Strava has officially announced its acquisition of Runna, the UK-based personalized running training app, marking a major shift in the digital fitness landscape.
The deal, revealed on April 17, 2025, brings together Strava’s massive global community with one of the fastest-growing coaching platforms — a move likely to change how runners plan and track their training.
Strava’s Big Push Into Coaching
After years of leaving coaching tools largely to third-party apps, Strava is now addressing one of the biggest gaps in its platform.
According to its own 2024 Year in Sport report, nearly a billion runs were recorded last year, and running is the fastest-growing activity on Strava, especially among Gen Z users. Strava CEO Michael Martin called the acquisition “a perfect fit,” citing the growing demand for personalized training plans.
Runna, launched in 2022 by Dom Maskell and Ben Parker, has quickly earned a reputation for offering effective, AI-driven training plans for runners of all levels. The app, which was named a finalist for Apple’s App of the Year in 2024, has built a loyal following across 180 countries.
What’s Changing (and What Isn’t)
In the immediate term, users won’t notice much difference.
Both Strava and Runna will continue to operate independently, while Strava invests in growing Runna’s app and team.
However, both companies say integrations are on the horizon — like syncing a day’s workout from Runna with Strava’s route planner or combining Strava’s live workout recording with Runna’s coaching.
One major question mark is subscriptions.
Strava Premium costs $79.99 annually, while Runna charges $119.99.
Right now, users will have to pay for both services separately.
Strava’s past handling of subscription changes has been rocky — its 2023 price hike sparked a wave of backlash among longtime users (The Verge, 2023) — so many are watching closely to see how the company manages this transition.
How Runna Got Here
Runna’s growth story is unusual in the tech world. Maskell and Parker started the app as a side project in 2021, focusing on sustainable growth rather than chasing big funding rounds.
They raised modest early investments, including £100,000 from angel investors and about £484,000 through crowdfunding, but by 2023 Runna was profitable, with a significant cash reserve (£8.2 million as of early 2024).
Investors are now reportedly seeing 30-fold returns on their early backing. Runna’s approach stood out in an industry often dominated by cash-burning startups.
Community Reaction and the Bigger Picture
Strava and Runna leaders are trying to get ahead of potential user frustration.
Communities like r/Strava on Reddit have historically been quick to criticize platform changes, especially when they involve higher costs or reduced functionality.
Dom Maskell has been vocal about wanting to stay transparent: “I’m happy to sit on Reddit for the whole day to answer everyone’s questions,” he told The Verge.
The acquisition also reflects broader trends. Fitness platforms are consolidating and expanding services, responding to growing competition from players like Garmin and Apple, both of which have recently added new subscription features.
Strava’s move to add training plans internally rather than relying on third-party integrations signals its intention to remain a dominant player in the fitness app space.
While it’s too early to tell exactly how the Strava-Runna acquisition will play out, it’s a clear sign that Strava is serious about broadening its platform beyond social sharing and basic workout tracking.
Whether users embrace the changes will likely depend on how the two companies handle pricing, integration, and maintaining the sense of community that runners value.
