10 Best Running Apps

10 Best Running Apps

by JOHN CORPUZ Sep 30, 2015, 6:21 AM

A smartphone's built-in sensors make it a great platform for a variety of running apps that can track your speed, distance traveled, calories burned and even map your route. From high-end exercise apps with dedicated training plans to fun, gamified tools, check out our 10 favorite running apps below.

Runkeeper (Android, iOS, Free) 

A perennial favorite among runners, Runkeeper (Android, iOS) uses your phone's GPS to track your running, cycling, hiking and other distance activities. The app records your pace, distance, total exercise time, calories burned and other useful metrics, while also allowing you to take and tag pictures on the go. Users can go freeform, or download and follow popular running routes. You can measure your progress and workout history, as well as sync with numerous other apps and services and receive detailed reports of your tracked activity.

{"uid":2,"hostPeerName":"http://www.tomsguide.com","initialGeometry":"{\"windowCoords_t\":22,\"windowCoords_r\":212,\"windowCoords_b\":1008,\"windowCoords_l\":1413,\"frameCoords_t\":1739.8125,\"frameCoords_r\":865.5,\"frameCoords_b\":1924.8125,\"frameCoords_l\":237.5,\"styleZIndex\":\"auto\",\"allowedExpansion_t\":0,\"allowedExpansion_r\":0,\"allowedExpansion_b\":0,\"allowedExpansion_l\":0,\"xInView\":0,\"yInView\":0}","permissions":"{\"expandByOverlay\":false,\"expandByPush\":false,\"readCookie\":false,\"writeCookie\":false}","metadata":"{\"shared\":{\"sf_ver\":\"1-0-2\",\"ck_on\":1,\"flash_ver\":\"19.0.0\"}}","reportCreativeGeometry":false}" scrolling="no" marginwidth="0" marginheight="0" width="628" height="185" data-is-safeframe="true" style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border-width: 0px; border-style: initial; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; line-height: inherit; font-family: inherit; vertical-align: bottom;">

MORE: Best Fitness Trackers

Strava Running and Cycling (Android, iOS, Free) 

In addition to being a top-notch running tracker, Strava Running and Cycling (Android, iOS) adds some pretty neat competitive and gamified features to the usual run-tracking recipe. The app records your running speed, distance traveled, time and course taken, but also combines it with leaderboards, achievements and challenges, providing both useful metrics and tracking, as well as a competitive and social element as you race against your friends. Strava supports a variety of running trackers, in addition to Android Wear and Apple Watch.

Run with Map My Run (Android, iOS, Free) 

Run with Map My Run (Android, iOS) is Map My Fitness's own take on the run tracking app, taking advantage of your phone's GPS and other sensors in order to track and map your running course, time, speed and total distance traveled. The app displays displaying both your real-time stats and your end-of-run totals. Useful extras include support for a variety of fitness trackers and heart rate sensors, Android Wear support and nutrition tracking. A premium subscription provides voice coaching and location sharing, and removes ads.

Runtastic (Android, iOS, Free) 

Runtastic (Android, iOS) uses GPS to track and map your distance exercises, monitoring time, speed and distance and plots your route in real-time. A personal exercise diary keeps track of your running metrics, and your routes can also be viewed in a Google Earth-style view. A configurable dashboard, detailed graphs of your exercise information, progress sharing over social networks and numerous training plans round out this neat exercise app.

Adidas miCoach Train & Run (Android, iOS, Free) 

miCoach Train & Run (Android, iOS) is Adidas's entry into the running and exercising companion apps field, and integrates tightly with the shoemaker's exercise trackers, such as the Speed_Cell in-shoe tracker and the Fit Smart wristband. miCoach comes with a variety of training plans created by professional coaches for a variety of purposes, whether you're planning to improve your fitness, practice running, or lose weight. The app uses GPS, your phone's sensors, and any connected devices to record your route, pace, and distance traveled. Results can be shared to Strava, Google Fit, Apple Health and a variety of other platforms.

PUMATRAC (Android, iOS, Free) 

Pumatrac (Android, iOS) throws in some cute extras along with the standard bevy of run tracking tools. First, the basics: Pumatrac records the distance you've run, maps your run track, records calories burned, etc. But Pumatrac also records a whole slew of other things, such as weather, time of day, month and more. Then it boils it all down into a run score to describe the quality of your run, which you can view over time and compare with other runners. Additionally, Pumatrac generates other personalized insights based on your running behavior, noting whether you run further when listening to rock or metal, Fridays, Mondays, weekends and more.

Nike+ Running (Android, iOS, Free) 

Nike may have stopped developing the FuelBand, but the company still makes a mean running app in Nike+ Running (Android, iOS). Whether on a treadmill, trail or track, the app accurately records your pace, distance traveled and time, complete with audio feedback and a route map. The app also comes with a host of gamified social elements such as sharing runs, achievements and the option to challenge your friends to beat your time or distance run. A neat feature is the ability to load a "Power Song" of your choice, for when you need some extra mid-run oomph.

Couch-to-5K (Android, iOS, $2.99)  

Active.com's Couch-to-5K (Android, iOS) is designed to gently ease couch potatoes and casual runners and joggers into running 5K courses over time. Users are provided a training course of 20 to 30 minutes, three times a week over nine weeks, to build up a runner's stamina from wheezing wreck to race-winner. Users can choose from four virtual coaches, complete with accompanying audio cues to help motivate them on the run, with automatic or manual logging for easily keep track of your progress.

MORE: Android Wear vs. Pebble Steel

Rock My Run (Android, iOS, Free, in-app purchases) 

Sometimes, the right song can mean all the difference between giving it your all and and losing all drive to push forward on that last uphill stretch. Enter Rock My Run, an Android and iOS app that delivers curated playlists crafted by DJs with runners in mind. Free users get unlimited access to workout mixes and playlists up to 45 minutes long, while premium users can get mixes and playlists up to 4 hours long, as well as a totally ad-free experience.

Zombies, Run! (Android, iOS, Free, premium subscription) 

If your philosophy has always been to never run unless something is chasing you, here's the motivational app for you. Zombies, Run! (Android, iOS) puts you in the shoes of Runner Five, racing to save your life and the people of Abel Township. Zombies, Run! gamifies your running with radio play-style missions delivering an ever-unfolding storyline for players to enjoy as you run. The app integrates with your favorite music players and streaming apps such as Spotify and Pandora, with the app introducing radio outbursts and story messages in between songs. The app has gone free to play, with new users receiving episodes 1-4, and the ability to unlock new episodes once a week (or with a subscription).

• Best Earbuds for Running
  
• 10 Best Brain Training Apps
• 10 Best Android Launchers

{"uid":1,"hostPeerName":"http://www.tomsguide.com","initialGeometry":"{\"windowCoords_t\":22,\"windowCoords_r\":212,\"windowCoords_b\":1008,\"windowCoords_l\":1413,\"frameCoords_t\":5348.8125,\"frameCoords_r\":865.5,\"frameCoords_b\":5533.8125,\"frameCoords_l\":237.5,\"styleZIndex\":\"auto\",\"allowedExpansion_t\":0,\"allowedExpansion_r\":0,\"allowedExpansion_b\":0,\"allowedExpansion_l\":0,\"xInView\":0,\"yInView\":0}","permissions":"{\"expandByOverlay\":false,\"expandByPush\":false,\"readCookie\":false,\"writeCookie\":false}","metadata":"{\"shared\":{\"sf_ver\":\"1-0-2\",\"ck_on\":1,\"flash_ver\":\"19.0.0\"}}","reportCreativeGeometry":false}" scrolling="no" marginwidth="0" marginheight="0" width="628" height="185" data-is-safeframe="true" style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border-width: 0px; border-style: initial; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; line-height: inherit; font-family: inherit; vertical-align: bottom;">

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

JOHN CORPUZ

John Corpuz flip-flopped between computer science and creative writing courses in school. As a contributor to Tom's Guide he's found a happy middle ground writing about apps, mobile gaming and other geekery.

READ MORE

• APPS
• FITNESS TRACKERS
• WEARABLES
• ANDROID APPS
• IPHONE APPS
• ANDROID

9 COMMENTS

• K2PN Aug 7, 2014, 4:42 AM

  Runtastic is a brilliant App, held back only by their support. As long as everything works, it's wonderful. Sadly, if you have a problem their support is less than stellar. I've having the ability to upload GPX or GPS files is important to you, you'll find that function is not fully working. It's more of a communication issue than an ability issue, but communication is key.

  -1
• SLOW BUT EFFECTIVE Feb 28, 2015, 10:45 PM

  Which of these allow you to plan (map) your run in advance?

  1
• HEYMANRYAN Mar 4, 2015, 3:56 PM

  SLOW BUT EFFECTIVE SAID:

  Which of these allow you to plan (map) your run in advance?

  
  
  I know both Runtastic and Runkeeper allow you to create your own routes in advance. I personally prefer Runtastic and it seems to sync up better with my other services including MyFitnessPal plus if you have an android device it's on sale in the google play store for $0.10 right now.

  0
• RUNJAMY Mar 6, 2015, 10:57 AM

  I am using both runtastic and runkeeper, I have a preference to runtastic user interface but you need to pay for pro version. Strava is also an interesting app for performance evaluation. I am also using a new application Heart Run with a simple user interface and I like the widget integration with IOS8 (now it's for free).

  0
• SLOW BUT EFFECTIVE Mar 8, 2015, 6:59 PM

  HEYMANRYAN SAID:

  SLOW BUT EFFECTIVE SAID:

  Which of these allow you to plan (map) your run in advance?

  I know both Runtastic and Runkeeper allow you to create your own routes in advance. I personally prefer Runtastic and it seems to sync up better with my other services including MyFitnessPal plus if you have an android device it's on sale in the google play store for $0.10 right now.

  
  
  Thanks very much Runjamy. I'll give Runtastic a try. I currently use MapMyWalk but it's grown very stale.

  0
• AANCHALS Mar 13, 2015, 2:51 AM

  i have not tried the others but as a newbie just starting to train i loved zombie, run 5k! it makes me look forward to the next run and zombie attack, also logs your runs, syncs with your playlist, its amazing! also on a 50% dscount!

  0
• MITCHELLISAAC Mar 15, 2015, 10:28 AM

  Runtastic is awesome.

  0
• TIM N Apr 8, 2015, 7:26 AM

  Do any of these apps interact with the lock screen? It's very inconvenient to have to unlock my phone to see my progress.

  0
• HOWARDGRAY111 Apr 11, 2015, 9:46 AM

  I only know about runtastic.

  0