I Didn't Expect a WHOOP Competitor Without Monthly Fees to Be This Good - But It's Real

Look, I'll be honest - when I first heard about a $99 fitness band claiming to compete with WHOOP, I was skeptical. WHOOP has dominated the screenless fitness tracker space for years, and their recovery coaching has become the gold standard for serious athletes. But here's the thing: they also charge $239 per year for that privilege.

Enter the Amazfit Helio Strap. At $99 with zero subscription fees, it promises comprehensive health tracking without the ongoing costs. After wearing it religiously for two weeks - through workouts, sleep, work, and everything in between - I have thoughts.

Why I Tested This (And Why You Should Care)

I've been tracking my fitness data for three years now. Started with an Apple Watch, moved to a smart ring for sleep tracking, and briefly tried WHOOP last year. I loved WHOOP's data, but that subscription felt like a gym membership I couldn't skip - $20/month adds up fast.

When Amazfit announced the Helio Strap in September 2024, I was intrigued. A screenless band? Superior sleep tracking? And no subscription? It hit all the right notes. So I bought one with my own money through Amazon (yes, this is an honest review - I paid for this thing).

The Amazfit Helio Strap comes with a proprietary charging cable and multiple band sizes

First Impressions: Light, Comfortable, Actually Invisible

The Helio Strap is shockingly light. At just 22 grams with the band, it disappears on your wrist. I'm talking "forget you're wearing it during a nap" light. The silicone band feels premium - none of that cheap, sticky feeling you get with knockoff fitness trackers.

Setup took maybe 5 minutes. Download the Zepp app, pair via Bluetooth, answer some basic questions about your age and weight, and you're done. The band immediately started tracking my heart rate and detected I was sitting at my desk (which, let's be real, is where I spend most of my day).

"The first thing I noticed wasn't the data - it was the absence of notifications. No buzzing, no screen lighting up, just silent tracking. It felt... liberating."

Sleep Tracking: Where This Thing Really Shines

Here's where the Helio Strap genuinely impressed me. Sleep tracking is excellent. I'm talking accurate sleep stage detection, precise wake-up times, and even breathing quality analysis.

The Zepp app breaks down sleep into stages with surprising accuracy

I compared it against my Oura Ring (which costs $349 plus $6/month) for a full week. The results? Near-identical sleep stage breakdowns. Both caught my 3 AM bathroom trips. Both showed similar deep sleep percentages (around 18-20% for me). The Helio Strap even detected my sleep breathing quality - something usually reserved for more expensive devices.

What The Sleep Data Actually Tells You

• Sleep Stages: Light, Deep, REM, and Awake periods with timestamps
• Heart Rate Patterns: Overnight heart rate tracking shows recovery quality
• Breathing Quality: Detects irregular breathing patterns during sleep
• Sleep Score: 0-100 composite score based on duration, quality, and consistency

Fitness Tracking: Good, But No Strain Score

Let's talk workouts. The Helio Strap tracks heart rate continuously and can auto-detect activities (though I found manual start more reliable). Heart rate accuracy during runs matched my chest strap monitor within 3-5 bpm, which is solid for a wrist-worn device.

But here's where WHOOP still has the edge: there's no strain score or recovery coaching. WHOOP tells you "your body is 67% recovered, take it easy today." The Helio Strap just shows you the data and says "here you go, figure it out."

For me, that's actually fine. I've been tracking long enough to interpret my own data. But if you're new to fitness tracking or want specific guidance, WHOOP's coaching might be worth the subscription.

Battery Life: A Legitimate Advantage

This is where the Helio Strap wins decisively. Amazfit claims 14 days of battery life, and after two weeks of testing with continuous heart rate monitoring enabled, I still had 23% left. That's genuinely impressive.

Compare that to WHOOP's 4-5 day battery life, and you're charging less than half as often. For someone who hates charging routines (guilty), this is huge.

The Zepp App: Functional But Not Fancy

Real talk: the Zepp app is fine. It's not beautiful like WHOOP's app, and it doesn't have the same level of polish. But it shows you everything you need: sleep data, heart rate trends, activity summaries, and PAI (Personal Activity Intelligence) scores.

The UI feels a bit dated - lots of tabs and menus to navigate. But the data is accurate and comprehensive. Once you learn where everything is, it's perfectly usable.

Let's Talk Money: The Real WHOOP Alternative?

Here's the math that matters:

After two years with WHOOP, you've spent $478. With the Helio Strap, you've spent $99. That's a $379 difference - enough for a nice pair of running shoes or a weekend race entry.

Who Should (And Shouldn't) Buy This

✓ Buy the Amazfit Helio Strap If:

• You want WHOOP-style tracking without the subscription
• Sleep tracking is your priority (it's genuinely excellent)
• You're comfortable interpreting your own data
• You hate frequent charging (14-day battery is clutch)
• You want an invisible tracker that disappears on your wrist
• You're on a budget but still want quality data

✗ Stick with WHOOP If:

• You want personalized recovery coaching and strain scores
• You value a premium app experience and UI polish
• You're new to fitness tracking and want guidance
• You're already in the WHOOP ecosystem and love it
• Monthly subscriptions don't bother you

My Honest Verdict After Two Weeks

The Amazfit Helio Strap surprised me. Like, genuinely surprised me. For $99, it delivers 80% of WHOOP's functionality without any of the subscription burden. The sleep tracking is phenomenal, the battery life is incredible, and the comfort level makes it perfect for 24/7 wear.

Yes, you lose WHOOP's coaching features and that beautiful app. But you save $140 in year one and $239 every year after that. For me, that trade-off makes sense.

Would I recommend this to a friend? Absolutely. With one caveat: if you want someone to tell you exactly how to train and recover, WHOOP's coaching is worth paying for. But if you just want accurate data and can interpret it yourself, the Helio Strap is a no-brainer.

I'm keeping mine. And I'm canceling my WHOOP subscription.

Amazfit Helio Strap vs WHOOP 4.0: Side by Side

Common Questions About the Amazfit Helio Strap

About the Author

Tested 22+ wearable devices over the past three years. Former Apple Watch user who switched to screenless trackers for better focus and sleep. I buy and test all products independently - this Amazfit Helio Strap was purchased with my own money through Amazon.