Garmin Connect+: What You Get and Is It Worth It?
Garmin has introduced a new subscription service called Connect+, which offers premium features for $6.99 per month or $69.99 per year. This subscription is an addition to the free Garmin Connect app and does not affect the core features of Garmin watches, which remain subscription‑free.
Key Features Included with Connect+
Connect+ provides several new capabilities, including:
- AI analysis of activities (Active Intelligence)
- Enhanced LiveTrack for sharing your activity status
- Live Activity for following workouts from your phone
- Performance Dashboard for detailed data visualization
- Social features such as earning badges
- Extra training guidance
- Garmin Trails for outdoor activities
- 3D maps and an end‑of‑year stats rundown
Live Activity – A Standout Feature
One of the most useful additions is Live Activity, which lets you keep the Garmin Connect app open while you’re exercising on your watch. This is especially handy for strength workouts, allowing you to edit weights and reps directly from your phone without stopping the session.
Performance Dashboard – Deep Dive into Data
The Performance Dashboard, accessible via the web, offers richer visualizations and comparison tools than the free Reports feature. Users can explore detailed charts, trend lines, and custom time‑range analyses to better understand their progress.
Active Intelligence – AI‑Powered Insights
Active Intelligence is Garmin’s AI analysis engine, currently in beta and requiring users to opt‑in. Early impressions suggest the insights are modest, but Garmin assures the model is trained only on data from users who have consented to share their information.
Pricing Overview
– Monthly: $6.99
– Annual: $69.99 (equivalent to $5.83 per month)
Is Connect+ Worth the Cost?
Overall, Connect+ adds a suite of convenient and fun features, but the core functionality of Garmin watches remains free. Whether the subscription is justified depends on how much you’ll use Live Activity, the Performance Dashboard, and the AI insights. For many users, the free app already covers essential tracking needs.
Conclusion
Connect+ introduces premium tools that can enhance the Garmin experience, especially for athletes who value detailed analytics and seamless phone integration. However, the decision to subscribe should weigh the added convenience against the modest price, keeping in mind that the core watch features stay completely free.
