adidas Running vs Nike Run Club
Updated November 2026 · AppBreakup editorial
adidas Running
GPS run and workout tracker from adidas, formerly known as Runtastic
Nike Run Club
Nike's GPS running app with audio-guided runs, coach-built training plans and challenges.
The short answer
Both are free GPS run trackers from sportswear brands aimed at beginner and casual runners. Nike Run Club is fully free and stands out for its audio-guided runs from Nike coaches and Apple Watch support. adidas Running, formerly Runtastic, tracks walks and other workouts too, with leaderboards and a paid Premium tier. Pick Nike Run Club for free coaching; pick adidas Running for broader workout tracking and community challenges.
adidas Running or Nike Run Club: our take
Nike Run Club records pace, distance, route, elevation, heart rate and splits from your phone's GPS or an Apple Watch, and keeps your history, personal records and streaks. Its main draw is a large library of audio-guided runs where Nike coaches and athletes talk you through easy runs, speed sessions and long runs; training plans sequence these for goals from a first 5K to a marathon. You can set challenges with friends and share your live location with contacts while running. adidas Running records runs, walks and other workouts with distance, pace and route, adds a voice coach, leaderboards, challenges and community events, and offers plans from walk-to-run and beginner 5K up to a first marathon.
The pricing model is the clearest difference. Nike Run Club has no paid tier; everything, including plans and guided runs, is free with a Nike account. adidas Running's basic tracker is free, but more plans and statistics sit behind a Premium membership that can now only be bought inside the app, not on the website.
Both run on iPhone and Android, and both have lighter training analysis than Strava or Garmin Connect, so neither suits runners who want deep data. Nike Run Club is focused on running, and other sports aren't its strength; adidas Running is more comfortable logging walks and other workouts. Nike requires a Nike account, and its Apple Watch support is a plus for watch owners.
Choose Nike Run Club if you want coaching in your ears and complete training plans without paying anything, especially if you run with an Apple Watch. Choose adidas Running if you also track walks or other workouts, like leaderboards and community events for motivation, or want a gentle walk-to-run start and don't mind that the extra plans cost money.
Which should you pick?
Choose adidas Running if…
- Casual runners who want a free GPS tracker with challenges and beginner plans
- Free GPS tracking with voice coach
- Plans from walk-to-run up to a first marathon
Choose Nike Run Club if…
- Beginner and casual runners who want free coaching through audio-guided runs and training plans
- Large library of free audio-guided runs from Nike coaches
- Training plans and challenges at no cost
About each app
What is adidas Running?
adidas Running is a GPS activity tracker for iPhone and Android, originally developed by the Austrian company Runtastic before adidas bought it and renamed the app. It records runs, walks and other workouts with distance, pace and route, and adds a voice coach, leaderboards, challenges and community events. Training plans cover goals from walk-to-run and a first 5K through to a first marathon. The basic tracker is free; a Premium membership unlocks more plans and statistics and can now only be bought inside the app, not on the website. It suits casual and intermediate runners who want a free, motivating tracker with built-in challenges. The old Runtastic website now mostly points to the app, and serious data lovers may find the analysis lighter than in Strava or Garmin Connect.
What is Nike Run Club?
Nike Run Club, often shortened to NRC, is Nike's free app for tracking runs. It records pace, distance, route, elevation, heart rate and splits using your phone's GPS or an Apple Watch, and keeps a history of runs, personal records and streaks. Its standout feature is a large library of Audio-Guided Runs, where Nike coaches and athletes talk you through easy runs, speed sessions and long runs. Training plans pick a sequence of these runs for goals from a first 5K to a marathon. You can create challenges with friends, join community challenges and share your live location with contacts while you run. There is no paid tier; it needs a free Nike account. It runs on iPhone, Android and Apple Watch, and suits beginners and casual runners who want coaching and motivation more than deep training analytics or a social feed of other athletes.
Side by side
| Attribute | adidas Running | Nike Run Club |
|---|---|---|
| Pricing | Free plan + paid | Free |
| Open source | No | No |
| Self-hostable | No | No |
| Platforms | iOS, Android | iOS, Android |
| Best for | Casual runners who want a free GPS tracker with challenges and beginner plans | Beginner and casual runners who want free coaching through audio-guided runs and training plans |
| Status | Active | Active |
adidas Running vs Nike Run Club pricing
adidas Running: free plan + paid
- Training plans: Beginner 5K to first marathon source
Nike Run Club: free
We couldn't verify Nike Run Club's plan details on its own site yet, so we don't list them.
Platforms
| Platform | adidas Running | Nike Run Club |
|---|---|---|
| iOS | ||
| Android |
adidas Running facts
4 of 4 verified- Features
- Voice coach, GPS tracking, leaderboard
- Checked Nov 8, 2026runtastic.com(opens source in a new tab)
- “Voice Coach GPS Tracking Leaderboard”
- Training plans
- Beginner 5K to first marathon
- Checked Nov 8, 2026runtastic.com(opens source in a new tab)
- “Your first marathon 12 - 16 weeks”
- Premium purchase
- In-app only
- Checked Nov 8, 2026runtastic.com(opens source in a new tab)
- “no longer possible to purchase a Premium membership via our website.”
- Challenges
- Yes
- Checked Nov 8, 2026runtastic.com(opens source in a new tab)
- “Join challenges to get motivated – push your limits.”
Nike Run Club facts
4 of 4 verified- Tracked metrics
- Pace, distance, elevation, heart rate, splits
- Checked Nov 8, 2026nike.com(opens source in a new tab)
- “We Keep Track of the Details NRC pays attention to your pace, location, distance, elevation, heart rate, and mile splits — so you can pay attention to the scenery.”
- Audio-guided runs
- Yes
- Checked Nov 8, 2026nike.com(opens source in a new tab)
- “Whether just getting started or training for a marathon, our always-on Audio-Guided Runs provide in-the-moment training tips to help you run your best.”
- Live location sharing
- Yes
- Checked Nov 8, 2026nike.com(opens source in a new tab)
- “This new community feature allows you to share your run location with any of your contacts so they see your real-time location.”
- Smartwatch
- Apple Watch
- Checked Nov 8, 2026nike.com(opens source in a new tab)
- “Made to Move NRC and the Apple Watch Nike are your teammates for a better run.”
Pros and cons of adidas Running
- Free GPS tracking with voice coach
- Plans from walk-to-run up to a first marathon
- Challenges, leaderboards and events add motivation
- Premium can only be bought in the app
- Less detailed analysis than Strava or Garmin Connect
- Website offers little beyond pointing to the app
Pros and cons of Nike Run Club
- Large library of free audio-guided runs from Nike coaches
- Training plans and challenges at no cost
- Live run location sharing with contacts
- Apple Watch support
- Focused on running; other sports are not its strength
- Less detailed training analysis than Strava or Garmin Connect
- Requires a Nike account
Other apps to consider
ASICS RunkeeperInstead of adidas Running
Similar free GPS tracker from a rival shoe brand, with simple plans and goals.
RunnaInstead of adidas Running
Paid, adaptive coach-built plans for runners targeting a specific race.
Garmin ConnectInstead of Nike Run Club
Free companion to Garmin watches with far more detailed training load and recovery data.
Peloton AppInstead of Nike Run Club
Also built around coach-led audio runs for outdoor and treadmill sessions, plus strength and yoga classes in the same app.
adidas Running vs Nike Run Club: common questions
Is adidas Running better than Nike Run Club?
Both are free GPS run trackers from sportswear brands aimed at beginner and casual runners. Nike Run Club is fully free and stands out for its audio-guided runs from Nike coaches and Apple Watch support. adidas Running, formerly Runtastic, tracks walks and other workouts too, with leaderboards and a paid Premium tier. Pick Nike Run Club for free coaching; pick adidas Running for broader workout tracking and community challenges.
Is adidas Running free?
adidas Running has a free plan, with paid plans for more features. See its verified pricing facts above for current limits.
Is Nike Run Club free?
Yes, Nike Run Club is free.
Is adidas Running or Nike Run Club open source?
Neither is open source.
Which platforms do adidas Running and Nike Run Club support?
adidas Running: iOS and Android. Nike Run Club: iOS and Android.