mapmyrun vs Endomondo?

[bomide]

Hi guys,

I currently use Runtastic as my running app but as it is not directly compatible with FitBit, I am considering changing to either mapmyrun or Endomondo.

Does anybody have any feedback or opinions on these apps? Which is the better app and which works better with FitBit? And how do they compare with Runtastic (which I really like)?

Thanks!

[suz]

I use mapmyrun and am very happy with it.  It syncs automatically with fitbit.  I"ve used it for a number of years and have never considered using something else.  No matter where i am traveling I can find routes to run.  Sorry I do not know anything about the other apps you mentioned.  

[WendyB]

I think it depeneds. I like Endomondo Better. They both work great. You can always try both and see which you like better. Both also work great with Fitbit.

Never heard of ther one you use so can not compare

[Cosmogirl0115]

I downloaded Endomondo, but didn't see any setting to link to Fitbit. I looked under Settings. Can you provide more info on how you are linking the two? Also, I downloaded the free Endo app, not the paid app. Thanks!

[Rucker]

I was using Endomondo before I started using Fitbits and I already loved it.  Bonus when I learned there was integration.  I used Runtastic a bit in the past and it was okay, but the reason I stopped using it is when I changed phones at one point I found I had to rebuy the app for my new phone (I was changing Blackberry to Blackberry so I shouldn't have had to....they lost a customer that day.)

To the previous poster asking how to set up Endomondo....download the mobile app yes, but you also have to log on to the web to set up the integration between Endo and Fitbit.  This is Fitbit's support article on that, which I found using "Help" in my Dashboard then searching for "endomondo".  Hope this helps.

http://help.fitbit.com/customer/portal/articles/1288969-can-i-connect-my-endomondo-and-fitbit-accoun...

EDIT: I use the free version of Endomondo at the moment, integration works without paying.

[Cosmogirl0115]

Thanks for the info! I Connected via the Edno online site. I'm trying it this evening to see if it works. Happy Holidays!

[Dominique]

FWIW, when I got a HRM (Mio Alpha) last August, I briefly tried the following apps (Android versions, as I have a Nexus 4):

• MapMyRun
• Endomondo
• iCardio (iRunner)
• Runkeeper
• Runtastic
• Sports Tracker

I ended up keeping Runtastic and iCardio, as these were the ones that worked best for me. I'm using Runtastic on a daily basis, when walking and running, and iCardio for its fitness assessment tests. I haven't bothered integrating data from these apps into my Fitbit account.

The best for you would be to try several apps and see the one you prefer / suits your needs best.

[Doug]

Just to throw another iron in the fire, I like Digifit iCardio on my iPhone.  It has the nicest live HRM feedback of any of them I tried.  It integrates very nicely with Fitbit.  As soon as I end a workout session, it auto syncs to my free level Digifit web account.  Which then auto inserts an activity record in Fitbit and corrects the calories for that time period while leaving the Fitbit recorded steps intact.

Things I really like aobut iCardio:

 - Live graph of HR vs zones during session (I wear on my wrist using this )

 - Ability to define custom workouts

 - Ability to select what gets spoken during audio cues

 - Ability to define custom dashboards and switch dashboards easily

 - Fitness assessments and overrides for heart rate zones

 - Auto-lap based on time or distance to analyze splits later for pace and HR

 - Good integration with Fitbit

 - Free level of website account is more than sufficient (actually, it is very nice for free)

Features I wish it had but doesn't yet:

 - Support for BLE foot pod sensor (only ANT foot pod support so far)

 - Ability to run against a previous session or against a "ghost" runner with audio comparisons

 - Ability to continue/extend a previous session

I can get the last three from iSmoothRun but I don't like it as well as iCardio for most other things.  I don't specifically remember what I didn't like about MapMyRun and Endomondo vs iCardio.  And those features may have changed since I last tried them.

So like Dominique, my suggestion is to try several of them and see what suits your preferences.

[LilBudyWizer]

Hehe, that's a bit big for a sports watch.

[Doug]

Granted, it is big.  But it does so much more than a watch:

• Audio feedback of HR zone transitions (and warn me when HR is too high)
• Audio cues to tell me when to transition to another phase in pre-planned workouts
• Audio feedback of selected stats at each lap split (based on time or distance or manual lap)
• Numbers large enough to read at a glance (and night mode too), even with older eyes
• Live real-time graph of HR vs HR zone vs target zone for that interval of workout
• Music playlist support
• Metronome to help keep pace (this is actually happening from another app though)

When I started using the Fitbit, my BMI was about 40 (so morbidly obese) and in my mid-50's.  I really got the HRM setup more as a safety net to warn me if I was getting my HR too high.  I didn't want to kill myself trying to get healthy; seemed counter-productive.    Since I already had a phone, this was a cheaper way to go than a good HRM watch.

Also, most of my workouts were on a treadmill so I wasn't wearing it anyway.  I could just look down at it as it sat on the treadmill.  It was transitioning to outdoor running that made me want a way to carry it without holding it.  I didn't want just an upper arm band because I also wanted to be able to see it, though I do find that I use the audio cues much more than the visual feedback most of the time.  But it is nice to be able to glance and see whatever info I want, whenever I want.  If I were a serious athlete the size and placement might bother me, but for my purposes it has been great.

As my fitness level improves, I appreciate its other features more than just having the safety net warning my HR is too high.  It is very informative in training and tracking progress over time.

[bomide]

Thanks for the great feedback everyone!

I will try out a few different apps over the next couple of weeks and report back with my thoughts.

Merry Christmas all!

[Collin1000]

@Dominique @Doug Thank you both for your detailed posts. I use Android as well and currently use Endomondo but am looking at alternatives to see if there's anything I am missing out on. @Dominique what made you choose iCardo over Endomondo? 

[Dominique]

---

@Collin1000 wrote:

@Dominique what made you choose iCardio over Endomondo? 

---

I do not use Endomondo because (as far as I can see) it doesn't support my BLE heart rate monitor (Mio Alpha). iCardio, OTOH, supports it (so does Runtastic, which was the first running app to support BLE HRM's on Android, back in August 2013, soon after Android 4.3 was released).

As I said, the main reason I use iCardio is its fitness assessment tests. Now I see from the Endomondo version log they have been doing it for a couple of months, but this was not the case back in August, when I evaluated those apps. OTOH, fitness assessments without access to HR data isn't extremely useful, so iCardio still wins, since they have extensive/versatile fitness assessment tests AND support for HRM (at least the one I'm using).

Speaking of HRM support: I see Endomondo includes features like heart rate zones in their Premium plan, so I'd need to pay €26,99 every year in order to have access to that feature. Runtastic and iCardio give me that feature for a one-time only flat fee, which is much smaller (less than €5). So choosing between Runtastic/iCardio and Endomondo is a no-brainer for me.

[Collin1000]

@Dominique  Thanks for the detailed info. I will reserch the HRM info and BLE sync further. I currently have a bluetooth HRM that I use, but I've had it for some time now, and it works on my 2.2 Android (which I use for exercise logging) so I don't think it's BLE. I might need to upgrade my tech there.