# Start Running For Beginners vs 5K Run

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.

Both are free to download. Start Running For Beginners sells 3 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.

## The numbers

| Metric | Start Running For Beginners | 5K Run |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | **[4.7 (2.1K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/start-running-for-beginners/id1254954672/reviews)** | [4.7 (2.2K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/5k-run-beginner-training-plan/id1271409505/reviews) |
| Number of ratings | 2.1K | **2.2K** |
| Positive reviews | **96.8% of reviews** | 24.3% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Every 3 months | **Every 10 days** |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | Free with in-app purchases |
| Size | 12 MB | 25 MB |
| Requires iOS | **16.6** | 17.0 |
| Devices | iPhone, Apple Watch | iPhone, Apple Watch |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Axiom Mobile LLC](https://appshunter.io/developer/1111094628) | [Carlos Fernandez Mayor](https://appshunter.io/developer/1544231737) |

## What reviewers say

### Start Running For Beginners

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/start-running-for-beginners/id1254954672)

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.

**Highlights:** Personal running coach, Couch to 5K training plan, Distance, speed, and pace tracker, GPS route tracking, Calorie counter, Voice feedback

**Features:** Family Sharing, Apple Watch app

**In-app purchases (3)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Full Version | $1.99 | per month |
| Full Version | $9.99 | per 6 months |
| Full version | $19.99 | one-time |

**What reviewers like**

- 👍 Easy to use
- 🚀 Gradual progression
- 💪 Helps build endurance
- 🎧 Allows listening to music
- 📈 Tracks progress

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🔊 Audio prompts can be difficult to hear
- 🔒 Requires payment to unlock full features
- 🧭 No treadmill mode
- 🔄 Inability to repeat previous workouts

**Reported bugs**

- Sync issues when changing devices
- App crashes or freezes occasionally

**Requested features**

- Add more customization options
- Provide more detailed workout statistics
- Integrate with fitness trackers
- Offer more advanced training plans


### 5K Run

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/5k-run-beginner-training-plan/id1271409505)

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.

**Highlights:** Adaptive 5K training plan, Voice trainer for run/walk intervals, Flexible workout scheduling, HealthKit integration, Motivation and progress tracking

**Features:** Family Sharing, Apple Watch app

**In-app purchases (1)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Plan de entrenamiento 5K | $4.99 | one-time |

**What reviewers like**

- 🚀 Simple and easy to use
- 👍 Motivating for beginners
- 💡 Gradual training program

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Unreliable sync with Apple Watch
- 🔒 Lack of customer support
- 💰 Hidden in-app purchases
- 🔄 Inability to repeat or restart stages

**Reported bugs**

- App crashes and loses user progress
- Inconsistent tracking of distance and pace
- Issues with treadmill workouts

**Requested features**

- Ability to manually adjust training program
- More detailed workout information
- Integration with other fitness apps
- Audio cues for run/walk transitions


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Start Running For Beginners free?

Start Running For Beginners is free to download, with in-app purchases available.

### Is 5K Run free?

5K Run is free to download, with in-app purchases available.

### Which has better reviews, Start Running For Beginners or 5K Run?

Start Running For Beginners is rated higher. Start Running For Beginners averages 4.7 out of 5 from 2.1K ratings, while 5K Run averages 4.7 from 2.2K ratings.

### Do Start Running For Beginners or 5K Run have ads?

Neither Start Running For Beginners nor 5K Run shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, Start Running For Beginners or 5K Run?

Start Running For Beginners ships an update every 3 months, and 5K Run every 10 days. Most recently, Start Running For Beginners was updated on October 29, 2026 and 5K Run on October 26, 2026.

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*Compared by [AppsHunter](https://appshunter.io/) from daily US App Store data. Review summaries are generated from verbatim App Store reviews.*