Best TrainingPeaks Alternatives for Every Type of Athlete

Despite Trainingpeaks being the leading training software for runners, triathletes, cyclists, duathletes, and their coaches, many athletes are looking for alternatives.

Athletes might be looking away from Training Peaks because of the dated interface, the steep learning curve, the lack of recent innovation, or the inability to combine multiple training plans at one time. Whatever your reason for looking for an alternative to Training Peaks, there's an option for you.

In this article, you will learn:

• Which athletes should use Trainingpeaks?
• What are the best Trainingpeaks alternatives for getting training plans?
• What are the best alternatives to Trainingpeaks for cyclists?
• What are the best Trainingpeaks competitors for peak performance tracking?
• What are some free Trainingpeaks alternatives?

Who is Trainingpeaks Best For?

Trainingpeaks is a great software for the right person and situation. The company has been around since 1999 when Dirk Friel founded it based on the success of his father's book, the Triathletes Training Bible. Today, Trainingpeaks is part of Peaksware, which is owned by a private equity company called Launch Equity.

Trainingpeaks is best for athletes who are using a coach to train for a running race, a triathlon, a cycling event, a duathlon, or any other endurance event. Trainingpeaks has the largest number of endurance coaches in the world. Most coaches have their training plan, workout library, and communication system set up on Trainingpeaks.

However, as one Reddit poster said, "I've only found TP useful as a platform for working with a coach. I think that's their main target as well. From that perspective, it's very good. If you are using it without a coach… then why are you using it lol."

This tends to be the general advice regarding Trainingpeaks. If you're an athlete who wants to find and communicate with a coach, then Trainingpeaks is likely the best option for you.

Downsides to Trainingpeaks

Trainingpeaks Pricing

Trainingpeaks is free to log workouts, but using Trainingpeaks for the planning and analyzing it's really meant to perform will cost athletes $19.95/month or $124.99/year.

In addition to this price, athletes who can't create their own training plans will be forced to buy plans for an additional $15-20/month, which leads to the second issue with Trainingpeaks.

Trainingpeaks Training Plans

Athletes looking for training plans will find no shortage of options on Trainingpeaks written by excellent coaches. But there are four problems with these training plans:

• Template Training Plans: Endurance athletes all have unique challenges, schedules, and events that happen leading up to race day. These off-the-shelf training plans might personalize your training paces and effort levels, but beyond that, you're left on your own to follow the plan for good or bad.
• Training for Multiple Races Doesn't Work: If you are training for two races simultaneously and purchase training plans for both on Trainingpeaks, the plans will likely overlap, and you'll have workouts for two different races every day. If you don't know which workouts to follow, you'll be confused at best and get improperly trained for both races at worst.
• Lack of Motivation: Training for a big endurance event is challenging, and even the best athletes experience moments of low motivation. Trainingpeaks training plans don't do anything to keep you motivated and on track.
• Incomplete Exercise Science: Trainingpeaks performance tracking is based on figures like CTL (Chronic Training Load), ATL (Acute Training Load), and TSB (Training Stress Balance). The idea is that you use their performance management chart and make these figures trend upward, theoretically making you a better athlete. However, these figures don't consider your day-to-day life, and following them can lead to overtraining, injury, and poor performance.

Author's Note: My worst season of endurance race performance by far was when I was working with a coach on Trainingpeaks, and the TP data said I was at my all-time best fitness levels. How accurate or helpful does that sound?

Best All-In-One Training Platform for Training Plans: MOTTIV

Having built MOTTIV, we're biased, but we truly believe it is the best app for athletes looking for a run training plan, a triathlon training plan, a cycling training plan, a duathlon training plan, a swimrun training plan, or any combination of those events.

MOTTIV is the best solution for someone looking for an app that provides an excellent personalized training plan based on their unique goals, abilities, and schedule—all without the expense or commitment of a coach.

The Best Training Plans for Endurance Athletes

Our app generates one training plan with workouts tailored to you that you need to follow for every single endurance race you want to take on. If you have multiple races in the same year, just enter the dates of the races, your capabilities, and the amount you want to train each week, and you'll get a personalized training plan that prepares you for all the races simultaneously.

Our training plans include personalized intervals, follow-along strength and mobility videos, workout nutrition recommendations, and stats to help you determine whether you're on track.

Pricing

Good training doesn't need to cost hundreds or thousands of dollars. MOTTIV is free for one race and just $19.99/month (or $179.99/year) for unlimited races.

Helpful MOTTIVation

MOTTIV doesn't just tell you what to do each day. Think of MOTTIV as the best personal trainer you've ever had; who knows just the right thing to say at the right time to keep you motivated to reach your goals.

How we use stats, how we connect you to other athletes in the app, and how we let you build your tribe of fellow athletes will all help you stay on track, working towards being the best version of yourself you could ever imagine.

Best for Athletes to Work With Coaches and Coaches to Manage Athletes: Final Surge

If you want to work with a one-on-one coach but don't want to use Trainingpeaks, Final Surge is the best alternative. Here's why:

• Comprehensive workout library and coaching database
• Easy communication between coaches and athletes
• Detailed workout analysis and metrics
• Customizable training plans
• Integration with various fitness devices and apps

Best TrainingPeaks Alternative for Community: Strava

If you're not looking for a training plan and all you really want to do is log workouts and connect with friends, Strava is the best app for you.

• Active user community
• Social features for sharing workouts and achievements
• Segment tracking and leaderboards
• Integration with various fitness devices
• Basic training plans and workout analysis

Best for Workout Tracking: Garmin Connect

If you have a Garmin device and want to log workouts, get basic training plans, connect with friends, and analyze your workouts, Garmin Connect is a good option.

The only issue with Garmin Connect is that it's kind of a jack-of-all-trades, master of none. There's not a lot that you can't do with Garmin Connect; whether the app does those things well is another question.

• Syncs seamlessly with Garmin devices
• Comprehensive workout tracking and analysis
• Basic training plans
• Social features for connecting with friends
• Health and wellness tracking

Best for Peak Performance Analytics: Golden Cheetah, Intervals.icu, Xert, Sporttracks

If you coach yourself, don't need guidance from a coach or a training plan, and love Trainingpeaks's hardcore data but don't like the cost, then there are dozens of alternatives for apps trying to unseat Trainingpeaks.

• Golden Cheetah is a powerful, open-source software for detailed performance analysis, particularly popular among cyclists.
• Intervals.icu offers a web-based platform with advanced analytics, customizable dashboards, and integration with popular fitness devices.
• Xert provides adaptive training plans and real-time feedback based on your fitness data, making it great for cyclists and triathletes.
• Sporttracks offers a robust training log, detailed performance metrics, and integration with a wide range of devices and apps.

Best For Cyclists to Train Indoors: Trainerroad

If you are a cyclist, want to follow a training plan, and like doing most of your workouts indoors on a bike trainer, then Trainerroad might be the right app for you.

• Comprehensive indoor cycling workouts
• Adaptive training plans
• Detailed performance analytics
• Integration with various smart trainers and fitness devices
• Community features and forums

Conclusion

There are many alternatives to Trainingpeaks, and this article has hopefully given you some guidance on what fitness apps are best for you based on what you are looking for from a training app. Whether you're looking for advanced analytics, a supportive community, or personalized training plans, there's a suitable alternative for everyone.