If you’re looking for the best Whoop alternatives that don’t charge a recurring monthly subscription, I highly recommend that you get the Fitbit Sense 2 smartwatch.
In testing, the Fitbit Sense 2 returned reliable heart reading, made stress management easier, and helped a great deal in improving the quality of sleep. I find the Daily Readiness Score incredibly useful, as it acts as a guidance to help me determine whether I should focus on recovery or go out for exercise.
The Fitbit Sense 2 is just one of the Whoop competitors that perform well without requiring a recurring premium plan.
There is more.
What are the Best Whoop Alternatives?
Here’s the deal:
Whoop is the best strain, sleep, and recovery fitness tracker, a model built to help you find a balance between recovery and training.
Unfortunately, Whoop requires a subscription, with a 12 months commitment that can be quite expensive for some people.
Fortunately, there are alternative brands with powerful set of rules and integrated sensors, which can track your heart rate, steps, stress level, oxygen levels, and so much more without charging you a monthly fee.
And they’re as follows:
1. Fitbit Sense 2 Smartwatch
Fitbit Sense 2 isn’t even 10 months old on the market, but this smartwatch is one of the alternatives that beat Whoop Strap 4.0 down to dust.
Let me explain:
Fitbit Sense 2 does the exact same thing Whoop does.
It combines your heart rate variability, activity levels, and sleep patterns to come up with a Daily Readiness Score. Based on the results, you know whether you should workout or spend time in recovery.
And you get this information free for a lifetime.
Fitbit Sense 2 also excels on performance under water. It’s part of the waterproof Fitbit devices that can stand up to forceful water pressure of up to 50 meters deep.
That’s different from Whoop Strap’s 1 ATM rating, which means it can’t go further than a meter under water – and not for more than 30 minutes.
Features Compared
| Features | Fitbit Sense 2 | Whoop Strap 4.0 |
| Display | Has a colored display | Doesn’t have a display |
| Steps | Counts steps | It doesn’t count steps |
| Swim Tracking | You can use it to track swimming | Whoop Strap 4.0 cannot track swimming |
| Stress Management | Includes stress management tools | No stress management tools included |
| Recovery | Focuses on recovery and readiness | Focuses on recovery and readiness |
| Heart Rate | Monitors heart rate | Monitors heart rate |
| Sleep | Tracks sleep in three stages | Tracks sleep in four stages |
| Built-in GPS | Has onboard GPS | Does not have a built-in GPS system |
| Battery Life | Up to 6 days | Up to 5 days |
| Check Latest Price | $30/Month on Whoop |
Also Read: Whoop vs Fitbit: A Deep Dive Into How They Compare
2. Garmin Venu 2S
From a colorful display and a responsive touchscreen to animated workouts and smart features, the Garmin Venu 2S smartwatch gives you more for a one-time price than what Whoop can’t offer for the recurring subscription.
My take on the Garmin Venu 2S is this:
You’re getting a smartwatch packed with features that provide an aggregated view of your wellness by providing a 24-hour activity tacking ability.
At the same time, the inclusion of smart features, such as music, contactless payments, incident detection, and GPS integration goes a long way to make your life easier – if not enhance it.
Features Compared
| Features | Garmin Venu 2S | Whoop Strap 4.0 |
| Display | It has a colorful, bright display with a responsive touchscreen. | It doesn’t have a display and it can’t work without the app. |
| Activities Tracked | Tracks running, cycling, strength training, golfing, and so much more | Detects any type of workout logged into it. |
| Heart Rate | Can monitors heart rate | Can monitors heart rate |
| GPS System | Has built-in GPS system for distance tracking and mapping | Doesn’t have a built-in GPS to map routes and track distance |
| Incident Detection | The watch has an incident detection. | It doesn’t include an incident detection. |
| Sleep Tracking | Three sleep stages, sleep score, advanced sleep analysis | Four sleep stages, sleep score, advanced sleep analysis |
| Breathing | Monitors mindful breathing | Doesn’t support mindful breathing |
| Battery Life | Up to 10 days | Up to 5 days |
| Check Latest Price | $30/Month on Whoop |
Also Read: How Whoop Compares With Oura Ring
3. Samsung Galaxy Watch 5 Smartwatch
Samsung Galaxy Watch 5 smartwatch doesn’t exactly focus on strain. But it’s one of the best Whoop alternatives to consider if sleep analysis, recovery, and body composition are important to you.
The obvious difference between the two devices is the display. But there is more to Samsung Galaxy Watch 5 than its bright colorful display.
First, there’s nothing I want more in a smartwatch than reliable tracking and reporting. And the Galaxy Watch 5 does an impressive job on sleep coaching.
The tracker monitors sleep in four stages: awake, light, deep, and REM. Combined with advanced coaching, the result is data that helps you develop better sleeping habits over time.
Although Samsung Galaxy Watch 5 won’t give you a strain score, it does at least allow you to monitor your recovery using the heart rate data.
Ideally, if your recovery heart rate is the same as or close to the resting heart rate, then you know you’re recovering well and that your body is in good physical condition.
Features Compared
| Features | Samsung Galaxy Watch 5 | Whoop Strap 4.0 |
| Display | Bright, Sapphire Crystal, touchscreen display | Doesn’t have a display |
| Sleep | Sleep tracking, sleep score, sleep coaching | Sleep tracking in four stages, advanced sleep analysis, no coaching |
| Body Composition | Supported | Not supported |
| Heart Rate | Resting heart rate, recovery heart rate | Heart rate variability, resting heart rate, respiratory rate |
| Battery Life | Up to 3 days | Up to 5 days |
| Strain and Recovery | Uses heart rate data to determine recovery | Gives a strain score and helps with recovery |
| Workout Detection | Automatic | Automatic |
| Activities Tracked | Track more than 90 unique activities | Track up to 80 different activities |
| Water Intake | Water intake detection included | Can’t detect your water intake |
| Check Latest Price | $30/Month on Whoop |
4. Apple Watch Series 8
The Apple Watch Series 8 has nothing to do with strain or recovery. But it’s still a good pick if you need a fitness tracker and a smartwatch that you pay for just once.
I’ve seen people praise and criticize it at the same time.
Praised for being classy with a colorful display and hated for having the poorest battery life in the wearable collection.
But how does it fit as one of the best Whoop alternatives?
Well, it comes down to health.
By checking your blood oxygen levels, the Apple Watch Series 8 enables you to understand how well your body absorb air as you breathe in, with a 90% score indicating that you’re indeed healthy.
I haven’t been in a crash or fall. But I strongly believe that the crash and fall detection feature on Apple Watch can save your life, should you ever get into an accident. Combined with emergency contact dial, the Apple Watch Series 8 can save your life by connecting you with immediate emergency services.
Features Compared
| Features | Apple Watch Series 8 | Whoop Strap 4.0 |
| Blood Oxygen Levels | Tracks blood oxygen levels when you’re not moving | Tracks blood oxygen level when you’re sleeping |
| Blood Flow and Heart Rate | Has an ECG sensor for blood floor and heart rate | Uses PPG for blood flow and heart rate |
| Crash and Fall Detection | Included | Not included |
| Sleep | Tracks sleep in three stages | Tracks sleep in four stages |
| Temperature Sensor | Detects skin temperature | Detects skin temperature |
| Battery Life | 18 hours battery life | Up to 5 days |
| Check Latest Price | $30/Month on Whoop |
Also Read: Whoop vs Apple Watch: How Do They Compare?
Final Thoughts
Whoop Strap 4.0 may be the best fitness tracker for strain and recovery.
But if you aren’t into paying recurring subscription on a monthly, annual, or two-year basis, Whoop isn’t for you.
In looking for alternatives, ensure you pick an option that is not only affordable but also gives you the ability to keep your health and fitness in check.
