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Why users complain about fitness apps

What 661 real negative reviews say

We analysed the 1000 most recent public reviews of Strava (App Store), MyFitnessPal (App Store) (2025-06-06 – 2026-10-19). 661 were 1–3★. Share of those negative reviews tagged with each theme (a review can have several):

Examples, quoted verbatim

“This app should just be advertised as a paid app at this point no real reason to use the free version. So many features have been stripped and put behind the paywall. Bad user experience as a free user” — Strava (App Store), 1★

“I use it free not paying when don’t have to but the share activity screen has changed recently and how this passed muster I have no idea” — Strava (App Store), 2★

“*Updated review 7/9/26. All of my previous issues from May 2026 still remain. The user interface is confusing and complicated compared to the old version (before the new update). And it’s still time consuming when logging the same meals as the day before (w” — MyFitnessPal (App Store), 1★

“The recent redesign for food logging is horrible. Even if you open any meal number it defaults to Meal 1 and you have to change it from a drop down each time. If you open meal 3 you should be logging for meal 3. This app used to be really good. Now it’s just c” — MyFitnessPal (App Store), 2★

The recurring complaints in fitness apps

1. A workout that didn't record or synced wrong (lost runs, rides or meals feel personal)
2. Features moved behind the paywall after users built a habit on the free tier
3. Redesigns that move the logging buttons people use daily

What to do with this

1. Pull your own last 500 reviews and tag them the same way. Your mix will differ from the category's.
2. Fix the theme with the most 1★ reviews first. Pricing complaints often need clearer copy, not a lower price.
3. Reply to every review that names a fixed bug, then edit the reply when the fix ships.

Ready-made replies for these situations: fitness app review reply templates.

Other categories: meditation & wellness · language learning · finance & banking · music & podcast

Theme percentages come from our automated tagging of public reviews; quotes are verbatim. Not affiliated with Apple, Google or the apps named.