Miles Planning 2027
Best Running Apps for 2027: What to Look For and Who Should Use What
If you're planning next year's running now, maybe a spring half or a first marathon, this is the time to pick your app. Switching mid-block is a pain. Your history, your paces and your plan all live somewhere, and moving them in week nine is nobody's idea of fun.
This isn't a ranking of every app on the store. Our full 2026 list does that. This piece is about choosing for the year ahead: what shifted in 2026, what we'd look for, and which app fits which kind of runner. We've only included features that exist today. Nobody knows what these apps will ship next year, and we're not going to guess.
What changed in 2026
Coaching apps became the main event. A few years ago a running app mostly meant a tracker. Now the apps people argue about are the ones that write your plan. Runna is the clearest example, and Strava now sells the two together: Strava plus Runna is $149.99 a year in the US.
"AI coach" became a crowded label. Runna, TrainAsONE, Garmin Coach, Miles and plenty of newer apps all claim some kind of adaptive or AI coaching. They don't all mean the same thing. Some adjust next week's paces from your results. Some reshuffle the plan when you miss runs. A few talk to you while you're running. Before you pay, ask what actually changes when you skip a Tuesday.
People started asking chatbots for plans. Lots of runners now ask ChatGPT for a training plan. It's a reasonable starting point, but it doesn't see your runs unless you paste them in, and it won't notice you're dragging through week six. We wrote more about that in Can ChatGPT be your running coach?.
Prices crept up. Runna is $19.99 a month or $119.99 a year in the US. Strava is $11.99 a month or $79.99 a year. If you stack a tracker and a coach, you can spend $200 a year before you've bought shoes. That's worth deciding on purpose.
What to look for heading into 2027
It adapts when life gets in the way. Every plan looks good in week one. The useful question is what happens after you miss three runs with a cold. A good app rebuilds the next weeks sensibly. A weak one leaves gaps or crams the missed work into the following week.
It works with the watch you already own. This one cuts the list fast. Garmin owners have Garmin Connect and Garmin Coach for free, and Runna sends workouts to Garmin watches. On Apple Watch you have more choice. Check before you subscribe, not after.
You can see how you're actually doing. Planned against actual, some read on training load, and a clear sense of whether to push or rest. Raw charts are nice. A plain next step is more useful.
The price fits how long you'll use it. A 12-week half marathon block paid monthly can cost less than an annual plan you abandon in March. Do the maths for your season.
It's on your phone. Miles is iPhone only for now, so Android runners can't use it. Runna, Strava, Nike Run Club and TrainAsONE all have Android apps.
Quick comparison
| App | Price (US unless noted) | Best for | Phone | Main trade-off |
|---|---|---|---|---|
 Strava |
Free; $11.99/mo or $79.99/yr | Logging runs, community | iOS, Android | No training plans |
 Runna |
$19.99/mo or $119.99/yr, 7-day trial | Race plans, Garmin and Apple Watch users | iOS, Android | Most expensive coaching app here |
 Miles: AI Running Coach |
Free; Pro $14.99/mo or $99.99/yr, 7-day trial on annual | Adaptive plans and live pace cues on iPhone | iPhone | iPhone only for now |
 Nike Run Club |
Free | Beginners, guided runs | iOS, Android | No pace guidance, which can lead to injury |
 Garmin Connect |
Free with a Garmin | Garmin owners | iOS, Android | Needs Garmin hardware |
 TrainAsONE |
Free tier; £9.99/mo or £99.99/yr (UK) | Data-minded runners | Web, iOS, Android | Dated interface |
Prices were checked in October 2026 and will change.
Picks by runner type
You're starting from zero. Nike Run Club. It's free, the guided runs are good company, and its plans start with a 4-week beginner program. If you'd rather follow a strict walk-run plan, a Couch to 5K app is the other option.
You've signed up for a race and want a time. Runna or Miles. Runna has the bigger plan library, works on Android and sends workouts to Garmin and Apple Watch. Miles costs less, builds 5K to marathon plans from your current fitness and coaches your pace out loud during the run. For a half marathon, Miles builds the peak long run to about 18 km for beginners, 21 km for intermediate runners, 22 km for advanced runners and 24 km for elite runners.
You own a Garmin. Start with Garmin Connect and Garmin Coach, which you've already paid for with the watch. If you want more structure, Runna is the pick.
You run with an iPhone and Apple Watch. Miles was built for this setup. It has an Apple Watch app, reads from Apple Health, pairs with any Bluetooth heart rate strap and syncs runs to Strava. Runna also works well on Apple Watch and has more reviews behind it.
You run for the social side. Strava. Add a coaching app if you want a plan. Most of the coaching apps, Miles included, push runs to Strava.
You like spreadsheets. TrainAsONE. It's not pretty, but it adjusts hard from your data.
You often miss runs. Look hard at how each app handles missed sessions. Miles was built around this. It reflows the plan rather than leaving holes, but try any app's free tier or trial and skip a run on purpose to see what happens.
A sensible setup for 2027
For most runners it's one tracker and at most one coach. Strava on its own is enough if you don't follow a plan. Add Runna or Miles for a race. If you own a Garmin, you may not need to pay for anything.
Try Miles on iPhone
A 5K to marathon plan built from your current fitness, reflowed when runs get missed, with live audio pace cues while you run. Free to download.
