Garmin Cirqa vs. Fitbit Air: Price, Battery, Subscription and Sensors Compared (2026)

Transparency: This blog has never owned or tested the Garmin Cirqa or the Fitbit Air. There are no first-party measurements and no first-hand wearing experience with these devices here. The article is based on Garmin’s and Google’s German product pages, Garmin’s press release, Google’s launch blog post and the reviews by Computer Bild and PC-WELT (all accessed 17 Oct 2026). Max has worn a WHOOP for years; where WHOOP appears for comparison, the figures are manufacturer data. All sources are listed at the end. Prices are for Germany. This article contains no affiliate links. More on methodology

Key points

• Price: Garmin Cirqa €199.99, Fitbit Air €99.99 (manufacturer stores in Germany, 17 Oct 2026).
• Subscription: optional on both. The Cirqa delivers its core metrics without one; on the Fitbit Air, the AI coach requires Google Health Premium.
• Battery: up to 10 days (Cirqa) and up to 7 days (Air) per the manufacturers. In German reviews the Cirqa only managed 4 to 5 days, the Air the promised week.
• Controls: the Cirqa has a button to start a workout; the Air has none.
• Weight: Fitbit Air 12 g including band according to Google; Cirqa module alone 14.8 g according to PC-WELT.
• Availability: in the German Garmin store the Cirqa in black L–XL ships only in 3 to 4 months; the Fitbit Air can be ordered right away.

What the two devices are

Garmin Cirqa: Garmin announced the “Cirqa Smart Band” on 21 July 2026 as its first screen-free tracker. According to Garmin it works without a subscription, lasts up to 10 days and sends all data to the Garmin Connect app. According to Computer Bild it has been on sale in Germany since July 2026.

Fitbit Air: Google announced the Fitbit Air on 7 May 2026. According to Google it is the company’s smallest tracker: a screenless sensor module that clips into an interchangeable band. At launch the Fitbit app became the Google Health app. The Air works with Android and iOS and needs a Google account.

Both target the same gap as WHOOP: measure around the clock, analyse in the app, no display on the wrist. Unlike WHOOP, both sell hardware at a one-off price.

Garmin Cirqa vs. Fitbit Air: the specs at a glance

Battery: claims vs. practice

This is where paper and reviews differ most. Garmin advertises up to 10 days. Computer Bild only got about four days with average use and calls the short battery life the biggest drawback. PC-WELT got about five days, including two workouts and one automatically detected walk. Both reviews mention ways to stretch it: a battery saver mode and the option to run blood oxygen measurement only at night.

Google promises up to seven days for the Fitbit Air. PC-WELT confirmed this: the battery lasted “from one Saturday to the next”. Charging is quick according to PC-WELT, at 61 percent after 15 minutes.

For context: WHOOP states 14+ days for the WHOOP 5.0 on its German membership page and charges on the wrist with the PowerPack. Neither the Cirqa nor the Air can charge while worn.

What works without a subscription, and what it costs

Garmin Cirqa: According to Garmin’s product page, heart rate, Body Battery, stress, Pulse Ox, sleep analysis with sleep score, HRV status, skin temperature, Health Status, training readiness, training status and VO2 max all work without a subscription. The optional Garmin Connect+ costs €8.99 a month or €89.99 a year in Germany. According to Garmin you need it for live activities, Garmin Coach training plans, nutrition logging, guided meditations and breathing exercises, and the AI insights of Garmin Active Intelligence. PC-WELT’s reviewer writes that they never felt the need to upgrade.

Fitbit Air: According to Google, the Google Health app shows activity, sleep score and sleep stages, heart rate, HRV, respiratory rate, skin temperature and SpO₂ without a subscription. The Gemini-based Google Health Coach, personalised fitness plans, sleep coaching and nutrition coaching are only available with Google Health Premium. Three months are included with the purchase. After that, Premium costs from €8.99 a month according to the German Google Store; PC-WELT also lists an annual plan at €99.99. The footnote on the Fitbit Air product page states €9.99 a month instead; what counts is the price shown when you subscribe.

Over three years (device plus annual plan, free months not deducted, German prices):

If you don’t want a subscription, the Fitbit Air costs just over half as much. If you want Google’s AI coach long-term, after three years you end up in the same range as the Cirqa with Connect+. What WHOOP costs and which plans exist is covered in WHOOP band 2026: models, prices, membership.

Training and sport

The Cirqa is clearly a Garmin: more than 80 activity profiles, automatic activity detection, training readiness, training status, training effect and recovery time. The side button starts and stops a workout. According to Garmin and Computer Bild you can set a favourite activity for the button in the app. PC-WELT, on the other hand, criticises that out of the box the button only records a generic “timed activity” without distance; for distance you start the workout in the app. According to Garmin the Cirqa can also broadcast heart rate to compatible Garmin devices such as Edge bike computers.

According to Google, the Fitbit Air detects common activities automatically; workouts can also be started in the Google Health app. There is no button. Neither device has built-in GPS; for routes you need to carry your phone.

Heart rate in reviews: both did well against a chest strap. PC-WELT measured an average deviation of only one beat per minute for the Cirqa compared with the Garmin HRM 600; for the Fitbit Air the peak was one beat below the chest strap and the average was identical. Computer Bild also credits the Cirqa with accurate heart rate, but notes it did not capture all wake phases at night.

There are no independent validation studies against a sleep lab for either device yet: on 17 Oct 2026 we found no study with “Fitbit Air” or “Cirqa” in the title or abstract on PubMed. How older wearables perform against polysomnography is summarised in our guide Sleep tracking and better sleep.

Health features

• Heart rhythm: according to Google, the Fitbit Air can notify you of an irregular heart rhythm (signs of atrial fibrillation). Google’s help page says the feature is “currently only available in select locations” without listing them. According to Garmin, the Cirqa alerts you to abnormally high or low heart rate.
• ECG: neither device. Computer Bild explicitly points out that the Cirqa lacks the ECG of WHOOP’s top model. At WHOOP, however, only the MG on the Life plan can do that, not the WHOOP 5.0.
• Blood pressure and insulin resistance: Google announces “Health Guardian” trends for blood pressure and insulin resistance for Premium. In the German Google Store they are listed as “coming soon” on 17 Oct 2026. According to Google they are for general wellness only and are not a screening tool.
• Cycle: both support cycle tracking. According to Garmin the Cirqa can share skin temperature data with the Natural Cycles contraception app (separate subscription required).

According to both manufacturers, none of these features is a medical device for diagnosis.

Design and wear

According to Google, the Fitbit Air measures 34.9 × 17 × 8.3 mm and weighs 12 g with the band. It comes in four colours; replacement bands start at €44.99 according to Google. The Cirqa module weighs 14.8 g according to PC-WELT, the fabric band 5.9 to 6.4 g depending on size. Computer Bild calls the housing comparatively thick; the size didn’t bother PC-WELT’s reviewer, but next to the Air the Cirqa looks bigger. Garmin offers an upper-arm band for €59.99 and accessory bands for €49.99. With the Cirqa you have to choose your size in advance; according to Computer Bild only one band is in the box. How to choose between S–M and L–XL is covered in Garmin Cirqa S/M or L/XL.

Availability in Germany

• Garmin Cirqa: listed in the German Garmin store at €199.99. For the black L–XL version the store said “ready to ship in about 3–4 months” on 17 Oct 2026. According to Computer Bild, Garmin apparently did not expect the demand. If you’re in a hurry, compare delivery times at retailers.
• Fitbit Air: available to order from the German Google Store for €99.99, with three months of Google Health Premium.

Which one suits whom?

• Garmin Cirqa if you don’t want to pay a subscription but still want deep training metrics (training readiness, training status, VO2 max), want a button to start workouts, or are already in the Garmin ecosystem. PC-WELT does, however, advise against buying the Cirqa in addition to a Garmin watch, as it provides hardly any different data.
• Fitbit Air if you want the lowest entry price, a particularly light device, the clearer app (PC-WELT praises it in both the Air and the Cirqa review), or already use a Pixel Watch. According to Google, the Air can take over at night while the Pixel Watch is worn during the day.
• Neither if long battery life is your top priority or you want an ECG. Then look at WHOOP (what the WHOOP 5.0 can do) or at subscription-free smart rings as in Oura alternatives without a subscription.

Bottom line

The Garmin Cirqa and the Fitbit Air are the two affordable alternatives to the WHOOP model, with different priorities. The Cirqa costs twice as much but delivers Garmin’s full training analysis without a subscription and has a workout button; its battery, however, fell far short of the promised 10 days in two German reviews, and some versions only ship in months. The Fitbit Air is lighter and cheaper and lasted its week in testing; the AI coach Google advertises, though, is subscription-only.

Sources

• Garmin store Germany, CIRQA Smart Band (€199.99, sizes, “ready to ship in about 3–4 months” for black L–XL, features with and without Connect+), accessed 17 Oct 2026: garmin.com/de-DE/p/1989182
• Garmin, press release “Garmin announces CIRQA”, 21 Jul 2026 (launch, up to 10 days battery, 80+ activities, no subscription): garmin.com
• Garmin store Germany, Garmin Connect+ (€8.99/month, €89.99/year), accessed 17 Oct 2026: garmin.com/de-DE/p/1565777
• Google Store Germany, Google Fitbit Air (€99.99, Premium features, footnotes on trial and Health Guardian), accessed 17 Oct 2026: store.google.com
• Google Store Germany, Fitbit Air tech specs (battery, charging, sensors, dimensions, weight, water resistance, compatibility), accessed 17 Oct 2026: store.google.com
• Google Store Germany, Google Health Premium (from €8.99/month), accessed 17 Oct 2026: store.google.com
• Google blog (German), “Das ist das neue Fitbit Air”, 7 May 2026 (launch, price, bands from €44.99): blog.google
• Google Health Help, irregular heart rhythm notifications (Fitbit Air compatible, select locations only): support.google.com
• Computer Bild, “Garmin Cirqa im Test”, 26 Aug 2026 (German; battery approx. 4 days, heart rate, no ECG, delivery times): computerbild.de
• PC-WELT, “Garmin Cirqa im Test”, 22 Sep 2026 (German; battery approx. 5 days, weight, 5 ATM, charging time, heart rate): pcwelt.de
• PC-WELT, “Google Fitbit Air im Test” (German; battery 7 days, heart rate, Premium €8.99/month or €99.99/year): pcwelt.de
• WHOOP, memberships Germany (One €199/year, 14+ days battery), accessed 17 Oct 2026: whoop.com/de/de/membership
• PubMed search for “Fitbit Air” and “Cirqa” in title/abstract (no results), 17 Oct 2026: pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Not affiliated with Garmin or Google. “Garmin” and “CIRQA” are trademarks of Garmin Ltd.; “Fitbit” and “Google” are trademarks of Google LLC. As of 17 October 2026.