11 Best Running Apps for Beginners You Can Use in 2023

Running apps today are packed with features, but it’s important to focus on those that really matter to you. Some apps will make your weight loss journey so much easier. Others focus on helping you achieve the best performance. 

In this review, we look at the best running apps for beginners you can use right now. Whether you have an iOS or Android device, we’ll help you find the right app for you. So, before you lace up your running shoes, read on!

Top 3 Beginner Running Apps of 2023

Discover more: Best running apps on the market today

The 11 Best Running Apps for Beginners

The best running apps today feel like having a running coach in your pocket. They guide you every step of the way in your running journey.

Let’s take a closer look at each of the best running apps for beginners that made it into our selection. You have plenty of choices, but some apps offer so much more than others.

#1 Joggo running app – Best overall

Joggo tops our list of the best running apps for beginners because of its accessibility and personalization features. Get your running gear ready, take the app for a run, and it will then create a personalized running program based on your goals.

One-size-fits-all running programs don’t work for everyone. Joggo’s running plans factor in your age, BMI, fitness level, and other factors. They’re created by professional running coaches.

Joggo is a liberating running app because it doesn’t limit you to long-distance runs or any specific type of running. You can try different training styles. The app will guide you through all while tracking your key metrics and workout history.

Want to try interval training on a hill? Or experiment with fartlek runs? Joggo is like a digital personal trainer that will help you not only plan your workouts but get them right. This makes it the best running app for a beginner runner.

Bi-weekly running plan adjustments keep you on track. These factor in your progress and feedback to help you achieve results faster. 

Instructional videos for warm-ups and cool-downs can gear you up for running. They can also contribute to a better running technique.

A particularly motivating feature is the reward system, which awards you points after every run. Based on your score, you can compare your progress to that of other users.

You can also ask a personal trainer any questions you may have about your running plan or recovery from an injury. 

A full-body workout plan with strength training is available as an additional purchase. That, together with personalized plans for advanced runners, makes Joggo a dependable running companion in the long run. 

If you want to run to burn fat and improve your performance, you can count on Joggo. It has all the tools you need to succeed, packed in a fluid and intuitive interface. Joggo makes it easy to start running. 

Price: Your first run with Joggo is free. After that, you have to upgrade to a paid plan. Premium plans start at $33 for 3 months and $66 for 12 months. You can also get a two-month subscription, paying $3.80 per week.

#2 Strava – Best for motivation

Strava is one of the most popular running apps around and for a good reason. It makes it easy to track your runs, set fitness goals, and compare your progress with friends. 

Powered by a vibrant community, Strava fosters a spirit of healthy competition. This run app can be very motivating if you want to challenge your running abilities against those of friends and other users. 

From your first steps with Strava, you will not feel alone. Group challenges can help you give your best, even on lazy days. You can find plenty of local running routes in the app to keep you going. 

Safety is a bit of a mixed bag, though. The competitive aspect of this running app may make you overshare running routes and other personal information. However, the app now also allows you to hide the starting and finishing portion of your route.

On the plus side, the premium safety feature Beacon enables you to notify up to 3 other people about your route. They don’t even need to have the app to track your location. 

Overall, Strava is one of the best running apps for serious runners. You can use it as a beginner too. But to get the most out of it, you need to bring your competitive side to your Strava runs. 

Price: Free option with limited features available. Premium plans start at $11.99 a month or $79.99 a year. In-app purchases are also available. 

#3 Runkeeper – Best for community feeling

The Runkeeper app has been one of the most popular running apps in the App Store. The perks of that include a large and active community of runners.

Runkeeper provides pre-programmed routes and GPS tracking for time, pace, and distance. It’s accessible enough for beginner runners while also catering to competitive runners. 

You can set goals with ease and count on the app’s tracking features to log your miles. Whether you want to get fit or run more and faster, with Runkeeper, setting goals is easy. 

The community aspect of the app is also worth mentioning. You can join virtual running groups and take on running challenges. The app can also encourage you to explore new local running routes. 

This running app also provides personalized training routines to reach your race-day goals. However, you’ll have to subscribe to a paid plan to access these plans.

The downside to the Runkeeper free version is that it doesn’t include live run tracking and personalized training. 

Like other users, you’ll like the app’s smooth interface and simple navigation between features. You can also sync running data from your Apple Watch and Fitbit devices. In the end, Runkeeper deserves a mention on our list of the best running apps. 

Price: Free plan available. Premium plans including advanced features start at $9.99 a month or $39.99 a year. 

#4 Runtastic – Best for boosting performance

Runtastic has been around for a few years, during which it has built a large community of users. You can share your progress with other users, get tips from them, and discuss running in all its forms and varieties. 

Long-distance runners make up a significant portion of the app’s community.

The premium Workout Creator feature lets you create a customized workout based on your training goals and available time. However, you may find this more useful for HIIT and bodyweight exercises than running plans.

While this popular running app provides nutrition information, it doesn’t feature a personalized nutrition plan. On the plus side, Runtastic integrates with the Adidas Training app, making it an appealing choice for Adidas fans.

For targeted training, full access to story runs, and complete tracking, you need to upgrade to a paid plan. Reaching your running goal with Runtastic becomes easier with a premium plan.

Price: Free version available. Paid plans start at $9.99 a month and $49.99 a year. You can try the premium plan for free for 7 days. 

#5 MapMyRun – Best for training plans

Our list of running apps for beginners wouldn’t be complete without MapMyRun. Since its early iterations, this running app has come a long way.

With the latest version, you can do more than track your running routes. You can plan routes, access comprehensive running stats, and try a host of training programs. 

The overall app design and live tracker look polished and make using the app an enjoyable experience. More than tracking your run, the app can help you train for an event, acting as a live coach. You can also join fun challenges.

If you’re willing to upgrade, you get comprehensive training plans for 5k, 10k, half-marathon, marathon, and more. You’ll also find a weight loss training plan, though the app lacks nutritional advice.

MapMyRun lets you customize your running goal. However, it doesn’t offer the same degree of personalization as other running apps. 

To boot, MapMyRun integrates with smart shoes from Under Armour. If you love the fitness brand, this may feel like the right running app for you. 

Price: Free plan available. The premium version starts at $5.99 a month or $29.99 a month. Two-week free trial is available for the premium plan. 

#6 Nike Run Club – Best free running app

Nike Run Club is one of the most popular running apps on both Google Play and the App Store. But is that because of Nike’s brand reach, or does this app really have something going for it?

The Nike Run Club app provides basic progress tracking for your runs, including average pace, distance, and time. Its highlight feature is arguably guided runs. These feature audio coaching provided by professional coaches and running legends like Eliud Kipchoge. 

Like most other running apps, Nike Run Club also features training plans. The 4-week training plan can help you get started. You can then move on to longer and more challenging plans. That includes a 12-week marathon training plan. 

Training plans take into account your goals and fitness levels. But they are not personalized for you like the plans in other running apps. 

On the plus side, the Nike Run Club app has useful features like auto pausing in running mode if you stop. Shoe tagging, which lets you log run performance while wearing different shoes, is another handy feature. It also syncs with Apple Watch. 

There are also plenty of challenges with leaderboards to keep you motivated. A very active community and social media integration add to the fun of the app. You can easily connect with friends and other runners and share your progress. 

Overall, the Nike Run Club app is one of the best free running apps. Provided you don’t expect premium features from it, like personalized meal plans. 

Price: Free. This is the only free app on our list of the best running apps for beginners that’s entirely free and without ads. 

#7 Pacer – Best for daily activities

Pacer is a pedometer and step tracker app. It can track calories burned and active time. However, it lacks the more advanced tracking features of other similar apps. 

It features a few pre-made plans, including couch to 10k and weight loss walking plans. It also allows you to build your own plan based on your fitness goals.

Despite the plan customization, however, Pacer lacks the personalization that other apps provide. You can think of it as a basic distance tracker with some perks. 

Pacer Premium brings to the table advanced reports and insights, science-based guided workouts, and a weight loss coaching program. 

The latest version introduces a premium family-sharing option for up to 5 family members. It’s a useful feature if you want to take your family for group runs. 

Price: Free plan available. Premium plans start at $9.99 a month or $49.99 a year. 

#8 Verv – Best for weight loss

Verv is a home fitness training app that promises to help you lose weight. While not specifically designed for a beginner runner, it can track your running activity. One of the most popular apps for fitness, it also features interval training and other workouts.

Verv proposes a personal training plan based on your age and your answers to a series of questions. However, the resulting running plan is fairly generic. 

On the plus side, Verv features guided meditation courses as well as meal plans, including vegan, keto, and intermittent fasting plans. If you want to lose weight running without stress, Verv can be an option. 

However, to access all training plans, meditations, audio coaching, and playlists, you need to upgrade to a premium plan. The free plan provides only basic features. 

Haven’t been exercising much lately? If you want to combine your running routine with other exercises, Verv can help you get started. But don’t expect true personalization or coaching like other apps provide. 

Price: Free version available. Premium plans start at $14.99 a month and $39.99 a year. You can try premium plans for free for 7 days. 

#9 Runcoach – Best for targeted training

Runcoach provides adaptive training based on your fitness level and goals. It can even take into account your free time to create a running plan you can follow. 

GPS workout tracking logs basic data about your runs. For additional data tracking, you can connect the app with Garmin or Fitbit devices or other popular fitness apps, like Strava. 

The app design isn’t the most inspired, though. The user interface feels slow and clunky and could do with a redesign. 

The app also includes expert advice from USATF-certified coaches who can answer fitness and nutrition questions in the app. Personal coaching is available through the Gold membership. 

However, some runners training with this app complain that advice from their personal trainer in the app is bland and delivered in a chatbot style. Even when it’s useful, it may not be motivating. 

Price: Free plan available. Gold membership for personal coaching costs $24.95 a month or $199.95 annually. You can try the Gold membership for free before deciding whether it’s for you. 

#10 Aaptiv – Best for great running experience

Aaptiv is a fitness app that includes running workouts. An audio-based coaching app, it features motivational classes you can follow to reach your running goals.

Unlike other apps, it focuses on the running experience rather than weight loss or maximum performance. It also plays cool running music that can keep you going during a tough workout. 

It’s not a dedicated running app, though, which means it lacks some of the tracking features of other running apps. Despite this, however, its ease of use and intuitive plans make it a good choice for beginner runners. 

This fitness and health app also works offline. You can download classes when cellular data isn’t available. This, together with the fact that you can use it for cross-training, make it useful if you’re at the beginning of your running journey. 

The downside is that Aaptiv doesn’t offer that many workouts for long runs. That can be a problem if you’re preparing for a marathon or half-marathon. It’s not the best running app for long-distance runners. 

Price: 7-day free trial available. Membership starts at $15 a month or $100 a year. 

#11 C25K Couch potato to 5K – Best for starting out

The easiest way to start moving if you’re out of shape or overweight is by mixing running with walking. Research suggests that combining a running routine with walking may improve your running performance. 

C25K features pre-designed training plans based on the run/walk method that get you ready for 5K races. Even if you’re a total couch potato. 

The audio coaching guides you through your weekly workouts. Route and progress tracking gives you a sense of progress and helps you assess your performance. 

C25K targets beginners. It works if you want to establish a running habit. But if you have more specific goals like shedding weight, you may find its features insufficient. Still, it’s one of the best free running apps for total beginners.

The pre-made 8-week plan provides a good start while requiring only 30 minutes of moving 3 days a week. For customized programs, you need to upgrade to a paid plan. 

Price: Free with premium features pass starting at $4.99 a month. 

Comparing the Best Running Apps for Beginners

How to Choose the Best Running App for Beginners

With so many running apps for beginners around, you may feel spoiled for choice. Many of them offer overlapping features such as distance tracking or social integration. 

But it’s not just about the features. It’s about the overall experience the app provides, and several factors go into that.

Quality

From the registration and setup experience to the first run and beyond, we assessed the interface, functionality, and fluidity of the user experience. We also considered the accuracy of the tracking features, a common problem with running apps.

Features

The best running apps have enough features to help you start moving and achieve your goals. Some apps have better-developed features than others.

Think personalized workout and diet plans, advanced tracking, in-app consultations with coaches, and social integration. We gave more weight to apps with well-rounded features.

Effectiveness

All fitness apps promise to get you moving. But do they actually work? We looked beyond the features to see whether they delivered.

The best running apps for beginners go beyond seamless progress tracking and effective training plans. They can keep you motivated.

Price

With many apps, you need to access premium features to get advanced tracking and professional running plans. But are the premium features really worth the money? We weighed their value before choosing the apps above.

The Wrap-Up

The best running app for beginners is easy to use and provides personalized training. More than planning your workouts and tracking your running routes, it can help you avoid injury and stay motivated. 

Joggo checked all these boxes and came first in our selection of running apps for beginners. You may also try Strava or Runkeeper for greater community support and motivational boost.

In the end, running is a journey, and like any journey, it has its ups and downs. When you start running, enthusiasm powers you up. But as the miles add up and rainy days come, staying motivated is crucial to keep going. 

The best running app for beginners, through its overall design and features, does just that. So you can reach the finish line and achieve your goals.