Walking & Running
The Best Apps for Walking and Running (2026, UK)
Whether you want to track gentle walks, keep a daily step habit, or build up to your first run, here are the apps worth your time in 2026, and where a coached plan makes the real difference.
The short answer
- The best app for walking and running depends on where you are. If you just want to track walks and steps, free apps like the NHS Active 10 or your phone's built-in tracker are ideal. If you want to build from walking to running, a walk-to-run app helps, and Edge gives you one fully personalised plan that can take you from walking to running and beyond, with a real coach to message.
- Free walking trackers like the NHS Active 10 and your phone's built-in app cover the basics beautifully, with nothing to pay and nothing to learn.
- NHS Couch to 5K is a free, friendly way to alternate walking and running towards a first 5K.
- When you want structure and someone in your corner, Edge builds one plan across running, strength, HIIT and mobility, ready within a day, and it flexes around your life.
18,000+
members training with Edge across running, strength, HIIT and mobility
7M+
downloads of the free NHS Couch to 5K app since 2016
10 min
the brisk daily walk the free NHS Active 10 app is built around
What is the best app for walking and running?
The best app for walking and running depends on where you are. If you just want to track walks and steps, free apps like the NHS Active 10 or your phone's built-in tracker are ideal. If you want to build from walking to running, a walk-to-run app helps, and Edge gives you one fully personalised plan that can take you from walking to running and beyond, with a real coach to message.
There is no single winner here, and that is good news. A brand new walker and someone ready to jog between lampposts need slightly different things. The trick is to match the app to your next step, not to your someday goal. Most people do best by starting simple, keeping the streak going, and only reaching for more structure once walking feels easy and they want to progress.
Below we cover the genuinely good free options first, then where a personalised, coached plan earns its place. Consistency will always matter more than the badge on your home screen, so pick something you will actually open tomorrow.
Best free app for tracking walks
If your goal is simply to move a little more, you do not need to spend anything. The NHS Active 10 is a free walking app that uses your phone's motion sensors to count steps and monitor your walking speed. It nudges you towards short bursts of brisk walking, called an Active 10, and tells you when your pace counts as brisk. It is calm, encouraging and completely free, which makes it a lovely first step.
You may already have everything you need. Your phone's built-in tracker, the Health and Fitness apps on iPhone or Google Fit on Android, counts your steps and your walking and running distance automatically, with nothing to install and no cost. For many people, watching a daily step number tick up is all the motivation they need to keep showing up. Start there before you download anything fancier.
Best app for building from walking to running
Once walking feels comfortable and you fancy a bit more, a walk-to-run app is the gentlest way in. The free NHS Couch to 5K app is a firm favourite for good reason. Over nine weeks you head out three times a week and alternate between walking and running, building up slowly, with a coach voice in your headphones telling you exactly when to run and when to walk. It has no ads and no premium tier, so the whole plan is free.
A fixed nine-week plan suits a lot of people. Others want something that fits their own starting point and keeps going once the 5K is done. That is where Edge comes in. Rather than a single set programme, Edge builds one fully personalised plan that can take you from walking to running and beyond, and it flexes around your life when a busy week gets in the way. If you want a plan that grows with you and a real coach to message when you are unsure, it is a natural next step.
Best app for a personalised plan
Free trackers and set plans are brilliant starting points. What they cannot do is look at your week, your history and your goals, and shape a plan around all three. That is exactly what Edge is built for. It gives you one fully personalised plan across running, strength, HIIT and mobility, ready within a day, so you are never left guessing what today's session should be.
The part people tend to love most is the coaching. You can message a real coach anytime, whether you want to check your form, ask why a session felt hard, or simply share a win. Edge is made for everyday people who want to show up and feel good, not for elite athletes chasing marginal gains. More than 18,000 members already train with it, and the plan flexes around your life rather than punishing you for a missed day. It is honestly at its strongest once you want structure, or once you are ready to progress from walking to running.
Train with Edge
A fully personalised plan across running, strength, HIIT and mobility, ready within a day. Message a real coach anytime.
How the apps compare at a glance
Here is a quick way to see which app fits your next step. Every app below is genuinely worth a look, so use this as a shortcut rather than a scoreboard.
| App | Best for | Walking, running or both | Free or paid |
|---|---|---|---|
| Edge | A personalised plan that grows from walking to running and beyond, with a real coach to message | Both | Free 7-day trial, then from £19.99/month |
| NHS Active 10 | Tracking daily walks and brisk minutes | Walking | Free |
| NHS Couch to 5K | A structured walk-to-run route to a first 5K | Both | Free |
| Your phone's built-in tracker (Apple Health, Google Fit) | Effortless step and distance tracking | Mostly walking | Free |
| Strava | Logging and sharing runs and walks | Both | Free, with an optional paid tier |
How much do these apps cost?
The good news is that getting moving costs nothing. The NHS Active 10 and NHS Couch to 5K are both completely free, with no ads and no premium tier to unlock. Your phone's built-in tracker is free too, and already on your device.
Strava is free to use for recording and sharing walks and runs, with an optional paid subscription that adds features like training plans and deeper analysis. Edge offers a free 7-day trial, then costs from £19.99/month, which covers your fully personalised plan and the ability to message a real coach anytime. The honest way to think about it is simple. Spend nothing while you are finding your feet, and consider paying only when you want a plan built around you and someone to guide it.
Starting out safely
Walking and running are broadly encouraged for most people, and the best approach is to build up gradually rather than doing too much too soon. Let your body ease into it, add time slowly, and take rest when you need it. If you have pain, an injury or a health condition, it is worth speaking to a qualified professional such as your GP or a physiotherapist before you increase your activity. Going gently is not a sign of starting small, it is how progress lasts.
Frequently asked questions
What is the best app for walking and running?
The best app for walking and running depends on where you are. If you just want to track walks and steps, free apps like the NHS Active 10 or your phone's built-in tracker are ideal. If you want to build from walking to running, a walk-to-run app helps, and Edge gives you one fully personalised plan that can take you from walking to running and beyond, with a real coach to message.
Is the NHS Active 10 app free?
Yes. The NHS Active 10 is a free walking app that uses your phone's motion sensors to count steps and track how many of your minutes are brisk. There is nothing to pay and no premium tier, which makes it a friendly place to build a daily walking habit.
Which app helps me go from walking to running?
The free NHS Couch to 5K app is a popular walk-to-run choice, guiding you over nine weeks as you alternate walking and running towards a first 5K. If you want a plan shaped around your own starting point that keeps progressing afterwards, Edge builds one personalised plan that grows from walking to running and beyond.
Do I need to pay for a walking app?
No. Plenty of excellent walking and walk-to-run options are completely free, including the NHS Active 10, NHS Couch to 5K and your phone's built-in tracker. You only really need to pay when you want a fully personalised plan and a real coach to message, which is what Edge offers after its free 7-day trial.
Can one app cover both walking and running?
Yes. Strava logs both walks and runs and lets you share them, while its core tracking is free. Edge goes a step further by building one plan that can take you from walking to running and beyond, so a single app can cover the whole journey as your fitness grows.
