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Sports & Recreation · head to head

Strava vs Zen Planner

Strava logo

Strava

Sports & Recreation

The social network for athletes

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
Zen Planner logo

Zen Planner

Sports & Recreation

Member management for fitness businesses

From
$99/month
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Only Strava has a free tier, so it costs nothing to try first.
  • Each has a real cost: Strava segment leaderboards, custom goals, workout analysis, offline routes and fitness scoring all require a subscription; Zen Planner limited staff app features compared to desktop version
  • They diverge on capability: Strava covers GPS activity tracking, Zen Planner covers Member management.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Strava and Zen Planner actually diverge.

Attributes where Strava and Zen Planner differ
AttributeStravaZen Planner
Starting priceFree$99/month
Free tierYesNo
PlatformsiOS, Android, Web, Apple Watch, Wear OSWeb, iOS, Android
Founded20092006

Identical on both: pricing model (Unknown), user rating (Not yet rated), category (Sports & Recreation).

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 Strava

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

Only in Zen Planner

  • Member management
  • Automated billing
  • Class scheduling
  • Workout tracking
  • Marketing tools
  • Stripe
  • Mailchimp
  • SugarWOD

Both cover

  • Ios support
  • Android support
  • Web support

What people use each for

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

Strava

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

Zen Planner

  • Workout trackingnot Strava
  • Nutrition managementnot Strava
  • Health monitoringnot Strava
  • Fitness coachingnot Strava
  • Wellness improvementnot Strava

Where each one falls short

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

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

Zen Planner

  • Limited staff app features compared to desktop version
  • System crashes and occasional bugs reported by users
  • Integration difficulties with certain third-party platforms
  • Customers report continued charges after completed cancellation

Pricing, plan by plan

Strava

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

Zen Planner

$99/month

No published plan breakdown. See the Zen Planner review.

Which should you pick?

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

Choose Zen Planner if

  • You need member management.
  • You work on Web, iOS, Android.
  • You also want automated billing.
Zen Planner review

Questions people ask

Is Strava or Zen Planner better?
Neither clearly leads. Strava starts at Free and Zen Planner at $99/month, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Strava or Zen Planner?
Strava has a free tier; the other does not. Paid plans start at Free for Strava and $99/month for Zen Planner.
Does Strava or Zen Planner run on more platforms?
Strava runs on iOS, Android, Web, Apple Watch, Wear OS. Zen Planner runs on Web, iOS, Android.
Can I use Strava for free?
Yes. Strava has a free tier, so you can try it without paying. Zen Planner starts at $99/month.
What is Strava best used for?
Strava is most often used for recording runs and rides from a phone or watch, segment leaderboards and competing on routes, training analysis and fitness tracking on the subscription, route planning with offline maps. Of those, recording runs and rides from a phone or watch and segment leaderboards and competing on routes are not what Zen Planner is typically brought in for.
What can Strava do that Zen Planner cannot?
Strava covers GPS activity tracking, Segment leaderboards, Route discovery, Training analysis. Zen Planner covers Member management, Automated billing, Class scheduling, Workout tracking. Both handle Ios support, Android support, Web support.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

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
Zen Planner: Does Zen Planner have a free tier?

No, Zen Planner does not offer a free tier. Pricing starts at $99 per month with no free trial mentioned in their standard offerings.

Source
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
Zen Planner: Can Zen Planner integrate with ClassPass?

Yes. ClassPass seamlessly integrates with Zen Planner, allowing gyms to sync their schedule and avoid overbooking when offering ClassPass to members.

Source
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
Zen Planner: Does Zen Planner work with SugarWOD?

Yes. Zen Planner integrates with SugarWOD, making it a popular choice for CrossFit gym owners who want to manage both WOD tracking and gym operations in one system.

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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