RunPackGuides · 4 min read
Running buddy apps: what to look for
What a running buddy app should do: let you and a friend see each other’s runs, work across watches, stay private and keep you both going. A checklist.
“Running buddy app” can mean two things: an app for finding someone to run with, or an app for keeping up with the buddy you already have. This guide is about the second, plus a few pointers on the first.
Finding a buddy
Apps can help, but the most reliable places are still people: local clubs, running shops’ group runs, free weekly timed runs, friends and colleagues. See how to find a running buddy.
What a good running buddy app does
- Shows you each other’s runs without either of you having to post or message.
- Works across devices. One of you has a Garmin, the other a phone? It should still work.
- Stays private. Your runs go to your buddy, not to the public.
- Makes cheering easy: a quick reaction after their run.
- Doesn’t turn it into a contest, unless you both want that.
- Is free or cheap for two people.
Big social apps vs a private app
Large social running apps let you follow a friend, but your runs also go to everyone else who follows you, and often the public. A private crew app shows your runs only to the people you invite. Comparisons in the best apps for running with friends.
How RunPack does it
Start a crew, send your buddy the link, and you’re set. Your shared runs show up in a feed only the two of you see, whether you record on an iPhone, an Apple Watch or a Garmin. React with 🔥 👏 💪. Free for up to 4 people, on iPhone. See how a crew works.