With a Strava subscription, you'll see your live speed on the recording screen and as a free athlete, you will see your average speed. At this time, there is no way to customize which speed is displayed on the recording screen even if you have a subscription. If you pause your activity when you have a subscription, however, you'll be able to see your average speed.

his is totally unacceptable. The idea of paid features is understood, but live speed is too basic to charge money for. I ended my 1 year subscription a short while ago and was surprised to see you have included live speed as a paid feature. From my point of view, this is an unethical step and a non-legitimate pressure of a community app to prevent such basic info from non-subscribers. It is not even wise. If a person does not recognise the wealth of the paid features as a good enough reason to pay, do you think this "punishment" will make him or her pay? Most probably it will cause one to consider using another app. 

I am asking Strava management to reconsider this non-community change, and give us our live speed back!

Not showing live speed is really weird, I concur, but it isn't a change. I don't think there ever was a time when the app showed live speed for non subscribers, but I can't speak for the app version 10 years ago or older. Everybody who needs it and doesn't want to buy a watch, a bike computer or a subscription just uses another app for recording like Wahoo Fitness. Those apps usually can upload the activity to Strava afterwards.

I'd prefer to see my average speed, especially since the screen is turned off most of the time, but even if I have trial period of premium, I can't change the data field settings or don't know how. That's ridiculous...

I would also prefer to see my average speed.  I do not have a paid subscription. Until this week it defaulted to the average speed.  Now it's defaulting to my live speed.  Any idea how to have it go back to my average speed being displayed all the time?

Someone on Reddit gave me a possible answer to the Speed vs Avg. Speed display problem:

21 days of free "Subscription Preview remaining. Somewhere I read that with the subscription the current/live speed is displayed. Hopefully, it will go back to Avg. speed when our free Subscription Preview expires. I've been using the Adidas Running app, but it's not as good as Strava. It's interesting that if we were to subscribe to Strave, then we would actually receive worse service ie., current speed instead of average speed. What a business plan!!!!

Don’t see why it’s not both as standard. That’s just normal and shouldn’t be something you have to pay extra to get.

You all should make sure this information is available on your support section of the website. It took me a long time and the help of Google to find this answer to my question! I'm sure others are searching for the same. 

Thanks for sharing your comments, everyone. I'd like to point out that there is an existing idea you can vote on that proposes that subscribers should have the ability to view both average and live speed/pace during an activity recording. Feel free to vote and comment on it: Display the average ride speed in the mobile app for premium users
A reminder: if you are on a subscription trial or have a subscription, hitting pause on the activity recording will display the average speed/pace.

Well, I do have a scription, but still do not see my live speed on my ipHone when running - How can I adjust this ? Thanks !

Hello, you shouldn't have to adjust anything in order for your live speed to display during an activity recording. Is your app up to date (a quick delete and reinstall will ensure you're on the most recent version)? If you still don't see your live speed after reinstalling the app, can you please submit a support ticket and send us a screenshot of what you're seeing while you're recording a run? 

Ugh. Google brought me here. I thought the problem was settings on my new phone but it turns out the change to average speed was because my free trial of premium lapsed. I understand the freemium business model and the need for people to get paid. By all means make all kinds of cool special features and offer them at a price. I didn't find them that special so I didn't pay to keep Premium. The ability to display actual speed on a GPS-based app is not a special feature. There are heaps of free apps that do it. Any of which can be run with Strava going in the background, or just switch to another fitness app.

I believe this is unacceptable. It's like having users of alarm clock to pay for the clock feature. I understand that there should be some perks of paid subscription, but switching off actual speed in a ride tracking app - who does that? 

I thought it's me, who can't find the feature, but turns out the fundamental feature is behind a paywall. I'm moving to another app and I advise to others to do so.

No, it doesn’t. With a subscription it only shows the actual speed every 4-5 minutes und freezes then. 

Don’t - they won’t answer anyway

its weird live speed is paid feature, but heatmap is for free, its more usefull to be able to see where peaole go and plan my trip, and for when see my current speed, coz phone is 99% is off then i ride, but if im using osmand for gps i can see my current speed here