Every page's menu, including the beginner plan pages, still offers a "Free plan". It redirects to /pricing, which shows only $119.99 and $19.99 plans with a 7-day trial. The beginner plans became paid on 5 June 2026, so a new runner who clicks "Free plan" expecting the old free beginner plan lands on a paywall. What Runna does give for free (Week 1 of any plan, run recording, completed workouts) is not explained anywhere on that path.
First action
Change the menu label today and check every locale's menu.
How to measure it
Trial starts from the "Start free" path
- Now
- –
- Target
- +25%
- By
- 60 days
Steps
Audit
Find every "Free plan" link and redirect across the eight languages.
Senior Software Engineer I (Growth) 1 day
Write the page
What is free forever, what the trial adds, and the price after.
Growth Product Manager 2 days
Rename the item
"Start free" in every locale.
Senior Software Engineer I (Growth) 1 day
Deep link
Send the click into the web survey with the beginner plan preselected.
Senior Software Engineer I (Growth) 2 days
Track
Menu clicks, survey starts, trials, by locale.
Lead Marketing Analyst, Performance Marketing 2 days
Test
Two labels against each other for two weeks.
Senior Software Engineer I (Growth) 2 weeks
Tell support
Same wording in help articles.
Customer Support Lead 1 day
Why it works
Rename the menu item ("Start free" or "Try Week 1 free"), point it to a short page that states what is free forever and what the trial unlocks, and send the click straight into the web survey with the beginner plan preselected. Keep the paid plans one tap away. Measure clicks, survey starts and trial starts from the menu before and after.
A promise that ends in a paywall loses the most hesitant visitors, the beginners Runna rebuilt its plans for. Saying exactly what is free keeps the trust and turns the click into a plan start, which the growth team can then convert.
Ready to use
CopyStart free page draft
Start running with Runna for free Free forever: record your runs and keep every completed workout. Free for your first week: the full Week 1 of any plan, from New to Running to marathon. Want the whole plan? Start a 7-day trial of Premium: $119.99 a year or $19.99 a month, cancel anytime. [Build my free week]
Risks and how to handle them
Fewer clicks on a less generous label
Judge on trial starts, not clicks.
Old articles still say the beginner plans are free
Update the top help and press pages with the change.
Evidence
- Your websiteNavigation: the main menu on every page (homepage, pricing, the New to Running, Return to Running and parkrun plan pages) has a "Free plan" item linking to /training/free-training-plans, which redirects (301) to /pricing. The pricing page shows only an Annual plan at $119.99 a year and a Monthly plan at $19.99, each with a "Free 7-day Trial"; there is no free plan on it.Source
- News coveragethe5krunner (October 14, 2026): without a subscription Runna gives "Week 1 of any plan, plus run recording and your completed workouts"; the beginner plans New to Running, Return to Running and Path to parkrun moved "to paid subscriptions on 5 June 2026". Trials: 7 days when signing up on Runna's website or app, two weeks with a referral code, 14 days for new users buying in the Strava app, and 30 days on the Strava + Runna bundle for new Strava users.Source
- HiringSenior Software Engineer I (Growth) (London, posted September 21, 2026): the Growth Engineering team "owns key parts of the user journey into Runna, working across web and app to turn first time visitors into long term, engaged subscribers"; the role will "design and run experiments across web and app - onboarding flows, paywalls, plan discovery" and make sure users have "a smooth, consistent experience as they move between products and platforms". Tools include Mixpanel, Intercom and RevenueCat.Source
- Your websiteBeginner plans press release: New to Running "ranges from 6-16 weeks" and starts "with short, time-based walk-runs", Return to Running "spans 4-16 weeks"; missed workouts "no longer mean losing progress"; pre-run briefings are "tailored specifically to the customer".Source