Garmin has officially entered the growing screenless fitness tracker market with the launch of the CIRQA Smart Band. The new wearable is aimed at users who want continuous health and fitness tracking without wearing a smartwatch or another device with a display.
Screenless fitness trackers have gained popularity among users who prefer fewer distractions while still keeping track of their health. Whoop has been one of the biggest players in this category, and Google recently joined the segment with the Fitbit Air. Garmin is now offering its own alternative with a key advantage. Unlike Whoop and some Fitbit Air features, the CIRQA Smart Band does not require a monthly subscription to access its main health and fitness features.
The Garmin CIRQA Smart Band comes with several health monitoring features. It can continuously track heart rate, stress levels, blood oxygen (SpO2), skin temperature, and Garmin’s Body Battery energy score.
It also provides detailed sleep tracking with information such as sleep stages, sleep score, heart rate variability (HRV), respiration, and nap detection. These insights can help users better understand their recovery and overall health.
The CIRQA Smart Band can automatically detect and record workouts. Garmin says the activity recognition system becomes more accurate over time as users review and correct detected activities.
Users can also manually track more than 80 activities, including running, walking, cycling, yoga, and strength training. A customizable physical button allows users to quickly start their preferred workout.
The wearable also includes Garmin’s advanced training features, such as VO2 Max, Training Readiness, Training Status, workout benefits, and recovery time estimates. Since the band does not include built-in GPS, users can connect it to an Android smartphone or iPhone to record outdoor routes during activities.
Garmin claims the CIRQA Smart Band can deliver up to 10 days of battery life on a single charge.
Garmin says the CIRQA Smart Band features a soft fabric band designed for all-day comfort. It will be available in multiple color options, including Citron Gray, Mauve, French Gray, Dark Olive, Captain Blue, French Blue, and Black.
The Garmin CIRQA Smart Band is priced at $199.99.
Its biggest competitor is Google’s Fitbit Air, which starts at $99.99 and includes a three-month Google Health Premium trial. However, Fitbit Air users need to pay $9.99 per month after the trial period to access Google Health Coach and some advanced health features.
Garmin’s tracker costs more upfront, but it includes all major health, fitness, and training insights without requiring any recurring subscription.
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