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STATSports vs Strava

STATSports logo

STATSports

Sports

GPS and inertial wearables that produce athlete physical load data, with the consent obligations that implies

From
On request
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
Strava logo

Strava

Sports

The social network for athletes

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Only Strava has a free tier, so it costs nothing to try first.
  • Each has a real cost: STATSports cost scales with squad size because each athlete needs a pod, so an academy monitoring several age groups pays for a fleet of devices and the replacements they lose.; Strava segment leaderboards, custom goals, workout analysis, offline routes and fitness scoring all require a subscription
  • They diverge on capability: STATSports covers Vest-worn tracking pods, Strava covers GPS activity tracking.
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 31 August 2026.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which STATSports and Strava actually diverge.

Attributes where STATSports and Strava differ
AttributeSTATSportsStrava
Starting priceOn requestFree
Pricing modelquoteUnknown
Free tierNoYes
PlatformsWeb, iOS, AndroidiOS, Android, Web, Apple Watch, Wear OS
FoundedUnknown2009

Identical on both: user rating (Not yet rated), category (Sports).

What each one covers

Drawn from each product's published feature list. An absence here means we hold no record of it - not that the product lacks it.

Only in STATSports

  • Vest-worn tracking pods
  • Live session monitoring
  • Heart rate integration
  • Load and readiness reporting
  • Squad comparison
  • Data export

Only in Strava

  • GPS activity tracking
  • Segment leaderboards
  • Route discovery
  • Training analysis
  • Social feed and clubs
  • Garmin
  • Wahoo
  • Apple Watch

What people use each for

The jobs each tool is most often brought in to do.

STATSports

  • A professional club managing training load across a squad through a congested fixture listnot Strava
  • A medical department needing objective load data for return-to-play decisions after injurynot Strava
  • A national federation comparing physical output across age groups on a consistent measurement standardnot Strava
  • A college programme replacing subjective session ratings with measured external loadnot Strava

Strava

  • Recording runs and rides from a phone or watchnot STATSports
  • Segment leaderboards and competing on routesnot STATSports
  • Training analysis and fitness tracking on the subscriptionnot STATSports
  • Route planning with offline mapsnot STATSports
  • Following friends and clubsnot STATSports

Where each one falls short

Documented limitations, not opinions. Every one is a constraint you would hit in normal use.

STATSports

  • Cost scales with squad size because each athlete needs a pod, so an academy monitoring several age groups pays for a fleet of devices and the replacements they lose.
  • The data is inert without a sports scientist to interpret it, and clubs that buy the hardware without the hire end up with dashboards nobody acts on.
  • Satellite positioning does not work indoors, so indoor sports and indoor sessions need a separate local positioning system and a second procurement.
  • Pods and straps are lost, damaged and left in kit bags, and replacements are a recurring cost that the initial quotation tends to understate.
  • The output is personal data about identified athletes and, where heart rate and injury context are involved, health-related data, so the club needs a lawful basis, a retention policy, parental consent for minors and an answer when a player asks for a copy or objects.

Strava

  • Segment leaderboards, custom goals, workout analysis, offline routes and fitness scoring all require a subscription
  • The $5 a month headline is the annual rate, billed as $59.99 a year
  • The student rate and the Runna bundle are annual only, with no monthly option

Pricing, plan by plan

STATSports

On request
  • STATSports team system$undefined/year
    • Pods priced per athlete
    • Software licence and support quoted per organisation
    • Heart rate straps and vests bought separately

Strava

Free
  • FreeFree
    • Activity tracking
    • GPS recording
    • Basic segments
  • Strava+$11.99/month
    • Full segment leaderboards
    • Training zones
    • Heart rate analysis

Which should you pick?

Choose STATSports if

  • You need vest-worn tracking pods.
  • You work on Web, iOS, Android.
  • You also want live session monitoring.
STATSports review

Choose Strava if

  • You need gps activity tracking.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on iOS, Android, Web, Apple Watch, Wear OS.
  • You also want segment leaderboards.
Strava review

Questions people ask

Is STATSports or Strava better?
Neither clearly leads. STATSports starts at On request and Strava at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, STATSports or Strava?
Strava has a free tier; the other does not. Paid plans start at On request for STATSports and Free for Strava.
Does STATSports or Strava run on more platforms?
STATSports runs on Web, iOS, Android. Strava runs on iOS, Android, Web, Apple Watch, Wear OS.
Can I use Strava for free?
Yes. Strava has a free tier, so you can try it without paying. STATSports starts at On request.
What is STATSports best used for?
STATSports is most often used for a professional club managing training load across a squad through a congested fixture list, a medical department needing objective load data for return-to-play decisions after injury, a national federation comparing physical output across age groups on a consistent measurement standard, a college programme replacing subjective session ratings with measured external load. Of those, a professional club managing training load across a squad through a congested fixture list and a medical department needing objective load data for return-to-play decisions after injury are not what Strava is typically brought in for.
What can STATSports do that Strava cannot?
STATSports covers Vest-worn tracking pods, Live session monitoring, Heart rate integration, Load and readiness reporting. Strava covers GPS activity tracking, Segment leaderboards, Route discovery, Training analysis.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

STATSports: Does it work indoors?

Not reliably. Satellite positioning degrades badly under a roof. Indoor sports need a local positioning system rather than this category of product.

Strava: Does Strava offer a free tier?

Yes. Strava Free includes basic activity tracking, GPS recording, activity feed, following other athletes, giving kudos, and basic segments with top 10 leaderboard access. The free tier does not include full segment leaderboards, training zones, or heart rate analysis.

Source
STATSports: Who owns the player data?

The club is normally the data controller and the vendor the processor, which means the obligations sit with the club. Get this written into the contract rather than assumed.

Strava: What does Strava Premium cost?

Strava costs $11.99 per month or $79.99 per year for individual users. A Family Plan costs $139.99 per year. Students receive 50% off at $39.99 per year with verification.

Source
STATSports: Do we need player consent?

You need a documented lawful basis, and for academy players who are minors that generally means parental consent plus an age-appropriate explanation. Legitimate interests alone is a weak position for physiological data.

Strava: Can I export my data from Strava?

Yes. Every Strava athlete can download their data for free at any time through the app, website, or direct download. However, API access now requires a paid subscription for Standard Tier developers costing $12 per month.

Source
Strava: Does Strava work offline?

Strava records activities offline using GPS on your device, but viewing historical data and accessing most app features requires an internet connection to sync and display data.

Source
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