Garmin sees rising traction for Connect Plus & other subscriptions
Garmin has confirmed that its subscription business is growing steadily, with wearables playing an increasingly central role in that strategy. While the company hasn’t yet hit the 10% revenue disclosure threshold for subscriptions, executives made it clear during that these services are expanding across all business segments.
Garmin confirms subscriptions are on the rise, but not everyone is happy
Now make no mistake, device sales is still driving the bulk of the Garmin’s revenue. But their share of total revenue might decline in the coming years. At the Q&A during the Q2 2025 earnings call, executives confirmed that subscription growth is taking place in every major segment, including fitness.
The exact figures and how much it has grown remain unclear. But Garmin has pointed to several contributors. The inReach satellite service continues to perform well in the outdoor category. Garmin Bounce, its LTE smartwatch for kids, was mentioned as a growth area in fitness. The company also highlighted its aviation segment, which offers subscriptions for cockpit data and navigation updates.
And then there’s Garmin Connect Plus.
The Connect Plus backlash is real
Most Garmin users know about Connect Plus, the premium tier layered on top of the existing Garmin Connect app. It adds AI-powered health summaries (which leave a lot to be desired…), enhanced wellness analytics, along with a few other features. It’s still early days, but the fact that it was name-checked in an investor call signals that adoption is continuing.
Essential reading: Top fitness trackers and health gadgets
Among Garmin’s long-time user base, the introduction of Connect Plus has not been well received. Complaints have surfaced across forums and social channels. Some users feel Garmin is trying to squeeze more revenue from the same hardware, without giving enough back in return.
This follows a broader industry trend
The entire wearables space is shifting toward service-based revenue. Apple Fitness+, Oura Membership, Fitbit Premium and Whoop are all based on monthly fees. What’s different with Garmin is how fragmented its subscriptions feel. inReach is tied to hardware and safety. Connect Plus is about coaching and insights. Bounce is focused on kids and family tracking.
Garmin didn’t provide revenue figures, but they might not be far off the 10 percent threshold that would require official reporting. Fitness revenue was up 41 percent year over year. Outdoor was up 11 percent. If even a small portion of those increases came from new services, subscription revenue could be gaining ground fast.
That probably explains why Garmin is talking about it more now. If the trend keeps going, we might start seeing subscription numbers broken out in future earnings calls. This isn’t just a side project anymore. Garmin is clearly leaning into services. And if you were hoping Connect Plus might disappear, that’s not going to happen.
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