Garmin CIRQA will get basic feature without Connect+ subscription, following outcry

Although the Garmin CIRQA Smart Band is marketed as a fitness tracker "with no subscription required," that isn’t entirely true, as we’ve already reported. That’s because anyone who wants to see their current heart rate during a workout has, until now, had to sign up for a Garmin Connect+ subscription for $6.99 per month.

Garmin responded quickly to the criticism and confirmed to Ray Maker that the Garmin Connect smartphone app will receive an update in the coming days that will allow users to view their live heart rate during a workout without having to sign up for a paid subscription. It remains to be seen whether this change will also include a heart rate zone graph, as the Polar Loop ($199 on Amazon), for example, displays even without a subscription. This will make the Garmin CIRQA much more appealing to customers who don’t want to sign up for a subscription.

However, it’s important to note before purchasing that not all features are available without a subscription. Garmin Connect locks a whole range of advanced features behind a subscription paywall, from Garmin Coach, which can create personalized training plans, to nutrition tracking, meditation, and breathing exercises, all the way to structured workouts. The official product page also lists heart rate zone displays, visualizations of metrics during a workout, and workout instructions as premium features available only with a subscription.