Strava alternatives for runners: which app fits your next run?
Think about your last run. Did you want to glance at your heart rate, hear someone guide the session, or know what to run next Tuesday? Each calls for a different kind of app.
RunZone publishes this guide and is one of the four options below. The comparison uses the developers’ descriptions of their products.
Choose by what you want on your next run
| What you want | Where to start | What to try first |
|---|---|---|
| See your heart-rate zone on your wrist | Apple Workout | Find the Heart Rate Zones view during an Outdoor Run. |
| Hear coaching through one session | Nike Run Club | Pick a Guided Run that matches the time you have. |
| Work toward a race date | Runna | Preview how a plan fits your available running days. |
| Follow a plan built around Zone 2 | RunZone | See how the coaching and progress views fit your easy runs. |
If you already own an Apple Watch
Suppose you have 30 minutes on your usual loop and already know the route and duration. If your only missing piece is a glance at your zone, try the Workout app on that loop before changing your whole setup. Apple explains how to display zones and review time spent in each after the session. See Apple’s Heart Rate Zones instructions.
If you want someone to guide today’s run
A runner who wants company in their headphones may get more from a coach-led session than a screen of numbers. Look through Nike Run Club’s Guided Runs and choose one you would actually repeat. If your question is how to distribute workouts across the weeks before a race, look at Runna’s running plans and compare the scheduled sessions with your calendar.
If you want to measure progress on easy runs
A faster mile alone tells you little about whether an easy run is getting easier. For example, 10 minutes per mile on a flat loop and 11 on a hilly trail describe two different runs. To make your own comparison more useful, record the route, pace, effort and conditions. RunZone’s app listing describes coaching and tracking pace at the same heart rate. If that is the comparison you want, explore RunZone’s coaching and progress tracking on the App Store.
New to these numbers? Read how Zone 2 running works, or use the pace calculator to compare mile and kilometre splits. If your favourite part of Strava is following friends, consider which of these features you want alongside that activity feed.