Oura Ring Subscription: Everything You Need To Know

A lot of fitness trackers require you to pay a monthly subscription in addition to the initial cost of the product. Does the Oura Ring require a subscription?

The Oura Ring requires a subscription if you want the newest version of it. The best way to use the Oura Ring without a subscription is to use an older model. If you try to use the newer Oura Ring for free, its functions are very limited. 

A while ago, I gave my Oura Ring 2 away and bought the Oura Ring 3, which has a more accurate sleep tracker and is better in other ways.

I will continue to pay the monthly subscription for a long time unless the company offers a lifetime option.  

Do You Have to Pay Monthly for Oura?

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Yes, if you want the newest technology, you have to pay a monthly fee. However, if you are ok with an older Oura Ring, you don’t have to pay monthly. 

The new Oura Ring 3 costs $5.99 per month in the US, the older Oura Ring 2 is free. You cannot yet get a discount by paying yearly. In the EU, the monthly fee is €5.99, and it costs $6.99 elsewhere. 

Can I Use Oura Ring Without a Subscription?

Some fitness products that require monthly subscriptions continue to work if you stop paying the monthly fee, but have fewer features. Is this true for the Oura Ring?

While the Oura Ring will still work without a subscription, its features are so minimal that the ring isn’t worth using.

The ring works quite a lot better with the subscription and doesn’t do much without it. 

The best way to use an Oura Ring without a subscription is to use an older model of the product. 

Oura continues to support the Oura Ring 2 even though it’s free. 

What Happens if You Cancel Your Subscription?

Oura won’t delete your data, so you don’t have to rush to restart your subscription. When you restart your subscription, you will get your data back. Most of your ring’s features will stop working once your last month ends. 

Can You Get a Lifetime Membership?

No, Oura doesn’t currently offer that option. 

Formerly, you could get a lifetime membership by upgrading from the Gen 2 to the Gen 3, but they no longer offer this. Everyone who wants a fully functional Oura Ring has to pay a monthly fee. 

Is it Worth Buying Oura Ring?

Yes, the Oura Ring is more than worth the money. It is something that can help you get in shape, sleep better, and have more energy. n Oura Ring can improve your overall quality of life, it is not only a novelty you won’t use. 

Oura Helps You Improve Your Sleep Quality

The Oura Ring does much more than measure how long you sleep and how often you wake up. It differentiates between different stages of sleep and gives you detailed information about how long you spend in each stage.

Better sleep makes you happier, healthier, less stressed, and able to perform better. 

Oura Measures Your Stress Levels

It is easier to manage and reduce your stress when you use the Oura Ring to measure it. You can try different things to reduce your stress (exercise, medications, better food, less caffeine, meditation) and use the Oura Ring to tell how effective they are. 

For example, I wasn’t sure whether meditation had much of an effect until the Oura Ring confirmed that it lowers my stress levels throughout the day. 

The Oura Ring measures your stress levels in part by looking at your heart rate variability. Low heart rate variability means you are in a “fight or flight” state and stressed out. High HRV means that your body is relaxed. 

Oura Can Tell You Need a Break Before You Do

Sometimes, you might not notice that you are running out of energy and will soon feel exhausted. 

If you have the Oura Ring, it will often know your energy levels better than you do and tell you that you should rest soon. 

The Oura Ring uses remarkably powerful technology. It works better after a month of continuous use than it does at the start. This is because the ring learns about you over time as it collects information. 

The Oura Ring Measures Your Activity

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The Oura Ring uses an accelerometer to record movement. The powerful AI is good enough to tell if you are walking or running based on your hand movement. 

While there is no way for the accelerometer to get the number of steps you take exactly or nearly right, it is reasonably close to the truth. 

Usually, the AI can tell that a movement is not a step. When you walk or run, your hand moves in a specific way that the ring can recognize. 

Which is Better Whoop or Oura?

While I love the Oura Ring, some prefer competitors’ products. How does the Oura Ring compare to the Whoop Band? 

The Whoop Band is More Expensive than the Oura

The Whoop Band is significantly more expensive, so it’s not a good choice if you want something cheaper. It costs $30 per month or $25 per month if you pay yearly, and you have to buy 12 months to start. 

However, you don’t pay anything other than the 12 months of monthly fees. While cost of the first year is only $360 (somewhat less than for the Oura) the Whoop is much more expensive for two or three years.

You can also get a more expensive premium subscription for an extra $12 per month, or reduce the monthly fee to $20 if you pay for two years. 

Both Have Similar Features

Both products use sensors to determine your current level of health and energy. You can then use this advice to try to improve your health. 

For example, you might try to improve your sleep quality and use the fitness tracker to see how much it improves. 

Both the Oura and the Whoop work well to track your blood oxygen, your sleep, and your heart rate. Both also have very long-lasting batteries, with the Oura lasting 6-7 days and the Whoop only 4-5 days. 

The Oura is also more waterproof than the Whoop, and gives you a readiness score that tells you how rested you are. 

Rings Compared to Wristbands

If the Whoop has any real advantage it is that a wristband is better than a ring in some ways. If you wear the Oura Ring while lifting weights, you might scratch or even damage it. A wristband is much better when weightlifting. 

The whoop band is also adjustable, so it easily fits anyone. With the Oura Ring, you need to wear a sizing band for a few days to make sure you get exactly the right size. 

Which One is Better?

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Go with the Oura Ring because it’s cheaper. The Oura Ring is similar to and not obviously better or worse than the Whoop Band.

The price in the long run is significantly lower, especially since you might keep using a fitness tracker for years. 

Key Takeaways

  • You have to pay a monthly fee if you want the newest version of the Oura Ring to work properly. However, you can get an older version of the ring with no monthly fee. 
  • While the Oura Ring will still work even if you don’t pay the monthly fee, its features are too basic. 
  • Formerly, you could get a lifetime membership if you upgraded from the Oura 2 to Oura 3. However, this offer is no longer available. 
  • The Oura Ring is as good as and much cheaper than the Whoop Band, which costs $30 per month if you pay one month at a time and $20 per month if you pay for two years.