Strava, the global fitness community with over 150 million users, has announced its acquisition of Runna, a UK-based running training app. Although the deal’s financial terms were not disclosed, sources suggest a multimillion-pound agreement that delivered up to 30x returns for early investors. The transaction is subject to standard closing conditions.
This marks Strava’s first UK acquisition and a strategic step to deepen its presence in the running space — currently its fastest-growing sport. In 2024 alone, nearly one billion runs were logged on the platform, underlining the rising demand for structured training tools among its user base.
Addressing Gaps in Strava Running Tools
On April 17, 2025, Strava confirmed its plan to acquire Runna to fill a noticeable gap in its offerings. While Strava has long been known for its robust activity tracking and social features, it has lacked dynamic training plans tailored to individual users. “We had static, document-based plans, but those were rarely used,” admitted Strava CEO Michael Martin.
Runna solves that problem. The app creates personalised, data-driven running plans based on users’ goals, fitness levels, weekly availability, and race targets. This approach allows runners to follow detailed schedules, including intervals, easy runs, long runs, and rest days — all tailored to their input.
Strava says 43% of its users plan to participate in races in 2025, indicating a significant market for Runna’s training services. As the running boom continues, this acquisition positions Strava to support its community with not just tracking but training — all within one ecosystem.
Why Runna?
Founded in 2021 by Ben Parker and Dom Maskell, Runna launched its app in March 2022. Initially a simple PDF tool, the company has evolved into a premium running platform with nearly 150 staff and around 90,000 active members.
Despite its relatively modest ranking (#36 in the iOS Health & Fitness subcategory), Runna gained credibility after becoming a finalist for Apple’s App of the Year in 2024. Backed by £8 million in funding — including from the venture fund of Innocent Drinks’ founders — Runna successfully monetised its services with a $119.99/year subscription, or $9.99/month.
What makes Runna particularly valuable is its integration with major fitness wearables like Apple Watch, Garmin, Fitbit, COROS, and Suunto. These integrations allow users to receive guided workouts directly on their devices, offering a seamless training experience that Strava has yet to match natively.
No Immediate App Changes, But Integration Is Expected
Despite the acquisition, both apps will remain separate for now. “Effectively, nothing changes for the user out of the gate,” said Martin. “Our plan is to invest in the Runna team and app and allow it to grow independently while integrating it where it makes sense.”
This strategy reflects Strava’s approach of building rather than absorbing — a move that recognises Runna’s focused expertise in personalised coaching. Strava sees this as a long-term investment, not a short-term feature grab.
Still, questions remain — especially around subscriptions. Users currently pay separately for Strava ($79.99/year) and Runna ($119.99/year). Martin acknowledged that pricing strategy is still undecided: “There are no immediate adjustments to subscriptions. Both platforms offer strong free tiers, and we plan to keep them that way for now.”
Analysts suggest that as integration deepens, Strava may introduce bundle pricing or combined tiers to streamline user experience and reduce friction.
Strava Strategic Vision: Talent, UX, and Community
Runna’s CEO Dom Maskell hints at what the future may hold. He highlights user pain points: “You start your day wanting to know what run to do — that’s in Runna. If you need a route, that’s in Strava. Want live coaching? Back to Runna. Then Strava records the run. It’s disjointed.”
This fragmented experience is likely to be a top priority for the combined teams. As AI-generated training becomes more common in 2025, the core tech behind personalised plans is increasingly commodified. For Strava, acquiring Runna is less about exclusive algorithms and more about gaining a talented team, loyal user base, and polished product.
The acquisition gives Strava a head start in solving a longstanding weakness, offering structured coaching without building from the ground up. For Runna, the deal opens access to Strava’s vast resources and active global community, accelerating its growth and impact.
As integration progresses, users can expect a smoother, more unified experience — combining Strava’s tracking and social strength with Runna’s coaching precision.
