The Best Running Apps for Tracking Progress 

If you’re ready to move beyond a paper log and have access to a smartphone or GPS watch, there are many apps available to track your training. With so many options, you can choose an app that focuses on a priority, whether that’s fun, friends, or race-specific goals. I’ve rounded up some of the most popular running apps below. Let's take a deep dive into the descriptions and decide which one works for you.

Why Trust Us?

ACTIVE.com's editorial team relies on the knowledge and experience of fitness and wellness experts, including competitive athletes, coaches, physical therapists, nutritionists, and certified trainers. This helps us ensure that the products we feature are of the highest standard. Collectively, the team has spent countless hours researching equipment, gear, and recovery tools to create the most accurate, authentic content for our readers. Customer satisfaction is also a key part of our review process, which is why we only feature highly rated products.

Garmin Connect - Best for Creating Custom Workouts

If you own a Garmin GPS watch, you are probably already familiar with the brand’s app. It has a few social features and some free training plan options, but it also offers robust data tracking, especially if you wear the watch all day (and night). It’s also easy to create customized workouts, which is incredibly useful when there’s a fartlek or short intervals on the calendar. One of the best things about the Garmin app is that it tracks health and performance data holistically, giving you insights not just into pace but also into heart rate variability and accumulated training strain.

Apple Fitness - Best for Apple Watch and iPhone Loyalists

Apple’s fitness tracker is a seamless choice for Apple Watch wearers, with the ability to track runs, walks, and cross-training activities. Users can also see how many steps they’ve logged, along with hours of sleep and heart rate. Because there are no integrated training plans, this app is best if you already have a schedule or a coach guiding your running.

Strava - Best for the Social Runner

Perfect for social and/or competitive runners, Strava allows you to find other athletes, both local and farther afield. It’s great for motivating others through kudos (the app’s version of a “like”), and there are new challenges and contests every month to keep runners motivated. A paid subscription also offers training insights, such as how your mileage and intensity compare to previous weeks, along with race time predictions. Strava doesn’t offer coaching, but its sister company, Runna, is a good resource for adaptive training plans.

Couch to 5k - Best for the Beginner

Perfect for beginners, this app provides a 9-week blueprint to get runners ready for the 5k distance. There are multiple coaching personalities to choose from, depending on your preference. In addition to logging workouts in the app, you can share progress with friends via social media posts.

Nike Run Club - Best for Anyone Who Needs Real-Time Motivation

This app provides guided audio runs to keep you on track, and there’s also a leaderboard that lets you compete against friends. There are different types of training plans available, with good options tailored specifically to runners just getting started or returning to the sport.

AllTrails - Best for the Off-Road Runner

This app is a good choice for trail runners and hikers. While it doesn’t offer specific training plans or coaching, it has all the information you need to plan trail-based excursions. Read recent trail condition commentary, download maps for offline use, and set alerts if you go off course. This app is best for the trail runner who’s less focused on a training plan and instead wants to focus on route data.

Technology can be a game-changer for running progress, but as with anything, it has its downsides. If you find that an app is creating more stress than benefits, don’t be afraid to try something new — or go analog for a change of pace.