Runna Review 2026: Is It Good for Trail Running? Pros, Cons and Pricing

Is Runna good for trail running? Pricing as of October 2026, hill and ultra plans up to 50K, honest pros and cons, and how it compares with Trailia.

The short verdict

Runna is one of the best-known running apps, and it is better for trail running than its road reputation suggests. As of October 2026 it builds plans for 5K, 10K, half marathon, marathon and ultras up to 50K, lets you choose how hilly your training should be (Flat, Rolling, Moderate or Hilly), includes hill sessions and strength work, and syncs with Apple Watch, Garmin, COROS, Suunto and Fitbit. For a trail half marathon or a first 50K, runners have used it successfully.

Where it is weaker for trail runners: Runna's ultra plans stop at 50K, it has no free tier (a 7-day trial, then $19.99 a month or $119.99 a year in the US), and nothing we found on its site describes weekly vertical-gain targets, descent training or fueling plans for long mountain races.

We build Trailia, so read this with that in mind. We have tried to be fair: if you want a polished, well-supported app and your race is on roads or a runnable trail up to 50K, Runna is a strong choice. If your race has serious climbing, is longer than 50K, or you want a plan that is free to start, Trailia is the better fit.

Prices and features below were checked against Runna's own site and recent reviews in October 2026.

Runna at a glance

Runna's site cites ratings of 4.9 out of 5 on the App Store (76,000+ reviews) and 4.7 on Google Play (17,000+ reviews).

Trailia vs Runna: feature comparison

What Runna does well

Polished plans and onboarding

Runna's plans are written with coaches, adapt to your performance, and are easy to set up: enter a goal and you have a plan within minutes. For road runners this is why it is so popular, and the same engine produces trail and ultra plans.

More trail support than most road apps

You can set an Elevation Profile on your plan (Flat, Rolling, Moderate or Hilly) and change it later, which controls how many hill sessions you get. Its ultra page describes hill reps for "climbs and descents on trail ultras" and long back-to-back days. A Tom's Guide writer who trained for a trail half marathon with Runna in 2025 reported that the app knew her event and its elevation profile and tailored the plan, and she finished about ten minutes off her target.

The widest watch support

Runna syncs with Apple Watch, Garmin, COROS, Suunto and Fitbit, plus Strava. Trailia syncs with Garmin, Polar and Strava, so Apple Watch, COROS, Suunto and Fitbit users are better served by Runna, and Polar users by Trailia.

Scale and support

With tens of thousands of store reviews, a race library that includes trail events and a support centre, Runna is a mature product. That matters if you want an app that is unlikely to change under you.

Where Runna falls short for trail runners

Ultra plans stop at 50K

Runna says you can train for an ultra up to 50K. If your goal is a 50-mile, 100K or 100-mile race, you will need something else.

Climbing is a setting, not a target

Runna's hilliness setting changes the number of hill sessions. We found nothing on its site that describes weekly vertical-gain targets, descent-specific training or terrain-based pacing, and its features page does not mention trail training at all. For a race with 3,000 m or more of climbing, a plan that schedules vertical alongside distance is closer to what you need.

No free tier, higher price

Runna costs $19.99 a month or $119.99 a year after a 7-day trial. Converted to euros, its listed price is EUR 19.99 a month or EUR 119.99 a year, twice Trailia Pro's monthly price and EUR 40 more per year.

Road-first design

Runna's core audience is road runners, and most of its plan types are road distances. If you split your year between roads and trails, that is a plus; if you only run trails, much of the app is not for you.

What Trailia does well

Plans for any trail distance, up to 100 miles

Trailia builds a plan from your race date, distance and elevation, and plans vertical gain alongside distance each week. It covers 50K, 100K and 100-mile races, with back-to-back long runs and time-on-feet sessions. One active race goal is free with no time limit.

Free race tools that work without an account

The race time predictor estimates a finish time from a recent result and the course profile. The race readiness score compares a recent performance with your target race, and the trail finder helps you find routes. You can use the training plan generator before you sign up.

Fueling and workout reviews in Pro

Trailia Pro adds a race fueling plan sized to your race duration and an AI review of each completed workout against what was planned. Pro is EUR 9.99 a month or EUR 79.99 a year, with a 7-day free trial.

What Trailia does not have

No road plans, no Apple Watch, COROS, Suunto or Fitbit sync, and a smaller community and track record than Runna. If you also train for road races, Runna covers them and Trailia does not.

Who should choose which

Choose Runna if you run mostly roads, your trail races are up to 50K without extreme climbing, you wear an Apple Watch, COROS, Suunto or Fitbit, or you want a large, polished app.

Choose Trailia if you train mainly on trails, your race has serious climbing or is longer than 50K, you run with Garmin or Polar, or you want a plan that is free to start.

Use both if you race on road and trail: Runna for your road block, Trailia for your trail block. Both connect to Strava without conflict.

Try Trailia before you decide

The fastest way to compare is to see your own plan. Build a free trail plan for your race in about two minutes, then create a free account to sync your watch. Runna's 7-day trial is still there if you want to run them side by side. See also how Trailia compares with Kotcha, Garmin Coach and Vert.run.

Key takeaways

• Runna is a polished app that supports trail running better than its road focus suggests: a hilliness setting, hill sessions and ultra plans up to 50K.
• It costs $19.99 a month or $119.99 a year after a 7-day trial; there is no free tier.
• It supports Apple Watch, Garmin, COROS, Suunto and Fitbit; Trailia supports Garmin, Polar and Strava.
• For races over 50K or with heavy climbing, Trailia's vertical-aware plans and free race tools are the closer fit.
• Trailia's free tier includes a race-date plan; Pro is EUR 9.99 a month or EUR 79.99 a year.

Citations

• Runna (2026). Pricing. https://www.runna.com/pricing (accessed October 2026)
• Runna (2026). Home page: plan types, device sync, ratings. https://www.runna.com/ (accessed October 2026)
• Runna (2026). Ultramarathon training plans. https://www.runna.com/training/ultramarathon (accessed October 2026)
• Runna Support (2026). Strava + Runna subscription guide. https://support.runna.com/en/articles/11626438-strava-runna-subscription-guide (accessed October 2026)
• Running Westward Ho (2026). Runna Hill Repeats Explained (+ Hilly Long Runs). October 2026. https://runningwestwardho.co.uk/post/runna-training-app-review-andy-hood
• Downey, J. (2025). I trained for my first trail half marathon with Runna, and it paid off. Tom's Guide, 14 October 2025. https://www.yahoo.com/lifestyle/articles/signed-first-trail-race-let-080000008.html

Frequently Asked Questions

Is Runna good for trail running?

Runna is good for trail races up to about 50K that are not extremely steep. As of October 2026 it builds ultra plans up to 50K, lets you set an Elevation Profile (Flat, Rolling, Moderate or Hilly), includes hill repeat sessions and has a race library that includes trail events. It stops at 50K, has no free tier, and we found no weekly vertical-gain targets or descent training described on its site. For a race with heavy climbing or a distance beyond 50K, Trailia is the closer fit.

Does Runna have ultra plans?

Yes, up to 50K. Runna says you can train for an ultra up to 50K, with longer runs, hill reps and back-to-back days. It does not offer plans for 50-mile, 100K or 100-mile races; Trailia covers those distances.

Does Runna have elevation-aware training plans?

Partly. Runna lets you choose an Elevation Profile of Flat, Rolling, Moderate or Hilly, which controls how many hill sessions your plan includes, and a Tom's Guide writer reported that the app knew her trail race's elevation profile and tailored her plan. Runna does not describe weekly vertical-gain targets. Trailia plans vertical gain alongside distance each week.

How much does Runna cost?

As of October 2026, Runna costs $19.99 a month or $119.99 a year in the US (GBP 15.99 or GBP 99.99; EUR 19.99 or EUR 119.99), after a 7-day free trial. A Strava and Runna annual bundle costs $149.99 a year in the US and is bought through Strava. Trailia Pro is EUR 9.99 a month or EUR 79.99 a year, and Trailia's free tier has no time limit.

Does Runna have a race finder for trail races?

Runna has a race library you can pick your event from, and it includes many trail races with distance and elevation details. If your race is not listed you can set a custom distance. Trailia lets you enter any race and upload its GPX file for a plan built around the course's climbing.

Which watches does Runna support?

Runna syncs with Apple Watch, Garmin, COROS, Suunto and Fitbit, plus Strava. Trailia syncs with Garmin, Polar and Strava, so Apple Watch, COROS, Suunto and Fitbit users are better served by Runna, and Polar users by Trailia.

Is Trailia free?

Yes. Trailia's free tier has no time limit and includes a plan built around one race goal, activity sync with Garmin, Polar and Strava, strength sessions, shoe tracking and the free race tools. Pro is EUR 9.99 a month or EUR 79.99 a year and adds AI workout reviews, a fueling plan, AI coach chat and unlimited goals. Runna has a 7-day trial and no free tier.

Is Runna or Trailia better for ultramarathon training?

Runna covers ultras up to 50K. For 50-mile, 100K and 100-mile races Trailia is the better choice: it plans back-to-back long runs, time-on-feet sessions and weekly vertical gain, and Pro adds a race fueling plan.

Does Trailia have road running plans?

No. Trailia is built for trail and ultra running. If you also train for road races, Runna covers 5K to marathon and is a strong choice for them.

Is Runna or Kotcha better for trail running?

Runna lists ultra plans up to 50K and an Elevation Profile setting; Kotcha lists plans up to the marathon plus trail, and has Kilian Jornet's trail method. Runna costs more ($19.99 against $14.99 a month in the US). See our Kotcha review for details.

Can I use both Runna and Trailia?

Yes. Some runners use Runna for a road block and Trailia for a trail block. Both connect to Strava and Garmin without conflict.

• Read on Trailia: https://trailia.run/guides/compare/trailia-vs-runna-trail-running-app-comparison
• Why Trailia (all comparisons): https://trailia.run/why-trailia
• Pricing: https://trailia.run/pricing
• Trailia homepage: https://trailia.run