The Best Running Apps for Your Phone

The 13 Best Mobile Running Apps For Beginners

When you’re just starting out as a runner, the sheer amount of fitness trackers and timekeeping apps on the market can seem overwhelming. They’re designed to help motivate you, track your progress, and boost your performance, but what if you simply can’t pick one? Or maybe you’ve been using the same running app for a while, but it just isn’t working for you anymore… Where do you go from there?

Trying them out to determine which is best for you can be tiring and expensive. To help you out, we’ve broken down which running apps are the best for beginners, so you can spend less time in the app store and more time on the road! Whether you’re getting ready to run your first 5K, want to move closer to your fitness goals, diversify your running routine, or just start moving, there is a running app for you.

As you’ll see below, these apps can track your progress, including the distance, time, and pace of each run, so you can improve over time and identify areas where you may need to focus a little more. They can also help set goals so you can stay motivated and on track and provide valuable feedback, including audio guidance from coaches. And last but not least, the connection they foster between runners can give a sense of community and support that can be invaluable in staying motivated.

Couch to 5K

 Couch-to-5K

Often mentioned as being one of the best running apps for your phone, Couch to 5K is where many new runners start. It takes you from scratch to running your first 5K by helping you build your running fitness and endurance gradually over several weeks.

Its unique features make it a great running app, especially if you are just starting to dip your toe in the running world. Designed to gradually build up your running fitness and endurance, Couch to 5K helps track your progress and provides guidance on when to increase your intensity or distance. It also includes audio cues that tell you when to start and stop running or walking during your workouts, which can be helpful for people who may want to avoid constantly checking their phone or watching while they are running.

It is user-friendly, includes an easy-to-follow nine-week plan, and can be used indoors and outdoors. If you aren’t currently logging any miles but would love to get yourself to that coveted 3.1-mile mark, this is one of the most user-friendly running app to start with.

With three 30-minute workouts each week designed to build your endurance and confidence, you’ll be hitting 5k easily by week nine!

Couch-To-5k

Pacer

Pacer

One of the most popular and widely used apps of its kind, Pacer is a great tool to motivate yourself to move more and isn’t specifically for runners. It runs in the background on your mobile device to track your daily activity, like steps taken, stairs climbed, and calories burned. In addition, you can track runs with GPS and join a social network of other users doing the same.

One special feature of the app is its gamification aspect, which rewards users for meeting certain fitness goals and encourages them to stay active through a virtual rewards system. For only a few dollars a month, you’ll have access to Pacer’s premium version, which gives you access to video workouts and training plans. Like many other running apps, Pacer allows for social sharing and integration with other fitness-tracking devices.

RunKeeper

RunKeeper is also one of the best running apps based on our experience. It shares many of the same features listed throughout this list. Among other perks, it tracks your current pace and location through GPS tracking, and once your run is over, you can see your elevation and split times. Watching your miles pile up every week is highly motivating and can help you see how you are improving over time and identify areas where you may need to focus your training!

This user-friendly running app also includes customized training plans that include structured workouts and guidance to help you improve your performance, social features so you can connect with friends, share your workouts and progress, and see how you compare to other runners on the leaderboard, wearable integration, and audio coaching for real-time feedback and motivation during your runs from a wide choice of coaches.

 RunKeeper

Tempo Run

Like the other apps above, Tempo Run qualifies as one of the best running apps for your phone thanks to its GPS tracking, personalized coaching, social features, wearable integration, and audio cues. But that’s not all!

For runners who like to listen to music as they run, this app lets you select songs based on your target pace. You know how that perfect up-tempo song helps put a pep in your step? Well, this app helps turn your entire playlist into your “power song!”

Tempo Run supports several music sources, including your device’s music library, Spotify, and Pandora.

TempoRun

Charity Miles

Charity Miles qualifies as one of the best running apps for several reasons, but its charitable giving component makes it truly unique as it tracks the distance you cover and donates money on your behalf to the charity of your choice based on your activity.

From the charity miles website: “Simply turn on the app, choose a charity, and press start. As you exercise, we’ll track your distance and the money earned. When you’re finished, accept your sponsorship, spread the word, and we’ll send you a note confirming your good work.”

Really – doing good AND getting fit. Win-win!

Charity-Miles

Zombies, Run!

For those who joke that the only time you’d run is if your life was in danger, this running app is for you! Created in 2012, Zombies, Run! was developed by Adrian Hon, CEO of Six to Start, and Naomi Alderman, a novelist and game designer. It was one of the first narrative audio games to be released as a mobile app and has since become a popular choice for people looking for a fun and immersive way to get motivated to run.

It is just as intense as it was in its debut. With over 160 missions and “zombie chase” interval training courses, this app will help you become a stronger runner as audio cues motivate you by describing the brain-thirsty zombies chasing you. Their tagline: Get fit. Escape Zombies. Become a hero.

This app combines elements of a traditional running app with the narrative audio game where you play a character who is part of a group of survivors in a post-apocalyptic world overrun by zombies. As you run, you listen to a story that unfolds through a series of audio missions.

The app uses GPS to track your runs and provides audio cues to tell you when to start running or walking. As you complete missions and run farther, you can unlock new story content and collect virtual items that can be used to help rebuild your base.

Zombies, Run! is perfect for those who find traditional running apps or workouts boring. And it is suitable for people of all fitness levels and can be customized to match your goals and preferences, giving it a well-deserved place in our list of best running apps for your phone.

 Zombies-Run

DailyBurn Tracker

DailyBurn-Tracker

DailyBurn Tracker is a comprehensive health and fitness tracking app that has been featured on ABC, CBS, and in the New York Times as one of the most integrated apps of its type on the market. It seamlessly syncs data from your mobile device to your computer, making tracking your stats even easier.

DailyBurn Tracker also combines personalized workout plans based on your fitness level and goals, complete with food and nutritional tracking, offers tips on cooling down and suggests what to eat for optimal recovery post-run. It also has a library of workout videos and tutorials that users can access. Users can connect with other app members, share their progress, and get motivated.

Runtastic

Runtastic

Runtastic is a popular fitness-tracking app that specializes in tracking running and other cardiovascular activities. It is great for those who want to track their progress, set and reach their goals, and stay motivated through social sharing and challenges.

The app conveniently tracks your activity, whether running, walking, hiking, or biking. The user-friendly interface keeps you informed of your progress, whether miles per hour or calories burned. The cheering section makes it stand out from the rest as it allows your friends to track your progress in real-time and show their support. You can even post pictures. Who knows, maybe it’ll inspire them to get off the couch themselves!

Like many running apps, Runtastic offers GPS tracking, audio coaching, training plans, social sharing, challenges and competitions, and fitness tracking integrations. 

Map My Run

Map-My-Run

MapMyRun is a running app similar to Strava that supports tracking pace, distance, speed, time, elevation, etc. But what’s cool about this app is the possibility of tracking unlimited mapped routes and creating your own. You can choose the length and terrain to design the route that fits your running goals and fitness level.

A few things that make it unique and one of the best running apps include personalized coaching tailored to your fitness level, nutrition tracking to see how your diet impacts your workouts, wearable integration that makes the app compatible with a range of wearables, and its strong social component which allows you to connect with other runners, join or create groups, and participate in challenges.

If you upgrade to a Premium MVP subscription, you’ll also enjoy Route Genius. You just plug in the distance, and it will suggest a route for your next run. Another Premium feature you’ll love is audio coaching which motivates and help you reach your running goals faster.

Map My Run has helped walkers, joggers, and runners on their journey to full-body fitness. Set a goal, discover pre-tracked routes in your area along with running groups and related events, and share your progress with your Facebook friends!

MyFitnessPal

MyFitnessPal

My Fitness Pal is a great tool for those looking to lose weight, gain muscle or simply maintain a healthy lifestyle by tracking their nutrition and exercise, which running apps don’t always provide. Its large food database, personalized goals, and large community make it a popular choice among users. You have probably noticed the My Fitness Pal barcode available with every RunBuzz recipe!

Recording meals on the go is easy because the app has a library of over six million foods (and counting) with nutrition information, and this versatile app helps you calculate your daily intake, and optimal expenditure for your goals and syncs to other trackers, like Garmin and Fitbit GPS watches, to keep track of the activity you log on those devices.

With My Fitness Pal, you can track your progress over time, including weight and body measurements, and connect with other app members to share your stats and stay motivated.

Runcoach

Runcoach

Runcoach is a great running app for beginners who need help creating a workout schedule and sticking to it. You just need to set your running goal, schedule when you train, rest and cross-train, and input data on your recent race times and your current mileage.

The Runcoach patented algorithm will help you adjust your training based on your improvements. The users with Gold membership can get some help from coaches online (for a more personalized experience, check this) and you can also sync Runcoach with your favorite tracking service, like Garmin.

Run Coach is great for improving your performance and training for races. Its personalized training plans, virtual races, and real-time audio coaching can really help you take things to the next level.

RockMyRun

 RockMyRun

RockMyRun has gotten a lot of press in recent years as one of the most seamless and intuitive music and running apps out there. Outlets like the Today show, Huffington Post, and Men’s Fitness consistently rank it as one of their favorites, and we highly recommend giving it a try if you feel that a workout music app with a variety of high-energy playlists might help you stay motivated during your workouts. No matter what your pace is, there’s a setlist for you. 

Rock My Run uses BPM matching technology to create playlists that match your desired running or workout pace with various genres, including pop, rock, hip-hop, and electronic music. You can create personalized playlists based on your favorite songs and artists or even listen to workout-related podcasts. Runners without unlimited data or without consistent internet access can download playlists and listen to them offline.

Rock My Run is one of the best running apps for people who love music and want the perfect playlist to match their workout pace, keeping them motivated and entertained.

Strava

 Strava

Strava is a great running app for those who like to have a detailed analysis of their running performance. Its user-friendly interface shows all the necessary data, such as pace, time, speed, elevation, and heart rate. Strava is well-known for its outstanding community of athletes you can follow and compete with anytime. It is also a good tool for cross-training activities such as cycling, swimming, Crossfit, gym workouts, and many other sports.

There are many good reasons why Strava is one of the best choices. Its GPS tracking feature lets you track your runs or rides and provides detailed data on your distance, pace, elevation, and other metrics.

It also includes a feature called “segments,” which are specific stretches of road or trail popular among athletes and created by the Strava community. When you complete a segment, your time and performance are compared to other Strava users who have also run or ridden that segment so you can see how you rank against them.

And maybe best of all, Strava has a solid social component, with features that allow you to share your activities with friends, join or create groups, and participate in challenges.

The standard version of Strava offers all the necessary features for free and deserves to be on the list as one of the best running apps as is. However, the Premium account offers more features, including customizable training plans and access to Beacon, a safety feature that allows three people to monitor your location while you’re out.

Best Running Apps for Your Phone: Strava

 

Let Us Know Which Apps You Love!

If you can’t live without one of these running apps — or another that we missed — let us know! Drop by our Facebook page and tell us. Don’t forget to stick around for helpful tips, motivation, and more.

Happy running!