Fitness for Every Body
Motion vs Strava: Two Great Apps, Different Philosophies
Strava builds better athletes through performance tracking. Motion builds sustainable habits through gamification and inclusivity. Both excel at their mission - which matches yours?
The 30-Second Summary
Strava is the gold standard for serious athletes who want to track performance, compete on segments, and connect with other athletes. It's built for runners and cyclists who care about pace, power, and PRs.
Motion is designed for everyone else - people who want to build sustainable fitness habits through fun, fair competition, and genuine inclusivity. It's built for real life, not racing.
Many people use both: Strava for serious training sessions, Motion for daily movement motivation and habit building.
Detailed Feature Comparison
| Feature | Motion | Strava |
|---|---|---|
| Best For | All fitness levels, habit building | Athletes, performance tracking |
| Primary Focus | Making fitness fun and sustainable | Tracking athletic performance |
| Goal System | Adaptive, personalized | Self-set performance targets |
| Competition | Fair effort-based battles | Segment leaderboards, KOMs |
| Gamification | Digital pets, Fit Bingo | Segments, achievements, kudos |
| Social Features | Supportive community, all levels | Athletic community, performance-focused |
| Activities Tracked | Everything counts equally | Optimized for running/cycling |
| Beginner Friendly | Designed for beginners | Can be intimidating |
| Device Support | Works with anything | Works with GPS devices |
| Price | Free with optional premium | Free with optional subscription |
Checkout Motion Now
Experience the difference with Motion's unique approach to fitness.
Which App for Which Person?
Motion Is Perfect For:
Beginners
If you're just starting your fitness journey, Motion's approach is far more welcoming than Strava. Adaptive goals start where you are, not where you "should" be.
Walkers
Strava treats walking as an afterthought. Motion celebrates every step equally - your daily walk could count as much as someone else's run, it all depends on your level and the effort you're putting in!
Gym-Goers
Strava barely acknowledges strength training, and you'll certainly be in the minority. Motion counts all your gym work toward your weekly goals.
Parents & Families
Multi-generational friendly - If your whole family is athletic, and you're a Strava family, probably stick to Strava, but if not, Motion is designed to work well for groups with highly varied fitness levels and abilities, so is the perfect place to help keep the whole family motivated and active together.
People Who Find Fitness Boring
Virtual pets, bingo boards, and weekly battles make exercise feel like play, not work.
Anyone Seeking Balance
Motion's weekly goals allow rest days without guilt. Life happens, and that's okay.
Strava Is Perfect For:
Serious Runners & Cyclists
If you're training for races or chasing PRs, Strava's performance analytics are unmatched.
Segment Hunters
Love competing for fastest times on specific routes? Strava's segments are addictive (if you're fast).
Data Lovers
Want detailed pace analysis, power curves, and training load metrics? Strava delivers.
Athletic Community Seekers Follow pro athletes, join performance-focused clubs, get kudos from fellow athletes.
Route Explorers
Strava's route builder and heat maps are excellent for finding popular running/cycling routes.
Where Motion Wins
Inclusivity & Accessibility
Motion's effort-based goals mean everyone can succeed. A beginner hitting 100% of their 3,000-step goal feels just as accomplished as an athlete hitting their 20,000-step goal. This isn't possible in Strava's performance-focused world.
Sustainable Habit Building
While Strava pushes for constant improvement (faster, farther, harder), Motion focuses on consistency. The adaptive system adjusts to your life - busy week? Goals ease up. Feeling strong? They gradually increase.
Mental Health Awareness
Motion includes mood tracking to help you see the connection between movement and wellbeing. The community celebrates small wins without toxic positivity.
All Movement Matters
Yoga, strength training, walking, dancing, housework - it all counts equally. Strava's focus on GPS-tracked endurance sports leaves out huge parts of fitness.
Actually Fun
Between virtual pets, Fit Bingo, and weekly battles, Motion makes exercise genuinely enjoyable. It's designed to be played, not just tracked.
Where Strava Wins
Performance Analytics
For serious athletes, Strava's data is unbeatable. Detailed pace splits, power analysis, heart rate zones, training load, fitness/freshness curves - it's a coach in your pocket.
Segment Competition
The thrill of stealing a KOM (King of the Mountain) or seeing how you rank on local segments is uniquely Strava. If you're competitive and fast, this is addictive.
Route Discovery
Strava's global heat maps and route builder are fantastic for finding where locals actually run and ride. Invaluable when traveling or exploring new areas.
Pro Athlete Access
Follow Olympic athletes, see their training, get kudos from pros. For athletic inspiration, Strava's community is unmatched.
Integration Ecosystem
Strava connects with virtually every fitness device and platform. It's become the central hub for serious athletic data.
Ready to Try Motion?
It's free to get started, so why not check it out, and see how it can transform your fitness journey?
Why Many People Use Both Apps
The Best of Both Worlds
There's no rule saying you can only use one fitness app! Many successful users have found the perfect combination:
Motion for Daily Habits
- Daily movement motivation
- Weekly activity goals
- Fun and community
- Mental health tracking
- Family challenges
Strava for Performance
- Serious training sessions
- Race preparation
- Segment hunting
- Performance analysis
- Athletic community
How They Work Together
- Connect Strava to Motion - Your Strava activities automatically sync to Motion for credit toward weekly goals
- Different purposes - Use Strava when you want to "train," Motion when you want to "move"
- Seasonal approach - Strava during race season, Motion for off-season maintenance
- Activity-based - Strava for runs/rides, Motion for everything else
Frequently asked questions
If you have anything else you want to ask, reach out to us.
Is Motion trying to replace Strava?
Not at all! Motion and Strava serve different purposes. Strava is fantastic for athletic performance tracking. Motion makes fitness accessible and fun for everyone. Many users happily use both - they're complementary, not competitive.
Can I import my Strava data to Motion?
Yes! Motion can connect directly to Strava. Your runs and rides automatically sync to Motion and count toward your weekly goals. You keep all Strava's performance features while adding Motion's motivation system.
Which app is better for beginners?
Motion is specifically designed for beginners with adaptive goals and an inclusive community. Strava can be intimidating for beginners with its performance focus. Most beginners find more success starting with Motion.
How do the social features compare?
Different philosophies: Strava celebrates athletic achievement (fastest times, longest distances). Motion celebrates effort and consistency regardless of fitness level. Strava builds competitive athletes, Motion builds sustainable habits.
Is Strava worth the subscription?
For serious athletes training for events, Strava's premium features (training plans, advanced analytics) are valuable. For casual fitness, Motion's free features provide better value. It depends on your goals.
Can Motion track cycling like Strava?
Motion tracks cycling and gives full credit toward your activity goals. However, it doesn't provide Strava's detailed cycling analytics (power curves, segment analysis). Cyclists often use both - Strava for performance, Motion for overall fitness.
Which app has better challenges?
Different types: Strava has distance/elevation challenges for athletes. Motion has Fit Bingo, weekly battles, and effort-based challenges that work for any fitness level. Motion's are more inclusive and varied.
Should I switch from Strava to Motion?
Consider adding Motion rather than switching completely. If Strava frustrates you or feels too competitive, Motion offers a refreshing alternative. If you love Strava's performance tracking, keep using it and add Motion for daily motivation.
Your Fitness Journey Starts Here
Download Motion free and discover why this is the fitness app you'll actually keep using. Your future self (and your Motmot) will thank you.
