According to Amanda Capritto, certified personal trainer, “Virtually everyone can benefit from a fitness app, even those with years upon years of training experience.” For running and cycling enthusiasts, Strava is one of the best workout apps given its impressive tracking features and built-in community, which can be excellent for boosting morale and gathering other training tips. Plus, the service supports other workout modalities for individuals partaking in activities like water sports, golf, and more.
In our opinion, Strava can be a great platform for intermediate athletes that value data tracking over personalized instruction. The service is somewhat expensive, though, and the supported sports may not be everyone’s cup of tea — looking at you, strength training enthusiasts. In this Strava app review, we’ll examine the digital training tool’s user experience, as well as its cost, available features, and more. We’ve also used our equipment testing methodology to critique and compare Strava with dozens of other fitness apps we’ve had the pleasure of trialing over the years.
Popular with cyclists and runners for a reason, the Strava app can be an excellent tool for taking your running to the next level. With a social network, GPS tracking, and loads of data insights, this app is capable of tracking a wide array of physical activities.
Experts Who Contributed
Main Takeaways
- While the app supports 48 different activities, a majority of them are geared toward endurance athletes, meaning strength training athletes may be served better with a different service.
- Strava is compatible with a wide range of devices including iOS and Android smartphones and many of the best fitness trackers, smartwatches, and other wearables.
- This workout app is available for $11.99 monthly, although there are discounts for individual and family plans billed on an annual basis.
Strava App Specs
| Price | $11.99 per month |
| Supported Workouts | Run, Trail Run, Walk, Hike, Virtual Run, Ride, Mountain Bike Ride, Gravel Ride, E-Bike Ride, E-Mountain Bike Ride, Velomobile, Virtual Ride, Canoe, Kayak, Kitesurf, Rowing, Stand-up Paddling, Surf, Swim, Windsurf, Ice Skate, Alpine Ski, Backcountry Ski, Nordic Ski, Snowboard, Snowshoe, Handcycle, Inline Skate, Rock Climb, Roller Ski, Golf, Skateboard, Football (Soccer), Wheelchair, Badminton, Tennis, Pickleball, CrossFit, Elliptical, Stair Stepper, Weight Training, Yoga, Workout, HIIT, Pilates, Table Tennis, Squash, Racquetball |
| Compatibility | iOS, Android |
| Free Trial Period | 30 days |
| Required Equipment | Smartphone, GPS watch, or fitness tracker |
While Strava may be well-known as one of the best running apps, the service offers fitness tracking capabilities for a range of sports including cycling, hiking, water sports, golf, and more. All that’s needed is a GPS-compatible device such as a smartphone, Apple watch, or other compatible wearable. Of the 48 available sport modalities, though, we do note that a majority of the activities are geared toward endurance athletes — we wouldn’t recommend this service for strength sports.
All of the activity tracking features are available on Strava’s free version, but Strava Premium is where the app elevates itself with in-depth training plans, custom route building, group challenges, and more. “I honestly don’t think Strava’s free version is worth the download,” says our tester, a certified personal trainer. “You can get GPS tracking services from elsewhere, but the premium features are what give this service its gusto.” As such, we’ll focus on the Strava Premium service for the remainder of this review.
In addition to the tracking technology, Strava also boasts an engaging social network, connecting you to other Strava users for motivation, advice, and a built-in sense of connection. Studies report that having a sense of community within your training can lead to better performance, so having access to these message boards and challenges may offer a helpful spark to your workouts. (1) Strava also regularly poses group challenges that can be a fun way to bake in some competition amongst users, especially when your workouts are primarily solo endeavors.
As far as compatibility, Strava is supported by a range of fitness wearables including Garmin, Fitbit, Wahoo, and Polar, among others. You can even pair your Strava account to your best heart rate monitor for more informed data tracking.
Strava’s premium membership is available for $11.99 monthly or $79.99 annually. If you have multiple athletes in one household, you can also opt for a Family Plan subscription costing $139.99 yearly. “I also appreciate that Strava offers a 30-day free trial,” notes our tester. “This can be a long enough trial period to test out the premium features and determine whether the platform is exactly what you’re looking for.”
Who Should Use / Who Shouldn’t Use Strava
Of course, Strava is going to be more enticing for certain athletes than others. Below are a few camps we feel could benefit from this workout tracking app, as well as some groups that would fare better with a different digital training service.
Recommended for:
- Endurance or cross-training athletes that focus on running, cycling, and swimming
- Data enthusiasts looking for real-time updates on their workout performance metrics
- People looking for a convenient social platform within their fitness app
Not Recommended for:
- Strength athletes that primarily train in the confines of a gym
- Beginners wanting an app with trainer-led modules or personalized workout programs
- Individuals that don’t want their personal location shared while their app is in use
Our Experience Training With the Strava App
We’ve tested over 50 of the best online workout programs and fitness apps over the years, examining each platform for their performance benefits, ease of use, overall value, and more. For this Strava app review, we applied lessons from those previous trials and critiqued this popular training app on similar factors, rating Strava on a scale of 1 (lowest) to 5 (highest) in each category. Here are some of the findings that came from our testing experience.
Low Equipment Requirements
According to our tester, a certified personal trainer, setting up the Strava app is as simple as any app download. “There’s no waiting around once you make your account, either,” they add. “Once you log in, you can immediately start tracking your sport-based or cardio workouts.”
In addition to the user-friendly interface — our tester rates the ease of use at 4 out of 5 — Strava also earns our kudos for the low equipment demands. Naturally, you’re going to need your best running shoes for tackling a new route, or a bike for your cycling sessions, but you likely already own that equipment if you’re looking to train with the Strava platform. “In my opinion, the service is an upgrade to everything you already do on a regular training schedule,” our tester notes.
We rate the equipment demands at 5 out of 5, too, since you can pair your Strava account to plenty of Bluetooth-compatible devices. Whether you have an iPhone, a GPS-capable running watch, or a dialed-in fitness tracker, Strava is supported by plenty of wearables and other fitness tech.
Beacon Location Services
Another helpful feature is the app’s beacon location services. This perk, available for both Strava Free and Strava Premium users, allows you to share your location with up to three people for an extra layer of safety. This can be especially helpful for athletes working out solo in unfamiliar environments. While I haven’t used this feature on Strava, specifically, I have used similar services when out trail running across new mountains and parks — it’s a great peace of mind in case something were to go wrong during training.
However, our tester notes that while this beacon feature is nice for adventures, they do wish the Strava location services were a little more private. “When you’re out on a route, your geolocation is made public as you track your pacing and navigation. Even after tinkering with the privacy settings, you can still easily see where I’ve run or biked,” they state. You can hide your activity from your social feeds, but your performance won’t be logged toward any of your ongoing challenges.
Interactive Features
The interactive features available through Strava earn a score of 5 out of 5, according to our tester. In addition to the GPS tracking and the standard performance metrics, there are plenty of detailed specs that elevate their understanding of their completed running workouts and other sport-based activities.
“One metric I’ve really come to enjoy is the ‘Relative Effort,’ statistic, which showcases your effort in a workout rather than just your pace or speed,” they say. “As any running enthusiast knows, performance can vary greatly from day to day. This Strava stat understands that and provides a granular metric to show you how hard you’re training despite the presence of unwanted stress.”
Other impressive features available to Strava Premium members include heatmaps outlining trained muscle groups, custom heart rate and power zones, training programs for upcoming races and events, offline map access, and the ability to create customized routes based on your favorite trails and roadways.
We also loop in Strava’s social community features here that essentially turn the training service into a hybrid social media platform. “There aren’t any coaching features, but I do appreciate the motivation brought on by the embedded social feed,” notes our tester, who rates the accountability at 3 out of 5. “Plus, the challenges and leaderboards help me stay dedicated to logging my sessions, and the overall vibe of the community is just uplifting and positive.”
What to Consider Before Downloading Strava
Granted, downloading a fitness app like Strava can be less stressful than, say, purchasing one of the best treadmills, but there are some factors worth considering before making your way to your service provider’s app store. Below are a handful of items we recommend pondering over before creating your account and paying for a Strava subscription.
- Workout Preferences: Amanda Capritto, certified personal trainer, states, “One of the quickest ways to determine which fitness app is right for you is by determining what type of training you need to do in order to reach your desired outcome.” After all, a running-focused platform isn’t going to necessarily lend a hand through your strength training protocols. Comb through the available workouts of your chosen fitness app and ensure its features cater to your preferred workout modality.
- Personal Training Needs: You should also think about how much guidance and instruction you want from your workout app. “Beginners may want to consider a digital service like Caliber or others that pair you with a personal trainer for customized training routines and more informed instruction,” notes Capritto. “Other, more advanced athletes may be OK with just a digital training log for tracking metrics and workouts.”
- Community Engagement: A workout app with a built-in community of fellow athletes can be great for maintaining motivation and pushing yourself toward progress. (1) If you’re interested in feeling that shared sense of achievement with each logged workout, be sure to look for a workout app with such features.
- Price: Lastly, take some time to crunch through your finances and determine whether your budget can support a monthly subscription service. Capritto notes that subscription-based apps do tend to offer more features, but there are plenty of free fitness apps that offer plenty of workout-supporting perks, too.
Strava App Vs. Competitors
“Workout apps are a dime a dozen in today’s digital landscape,” says Amanda Capritto, our expert reviewer and certified personal trainer. Naturally, then, it’s not surprising to find that Strava has some competition even despite its impressive workout tracking capabilities. Below are two popular training apps that compare well to Strava, in our opinion — Garmin Connect and Nike Run Club. All apps offer run-tracking capabilities and are available across a variety of different smart devices. Check out our chart below, though, for further details on each service’s offerings.
| Strava | Garmin Connect | Nike Run Club | |
| Price | $11.99 per month | $0.00 | Additional features starting at $5.99 per month | $0.00 |
| Supported Workouts | Run, Trail Run, Walk, Hike, Virtual Run, Ride, Mountain Bike Ride, Gravel Ride, E-Bike Ride, E-Mountain Bike Ride, Velomobile, Virtual Ride, Canoe, Kayak, Kitesurf, Rowing, Stand-up Paddling, Surf, Swim, Windsurf, Ice Skate, Alpine Ski, Backcountry Ski, Nordic Ski, Snowboard, Snowshoe, Handcycle, Inline Skate, Rock Climb, Roller Ski, Golf, Skateboard, Football (Soccer), Wheelchair, Badminton, Tennis, Pickleball, CrossFit, Elliptical, Stair Stepper, Weight Training, Yoga, Workout, HIIT, Pilates, Table Tennis, Squash, Racquetball | Indoor Running, Obstacle Course Running, Street Running, Track Running, Trail Running, Treadmill Running, Ultra Running, Virtual Running, BMX, Cyclocross, Downhill Mountain Biking, eBiking, eMountain Biking, Gravel/Unpaved Cycling, Handcycling, Indoor Cycling, Indoor Handcycling, Mountain Biking, Recumbent Cycling, Road Cycling, Track Cycling, Virtual Cycling, Bouldering, Dance Fitness, Elliptical, HIIT, Cardio, Indoor Climbing, Indoor Rowing, Jump Rope, Onshore Grinding, Pilates, Stair Stepper, Strength Training, Yoga, Pool Swim, Open Water Swimming, Casual Walking, Speed Walking, Rucking, Apnea, Apnea Hunt, CCR Dive, Gauge Dive, Multi-Gas Dive, Pool Apnea, Single-Gas Dive, Backcountry Skiing, Backcountry Snowboarding, Cross Country Classic Skiing, Resort Skiing, Resort Snowboarding, Cross Country Skate Skiing, Skating, Snowshoeing, Snowmobiling, Boating, Fishing, Kayaking, Kiteboarding, Offshore Grinding, Canoeing, Rowing, Sailing, Snorkeling, Stand-up Paddleboarding, Surfing, Wakeboarding, Wakesurfing, Tubing, Waterskiing, Whitewater, Windsurfing, American Football, Baseball, Basketball, Cricket, Field Hockey, Ice Hockey, Lacrosse, Rugby, Soccer/Football, Softball, Ultimate Disc, Volleyball, Badminton, Padel, Pickleball, Platform Tennis, Racquetball, Squash, Table Tennis, Tennis, Pushing — Run Speed, Pushing — Walk Speed, Archery, ATV, Auto Racing, Bike-to-Run Transition, Boxing, Breathwork, Disc Golf, Driving, Gaming, Floor Climbing, Flying, Golf, Hang Gliding, Horseback Riding, Hunting, Inline Skating, Meditation, Mixed Martial Arts, Motocross, Motorcycling, Mountaineering, Overland, RC/Drone, Rock Climbing, Run-to-Bike Transition, Sky Diving, Stopwatch, Swim-to-Bike Transition, Transition, Wingsuit Flying | Run |
| Compatibility | iOS, Android | iOS, Android | iOS, Android |
| Free Trial Period | 30 days | Not applicable | Not applicable |
| Required Equipment | Smartphone, GPS watch, or fitness tracker | Smartphone or Bluetooth-compatible Garmin device | Smartphone or Bluetooth-compatible wearable |
Places to Download Strava
Strava is available for download through Apple’s App Store as well as the Google Play store. You can also sign up for your Premium membership through the brand’s website. While our tester rates the pricing at 3 out of 5 given the $11.99 monthly charge, we do rate the value at 4 out of 5 since the included premium features are worth the extra cost. “You get what you pay for here,” our tester states.
Brand Reputation and Customer Reviews
As one of the best cycling apps, running apps, and general workout tracking platforms, it’s no surprise that Strava carries positive reviews for both iOS and Android users. On the Apple App Store, Strava holds a 4.8-out-of-5 rating based on over 306,000 customer responses. The rating is slightly lower at 4.4 on the Google Play Store, per 921,000 responses. “I love Strava! They offer trails close to your area as well all over. You’re able to add friends, join or create clubs, and complete challenges all while tracking your activities,” notes one positive customer review.
Final Thoughts on Strava
If you’re in the market for a workout tracking app to support your endurance-oriented training with detailed metrics and an easy-to-use interface, Strava can be an excellent download. Plus, the built-in community of like-minded athletes can be great for fueling your motivation and adding a sense of competition to every jog, ride, swim, or other fitness activity. While the supported sports do lean more toward cardio and endurance training (sorry, strength athletes), this can be a fun, engaging way to ensure your performance is on the right path with each logged session.
When looking to download a new workout app, always be sure to look at the supported training disciplines, as well as other potential features like personalized coaching, on-demand workouts, and more. Cost, too, should be top of mind if you’re planning on subscribing to a service to gain access to more workout tools. In the end, your app of choice should work with you toward your fitness goals rather than serve as another platform to scroll over when navigating your home screen.
Strava App FAQs
Can I use the Strava app for free?
Yes, Strava does have a free version that gives you access to workout tracking as well as the platform’s community features. However, a Strava Premium membership ($11.99 monthly) is required to access training plans, custom route building features, and other additional functions.
Does Strava count steps?
Yes, Strava can count your steps through walking, hiking, and running activities.
Does Strava have a monthly fee?
A Strava membership costs $11.99 per month. You can also find annual subscriptions for $79.99 yearly as well as Family Plan packages totaling $139.99 per year.
What are the cons of Strava?
Outlining the cons to Strava can be subjective. In our opinion, though, one of the major flaws to this workout app is its limited support for strength training athletes. The app is more geared toward endurance and cardio enthusiasts, so those looking to track their weight totals and completed sets through a standard gym session may feel underserved. Additionally, many of the premium features are hidden behind a paywall.
References
- Davis, A. J., MacCarron, P., & Cohen, E. (2021). Social reward and support effects on exercise experiences and performance: Evidence from parkrun. PLOS ONE, 16(9). https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC8443045/
