rate during workouts had been behind Connect+ for early users. Citing Ray Maker via Android Police, it said Garmin would make it free for all CIRQA users within days. TechRadar's August 6 review says Garmin rolled the paywall back.910 Garmin's owner's manual still lists real-time indoor workout data and Live Activity Stats as Connect+ features, so check the app before relying on them.
Sources (12)
- CIRQA Smart Band | Screenless Health & Fitness Tracker Garmin · manufacturer · checked Oct 13, 2026
- Meet CIRQA Smart Band: The screen-free health and fitness tracker from Garmin Garmin Newsroom · manufacturer · checked Oct 13, 2026
- CIRQA Smart Band Owner's Manual Garmin · manufacturer · checked Oct 13, 2026
- CIRQA Owner's Manual - Specifications Garmin · manufacturer · checked Oct 13, 2026
- CIRQA Owner's Manual - Charging the Device Garmin · manufacturer · checked Oct 13, 2026
- Elevate your health and fitness goals with Garmin Connect+ Garmin Newsroom · manufacturer · checked Oct 13, 2026
- Consumer Limited Warranty Garmin · manufacturer · checked Oct 13, 2026
- Shipping, Returns & Refunds Garmin · manufacturer · checked Oct 13, 2026
- Garmin Cirqa review: sorry Fitbit, but this is 2026's best screenless smart band TechRadar · independent test · checked Oct 13, 2026
- Garmin backtracks on Cirqa subscription after outcry from fans and makes a crucial feature available for free TechRadar · independent test · checked Oct 13, 2026
- Garmin CIRQA Smart Band | REI Co-op REI Co-op · retailer · checked Oct 13, 2026
- Garmin CIRQA Smart Band Ascent Outdoors · retailer · checked Oct 13, 2026
Other options.
Back to our sleep & recovery wearables picks →
WHOOP
WHOOP Peak (WHOOP 5.0)
Display-free recovery strap sold only as a yearly membership
$239 a year
Compare with this one →
Google Fitbit Air
Screen-free $99.99 fitness band with up to 7 days of battery
$99.99
Compare with this one →About this review. The facts on this page come from manufacturer pages, independent tests and retailer listings, checked Oct 13, 2026. The sources are listed above.
Our editorial policy →