Strava, the leading fitness social media app, has acquired Runna, a popular running training app, in a move that fills a significant gap in its platform and expands its offerings to the global running community. The acquisition, announced on April 17, 2025, marks a significant milestone for Strava, which has long been criticized for lacking modern, in-app training plans.

The deal is a win-win for both companies. Strava gets to shore up one of its biggest weaknesses, while Runna gains access to one of the largest online running communities and Strava's resources. Runna, which burst onto the scene in 2021, has quickly become a go-to app for runners seeking 5K, 10K, or marathon training plans. The app has secured $6.3 million in funding and has users spanning 180 countries.

Strava CEO Michael Martin emphasized that the acquisition is not an "efficiency play," but rather a growth and investment opportunity. "We came to realize that, as it related to runners, that guidance was training plans," Martin said. "This isn't an efficiency play. This is very much a growth and investment play." Martin added that Strava plans to invest further in growing the Runna app and team, and then continue to operate them as independent but integrated entities.

Runna cofounder and CEO Dom Maskell echoed Martin's sentiments, noting that the integration of the two apps would create a smoother user experience. "It's like, the user comes on and they want to see what run they're doing today. That sits in Runna, and then they want to go find a route for that run — that sits in Strava. Then, if they want live coaching, that's on Runna and then Strava frankly has better tech than us for recording on your phone," Maskell explained.

One of the key issues that remains to be addressed is how subscriptions will work. Strava has a free tier but charges $79.99 a year for premium features, while Runna costs $119.99 annually. Martin hinted that the Runna acquisition would be more akin to when Strava bought Recover Athletics, a prehab and injury prevention app, where users get access to the app as a free perk with a Strava subscription. However, the details are still being hammered out, and users will need to subscribe to both services to get the full range of features for now.

The acquisition is likely to be met with some skepticism from users, who have reacted negatively to changes in subscriptions and smaller brands getting acquired by bigger ones in the past. Martin and Maskell are aware of these concerns and have pledged to be transparent and open with the community. "We've got quite an active Reddit community, and I know there's probably quite a large overlap between them and the strong voices in the comment section," Maskell said. "We try to be very transparent and open with them, and I genuinely believe this is an amazing thing for all users."

The acquisition is a significant development in the fitness tech industry, which has seen a surge in popularity in recent years. With the global running boom showing no signs of slowing down, Strava's acquisition of Runna is a strategic move that positions the company for further growth and expansion. As the deal unfolds, users can expect to see changes in the coming weeks and months, including a more seamless integration between the two apps.

Ultimately, the acquisition is a testament to Strava's commitment to providing a comprehensive platform for the global running community. With Runna on board, Strava is poised to become an even more dominant player in the fitness tech industry, offering users a one-stop-shop for all their running needs.