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Garmin said when it launched Connect+ that existing Garmin Connect features and data would remain free. CEO Clifton Pemble later said Connect+ was optional and Garmin would not remove features customers already had, while adding that some features would likely be reserved for premium offerings. The reassurance is about what users already have—not a promise that every future feature will be free.
What Garmin said about Garmin Connect and Connect+
Garmin introduced Connect+ on March 27, 2025. Its launch announcement said: “All existing features and data in Garmin Connect will remain free.” The release listed a 30-day trial and US launch prices of $6.99 per month or $69.99 per year; those are launch-era US terms, not verified current prices for every market. [Garmin, March 27, 2025]
On an April 30, 2025 earnings-call Q&A, Garmin CEO Clifton Pemble said Connect+ was not required and Garmin was not taking away features customers already had. He also said Garmin remained committed to developing Connect and its devices with broad features available to everyone. His answer included an important qualification: some features would likely be reserved for premium offerings. [Garmin, April 30, 2025 earnings-call transcript]
What is free and what is premium?
The clearest distinction in Garmin’s statements is between existing features and data, which Garmin said would remain free at Connect+ launch, and some future offerings that may be premium. Don’t read the launch statement or CEO’s comments as a guarantee that every later feature will be included at no extra cost.
#1 Best Overall
- Designed with a bright, colorful AMOLED display, get a more complete picture of your health, thanks to battery life of up to 11 days in smartwatch mode (5 days display always-on)
- Body Battery energy monitoring helps you understand when you’re charged up or need to rest, with even more personalized insights based on sleep, naps, stress levels, workouts and more (data presented is intended to be a close estimation of metrics tracked)
- Get a sleep score and personalized sleep coaching for how much sleep you need — and get tips on how to improve plus key metrics such as HRV status to better understand your health (data presented is intended to be a close estimation of metrics tracked)
- Find new ways to keep your body moving with more than 30 built-in indoor and GPS sports apps, including walking, running, cycling, HIIT, swimming, golf and more
- Wheelchair mode tracks pushes — rather than steps — and includes push and handcycle activities with preloaded workouts for strength, cardio, HIIT, Pilates and yoga, challenges specific to wheelchair users and more (data presented is intended to be a close estimation of metrics tracked)
Garmin’s November 18, 2025 announcement illustrates both categories: it introduced 3D topographic maps in Garmin Connect as a Connect+ feature, and also announced free updates for select compatible watches and cycling computers. Those free updates included health-status access and cycling features, with availability limited to compatible models. In February 2026, Garmin said it had announced Connect+ enhancements involving nutrition tracking and AI-powered nutrition insights at CES 2026. These are dated examples, not a promise about future releases. [Garmin, November 18, 2025] [Garmin, Q4 2025 earnings-call remarks]
What to check before deciding whether Connect+ matters to you
- Identify the feature. Check whether the specific Connect feature you want is part of Garmin Connect or listed as a Connect+ feature.
- Check compatibility. Garmin’s free device updates may apply only to selected compatible watches or cycling computers. Confirm your model’s eligibility.
- Check current local terms. The $6.99 monthly and $69.99 annual prices and 30-day trial were US launch terms announced in March 2025. Confirm current pricing and trial availability in your region with Garmin.
- Consider your wider device needs. Garmin describes Connect as a platform for tracking and analyzing activity, workouts, and wellness data. Whether a Garmin fitness watch suits you depends on the device and features you need, not on an assumption that Connect+ is required. [Garmin annual report]
What a reader poll can—and cannot—tell us
TechRadar reported a poll of 1,325 Garmin users in March 2026, one year after Connect+ launched. In that poll, 80% (1,061 respondents) said they had never signed up, 12% said they tried Connect+ and returned to the free tier, and 5% (67 respondents) said they used it and liked it. TechRadar also reported that 36 respondents had left Garmin for another brand. These figures describe that publication’s poll; the available report does not establish that it represents all Garmin owners. [TechRadar, March 26, 2026]
Rank #2
- Designed with a bright, colorful AMOLED display, get a more complete picture of your health, thanks to battery life of up to 11 days in smartwatch mode
- Body Battery energy monitoring helps you understand when you’re charged up or need to rest, with even more personalized insights based on sleep, naps, stress levels, workouts and more (data presented is intended to be a close estimation of metrics tracked)
- Get a sleep score and personalized sleep coaching for how much sleep you need — and get tips on how to improve plus key metrics such as HRV status to better understand your health (data presented is intended to be a close estimation of metrics tracked)
- Find new ways to keep your body moving with more than 30 built-in indoor and GPS sports apps, including walking, running, cycling, HIIT, swimming, golf and more
- Wheelchair mode tracks pushes — rather than steps — and includes push and handcycle activities with preloaded workouts for strength, cardio, HIIT, Pilates and yoga, challenges specific to wheelchair users and more (data presented is intended to be a close estimation of metrics tracked)
FAQ
Will Garmin Connect stay free?
Garmin said at Connect+ launch that all existing Garmin Connect features and data would remain free. That statement concerns existing features and data; it does not guarantee that all future features will be free.
Is Garmin Connect+ required?
No. In the April 30, 2025 earnings-call Q&A, CEO Clifton Pemble said Connect+ was not required for users.
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- Designed with a bright, colorful AMOLED display, get a more complete picture of your health, thanks to battery life of up to 11 days in smartwatch mode
- Body Battery energy monitoring helps you understand when you’re charged up or need to rest, with even more personalized insights based on sleep, naps, stress levels, workouts and more (data presented is intended to be a close estimation of metrics tracked)
- Get a sleep score and personalized sleep coaching for how much sleep you need — and get tips on how to improve plus key metrics such as HRV status to better understand your health (data presented is intended to be a close estimation of metrics tracked)
- Find new ways to keep your body moving with more than 30 built-in indoor and GPS sports apps, including walking, running, cycling, HIIT, swimming, golf and more
- Wheelchair mode tracks pushes — rather than steps — and includes push and handcycle activities with preloaded workouts for strength, cardio, HIIT, Pilates and yoga, challenges specific to wheelchair users and more (data presented is intended to be a close estimation of metrics tracked)
What features are behind the Connect+ paywall?
Garmin has identified specific premium additions over time. For example, its November 2025 announcement listed 3D topographic maps in Garmin Connect as a Connect+ feature, and its February 2026 earnings-call remarks referred to nutrition tracking and AI-powered nutrition insights. Check Garmin’s current feature and compatibility information for the latest details.
Did Garmin promise every future feature would be free?
No. Pemble said Garmin would not remove features users already had and would continue offering broad features to everyone, but also said some features would likely be reserved for premium offerings.
Quick Recap
Best Value
- Easy-to-use running watch monitors heart rate (this is not a medical device) at the wrist and uses GPS to track how far, how fast and where you’ve run.Special Feature:Bluetooth.
- Battery life: up to 2 weeks in smartwatch mode; up to 20 hours in GPS mode
- Plan your race day strategy with the PacePro feature (not compatible with on-device courses), which offers GPS-based pace guidance for a selected course or distance
- Run your best with helpful training tools, including race time predictions and finish time estimates
- Track all the ways you move with built-in activity profiles for running, cycling, track run, virtual run, pool swim, Pilates, HIIT, breathwork and more
Rank #4
- Make a bold statement with this rugged GPS smartwatch, featuring a 0.9” display with solar charging lens and unlimited battery life with solar charging (assumes all-day wear with 3 hours per day outside in 50,000 lux conditions)
- Engineered with a supertough 45 mm fiber-reinforced polymer case and metal-reinforced bezel
- Built-in LED flashlight with variable intensities and strobe modes gives you greater visibility in the outdoors and provides convenient illumination when you need it
- Know your body better with health monitoring features, including wrist-based heart rate, advanced sleep monitoring, Pulse Ox and more (this is not a medical device, and data presented is intended to be a close estimation of metrics tracked; Pulse Ox not available in all countries)
- Navigate confidently with a 3-axis compass, barometric altimeter and multi-band GPS with SatIQ technology, which delivers superior positioning while also optimizing battery life
Product prices and availability are accurate as of the date/time indicated and are subject to change. Any price and availability information displayed on Amazon at the time of purchase will apply.
