'The cost of cloud services and the cost of AI will also go down in the future, so we’ll try very hard to keep it for free': Coros' CEO on how the smartwatch maker is swerving subscriptions for now — avoiding another Garmin Connect+ disaster
Coros CEO Lewis Wu stated that the company currently has no plans to introduce subscription fees for its smartwatch features, aiming to keep services free despite industry trends. He cited decreasing future costs of cloud and AI technologies as key reasons for maintaining free access. This approach contrasts with Garmin, Polar, and others that have implemented paid tiers for AI-driven coaching tools.
- ▪Coros has kept its companion app and features free since launching its first watch in 2018.
- ▪Garmin and Polar introduced paid subscription services in 2025, including AI-powered coaching features.
- ▪Lewis Wu, co-founder and CEO of Coros, said the company has no subscription plans on its current roadmap.
- ▪The cost of cloud services and AI is expected to decrease, helping Coros maintain free access.
- ▪A new collaboration between Coros and Wahoo allows training data sharing without additional charges.
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Health & Fitness Fitness Trackers 'The cost of cloud services and the cost of AI will also go down in the future, so we’ll try very hard to keep it for free': Coros' CEO on how the smartwatch maker is swerving subscriptions for now — avoiding another Garmin Connect+ disaster Features By Matt Evans published 1 May 2026 How Coros has "no plans" to implement unpopular Garmin- or Whoop-style subscription-only features When you purchase through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission. Here’s how it works.
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