Garmin’s New Paid Tier Is Crammed ...

If there’s something we’ve been studying these final couple of months, all good issues should finish. Fortuitously, Garmin isn’t placing an finish to its free tier, however it’s introducing a premium plan known as Garmin Connect+. The perks will sound acquainted in case you subscribe to apps like Strava. And since its 2025, the paid options added to Garmin Join+ all have one thing to do with AI.

For $7/month or $70/12 months, Garmin Join+ will unlock customized “Energetic Intelligence insights,” which appears to be Garmin’s try at a moniker for AI choices. These options embody recommendations based mostly in your well being and exercise information historical past, a efficiency dashboard to match your progress, and coaching steering for runners and cyclists. The subscription additionally consists of bonus LiveTrack notifications in order that trusted household and pals know you’ve began a run, plus some distinctive social options, together with particular badges for finishing exercise challenges.

The corporate clarifies in its press launch that that is about rising its platform. Garmin is competing with different health and coaching apps, like Strava, which provides lots of the similar options for almost double the worth of Garmin’s providing. And whereas longtime Garmin customers could also be dissatisfied to listen to the model embracing a development we’re all barreling towards, not less than this one provides helpful options.

AI could be a exhausting promote proper now due to common client reluctance, however it’s not as gimmicky as it might sound within the health world. I exploit Strava’s AI summaries and discover them informative and inspiring, because the bot at all times positively spins the truth that I did any exercise in any respect. However Strava prices me $12/month, which is a ton for somebody who isn’t climbing greater than 4 miles every week. Garmin’s cheaper subscription value is already making me contemplate leaping ship to avoid wasting on the money.

Garmin customers can join a 30-day trial to check out the options earlier than opting in. Or, in case you’re already within the Garmin ecosystem, you possibly can ignore all of it and persist with the free well being information and skills already supplied, together with efficiency metrics and buildable programs for rides and runs.