Whoop (5.0 / MG)

Whoop (the 5.0 and the 'Medical Grade' MG, both launched May 8, 2025, from Whoop, founded 2012 in Boston by Will Ahmed) is a screen-free biometric wrist band and the subscription-only archetype of the biometric cohort: there is no standalone hardware sale. Access is a membership, Whoop One at $199/year, Peak at $239/year, and Life at $359/year (which includes the MG hardware), with the band provided inside the subscription. Its PPG, skin-temperature, SpO2, and respiratory sensors feed Strain, Recovery, and Sleep Coach analytics and an LLM 'Whoop Coach'; the MG adds ECG, Blood Pressure Insights, and a Healthspan / 'Whoop Age' feature. DEPLOY records commercial maturity and a reported $10.1 billion valuation (March 2026). Whoop is the strongest verified-vs-claimed cautionary exemplar in the cohort: its ECG is FDA-cleared (2025), but it marketed Blood Pressure Insights without clearance, drew an FDA Warning Letter on July 14, 2025, refused to remove the feature, and as of May 2026 the matter is unresolved with a class action filed, the market-first contrast to Oura's study-first posture.

Readiness

Whoop (5.0 / MG) is shipping now at $199-$359/year lease (actual sale price), the 4 capability claims on file are mixed autonomy with verified, 1 verified deployment is on file, and 3 incidents are on record.

Availability

shipping-now

Shipping now.

see evidence →

Price honesty

actual-sale-price

4 prices on file: $199-$359/year lease (actual sale price), $359/year lease (actual sale price), $239/year lease (actual sale price), $199/year lease (actual sale price).

see evidence →

Capability honesty

autonomous

4 reviewed claims, mixed: 2 autonomous, 2 claimed-only.

see evidence →

Real-world use

commercial

Maturity: commercial. 1 verified deployment in the registry.

see evidence →

Safety record

incidents-on-file

3 incidents on record across 1 verified deployment.

see evidence →

What it claims to do

• Tracks sleepautonomous· verifiedevidence ↗
• Tracks stress and recoveryautonomous· verifiedevidence ↗
• Tracks heart healthclaimed-only· claimedevidence ↗
• Tracks body temperatureclaimed-only· claimedevidence ↗

Price

• $199-$359/year leaseactual sale price · Whoop (5.0 / MG) pricing (maker) ↗ · as of 2026-06-17
• $359/year leaseactual sale price · WHOOP Life annual membership $359/yr -- includes free WHOOP MG hardware (medical-grade PPG + ECG + blood pressure sensor); top-tier plan with all features ↗ · as of 2024-10-03
• $239/year leaseactual sale price · WHOOP Peak annual membership $239/yr -- includes free WHOOP 5.0 hardware; adds Healthspan, Health Monitor, real-time Stress Monitor ↗ · as of 2024-10-02
• $199/year leaseactual sale price · WHOOP One annual membership $199/yr — includes free WHOOP 5.0 hardware; entry-tier with sleep, strain, recovery tracking ↗ · as of 2024-10-01

Real-world use

• Global operated by Whoop

Safety record

• Class action (Rowe v. WHOOP) alleges WHOOP falsely advertised BPI as medical-grade2025-11-18
• Class action (Lomeli v. WHOOP) alleges health-data sharing without consent2025-08-13
• FDA warning letter to Whoop: Blood Pressure Insights marketed beyond clearance2025-07-14

Privacy

Privacy practices disclosed by Whoop for Whoop (5.0 / MG), with verification status.

• Third-party sharingverified

  A class action filed in 2025 alleged that Whoop embedded Twilio Segment analytics in its app and that tracker sent biometric data including heart rate, HRV, sleep scores, and recovery metrics to Segment without adequate user consent. Whoop disputed the claim.

  Source: ClassAction.org: Lomeli v. Whoop class action complaint coverage, August 2025

• Third-party sharingverified

  Whoop Coach AI is powered by OpenAI. De-identified body metrics go to OpenAI for processing under a contract that prohibits OpenAI from storing or training on the data. Your data still leaves Whoop's systems on each query.

  Source: Whoop: WHOOP Coach powered by OpenAI

• Data retentionverified

  Whoop is not covered by HIPAA, which applies to healthcare providers and plans, not consumer fitness trackers. Most US users outside Washington State have no federal law protecting their Whoop biometric data beyond Whoop's own policy, which can change with notice.

  Source: HHS FAQ: Is my fitness tracker subject to HIPAA?

• Data saleverified

  Does not sell member personal data, and has not sold any personal data in the 12 months before its April 2026 privacy policy update.

  Source: https://www.whoop.com/us/en/full-privacy-policy/

• Biometric storageverified

  Continuously tracks your resting heart rate, HRV, respiratory rate, skin temperature, and blood oxygen, plus sleep and workout data.

  Source: https://www.whoop.com/us/en/full-privacy-policy/

• Third-party sharingverified

  Shares only de-identified metrics with its AI coaching partner, which operates under a zero-retention, zero-training policy and does not store or train on Whoop member data.

  Source: https://www.whoop.com/us/en/full-privacy-policy/

• Data deletion controlverified

  You can delete your AI coaching chat history directly from the app anytime, and access, correct, or delete personal data through a dedicated data management portal.

  Source: https://www.whoop.com/us/en/full-privacy-policy/

• Training data useverified

  Uses member data to train AI coaching features, but only after removing personal identifiers. The outside LLM partner is contractually barred from retaining or training on any Whoop data.

  Source: https://www.whoop.com/us/en/full-privacy-policy/

• Location trackingverified

  Collects precise GPS and movement data during certain workouts when you grant permission. Classifies location as sensitive personal information under California law. You can disable collection in your phone's settings.

  Source: https://www.whoop.com/us/en/full-privacy-policy/

• Biometric storageverified

  Whoop collects heart rate, heart rate variability, sleep duration, respiratory rate, skin temperature, blood oxygen saturation, activity type and duration, plus any additional health information members manually enter; consumer health data includes health conditions, bodily functions, vital signs, diagnostic testing and biomarkers, and derived health information like recovery readiness and risk scores.

  Source: maker privacy policy · 2026-06-17

• Data saleverified

  Whoop does not sell member personal data and does not sell consumer health data to third parties; however, Whoop uses third-party cookies and tracking technologies which may fall under CCPA's broad definition of sale, and aggregated or de-identified data may be shared with any third party including advertisers, promotional partners, and sponsors.

  Source: maker privacy policy · 2026-06-17

• Data deletion controlverified

  Whoop members can delete their personal data upon request including when canceling membership, access and export their data, correct inaccuracies in consumer health data, withdraw consent for future collection or sharing, disable use of health data for personalized recommendations and offers in app Privacy Settings, and opt out of marketing texts by replying STOP.

  Source: maker privacy policy · 2026-06-17

• Data retentionverified

  Whoop retains consumer health data for as long as necessary to provide services or as required by applicable law; the company takes a variety of physical, technical, administrative, and organizational security measures, maintains access logs tracking who accessed member data and when, but does not explicitly mention encryption in the privacy policy and notes no online activity can be guaranteed 100 percent secure.

  Source: maker privacy policy · 2026-06-17

Specs

notes

• THE verified-vs-claimed exemplar (the ECG-vs-BP split): ECG IS FDA-cleared: 510(k) K243236, cleared Apr 4 2025 (OTC ECG on Whoop MG; classifies AFib/sinus/low-HR/high-HR; 22+). Blood Pressure Insights is NOT cleared and is the load-bearing marketing-beyond-clearance case: FDA WARNING LETTER to WHOOP Inc dated Jul 14 2025 (CMS #709755) - FDA held that daily systolic/diastolic estimates are 'inherently associated with the diagnosis of' hypertension/hypotension, meeting the device definition + requiring premarket clearance Whoop never obtained ('An erroneously low or high blood pressure reading can have significant consequences').
• Status + Whoop's contested defense: Whoop argues BPI is a 'general wellness' feature under the 21st Century Cures Act and REFUSED to remove it; the FDA compliance deadline passed. As of May 21 2026 the dispute is UNRESOLVED (Whoop + FDA in discussions; BPI remains LIVE on the MG); the warning letter now anchors a class-action lawsuit. 'Medical-grade' branding applies defensibly only to the cleared ECG, not to BP.
• CORRECTION (valuation): Valuation is $10.1B (Series G $575M, Mar 2026; QIA/Mubadala) - NOT the stale ~$3.6B (that was the Aug 2021 Series F).
• Verification posture: Boundary: biometric-primary + AI-augmented (subscription model bundles the device). Clinical posture: MIXED/CONTESTED - ECG has a real 510(k) + study, but the BP warning letter is a public regulatory finding of marketing a diagnostic-grade metric without validation. NOT verified / disputed: BPI accuracy + its 'general wellness' classification (FDA rejects); 'Healthspan/Whoop Age' (proprietary longevity construct, no clinical validation); Strain/Recovery (proprietary, uncleared).
• Re-verify 2026-06-03: FDA warning-letter / Blood Pressure Insights (BPI) dispute CONFIRMED-CURRENT: still UNRESOLVED as of late May 2026 (Whoop + FDA in discussions, BPI remains live, no enforcement escalation, no recall). Class action Rowe v. WHOOP No. 3:25-cv-09910 (N.D. Cal., filed Nov 18 2025) still early/unadjudicated. CORRECTION: the $575M Series G (Mar 31 2026, $10.1B valuation) was LED by Collaborative Fund; QIA, Mubadala, Abbott, and Mayo Clinic PARTICIPATED (supersedes the earlier 'QIA/Mubadala led' attribution). Context (reported-only, primary doc not retrieved): an FDA Jan 6 2026 general-wellness guidance update reportedly bears on the BPI 'wellness' argument.

specs

Whoop 5.0 + Whoop MG ('Medical Grade'), both May 8 2025 (replaced 4.0); ~14-day battery. Sensors: PPG optical HR/HRV, skin temp, SpO2, respiratory rate. Analytics: Strain, Recovery, Sleep Coach; MG adds ECG + Blood Pressure Insights + Healthspan/'Whoop Age'. AI 'Whoop Coach' (LLM). Founded 2012, Boston (Will Ahmed). SUBSCRIPTION-ONLY: Whoop One $199/yr, Peak $239/yr, Life $359/yr (MG) - no standalone hardware sale.

battery

14 days

ip_rating

IP68

weight_kg

0.027

formFactor

biometric (biometric-primary screen-free wrist band; subscription-only; strain/recovery AI)

fda_clearance

{"source":"https://www.whoop.com/us/en/press-releases/","status":"none","details":"No FDA clearance. Respiratory rate, HRV, SpO2 are wellness metrics. WHOOP MG (medical-grade) announced 2024 but FDA submission status unverified as of 2026.","audited_at":"2026-06-07","source_name":"WHOOP","health_claim":"Athletic performance optimization. Wellness-only; no diagnostic or disease-management claims verified.","verification_posture":"verified"}

What's under the hood

No brain on file for Whoop (5.0 / MG).

Frequently asked questions

Is the Whoop (5.0 / MG) actually available for purchase?

Yes, shipping now.Source: FDA Warning Letter to WHOOP Inc (Jul 14 2025): Blood Pressure Insights marketed without clearance

What does the Whoop (5.0 / MG) cost?

Whoop (5.0 / MG) has 4 prices on file: $199-$359/year lease (actual sale price), $359/year lease (actual sale price), $239/year lease (actual sale price), and $199/year lease (actual sale price).Sources: Whoop (5.0 / MG) pricing (maker), WHOOP Life annual membership $359/yr -- includes free WHOOP MG hardware (medical-grade PPG + ECG + blood pressure sensor); top-tier plan with all features

Does the Whoop (5.0 / MG) really tracks sleep?

Yes, verified. Whoop (5.0 / MG) performs this autonomously.Sources: WHOOP sleep tracking accuracy overview referencing multiple validation studies; WHOOP claims >90% sleep/wake accuracy vs. PSG; used by sleep researchers and professional sports teams for load monitoring., Svensson et al. 2021 (Frontiers in Physiology): 'Evaluation of Heart Rate Variability During Sleep Using WHOOP Strap'; confirms WHOOP sleep-stage detection competitive with clinical devices for HRV-based sleep analysis.

Does the Whoop (5.0 / MG) really tracks stress and recovery?

Yes, verified. Whoop (5.0 / MG) performs this autonomously.Source: WHOOP Recovery Score methodology: composite of HRV (primary driver), resting heart rate, sleep performance, and respiratory rate; outputs 0-100 score with Green/Yellow/Red zones; adopted by NFL, NBA, MLB, and Olympic athletes for load management.

Does the Whoop (5.0 / MG) really tracks heart health?

Claimed by Whoop; no verified demonstration on file.Source: WHOOP MG (Medical Grade) product page: adds medical-grade ECG, non-invasive blood pressure monitoring (without a cuff), and continuous blood glucose monitoring via NovaBay Pharmaceuticals partnership. WHOOP MG requires $399/yr subscription vs. standard $199-$359. Blood pressure feature is maker-claimed; independent clinical validation not yet published.

Does the Whoop (5.0 / MG) really tracks body temperature?

Claimed by Whoop; no verified demonstration on file.Source: WHOOP skin temperature sensor: added in WHOOP 4.0; measures relative skin temperature during sleep; used as secondary input for recovery scoring and for detecting illness signals alongside HRV drops.

Where is the Whoop (5.0 / MG) being used?

Whoop (5.0 / MG) is in use at: Global operated by Whoop.Source: Whoop

Is the Whoop (5.0 / MG) safe?

Incidents on record: 3 (2 other, 1 regulatory_action). See Class action (Rowe v. WHOOP) alleges WHOOP falsely advertised BPI as medical-grade.Source: Class action (Rowe v. WHOOP) alleges WHOOP falsely advertised BPI as medical-grade

How does the Whoop (5.0 / MG) handle privacy?

Whoop has disclosed 13 privacy practices for Whoop (5.0 / MG): third-party sharing (A class action filed in 2025 alleged that Whoop embedded Twilio Segment analytics in its app and that tracker sent biometric data includi..), third-party sharing (Whoop Coach AI is powered by OpenAI. De-identified body metrics go to OpenAI for processing under a contract that prohibits OpenAI from s..), data retention (Whoop is not covered by HIPAA, which applies to healthcare providers and plans, not consumer fitness trackers. Most US users outside Wash..), data sale (Does not sell member personal data, and has not sold any personal data in the 12 months before its April 2026 privacy policy update), biometric storage (Continuously tracks your resting heart rate, HRV, respiratory rate, skin temperature, and blood oxygen, plus sleep and workout data), third-party sharing (Shares only de-identified metrics with its AI coaching partner, which operates under a zero-retention, zero-training policy and does not..), data deletion control (You can delete your AI coaching chat history directly from the app anytime, and access, correct, or delete personal data through a dedica..), training data use (Uses member data to train AI coaching features, but only after removing personal identifiers. The outside LLM partner is contractually ba..), location tracking (Collects precise GPS and movement data during certain workouts when you grant permission. Classifies location as sensitive personal infor..), biometric storage (Whoop collects heart rate, heart rate variability, sleep duration, respiratory rate, skin temperature, blood oxygen saturation, activity..), data sale (Whoop does not sell member personal data and does not sell consumer health data to third parties; however, Whoop uses third-party cookies..), data deletion control (Whoop members can delete their personal data upon request including when canceling membership, access and export their data, correct inac..), and data retention (Whoop retains consumer health data for as long as necessary to provide services or as required by applicable law; the company takes a var..).Sources: ClassAction.org: Lomeli v. Whoop class action complaint coverage, August 2025, Whoop: WHOOP Coach powered by OpenAI, HHS FAQ: Is my fitness tracker subject to HIPAA?, Washington My Health My Data Act, RCW 19.375, https://www.whoop.com/us/en/full-privacy-policy/, maker privacy policy

Who makes the Whoop (5.0 / MG)?

Whoop (5.0 / MG) is made by Whoop, based in Boston, Massachusetts, USA.Source: FDA Warning Letter to WHOOP Inc (Jul 14 2025): Blood Pressure Insights marketed without clearance

Does Whoop require a subscription?

Yes, Whoop is subscription-only with three annual tiers: Whoop One starts at $199 per year, Whoop Peak starts at $239 per year with a free trial available, and Whoop Life starts at $359 per year including the Whoop MG device with medical-grade features.Source: Whoop documentation

How long does the Whoop battery last?

Whoop devices feature a 14-plus day battery with a waterproof Wireless PowerPack for on-the-go charging without taking the device off.Source: Whoop documentation

What does Whoop measure?

Whoop collects heart rate data points every second 24 hours a day 7 days a week, tracking sleep, strain, recovery, VO2 Max, heart rate zones, and women's hormonal insights; the Whoop MG adds medical-grade features including daily blood pressure insights in beta, heart screener with ECG readings, and on-demand AFib detection.Source: Whoop documentation

Does Whoop have a screen?

No, Whoop has a screen-free design meaning no pings, distractions, or notifications; all data is viewed in the companion app.Source: Whoop documentation

Does Whoop sell my health data?

Whoop does not sell member personal data and does not sell consumer health data to third parties; however, aggregated or de-identified data may be shared with any third party including advertisers, promotional partners, and sponsors.Source: Whoop documentation

Can I delete my Whoop data?

Yes, Whoop will delete your personal data if you ask, including when you cancel your membership; you can also access, export, and correct your data, and disable use of health data for personalized recommendations in the app's Privacy Settings.Source: Whoop documentation

Is there a free trial for Whoop?

Yes, you can get a 1-month free trial of Peak membership with a certified pre-owned Whoop 5.0 device and charger included.Source: Whoop documentation

Who uses Whoop?

Whoop is used by professional athletes and organizations including Cristiano Ronaldo, Paris Saint-Germain as Official Health and Fitness Wearable, Rory McIlroy, Scuderia Ferrari HP Team Partner, Sha'Carri Richardson, and Patrick Mahomes.Source: Whoop documentation

What is the difference between Whoop 5.0 and Whoop MG?

Whoop 5.0 is included with One and Peak tiers; Whoop MG is included with the Life tier at $359 per year and is described as the most powerful Whoop ever with medical-grade health and performance insights including daily blood pressure insights in beta, heart screener with ECG, and on-demand AFib detection.Source: Whoop documentation

Is Whoop FDA-cleared?

The Whoop MG includes a Heart Screener with ECG readings and on-demand AFib Detection; the ECG feature is not intended for users with known arrhythmias other than AFib or users under 22 years old; specific FDA clearance numbers were not verified from a loaded primary source.Source: Whoop documentation

Video

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Sources

1. FDA Warning Letter to WHOOP Inc (Jul 14 2025): Blood Pressure Insights marketed without clearance · https://www.fda.gov/inspections-compliance-enforcement-and-criminal-investigations/warning-letters/whoop-inc-709755-07142025 ↗
2. Whoop MG ECG FDA 510(k) K243236 (cleared Apr 4 2025; OTC ECG, AFib/sinus/low-HR/high-HR) · https://www.accessdata.fda.gov/scripts/cdrh/cfdocs/cfPMN/pmn.cfm?ID=K243236 ↗
3. Whoop-FDA blood-pressure dispute unresolved (May 2026); BPI remains live; class action · https://www.statnews.com/2026/05/21/whoop-fda-blood-pressure-dispute-unresolved/ ↗
4. Whoop raises $575M Series G at $10.1B valuation (Mar 2026) · https://techcrunch.com/2026/03/31/whoop-raises-575m-series-g-10-billion-valuation/ ↗
5. Whoop and FDA still in discussions over Blood Pressure feature; dispute unresolved (May 21 2026) · https://www.statnews.com/2026/05/21/whoop-has-not-resolved-fda-dispute-over-blood-pressure-feature/ ↗
6. FDA warning letter anchors class action Rowe v. WHOOP No. 3:25-cv-09910 (N.D. Cal., filed Nov 18 2025; early stage) · https://www.afslaw.com/perspectives/longevity-lens/whoop-there-it-fda-warning-letter-now-anchors-class-action-against ↗
7. WHOOP MG · https://support.whoop.com/s/article/Unlock-New-with-WHOOP-MG ↗
8. WHOOP sleep tracking accuracy overview referencing multiple validation studies; WHOOP claims >90% sleep/wake accuracy vs. PSG; used by sleep researchers and professional sports teams for load monitoring. · https://www.whoop.com/the-locker/sleep-tracking-accuracy/ ↗
9. Svensson et al. 2021 (Frontiers in Physiology): 'Evaluation of Heart Rate Variability During Sleep Using WHOOP Strap'; confirms WHOOP sleep-stage detection competitive with clinical devices for HRV-based sleep analysis. · https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/34665622/ ↗ · 2021-10-01
10. WHOOP Recovery Score methodology: composite of HRV (primary driver), resting heart rate, sleep performance, and respiratory rate; outputs 0-100 score with Green/Yellow/Red zones; adopted by NFL, NBA, MLB, and Olympic athletes for load management. · https://www.whoop.com/the-locker/whoop-recovery/ ↗
11. WHOOP MG (Medical Grade) product page: adds medical-grade ECG, non-invasive blood pressure monitoring (without a cuff), and continuous blood glucose monitoring via NovaBay Pharmaceuticals partnership. WHOOP MG requires $399/yr subscription vs. standard $199-$359. Blood pressure feature is maker-claimed; independent clinical validation not yet published. · https://www.whoop.com/membership/whoop-mg/ ↗
12. WHOOP skin temperature sensor: added in WHOOP 4.0; measures relative skin temperature during sleep; used as secondary input for recovery scoring and for detecting illness signals alongside HRV drops. · https://www.whoop.com/the-locker/skin-temperature/ ↗ · 2022-09-01
13. Whoop official YouTube (@WHOOP), embedded under standard YouTube embed terms. oEmbed author_url verified 2026-06-04. Maker product video. · https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rZm8VHPkPoI ↗ · 2026-06-04
14. Whoop (5.0 / MG) pricing (maker) · https://www.whoop.com ↗ · 2026-06-17T12:00:00Z
15. WHOOP Life annual membership $359/yr -- includes free WHOOP MG hardware (medical-grade PPG + ECG + blood pressure sensor); top-tier plan with all features · https://www.whoop.com/us/en/membership/ ↗ · 2024-10-01
16. Whoop · https://www.whoop.com/ ↗
17. ClassAction.org: Lomeli v. Whoop class action complaint coverage, August 2025 · https://www.classaction.org/news/whoop-class-action-says-fitness-app-shared-users-biometric-data-with-twilio-segment ↗
18. Whoop: WHOOP Coach powered by OpenAI · https://www.whoop.com/thelocker/whoop-coach-openai/ ↗
19. HHS FAQ: Is my fitness tracker subject to HIPAA? · https://www.hhs.gov/hipaa/for-professionals/faq/is-my-fitness-tracker-subject-to-hipaa/index.html ↗
20. Washington My Health My Data Act, RCW 19.375 · https://app.leg.wa.gov/rcw/default.aspx?cite=19.375 ↗
21. https://www.whoop.com/us/en/full-privacy-policy/ ↗
22. maker privacy policy · https://www.whoop.com/privacy ↗ · 2026-06-17