The quick answer
- Just want to track runs? Apple’s Workout app. Free and already there.
- Want friends and kudos? Strava.
- Training for a race? Runna (paid).
- Want a free coach in your ear? Nike Run Club.
- Need maps with no phone? WorkOutDoors.
- Need a reason to keep going? Run&Grow — every run grows a plant.
First: what the free Workout app already does
Many people download three running apps before they try the one Apple gives them. In watchOS 26, the Workout app got its biggest layout update since launch, with corner buttons for Workout Views, Custom Workout, Pacer and Race Route. Here is what that means on a run:
- Pacer: set a target pace and the watch shows if you are ahead or behind it.
- Race Route: on a route you have run at least twice, race your last time or your best time.
- Custom workouts: build intervals like “run 2 minutes, walk 1 minute” (see Apple’s guide).
- Track detection: at a running track it asks for your lane, so laps are measured properly.
- Workout Buddy: a voice that cheers you on and calls out splits. It uses Apple Intelligence, so it needs Bluetooth headphones and a supported iPhone nearby, and it started in English only.
watchOS 26 runs on Apple Watch Series 6 or later, Apple Watch SE (2nd generation) and all Apple Watch Ultra models, paired with an iPhone 11 or later. Every run you record is saved to Apple Health. That last part matters: it means other apps can use the same run without you recording it twice.
Apple Watch running apps compared
| App | Best for | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Apple Workout app | Everyone: free, built in | Free |
| Strava | Friends, clubs and segments | Free tier + subscription |
| Runna | Structured training plans on the wrist | Paid (Week 1 free) |
| Nike Run Club | Free audio guided runs | Free |
| WorkOutDoors | Offline maps and routes | One-time purchase |
| Run&Grow | Making runs feel like a game | Free on iPhone |
Prices checked October 2026. Always check the official listing in your country before you subscribe.
Record on your watch, grow a garden
Run&Grow reads your Apple Watch runs from Apple Health. Every run grows a plant. Free on iPhone.
Get the free appFree on iPhone · Also on Android
The 6 apps, one by one
Everyone: free, built in · Free
Apple Workout app
Already on your watch. Tracks distance, pace, heart rate and splits. In watchOS 26 it adds quick buttons for Pacer (shows if you are ahead or behind a target pace), Race Route (race your last or best time on a route you have run at least twice) and custom workouts. It can also spot when you arrive at a running track and ask for your lane.
Pick it if: You want good tracking with zero cost and zero setup.
Official site or listing →Friends, clubs and segments · Free tier + subscription
Strava
Strava’s watch app records runs with the watch’s own GPS, so you can leave your phone at home. Runs sync when your phone is back in range. The free tier covers tracking and the feed. As of October 2026 a subscription is $11.99 a month or $79.99 a year in the US, £54.99 a year in the UK and A$99.99 a year in Australia.
Pick it if: Your running friends or club post there.
Official site or listing →Structured training plans on the wrist · Paid (Week 1 free)
Runna
Runna has its own Apple Watch app. Your planned sessions show on your wrist with step-by-step guidance, a pace target screen, audio cues and vibration prompts. As of October 2026 it costs $19.99 a month or $119.99 a year in the US (£15.99/£99.99 in the UK, A$29.99/A$179.99 in Australia).
Pick it if: You have a race date and want the watch to tell you exactly what to do.
Official site or listing →Free audio guided runs · Free
Nike Run Club
Free GPS tracking and Nike’s audio guided runs. Its watch app has worked without an iPhone since 2020. A good free choice if you like a coach talking in your ear.
Pick it if: You want free coaching without paying for a plan.
Official site or listing →Offline maps and routes · One-time purchase
WorkOutDoors
A map app made for the watch. It caches OpenStreetMap maps on the watch for offline use, shows GPX routes with uphill and downhill colours, warns you when you go off route, and saves workouts to Apple Health. It is a one-time purchase with no subscription.
Pick it if: You run trails or new places and want a map on your wrist.
Official site or listing →Making runs feel like a game · Free on iPhone
Run&Grow
Every run grows a plant in your garden. There is no Apple Watch app yet, but it reads runs from Apple Health, so a run you record in the watch’s Workout app still counts. No public feed and no pace shaming. Skip a week? Your garden waits.
Pick it if: Tracking works fine, but you keep losing the reason to go.
Official site or listing →The easy setup: record once, use it everywhere
You do not need to choose one app forever. On Apple Watch, the simplest setup is:
- Record with one app. The Workout app is the most reliable choice, because it is built into the watch.
- Let Apple Health hold the run. Make sure the app you record with is allowed to write workouts to Health (Settings → Health on your iPhone).
- Let other apps read it. Apps that read Apple Health workouts, like Run&Grow, pick the run up from there. No second recording, no doubled battery drain.
Tip: record each run in just one app at a time. Running two trackers at once uses more battery and can leave you with the same run saved twice in Apple Health. If you are not sure whether to run with your watch or your phone, read running watch vs phone.
Notes for the US, UK and Australia
- Miles or kilometres: US runners usually think in miles, UK and Australian runners in kilometres (a 5K is 3.1 miles). Check your watch’s units before race day so your splits make sense.
- parkrun (UK and Australia): any app here will track your Saturday 5K. Your official parkrun time still comes from the barcode scan, not your watch.
- Prices: subscriptions are priced per country. For example, a yearly Strava plan is $79.99 in the US, £54.99 in the UK and A$99.99 in Australia (October 2026), so always compare in your own store.
- Season: in the US and UK, autumn races are wrapping up and evenings are darker, so Pacer on easy runs helps you hold back. In Australia, spring is a great time to try Race Route on your favourite loop.
Want more? Use our pace calculator to set a Pacer target, compare Strava alternatives, check whether Strava premium is worth it, or browse the best free running apps.
Frequently Asked Questions
- What is the best running app for Apple Watch?
- For most people, start with Apple’s own Workout app. It is free, built in, and in watchOS 26 it has Pacer, Race Route and custom workouts. Add Strava if your friends are there, Runna if you want a paid training plan, WorkOutDoors if you need offline maps, and Run&Grow if you want your runs to feel like a game.
- Can I run with my Apple Watch and leave my iPhone at home?
- Yes, with a GPS Apple Watch. The built-in Workout app records outdoor runs on the watch. Strava and Nike Run Club also have watch apps that record without your phone, and WorkOutDoors keeps maps on the watch. Runs sync to your phone when it is back in range.
- Do I need a separate app if I have the Workout app?
- No. The Workout app tracks pace, distance, heart rate and splits for free. People add a second app for something extra: a social feed, a coach-style plan, offline maps, or a reason to keep going. Many apps read the runs your Workout app saves to Apple Health, so you can record once and use the run in more than one app.
- What is Workout Buddy on Apple Watch?
- Workout Buddy is a watchOS 26 feature that uses Apple Intelligence to talk to you during a workout, with a pep talk at the start, updates like mile splits, and a recap at the end. It needs Bluetooth headphones and an Apple Intelligence-supported iPhone nearby, and it launched in English only.
- Does Run&Grow have an Apple Watch app?
- Run&Grow does not have an Apple Watch app yet. But it reads runs from Apple Health, so if you record a run on your watch with the Workout app (or another app that saves to Apple Health), it can still grow a plant in your Run&Grow garden on your iPhone.
Your watch tracks it. Your garden shows it.
Run&Grow turns every run into a plant, so you can see your consistency grow. Free on iPhone, and it reads your watch runs from Apple Health.
Get the free appFree on iPhone · Also on Android