RunPackGuides · 5 min read
RunPack vs Strava: which is right for your running crew?
An honest comparison of RunPack and Strava for running with friends: public community vs private crew, what each records, what friends see, and what it costs.
RunPack is our app, so read this with that in mind. Short version: Strava is a big public community of athletes; RunPack is a private space for the few people you actually run with. Plenty of people will be happier on Strava. Here’s how to tell which one fits you.
The big difference: public vs private
Strava is a social network. You have a profile, followers, kudos and comments, segments with leaderboards, and clubs that anyone can find. You can make a lot of it private, but the app is built around being seen.
RunPack has no public profiles, followers or leaderboards at all. You start a crew, send a link to your friends, and your runs go only to that crew, and only if you turn on run sharing.
Recording runs
- Strava: records with your phone or syncs from most watches, on iPhone and Android, for running, cycling and many other sports.
- RunPack: records runs with your iPhone’s GPS and picks up runs from an Apple Watch, Garmin or anything else that writes to Apple Health. iPhone only.
What your friends see
- Strava: whatever your privacy settings allow: activities, maps, stats, often heart rate, plus comments from others.
- RunPack: route, distance, time, pace and any photos you add, never heart rate. Friends can react with 🔥 👏 or 💪. There are no comments.
Beyond the runs
Strava has route planning, segments, training analysis and challenges (some features need a subscription). RunPack has a 10-second morning check-in that suggests how hard to go, a morning card for the crew on who’s fresh, crew streaks, a weekly recap and, with Plus, a weekly crew goal.
Price
Both are free to start. RunPack is free for crews of up to 4. RunPack Plus ($4.99 a month or $39.99 a year) is paid by one person and covers the whole crew, up to 30 people. Strava’s subscription is paid by each person who wants the extra features.
Which should you pick?
- Pick Strava if you want a big community, segments and leaderboards, if you also ride or swim, or if anyone in your group uses Android.
- Pick RunPack if you want a private feed for a few friends on iPhone, no public profile, and a simple daily “how hard today?”.
- Use both if you like: RunPack picks up runs from your watch through Apple Health, so you don’t have to choose a recorder.
Strava features are as we understand them in October 2026 and can change. Strava is a trademark of its owner; RunPack isn’t affiliated with Strava.