Garmin has rolled out Garmin Connect Plus, a new subscription service for the Garmin Connect app. It promises to supercharge your data analysis and training, but it comes at a cost.
In this post, we’ll break down the new features, weigh the pros and cons, and help you decide if Garmin Connect Plus is worth €8.99 per month or €89.99 per year.
What’s Garmin Connect Plus All About?
Think of Garmin Connect Plus as a premium add-on to the already feature-packed Garmin Connect app.
It layers extra features on top of what you already get. Don’t worry; all the existing features you know and love aren’t going anywhere; they remain free.
If you’re curious, you can test it out for yourself with a 30-day free trial.
Let’s Explore the New Features
Alright, let’s get into the nitty-gritty. Here’s a breakdown of what Garmin Connect Plus brings to the table, using real-world examples to show you how these features work.
Active Intelligence
Active Intelligence gives you a daily snapshot of your activity data. It’s like a personalized health feed that changes throughout the day, depending on when you check it and how recently you’ve synced your device.
For example, after a run, you might get an analysis showing a muscle imbalance, like a 51%/49% split.
Based on that data, the app might suggest incorporating strength training to even things out. You’ll also get insights into your steps and intensity minutes.
It’s worth pointing out that key features like training readiness and form analysis are still part of the free version, so you’re not losing access to core metrics.
Enhanced Indoor Training
If you’re a fan of indoor workouts, this feature could be interesting.
Garmin Connect Plus lets you see live activity data in the app during your indoor training sessions.
This works whether you’re following an animated workout or doing your own thing.
Here’s what you’ll see:
- Live heart rate data: Mirrored directly from your Garmin watch.
- Animated workout guidance: If you’re doing a guided workout, the app shows you the exercises.
- Heart rate zone information: Keep an eye on your intensity.
- Muscle group targeting: See which muscles you’re working.
- Repetition and set tracking: The app tracks your reps and sets, and you can manually adjust them if needed.
You can even pause or adjust your workout directly from the app. Keep in mind that this is more of a convenience than a game-changing feature, as you can do most of this directly on your watch.
Advanced LiveTrack
The LiveTrack feature lets you share your location and performance data with friends and family in real-time.
The basic LiveTrack is still free, but Garmin Connect Plus adds some cool enhancements:
- SMS Notifications: You can now send LiveTrack invites via SMS, which is super handy. The recipient needs to consent to privacy, which is a nice touch.
- Personalized URL: This lets you create a custom LiveTrack URL, like live.garmin.com/yourname. Just remember to change it after testing!
- Data Privacy Options: You can control who sees your saved sessions (everyone, only you, or specific people) and choose to show only active sessions or your full history.
When someone views your LiveTrack, they’ll see your real-time location, navigation route (if you’re using it), and data like heart rate, pace, and power. They can even send you messages.
Keep in mind: you need a smartphone with you for LiveTrack to work, except if you have a Garmin watch with LTE connectivity.
The personalized profile page displays your workout history and stats.
One thing to note is that it only shows workouts after you subscribe to Garmin Connect Plus. Stats include distance, time, pace, and a detailed workout analysis (pace, elevation, heart rate, cadence, and power).
Garmin Coach Enhanced Videos
If you use Garmin Coach for training plans, you’ll see a Connect Plus symbol on some of the training guidance.
This will unlock extra analysis and videos to help you understand the workouts.
However, the videos are currently only in English and seem geared toward beginner runners.
Performance Dashboard (Web)
You’ll find the Performance Dashboard on the Garmin Connect website, not the mobile app. It’s all about diving deep into your data with advanced analysis and customization.
You can choose from pre-built dashboards for running, cycling, and multisport, or create your own from scratch. The customization options are extensive:
- Add or remove statistics.
- Select data ranges (this month vs. last month, this year vs. last year, or custom ranges).
- Choose which activities to include.
You can also resize and rearrange the data widgets to create your ideal layout. It’s important to remember that the dashboard uses the data you already have; it just presents it in a more customizable way.
Feel free to add multiple dashboards for different activities and delete the ones you don’t need. You can also change the time intervals displayed (28 days, 52 weeks, or the entire year).
Garmin Connect Plus Challenges
Garmin Connect Plus members get access to exclusive challenges, marked with a gold symbol. These challenges can range from speed walking to accumulating elevation gain.
Profile Customization: Frames
Finally, Garmin Connect Plus lets you add frames to your profile picture in the Garmin Connect app. A minor detail, but it’s there if you want it.
Is Garmin Connect Plus Worth the Money?
Let’s get down to brass tacks: Is Garmin Connect Plus worth €8.99 per month or €89.99 per year?
The Performance Dashboard is a standout feature, offering powerful data visualization and customization. But the question remains: is that, and the other features, worth the subscription cost?
Garmin watches are already a significant investment. Should these enhanced features be included in the initial purchase price? Other manufacturers offer similar features for less, raising questions about Garmin’s approach.
It’s a tough call. Garmin Connect Plus is still in beta, and the lack of features like a chat feature for the KI trainers is disappointing.
Final Verdict
Ultimately, whether Garmin Connect Plus is worth it depends on your individual needs and how deeply you’re invested in the Garmin ecosystem.
Do you crave detailed data analysis and personalized insights? Do you use the LiveTrack feature frequently and want more control over your privacy settings? If so, Garmin Connect Plus might be worth considering.
What do you think about the new Garmin Connect Plus features? Share your thoughts in the comments below.
Remember, you can try Garmin Connect Plus free for 30 days. Just don’t forget to cancel if you decide it’s not for you.
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