Pace Watch vs Start Running For Beginners
Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.
Pace Watch
This app helps runners maintain a target pace during training. It provides haptic and audio feedback when you deviate from your desired speed, with adjustable leeway. It integrates with HealthKit to read and write workout data.
- Target pace training
- Haptic and audio feedback
- Phone-free operation
- Adjustable pace buffer
- HealthKit integration
Read full descriptionHide full description
Pace Watch doesn't use your phone or watches GPS and can be used without your phone. Pace Watch helps you stay at your target pace while training for your next big run. If you start to go too fast or slow it will tap your wrist and play a tone every 5 seconds until you are back in your target zone. Hints: - Use the buffer setting to give yourself a little more leeway around your target pace. - Only want the watch to tap you? Use the silence option in the control center on your watch to quiet the noise. This app uses HealthKit to access some of your data in the Health app(workouts, distance, and active energy(Calories burned)) and to write new data into the Health app(workouts, distance, and active energy(Calories burned))
Start Running For Beginners
This app guides beginners into running with a structured plan designed to increase jogging time gradually. It offers personalized coaching, detailed tracking, and voice feedback to help users achieve their fitness goals, including weight loss.
- Personal running coach
- Couch to 5K training plan
- Distance, speed, and pace tracker
- GPS route tracking
- Calorie counter
- Voice feedback
Read full descriptionHide full description
Taking up running? What could be easier! Don’t worry about distance, pace, or speed. Let's think about all this later. Listen to the instructions and run as you like. Don't focus on your running technique. The most important thing now is to get out and start running. Your goal is to increase the jogging time. Nothing else matters right now. Features: + Personal running coach + Couch to 5K (c25k) alternative training plan + Detailed statistics of each training + Distance, speed and pace tracker + GPS-route of every session + Built-in pedometer + Calorie counter + Custom workouts + Voice feedback + Sync with Apple Health The workout plan is split into 4 levels. Each level has a specific goal for jogging duration: • Level 1 goal is 20 minutes. • Level 2 goal is 30 minutes. • Level 3 goal is 40 minutes. • Level 4 goal is 60 minutes of running. Each level has a 4-weeks duration, and 3 workouts per week. Join us running! Terms of Use: https://www.apple.com/legal/internet-services/itunes/dev/stdeula/
Screenshots
Verdict
The clearest difference is review sentiment: Start Running For Beginners at 97% against Pace Watch's 50%. Start Running For Beginners also leads on rating (4.7 vs 3.8) and ratings volume (2.1K vs 4). Pace Watch's advantage is in-app purchases (none vs 5) and update cadence (every 8 days vs every 3 months). On price, ads and device support 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
Both are free to download. Start Running For Beginners sells 5 in-app purchases, starting at $1.99 per month. Pace Watch asks for nothing beyond the download.
Start Running For Beginners holds the better App Store score, 4.7 against 3.8. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Start Running For Beginners has 2.1K ratings behind it against 4, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews point the same way: 50% of Pace Watch's written reviews are positive against 97% of Start Running For Beginners's.
Pace Watch ships an update every 8 days, Start Running For Beginners every 3 months. Both last shipped on October 24, 2026.
| Parameter | Pace Watch | Start Running For Beginners |
|---|---|---|
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | 3.8 (4 ratings) | 4.7 (2.1K ratings) — better |
| Positive reviews | 50.0% of reviews | 96.8% of reviews — better |
| Number of ratings | 4 | 2.1K — better |
| Update frequency | Every 8 days — better | Every 3 months |
| Ads | No | No |
| In-app purchases | No — better | Yes |
| Monetization | Free — better | Free with in-app purchases |
| Devices | iPhone, iPod, Apple Watch — better | iPhone, Apple Watch |
| Requires iOS | 10.0 — better | 16.6 |
| Further details — not scored | ||
| Size | 33 MB | 12 MB |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | Simon Fortelny | Axiom Mobile LLC |
Customer experience
Pace Watch
Start Running For Beginners
Bugs and requests
Pace Watch
Not enough reviews yet to summarise bugs or requests.
Start Running For Beginners
Reported bugs
2 issues- Sync issues when changing devices
- App crashes or freezes occasionally
Requested features
4 requests- Add more customization options
- Provide more detailed workout statistics
- Integrate with fitness trackers
- Offer more advanced training plans
In-app purchases
Pace Watch
No in-app purchases
Start Running For Beginners
- Full Version$1.991 Month
- Full Version$9.996 Months
- Full Version$1.99
- Full version$4.99
- Full version$19.99
Questions
Is Pace Watch free?
Is Start Running For Beginners free?
Which has better reviews, Pace Watch or Start Running For Beginners?
Do Pace Watch or Start Running For Beginners have ads?
Which is updated more often, Pace Watch or Start Running For Beginners?
Other comparisons















