Strava, the popular fitness tracking app, is now free for all users. The app has been a mainstay in the fitness world for years, and its popularity has only grown in recent years. The app has a large following because it allows users to track their workouts and progress over time. It also provides a community of athletes to share tips and advice with one another. The free version of the app offers all of the same features as the paid version, including support for multiple devices and profiles, global leaderboard rankings, and more. The free version also includes ads, but they can be disabled in settings. Strava’s move to become free is likely due to its increasing competition from other fitness tracking apps such as Fitbit and Jawbone Up. These apps offer similar features at a fraction of the cost, making them more appealing to budget-conscious consumers. However, Strava’s large user base may make it difficult for these competitors to gain traction among casual exercisers or those new to fitness tracking. ..
Strava’s Beacon Live Location Tracking Feature
A subscription to Strava goes for $59.99 annually or $7.99 per month, and it comes with all sorts of features that are worthwhile for people who enjoy getting out there in the world and exercising. Now, Strava has decided to make its Beacon live location tracking feature available to all users, whether they pay for the service or not.
Basically, you can enable the feature for safety purposes or just as a fun motivator to keep you moving. You can use Beacon to share your live location with up to three people who can track you as you move throughout the world. The people you’re sharing with will get a unique URL that lets them see your location updated every 15 seconds.
For safety, you can use this when you’re going out for a ride or run somewhere rural where you could get hurt or lost. If that happens, the friend who’s tracking you can get help to you at your exact location. Or they could choose to meet you along your route and join you for an excellent group exercise session.
It’s Not All Free…
Strava did say that live location sharing from devices like the Apple Watch and Garmin bike computers will still be part of the subscription as they’re more complex to integrate than the mobile apps.
