Best for running by how your body feels
Runners who want to build up gradually, in step with their body – also after a break.
- Free to start: Yes, the whole plan to race day
- Needs a watch: No
- Help with niggles: Body check-in after runs – no rehab plan
- Web app – no App Store rating yet
A running coach with a free plan all the way to race day, a running log and a coach chat – with how your body feels built into the plan.
Pros
- Whole plan from 5K to marathon free, no account needed – and straight into your calendar
- Running log with file upload from your watch, maps and personal records
- You say how your body feels after runs, and can ease off the day's session
- Help with aches along the way through PFU Pocket
- In English and Norwegian
Cons
- No automatic watch or Strava sync yet – you upload runs as files or enter them by hand
- No app in the App Store or Google Play – it opens in your browser and can be added to your home screen
- No rehab plans for specific injuries
- A new service with far fewer users than the big apps
- Complete beginners on walk-run get the plan week by week, not all the way to race day
- A coach that remembers you from week to week needs Premium after the trial
Price: Your whole plan up to race day is free, no account needed, with a running log and calendar. Premium has a 7-day free trial – you see the price before you pay. With Premium the coach remembers your goals, history and body signals from week to week, and Runi answers up to 50 times a day.
PFU Running Coach is our own product. We reviewed it against the same criteria as the others, and we earn money if you choose it.
Best for structured injury rehab
Runners with a known injury who want a step-by-step rehab plan.
- Free to start: 7-day trial
- Needs a watch: No
- Help with niggles: 15+ rehab plans
- ★ 4.8 of 5 (125 ratings)
Physio-style rehab plans for common running injuries, plus running plans, made by physiotherapists and running coaches.
Pros
- Specific plans for more than 15 common injuries
- Made by physiotherapists and running coaches
- Ends with a gradual walk-run return
Cons
- No free version
- Best when you already know which injury you have
Price: No free version, 7-day free trial. In the US, rehab plans start at $19.99 a month. Check the current price in the app.
Best for race training plans
Runners training for a race who want the option to ease off when something is not right.
- Free to start: 7-day trial
- Needs a watch: No, but syncs with common watches
- Help with niggles: “Not Feeling 100%” mode
- ★ 4.8 of 5 (34,334 ratings)
A popular training plan app, owned by Strava, with a mode for easing off when you are not feeling 100%.
Pros
- Well-built race plans
- Built-in way to ease off and return
- Syncs with Apple Watch, Garmin, COROS and Fitbit
Cons
- Mostly built around race goals and pace
- You choose when to ease off yourself
Price: 7-day free trial, then $19.99 a month or $119.99 a year in the US. Check the current price in the app.
Best for prehab and strength
Runners who want regular strength and mobility work alongside their running.
- Free to start: Free to try
- Needs a watch: No
- Help with niggles: Prehab + body map
- ★ 4.8 of 5 (3,317 ratings)
Strength, mobility and recovery programs for runners, now part of Strava.
Pros
- Short strength and mobility sessions for runners
- Body map for aches and soreness
- Included if you already pay for Strava
Cons
- No running plan
- No step-by-step rehab for specific injuries
Price: Free to try. Included in the Strava subscription. Check the current price in the app.
Best for short guided sessions
Runners who like short guided runs and video exercises.
- Free to start: Trial
- Needs a watch: No
- Help with niggles: Injured Runner Program
- ★ 4.8 of 5 (542 ratings)
Short daily audio runs, strength and mobility videos, and an Injured Runner Program.
Pros
- Short, easy sessions
- Self-care routines for common sore spots
Cons
- No free version beyond the trial
- The App Store version was last updated in February 2025
Price: Free trial, then a subscription. Check the current price in the app.
Best free option for Garmin owners
Runners who already have a Garmin watch.
- Free to start: Yes, with a Garmin watch
- Needs a watch: Yes, Garmin
- Help with niggles: No
- ★ Garmin Connect: 4.4 of 5 (58,513 ratings)
Free adaptive training plans in Garmin Connect for Garmin watch owners.
Pros
- Free
- Uses your watch data for recovery
Cons
- Needs a Garmin watch
- No tools for niggles or rehab
Price: Free with a compatible Garmin watch.
