I’ll be honest, I didn’t think screenless fitness trackers would become the biggest story in wearables this year. But here we are. Google’s Fitbit Air landed in May, and it’s been selling like crazy. Now everyone’s asking the same question: where’s Garmin’s answer?
That answer has a name now. It’s called the Garmin Cirqa, and it’s shaping up to be the Garmin Fitbit Air rival we’ve all been waiting for. I’ve been tracking every leak, trademark filing, and rumor since this whole thing started, and I want to walk you through what’s actually confirmed versus what’s still speculation.
Grab a coffee. Let’s get into it.
What Is the Garmin Fitbit Air Rival, Exactly?
The Garmin Cirqa is Garmin’s take on the screenless fitness tracker trend. Think Whoop, think Fitbit Air, but with Garmin’s training smarts baked in.
Unlike a smartwatch, it has no display. It just sits on your wrist (or maybe your arm) and quietly logs your heart rate, sleep, recovery, and daily strain. You check the data through an app instead of glancing at a screen.
This isn’t some random rumor floating around Reddit anymore, either. <cite index=”10-1″>Garmin has filed official trademarks for the Cirqa with the Canadian Intellectual Property Office and the EUIPO</cite>, on top of an earlier U.S. filing back in April. That’s a pretty strong signal a launch is close.
Why Garmin Needed This
Garmin has owned the serious-athlete watch space for years. But <cite index=”7-1″>the screenless category has been “uncontested” territory largely held by Whoop until this year</cite>, when Fitbit Air showed up and made the idea mainstream.
I get why Garmin can’t sit this one out. Fitbit sits well above 30 million active users, and once a company with that kind of reach enters a niche, everyone else has to respond. Garmin’s Cirqa is that response.
Expected Launch Date
There’s no confirmed date yet, but the signs point to “soon.”
- April 2026: First U.S. trademark filing spotted
- May 2026: Rumors escalate after a Ukrainian retailer listing leaks pricing and specs
- Early July 2026: New trademark filings appear in Canada and the EU
That pattern of filings across multiple regions usually means a company is getting close to a real launch, not just protecting a name for future use. <cite index=”10-1″>Tech Advisor reported this week that the Cirqa “appears close to launch following new trademark filings in Canada and Europe”</cite>.
My honest guess? Late summer or early fall 2026. Garmin tends to move deliberately, and they’ll want the software polished before they go up against Fitbit Air’s early buzz.
Garmin Cirqa Features: What We Know So Far
Here’s where it gets interesting. A few features have leaked out through retailer listings and industry sources.
- 24/7 health tracking — sleep, heart rate, calories, and recovery, tracked passively without you doing anything
- Elevate 5 sensor — Garmin’s newest and most accurate heart rate sensor, a real advantage over cheaper competitors
- Deep Garmin Connect integration — training metrics, Connect IQ ecosystem support, and syncing with existing Fenix or Forerunner data
- Recovery and energy focus — reports suggest Cirqa will lean hard into recovery scoring, similar to Whoop’s Strain and Recovery model
- Possible auto workout detection upgrade — a leaked (and later deleted) Reddit post suggested the Cirqa could pair with Garmin watches to fill gaps in Move IQ’s automatic activity detection
That last one matters more than it sounds. <cite index=”3-1″>Automatic workout detection is currently one of the weaker parts of Garmin’s ecosystem</cite>, so if Cirqa fixes that, it’s a genuine upgrade, not just a copycat product.
How It Might Work With Your Garmin Watch
If you already own a Garmin watch, the Cirqa reportedly won’t replace it. Instead, it sounds like a companion device.
The idea, based on leaks, is that Cirqa could detect movement and then trigger GPS tracking on your paired watch automatically. You’d still get your watch’s screen and detailed metrics, but the band handles background detection so you don’t miss logging a walk or workout.
Price: The Big Question Mark
This is where the leaks get a little wild. One early report claimed pricing near $500, which would put the Cirqa at roughly five times the cost of the Fitbit Air’s $99.99 starting price.
That number came from a single retailer listing though, and prices from regional retailers don’t always match final U.S. pricing. I’d treat it as a ceiling estimate rather than a confirmed number.
A quick comparison of what we know about pricing in this category:
| Device | Starting Price | Subscription |
|---|---|---|
| Fitbit Air | $99.99 | Optional, ~$10/month |
| Whoop | $199–$359/year | Required |
| Luna Band | ~$149 | None |
| Garmin Cirqa | Rumored up to $500 | Unknown |
If Garmin really does price the Cirqa that high, they’ll need to justify it with serious training depth. A recovery band at premium-smartwatch pricing is a hard sell, even for loyal Garmin fans.
Garmin Cirqa vs Fitbit Air: My Take
I’ve spent time with the Fitbit Air, and honestly, it’s a solid little tracker for the price. It’s light, comfortable, and its heart rate accuracy held up well against a full Garmin watch in casual testing.
But Garmin’s advantage isn’t the hardware, it’s the ecosystem. If you’re already deep into Garmin Connect with years of training history, Cirqa could plug straight into that. Fitbit Air can’t offer that same continuity if you’re not already a Google Health or Pixel user.
My personal opinion? Most existing Garmin owners will buy the Cirqa no matter the price, simply because they don’t want to manage two separate apps. The real battle is for new buyers who haven’t picked a side yet, and that’s where the price tag will decide a lot.
What This Means for Buyers Right Now
If you’re shopping today, here’s how I’d think about it:
- Want something now and don’t mind spending less? Fitbit Air is shipping today at $99.99 with no required subscription.
- Already own a Garmin watch and want deeper recovery data? Waiting for Cirqa probably makes sense, especially if it’s designed to work alongside your existing watch.
- Price-sensitive and open to any brand? Keep an eye on the Luna Band too, which is launching around the same window with no subscription fee.
None of these are locked in yet, so if budget matters, it’s worth waiting for official pricing before you commit either way.
Wrapping Up
The Garmin Fitbit Air rival is coming, and it looks like the Cirqa. We’ve got trademark filings in three regions, leaked pricing that might be way higher than Fitbit Air, and rumored features like the Elevate 5 sensor and smarter workout detection.
Nothing is official yet, so treat the pricing especially as a rumor until Garmin confirms it. I’ll be updating this post the moment we get real news, so bookmark it or subscribe below if you want to stay ahead of the launch.
