Whoop 5.0 upgrade isn't free to users – and it's making them mad

(Credit: Whoop)

• ⌚️ Whoop isn’t offering an upgrade to Whoop 5.0 to existing users, like it’s historically promised

• 💰 Instead, you have to pay to upgrade to the new version

• 😡 It’s making Whoop users quite angry online

• 💵 The Whoop 5.0 ranges from $199/year to $359/year, depending on the model you choose

Whoop just announced the Whoop 5.0 band this week, and while it’s been met by a lot of excitement, it’s also facing some criticism. That’s because Whoop isn’t giving the new hardware to existing subscribers for free, breaking a promise it held up until less than two months ago.

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With a Whoop subscription, the company used to promise users that any hardware upgrade would be free of charge so long as their subscription stretched back six months. This was Whoops’ policy until at least March 28, according to the Wayback Machine (as reported by The Verge). However, the company seemingly changed it with the introduction of Whoop 5.0. Now, if you want to upgrade your hardware, you have to extend your subscription by another year, pay $49 for the Whoop 5.0, or pay $79 for Whoop MG.

The only folks who are eligible for “free hardware” seem to be those who just signed up for Whoop in the past 30 days, according to a Reddit thread.

Whoop users have taken to social media to express their frustration with the policy change, with the r/Whoop subreddit festering with distaste. On X, users pointed out that the company has essentially lied to its existing users. Bloomberg managed to hear from Whoop for their coverage on the issue, quoting the company as saying “we from time to time update our commercial policies.”

The appeal of Whoop over other fitness trackers doesn’t just lie in the sheer amount of features available. It also doesn’t force you to buy the band in advance; instead, you simply subscribe to Whoop’s services to get the hardware. Other fitness trackers like the Oura Ring require you to purchase the hardware first and pay a monthly subscription price afterward. While Whoop’s subscription is more expensive, it at least means you get the hardware for “free.”

It’s unclear whether Whoop will be shifting its upgrade policy after all of this outrage. Right now, the company’s upgrade page on its website remains the same as it has all week, informing users of the fees they need to pay to get Whoop 5.0.

The latest version of the Whoop band includes features like blood pressure insights, ECG recording, Healthspan, better sleep tracking, 14-day battery life, and more.

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Max Buondonno is an editor at The Shortcut. He’s been reporting on the latest consumer technology since 2015, with his work featured on CNN Underscored, ZDNET, How-To Geek, XDA, TheStreet, and more. Follow him on X @LegendaryScoop and Instagram @LegendaryScoop.