Garmin Connect Plus is the new subscription service from the wearable maker – but what is it, and what does it offer?
Garmin’s premium plan introduces new features and functionality to the Garmin Connect app that, among other things, uses AI to analyse data collected by Garmin smartwatches and provide personalised insights into your health and fitness.
It’s a big change to Garmin’s stance, having previously opposed paywalls, but it’s keen to point out that all existing features within the Garmin Connect app, along with all facets of your data, will continue to be free to access.
That said, here’s everything you need to know about Garmin Connect Plus, including the new features available with the service and the all-important pricing.
What is Garmin Connect Plus?
Garmin Connect Plus is a premium subscription service that allows users to access exclusive new features and insights within the Garmin Connect app.
Garmin claims that the new service will “elevate a customer’s health and fitness knowledge” with AI-powered insights into your health and fitness data, combined with expert training guidance, new badge challenges for added motivation, expanded LiveTrack features and more.
Crucially, all existing features available within the Garmin Connect app will remain free to access, with no paywall on your data. This is just a supplementary feature for those who want to delve a little deeper into their health and fitness data.
What new features does Garmin Connect Plus offer?
The big new feature coming as part of the Garmin Connect Plus subscription is what Garmin calls Active Intelligence.
It’s essentially AI that analyses your health and activity data to provide more personalised insights and suggestions in a more casual, conversational way. Think of it like ChatGPT for Garmin, similar to what the Whoop 4 offers with its Whoop Coach tech, albeit without the ability to ask questions directly like Whoop’s alternative.
You’ll also get a new performance dashboard that provides a comprehensive look at your training data, complete with graphs to track progress in various metrics over time. These graphs and charts are fully customisable, allowing you to hone in on the metrics you care about most.
You’ll also get the new live activity feature, which lets you use your smartphone to view data like heart rate, pace, and other metrics, as well as start and stop workouts, when exercising indoors. It might sound like a rather simple feature, but it’s not available on most wearables and essentially stops you from staring at your wrist to get real-time updates on your exercise.
Also part of the Garmin Connect Plus package is exclusive coaching guidance. While Garmin Run Coach and Garmin Cycling Coach training plans are free, you’ll receive guidance from Garmin-certified coaches – including videos you can watch on your phone – to further improve your performance.
There’s also enhanced LiveTrack functionality, which is essentially Garmin’s way of letting friends and family track your workouts in real-time – a real boon not only for motivation but also for safety, especially when exercising outdoors.
Though the feature is available to all for free, the Connect Plus subscription allows the app to automatically notify selected friends and family via text when you start an activity, ensuring they never miss a beat. You can also create a customised LiveTrack profile that people can follow publicly.
How much does Garmin Connect Plus cost?
Garmin has confirmed that the Garmin Connect Plus plan is available in both monthly and annual plans. If you want to pay monthly, it’ll set you back £6.99/$6.99 per month, while an annual plan will set you back £69.99/$69.99 per year.
For those curious about the premium subscription, the Garmin Connect app offers a free one-week trial of the service.
