Strava finally has a Spotify integration

Strava has been around since 2009, but today the popular fitness app finally has finally Added in-app Spotify integration. You can now access your Spotify favorites from the Record Workout screen instead of switching between apps. And perhaps the best part is that you don’t need a Spotify or Strava subscription to use it.

Mateo Ortega, Vice President of Connected Partnerships at Strava, said: When asked about the possibility of adding other platforms, Ortega didn’t rule it out, but said Spotify was a definite first step.

It doesn’t take a rocket scientist to understand why the Strava and Spotify partnership matters. Spotify is the most popular audio streaming service. Strava is one of the most popular fitness apps. Millions of people rely on music, podcasts, and audiobooks to distract themselves from the physical pain of a hard workout (or, you know, stay motivated during the tough part). But for obvious reasons aside, his in-app Spotify widget saves you from having to switch apps whenever you want to switch songs. Less time fiddling with your phone means you’re more likely to stay in the zone.

On the one hand, integration seems like a long-awaited addition — now that smartwatches and fitness trackers can stream music, it’s probably too late. I realized this was a bigger problem when I was relying on my phone to track my workouts. Additionally, several other fitness apps have added Spotify and Apple Music integrations over the years.

That said, when I tried the integration myself, I saw its appeal. Just tap the record button and select the music icon in the right corner. From there, you’ll be asked to connect your Spotify account. Once that’s done, you can browse your top mixes in a small widget inside the Spotify app. This is a little different than other music integrations I’ve tried. For example, in the Runkeeper app, enabling Spotify simply redirects to the running playlist page of the app. It doesn’t really take me to playlists I’ve painstakingly curated. displayed at the top of the screen.

It’s a small difference, but I was pleasantly surprised by Strava’s approach to in-app widgets. Not only can you swipe up to see what’s in your queue, but you can also browse through a variety of mixes (either curated by you or a playlist you’ve listened to frequently on Spotify). can.

“What if you forgot you had to open Spotify before, went back to Strava, played a record, then switched back to Spotify to change songs, and your behavior changed and you could focus on the moment? It’s a way to be a great integration for us,” says Ortega.

The only quirk I’ve noticed is that if I pause for too long, it asks me if I want to continue listening. You’ll need to reauthorize Spotify, but hit play again and that part will happen automatically.

This integration ultimately works best for users who use the Strava app to record their workouts, as opposed to those who import workouts from other services or trackers. Strengthen Strava’s position as a fitness hub.

Digital fitness and wellness spaces are now made up of many small estates. There are tons of apps out there for tracking your runs, rides, nutrition, and route planning, but there are only a handful of ways to view all your data in one place. But while you can integrate data within Apple’s and Google’s Health APIs, it leaves a big hole when it comes to communities. As Fitbit recently proved, making social features dependent on hardware has downsides when social features are shut down or friends choose another platform.

“Our strategy has always been to be Switzerland for fitness equipment. We want everything to work with Strava,” says Ortega.

Best of all, Ortega isn’t pretentious. Lululemon Mirror, Peloton bikes, other equipment, Garmins, Apple Watch, Zwift, MyFitnessPal are just a handful of platforms that work with Strava. This is why Strava’s aggressive integration strategy excels. No matter what fitness tracker or app you use, you can connect with your friends regardless of platform. So it’s no surprise that Strava has emerged as a popular app. A place to share your fitness achievements and Store your data in one place. Adding Spotify to the mix gives Strava users more reasons to stick around.

Correction April 12 at 2:20 PM ET: An earlier version of this article incorrectly mentioned Komoot as one of Strava’s integrations. I’m sorry.