is WHOOP worth it
Free trial roadmap

Try WHOOP free with zero guesswork

Activate your trial through our ambassador link and follow a clear, week-by-week plan. Below you will find exactly what to set up, which metrics to watch, how to experiment with your routines and the precise steps to cancel or keep your membership.

Start the free trial with our code Browse more WHOOP discounts

The link automatically applies referral code AA66D53A so you receive the free extra month credited by WHOOP.

Before it arrives (5 minutes)

  • Decide your focus for the month—better sleep, smarter training or calmer days—so you know what 'success' looks like.
  • Create a calendar reminder for Day 25 to review whether you will continue or cancel and return the device.

Day 1–2: Unbox & set up

  • Your kit includes a certified pre-owned WHOOP 5.0, a brand-new band and a basic corded charger—pair the strap in the WHOOP app right away.
  • Wear it 24/7 (snug, 1–2 finger-widths above the wrist bone). If heart rate drifts during workouts, try a bicep band or WHOOP Body placement.
  • Optionally connect Apple Health and Strava to sync workouts, and remember: the 5.0 strap is IP68 water-resistant but the charger/power pack is not.

Week 1: Build your baseline

  • Live normally so WHOOP can learn your personal ranges—calibration usually takes 1–2 weeks.
  • Start the in-app Journal to log caffeine, alcohol, late meals, naps, travel and stressors.
  • Check Health Monitor daily for out-of-range vitals (RHR, HRV, SpO₂, respiratory rate, skin temperature). This feature is included on Peak/Life tiers, which the trial defaults to.

Week 2: Sleep experiments

  • Use Sleep Coach to set a target bedtime/wake window and run 3–4 mini tests: adjust bedtime by 30–60 minutes, move caffeine cutoff to eight hours before bed, blackout the room or add a 10-minute breathwork wind-down.
  • Review next-morning Recovery and Sleep performance to see which habits improve your metrics.

Week 3: Training load experiments

  • Use Strain Coach to target the strain that matches your Recovery color—green for intensity, yellow for moderate sessions and red for technique or rest.
  • Compare an 'overreaching' block (three hard days in a row) with a deload pattern (hard day then easy day). Track HRV, resting heart rate, Recovery and sleep need to feel WHOOP's core value.

Week 4: Stress & lifestyle

  • Open Stress Monitor a few times per day. Try micro-interventions (box breathing, short walks, sunlight breaks) and watch your score drop in real time.
  • Review Journal correlations—such as alcohol lowering HRV or late dinners hurting sleep—and decide which habits you will keep.

Day 25–30: Decision window

  • Open the membership section in the app to confirm whether you will continue. If you choose to cancel, start the in-app cancellation/return flow immediately.
  • Remember that you cover return shipping for the trial. Ship the device back within 14 days of cancellation to avoid restocking fees.

What your WHOOP insights are telling you

Use this cheat-sheet to translate daily dashboards into actionable decisions throughout the trial.

Core readiness signals

  • Recovery (green/yellow/red): Gauge how hard to train today based on HRV, resting HR, sleep and respiratory rate.
  • Strain: Shows how demanding your day or workout was—match it to Recovery to avoid overreaching.
  • Sleep: Track duration, efficiency, disturbances and stages while Sleep Coach recommends bedtime and sleep need.
  • HRV trend: A rising baseline signals you are adapting; a drop can flag high stress, illness or poor sleep.

Dashboards & tools to explore

  • Health Monitor: Quick vital check against your normal range with the option to export a PDF for your coach or clinician.
  • Stress Monitor: Real-time stress score plus breathing guidance (available on Peak/Life tiers; included in the trial).
  • WHOOP Coach (AI): Ask questions like 'Why was my recovery low?' or 'What improves my HRV?' to get plain-language explanations.
  • Battery life: Expect ~14+ days per charge on the 5.0. Slide the battery on without removing the strap.

Mini experiments to run during the month

Pick at least one experiment in each category to connect behaviors with WHOOP's data.

Sleep

  • No screens 60 minutes before bed versus your normal routine.
  • Shift caffeine cutoff to eight hours pre-bed versus four hours.

Measure sleep efficiency, disturbances and next-day Recovery.

Training

  • Add a Zone 2 block (45–60 minutes, four times per week) versus your usual plan.
  • Introduce one extra rest day.

Measure HRV baseline, resting HR, subjective energy and how Strain pairs with Recovery.

Stress

  • Take three 2-minute breathing breaks each day versus none.
  • Swap a desk lunch for a 10-minute walk outside.

Measure Stress Monitor trends and afternoon focus.

Lifestyle

  • Compare an alcohol-free week to having two drinks each night.
  • Eat dinner early versus late.

Measure HRV, resting HR, sleep latency and the next day's Recovery.

Costs, commitments & what's included

  • The free trial rolls into a Peak annual membership on the same 5.0 device if you take no action after ~30 days.
  • The trial kit contains a certified pre-owned WHOOP 5.0, new band and basic charger while providing Peak-level features.
  • If you cancel, you cover return shipping (trial-only—non-trial returns may be covered by WHOOP).
  • Ship the device back within 14 days of canceling. Missing the window can trigger a US$129 (local equivalent) restocking fee.
  • You typically keep the band when canceling a free trial but must return the device and charger.
  • Continuing locks you into a 12-month membership that auto-renews; later cancellations generally take effect at term end with no pro-rata refunds.
  • Some features (Stress Monitor, Health Monitor, Healthspan tools) require Peak/Life tiers—downgrading to One removes them.

Common user-reported gotchas

  • The in-app cancel button can be hard to find; some users contact support for help.
  • Return labels sometimes arrive slowly—watch the 14-day window and choose tracked shipping.
  • Loose fits or wrist placement during cycling/HIIT can cause HR spikes. A snug fit or bicep placement usually fixes it.
  • WHOOP has occasionally changed policies and upgrade terms—review the latest Terms of Use before you commit.

How to cancel the trial & return the device

  1. Initiate cancellation in the app (More > My Account) during the trial month and follow the return prompts.
  2. Once canceled, ship the device plus battery/charger within 14 days. Keep proof of postage and use tracked shipping—you pay the shipping cost for trial returns.
  3. Document the process: take photos of the packed box, shipping label and tracking receipt until your account reflects the return.
  4. If WHOOP does not receive the device, they may bill a restocking fee, so monitor tracking and confirm delivery.

You can export your data (CSV reports) before canceling via the WHOOP app or Privacy Center so you keep your insights even if you return the strap.

Using WHOOP insights day to day

  • Plan training with Recovery: go hard on greens, focus on technique or mobility on yellows and prioritize rest on reds to avoid the 'great week -> crash' cycle.
  • Use Strain Coach to target WHOOP's daily suggestion and schedule extra sleep when you stack hard sessions.
  • Let Sleep Coach act as guardrails—set a consistent bedtime window and allow WHOOP to adjust sleep need after demanding days.
  • Treat Stress Monitor as a timer: when scores creep up, take a 2–3 minute breathing break and watch them fall.
  • Use Health Monitor as a check-engine light—if resting HR rises while HRV drops and temperature or respiratory rate drift, emphasize recovery before illness sets in.

Quick checklist

  • Wear WHOOP 24/7 (snug, 1–2 fingers above the wrist).
  • Keep the Journal on for caffeine, alcohol, late meals, naps and travel.
  • Connect Apple Health and/or Strava if you track workouts elsewhere.
  • Run Week-2 sleep tweaks, Week-3 training load tests and Week-4 stress breaks.
  • Hit the Day-25 reminder to decide on keeping or canceling.
  • If canceling: start the in-app flow, ship back within 14 days, pay return shipping, keep tracking proof and remember you keep the band.

Ready to put the plan into action?

Follow the roadmap above, run your experiments and use the metrics cheat-sheet to stay confident. When you are ready, activate the trial through our ambassador link for an effortless setup and free extra month.

Start the free trial now Take the readiness test