Buzz
This article is part of Find Your Fit Tech, Mytour's comprehensive guide on fitness wearables. Here, I tackle the tough questions about whether wearables truly enhance your health, how to pick the best one for you, and how to optimize the data they provide.
If you're after an activity tracker, you have a wide range of options, from budget-friendly step counters to high-end smartwatches. If you're leaning toward extensive data and don't mind paying more for it, your options shrink somewhat, but there's one contender that stands out from the rest. So, the question is: Should you opt for a Whoop band or a conventional smartwatch?
The Whoop is a wristband-style wearable that lacks a screen but still tracks your physical activities. It’s favored by athletes for its ability to measure ‘strain’ from various activities and estimate ‘recovery’ based on your sleep patterns (and the data it gathers while you're resting).
In contrast, a smartwatch offers a broader range of features—but most models can track activities, monitor heart rate, and measure vital signs during sleep. Essentially, you can get the same basic functions from either device. To help you decide, let’s explore the pros and cons of both.
The Whoop lacks a screen
The most significant difference in daily use comes down to what you’re wearing. For some, the absence of a screen on the Whoop is a benefit, but for others, it’s a dealbreaker. How do you feel about that?
Without a screen, you won’t have to worry about scratching or damaging it during exercise, but this also means you can’t check your heart rate mid-workout unless you have your phone open as well. Personally, I find it works well for stationary bike workouts, as I can place my phone on the handlebars with the Whoop app open. However, it would be a major hassle if I wanted to monitor my heart rate during something like an outdoor run.
If you’re after a device that tracks your activity without being intrusive, the Whoop is a solid choice. Plus, it doesn’t have to be worn on your wrist. While the wristband is the most convenient option, Whoop offers alternatives, including a bicep band or the ability to tuck the device into specialized clothing designed for this purpose.
Whoop requires a subscription, while many smartwatches don’t.
Subscription costs are a notable difference. Whoop doesn’t charge for the basic hardware; it’s available ‘free’ with a subscription that costs $30 per month or $239 per year. I have a cost breakdown here comparing Whoop to the Oura ring if that’s helpful. (Oura has a higher initial cost but a cheaper subscription.)
Smartwatches typically don’t require a subscription. The Apple Watch works just fine without one, though this may depend on the apps you wish to use (like Apple Fitness+). Nevertheless, the basic features are free, including the ability to access all your metrics via the Fitness and Health apps.
Garmin, the brand most beloved by runners, doesn’t require a subscription for tracking activity and recovery, although you can opt to pay for a data plan on some models, allowing you to leave your phone behind. (The Apple Watch offers this too; check with your cellular provider.)
Fitbit doesn’t require a subscription for the basic features, but if you want detailed metrics, you’ll need to pay $9.99 per month. This includes a breakdown of your stress management, sleep scores, a readiness score, monthly data summaries, and the ability to view 90-day trends rather than just current-week metrics.
Some smartwatches include GPS, whereas Whoop does not.
If you plan to run, bike, or hike without your phone, a smartwatch is likely a better choice. Whoop lacks built-in GPS to track your location and assumes you’ll have your phone with you. GPS is available on Apple Watch, Garmin, and higher-end Fitbit models.
For those venturing out without their phone, many smartwatches also allow you to play music (via Bluetooth earbuds), make calls or send texts with data service, and view the time. Some, like Apple Watch and Garmin, let you pay for purchases without your wallet (for example, buying a bottle of water at a convenience store). None of these features are available with the Whoop.
Accuracy can vary across devices
With so many smartwatches available, a full comparison of all models isn’t feasible. What I’ve covered is generally sufficient for most needs. The recovery calculations (or readiness, or ‘body battery,’ depending on the device) differ from one algorithm to another. Since there’s no universal standard to compare these, each manufacturer can claim that its algorithm is the most accurate.
The same applies to sleep data. While devices have improved in detecting sleep and distinguishing between sleep stages, the key takeaway remains the same as when I wrote in 2016 that you shouldn’t rely on a gadget to determine how well you slept. For example, I can wear three different trackers overnight and wake up with three completely different readings of how much REM sleep I got. I trust my ‘sleep quality’ scores just as much as I trust the body fat reading from my smart scale, which is to say, not much at all for making decisions.
One feature Whoop offers that most smartwatches don’t is weekly and monthly reports of your activity and sleep data. Each week, I can compare my recovery and workout stats (there’s an ‘optimal’ zone where they align, and I’m typically within it). If I’ve been tracking factors like alcohol consumption before bed, I can see how that affects my sleep in a monthly summary. Some smartwatch apps offer similar analysis, but many don’t. Whoop provides one of the most detailed and easy-to-read summaries.
When it comes to tracking activity, there’s at least one objective measure both watches and Whoop can monitor: heart rate. If you’re looking to compare accuracy, check reviews of the devices you’re considering. In my experience, the Whoop doesn’t always get my heart rate right—it often misses sharp spikes in heart rate. When I wear a Whoop alongside my old Series 4 Apple Watch, the Watch always gives me an accurate reading that matches my perceived effort and agrees with manual readings (counting my pulse with a stopwatch). The Whoop sometimes aligns with the Watch’s readings, but other times it doesn’t. If you care about precision, consider using a chest strap with your phone or a compatible smartwatch.
By the way, if you’re hoping to track the calories you’ve burned? No device is accurate enough to rely on, so you can probably skip that metric when comparing devices.
A smartwatch is more reliable as a watch.
After all these comparisons, the choice seems to come down to two main questions. First, how do you feel about Whoop’s subscription model? And second, do you really want a watch?
A smartwatch can do much more than just track activity. It can alert you with notifications, display the time, give you weather updates, and much more. Many models also let you play music, make payments, and locate your phone if it’s misplaced. A smartwatch can even serve as a fashion accessory or a status symbol, if that’s something you care about. Do you want all these features?
For some, the answer is a clear yes. If that’s you, then go ahead and buy a smartwatch. But if that all seems like unnecessary distractions, and what you really want is activity tracking and a daily recovery score, then the Whoop is the better choice for you.
