If you like the competitive aspect of running, this is a good option. You can race people around the world in real-time, which is pretty cool. You can invite your friends to races, wait for one, or start your own. The app tracks your progress globally so you can see how you stand out against runners around the world. The app aims to bring runners together in a friendly competitive nature to help each one improve. There are big benefits to keeping a training log as you prepare for a race.

Version History

However, most smartwatches do sync and are compatible, just be sure to double check everything is synched before you head out on your first run. In the beginning, Nike+ was designed for beginners or those returning to running after taking a break. The exercises will help you improve strength, endurance, and speed. The app offers coaching plans and adapts your fitness goals to the progress you are making. With some of the most accurate distance and time tracking available, Running Distance Tracker Pro is guaranteed to motivate any runner.

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The app is available on Android and iOS phones, but not on Android Wear smartwatches at the moment. This is something to keep in mind when deciding between apps. Pumatrac offers the basic tracking tools, along with more details when you run, such as the weather, time of day, etc.

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• The app tracks activity and analyzes progress through visual graphs and detailed reports.
• All achievements appear in the activity log with comprehensive metrics—time, distance, speed, and calories burned.
• In our opinion, Strava’s Apple Watch app is overly simple and dated, but it does represent the simplest way to track a run and upload it to Strava.
• This one is optimized well for the Apple Watch, letting you listen to music and dropping the volume to enable audio instructions of what you need to do and how you’re performing.
• There is also a sharing option for all of your favorite social networks.
• “Training program really adapted to my goals that got me motivated to run again and get ‘back in my groove’.”

The gold membership also nets you free training plans as well. The problem with running apps is the majority of the time that you are using the app, you aren’t looking at the screen. I like the fonts, but the sidebar is a bit cluttered for my unimeal review taste. I feel like it could have been condensed into half the number of items.

Lace up and tackle walking goals by distance, time and more.

However, if you are a more private person and likes to control what is shared, there are better running app options available. Overall, this app will provide you with detailed information on your performance, challenge your friends, leaderboards, and achievements along the way. Created by UnderArmour, Map My Run allows you to track your runs using a GPS and provides you with personal feedback and stats to encourage and motivate you. MapMyRun by Under Armour is one of the best running apps for creating running routes. I use this app a lot when I need to create routes for myself or for leading running events.

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A good example is how Garmin watches seamlessly integrate training plans between the app, and the watch. It is fairly easy to set up an interval run on the Garmin connect app and execute it on the watch. It’ll track key stats like distance, average pace, calories burned, and heart rate in real-time, and let you view workouts in Apple’s Fitness app.

Runna also integrates with popular GPS watches, allowing runners to follow interval workouts and structured sessions directly from their device while automatically syncing data back to the app. Here are the most useful running apps across several categories. We highlight what makes each one unique, and why, whether you’re just starting out as a runner or you’re a seasoned pro, you will find the two or three apps to your running life. Strava allows you to track running, walking, and biking as well as enter your cross-training information if you want to post about your circuit training workouts, weightlifting, and more.

Can I upload past activities from my device when I join Strava?

Developing a solid brand further diversifies the business model through sponsorships, sales, and more. GPS tracking, biometric sensors, and machine learning algorithms have enabled developers to create feature-rich solutions that deliver accurate data. Additionally, the proliferation of wearable devices has further fueled the adoption of running apps by giving users feedback and analysis of their performance. You’ll find Strava and Nike Run Club in any list of the best running apps (including ours, of course).

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Luckily, keeping track of your runs and workouts has never been easier thanks to the best running apps for smartphones. Even if you track your runs (and rides, and strength training) with another app, you can set it up to sync everything to Strava. My Strava account has years’ worth of workouts on it that I’ve tracked from an Apple Watch, a Garmin, even a Peloton. When I wore a Garmin Forerunner 265 alongside the new Pixel Watch 3, Strava correctly (I would argue) logged it as a run that Beth and Beth did together.

Best for Long-Term Exercise Commitment

The popular streaming app gives you the best music from then and now through playlists you or your friends create. You can also explore the world of Spotify to see what else people are running to, jamming to, or working out to. The app pairs with most GPS watches and devices so you can take it with you just about anywhere you can take your devices. Once you’re ready to start training again, you can use one of our post-injury training plans to return to running safely without risking another injury. The Nike Run Club App has everything you need to start running, keep running, and enjoy running more. Want to share your location with your loved ones while out on a run?

The power of data

In April 2024, Runna was actually acquired by another platform we recommend on this list, Strava. For now, it seems as though the Runna app will remain as is, but keep an eye on Strava in the near future to see if like-minded plans make their way over. One downside to this app is you cannot take your data with you. When you sign up, you sign away your data in the user agreement, which means if you change apps, all the data you stored on Nike+ will be gone.