WorkOutDoors vs Arc Timeline 4
Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.
WorkOutDoors
This advanced workout app for Apple Watch offers extensive customization for outdoor activities like running, cycling, and hiking. It features detailed maps, navigation, and over 800 data fields for comprehensive workout tracking and analysis.
- Advanced vector maps with navigation
- Configurable workout screens with 800+ data fields
- Route import and turn-by-turn directions
- Customizable alerts and interval schedules
- Waypoint creation and navigation
- Workout export (FIT/TCX/GPX) and Strava integration
- Offline map support
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WorkOutDoors is the most advanced and most configurable workout app for the Apple Watch. It's perfect for running, cycling, hiking and any other indoor or outdoor activity. Note: WorkOutDoors requires an Apple Watch Series 4 or later. It is not necessary to have your iPhone with you during a workout. The app uses Apple’s workout system, so all workouts are saved to the Health system. However it also provides many extra features over Apple's app, such as: - a super-smooth vector map that can be shown during a workout; - multiple configurable screens with metrics and graphs from a pool of 800+ data fields; - route files can be imported and used for navigation (including turn by turn directions); - dozens of configurable alerts (e.g. every mile; high heart rate; low pace; off-route etc); - interval schedules can be created using the larger screen of the phone app; - climbs and descents are supported with notifications and on-screen data and graphs; - waypoints can be created, navigated to, and exported; - use shortcuts to associate operations with gestures (e.g. double tap to hear configurable metrics); - compare pace against a target or a previous workout (using metrics and a dot on the map); - show zones for pace and power as well as heart rate (with optional coloured backgrounds); - auto-pause is available for all outdoor activities; - shows GPS and heart rate before starting a workout, so that you can wait for good signals; - configure distance and pace for running / walking to come from Apple’s pedometer or from GPS; - workouts can be exported in FIT / TCX / GPX files, or automatically sent to Strava; - workouts created by the app can be analysed in great depth in the iPhone app. The app also has many more features. The map is a particular highlight. It uses OpenStreetMap, which provides worldwide coverage and includes the trails necessary for outdoor workouts. It also has several features that help you navigate during a workout: - maps can be smoothly panned and zoomed, and can rotate according to the compass; - a breadcrumb trail of your whole route is displayed on the map during the workout; - topographic data can be shown, with configurable contour colours and hill shading; - map-only mode is provided for when you don't want to start a workout and just need a map; - a circular scale is shown when you zoom, making it easy to see the distance to features; - maps can be stored on the watch for use when offline (they are downloaded as required if online); - a red compass points north and a green compass points to the start; - choose a waypoint to see a compass and distance to it in the corner of the map; - you can also navigate to waypoints on the map, such as hospitals, sights, cafes etc. If you load a route from a GPX / TCX / FIT file then navigation is even easier: - your position is shown on an elevation profile of the route; - the remaining distance, time and ascent can also be displayed; - you can get alerted when you go off-route; - when off-route then a compass is shown which points to the nearest part of the route; - if the route contains turn by turn directions then these can be used like a sat nav; - if there are no directions then the app can use “bend detection” to generate them; - the next direction is shown as an icon and distance in the corner of the map; - the map can automatically zoom in when you are approaching a turn; - you can use shake gestures to hear the distance to the next turn or the end of the route; - routes are coloured by gradient: from red for steep uphill to blue for steep downhill; - you can configure what information is displayed during a climb or descent. All this is included for a single one-off payment. No extra in-app purchases or subscriptions are required (although there is a completely optional in-app tip jar which was requested by long-term users). If you own an Apple Watch and do any form of exercise, then WorkOutDoors is the app for you. Give it a go!
Arc Timeline 4
This app automatically tracks your location history, including how you travel and how long you stay at places. It learns your habits to provide a detailed, searchable timeline of your daily life, offering insights into your activity and health metrics.
- Automatic background location recording
- Smart learning engine for place recognition
- Detects over 20 activity types
- Searchable trip and place history
- Health and activity insights (heart rate, calories)
- Data stored on device with optional iCloud backup
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Arc Timeline automatically records where you go, how you get there, and how long you stay - all in the background, with no buttons to press. A smart learning engine gets more accurate the more you use it, building a detailed, searchable timeline of your daily life. Your trips, your places, your history - recorded effortlessly. WHAT ARC TIMELINE DOES ▸ Automatically detects and records your visits and trips ▸ Learns your places and recognises them by name ▸ Detects walking, running, cycling, driving, train, bus, airplane, and 20+ more activity types ▸ A learning engine that improves over time, personalised to you ▸ Search your entire history - find any place, any trip, any day BUILT FOR QUALITY ▸ High quality GPS data with advanced Kalman filtering ▸ Reliable background recording with intelligent sleep mode ▸ Built for iOS 26 with Liquid Glass design ▸ Full dark mode support YOUR DATA, YOUR DEVICE ▸ All data stored on your device ▸ Optional iCloud backup to your private iCloud account ▸ No accounts, no sign-ups, no data shared with third parties ▸ Export your data anytime in standard JSON format HEALTH & ACTIVITY INSIGHTS ▸ Heart rate, calories burned, steps, and altitude for every trip and visit ▸ Import workouts from Apple Health ▸ Sync visits to your calendar ▸ Places tab with visit history, occupancy charts, and geographic reports A free trial is included. An active subscription or lifetime purchase is required after the trial period. Terms of Use (EULA): https://www.bigpaua.com/arcapp/terms
Screenshots
Verdict
The clearest difference is price: Arc Timeline 4 at Free against WorkOutDoors's $8.99. Arc Timeline 4 also leads on update cadence (weekly vs every 3 months). WorkOutDoors's advantage is rating (4.7 vs 3.9) and review sentiment (88% vs 64%). On ads, in-app purchases and monetization model there is nothing between them.
Scored on Price · Rating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings · Update frequency · Ads · In-app purchases · Monetization · Best chart rank · Devices · Requires iOS
Arc Timeline 4 is free to download; WorkOutDoors costs $8.99 up front. WorkOutDoors sells 5 one-off in-app purchases and Arc Timeline 4 sells 3 in-app purchases, starting at $4.99 per month. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.
WorkOutDoors holds the better App Store score, 4.7 against 3.9. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: WorkOutDoors has 1.7K ratings behind it against 23, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews point the same way: 88% of WorkOutDoors's written reviews are positive against 64% of Arc Timeline 4's.
WorkOutDoors ships an update every 3 months, Arc Timeline 4 weekly. The most recent releases landed on September 26, 2026 and September 22, 2026 respectively.
| Parameter | WorkOutDoors | Arc Timeline 4 |
|---|---|---|
| Price | $8.99 | Free — better |
| Rating | 4.7 (1.7K ratings) — better | 3.9 (23 ratings) |
| Positive reviews | 87.7% of reviews — better | 63.9% of reviews |
| Number of ratings | 1.7K — better | 23 |
| Update frequency | Every 3 months | Weekly — better |
| Ads | No | No |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | Free with in-app purchases |
| Best chart rank | #3 — better | — |
| Devices | iPhone, iPod, Apple Watch — better | iPhone |
| Requires iOS | 12.0 — better | 26.0 |
| Further details — not scored | ||
| Size | 39 MB | 63 MB |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | CCS Ltd | Matthew Bruce Greenfield |
Customer experience
WorkOutDoors
Arc Timeline 4
Bugs and requests
WorkOutDoors
Reported bugs
3 issues- Heart rate tracking issues
- Inconsistent distance/pace tracking
- Trouble connecting to Apple Watch
Requested features
5 requests- Turn-by-turn navigation
- Shoe tracking
- Cumulative workout stats (weekly/monthly)
- Ability to edit/trim recorded workouts
- Automatic pause/resume during workouts
Arc Timeline 4
Not enough reviews yet to summarise bugs or requests.
In-app purchases
WorkOutDoors
- Tip$0.99
- Generous Tip$1.99
- Very Generous Tip$4.99
Show 2 moreShow fewer
- Massive Tip$9.99
- Fanatical Tip$19.99
Arc Timeline 4
- Monthly Subscription7 Days trial$4.991 Month
- Yearly Subscription7 Days trial$44.991 Year
- Lifetime Purchase$179.99









