Garmin Retreats on Connect+ Subscription Feature

Garmin Connect+ WAVERS: Is Personalised LiveTrack Profile Now FREE? An article today on GarminRumors suggests that Garmin is being forced to RETHINK its controversial Connect+ strategy. The materials seen by the site suggest that the key Connect+ feature—the personalised LiveTrack profile page—may be dropping its Connect+ membership requirement. If true, this represents a significant watering down of the Connect+ service, signalling that Garmin may be rethinking the future of its subscription offerings. Background: The Connect+ Value Proposition Connect+ is Garmin's subscription service, introduced on 27th March 2025. For $6.99/mo or $69.99/year, you get access to several exclusive features, shown below: Comparison of Free vs. Premium Garmin Connect Features Features Free Garmin Connect Premium Garmin Connect+ Details of every tracked activity Yes Yes Health stats & Performance metrics Yes Yes Garmin Coach training plans Yes Yes Exclusive coaching guidance for Garmin Coach plans No Yes Exclusive badge challenges No Yes Animated exercises and workout database Yes Yes Build and download courses for rides and runs Yes Yes LiveTrack (Basic Sharing) Yes Yes Enhanced LiveTrack (Personalised Profile, SMS) No Yes Active Intelligence No Yes Performance dashboard No Yes Live activity feed No Yes Garmin LiveTrack for Connect+ is an enhanced version of the feature that automatically sends text messages to selected contacts when a LiveTrack session begins. It requires a subscription, and, unlike the free version, the paid service streamlines the process by automatically notifying contacts and providing them with a unique URL to track your live location and statistics, such as pace and elevation. The Connect+ Paywall Crumbles: Who Gets Free Access? Typically, the enhanced LiveTrack profile page is created with a dedicated URL for friends, fans or family, and this currently requires a paid-for Connect+ account. The site implies it has seen marketing materials from Garmin that suggest the feature could now be available to "everyone with a connectivity subscription". This is a slight change in wording, but it appears to be Garmin's first official backtracking on a core Connect+ offering. https://the5krunner.com/2025/11/06/garmin-connect-plus-paywall-new-features/ Edit: 7 Nov 2025 - Several readers have confirmed my hypothesis that enhanced live track is now included with inReach subscription (and Maps+) Final Thoughts On Connect+ - Is the end in sight? No. I don't see Garmin watering down Connect+ entirely just yet, but this is a wavering signal. I'll have to see the precise wording and any announcement from the company, but a simple explanation could be that LiveTrack2 (Enhanced LiveTrack) will become open to anyone with any subscription—I'm specifically thinking of inReach (and Maps+) subscribers. Regardless, the shift in language confirms the challenge Garmin faces in justifying the $69.99/year exclusivity and the take-up of Connect+.