# First Gear: Heart Rate Coach — Zone 2 running & slow jogging

> Live heart rate coaching for Zone 2 running and slow jogging. (iPhone/iPad app by Rubber Bands LLC.)

- Source: https://appshunter.io/ios/app/first-gear-heart-rate-coach/id6804822424 (this page in markdown: same URL + `.md`)
- Developer: [Rubber Bands LLC](https://appshunter.io/developer/1731554796)
- Category: Health & Fitness, Sports
- Price: Free with in-app purchases
- Rating: 4.70/5 from 3 App Store ratings
- Age rating: 17+
- Requires: iOS 18.0 · 164 MB
- Languages: American English
- Released: 2026-09-20
- Data updated: 2026-11-06
- Monetization: free with in-app purchases

## What is First Gear?

A running coach in your ear that says when to run and when to walk, by your live heart rate. Go above your range and your coach has you walk. When your heart is ready, you run again.

Made for beginners, for anyone starting again, and for anyone who wants easy Zone 2 running without watching a screen.

ZONE 2 RUNNING MADE SIMPLE
Choose how the top of your heart rate range is set: First Gear's estimate, MAF, Zone 2 or your own number. Your coach handles the rest, so easy runs stay easy.

A COACH THAT ADAPTS
On a warm day, after a break, or the day after a run, your coach can give you more room to walk and tells you why before you start. After a few short runs, it can set a shorter goal. There are no questionnaires and no readiness score to check.

ON THE WAY TO A FIRST 5K
Most beginner plans run on a stopwatch. First Gear follows your heart rate instead, so a hard day means more walking, not a failed workout.

YOUR EASY SCORE
See how much of each run you spent inside your range. It is feedback on that run, not a fitness test.

STRETCHING AFTER YOUR RUNS
A short guided stretch on iPhone, about 5 or 10 minutes, after a run or any time. The moves change by the day and each one is timed, so there are no reps to count. Your coach talks you through it, with video when you're online.

WHAT'S INSIDE
• Live heart rate voice coaching over your music
• Two coaches, Lana and Cal
• Runs from 10 to 60 minutes, or an open run with no set length
• Six stages, and you choose when to move up
• A guided warm-up before you set off
• Each mile or kilometer called out as you pass it
• A spoken recap of your run at the finish
• Heart rate, pace and distance on request on Apple Watch
• Optional breathing and form tips in your headphones
• Outdoor route maps shaded by effort
• Heart rate charts that mark each call your coach made
• Weekly time in range, resting heart rate, records and badges
• Widgets, plus your iPhone run on the Lock Screen
• GPX and TCX export for outdoor runs
• Runs and stretches saved to Apple Health

USE THE GEAR YOU HAVE
• Apple Watch on its own, so your phone can stay behind
• iPhone with AirPods Pro 3 or Powerbeats Pro 2
• iPhone with a heart rate watch or strap over Bluetooth, such as a Garmin (beta)

Runs with your iPhone are outdoors and count like any other run.

NO STREAKS. NO GUILT.
No catch-up workouts. A break never takes away your stage, and your badges stay yours. No account required.

First Gear does not support runners with a heart condition, a pacemaker or implanted defibrillator, or medication that slows the heart rate.

SUBSCRIPTION
First Gear Coaching starts with a 7-day free trial if you're eligible, then is billed monthly or yearly at the price shown in your local currency before you confirm. Payment is charged to your Apple Account at confirmation. The subscription renews automatically unless canceled at least 24 hours before the end of the period. Manage or cancel it in your Apple Account settings.

Terms of Use (EULA): https://www.apple.com/legal/internet-services/itunes/dev/stdeula/
Privacy Policy: https://firstgear.run/privacy

## Key features

- Live heart rate voice coaching
- Zone 2 heart rate range setting
- Adaptive coaching based on conditions
- Guided stretching routines
- Run recaps and progress tracking
- Apple Watch integration
- GPX/TCX export

## Pricing and in-app purchases

Base price: Free.

**Subscriptions**

| Subscription | Price | Period |
| --- | --- | --- |
| First Gear Annual | $29.99 | per year |
| First Gear Monthly | $4.99 | per month |


## Is First Gear safe?

Not enough ratings yet to assess First Gear.

## Is First Gear legit?

First Gear: Heart Rate Coach appears legitimate, with a few gaps. The AppsHunter Legitimacy Score for First Gear is 70 out of 100 points across 7 verification signals from App Store and developer data.


## Frequently asked questions about First Gear

### Does First Gear have ads?

Yes, First Gear contains advertisements. As a free app with in-app purchases, it utilizes ads to support its services.

### What devices does First Gear support?

First Gear is supported on Apple Watch and iPhone. It can be used with AirPods Pro 3 or Powerbeats Pro 2, or with a Bluetooth heart rate monitor like a Garmin.

### How does First Gear set heart rate zones?

You can choose how the top of your heart rate range is set: First Gear's estimate, MAF, Zone 2, or your own custom number. The coach then manages your runs based on this setting.

### Can I use First Gear without an account?

Yes, First Gear does not require an account to use. It also emphasizes no streaks or guilt, meaning breaks do not affect your progress or badges.

### What is the age rating for First Gear?

First Gear has an age rating of 17+. This is likely due to the nature of health and fitness apps that may require a certain level of user maturity.

### How often is First Gear updated?

The latest version of First Gear was released on November 3, 2026, indicating recent development activity. The app is updated to version 2.0.

### What are the subscription options for First Gear?

First Gear offers a 7-day free trial for eligible users, followed by monthly ($4.99) or annual ($29.99) subscription plans. Payments are charged to your Apple Account and subscriptions auto-renew unless canceled.

### Can First Gear export my run data?

Yes, First Gear supports GPX and TCX export for outdoor runs. This allows you to share your route and performance data with other platforms.

## Version history (last 5 releases)

### 2.0 — 2026-11-03

- Your coach now reads each run back at the finish
- A short tone now comes before each call to run, walk or stop
- Each coaching call is marked on your run's heart rate chart
- Your coach says more about why in your first runs
- New: a short guided stretch on iPhone, about 5 or 10 minutes, after a run or any time
- Settings moved to the gear at the top of Today

### 1.11 — 2026-10-27

- Open runs: choose Open under Run length and run until you end it.
- Phone runs can read your heart rate from a Garmin or another Bluetooth heart rate watch or strap (beta, iOS 26.1 or later). Choose it in Settings, under iPhone.
- This week’s runs now show on the Run tab.

### 1.10 — 2026-10-21

- Phone runs are out of beta: you can be coached from AirPods Pro 3 or Powerbeats Pro 2 with no watch.
- Run export: share any outdoor run as a GPX or TCX file.

### 1.9 — 2026-10-19

- The Run tab now invites a run on any day and names your last run by its day. Reminders still follow your plan's days.
- Settings > How it works adds two demos for watch runs: how a run starts and ends, and how to hear your coach in headphones.
- If your volume is low, a demo asks you to turn it up first.
- Phone runs (beta): swipe the big number for pace and distance, then your Easy score.

### 1.8 — 2026-10-16

- On an ordinary day, your coach opens by telling you what it noticed about your last runs.
- Outdoors, a run’s heart rate chart now shows your pace under it. Tap or hold the chart to read any moment of the run.
- Fixes for larger text sizes and other small issues.

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## More apps by Rubber Bands LLC

- [Rubber Bands: Band Workout](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/rubber-bands-band-workout/id6478053772)
- [Food Loops](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/food-loops/id6742034552)
- [Lookout Game](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/lookout-game/id6753114564)

All apps by Rubber Bands LLC: https://appshunter.io/developer/1731554796

## Related topics

[rubber band runner](https://appshunter.io/ios/topics/rubber-band-runner)

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*Data collected daily from the US App Store and indexed by [AppsHunter](https://appshunter.io/). User reviews are verbatim App Store reviews. Ratings, prices and chart positions refresh continuously; this snapshot is from 2026-11-06.*