Garmin recently conducted an earnings call for the first quarter of 2025.
In the earnings call, CEO Cliff Pemble explains why the company decided to launch Connect Plus.
Pemble also mentions reserving features for the subscription service.
Since the launch of Connect Plus in March, Garmin users have been worried about the future of their devices. These users aren’t just upset about the mere introduction of a subscription service; there’s a palpable concern about what this paywall could mean for new features going forward. A recent earnings call appears to show that there may be some substance behind these fears.
Garmin recently conducted an earnings call for the first quarter of 2025. During this call, the company announced an 11% improvement year on year, netting earnings of $1.54 billion. On top of that, Garmin reached a record $330 million in operating income. Around the 16:30 minute mark, the call was opened up for questions.
When asked about the launch of Connect Plus and why the decision was made, CEO Cliff Pemble stated:
I think we’ve been saying for a while that we are evaluating opportunities to have a premium offering on Garmin Connect. I think the developments of AI and particularly around AI-based insights for our users was one of those things that we felt was important to recognize the value for the investment that it takes to do.
Pemble went on to mention that the company “felt like it was the right time” and added that they have not taken away any previously free features. Although the smartwatch maker may not have any plans to take away previously free features, Pemble seemed to confirm what users have been worrying about over the last few weeks.
While discussing the various features Garmin offers, Pemble says “certain ones, we will likely reserve for premium offerings.” Meaning that the company may focus on making Connect Plus a more robust offering by working on features that will be hidden behind the subscription.
Considering that one of the biggest complaints about Connect Plus is how underwhelming it is, Garmin wanting to build out its service doesn’t come as a big surprise. Unfortunately, if Connect Plus is to become a service worthy of a subscription, such a move is necessary. However, knowing this doesn’t exactly ease the sting that comes with realizing more and more features may become exclusive to Connect Plus.
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There isn’t a Garmin fitness tracker review that goes by that I don’t talk about how much I appreciate Garmin’s robust companion app. In fact, I usually talk about it as a comparison point when reviewing other brands as well. Garmin Connect Plus introduces a broad range of new features to the already excellent app, as well as a subscription fee, and while I’m not thrilled about the latter, I do like the suped-up app experience.
How to activate Garmin Connect Plus
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Garmin Connect Plus takes the brand’s fitness tracking up a notch with personalized insights, customizable dashboards, added safety features, and more. However, these upgrades come at an additional $6.99 per month (or $69.99 annually). Fortunately, none of the existing features are locked behind the new paywall. If the new tools don’t catch your eye, you can continue using everything you love about Garmin Connect for free.
You can also try out Connect Plus before committing, thanks to a 30-day free trial. Just access the service through the regular Garmin Connect app, and subscribe to unlock all the premium features. As always, Garmin’s ecosystem is available to both Android and iOS users.
While Garmin has offered paid services before, this is the first time they’ve added a subscription fee to their core features. While I’m glad the basics remain free, I do wish they’d offer a longer trial period for the premium tools. A month isn’t enough to fully judge whether these upgrades are worth the extra cost, especially considering the price of Garmin trackers and smartwatches. Even Apple offers a three-month trial of Fitness Plus before asking users to fork over cash.
Garmin Connect Plus features
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I was cautiously excited about Garmin Connect Plus from the moment it launched and have since given the new features a try. Though not all the features feel completely refined, I am happy overall with the added value each brings to my training experience.
Active Intelligence powered by AI AI is all the rage in wearables, and for good reason; these tools have a ton of potential. Garmin’s model, dubbed Active Intelligence (because AI by AI isn’t redundant…) uses your health and activity data to offer suggestions, and over time, learns from your data to get better at tailoring tips to your goals. However, it still feels a bit basic and isn’t always super relevant. AI is still in beta, so I’m hoping it’ll improve with more time, but right now, it’s not as powerful as it could be.
Performance Dashboard A web-based-only feature (so not available on your smartphone), Performance Dashboard is Garmin’s new highly customizable data presentation screen. The dashboard allows users to completely tailor activity reports, with more than 100 elements to play around with, so you can build a data screen that matches your priorities. The tool also produces new charts and graphs leveraging the same accurate data into a more digestible form. I appreciate how the dashboard highlights comparisons and makes it easier for me to track my progress long term.
Live Activity Garmin’s new Live Activity feature is a cool addition, letting you send real-time workout stats from your watch to your phone. It works indoors during structured, non-GPS workouts, and it’s especially useful for gym, strength, or core workouts where checking your watch mid-set can be a hassle. I really like it for rowing because I can set my phone up on a stand in front of me. For some structured workouts, you’ll get animations and rep counts and can control the workout from your phone (aka skip burpees). It’s useful for sure, but if I’m honest, doesn’t feel like it should be a paid feature.
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Social features Garmin Connect Plus also introduces new badges and challenges, adding a socially motivating layer to the premium service if that’s what gets you going. Despite the fact that I desperately wanted to be a Boy Scout as a child, I’ve never been one for app badges, so this doesn’t necessarily feel like a deal-breaking addition for me.
Additional Garmin Coach guidance I am a big fan of Garmin’s coaching programs and have long applauded that the service is a free one. According to the company, Garmin Connect Plus enhances Garmin Coach with exclusive content and guidance, but I haven’t yet encountered a difference in my experience. My guess is that you need to start a new program and use it long enough for the new features to kick on.
LiveTrack Garmin’s updated LiveTrack feature is another solid upgrade for sharing your activities. Now, when you start a workout, followers get notified via text instead of email, which feels more immediate. You also get a dedicated LiveTrack profile page that automatically updates with your activities, plus the ability to customize your privacy settings and URL. While it’s a useful feature, I always feel weird about safety features being commodified. I would have liked to see Garmin make these improvements free for all.
Conclusion: Is this worth it?
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Overall, Garmin Connect Plus offers solid upgrades, but whether it’s worth the $6.99 per month depends on how much you value the extra features. The enhanced analysis, customizable dashboards, and added safety tools are great for serious athletes, but some features could use refinement. For example, the personalized insights are a nice touch but not as useful as I expected. That said, the potential is there, and Garmin consistently delivers exceptional training tools.
It’s hard to ignore the trend of more apps moving toward subscriptions, which is a bit disappointing. Before committing, I’d recommend testing it out with a free trial. While you’re at it, remember that other premium apps, like Strava, offer robust tool kits for athletes as well, so it’s worth comparing what’s available. Personally, I’m already invested in the Garmin ecosystem. Garmin Connect Plus just feels like a logical next step for me. If you’d prefer to keep your wallet closed, the free version still offers plenty of value.
