| Garmin vivosmart 5 | WHOOP 5.0 | |
|---|---|---|
| Pricing | ||
| Starting price | $149 | Free (hw) |
| Subscription | ℹ️ Optional — $70/yr | ⚠️ Required — $199/yr |
| Year 1 total cost | $219 | $199★ |
| Year 3 total cost | $359★ | $597 |
| Hardware | ||
| Weight | 25g★ | 27g |
| Water resistance | 5ATM | 10ATM★ |
| Battery | 7 days | 14 days★ |
| Always-on display | ❌ | ❌ |
| GPS | ❌ | ❌ |
| Cellular | ❌ | ❌ |
| Platform | iOS & Android | iOS & Android |
| Tier | Fitness Tracker | Fitness Tracker |
| Buy timing | ||
| Released | Apr 26, 2022 | May 8, 2025 |
| Cycle advice | bad | good★ |
| Deals advice | great★ | neutral |
| Next model | Garmin vivosmart 6 (Expected 2026) | — |
Body Battery energy monitoring — the feature Garmin is known for — in a wristband that's thinner than most fitness trackers.
Continuous heart rate variability monitoring and all-day stress tracking give a more complete picture of recovery and readiness than step counts alone.
All data syncs to Garmin Connect, compatible with thousands of third-party apps, coaches, and integrations across the Garmin platform.
WHOOP 5.0 gives you a biological age score derived from your sleep, recovery, and training habits — showing whether your lifestyle is ageing you faster or slower than your years. Updated daily, it makes long-term health trends visible at a glance.
WHOOP's AI Coach learns your body's patterns and delivers personalised daily recommendations in plain language — not just what happened, but why, and what to do next. It adapts to your training load, sleep debt, and recovery trends.
WHOOP 5.0 added a dedicated strength trainer that auto-detects sets, measures neuromuscular load alongside cardiovascular strain, and shows recovery demand from resistance training — a gap every previous WHOOP version had.
The right pick depends on what you optimize for.
$359 vs $597 over 3 years · no required subscription.
14 days vs 7 days battery.
9 sensors · 26 Hz HR sampling.
25g · no required subscription.
Garmin users and health-focused individuals who want Body Battery, HRV, and advanced sleep analytics in a slim, discreet wristband rather than a sports watch. Compatible with both iPhone and Android via Garmin Connect.
Full details →Athletes, coaches, and fitness-obsessed users who want deep recovery and sleep data without screen distractions. WHOOP suits those who train hard and want to understand whether their body is ready to push. Not for casual users or those who want smartwatch features like notifications or GPS.
Full details →