Yesterday, Whoop officially announced its latest fitness tracker, the Whoop 5.0, but the excitement quickly turned to frustration for many existing users. Previously, Whoop had assured its members that those who had maintained their membership for a minimum of six months would receive free upgrades to new hardware. However, the company has recently altered this policy, stating that users seeking to upgrade from the Whoop 4.0 to the new 5.0 model will now be required to pay an upgrade fee.
What sets Whoop apart from other fitness trackers is its subscription-based model. While many wearable technology companies charge customers for the hardware and offer optional subscriptions for additional data and features, Whoop has traditionally provided the hardware for “free” in exchange for a higher annual subscription fee. For instance, the Oura Ring operates differently; customers purchase the ring and can then opt for a monthly subscription of $6 for additional services.
In the past, Whoop had promised that existing members would be able to upgrade their hardware at no cost whenever a new model was released, as long as they had been members for six months. This assurance has now been removed from the company’s official site, despite being accessible just a few months ago on March 28th, according to the Internet Archive's Wayback Machine.
Currently, Whoop's official “How to upgrade” page outlines two options for existing members. Users can either extend their membership for an additional 12 months, which will allow them to receive the new Whoop 5.0 hardware “at no extra cost,” or they can choose to pay a one-time upgrade fee of $49 for the standard Whoop 5.0 or $79 for the Whoop 5.0 MG, which includes advanced EKG sensors. Additionally, an official Reddit thread indicates that users who joined or renewed their membership within the last 30 days qualify for a free upgrade.
Understandably, this change has left many Whoop fans feeling frustrated and misled. The r/Whoop subreddit is filled with discontented users voicing their concerns. One Redditor expressed disappointment, stating, “One of the main reasons I chose a Whoop over an Apple Watch was due to the free hardware upgrades. Conveniently, my 12-month subscription is up around the same time the Apple Watch is released. The cost isn’t the issue; it’s them changing what was promised.”
Another user echoed similar sentiments, sharing their decision to cancel their membership due to the company’s shift in policy: “I was excited to see they had a nice update and deflated after I saw they went back on their word about not charging for future hardware.”
The Verge has reached out to Whoop for clarification regarding the changes to its hardware upgrade policy but has yet to receive a response. This situation highlights a broader trend in the industry, where alterations to subscription models often lead to significant backlash from customers. For example, Garmin recently faced criticism for introducing a paid tier to the Garmin Connect app, despite years of promoting its service as free. Similarly, Oura encountered a strong negative response after implementing a subscription for its third-generation smart ring.
As the fitness tracking market continues to evolve, it remains crucial for companies like Whoop to maintain transparency with their customers to avoid damaging trust and loyalty.
