Start Running For Beginners vs 5K Run
Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.
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
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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/
5K Run
This app guides beginners from inactivity to running a 5K with a flexible, adaptive training plan. It offers audio cues during runs and integrates with HealthKit to track progress and Apple Watch activity.
- Adaptive 5K training plan
- Voice trainer for run/walk intervals
- Flexible workout scheduling
- HealthKit integration
- Motivation and progress tracking
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5K RUN is the easiest way to get you from couch potato to 5k. Our training plan will help you keep motivated and give your best in every workout. Don't give up, you can do it! 5K PLAN The training plan is design to help you keep motivated. It will let you know when you need to take a break and when it's time for another run. Run whenever you want, you don't need to set up a schedule of specific days for running, we all have busy days, or it's raining outside, or we're just tired. That's why our training plan adapts to you, giving you a time window to complete your workouts. Take your training to the next level! VOICE TRAINER During the runs, listen to your music and the voice trainier will tell you when it's time for you to run or walk. Set your goal and work to get there in a healthy way. HEALTHKIT INTEGRATION Run 5K integrates nicely with HealthKit, meaning that all your workout data will be available for you inside Run 5K and the Apple Health App. On top of that, all the races you save using Run 5K will contribute to filling the Activity rings on your Apple Watch. Isn't that cool?
Screenshots
Verdict
Start Running For Beginners and 5K Run both sit at 4.7 stars, but that hides the real split: 97% of Start Running For Beginners's written reviews are positive against 24% of 5K Run's. 5K Run's advantage is update cadence (every 10 days vs every 3 months). On price, rating, ratings volume and ads 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 and 5K Run sells 1 one-off in-app purchase. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.
On the App Store both sit at effectively the same score — 4.7 for Start Running For Beginners against 4.7 for 5K Run. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 2.1K and 2.2K respectively. Written reviews are what separate them: 97% of Start Running For Beginners's written reviews are positive against 24% of 5K Run's.
Start Running For Beginners ships an update every 3 months, 5K Run every 10 days. The most recent releases landed on October 29, 2026 and October 26, 2026 respectively.
| Parameter | Start Running For Beginners | 5K Run |
|---|---|---|
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | 4.7 (2.1K ratings) — better | 4.7 (2.2K ratings) |
| Positive reviews | 96.8% of reviews — better | 24.3% of reviews |
| Number of ratings | 2.1K | 2.2K — better |
| Update frequency | Every 3 months | Every 10 days — better |
| Ads | No | No |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | Free with in-app purchases |
| Devices | iPhone, Apple Watch | iPhone, Apple Watch |
| Requires iOS | 16.6 — better | 17.0 |
| Further details — not scored | ||
| Size | 12 MB | 25 MB |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | Axiom Mobile LLC | Carlos Fernandez Mayor |
Customer experience
Start Running For Beginners
5K Run
User reviews
Start Running For Beginners
From 2.1K App Store ratingsWhat we love
- 👍 Easy to use
- 🚀 Gradual progression
- 💪 Helps build endurance
- 🎧 Allows listening to music
- 📈 Tracks progress
Room to improve
- 🔊 Audio prompts can be difficult to hear
- 🔒 Requires payment to unlock full features
- 🧭 No treadmill mode
- 🔄 Inability to repeat previous workouts
5K Run
From 2.2K App Store ratingsWhat we love
- 🚀 Simple and easy to use
- 👍 Motivating for beginners
- 💡 Gradual training program
Room to improve
- 🐛 Unreliable sync with Apple Watch
- 🔒 Lack of customer support
- 💰 Hidden in-app purchases
- 🔄 Inability to repeat or restart stages
Bugs and 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
5K Run
Reported bugs
3 issues- App crashes and loses user progress
- Inconsistent tracking of distance and pace
- Issues with treadmill workouts
Requested features
4 requests- Ability to manually adjust training program
- More detailed workout information
- Integration with other fitness apps
- Audio cues for run/walk transitions
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
5K Run
- Plan de entrenamiento 5K$4.99
Questions
Is Start Running For Beginners free?
Is 5K Run free?
Which has better reviews, Start Running For Beginners or 5K Run?
Do Start Running For Beginners or 5K Run have ads?
Which is updated more often, Start Running For Beginners or 5K Run?
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