Developers & API

Great work to the team that developed the MCP connector to Claude.Blog post below showing some cool use cases I have implemented:https://northeastrunning.blogspot.com/2026/10/visualise-your-runs-using-ai-strava-mcp.html

Hi Strava team and community,I submitted an athlete capacity increase request for my app on [date you submitted] and haven’t heard anything back yet. Does anyone know the average wait time for limit increases, and is there anything else I should do to move it along?App name: Ridgeform Client ID: 280444 Website: https://ridgeform.vercel.app Capacity requested: around 2,000 athletes. We have demand for roughly that many users, so this should give us a comfortable buffer.What the app does: Ridgeform turns a user’s own Strava activity into a personalised route poster. The user connects their Strava account and picks an activity. The app reads that activity’s route and headline stats (distance, elevation gain, moving time, date) to draw the poster, which they can then order as a print. It doesn’t post to Strava, and it uses the data only to produce that user’s poster.Until the increase is approved, customers can’t connect their own accounts, so it’s blocking our launch. Any guidance on time

Hi Strava Support Team,I am currently managing Đồng Tháp Runners, a running club with over 200 official members and a community of more than 1,000 members.I would like to kindly request your assistance in increasing the connection limit for my account to 2000 members so that I can better connect with, support, and manage our growing running community.I would greatly appreciate your consideration and support.Thank you for your time and assistance.Following is my application information:- Client ID: 292354- Number of athletes allowed to connect: 10- Number of athletes currently connected: 10

I have a personal Standard Tier app with 1 athlete (me). It syncs my own activities and shows them on my personal fitness site, tankersfitness.com, with the "Powered by Strava" logo and "View on Strava" links. I am the athlete, and I consent to my own data being shown. I read the June 2026 API Policy and cannot tell whether this is allowed. I looked through the existing threads and could not find an answer from Strava. I also emailed developers@strava.com (ticket #19309) and only got an automated reply. What the text says:1. Policy 6.1 begins: "Unless your Developer Application has an athlete capacity of 9,999 or less, you may display or disclose to an end user only the specific Strava Data related to that end user." Read literally, the "only that user" limit applies to apps above 9,999 athletes.2. Policy 2.3 says Strava Data "may be displayed or disclosed in your Developer Application only to that user", with no size condition.3. Policy 5.13 refers to the user's "prior express consent

Hi Strava developer team and fellow developers,I'm the developer of PadelCounter, a scorekeeping app for padel on iPhone, Apple Watch, Garmin and Android. Our API application (Client ID 286602) reached the 10-athlete limit on 28 October 2026, one days after we released Strava upload in version 22. Since then, every new player who taps "Connect with Strava" gets "Limit of connected athletes exceeded". I now created an emergency update for my app that includes manual Strava upload and a warning but this is a little sad. Capacity request form submitted with screenshots of every screen that uses Strava Current limit: 10. Requested: 5,000. The standard next tier would already unblock our launch.What the integration does:Uploads a finished match as a Padel, Tennis or Pickleball activity (sport_type), with duration, heart rate and calories when recorded, plus the players' names and the court. If the athlete already recorded the match with another device, it updates that activity's title, desc

I'm part of Team Rynkeby Europa, a non-profit charity cycling team raising funds for children with critical illnesses.We would like to develop a small application that automatically collects cycling distance and elevation gain from our riders' Strava accounts.Each rider would authorize access individually, and only a few team administrators would have access to the statistics.Our goal is to track training progress throughout the season, with custom date ranges, without requiring manual weekly reporting.Before developing the application, we would appreciate clarification on two points: Can we display individual riders' distance and elevation gain to authorized team administrators, with each rider's explicit consent? Can we retain these statistics throughout the season, or would this violate Strava's seven-day caching and data aggregation restrictions? If special permission is required, what is the correct process for requesting it?We are not developing a commercial application, and we

I appreciate that you tested this the Strava MCP with Claude so I imagine it works, but they aren’t the only agent out there. I’m getting an immediate HTTP 403 with Copilot CLI, and when having it introspect why, it reports:Root cause: it’s not failing because your  strava-mcp  entry is missing or malformed; Copilot is rejecting Strava’s OAuth metadata as invalid.Your config is a normal remote MCP entry in  ~/.copilot/mcp-config.json :"strava-mcp": {  "type": "http",  "url": "https://mcp.strava.com/mcp"}But the Copilot log shows the auth flow dies here: OAuth authentication failed for strava-mcp: MCPOAuthError: Incompatible authorization server: authorization server advertised an issuer that does not match the URL its metadata was discovered from (RFC 8414 §3.3); refusing to connect What’s happening is:1.  strava-mcp  challenges the client with an OAuth protected-resource URL on  www.strava.com .2. That metadata points to  https://www.strava.com/mcp-issuer  as the authorization server.

Hello Strava Developer Community,I am developing RUNVERSE, a running platform that includes activity tracking, route exploration, running communities, and gamification.We are reviewing our integration to comply with the Strava API Policy effective June 1, 2026.Previously, RUNVERSE imported running activities through the Strava API and used the activity distance to award experience points (XP), levels, and achievements. These gamification values are stored separately from the original activity records.We have implemented a process to remove cached Strava activity data after the permitted retention period. However, some XP, levels, achievements, and historical XP records awarded from previously imported activities remain associated with users' accounts.We would like clarification on the following questions:1. Derived gamification dataAre XP, levels, and achievement records calculated from Strava activity data considered "Personal Data derived from Strava Data" under Section 7.4 of the cu

Hi Strava team,I submitted a request to increase the athlete capacity for my app on October 8, 2026 (20 days ago) and haven’t received a response yet. Could someone confirm it was received and share the expected timeline?App detailsApp name: Endurance Society Client ID: 256833 Current capacity: 10 athletes (7 currently connected) Requested capacity: 100 athletesAbout the appEndurance Society is a training app for endurance athletes in Mexico (running, cycling, swimming and triathlon). Athletes follow a structured training plan toward a goal race. Each athlete connects their own Strava account through OAuth so their completed activities are matched to their planned workouts, showing actual distance, time, pace and heart rate next to the plan.Data useEach athlete only sees their own data within the app. We do not sell athlete data or make it public. The app follows Strava’s Brand Guidelines and the API Agreement.We’re launching with the Endurance Society athlete community in Mexico and n

Hi Strava Developer Support Team,I would like to request an API rate limit increase for our non-profit community cycling application MADDAness.Application Details:App Name: MADDAness Client ID: 202176 Website: https://www.maddaness.comAbout MADDAness: MADDAness is a grassroots, non-competitive endurance cycling challenge based in Piedmont (Turin, Italy). Cyclists track their historical attempts, certify official edition routes (GPX track matching), and count their cumulative climbs to the Maddalena hill ("Madda Counter").Why we need an increase: As our participant community grows, multiple riders sync their Strava activities around official event dates. Calculating cumulative climbs and matching route tracks requires fetching historical activity lists, which currently exhausts our daily quota of 3,000 requests very quickly.Optimization already implemented: We have designed our backend to be conservative with Strava API calls:Incremental synchronization only: once activities are analyze

Hi everyone,I’m developing an early-stage fitness platform and exploring the Strava API for verifying completed workouts.I’m hoping to better understand the policies around using activity data for third-party incentive programs, where users may earn points or real-world rewards from partnered brands based on verified physical activity. Only thing i’d need from Strava API is to verify the activity and type of activity. Has anyone worked on a similar integration or received guidance from Strava regarding these use cases?I’m particularly interested in understanding any restrictions or approval requirements.Thanks!

Some of you have seen me around here asking about this, I have participated in many threads about the athletes limit. My app sat at the 10 athlete cap for months. Five applications, five rejections, never a reason (Maybe more than 5 actually) I totally understand that the STRAVA team is busy with so many apps, so never hard feelings.Then I audited my own integration properly, looking for anything wrong on my side whether or not it was the blocker. Reapplied. The increase came through in 7 days.I cannot tell you these three things were the reason, because Strava never told me what the reason was. They were wrong, I fixed them, and the sixth application went through.Context: I built MoguWind Plan, a free route planner that shows cyclists the wind along their route. The Strava connection pulls in saved routes and activities and shows the wind in the activity after. Very basic, but still you need to connect your account etc.1. The deauthorization webhook, which I was not handling at allFix

Academic research use of the Strava API – longitudinal cohort study (Brazil)Hi everyone,I'm a master's student at a university in Brazil, building a non-commercial app for a prospective cohort study on running-related injuries (up to 200 recreational runners, followed for 52 weeks, with ethics committee approval).Participants connect their own Strava accounts with informed consent. We import only activity summaries (date, type, distance, time, elevation, heart rate) from the connection day onward. We use webhooks, store no maps, GPS data or photos, and make no AI/ML use.Reading the API Policy (June 2026), some points seem to conflict with research use:- the 7-day caching limit (§6.2), while the study needs the data for 52 weeks;- data displayed only to the athlete (§2.3, §5.10), while the research team needs to analyze it with the participant's consent;- restrictions on aggregated analysis (§5.4).Has anyone had an academic or research project approved under the Standard tier? Is there

Hi Strava Developer Community!I'm the founder of TryAthletes, an app that helps athletes create and share custom activity overlays using their Strava data.We submitted our application for an API rate limit increase and Development Tier upgrade 10 days ago, but haven't received any updates yet.Our app is growing steadily, and we're already hitting the current rate limits, which is preventing us from onboarding new users and affecting the experience of existing athletes.I've also tried reaching out to Strava Support, but only received an automated response directing me to the Developer Hub.A couple of questions: What's the typical review time for Development Tier upgrade applications? Is there any way to check the status of a pending application or get in touch with the team responsible? Client ID: 228389We'd really appreciate any guidance. We're excited to keep growing TryAthletes within the Strava ecosystem!

I am developing a web app for me and my friends to compare our data and statistics, as well as make training plans with integrated AI access. My buddy has a membership and we created an API on his account. However it seems to be limited to one person only. We are now wondering wether the upgrade to 10 persons would cost something or not, since after clicking the upgrade button we get asked wether we really want to upgrade.

I'm building an app that shows each runner which streets in their town they've covered over time. A street run two years ago still counts today, so the app needs a runner's whole history.The June 2026 API Policy limits caching to seven days (6.2) and says apps may not store geographic location information beyond that (5.7). How are other street-completion or lifetime-map apps handling this? Specifically:1. Is keeping a runner's GPS tracks while they stay connected, shown only to that runner, within an app's "operational scope" (5.5) and "necessary for the purpose" (6.4)?2. If not, is it acceptable to delete tracks within 7 days of import and keep only the derived result: which street sections the runner has completed, with no Strava coordinates?Each runner only sees their own data; nothing is shared, aggregated or used for AI; everything is deleted when they disconnect. Any experience from developers who've been through review, or guidance from the Strava team, would help a lot. Thanks

Hello Strava Developer Support Team,I am developing GOMATES, a social platform that allows athletes to find training partners, organize sports challenges, and track their achievements using activity data imported from Strava.I would like to clarify a few points regarding the Strava API integration: Developer subscription: Is my personal Strava subscription sufficient to create and activate an API application for GOMATES, or are additional subscriptions, fees, or approvals required? Free users: Can GOMATES users connect their personal Strava accounts and authorize access to their activity data even if they only have a free Strava account? Activity synchronization: Can GOMATES automatically retrieve authorized users' activities, including distance, duration, elevation gain, and sport type, without requiring a paid Strava subscription? Application limits: Are there any restrictions on the number of users who can connect to GOMATES, or any approval procedures required before making t

Over the weekend I got hundreds of 429 errors from Strava when requesting activity details after a webhook notification. It looks that athlete imported 100s of activities into Strava and for each one we received a webhook create-activity notification.Fetching the activities then quickly used up our apps rate limit:{"message":"Rate Limit Exceeded","errors":[{"resource":"Application","field":"overall rate limit","code":"exceeded"}]}Thus rendering our apps Strava integration non-functional for all connected Strava athletes. IMHO it would be better to have per athlete rate limits, so one athlete cannot break the integration for other athletes.We’re think about rate-limiting fetching activities from Strava on our side. But since there is barely any data of the actual activity in the web-hook request, it makes it hard to decide, if we really want to fetch the activity.Do you have any recommendations how to handle these situations? Thanks and best regardsMartin

Has anyone experienced submitted the athlete limit increase form and not hearing definite answer about your application? I’ve submitted and followed up by email but haven’t gotten a response. Saw this reply in a different thread, but having followed up by email and not getting a reply I’m stuck on what to do next. Thanks!  

My app runs in Single Player Mode and shows Strava data only to the authenticated athlete.I would like to add a "Share" button.The athlete would click it to send their own activity (a route map image, or distance and pace) to someone they choose.The API Policy is not clear to me on this.Section 5.10 bars disclosing Strava Data to third parties, even if the user consents.Section 6.2 bars displaying Strava Data to anyone other than the user of the app.Section 5.13 refers to the user's "prior express consent", which seems to point the other way.My questions:1. If the athlete clicks “Share” to send their own data to someone, is that allowed with their prior express consent (5.13), or is it disclosure to a third party (5.10, 6.2)?2. Does the answer change if the shared item is a static image generated by the app?Thanks in advance!

Hi everyone,I’m developing an early-stage fitness platform and exploring the Strava API for verifying completed workouts.I’m hoping to better understand the policies around using activity data for third-party incentive programs, where users may earn points or real-world rewards from partnered brands based on verified physical activity.Has anyone worked on a similar integration or received guidance from Strava regarding these use cases?I’m particularly interested in understanding any restrictions or approval requirements.Thanks!

Hello Strava team and developer community,I am developing ZeloRitmo, a mobile application for workout planning, nutrition, sleep and personal well-being. Developer Support’s automated email directed me to this forum.We currently use OAuth to let authenticated users view their own Strava activities. Before implementing further features, we would appreciate clarification on two separate scenarios.SCENARIO 1 — Private workout records without analytics or scoringWith the user’s explicit consent, we would: Import an activity summary into that user’s private workout diary. Associate it with a workout previously planned by the same user. Display the workout as completed on their home screen. Keep Strava-derived information separate from scores, analytics, recommendations, AI and calculations involving nutrition or sleep. Would this scenario be permitted? Which activity fields could we retain, and for how long? How should we interpret Sections 5.5, 6.2 and 6.4 regarding a private workout

Hi! I submitted GearHealth to the Developer Program on 3 October 2026 and haven't heard back yet (about four weeks now). GearHealth is at 10 of 10 athletes, with testers on a waiting list to connect Strava. It uses webhooks only and deauthorizes inactive athletes automatically. Apple has approved the app, and the launch is waiting on Strava capacity. Could someone confirm the submission is in the queue? Happy to provide anything that helps. Thanks!

I have this idea for a feature that would allow Strava users who have trained for a race to generate a graphic that they could print out and add to the back of their race bib to remember all the training they put into getting to the start line -- the ultimate personalization of a race bib.Year In Sport summarizes an entire year and it’s intended to be share digitally. This feature would produce a printable asset that fits on a race bib. Users could choose between 2-3 styles fully branded for Strava, a defined data range, maybe the option to only choose ‘Run’ activities or activities tagged ‘Long Run’. I see sponsor integration potential for Strava Business.I ran my training block data through Claude and produced this example.  

Hi Strava team,We submitted the Developer Program review form for AVOS Fitness (Client ID 287189) and haven’t heard back yet. We now have 9 of our 10 athlete slots in use and new athletes are signing up every day, so we’ll soon have to turn people away.AVOS Fitness (https://avosfitness.site) is a training log and performance coach for amateur athletes in Spain. Each athlete connects through OAuth and only sees their own data. We follow the API Agreement and Brand Guidelines: «Powered by Strava» on everything shared, no Strava data shown to other users, nothing used for AI training, and deauthorization handled through the webhook.Could you please review our request? Happy to provide anything else you need.Thanks,Manuel Sánchez Rosario