The best free cycling apps for iPhone and Android

Whether you’re new to cycling or a seasoned professional, making good use of the range of free cycling apps for iPhone and Android is a great way to get the most out of your rides.

There’s a wide range of cycling apps out there which can help with various aspects of the sport, whether you need to plan or save your routes, check the weather before setting off, brush up on road safety, or just keep track of your general progress.

In this blog, we’ve put together a list of the best free cycling apps available, whatever your needs.

What are the best free apps for cycling?

The apps outlined below are available across iOS and Android devices, including your phone, smartwatch, tablet, and laptop.

Of course, the main reason you’re probably looking at this list is to find cycling apps that can help you plan and save your routes as well as track your speed and improvement over time. Many cycling apps do this as standard, but below is a selection of some of the best cycling apps for planning your routes and tracking your progress.

Best cycling apps for route planning

Strava

Strava has a wide range of features that make it stand out as one of the most popular apps for cyclists. With Strava, you can record your rides (as well as 30 other sport types), but you will need a paid subscription to access its route-building feature.

However, Strava’s free features include Strava Beacon, which you can use to share your location with up to three contacts whilst you’re out and about. As a further safety and privacy feature, Strava also offers the ability to hide segments of your rides from other users to protect your anonymity on regular routes. Believe it or not, some users’ routes have even identified secret military bases in the past!

If you’re looking for a challenge, you can compete against other riders on Strava Segments by aiming for the best time for a portion of your journey. You can even follow professional athletes on the app for inspiration or even to try and beat their best times.

Strava Segments are also a great way to track your progress, as the app records your stats for your top ten attempts for free.

Komoot

Designed for use on your mobile, tablet, and smartwatch, Komoot can help you plan routes for cycling, hikes, and running. Whether you’re looking for routes suitable for road biking, mountain biking, or touring, Komoot has a wide range of pre-planned routes for you to choose from, or you can create one entirely of your own.

Komoot is also great for connecting with other cyclists. You can find routes posted by other users with photos and tips from the original poster, giving you a better idea of what different routes have to offer from someone who’s already done it.

It’s worth noting that although the app is free, only your first region is free forever. If you want to explore further afield, you’ll need to purchase upgrades within the app. 

CycleStreets

CycleStreets is a cycle journey planner that allows users to plan routes ahead of time, with the ability to choose from quicker and quieter options, too.

Another feature worth mentioning is the app’s ability to plan your route without taking you up steep inclines and taking advantage of downhill slopes, allowing you to enjoy your ride without the looming presence of an upcoming hill.

CycleStreets even includes a Photomap for cycling advocacy, which allows you to submit issues or suggest changes on your route to improve the cycling experience for others.

Best apps for checking the weather

The weather in the UK can be unpredictable, so it’s wise to factor this in when you’re planning your rides. Beyond the apps you’re likely already aware of, such as BBC Weather and AccuWeather, there are some weather apps made specifically with cyclists in mind.

Epic Ride Weather

Epic Ride Weather can connect with other cycling apps such as Strava and Komoot. Linking it with one of these can give you a weather forecast for the entirety of your ride, which is updated automatically every ten minutes should things change.

The app can also use information from your linked cycling app, such as your route and pace, to tell you what time of day is best for your next ride.

When paired with Strava, Epic Ride Weather can show you Strava Segments organised by up-to-date weather conditions in that area, including tailwind, wind speed, and yaw angle. Epic Ride Weather is free for your first 1,000 forecasts, but you’ll need to purchase more after that.

Best apps for cycling safety and first aid

Whether you’re cycling on or off-road, your safety and the safety of those around you should be your primary concern. The cycling apps below all include features to help you feel safer on your journey, as well as help make journeys safer for other cyclists and road users.

Flare

Flare is a personal protection app with various safety features useful to cyclists. This includes incident avoidance, detection, and hazard warnings. Flare can alert drivers to your presence when nearby, ensuring they know to practice caution while passing you to prevent accidents.

If the worst were to happen, Flare can identify when you’ve been involved in an accident and send an alert to your emergency contacts with your GPS location (you have 30 seconds to deactivate the alert before it’s sent out).

The Flare app also allows you to report issues and hazards such as potholes or fallen trees, as well as receive notifications of issues reported by others on your routes.

St John Ambulance First Aid

The St John Ambulance First Aid app is not strictly for cyclists, of course, but it gives anyone the opportunity to learn the basics of first aid.

The app includes advice and protocols in case you encounter anyone in need of first aid on your ride. It’s a great one to have in your arsenal for emergencies!

Best apps for indoor cycling

If you’re more interested in indoor cycling, you probably won’t be interested in the tracking apps we’ve mentioned above. However, there are several free indoor cycling apps out there, too, which are great for adding to your experience as an indoor cyclist.

MyWhoosh

If you don’t fancy paying for apps like Zwift, MyWhoosh is a great free alternative to the indoor cycling app. This virtual cycling app also offers a range of workouts, rides, and races, all with a virtual interface for you to watch whilst you ride.

Be transported to places such as Abu Dhabi, Saudi Arabia, and Bahrain, all from the comfort of your own home!

You can also track your progress through the recorded stats in the app, alongside training plans put together by professional coaches. If you fancy a bit of competition, the MyWhoosh app also runs e-sports events with other app users, with cash prizes available!

Specialist cycling insurance through Cycleplan

Whilst there are a number of apps that can improve your cycling experience and help keep you safe, protecting yourself and your bike with specialist cycling insurance can provide you with that extra piece of mind whilst you’re out and about.

Through Cycleplan, you can get cover for a range of bikes, including road, mountain, electric, and more. You can also build your own policy based on your needs, including things like Public Liability, theft, and Personal Accident cover.

Get a quote online today.