Screenless Band Wars: Five Trackers Now Fight for Your Wrist

The screenless fitness tracker was, until recently, almost synonymous with one brand. When Amazfit launched the Helio Strap in June 2025, WHOOP was still the only serious player in the category. Sixteen months later, at least five distinct devices from five separate brands are shipping — and the competition has reshaped what UK buyers can reasonably expect for their money.

How the field stacked up

WHOOP moved first among the current generation. The company launched the WHOOP 5.0 and the premium WHOOP MG together in May 2025, restructuring its pricing into three annual tiers: WHOOP One at $199 per year (including the 5.0 hardware), WHOOP Peak at $239, and WHOOP Life at $359, which bundles in the MG with its on-demand ECG and blood-pressure insights. The 5.0 is 7% smaller than its predecessor and rated to 14 days of battery life. Without an active subscription, the device stops tracking entirely — a model that drew renewed scrutiny once rivals began arriving without any recurring fee.

The launch was not without turbulence. WHOOP faced significant public backlash in May 2025 over changes to its upgrade policy that contradicted earlier promises of free hardware upgrades for existing subscribers. The company subsequently adjusted its terms, offering complimentary upgrades to members with 12 or more months remaining and refunds to those who had been charged in error. Founder and CEO Will Ahmed described the 5.0 launch as "a new chapter for WHOOP and for our members," adding: "We've held nothing back."

Amazfit was the next to arrive. The original Helio Strap, priced at €99.90 (around $99.99), launched globally in June 2025 — no subscription required. At approximately 20 grams and with a 10-day battery rating, it undercut WHOOP substantially on upfront cost. Reviewers noted it "performs well above its price range in the core areas of heart rate tracking, sleep monitoring and battery life," though the Zepp app was judged to lack depth for those wanting a true WHOOP replacement. A Pro model aimed squarely at hybrid athletes — adding a second sensor worn at the waist, with a 40-day battery life on that pod — launched at the end of June 2026 at $199.99. Zepp Health has since confirmed a Helio Strap 2 is coming later this year. An official UK retail price for the original Helio Strap has not been confirmed.

Polar entered the market in September 2025 with the Loop, priced at £149.50 in the UK. The 29-gram band comes in three colours — Greige Sand, Night Black, and Brown Copper — and houses Polar's Precision Prime sensor in a stainless-steel buckle. Battery life is rated at eight days. Polar confirmed the Loop is subscription-free and that "every feature is ready on day one." The device is broadly a consumer-facing version of the company's earlier B2B Polar 360 tracker, syncing to the Polar Flow app on Android and iOS.

Google brought Fitbit back into hardware relevance with the Fitbit Air, which launched on 26 May 2026 at $99.99 in the United States, including a three-month trial of Google Health Premium. At just 5 grams, it is described by Google as "our smallest and most affordable tracker designed for comfortable, 24/7 health monitoring." Features include 24/7 heart rate, AFib alerts, SpO2, heart rate variability, and sleep staging. Battery life is rated at seven days, with a five-minute charge delivering an additional day of use. A premium subscription — offering Gemini AI-powered coaching — is optional rather than mandatory. A confirmed UK price has not been announced. Analysts at the5krunner noted that WHOOP retains the edge for serious endurance and strength athletes, while the Fitbit Air is the stronger fit for casual wellness buyers.

Garmin was the last of the five to arrive, announcing the CIRQA Smart Band on 21 July 2026 and releasing it three days later. Priced at £179.99 in the UK, the CIRQA weighs 20 grams, claims 10 days of battery life, and tracks more than 80 activities via an on-device button or the Garmin Connect app. Women's health features include menstrual cycle and pregnancy tracking using skin temperature. No subscription is required, though Garmin Connect+ is available as an optional add-on. DC Rainmaker reported there is "little reason" for most users to bother with it. The CIRQA can be worn on the wrist or as an arm band and comes in four colours, each offered in two sizes.

Susan Lyman, Garmin's Vice President of Consumer Sales and Marketing, said at launch: "We purposefully created CIRQA Smart Band for those who are passionate about staying healthy and active. With its discreet design and trusted health and fitness tracking tools Garmin is known for, this smart band complements our lineup of popular smartwatches and wellness monitors... Plus, with no subscription required, CIRQA Smart Band helps you stay on top of your health and fitness goals."

Where the market goes next

The category is evolving quickly. Amazfit has already confirmed a second-generation Helio Strap for later in 2026, and the launch of a HYROX-specific Pro model suggests brands are beginning to segment within the screenless space itself. For UK buyers, the immediate picture is unusually straightforward: four of the five devices are available for a one-off payment, official UK prices are confirmed for the Polar Loop and the Garmin CIRQA, and the cheapest entry point sits well below £200 without any strings attached.

• WHOOP 5.0 / MG — subscription from $199/year; 14-day battery; ECG and BP insights on MG tier
• Amazfit Helio Strap — €99.90 one-off; 10-day battery; no UK RRP confirmed
• Polar Loop — £149.50; 8-day battery; subscription-free
• Google Fitbit Air — $99.99 US; 7-day battery; no confirmed UK price
• Garmin CIRQA — £179.99; 10-day battery; subscription-free

The screenless band is no longer an enthusiast oddity. With Garmin's name on the category, mainstream adoption looks considerably more likely — and the pressure on subscription-dependent models has never been greater.