Is it possible to use Oura Ring without subscription? Let’s find out!
Oura Ring has certain data-related features that aren’t available without a membership.
You’ll still be able to see your activity, readiness, and sleep scores, but you’ll miss out on many useful insights that make them up.
Yes, you can use your Oura Ring without a subscription with limited functionality. You’ll see your three daily Oura scores, basic profile information, ring battery, the Explore Tab, and app settings.
Excellent, let’s begin exploring the details.
Can You Use Oura Ring Without Subscription – Features You Get
The Oura Ring measures your body temperature, heart rate, variability, respiration rate, blood oxygen saturation, and movement.
It uses this data to calculate your daily scores and displays them on the Oura app.
Oura Ring Subscription Benefits
Can I use Oura Ring without subscription? Yes, you still get to access most of the above features, set goals, and track your progress over time.
However, some features and benefits are only available to the subscription plan.
These include:
The subscription plan costs $9.99 per month or $99 per year. Cancel it anytime without any penalty.
Free Features Available Without a Subscription
You’ll still get access to most of the features of your Oura Ring without a subscription.
You will be able to benefit from its core functionality without any extra expense.
Whether or not the subscription plan is worth it depends on your needs and preferences.
Here’s a table to show you the free features and what they do:
Feature | Data Measured | Calculated Metrics | Daily Insights and Tips |
Sleep Tracking | Body temperature Heart rate Heart rate variability Respiratory rate Blood oxygen saturation Movement during the night | Sleep stages Sleep efficiency Sleep latency Sleep timing Sleep duration Sleep consistency Sleep score | Provided every morning to help improve your sleep |
Activity Tracking | Movement throughout the day using a 3D accelerometer and gyroscope | Steps Calories burned Distance traveled Active & inactive time Restful time Activity intensity Activity score | Provided daily to enhance your activity levels |
Wellness Tracking | Body temperature Heart rate Heart rate variability Respiratory rate Blood oxygen saturation Movement throughout the day and night | Readiness score Wellness score Wellness trends | Given every day to improve overall wellness and health |
Features Not Available Without a Subscription
As we’ve mentioned earlier, there are some features and benefits that you’ll only enjoy if you get a paid subscription with your Oura Ring.
Now, these will greatly enhance your experience and results, but they’re unavailable with the free tier.
Here are some features that you’re going to be missing out on:
- You won’t have access to Oura’s advanced analytics for in-depth analysis of your data.
- You won’t get exclusive content from experts on how to optimize your fitness.
- You won’t be able to connect with other Oura users who share their data.
- With the free tier of the Oura app, you’ll only get basic customer support.
Note: The basic customer support still offers excellent service, but you get priority if you’re a paid subscriber.
How to Use Your Oura Ring Without a Subscription
If you continue using your Oura Ring without getting the subscription, you’ll still need to get the Oura app.
It will be the same process, but you won’t have access to certain features. So, in terms of usage, nothing will be too different.
You can use your ring and app immediately after setting it up.
Here’s how to use your device without a subscription:
- Wear your ring every day and night as it’s designed to be worn 24/7.
- Sync your device with the app regularly to store your data and check your stats.
- You need to adjust your settings to get an accurate picture of your health and fitness.
Considerations for Using Oura Ring Without a Subscription
Even though you do not get the full suite of features, using your Oura Ring without a subscription has advantages.
You must know these so you can decide whether you want to pay the monthly fee for the subscription.
Advantages of using without a subscription
- Save money by not paying the monthly subscription fee.
- You still get the basic features, like activity and sleep tracking.
- See your daily and weekly data on the app and get insights on improving them.
- Enjoy more privacy since these are not going to be shared.
Disadvantages of using the Oura Ring without a subscription
- You’re missing out on some advanced features and benefits.
- Get access to advanced analytics, premium content, and community access.
- You might easily get bored or frustrated if you don’t get the subscription plan.
Note: Weigh these before deciding if you want to get a subscription plan or continue using it with the free tier.
Alternatives to the Oura Ring That Doesn’t Require a Subscription
Now that you have carefully weighed the features you’re getting and missing out if you don’t get a subscription, you may find it unsatisfactory.
If that’s the case, you will want to look for another option that doesn’t require a monthly subscription.
The good news is that there are a lot of fitness trackers and smartwatches that will offer similar features to the Oura Ring.
Here are some options to consider:
- Fitbit Charge 6: A fitness tracker measuring stats similar to the Oura Ring. It also calculates your sleep score, depending on the quality of your sleep.
- Garmin Vivosmart 5: It’s a wrist tracker similar to the Fitbit that keeps track of your health and fitness metrics. It will also provide you with your sleep quality and scores.
- Polar Ignite 3: This fitness and wellness watch measures your heart rate, breathing, and movement. It also calculates your sleep scores based on other stats it collects.
Note: The only downside of these devices is that they’re worn on your wrist rather than around your finger.
Getting the Most Out of Your Free Tier Oura Ring
If you decide to use Oura Ring without subscription, know that you’ll still be able to get the most out of your free tier subscription.
Here are some tips that will help you maximize how you use your ring and optimize your experience:
- Always follow the recommendations like going to bed earlier and avoiding caffeine four hours before bedtime to improve your sleep quality.
- Add factors like mood, stress levels, alcohol and caffeine intake, exercise, and more on the app to see how they correlate with your data.
- Set goals for your sleep duration, consistency, activity score, and other stats, this way, you’ll see how your sleep scores compare with your previous performance.
Tip: Most importantly, you want to have fun using the Oura Ring and the app to discover new things about yourself.
Is the Oura Ring Worth It Without a Subscription
Now that you have a pretty good idea of what you get with your Oura Ring with and without a subscription, you’ll be able to determine if it’s still worth using if it’s missing a few features.
If you’re looking for a device that tracks your sleep, activity, and wellness simply, the Oura Ring is worth it, even without a subscription.
However, suppose you’re looking for a device that will provide you with a more advanced and personalized analysis of your data.
In that case, you might want to consider getting a subscription or a different one altogether.
Tip: Ultimately, the choice is yours and will largely depend on your preferences to decide what is best for you.
Conclusion
If you want to use your Oura Ring without a subscription, it will work, minus a few features.
Some advanced features, such as detailed sleep insights, previous data, and recommendations, will not be available.
However, the basics, like your readiness and sleep scores, will be there.
To learn more about what your Oura Ring can do and how to fix it, visit our blog!
Finn Wheatley holds a Master’s Degree in Computer Science from UCL, London. He helped small data science consultancy firms, helping large corporations to grow their data capabilities, deploy advanced machine learning-based analytics and troubleshoot tech-related issues. Check out more about him here.