RunPackGuides · 7 min read
The best apps for running with friends in 2026: an honest guide
Strava clubs, Nike Run Club challenges, live-tracking apps, club organisers like Spond, and private crew apps like RunPack: which one fits your group.
“Running with friends” means different things. Some groups want a leaderboard to fight over. Some want to see each other on a map mid-run. Some just need to know who’s coming on Saturday. No single app is best at all of it, so here’s what each kind does well — including where our own app, RunPack, isn’t the right pick.
Strava — for a big, public running community
Strava is the default social network for runners. Clubs have a weekly leaderboard that resets on Sunday, and club owners can post group events that members RSVP to. Clubs can be invite-only, which hides recent activity and private events from non-members, though the club itself stays visible.
Best for: groups who like competition, segments and being part of a large community. Less good for: people who don’t want a public profile at all.
Nike Run Club — for free coaching and friendly challenges
Nike Run Club is free and known for its guided runs. You can create a challenge, invite friends, and follow progress on a leaderboard.
Best for: friends who want a shared distance target and good free coaching. Less good for: an ongoing group feed of everyone’s runs.
Live-tracking apps — for running “together” apart
A newer group of apps, such as Superba, puts friends on a live map while they run, so you can see each other’s pace and route in real time even in different places.
Best for: friends who want that run-together feeling at a distance. Less good for: keeping a history and a routine as a group.
Club organisers like Spond — for the admin side
Spond is a free team and club organiser rather than a run tracker: events, repeating sessions, attendance and waiting lists. Plenty of running clubs use it for “who’s coming Tuesday?”.
Best for: organisers managing sessions and sign-ups. Less good for: recording or sharing runs — pair it with a tracker.
RunPack — for a small private crew
RunPack is our app, so weigh this accordingly. It’s built for the few people you actually run with: a crew is a private group you join by link, and everyone’s runs — recorded with the iPhone’s GPS, an Apple Watch or a Garmin — land in a feed only the crew sees. Each morning there’s a 10-second check-in that tells you how hard to go, and the crew gets a card on who’s fresh. Free for crews of 4; RunPack Plus covers up to 30, which also suits a small running club.
Best for: friends who want to share runs without a public profile. Less good for: leaderboards, event scheduling, chat or Android — RunPack has none of those (it’s iPhone only).
How to choose
- You want competition and a big community: Strava.
- You want a free shared challenge: Nike Run Club.
- You want to see each other mid-run: a live-tracking app.
- You organise sessions for a club: Spond or similar, alongside a tracker.
- You want a private feed for a few friends: RunPack.
Many groups mix two: a club organiser for the meetups, and a tracker for everything in between.
Features described here are as we understand them in October 2026 and can change; check each app for current details. Strava, Nike Run Club, Superba and Spond are trademarks of their owners; RunPack isn’t affiliated with any of them.