There seem to be near-infinite ways to work out virtually these days. Set out on a mission to find the best fitness apps, and you may feel like you’ve stepped inside a labyrinth. Narrowing down the modality can help, but there’s still a lot to choose from. Good news: If you’re an avid cyclist (or on your way to becoming one) we can help you sort through the mountain of cycling apps out there.

Our team of fitness gurus reviewed and tested a ton of them to arrive at these nine picks. With the help of these cycling apps, you can plot routes through cities or forests, take studio classes, and even virtually compete with other cyclists. We’re confident that one of these best cycling apps will have you pedaling like the wind and loving every second — whether you’re on a road bike, mountain bike, or one that doesn’t go anywhere.

The 9 Best Cycling Apps of 2024

Best Cycling App Overall: Strava

Best Cycling App for Route Planning: MapMyRide

Best Cycling App for Indoor Training: Zwift

Best Cycling App for Tracking Metrics: Komoot

Best Cycling App for Cycling Classes: iFIT

Best Cycling App for Navigation: Bikemap

Best Cycling App for Live Tracking: Cyclemeter

Best Cycling App for Mountain Biking: Trailforks

Best Cycling App for Studio Cycling: Peloton

How We Tested and Chose the Best Cycling Apps

The BarBend team is made up of certified personal trainers, competitive athletes, and several cycling fanatics. We’ve gotten hands-on with more than 70 of the top fitness apps on the market, a healthy portion of which feature cycling classes, stat tracking, and route planning. We used a multi-point methodology to rate each app on a scale of 1 (lowest) to 5 (highest) in areas like ease of use, interactivity, value, and more. You can read more on that in our Equipment Testing Methodology, but below are some of the key factors we looked at to come up with our picks for the best cycling apps.

User Experience: The best online workout programs and apps don’t require a how-to. We judged these picks on how easy they are to navigate, how intuitive their controls are, and how smoothly they run — before, during, and after a ride. 

Route Planning: For outdoor cyclists, this is one of the most important features a cycling app can have. We judged these apps on their ability to find and create reliable routes, follow them while riding, and accurately capture all your stats.

Touchscreen on the BowFlex VeloCore Bike.

Customization: You wouldn’t ride a bike without adjusting the seat, so why would you expect a cycling app to be one-size-fits-all? These apps all have some level of customizability, whether it’s the ability to create personalized training plans or adjust the metrics you see on the screen while you’re riding.

Price: Unlike stationary bikes or road bikes, which cost a pretty penny, cycling apps are generally affordable. We considered the price of these apps relative to the market, ensuring you get your money’s worth for the price you’ll pay.

Best Cycling App Overall: Strava

If you’ve been cycling (or running, for that matter) more than a couple of times, you’ve likely already heard about Strava. The cult-favorite fitness app has a stronghold on the cycling community and is beloved for many reasons (we even think it’s one of the best running apps out there, too). Our tester, who’s been using the app for over a decade, gave it a 4.5 out of 5 overall.

Strava is a comprehensive GPS app that allows you to track your route, distance, speed, and elevation during any ride, run, or other outdoor activity — there are nearly 50 different types to choose from, earning it a 5 out of 5 score on workout variety with our tester. You can also create new routes in the app or on the desktop site, or browse heatmaps, which allow you to discover the most popular routes nearby. 

Every tracked activity comes with advanced metrics like pace and power zones, and over time, allows you to keep a close eye on your progress. Compatibility with smartwatches and some of the best fitness trackers, means you can analyze heart rate data, and Strava reports back on your relative effort and fitness score as a result of your ongoing training.

Using the Strava app.

All that is pretty impressive, but Strava’s real claim to fame is its segments: labeled sections of road or trail where you can directly compete against your previous times on that section as well as against anyone else who has ridden it. The fastest times claim spots on the virtual leaderboard, and the No. 1 gets a King/Queen of the Mountain (KOM/QOM). 

“Some Strava segments are fiercely competitive. If it’s popular, people will structure their training around hitting it at the optimal time for wind, traffic, etc. Sometimes trying for a QOM is the only thing that’s gotten me out on a ride,” our tester says. Plus, every public activity you complete is posted for friends to view, along with any photos or videos you add. You can give kudos, leave comments, and share routes and stats with riding buddies — our tester gave it a 5 out of 5 for interactive features.

There’s a free version of Strava that includes the basics — ride metrics, route tracking, activity sharing — but more advanced ride data, route creation, and full access to competitive leaderboards are all behind the Premium paywall. “Many people use and enjoy the free version,” our tester said, “but the most powerful features are part of Premium.” 

Best Cycling App for Route Planning: MapMyRide

For years, MapMyRide — part of Under Armour’s suite of “MapMy” sites and apps — has been one of the easiest ways to map out a cycling route. (Its sister app MapMyRun was my go-to when I started running 15 years ago.) In 2024, the collection of apps still delivers: “I think this is the best GPS app out of all the ones I’ve tried,” said one of our expert testers, who’s a certified personal trainer. While our testers didn’t use MapMyRide specifically, they tried MapMyRun and MapMyFitness, which have essentially the same functionality.

The only catch is that MapMyRide’s best features — route searching and planning — need to be accessed on a desktop browser. There, you can easily create new cycling routes, scout out ones that other users have uploaded, and then save them to cue up on the app. And you can do all this for free, with the option to level up for more features. 

“Upgrading to the MVP/premium version turns off ads and gives you analysis of your heart rate, power, and cadence; custom split data; audio coaching; workout export; and allows you to create custom interval workouts and dynamic training plans. You’re really getting a lot for the price,” our tester said, which is just $5.99 per month, or $29.99 per year. They scored it a 5 out of 5 for pricing and value.

Screenshots of the MapMyRun app.

Whether free or paid, the app is simple to navigate with a great UX. Our tester gave it a 5 out of 5 for ease of use and setup, noting that syncing with third-party apps or devices (like smartwatches) is a breeze. The paid version offers a few noteworthy customization features, including personalized training plans that change dynamically as you progress and custom split creation. 

Like other cycling apps, this one has a social component, too. “You can add friends who also use the app, or there’s an Explore tab where you can see posts from other users sharing races they’ve completed and daily workouts with pictures and stats,” said our second expert tester and personal trainer. It’s open to non-cycling workouts, too, giving you the option to log over 600 different types of activities.

Best Cycling App for Indoor Training: Zwift

If you’re planning to train indoors and want to feel like you’re anywhere but inside your living room, Zwift could be your great escape. The cycling app’s main draw is its immersive and scenic 3D virtual worlds (there are 12!), where you can free-ride, join group workouts or events, and even race in real-time against other (virtual) human competitors. (You might even compete against pro riders, who often use the platform for off-season training.) This makes it a great choice if you’re competitive or looking for motivation to train.

To help guide you, the app also offers 1,000+ structured workouts, flexible training plans, and even allows you to create your own custom workouts using a drag-and-drop interface. After a ride, comb through data like cadence, effort, duration, elevation, and heart rate (if you connect a monitor, like a smartwatch). 

The app works best if you have a connected stationary bike (like a Keiser M3i) or smart bike trainer (like a Wahoo) because then it can simulate the terrain of the virtual ride you’re on, automatically increasing resistance on hills, for example. The app setup is pretty flexible; you can cue up Zwift on your smartphone, tablet, computer, or even Apple TV.

The app has earned a 4.7 out of 5 from 16K+ reviews on the Apple App Store and 4.2 out of 5 from 23K+ reviews on Google Play. “Living in an area where it snows and is too cold to ride outside, gamifying, if that’s even a real word, has been great to keep in shape. All of the routes to ride, the kit options, and the other motivational people make this quite enjoyable,” writes one reviewer. 

The animation style is engaging, but admittedly, isn’t for everyone. If you’re looking to pedal to footage of real-world locations or to take classes with a human trainer on one of the best exercise bikes, this isn’t the best fit for you. A significant number of reviewers also call out trouble navigating the app or encountering ride-disruptive bugs, including issues saving progress or trouble keeping devices connected. It’s stuff that can be fixed by a software update, but also ruin a ride.

“It is 5 stars for the way it improves indoor riding!” writes another reviewer. “I deducted a star because I find navigating it at times a bit difficult… still, on the whole, really great for taking what could be a mundane experience and making it fun and beautiful.”

Best Cycling App for Tracking Metrics: Komoot

Komoot can help you cycle anywhere in the world, but its vibe is all about getting outside. Not only does the app offer road cycling routes and tracking, but it works for hiking, running, mountain biking, and bike touring as well, serving up detailed metrics and topographical data for every adventure.

With Komoot, you can easily differentiate between types of roads and trails — paved or gravel, hiking or singletrack — to make sure you’re ready for what’s ahead. On both the app and website, you can discover new routes around you (even searching by landmarks or those accessible by public transport) or create your own, then download them for offline use or cue up for turn-by-turn navigation and ride while tracking on your phone, smartwatch, or GPS bike computer.

The app has earned a 4.3 out of 5 after a whopping 332K reviews on the Google Play store, plus a 4.7 out of 5 after 5.3K reviews on the Apple App Store. “I have been using it for about four months on a tour through Europe and it has been amazing. It has really been our only go to map for over five thousand kilometers. It has kept us on the cycling safe roads and helped us find sights. It also has a great feature that lets you divide up a tour into days and figures [your] accommodation into the equation. It also will even show the weather and at what point you will have rain on the tour,” one happy reviewer writes. 

“We have also been amazed [by] some of the trails it has put us on, beautiful forest trails, deserted farm roads, really just lovely finds,” they continue. Other users have had some issues with lagging navigation, less-than-optimal routes, or difficulty using maps offline. 

One of the only other downsides for US users is that the route database isn’t as fleshed out in the States as it is in Europe, where the app was created. The payment structure is a little tricky, too. You get one map region totally free, but then it’s $3.99/region or $60/year for a premium membership which gives you access to the whole world — but there’s no monthly subscription option. That could be a deal-breaker if you only plan to ride outside for part of the year.

Best Cycling App for Cycling Classes: iFIT

If your main MO in hunting for a cycling app is to do guided indoor cycling workouts, iFIT is arguably the top contender. It’s a favorite for engaging and immersive trainer-led classes that take place in studios or out in scenic parts of the world. No matter which type of iFIT class you cue up, you’ll have an expert trainer coaching you every step of the way — our tester gave the app a 4.5 out of 5 for instruction for that reason. As a cycling app, it’s ideal for indoor training and people looking to keep stationary bike or bike trainer rides fresh and challenging.

“I always choose to do the outdoor rides on iFIT, so the instructor is working out right there with you — and I think they’re great. There are also challenges to join, which help you hit milestones, and a leaderboard to compete with other people if you’re into that,” our tester said, giving the app a 4 out of 5 for interactive features.

BarBend reviews writer Matt Cummings selecting an iFIT class on the ProForm Pro Studio Bike Pro 22.

You can take much more than just cycling classes. iFIT offers workouts across many modalities, including strength, running, yoga, rowing, and more. And you get all that for $15 per month — $9 less than close competitor Peloton. Our tester gave it a 4 out of 5 for value, based partially on the fact that the Pro membership (which you’ll need for any iFIT-enabled equipment with a built-in screen) is $39 per month.

[Related: Peloton vs. NordicTrack]

There aren’t live classes, and it’s definitely not a cycling app for outdoor riding. Otherwise, the biggest downside to iFIT is the music; there 11 different genre stations you can choose from to overlay the class you’re taking, but the music isn’t curated by the instructor to match the ride the way it is on Peloton, Apple Fitness+, or in an IRL cycling class. You won’t be pedaling with the rhythm or doing intervals timed to beat drops, which is a huge miss if that’s the kind of cycling class you love. “This is a personal preference, but even though iFIT does use good music, I like Peloton’s style best,” said our tester. 

These are nitpicky details when you consider how much you’re getting with an iFIT membership. If you’re looking for a cycling app to use for indoor training, both studio-style and scenic, iFIT is almost certainly your best choice — and it’ll give you an excuse to do some cross-training, too.

Read our full iFIT Review.

Best Cycling App for Navigation: Bikemap

Grab a Quad Lock phone mount for your bike, cue up Bikemap, and you’ll have turned your smartphone into a high-tech bike computer with turn-by-turn GPS navigation. It’s a great navigation solution for city riders, people who often follow new routes, or those looking to navigate to specific destinations; with the premium version of the app, you’ll get real-time directions displayed on your phone screen and announced by voice. You can even be alerted to (or contribute) real-time updates on route obstacles or conditions, like potholes or roadwork — like Waze but for biking. 

On either the website or app, you can plan and create your own routes by navigating between waypoints or freehand drawing where you want to go. Choose a routing profile by selecting the type of bike (i.e. ebike, road bike, etc.) or whether you want to stick to cycling paths or the fastest route possible. If you’re looking to explore routes, browse through Bikemap’s archive of over 7 million user-generated routes. Then download them for offline use in case you venture off road or your cell service gets spotty, and follow them on your phone or smartwatch. 

It earned a 4.1 out of 5 stars after 49K reviews on the Google Play store, and 4.7 from 8.4K ratings in the Apple App Store. Users report that the routing algorithm doesn’t always work optimally, so you may want to approach with caution when riding in new areas: “Routes chosen were unsafe — they went against traffic or in areas without a bike path/lane,” writes one reviewer in Washington, DC. “When on ‘balanced’ mode, which is supposed to pick a route based on a mix of how direct the route is and ease of riding, it still picks a route that is both longer and has a steeper gradient.” 

Other riders loved the less-conventional routes: “Awesome app! Took me through a riverside park instead of a city street on my first ride,” wrote another user. “Even took me through a Walgreens parking lot to bypass a busy intersection. Routes always take longer than Google Maps, but they’re always more safe, relaxing, and beautiful.”

Many of the basic features (including route creation and ride recording) are available totally free, but you’ll need to opt into Premium for live navigation, offline access, and fall detection (iOS only). 

Best Cycling App for Live Tracking: Cyclemeter

Cyclemeter makes a bike computer in addition to an app — so you know you can trust them for a great live-tracking experience while you ride. One reviewer on the Apple App Store goes so far as to write: “After using this app for the last few weeks, I am blown away and left seriously wondering why anyone would need a bike computer?… You can see yourself riding on a GPS map [alongside] some key metrics… When you get home you can save and study the data in detail; your time, speed (average and high), cadence, power, breakdown of data per mile, summary of the ride, see your route on a map, etc. and many other data points.” 

And there’s a lot of data to look at. The app tracks 250 different statistics while you ride, including distance, splits, intervals, and heart rate zones (when you connect a smartwatch or HR monitor). The sheer amount of data may actually be daunting for beginners or those who just want to track the basics of their rides. “Had some connectivity issues between phone, sensor and app. It’s just more info than I need and want to deal with at this point. Went back to my free cycling app. Sometimes less is more,” one reviewer wrote. 

Other than the abundance of ride info, there aren’t any real downsides; customers are quite happy with the app. It earned 4.7 out of 5 stars from more than 14.5K ratings on the Apple App Store, and 4.4 out of 5 after 1,200 reviews on Google Play. Several users praise the support they’ve gotten from developers, so even if you have an issue, you’ll likely get plenty of help fixing it.

The app’s core features are completely free, though you can upgrade to Elite after a 7-day free trial for $9.99 per month, which removes ads and gives you access to tons of advanced features, including tracking your gear and non-cycling activities, audio coaching and stat announcements during rides, automatic uploading to Strava, the ability to analyze your performance with history dashboards, Apple Watch integration, and voice control.

Best Cycling App for Mountain Biking: Trailforks

With Trailforks, you’ll never again drag your bike to a trail just to find out it’s really only suitable for hiking. The platform started as a mountain biking trail database and has expanded to include 15 other off-road activities, with over 65,000 trails logged around the world. While users can report on trail conditions and create routes, local trail associations have oversight to ensure the data is accurate and complies with trail usage rules. That means every route you’ll find is high-quality and totally rideable, with detailed info on elevation, distance, surface, difficulty grade, and more.

“This is by far one of the most useful apps that I have ever used. I am a bit biased being a mountain biker for the past 35 years with industry work and racing in my past. The many ways this app has used rider curated data to elevate and facilitate the sport of mountain biking is mind boggling,” wrote one reviewer on the Apple App Store, where it earned a 4.8 out of 5 from 9.6K ratings.

In addition to route planning, you can use TrailForks to check up on trail conditions, download trails to follow offline, navigate while you’re riding, and find detailed info on local skill parks. There’s a social feed element, where you can record and share rides, along with your route, photos, and videos.

Overall, the user experience is a bit smoother when you access the platform via a desktop browser; reviewers have noted that the app can be glitchy or difficult to navigate at times. “The mobile version is not as comprehensive as the desktop version…I enjoy the community aspects of sharing photos and videos to preview trails and see reviews and conditions. It’s been super helpful. The trails have been generally accurate and I found great places through the app,” writes another reviewer on the Google Play store, where the app has a 4.6 out of 5 rating from 12.2K reviews.

Even cooler is that most of these features are available through the free version of Trailforks — it’s just limited to a local free area. For complete access, you’ll need to go Pro for less than $5 per month.

Best Cycling App for Studio Cycling: Peloton

If you want your cycling app experience to more closely resemble a boutique studio class than a road ride, it might be time to join the Peloton fan club. The app offers streaming workouts of all types (from strength and yoga to audio-only outdoor walks and runs that can be used with or without the best cardio machines) but it started with indoor cycling, and that’s where it shines. Take it from our tester, who gave the app a 5 out of 5 overall.

Peloton sells bikes (you can read our Peloton Bike Review for more info on that), but you can stream their classes on a browser, smartphone, tablet, or certain smart TVs, and follow them while pedaling on your own stationary bike or bike trainer. The only thing to note is that the instructors cue the resistance and cadence according to what’s shown on their bikes; if yours doesn’t show real-time metrics or different measurements, it may be tricky to follow their cues.

Peloton Tread display at BarBend testing gym.

Peloton’s classes are generated for the masses, and there isn’t much about the platform that’s customizable; however, they have such a large library of classes that you can be highly selective when choosing workouts. In the details section for every class, you can see the songs that will be played, the moves that will be included, and the amount of time dedicated to different body parts or types of training. 

“I enjoy interval rides which typically include cycling and arm segments,” our tester said. “I love that the class plan feature lets you see the intervals the class is broken into before starting, as well as the music it includes.” A handy stacking feature allows you to cue up several classes in a row (for example, a warm-up, cycling workout, “extra 10” finisher, and cool-down) to build your own comprehensive workout class. 

For $24/month, you’ll get unlimited access to all Peloton’s classes, live and on-demand, which is a great deal, considering the variety offered. Our tester found the instructors to be knowledgeable, inclusive in their language, and great at cueing progressions or modifications for riders of all levels. They gave the app a 5 out of 5 for instruction and a 4.5 out of 5 for accountability. “The classes are always pretty easy to understand, and I find the app and instructors quite motivating,” they said. “There are a lot of encouraging one-liners during the rides that stick with you. Overall, because of the app, I feel more inclined to work out daily.”

Benefits of Cycling Apps

Fitness apps come with loads of perks, and the ones you get from a cycling app will depend on the type of app you choose. Overall, though, you’ll probably get an uptick of motivation, a front-row seat to watch your progress, and an injection of freshness into your workout routine. 

Our tester Jake trying an iFIT workout.

“[Fitness apps] can keep fitness fun and interesting, expose you to types of training you may not have thought of yourself, and at the same time, keep things simple so you don’t get distracted by all of the noise around fitness online,” says Amanda Capritto, personal trainer and our expert reviewer. And since they’re generally pretty affordable, you have almost nothing to lose. Here are some specific benefits you can count on when you sign up for a cycling app.

Tracking: Every cycling app here offers some sort of tracking, whether it’s logging every workout you stream from your stationary bike, your monthly road mileage, or your favorite mountain biking routes. Overall, this helps you build a sense of accomplishment, monitor your performance, and progress your training.

Accountability: The social and competitive aspect of many cycling apps helps to encourage accountability even without someone directly telling you what to do. Many apps also offer programs and challenges to guide your training and give you something to work for — which goes a long way in helping you show up time and time again.

Variety: Switching up your workouts keeps things fun and helps you continue to challenge yourself. Cycling apps help you do that, whether you’re exploring new routes to test your technical mountain biking skills, getting inspired by a friend’s latest road bike route, or taking an indoor cycling class with a new playlist every day.

How Much Do Cycling Apps Cost?

Cycling apps range from totally free to $24 per month — a pretty big range when you consider the difference in cost over an entire year. Here’s a breakdown of how much each cycling app on our list costs to use on your own device (not on one of the best exercise bikes with screens).

How to Choose a Cycling App

Every single one of the cycling apps on this list is great for different reasons, and deciding on the best one for you will be totally personal. Here’s some guidance to help you choose.

Personal Fitness Goals

Step one in choosing a cycling app is thinking about your fitness goals and figuring out how you want to use the app. For example, perhaps you want to challenge yourself with long road rides, try some new mountain biking trails, or just stay active on a stationary bike. 

BarBend lead video reviewer Jake Herod, NASM-CPT, selecting an iFIT class on the NordicTrack S22i.

“You can narrow down your search a lot right from the get-go by determining what type of training you need to do in order to reach your desired outcome,” says Amanda Capritto, personal trainer and our expert reviewer.

App Compatibility

Are you looking to ride indoors with a stationary bike or bike trainer you already own? Do you want an app you can cue up on your smart TV, phone, or tablet? Do you want to sync data with a bike computer, smartwatch, or one of the best heart rate monitors? Consider which devices you want to use with your cycling app and triple-check that they’re compatible.

Subscription Costs

Keep in mind the cost of the apps here, and consider how much you’re willing to pay per month or year, and whether it’s pauseable or cancelable — especially if you’ll only use it during certain seasons, like spring and summer. “Would you prefer an app that only requires a one-time payment, or are you cool with budgeting for a monthly subscription? If yes, how much can you pay each month?” posits Capritto.

Best Cycling Apps FAQs

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