Polar Loop Is Whoop’s New Subscription-Free Competitor (With a Disappointing Price)
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Of the three highly anticipated fitness bands rumored to be coming this year, Polar was the first to confirm its release and the last to actually release it. Today, it’s official: The Polar Loop is a $199, subscription-free band that can track workouts and more.
Pre-orders for the Polar Loop open today, with shipping starting September 10, 2025. It’s lightweight, weighing just 29 grams with the strap and 20 grams without, and comes in three colors: black, brown, and taupe. The device measures 42 x 27 x 9 millimeters, which is comparable to the Amazfit Helio but larger than the Whoop 5.0.
What is in the Polar Loop
The device looks similar to the Polar 360, a wristband Polar developed for business. I asked a Polar representative if the Loop was based on the 360, and he said the main differences were the design and longer battery life.
The Polar Loop has an optical heart rate sensor and is (yet?) only available as a wristband, not an armband. It connects to your phone via Bluetooth, and that’s it. No GPS, no other sensors, no display.
The Polar Loop’s battery lasts for eight days, according to the company. You can start tracking your activity from the Polar Flow app on your phone or set the device to detect activity automatically.
The device can also track your sleep, and the app will use your heart rate variability data to give you a recovery score, so it covers the same principles as the Whoop or, for that matter, pretty much any simple smartwatch these days.
The Polar Loop’s features are generally what I expected, but I’ll admit the $199 price tag is disappointing. That’s the same price as the Polar Unite , a true watch with a touchscreen. I’m not sure why the Loop, as a stripped-down device, should cost that much. The Amazfit Helio costs half as much. Polar was likely aiming to compete with Whoop (which starts at $199 per year ), but subscribers are really paying for Whoop’s thoughtful app . Still, it’s nice to have more options for non-watch fitness trackers, a market that Whoop has been unrivaled for far too long.