Comparison

VO2 Max vs Runner Strength

Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.

Head to head
About

VO2 Max

Track your body's oxygen absorption at peak effort with detailed insights and performance estimates for running and cycling. Visualize trends, compare personal bests, and understand your cardio fitness level with a redesigned dashboard and Apple Watch integration.

Highlights
  • VO2 max estimation for running and cycling
  • Performance estimates (W/kg, FTP)
  • Redesigned dashboard with trends and personal bests
  • Interactive charts with customizable date ranges
  • Apple Watch complications and iPhone widgets
  • Cardio fitness level comparison by age and sex
Features
Read full description

VO₂ Max shows how much oxygen your body can absorb at peak effort. The redesigned dashboard puts the latest measurement, rolling averages, and your personal best in one view so you immediately see how training affects cardio fitness. ESTIMATES FOR RUN & BIKE - New tab turns VO₂ max + weight + power into W/kg and FTP estimates for running and cycling. - Compare modeled race times and power against your actual HealthKit FTP/power. NEW DASHBOARD - Trend cards highlight the 7-day average, any selected range, and your best value with percentage deltas. - The interactive chart responds to 1W, 2W, 1M, 3M, 1Y, or All filters and animates every new HealthKit reading. - Entry tiles list the test type, source, and timestamp so you can compare prediction and max-exercise tests. INSIGHTS & GUIDANCE - The info sheet matches your value with the correct age and sex bracket to explain whether it is poor, good, or superior. - Manual refresh, HealthKit warnings, and empty states keep permissions and sync issues obvious. - Trial countdown and subscription access stay a tap away. APPLE WATCH + WIDGETS - All complication families are supported, so your latest VO₂ max is available on every watch face. - iPhone Home Screen and Lock Screen widgets follow the dashboard range you selected. - The Widget Showcase walks you through pinning widgets or complications and previewing layouts. HOW VO₂ MAX IS CAPTURED 1. Wear Apple Watch for at least 24 hours, then record several Outdoor Walk, Outdoor Run, or Hiking workouts with heart rate and GPS. 2. Apple may need several qualifying workouts and passive measurements before the first VO₂ max estimate appears. 3. Give this app read access to Cardio Fitness (VO₂ Max) in Apple Health so the dashboard, widgets, and complications can display the data. Requires Apple Watch Series 3 or later. VO₂ Max makes it easy to see if your cardio fitness plan is working today, over the last weeks, and all time. Terms and conditions: https://www.apple.com/legal/internet-services/itunes/dev/stdeula/

About

Runner Strength

This app combines GPS running tracking with detailed strength workout logging. Follow structured training plans, monitor progress with charts and photos, and sync data across devices. Enjoy a one-time purchase with no subscriptions.

Highlights
  • GPS run tracking with route mapping
  • Log strength workouts with sets, reps, and weight
  • Guided training plans for running and strength
  • Progress charts, personal records, and streaks
  • Progress photo tracking with Face ID protection
  • Apple Health integration
  • Data export and iCloud sync
Read full description

Your runs and your lifts, finally in one place. Track your runs with GPS, log every strength workout, follow guided training plans, and watch your progress grow, all in one app, with a one-time purchase and no subscription, ever. Runner Strength is the all-in-one fitness tracker built for runners who also train in the gym. TRACK YOUR RUNS Log treadmill and outdoor runs with distance, time, and auto-calculated pace. Use live GPS tracking on outdoor runs to see your route on a real-time map with running stats as you go. Review your full run history anytime and watch your weekly mileage build up. LOG YOUR STRENGTH WORKOUTS Choose from 60 built-in gym exercises across 8 muscle-group categories, each with a clear reference image. Record sets, reps, and weights to build a complete strength training log and track your lifting progress session after session. FOLLOW GUIDED TRAINING PLANS Start fast with 20 structured 4-week training plans covering strength, running, 5K, and mixed run-and-lift goals, from beginner to advanced. Every workout plan is fully programmed, day by day, so you always know what to train next. SEE YOUR PROGRESS Track your performance with clear charts, personal records (PRs), and streaks. Monitor your weekly activity, total distance, gym sessions, and more from one simple analytics dashboard that keeps your running and strength data in one place. PROGRESS PHOTOS Capture front, side, and back photos to compare your physical changes over time. Your progress photos stay private on your device and are protected with Face ID. BUILT FOR YOU Beautiful dark mode by default, with a light theme option Apple Health integration to log your workouts to Health Weekly progress notifications to keep you motivated and on track Export your training data any time as a CSV file Automatic iCloud sync and restore across reinstalls and devices NO SUBSCRIPTION Try everything free for 7 days. Then unlock the full app with a single one-time purchase, no recurring fees, no hidden costs, ever. Whether you're training for a 5K, a marathon, or simply want to run and lift in one simple tracker, Runner Strength keeps every workout in one place. Start training smarter today.

Screenshots

VO2 Max4 screens
Runner Strength4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is ratings volume: VO2 Max at 131 against Runner Strength's 1. VO2 Max also leads on monetization model (free with in-app purchases vs paid) and device support (3 vs 1). On price, rating, update cadence 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

CostPrice · In-app purchases · Ads · Monetization

Both are free to download. VO2 Max sells 3 in-app purchases, starting at $2.99 per month and Runner Strength sells 1 one-off in-app purchase. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

ReceptionRating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings

Runner Strength holds the better App Store score, 4.0 against 3.8. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: VO2 Max has 131 ratings behind it against 1, so its average is the more settled of the two.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

VO2 Max ships an update every 2 weeks, Runner Strength every 9 days. The most recent releases landed on November 6, 2026 and October 31, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard3 real differences · 7 level
VO2 Max versus Runner Strength: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterVO2 MaxRunner Strength
PriceFreeFree
Rating3.8 (131 ratings)4.0 (1 ratings) — better
Positive reviews26.8% of reviews—
Number of ratings131 — better1
Update frequencyEvery 2 weeksEvery 9 days — better
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesYesYes
MonetizationFree with in-app purchases — betterPaid
DevicesiPhone, iPad, Apple Watch — betteriPhone
Requires iOS18.017.0 — better
Further details — not scored
Size11 MB86 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperBernhard HeringNuke Submarine Technologies Ltd

Customer experience

VO2 Max

All ratings131 ratings
Positive69.5%
Neutral5.3%
Negative25.2%
Written reviews97 reviews
Positive26.8%
Neutral3.1%
Negative70.1%

Runner Strength

All ratings1 ratings
Positive100.0%
Neutral0.0%
Negative0.0%

In-app purchases

3 purchases

VO2 Max

Subscriptions2
  • Monthly Subscription$2.991 Month
  • Yearly Subscription$22.991 Year
One-time1
  • Lifetime Access$79.99
1 purchases

Runner Strength

One-time1
  • Unlock RunnerStrength$14.99

Questions

Is VO2 Max free?
VO2 Max is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Is Runner Strength free?
Runner Strength is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Which has better reviews, VO2 Max or Runner Strength?
Runner Strength is rated higher. VO2 Max averages 3.8 out of 5 from 131 ratings, while Runner Strength averages 4.0 from 1 ratings.
Do VO2 Max or Runner Strength have ads?
Neither VO2 Max nor Runner Strength shows ads.
Which is updated more often, VO2 Max or Runner Strength?
VO2 Max ships an update every 2 weeks, and Runner Strength every 9 days. Most recently, VO2 Max was updated on November 6, 2026 and Runner Strength on October 31, 2026.

Other comparisons