Garmin adds free InAccess SOS to established programs

In a move that shows the strength of the competition, Garmin recently announced that inReach satellite communications device subscribers who have canceled their plans will continue to receive emergency SOS access for up to 12 months. That’s a big change for Garmin, which has long insisted that inReach devices must have a paid subscription even for SOS purposes. This includes devices like Garmin’s inReach Mini 3 series that came out last fall, as well as many other devices with inReach systems.

Here’s a statement from Garmin’s Connor Hoffman:

“Garmin presents an update to its option to set up inReach that provides free SOS access for up to 12 months even if the subscription is suspended. Because when it matters most, every second counts. If you are beyond mobile range, Garmin inReach helps you stay connected to emergency help when you need it most. The device enables two-way communication and worldwide messaging OS by sending a family message anywhere with OS on Garmin Response℠, a 24/7 international emergency coordination center.”

As a brief background, Garmin inReach devices require a multi-tiered subscription that includes all kinds of features. However, in general, the higher the subscription, the more text/images/audio clips you can post, and the more tracking points you can post. For many inReach device owners, the advantage is the combination of any connection, combined with true SOS access for global emergencies (although many Apple/Google phone/watch systems that offer satellite communication only work in certain countries). However, in the case of Apple/Google, those satellite SOS features are completely free.

Garmin’s inReach plan costs are (from left to right): $7.99/$14.99/$29.99/$49.99 (monthly):

Garmin was already forced about a year ago to change its thinking on the installation of the system, which previously required an expensive renewal fee. But they ended that about one year ago (June 5, 2025), and programs no longer require an activation fee, as long as they are restarted within 12 months.

All of this makes the inReach devices *very* attractive to seasonal users of the device (be it winter or summer), who may use the device for 3-5 months, and it may sit on the shelf. For a skier who may have suspended registration for the summer, this may mean that they can take it to climb for SOS purposes only.

Now, Garmin hasn’t finished updating all of their pages. For example, the one here with the sections does not have all the tables updated yet. Or this one here talking about suspension. It sounds like that should happen soon, though. [Update: As of a day later, these are now updated]

A list of active devices exists, the main notable release being the inReach Mini 1 (announced in early 2018), which is not included. I suspect this is because it does a subscription check of some sort, and would require a firmware update which Garmin doesn’t want to do. But Mini 2 and many more are included in it.

Accordingly, I asked how this affects wearables – such as the Fenix ​​​​8 Pro series, which has the ability to communicate via satellite in the style of Reach (although with a different basic technology). Currently, that requires a subscription as well (which includes LTE coverage baked into it). When I spoke with Garmin, Note that this will work on those watches as well.

In any case, all of this is undoubtedly the result of companies like Apple and Google making SOS-style emergency assistance available on phones and watches, free of charge. Sure, they have range limitations that Garmin doesn’t have much, but for a large number of users, those range/country limitations don’t apply. Which is not to say that Garmin inReach devices don’t serve a purpose, they do a lot. There are boatloads of features they have with tracking, updates, etc… not available on phones/watches at this time. And people (including me) will continue to pay for those features.

Finally, I wonder if Garmin will finally drop the 12 month requirement. That seems like a lot of ways to go wrong (expectation wisdom). Although I’m sure some accountant has decided that’s a line in the sand to do this job (for now). Who knows. In the same way that Apple (and Google) refuse to explain the end date of their free emergency SOS, despite the fact that it will finally be free.

With that – thanks for reading!