Since its launch in 2009, Strava has become an essential tool for countless cyclists, runners and athletes from a host of other disciplines.
But the exercise tracker and social media platform has struggled to turn a profit, which has forced the founders to take some drastic measures.
On Monday (May 18), Strava announced a major overhaul that includes removing some popular features for free users to encourage more users to pay for subscriptions.
To continue having access to leaderboards and segment analysis Strava users will now have to pay £4 a month, a move the founders Mark Gainey and Michael Horvath hope will help Strava become profitable “in order to serve you better.”
In an interview with Cycling Weekly, Horvath said: “We think that $5 [£4] a month for Strava is money well spent. But we also know, especially lately, that there are athletes struggling to make ends meet and that the free version of Strava must remain high quality and useful. Rest assured that we will always offer a version of Strava for free, and you belong in this community whether you subscribe or not.”
The decision to remove these features for free users could split opinion among cyclists, as Strava users have been able to compete with friends and other local riders on Strava segments free of charge.
We’d like to hear your thoughts on the Strava overhaul and the subscription charges.
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Are you a free Strava user willing to pay for the features you’ve always enjoyed, or is the cost likely to push you away from using the app?
Please email answers to any of the below questions to Alex.Ballinger@ti-media.com
1. Tell us about yourself – age, location, what you do for a living
2. Are you an existing Strava User? How long have you been using Strava for?
3. Are you an existing Strava subscriber? If so, what encourage you to pay the subscription?
4. If you are a free user, would you consider paying for access to Strava features?
5. Do you agree with Strava’s reasons for removing free features?
6. If possible, people include any picture you have of you riding.7.
7. Please include anything else that may be of interest.
