Strava lets subscribers search for routes in plain language, with spoken directions to follow

Strava has added plain-language route search to its app, so runners, walkers, hikers and cyclists can describe the kind of route they want rather than typing exact names. The update, announced on 22 October, also puts saved routes on the app’s home screen when there is no phone signal.

Strava says turn-by-turn audio directions for runs, walks and hikes are “coming soon”. It has not given a date.

The new features are for paying subscribers. Strava’s announcement named only the audio navigation as a subscriber feature, but a Strava spokesperson later told Android Authority that both the features released on 22 October and those still to come are for subscribers only, the outlet reported in an update on 23 October.

What is new now

According to Strava, the update brings:

• Search in plain language from the Maps tab, for route names or points of interest, with results “matched to intent”. Android Authority gave the example of searching for “a bike path near a lake”.
• More routes. Strava says it has expanded and curated its route library. It has not said how many routes it holds.
• Redesigned route cards, which compare routes using photos and activity data from other Strava users.
• Offline maps. Saved routes appear on the home screen without signal, and a workout started in offline mode is uploaded once the phone reconnects.

Coming later

Three features are listed without dates:

• Hands-free navigation, with spoken turn-by-turn directions for hikes, walks and runs along a set route.
• Expanded route details, with tags and descriptions drawn from community activity to flag features such as waterfalls, trees and wildlife.
• Route discovery on the web, so users can browse routes and the map on a computer.

Strava’s announcement contains no quotes and no details of how the search works.

What it costs

Most of Strava’s route tools were already behind its paywall. Its subscription page lists suggested routes and saving routes for offline use among the paid features.

In the US, Strava’s pricing page puts the subscription at $11.99 a month or $79.99 a year, plus tax. A family plan costs $139.99 a year, and a combined Strava and Runna plan $149.99 a year. Strava sets prices by country, so they differ elsewhere.

What we do not know

Strava has not said which languages the new search supports, whether the audio directions will also work for cycling, or whether they will run through a paired watch or only through the phone. The update has not been independently tested, and the quality of plain-language search depends on how well the app reads what users mean. That will only become clear once riders and runners use it on unfamiliar ground.

For athletes who already plan routes in Komoot, Garmin Connect or a watch maker’s app, the most useful addition may be the simplest one: saved routes that stay available without signal.