If you are settling in or traveling to a new city and wonder where to go for a run, running and GPS apps can be a good source of inspiration. As I’ve been regularly moving to different cities, I had the opportunity to test and try some of them whether it was to understand where I could go running for a first time (especially where there are no parks nearby) or to find ideas to diversify my routes. Here is a (not exhaustive) comparative of apps I used several times.
Open runner
The first one I tried. OpenRunner is both a website and a mobile app which offers routes for any outdoor activty you can imagine (running, hiking, cycling, but also swimming, kayaking, skiing…). It is based on OpenStreetMap, OpenCycleMap and IGN (only in some European countries for the paid version). It also allows you to create and edit routes or to record a GPX trace during an activity.
Cities where I used it: Kampala, Casablanca, Marrakech
What I like in the app:
- OpenRunner includes a very large array of sports. Running includes both road running and trail routes, and you can also search for/record wild water swimming activities
- I could find routes almost everywhere I went (including Kampala which is not the case for most apps)
- Easy to search a route (define the start and end location, filter with the distance)
- The routes are very detailed, including the elevation profile
- You can make the most out of the app with the free version
- Possibility to download maps to follow the route offline
- Possibility to import/export a GPX file
- Possibility to synchronise with a sports watch
What I like less:
- No guiding function when you follow a route, so you have to look at the map to know where to turn for instance
- No automatic positioning at the centre of the screen (you have to search and reposition manually which is quite a challenge when you run/cycle)
- The blue spot of your position is not automatically oriented vertically/towards the direction you’re heading to, which is not helping to know in which direction to go
- You can only access some of the maps (for instance, the Google satellite map) on the paying version
Komoot
Komoot is kind of an hybridation between OpenRunner and Strava. Like the first one, you can use it both for searching and creating routes (running, cycling and hiking), based on OpenStreetMap. Like the second one, the app also works as a social network. You can follow the routes and progress of your friends, as well as famous people, like publications, share photos… Komoot exists as a website and as a mobile app.
Cities where I used it: Casablanca
What I like in the app:
- Very easy to use, you can filter your search by type of sports, distance, difficulty, elevation, surface (road/unpaved)
- Easy to create a route, either between a point A and a point B or round trip. You can indicate your fitness level as a criteria. The generated route will integrate an elevation profile
- Possibility to import GPX files
- Detailed routes with elevation profile
- There is a voice guiding function when you follow a ready-made route
- A lot of routes in major cities
- Possibility to download maps to follow a road offline
- Automatically positioning at the centre of the screen and orienting the screen in the direction you’re looking at
- Possibility to synchronise with a sports watch
What I like less:
- In some cities there are no ready-built routes (yet). Like Kampala, surprisingly 🙄
- The differences between the free and paid functionalities are not clear, sometimes you can use the voice navigation and offline maps with the free version, sometimes not
- You can only download maps for free for one region. You have to pay to download each additional regional map (or directly the whole world map)
- If you choose to follow the route in the reverse direction, your phone will vibrate avery 30 seconds and the app will warn you to look at the map (in one word, it’s annoying)
Map my run
MapMyRun is one of Under Armor’s fitness app. For runners, it allows you both to find a route and create one, as well as simply tracking and recording your activity. You also have a community aspect, where you can share your activities and follow others’.
Cities where I used it: Casablanca, Tanger
What I like in the app:
- Probably the easiest and most user friendly one. You just need one tap once you open the app to start recording an activity
- The app is covering many different kind of activities (including swimming 😀)
- You can find routes everywhere (including Kampala 😀)
- Recording an activity doesn’t use a lot of battery
- The app generates detailed statistics, like splits with you average pace. You can have even more detailed once if you have the paid version. You also have a dashboard with a view on your workouts during the months, your statistics, to help you organise your training planning
- You can find a lot of workouts of all kinds, it’s actually even too much
- It’s a good compromise between a running/fitness app (like Nike or Adidas running for instance) and a GPS app
- You can connect with your sports watch, and record your activity without having to carry your phone with you (haven’t tried though, my Tomtom is too old for that). Bonus in my point of view, you can connect it to Running heroes!
What I like less:
- No possibility to search or create routes directly on the app but only on the website. However, the routes you created or saved on the website will be found in you favourites on the app
- No possiblity to use the app offline with the free version
- The app offers a voice feedback giving you statistics during your activity (distance, pace, etc) but there is no voice guidance to direct you when you follow a route
- The app offers a live tracking feature which allows your desired contacts to follow you in real time. This is a really apreciable help regarding safety especially when you’re running in a city you don’t know. The problem is, it’s only available on the Premium version 😥
- You can enroll in and follow training plans, but this is also part of the Premium version
Jooks
Jooks is a running app unique of its kind. I used it a long time ago, when it was still called Runnin’ city. The concept is to propose running routes that will take you around the main touristic attractions of the city. Not only the app will guide you (where to turn, etc) but it will give you information about the different places you’ll see, just like a kind of guided running tour. You can also auto generate a route, indicating the points you want to see.
Cities where I used it: Paris, Grenada, Madrid (just for inspiration but didn’t follow a specific route).
What I like in this app:
- The app covers many countries in the world
- The added value of the app is its “touristic” aspect. The voice guidance will guide you but also provide explanations on the places you run past
- The app also provides information about air quality
- You also have information on the races organised around you
What I like less:
- Impossible to follow most of the routes just using the free version or to create you route 🙁 (you could with the previous version)
- Except in France and some other European countries, only capital cities or major cities are covered in other countries
- You should use that app only for touristic runs. It’s not designed for training since most routes are passing by hardly runnable areas (city centers)
You’ll may have understood, I have a small crush for OpenRunner (even if they could improve it, if developers are readinf this) as it is very complete and, in addition, open source and collaborative, which means you can make the most of it for free.
Other apps to be tested: AllTrails, FootPath
Apps I’m not using (but that everyone uses): Strava
And you, what are your favourite running and GPS apps?