In the world of fitness tech, trust and transparency are as important as innovation. But for many loyal Whoop users, that trust just took a serious hit.
This week, Whoop officially unveiled the Whoop 5.0, its latest-generation fitness tracker. But what should’ve been a moment of excitement quickly turned sour when users discovered that a long-standing company promise had seemingly vanished: free hardware upgrades for loyal subscribers. Now, if you want the new Whoop 5.0, you’ll need to pay either in dollars or by extending your membership something that’s left thousands of longtime users feeling betrayed.
For years, Whoop positioned itself differently from other wearables. Instead of selling its trackers outright, Whoop ran on a subscription-only model. Users paid a monthly or yearly fee, and in return, they received the hardware “for free” a key part of the pitch that made the upfront cost of entry less daunting. The deal was particularly sweet for those who stuck around, thanks to one very specific perk: if you were a member for six months or more, you’d get upgraded to the latest hardware for free whenever a new version launched.
But that promise is no longer part of Whoop’s messaging. In fact, it’s been scrubbed entirely from the company’s website. According to archived snapshots from the Internet Archive’s Wayback Machine, the free upgrade policy was visible as recently as March 28, 2025. Fast forward to today, and the tone has changed dramatically.
The New Upgrade Terms
Under the updated policy, existing Whoop members now have two options:
- Extend your membership by another 12 months, and receive the new Whoop 5.0 “at no extra cost.”
- Pay a one-time upgrade fee $49 for the regular Whoop 5.0, or $79 for the upgraded 5.0 MG model, which includes an EKG sensor.
Users who either joined or renewed their subscription within the past 30 days are still eligible for a complimentary upgrade. But for the majority of subscribers who have been faithfully paying for months or even years, the message is clear: Pay more, or stay behind.
User Outrage Erupts
As expected, the backlash has been swift. The r/Whoop subreddit has become a digital town square for frustrated customers voicing their disappointment.
“One of the main reasons I chose a Whoop over an Apple Watch was due to the free hardware upgrades,” one Redditor wrote. “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 didn’t mince words:
“I’m definitely canceling mine now. I was excited to see they had a nice update and deflated after I saw they went back on their word.”
This isn’t just a matter of money for most users. The real issue is the breach of trust. These are customers who bought into a long-term relationship with the brand based on the understanding that they’d be supported with the latest tech, without extra costs tacked on down the road.
Whoop’s pivot isn’t happening in a vacuum. The fitness tech industry as a whole has been shifting toward recurring revenue models, and not always gracefully. Just this year, Garmin angered users by adding a paywall to its previously free Garmin Connect app. Before that, Oura drew criticism for launching a mandatory subscription alongside its third-generation smart ring, despite initially promoting the product as a one-time purchase.
It’s part of a broader trend: once hardware companies hook a dedicated user base, they often start looking for ways to squeeze more value out of them and that usually means subscription add-ons or paid upgrades.
But as many brands are learning the hard way, loyalty doesn’t come with a blank check. Customers may be willing to pay for premium services, but they expect honesty, consistency, and follow-through especially on promises that influenced their buying decisions.
In response to media inquiries, Whoop declined to comment on the record about why the free upgrade policy was removed. The lack of transparency only adds fuel to the fire, leaving users to draw their own conclusions and most of them aren’t flattering.
At the very least, users wanted an explanation. Was the change due to rising production costs? Was it tied to new features in the Whoop 5.0? Was the old policy unsustainable? Without answers, it feels like a bait-and-switch.
For many, this could be a turning point in their relationship with Whoop. Some may begrudgingly pay to stay current, while others will jump ship entirely. With the Apple Watch Series 10 on the horizon and other competitors improving quickly, Whoop’s once-clear advantage may start to fade.
One thing is certain: the damage to consumer trust has been done. Whether the Whoop 5.0 proves to be the best tracker yet or not, users won’t soon forget the feeling of having the rug pulled out from under them.
In a crowded market, loyalty is hard to earn and even easier to lose.
