Comparison
Loadcast or Garmin Coach if you run and lift?
Garmin says its Coach gives you a free custom plan, with plans for running, cycling, triathlon and strength, and that select plans adapt to the numbers from a compatible Garmin watch. Loadcast decides each day from the sessions you logged, and it counts lifting as load on the same legs you run on.
Last checked 13 October 2026. We make Loadcast, so read our lines with that in mind.
By Ole Fiegenbaum, founder of Loadcast. Before the app, Ole's triathlon training ran through one ChatGPT chat. More on the landing page.
How this page was made: our lines come from how the Loadcast engine works. Each claim about another app that has a source link was read on that app's own page, on the date shown under it. The rest is our judgment. The text was written with AI help.
What is each one built for?
Garmin Coach. In a blog article of 22 September 2025, Garmin says: "With options for runners, cyclists, triathletes, strength training and overall fitness, select smart training plans adapt based on your recovery and performance metrics from your compatible Garmin smartwatch or cycling computer."Source garmin.com/en-US/blog/fitness/five-ways-to-use-garmin-coach-on-your-watch/, read on 13 October 2026.
Loadcast. Loadcast is a coach for strength and endurance. Each morning it decides what you train today, from the sessions you logged and how they felt.
How does each one handle a race?
Garmin Coach. For running, Garmin says: "if you enter your race and course information, Garmin Run Coach will make sure the training plan gets you ready for that specific race." You choose "an end date or goal and the days you want to train".Source garmin.com/en-US/blog/fitness/five-ways-to-use-garmin-coach-on-your-watch/, read on 13 October 2026.
Loadcast. Loadcast takes your race date too. It counts the days down and moves your training through peak, taper and race week.
How does lifting fit in?
Garmin Coach. Garmin Coach has strength plans of their own. Garmin says: "These adaptable plans can help you increase strength, build muscle or get fitter. It will provide recommendations based on your goals, the muscles you want to target and your available equipment."Source garmin.com/en-US/blog/fitness/five-ways-to-use-garmin-coach-on-your-watch/, read on 13 October 2026.
Loadcast. Loadcast reads a lifting session as load on your legs. After a hard leg day it says "Your leg day is still in your legs, so no hard intervals today." When your upper body is sore it says "Upper body is sore. Shifting to lower body or easy run."
Which phone and watch does each one work with?
Garmin Coach. Garmin says: "With compatible Garmin smartwatches, you can use Garmin Run Coach to adapt your training to your individual health metrics."Source garmin.com/en-US/blog/fitness/five-ways-to-use-garmin-coach-on-your-watch/, read on 13 October 2026.
Loadcast. Loadcast is an iPhone app. It reads your sessions from Apple Health and from Strava.
What does each one cost?
Garmin Coach. Garmin says: "you'll get a free custom plan to improve your fitness, train for an event or reach a personal milestone".Source garmin.com/en-US/blog/fitness/five-ways-to-use-garmin-coach-on-your-watch/, read on 13 October 2026.
Loadcast. Loadcast is a paid app too. We leave the amounts out here, because the price you pay depends on your country. Read the number on each app's own page before you decide.
Pick Garmin Coach if
- You wear a compatible Garmin watch and want the plan to follow its recovery and performance numbers.
- You want a free plan.
- You train for cycling or a triathlon, which Garmin Coach lists as plans of their own.
- You want a strength plan picked by the muscles you target and the equipment you have.
Pick Loadcast if
- You lift and run in the same week and want today's session set from both.
- Your week keeps changing and you want tomorrow to follow what you really did.
- You have an iPhone.
What Loadcast does not do
- There is no Android app.
- There is no Apple Watch app of its own.
Check your own week
Pick what you train each day and see which day breaks your week, and why. Free, no sign-up.
Every rule behind the daily decision is on How Loadcast decides. Related guide, running after leg day. More, Loadcast or Runna if you run and lift?. More, Loadcast or Athletica if you run and lift?. More, Runna alternatives for people who lift.