{"id":349055,"date":"2026-03-20T11:57:32","date_gmt":"2026-03-20T11:57:32","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/il\/349055\/"},"modified":"2026-03-20T11:57:32","modified_gmt":"2026-03-20T11:57:32","slug":"move-over-strava-here-are-4-free-alternatives-to-the-popular-fitness-app","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/il\/349055\/","title":{"rendered":"Move over Strava \u2013 here are 4 free alternatives to the popular fitness app"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"Follow<\/a><\/p>\n

\u201cIf it\u2019s not on Strava, it didn\u2019t happen\u201d, or so the age-old adage goes. But since the popular fitness-tracking app remodelled itself in 2020, hiding some of its most popular features behind a monthly paywall, many riders have been on the hunt for free alternatives.\u00a0<\/p>\n

More than an activity tracker, Strava<\/a> appeals on a social level, too. Features such as segment leaderboards, messaging, Kudos and challenges gamify the user experience, incentivising engagement and giving you the chance to beat your mates on your favourite trails and roads \u2013 or gasp in bewilderment at the comparative speed of your local semi-pro.<\/p>\n

However, most of these features are now only available to paying subscribers, even though many (segment leaderboards and route exploration) used to be free. So, if you\u2019re looking to save some cash to put towards your post-ride cakes and coffees, here are four free alternatives to Strava that you should try.\u00a0<\/p>\n

Ride With GPS\u00a0
\n\"RideRide With GPS enables you to plan and navigate rides directly from your smartphone. Ride with GPS<\/p>\n

Used by more than three million cyclists for its route planning and step-by-step navigation features, Ride With GPS is a great alternative to Strava\u2019s premium navigation features.\u00a0<\/p>\n

Its Starter tier is free and enables you to explore, plan and record rides, while the Basic and Premnium levels offer more extensive functionality.<\/p>\n

Using satellite, topo and OSM maps, RWGPS boasts all the data you could want, including in-depth elevation profiles and estimated timings.<\/p>\n

Creating routes is easy. You simply tap or search for your destination and follow the auto-generated route, or plot your own waypoints. <\/p>\n

There\u2019s also a bank of existing routes to choose from, which can be easily edited to suit your needs, should you want to add a different start or end point, reverse the route or make a detour to your favourite cafe.\u00a0<\/p>\n

For more information, check out ridewithgps.com<\/a><\/p>\n

Golden Cheetah
\n\"MaleGolden Cheetah enables you to plug in your activity files and explore your favourite performance metrics. Scott Windsor \/ Our Media<\/p>\n

For those looking to dive deep into their training data, Golden Cheetah’s mission is to provide an open-source platform for \u201ccyclists and triathletes to download their power data to the computer of their choice, analyse it in whatever way they see fit, and share their methods of analysis with others\u201d.\u00a0<\/p>\n

The software supports all popular file formats and also features cloud integration, linking to the likes of Google Drive and Calendar, Dropbox, Ride With GPS and even Strava.\u00a0<\/p>\n

Once you have downloaded your activity data, Golden Cheetah gives you access to its Forensic Ride Analysis, where you can view multiple metrics such as Critical Power Modelling, Pedal Force\/Velocity and HR vs Power, to name a few.\u00a0<\/p>\n

You can also track your performances and trends (using metrics such as personal bests) and compare seasons, rides, intervals and even athletes using a drag-and-drop interface.\u00a0<\/p>\n

Golden Cheetah\u2019s user interface is fully customisable, so you can focus on the metrics that matter to you.<\/p>\n

For more information, check out goldencheetah.org<\/a>.<\/p>\n

Garmin Connect\/Wahoo app
\n\"WahooIf you already have a cycling computer or watch, you can use the manufacturer’s software (such as Garmin Connnect and the Bryton Active app) to track your rides and view essential metrics. Our Media<\/p>\n

Okay, this suggestion is actually multiple apps. But if you\u2019re into activity tracking, chances are you already own a cycling computer<\/a> or a sports watch<\/a>, so why not use the manufacturer\u2019s software to log your rides?<\/p>\n

Garmin Connect and the Bryston Active app are examples of perfectly functional activity trackers, giving simple performance metrics and also featuring basic route-planning tools.\u00a0<\/p>\n

If you\u2019re looking for social functions, these cycling apps will leave you wanting more, but if you just want a simple log, these are absolutely fine.<\/p>\n

Garmin has hopped on the paywall bandwagon<\/a>, but less severely than Strava. While you can still access all your key activity details, health stats and performance metrics for free, Garmin\u2019s subscription package boasts AI-powered training insights and suggestions, as well as enhanced versions of its LiveTrack feature.\u00a0<\/p>\n

Intervals.ICU
\n\"SetIf you want to scrutinise every detail of your performance or craft your own training plan, Intervals.ICU is worth checking out. <\/p>\n

Another powerful activity analysis tool, Intervals.ICU offers a web-based interface which enables you to dive deep into your training metrics. Its software is free to use, and funded by an optional donation of $4\/month, which goes towards the website\u2019s hosting costs and upkeep.\u00a0<\/p>\n

Since its launch in 2018, Intervals.ICU has seen more than 100,000 athletes upload 111 million activities, integrating with Garmin, Polar, Suunto, Coros, Wahoo, Zwift, Hammerhead (via Suunto), Strava, Dropbox, Oura and WHOOP devices.\u00a0<\/p>\n

As well as having all the performance-analysis charts you could ever dream of, Intervals.ICU also offers a solid training calendar and workout builder. You can craft your ideal training plan and sync it with your calendar of choice for an easy overview of your training sessions.\u00a0<\/p>\n

There\u2019s also a social chatroom, where you can speak to other athletes to share your rides, sessions and progress. You can also create your own group chats for your mates, cycling club or training buddies\u2026<\/p>\n

For more information, check out intervals.icu<\/a>.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"\u201cIf it\u2019s not on Strava, it didn\u2019t happen\u201d, or so the age-old adage goes. But since the popular…\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":349056,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[16],"tags":[85,46,321,125],"class_list":{"0":"post-349055","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-mobile","8":"tag-il","9":"tag-israel","10":"tag-mobile","11":"tag-technology"},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/il\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/349055","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/il\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/il\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/il\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/il\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=349055"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/il\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/349055\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/il\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/349056"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/il\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=349055"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/il\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=349055"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/il\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=349055"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}