Consumers are lashing out at fitness technology company Whoop after it backtracked on promises of a free upgrade.

Whoop marketed itself and its fitness trackers with a fairly unique subscription model. Users pay a monthly fee, from $199 to $359 a year, and receive free hardware updates when new models are released. However, with the recent launch of the Whoop 5.0 and Whoop MG, the company is requiring users to pay a $49 to $79 upgrade fee, or extend their subscription by 12 months, to get a newer device, according to the company’s FAQ page.

This seems to contradict a now-deleted blog post on the company website, which said, “Whoop members receive the next-generation device for free after having been a member for six months or more.” The post was taken down in late March, Bloomberg reports.

In a statement, Whoop told Bloomberg that “like any company, we from time to time update our commercial policies.”

The Whoop 5.0 and Whoop MG add features like hormone tracking for women, irregular heart activity detection, and revamped sleep tracking functionality. 

On Reddit, Whoop customers dubbed the move “a slap in the face.”

“What is the point of this subscription-based model if you don’t get to reap the benefits of the new devices?” one asked. On X, someone who said they’d been a subscriber for four years said the latest development “feels like extortion.”

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Other social media users are calling on Whoop’s customers to report the incident to the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) or equivalent bodies in other countries.

We’ve seen examples of grassroots initiatives getting results. Music-streaming giant Spotify received a hefty dose of backlash in late 2024 after saying it would brick its “Car Thing,” a clip-on accessory that offered users a seamless music-listening experience regardless of the vehicle’s year or model. Users were eventually able to obtain refunds.

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About Will McCurdy

Contributor

I’m a reporter covering weekend news. Before joining PCMag in 2024, I picked up bylines in BBC News, The Guardian, The Times of London, The Daily Beast, Vice, Slate, Fast Company, The Evening Standard, The i, TechRadar, and Decrypt Media.

I’ve been a PC gamer since you had to install games from multiple CD-ROMs by hand. As a reporter, I’m passionate about the intersection of tech and human lives. I’ve covered everything from crypto scandals to the art world, as well as conspiracy theories, UK politics, and Russia and foreign affairs.

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