Forget Whoop — 3 major differences between the subscription-free Luna Band and Garmin Cirqa
When you buy through links on our articles, Future and its syndication partners may earn a commission.
Credit: Dan Bracaglia/Tom's Guide
2026 has been a massive year for screen-free fitness wearables, with models like the Fitbit Air and Garmin Cirqa debuting alongside more established players, like the latest Whoop 5.0 .
Now, the competition is about to get a little tougher: The $149 Luna Band just officially began shipping worldwide. Not only that, it seems poised to give Garmin, Google, and Whoop a serious run for the money, especially when it comes to free, personalized AI insights.
Credit: Dan Bracaglia/Tom's Guide
I initially checked out an early version of the Luna Band back at CES in January 2026. Now, nine months later, the final product is ready for prime time.
Not only that, I just demoed the final Luna Band at IFA 2026 in Berlin , and I have to say, I am impressed. I also had the chance to compare it head-to-head against the Garmin Cirqa (which I was wearing at the time), and even though the two have a lot in common, small but meaningful things set them apart.
With that in mind, here are the three biggest differences between the new Luna Band and the Garmin Cirqa, its closest competition.
1. The Luna Band costs less than the Garmin Cirqa
Credit: Dan Bracaglia/Tom's Guide
Unlike the best smartwatches out there, the newest screen-free fitness trackers shouldn't shatter your piggy bank. The Garmin Cirqa, for example, is $199, while the Luna Band is priced $50 cheaper at $149. That said, the Fitbit Air beats them both with a starting price of just $99.
However, both Garmin and Google (Fitbit) place some of their headier training insights and personalized AI-backed features behind a monthly paywall. Luna does not...
2. None of Luna's features are paywalled
Credit: Dan Bracaglia/Tom's Guide
The Luna Band records all the basic holistic data points you expect, like continuous heart rate, sleep quality, workouts, and daily movement, but unlike the Fitbit Air and Garmin Cirqa, the Luna Band companion app is less focused on metrics and charts and more focused on generating actionable insights and reports based on both your current holistic trends and your overall goals. These are, of course, accomplished with the help of AI.
More simply put: Luna's personalized AI recommendations are part of what you're paying for when you spend $149 on the device... no need to cough up extra dough down the line. Meanwhile, similar custom, AI-driven advice from Garmin and Fitbit requires an additional monthly fee even after purchasing either tracker.
3. Only the Garmin Cirqa has a physical button
Credit: Dan Bracaglia/Tom's Guide
Finally, while the Luna Band is more compact and affordable than the Garmin Cirqa — with no subscription costs, optional or otherwise — one feature it's missing is a physical button. On the Garmin Cirqa, users can program the wearable's sole control point to start and stop any workout type of their choosing. It can also be used to broadcast heart rate data to another compatible Garmin device.
Personally, I feel that a similarly customizable physical button would feel right at home on the Luna Band (the Fitbit Air, too).
Stay tuned for my full Luna Band review, coming soon. In the meantime, what are your thoughts on the new Luna Band? Would you consider picking it up over the Garmin Cirqa and/or Fitbit Air? Let me know in the poll below.
