Cycling apps have become essential tools for cyclists of all levels, from beginners to pros. Whether you're looking to track your rides, train for a race, explore new routes, or connect with other riders, there’s an app for you. In 2024, cycling apps are smarter, more intuitive, and packed with advanced features. Here’s a list of the best cycling apps to enhance your cycling experience.

• Strava – Ideal for tracking performance and connecting with other riders.
• Komoot – Great for planning new routes with detailed navigation.
• Zwift – Perfect for indoor cycling and virtual group rides.
• TrainingPeaks – Offers structured training plans for serious cyclists.
• Ride with GPS – Excellent for route planning with voice-guided navigation.
• Map My Ride – A good option for basic ride tracking and fitness integration.

How actual users are reviewing them

“Strava for looking at data from my ride.
 Komoot for route planning.
Garmin connect for getting routes from Komoot to my head unit and for getting my rides uploaded to strava from the head unit.
Headwind.app for looking at how hard wind direction will make rides, which may make me choose one regular route over the other.”

“Strava is the kinda tried and true app most people use, even if they record with a garmin or something they probably still upload their ride to strava. I like strava because it makes it really easy to track progress/improvement. It also has some social media features so you can see youre friends rides aswell if you have friends that ride/run. Still very useful if you don't care about that aspect of it.

The other big part of strava I really like are the segments. Basically just stretches of road/trail will become a segment and you can track your time on that segment. So you can see how fast you were during specific areas. I really like it for mtb because you can use it to easily time yourself on specific trails. I used it to compare myself to a friend of mine's times to track my progression when I was getting into mtb. Its also fun on the road because I know where the segments are, so it kinda pushes me to sprint and get a good time. Its fun to race against your past self. You can also see everyone elses times on these segments (if their rides are public to view) so you can compare yourself to your community. And its all automatically done through strava while youre recording, all you do is hit start and go, and stop when you're done.”

“Ride with GPS - premium version. Planning my rides/building routes. Currently in the middle of a week long bike tour that has taken me from Germany, Switzerland, Austria, Liechtenstein, and France. Nearly done and have felt very comfortable with the app’s choice of routes.”

“Garmin Connect - To connect to my Fenix, technically don't really use this for cycling, but would for triathlon/brick sessions.
ELEMNT/Wahoo - To connect to my Wahoo, syncs routes from elsewhere.
Strava - More as like a social network, I don't actually record anything in Strava, have occasionally used routes from here but it likes to put you on busy roads.
Komoot - Planning routes
RidewithGPS - The cycling club I'm in uses this for routes, I haven't really played with it myself but useful for syncing routes they've made with my other stuff.
Zwift - Indoor riding in the winter.”

Here are some commonly used apps

1. Strava

Best for: Tracking performance and social engagement

Strava continues to reign as one of the most popular apps for cyclists. Strava’s GPS-based ride tracking is highly accurate, and it provides detailed insights into your performance, such as speed, distance, elevation, and calories burned. It’s also a great social platform for cyclists, allowing you to connect with friends, join clubs, and participate in challenges.

Key Features:

• Real-time ride tracking
• Detailed performance analytics
• Segment feature: Allows you to compete against others on specific sections of a route
• Social features: Share rides, photos, and achievements with a community
• Compatible with most cycling computers and wearables

Available on: iOS, Android
Price: Free with optional subscription for premium features

2. Komoot

Best for: Route planning and navigation

Komoot is an app designed for cyclists who love exploring new routes and trails. It specializes in route planning and turn-by-turn navigation, offering detailed maps with elevation profiles, surface types, and difficulty levels. Whether you're looking for scenic road rides or off-road adventures, Komoot has it all.

Key Features:

• Offline maps: Download routes for use without data connection
• Custom route planning based on terrain preferences
• Voice-guided navigation
• Discover curated routes shared by the Komoot community
• Highlight feature: Shows points of interest and scenic spots

Available on: iOS, Android
Price: Free with paid region packs and a premium subscription option

3. Zwift

Best for: Indoor cycling and virtual training

Zwift brings the world of indoor cycling to life by transforming your stationary bike rides into immersive virtual experiences. You can ride in virtual worlds with thousands of cyclists around the globe, race against others, or follow structured training plans. Zwift offers a fun and interactive way to keep training indoors, especially during the winter months or bad weather.

Key Features:

• Virtual worlds: Ride through virtual landscapes like Watopia or real-world-inspired routes
• Group rides and races
• Tailored training plans and workouts
• Integration with smart trainers for real-time resistance control
• Social interaction: Ride with friends or compete in events

Available on: iOS, Android, Windows, macOS
Price: Subscription-based

4. TrainingPeaks

Best for: Structured training and performance analysis

If you’re serious about training and want in-depth performance analysis, TrainingPeaks is one of the best apps for structured cycling training. It helps you plan and track your workouts, providing detailed metrics on your power, heart rate, and other key data points. TrainingPeaks also allows you to work with coaches or follow pre-designed training plans to help you meet your goals, whether it’s preparing for a race or improving your overall fitness.

Key Features:

• Detailed performance tracking: Power, heart rate, TSS (Training Stress Score), and more
• Integration with a wide range of cycling devices and apps
• Structured training plans: Designed by professional coaches
• Ability to sync workouts with cycling platforms like Zwift and Garmin
• Advanced data analytics

Available on: iOS, Android
Price: Free with premium subscription for advanced features

5. Ride with GPS

Best for: Route planning and bike computer integration

Ride with GPS is a powerful app for planning, navigating, and analyzing your rides. It’s designed for cyclists who want precise route planning with turn-by-turn navigation, and it’s highly compatible with bike computers like Garmin and Wahoo. The app also provides detailed post-ride analysis, making it a great choice for data-driven cyclists.

Key Features:

• Customizable route creation with detailed elevation data
• Turn-by-turn voice navigation
• Offline maps for navigating in areas with poor data connection
• Syncs with cycling computers for real-time route guidance
• Detailed ride analysis with performance metrics

Available on: iOS, Android
Price: Free with subscription option for premium features

6. Map My Ride

Best for: Basic ride tracking and fitness integration

Map My Ride, part of the Under Armour fitness app family, is ideal for cyclists looking for a straightforward ride-tracking app that also integrates with other fitness platforms. It provides real-time tracking, performance metrics, and detailed route maps, making it a solid choice for both casual and serious riders.

Key Features:

• GPS tracking for real-time ride data
• Integration with MyFitnessPal and Under Armour's fitness ecosystem
• Route discovery: Find popular cycling routes in your area
• Post-ride analysis with speed, distance, and elevation gain
• Social features to share rides and compete with friends

Available on: iOS, Android
Price: Free with a premium subscription for advanced features

7. BikeMap

Best for: Discovering new routes and community-generated content

BikeMap is a global route planning app specifically designed for cyclists. With a large community-driven database of routes, it’s perfect for discovering new rides in your area or when traveling. The app provides turn-by-turn navigation, offline maps, and detailed route information, making it easy to plan and navigate your next cycling adventure.

Key Features:

• Access to over 7 million cycling routes worldwide
• Offline navigation for cycling without data
• Customizable route planner with surface type filters
• Detailed ride stats including elevation profiles and ride duration
• Community-based content: Explore routes recommended by other cyclists

Available on: iOS, Android
Price: Free with premium subscription for extra features

8. Wahoo SYSTM

Best for: Performance training and endurance riders

Wahoo SYSTM (formerly known as The Sufferfest) is a comprehensive training platform that offers cyclists a range of scientific training plans tailored to their goals. Whether you’re training for a race or simply want to improve your fitness, Wahoo SYSTM provides video-based workouts, virtual cycling, and yoga sessions designed to enhance your overall performance.

Key Features:

• Tailored workouts based on your personal fitness profile
• Video-based sessions: Including interval training, endurance rides, and recovery workouts
• Integrated mental training, strength training, and yoga sessions
• Compatible with Wahoo smart trainers and other connected devices
• Syncs with cycling platforms like Strava and TrainingPeaks

Available on: iOS, Android, Windows, macOS
Price: Subscription-based

9. Cyclemeter

Best for: Data-hungry cyclists

Cyclemeter is a comprehensive app designed for cyclists who love to dive into the details. It offers extensive performance tracking, customizable metrics, and advanced post-ride analytics. Cyclemeter also works offline, making it ideal for cyclists who ride in remote areas with limited data coverage.

Key Features:

• Detailed tracking of speed, cadence, heart rate, and power
• Customizable metrics to display the data you need
• Syncs with Strava, TrainingPeaks, and other platforms
• Supports voice announcements for key ride stats
• Advanced post-ride analytics

Available on: iOS
Price: Free with in-app purchases