Garmin CIRQA Smart Band Is the First Device Built for Connect+
CIRQA Smart Band is the first Garmin device designed around Connect+ rather than offered as an extra. It gets the indoor workout library, strength programmes and coaching through the subscription. Outdoor workouts and outdoor coaching plans are not available at all, with or without it.
What CIRQA gets and does not get from Connect+
Connect+ unlocks cardio, strength, HIIT, yoga, Pilates and wheelchair workouts, along with Garmin Coach strength and fitness plans. Manual lap creation, the live heart rate graph, nutrition tracking and Garmin Active Intelligence sit behind the same subscription. Without it, the Live Activity screen in Garmin Connect shows almost nothing during a workout, including no live heart rate.
CIRQA broadcasts heart rate over ANT+ and Bluetooth to almost any device or app. Live heart rate is free in Zwift, free in Peloton, free on compatible gym equipment and free on a paired Garmin Edge. The only place Garmin charges to see it is inside Garmin Connect. The restriction is artificial, and it exists to sell subscriptions.
Amazfit puts a configurable live dashboard with maps and charts on a $99 band. Whoop, Polar and Fitbit all offer comparable phone screens. CIRQA has connected GPS through the phone, so Garmin has the position data to draw a map. At $69.99 a year, Live Activity still has no map and no configurable data fields. #Poor.
The same policy already applies to the Garmin HRM 600. Any Garmin product that leans on the phone instead of its own display inherits these limits, and the CIRQA specifications confirm there is no onboard screen.
Listen to the discussion
Outdoor workouts need a screen you can see while moving
The missing display explains the missing outdoor workouts. You simply cannot easily follow intervals from a phone in your pocket while running or riding.
Indoor strength training is different. Between sets, the phone is already in your hand, showing the next exercise and letting you correct the rep count.
Garmin has been building this for fifteen months
Connect+ launched in March 2025 with Live Activity, mirroring indoor workouts from watch to phone in real time. Strength sessions gained phone-based editing of automatically detected reps and exercises at the same time.
Garmin then surveyed users on how much manual input they would accept during a strength workout, offering three levels:
- fully automatic with general training load,
- some manual input for separated cardio and strength load, and
- detailed logging for per-muscle-group load and recovery.
The first level describes the current free experience. The second describes Connect+ today. The third describes hardware Garmin has not released.
In May 2026, Garmin added phone-side workout controls and device selection to Connect, extending what already worked for chest strap strength workouts. CIRQA arrived in July 2026 as the first Garmin with no display of its own.
What comes next can be seen if you know where to look
Garmin tested whether users would log strength data manually in exchange for per-muscle-group load and recovery metrics. That analysis needs ongoing cloud processing, which makes it a Connect+ feature rather than a free one.
Muscle Battery appears separately in Garmin’s filings. SmO2 sensing is the hardware that would feed muscle-specific recovery. None of the Connect+ gating affects the accuracy of the free tier’s own data, covered in full in the full review.
Garmin CIRQA Smart Band
Screenless health and fitness band (no subscription required)
+other retailersQuick answers
Does the Garmin CIRQA need Connect+?
No. All core health and training metrics are free, including Body Battery, Sleep Score, HRV Status, Training Readiness, Training Status, VO2 max and skin temperature. Connect+ adds the workout library, guided coaching plans, manual lap creation, the live heart rate graph in the app, nutrition tracking and Active Intelligence.
Can you see live heart rate on CIRQA without Connect+?
Garmin announced on 23 July 2026 that a Garmin Connect Mobile update in the coming days will make live heart rate visible during a workout without a subscription. Before that change, the free Live Activity screen showed workout average heart rate rather than a live figure. CIRQA also broadcasts heart rate over ANT+ and Bluetooth, so live heart rate has always been available free in Zwift, Peloton, on gym equipment and on a paired Garmin Edge or watch.
Why are there no outdoor workouts on CIRQA?
Structured outdoor workouts need a display you can read while moving. CIRQA has no screen and the phone sits in a pocket during a run or ride. Indoor and strength workouts work because the phone is in your hand between sets.
Does Garmin Connect show a map during a CIRQA activity?
No. CIRQA uses connected GPS through the phone, so Garmin has the position data, but Live Activity shows no map with or without Connect+. Configurable data fields are also unavailable at both tiers.
How much does Garmin Connect+ cost?
Connect+ costs $6.99 per month or $69.99 per year. Garmin offers a 30-day free trial to new subscribers.
Does the Connect+ restriction apply to other Garmin devices?
Yes. The same Live Activity limitation applies to the HRM 600 chest strap. It applies to any Garmin device that relies on the phone as its display rather than having a screen of its own.
Can you create your own workouts on CIRQA without Connect+?
Structured workouts require Connect+ on CIRQA, including workouts you have built yourself. Garmin Coach strength and fitness plans also require the subscription.
What might Garmin add to Connect+ next?
Garmin surveyed users on whether they would log strength data manually in exchange for per-muscle-group load and recovery metrics. That analysis needs ongoing cloud processing, which makes it a Connect+ candidate. Muscle Battery appears separately in Garmin’s filings, and SmO2 sensing is the hardware that would feed muscle-specific recovery.
Last Updated on 19 August 2026 by the5krunner
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tfk is the founder and author of the5krunner, an independent endurance sports technology publication. With 20 years of hands-on testing of GPS watches and wearables, and competing in triathlons at an international age-group level, tfk provides in-depth expert analysis of fitness technology for serious athletes and endurance sport competitors. ID
While true, I highly doubt anyone who buys the CIRQA will buy it as a stand alone to track workouts.
some will. eg whoop buyers
There will be plenty of people who only lift and do functional workouts that would be into this. I guess not everyone runs and rides like we do.
The lack of a a visible HR in the app is a deal breaker for me – this is basic stuff and should not sit behind a paywall. It’s a great device especially for casual users up against whoop but some of it does not make sense
agreed