Is the Whoop fitness tracker really worth the subscription price? After a few months of testing, I break down everything you need to know about its features, tracking capabilities, and whether it’s worth the investment.
I jumped on the Whoop hype train back in November through a Black Friday deal. While it hasn't quite been six months yet (not even close, really, but more on that later), I have now lived with it for a significant amount of time and have fully integrated it into my lifestyle and decision-making process.
Data Tracking and Analysis
By far, the biggest selling point of Whoop is its data tracking, analysis, and reporting. I use my Whoop primarily to track my sleep and recovery, and I’ve recently started using the Strength Trainer feature to log my strength-based workouts, along with other activity-based exercises. The Monthly Performance Assessment (MPA) is an excellent tool for checking in on my progress over time.
For these purposes, Whoop excels in sleep tracking, workout monitoring, and recovery analysis, making it a top fitness tracker for athletes and data-driven users. The sleep and recovery metrics, especially when tied into the journal feature, make optimizing and identifying good sleep patterns a breeze. It has significantly improved my sleep quality, leading to better recovery overall. Even small changes, such as wearing a sleep mask (thanks, Bryan Johnson) or more impactful adjustments like taking HGH pre-bedtime, are metrics you can track within the app to visualize patterns. One of the most eye-opening revelations has been the effect of alcohol - even just one or two beers at dinner visibly disrupt my recovery. As a result, I’ve almost entirely cut out alcohol.
The Metrics You Can Track
Whoop provides a comprehensive set of metrics that can be invaluable for optimizing health and performance. Here’s a breakdown of the key ones:
- Sleep Metrics: Measures sleep duration, efficiency, disturbances, and time spent in various sleep stages (REM, deep, light).
- Recovery Score: Uses heart rate variability (HRV), resting heart rate (RHR), respiratory rate, and sleep performance to determine readiness for the day.
- Strain Score: Tracks overall cardiovascular exertion based on heart rate data and workout intensity.
- HRV (Heart Rate Variability): A key indicator of recovery and stress levels.
- Resting Heart Rate (RHR): Helps monitor overall fitness and cardiovascular health.
- Respiratory Rate: Useful for detecting anomalies that may indicate illness or overtraining.
- Skin Temperature & Blood Oxygen (SpO2): Additional indicators for overall health monitoring.
- Workout Tracking: Whoop automatically detects workouts and allows manual tracking of strength, endurance, and mixed training.
- Journal Feature: Lets you log lifestyle habits such as caffeine intake, alcohol consumption, supplement use, and more, helping you correlate habits with recovery and performance.
Who is Whoop For?
I think the Whoop is best suited for:
- Athletes & gym-goers who want to optimize recovery and performance.
- Biohackers looking for deep health insights and data-driven decisions.
- Casual users who want passive tracking without needing to log workouts manually.
The Support
The after-sales support, at least in my experience, was lacking. It took nearly five weeks for my device to arrive after ordering, and when I reached out to support, I waited three days for a response. Their reply simply stated that there was an issue with my order and offered to either send a new device or cancel the order - without an apology or even a goodwill gesture like a free month. While I don't expect freebies, a small customer service gesture can go a long way for first-time buyers.
However, the in-app support for questions, issues, and feature requests has been excellent. They actively gather feedback and provide attentive responses. Although I haven’t had issues with my device or battery, reports from other users suggest that the RMA process is smooth, which is reassuring.
The Real Sticking Point: Price
Now, let’s talk about the cost - one of the biggest dealbreakers for many. Whoop isn’t a device you buy outright; it’s a subscription-based service. The cost is £229 per year (or about £18 per month). That’s right - you’re essentially paying a membership fee for access to the device and its analytics.
That said, if you’re someone who values data and analytics to drive lifestyle changes or optimize performance at the highest level, I genuinely think it’s worth it. The insights are backed by science for the most part, and the presentation is top-notch.
So, Do I Recommend It?
If you can afford the yearly commitment - honestly, yes. It’s a fantastic tool that allows you to make small but meaningful optimizations across different aspects of your life. However, if you’re the type of person who might get discouraged by a poor recovery or sleep score - leading to a less motivated workout - it may not be for you. Personally, I use it as motivation to ensure my workouts are as good as possible, regardless of the numbers.
If you do decide to try it, please use my referral link so we both get a free month!
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