Are you comparing MOTTIV vs. Trainerroad?
MOTTIV and Trainerroad are two of the best apps creating training plans for endurance athletes. They both allow you to train for cycling races, triathlons, and duathlons, but MOTTIV will also allow you to train for running races and swimruns with a more well-rounded training plan.
While each app offers a good indoor training experience, they're each best for different types of athletes.
The main difference between MOTTIV and Trainerroad is that MOTTIV is designed primarily for runners and triathletes who want a completely personalized training plan, while Trainerroad is designed primarily for cyclists who want an app that controls a smart bike trainer.
In this article, we'll discuss all the pros and cons of MOTTIV and Trainerroad, and we'll answer the following questions you might have:
- What are the main features of MOTTIV and Trainerroad?
- What are the pros and cons of MOTTIV and Trainerroad?
- How much do MOTTIV and Trainerroad cost?
- Are MOTTIV and Trainerroad good for beginners?
- What athletes should consider MOTTIV vs. Trainerroad?
MOTTIV vs. Trainerroad Summary
MOTTIV Review
MOTTIV Overview
MOTTIV is an app that can be used on the web or via a mobile app on smartphones. It creates a personalized training plan for athletes looking to prepare for any combination of running races, triathlons, cycling events, duathlons, and swimruns.
Athletes simply need to enter the dates and distances of their races, how much time they're able to train, and their current fitness abilities, and they'll receive a personalized training calendar that gets them ready for all their races at the same time.
Of course, we're biased, but we believe MOTTIV excels at keeping athletes on track to reach their goals. Getting a training plan is one thing, but having the support and motivation you need to stick to that plan all the way to the finish line is far more important. MOTTIV keeps you motivated throughout the training process so you always know you're on track and your goals are within reach.
Compared to Trainerroad, the MOTTIV training app also features really important training methods like strength workouts, mobility workouts, and nutrition guidance. MOTTIV also offers run training plans from 5k runs up to half marathons, full marathons and ultramarathons, while Trainerroad doesn't support running preparation.
MOTTIV Pros
- Ease of use: MOTTIV plans are designed for athletes who want a plan that's done for them and is easy to follow. All you need to do is input a bit of data, then be ready to show up willing to work and follow the plan every day that you have training scheduled.
- Unlimited training plans: Whether you have one race or 20 races to train for, MOTTIV can create a training plan that gets you ready for all of them. Premium members can add as many races as they want at no additional cost.
- Strength & Mobility: MOTTIV strength and mobility workouts are full-length videos that you can follow along with to make sure you're doing the movements and workouts correctly.
- Nutrition guidance: Eating the right thing before, during, and after your workouts will make every workout you complete much more effective. Every workout in the MOTTIV app has nutrition recommendations that are personalized to you.
- Progress stats: MOTTIV tracks and displays all your workout and progress stats. You don't need to learn how to work the app or where to find stats to know if you're on track or not, MOTTIV easily shows you if you're headed in the right direction.
- Motivation: MOTTIV has some really excellent features that help keep you on track with your training plan because we all need a little support sometimes.
- Cost: MOTTIV provides all your endurance training, strength training, mobility training, personalized workout nutrition, and stats tracking, all in one place for one flat fee. Getting all these services separately elsewhere would cost well over $60/month.
MOTTIV Cons
- Workout complexity: Some people find our workouts can be hard to understand if they're new to the sport, or when they first start using the app.
- Device connections: MOTTIV currently offers full workout synchronization with Garmin, while other devices (watches, smart trainers, etc.) can be connected to MOTTIV through Trainingpeaks. Although MOTTIV supports most of the popular apps such as Strava, TP, Zwift, Wahoo, and more, our list of possible connections isn't as robust as Trainingpeaks.
- Lack of flexibility: While most people simply want a training plan they can follow, some people want a training plan they can completely customize themselves as they see fit. MOTTIV is designed for you to follow along as close as possible for best results.
- Slow interface: MOTTIV hasn't been around for as long as Training Peaks, so there are some screens that take a couple of seconds to load because we're still optimizing the app.
MOTTIV Ease of Use
MOTTIV is designed to be the easiest app to use for real people who are also endurance athletes. All you need to do to create a personalized training plan is enter your race dates and distances, how much time you're able to train, and your current fitness abilities.
In addition to it being easy to create training plans, the MOTTIV app has features throughout the app that tell you why and how to perform every aspect of your training, so you're never left guessing.
Who is MOTTIV Best For?
MOTTIV is best for athletes looking for a holistic plan for training and racing that includes: endurance workouts, strength training, mobility workouts, and nutrition guidance.
If you are the type of person who wants to know what to do and have just a little help to know that you're on track and doing it right, then MOTTIV is for you.
MOTTIV Pricing
- Free plan
- Paid: $19.99/month, $179.99/year
Trainerroad Review
Trainerroad Overview
Trainerroad is a web and smartphone-based app geared towards cyclists, but triathletes and duathletes can also create plans on the app. Athletes can train for multiple races at a time, and their workouts are personalized to them.
Trainerroad uses AI to determine a cyclist's strengths and weaknesses and creates training plans designed to create a well-rounded athlete.
Compared to MOTTIV, Trainerroad is a much better option for cyclists because of its adaptive training workouts that create a well-rounded rider. Trainerroad will also connect to a smart bike trainer for an indoor riding experience.
Trainerroad Training Program Pros
- Connections: Trainerroad connects to a lot of devices and apps directly. If you plan on doing most of your training indoors on a bike trainer and want an app to control the trainer for you, Trainerroad will do exactly that.
- Adaptive training: Trainerroad uses your workouts to develop a profile of your athletic abilities, then recommends training based on that profile. It's still unclear whether this actually generates improved performance, but it's a cool feature.
- Hard workouts: Many people love how difficult most Trainerroad workouts are. You'll feel like you're getting a solid workout every time you follow one of their recommended workouts (although this is also a negative for many people).
- Easy to use: Most people can pick up how to build plans quickly inside the Trainerroad app.
- Stats: Users can easily track their stats without having to understand much about the app.
Trainerroad Cons
- No free version: Trainerroad doesn't offer a free plan.
- Burnout: Trainerroad workouts are very hard, and many people report getting faster initially when they begin using the app but start to experience burnout and plateau after six months.
- Poor running support: There aren't any running-race-specific plans, and running workouts can not be sent to fitness devices. This isn't great if you're a runner, triathlete, or duathlete.
- No strength or mobility training: Strength training is one of the most significant performance enhancers endurance athletes can do, and mobility workouts will help athletes avoid developing tightnesses and physical limitations during training. Trainerroad does not include any strength or mobility training in their plans.
- No nutrition guidance: Pairing the right nutrition with every workout will make your workouts much more effective. Trainerroad doesn't provide any nutrition recommendations at all.
Trainerroad Ease of Use
Trainerroad is easy to use because it is made for the end user. It is also very simple to understand, and users are guided through creating a personalized training plan.
The user experience can be complicated for people completely new to setting up training, but most people will get the hang of it within a few days.
Trainerroad doesn't have much information inside the app about how or why the training is designed the way it is. Athletes have to trust that it's correct or figure it out for themselves. However, Trainerroad has a very active forum community to help with support.
Who is Trainerroad Best For?
Trainerroad is best for cyclists who want a training plan designed by artificial intelligence that addresses an athlete's weaknesses. It is also great for athletes who do most of their training indoors on a bike trainer, and they want an app that will control the trainer for them.
Trainerroad Pricing
- No free plan
- Paid: $19.95/month, $185/year
MOTTIV vs. Trainerroad: Which One is Better?
When comparing Trainerroad and MOTTIV, the answer to which one is better is like most things: it depends.
If you're primarily a cyclist and you're looking for an app that creates a training plan that you can connect to an indoor bike trainer to guide every single workout, then Trainerroad is a great option.
If you're a runner or triathlete looking for a holistic training app that can create a personalized, customized training plan for multiple races at a time and keeps you motivated to stay on track to reach your goals, then MOTTIV is the app for you.
