How to Automatically Add Stats to Your Strava Activity Description
Stop writing Strava descriptions by hand. Learn how to automatically add power zones, pace splits, elevation breakdowns, and fun stats like 'beers burned' to every activity.
(Updated )Finish a run, hit Save on your GPS watch, and Strava's app opens to the upload screen — description field completely empty. You could type in your average pace, heart-rate zones, and elevation summary by hand. Most athletes do that once or twice, then give up because it's tedious. There's a better way: let a third-party app write it for you, automatically, for every single activity.
Key Takeaways
- •You can automatically add detailed stats (pace splits, power zones, heart rate, elevation) to every Strava activity description
- •ActivityStat handles this automatically — connect once and every new activity gets enhanced within seconds
- •The free tier covers 3 activities per month; Beast Mode ($2.99/month) unlocks unlimited activities and all metrics
- •No manual work required after initial setup — stats appear on runs, rides, and more
What an automatic Strava description looks like
Here's an example ActivityStat description on a typical 10 km easy run:
Every stat above was written automatically — no manual input required.
Which stats can you add to a Strava description?
The specific stats depend on what your GPS device records and what app you use to generate them. ActivityStat supports the following for running and cycling:
🏃 Running
- • Distance, elapsed time, moving time
- • Average and best pace
- • Per-kilometre (or mile) splits
- • Heart-rate zones breakdown
- • Elevation gain / loss / net
- • Calories burned
- • Fun conversions (beers, pizza slices)
- • Weekly and monthly mileage summary
- • Cadence (average steps/min)
🚴 Cycling
- • Distance, elapsed time, moving time
- • Average and normalised power (NP)
- • Power zone breakdown (Z1–Z6)
- • FTP percentage and intensity factor
- • TSS (Training Stress Score)
- • Average speed and max speed
- • Elevation gain / loss
- • Heart-rate zones
- • Calories burned
Why manual copy-paste doesn't work long-term
You could calculate and type all this yourself. For a cyclist, that means opening Strava, checking power zones in a separate app, computing NP or TSS from a spreadsheet, and formatting it consistently — every single time you ride. For athletes who train 5–7 days a week, this quickly becomes a 10-minute chore per activity. Most athletes do it enthusiastically for a week, sporadically for a month, and then abandon it entirely. An automation tool does the same work in under a second.
How to set up automatic Strava descriptions with ActivityStat
ActivityStat is the simplest way to add stats to Strava activity descriptions automatically. Here's the complete setup in four steps.
- 1
Create a free ActivityStat account
Go to activitystat.com/signup and register. No credit card required for the free tier.
- 2
Connect your Strava account
Click "Connect with Strava" and approve the OAuth permissions. ActivityStat only requests read access to your activities and write access to update descriptions — it never touches your account settings, followers, or financial data.
- 3
Choose which stats to include
Your dashboard shows every available stat as an on/off toggle. Enable splits, disable fun stats, show heart-rate zones but hide cadence — full control over what appears in your descriptions. Changes take effect immediately on the next activity.
- 4
Upload an activity and you're done
Record an activity as normal with your GPS device or phone. When it syncs to Strava, ActivityStat's webhook fires within seconds and writes the stats block to your description automatically. No app to open, no button to press.
Troubleshooting: what if the stats don't appear?
Setup is usually painless. These are the issues that come up most often and how to fix them.
Stats aren't appearing in my descriptions
Likely cause: ActivityStat may not have synced yet (give it about 30 seconds), or your device didn't record that metric, for example no cadence sensor.
Fix: Make sure ActivityStat still has permission to update descriptions (re-authorize with Strava if needed), and check that the stat isn't toggled off in your preferences.
Strava says "Authorize" but nothing happens
Likely cause: A pop-up blocker or browser privacy setting is usually interfering.
Fix: Try a different browser, or disable your pop-up blocker for activitystat.com.
My free tier ran out (3 activities per month)
Likely cause: Once the monthly limit is used, new activities don't get a stats block until the month resets.
Fix: Upgrade to a paid plan to keep every activity automated all month.
I don't like how the stats are formatted
Likely cause: The stats block is generated from the options you've enabled.
Fix: Toggle off the stats you don't want, or edit the description by hand after ActivityStat writes it. ActivityStat only fills in the description, so you always have the final say.
Common questions
Will it overwrite descriptions I've already written?
ActivityStat appends its stats block below any existing description text. If you wrote a title like 'Morning easy run' before the sync, that line is preserved.
Does it work with Garmin, Wahoo, Apple Watch, and other devices?
Yes — ActivityStat doesn't care what device you use. It reads from Strava's API, so any activity that reaches Strava (from any device, phone, or manual entry) is eligible.
Can I disable it for specific activities?
You can pause all processing with one button on your dashboard. Per-activity control is on the roadmap.
Does ActivityStat change my actual workout data?
No. It only updates the activity description. Distance, pace, time, power and everything else stay exactly as Strava recorded them.
What if I don't have a power meter or cadence sensor?
That's fine. ActivityStat shows whatever data Strava has for the activity. Most watches capture distance, pace, heart rate and elevation, which is plenty.
Is it safe? Do I have to give it my Strava password?
You never share your password. ActivityStat connects through Strava's official OAuth flow, which only grants permission to read your activities and update descriptions.
Will it work if I disconnect my watch from Strava?
Yes. ActivityStat works with any data Strava holds, whether it was synced from a watch, entered manually or imported.
Can I set it up on my phone?
Yes. Setup works on a phone, tablet or desktop. After that it runs in the background and your descriptions update after each sync.
Is the free tier useful?
The free plan covers up to 3 activities per month, which is enough to see whether automatic descriptions fit your routine. Beast Mode ($2.99/month) removes the limit and unlocks advanced cycling stats like NP, TSS, and power zones.
Set it up in 2 minutes — free
Your next activity will have a full stats description waiting when you open Strava. No manual work, ever again.
Connect Strava for free →See how ActivityStat compares
- ActivityStat vs a Strava subscription: what Strava's paid plan gives you and what ActivityStat adds
- ActivityStat vs Elevate: Free, open-source Strava analytics in your browser
- ActivityStat vs Intervals.icu: Deep training analysis for structured athletes
Related Articles
How to Use Strava Segments to Track Progress
Strava segments are free competitive leaderboards. Learn how to find segments on your routes, use them to track fitness progress, and avoid common mistakes.
Training & AnalyticsStrava Analytics Deep Dive: Unlock Your Training Data
Your Strava data tells a story about your fitness. Learn how to spot trends, recognize red flags, and make smarter training decisions using pace, heart rate, and power analytics.
Training & AnalyticsTrain for Your Next Race with Strava: Complete 12-Week Plan
A complete 12-week race preparation timeline using Strava to track fitness, manage taper, and show up race day ready. Includes base building, peak phase, and recovery strategies.