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| Garmin Connect Plus appears to be quite successful |
For years, Garmin has built its reputation on selling premium, often expensive, hardware—from the rugged Fenix series to the data-rich Forerunners—backed by one of the most comprehensive free software ecosystems in the industry. The Garmin Connect app and its web interface have long been a gold standard, offering users deep dives into their performance data, workout analysis, and a social community, all at no extra cost.
That implicit understanding between Garmin and its customers—you buy the watch, we provide the platform—is now being tested. The introduction of Garmin Connect Plus, a paid premium subscription, has drawn sharp criticism from a loyal user base that feels the company is moving the goalposts.
What is Garmin Connect Plus?
Garmin Connect Plus is the company’s foray into the recurring revenue model that has become ubiquitous in the tech world. As Garmin tends to place its newest, often AI-driven features behind this paywall, the subscription offers several enhancements over the free tier. Among other things, it includes:
- Advanced Nutrition Tracking: A food log feature that allows users to track their diet manually or via camera.
- AI-Powered Insights: Personalized recommendations and "Active Intelligence" that go beyond standard performance metrics.
- Performance Dashboards: The ability for users to create custom charts to visualize their training data in more granular detail.
While the free version of Garmin Connect remains functional and feature-rich, the move to cordon off new tools has left a bad taste in the mouths of many who have spent hundreds, if not thousands, of dollars on Garmin devices over the years.
The CEO’s Perspective on Recurring Revenue
The debate around Garmin’s strategic shift was recently brought into focus during the company’s Q4 2025 earnings call. Following a blockbuster quarter where Garmin's Q4 2025 results beat expectations and sent the stock surging, an analyst pressed President and CEO Cliff Pemble on the company's priorities regarding recurring revenue.
Specifically, analyst Eric Woodring inquired about Garmin's focus on expanding subscription models. Pemble’s response was telling, emphasizing that Garmin wants to grow not only that revenue stream but also "the business model behind it."
According to Pemble, Garmin’s subscription business is currently growing at least as fast as the overall business—if not faster. However, he was careful to note that subscriptions still account for less than 10% of Garmin’s overall revenue. This suggests that while Connect Plus is contributing to that growth, it is part of a broader portfolio that includes other subscriptions like Outdoor Maps Plus and inReach satellite communication services.
"It is worth noting that a CEO is aware that such statements will be made public," the context of the call implies, but Pemble's words confirm that subscriptions are a growing piece of the puzzle, even as the core hardware business (with products like the solar-charging Garmin Fenix 6X Pro ) continues to thrive.
Why Are Users So Critical?
The criticism stems from a perceived breach of trust. Garmin smartwatches are relatively expensive compared to many competitors. Part of the justification for that premium price has always been the robust, free Garmin Connect platform, which includes not just an app but a detailed web interface for analyzing workouts—a feature many competitors lack.
By moving features like advanced analytics and AI coaching behind a paywall, users feel they are being asked to pay twice: once for the hardware, and again to unlock its full potential. The introduction of a paid tier feels, to many long-time users, like the erosion of the value proposition that made them choose Garmin in the first place.
The Market Context
Despite the user backlash, the strategy appears sound from a business perspective. Garmin's Q4 2025 results were stellar, with the company posting record revenue and a 15.96% pre-market stock surge. The Fitness segment, which includes wearables and is the primary home for Connect Plus, was a major growth driver, increasing 33% for the full year to $2.36 billion.
For Garmin, the subscription model provides a more predictable, high-margin revenue stream that can smooth out the cyclical nature of hardware sales. For users, it represents a new calculus: is the value of the new AI insights and dashboards worth a monthly fee on top of an expensive watch?
As Garmin looks to 2026, projecting another 9% revenue growth, the balancing act will continue. The company must innovate and monetize its ecosystem without alienating the passionate user base that helped it become a dominant player in wearables. For now, Connect Plus is here to stay, and the conversation around what "premium" really means is just getting started.