SimpleHR vs Zone 2
Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.
SimpleHR
Displays your current heart rate in large, easy-to-read text on your Apple Watch. Integrates with Apple HealthKit to provide real-time heart rate data, ideal for activities like running or cycling. Customize target zones and activity settings via the companion iPhone app.
- Large heart rate display
- Apple HealthKit integration
- Customizable heart rate zones
- Activity and location settings
- Companion iPhone app
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Just your heart rate on your Apple watch in the largest text that will fit! When you are running or cycling and you want to see your heart rate, tiny text just will not do. That's why we built Simple Heart Rate to provide easy-to-read access to your current heart rate by integrating with Apple HealthKit. You use the iPhone app to create multiple heart rate target zones with optional settings for activity and location to enhance your training experience. Simple Heart Rate makes a great companion app to a workout tracker running on your iPhone.
Zone 2
This app helps you track your weekly workout time spent in the Zone 2 heart rate range. It provides detailed tracking, connectivity with various heart rate monitors and Strava, and real-time feedback on your progress towards your fitness goals.
- Weekly, monthly, and daily zone tracking
- Strava connectivity
- Home and Lock Screen widgets
- Bluetooth heart rate monitor compatibility
- Apple Watch app with live feedback
- Heart rate zone calculator
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Zone 2 app tracks how much of your weekly workout time is performed in the zone 2 heart rate range, typically between 60-70% of your maximum heart rate. Aiming for 150 minutes or more of weekly exercise in zone 2 is recommended, as it optimizes endurance, enhances fat-burning efficiency, and fosters sustainable fitness gains by maintaining a balance between intensity and recovery. The optimal number of minutes to spend in zone 2 per week can vary based on individual fitness levels. _____________________ If you do not have an Apple Watch, you can connect common Bluetooth heart rate monitors, such as the Polar H10, Garmin chest strap, and new Garmin watches, to view your heart rate zone progress live during a workout. If you have an Apple Watch, use the Apple Watch app to see zones live on your wrist with haptic feedback, Siri announcements, and health metrics. If you already have a different app you like for tracking workouts, no worries; Zone 2 uses all workouts saved to your device with heart rate data to calculate your weekly zone minutes. *** Features Include *** • Weekly, monthly, & daily zone tracking based on your weekly goal with multiple chart viewing options • Strava connectivity to upload Zone 2 created distance workouts to your Strava profile • Home Screen and Lock Screen widgets for weekly Zone 2 goal progress • Compatibility with common Bluetooth heart rate monitors for live zone reporting during workouts with optional audio feedback • Apple Watch app with live zone total calculations, multiple workout screens, and optional haptic feedback and alerts • Apple Watch to iPhone mirroring during live workouts to see heart rate on the larger iPhone screen • Zone goal or open goal modes for tracking workouts • Heart rate zone calculator • Live activities on the Dynamic Island or Lock Screen _____________________ What is zone 2 heart rate training? Zone 2 training refers to exercise performed at a moderate intensity that keeps your heart rate in a specific heart rate zone, typically between 60-70% of your maximum heart rate. This is the heart rate zone where your body is able to utilize oxygen most efficiently, which can lead to a range of benefits for your fitness and health. Zone 2 training is important for a number of reasons, including: • Improved aerobic capacity: By training in the zone 2 heart rate range, your body becomes more efficient at using oxygen to produce energy, which can improve your overall aerobic capacity. • Increased fat burning: During moderate-intensity exercise, your body relies more on fat as a source of fuel, which can help to improve your body composition and reduce body fat. • Improved cardiovascular health: Regular exercise in the zone 2 heart rate range can help to strengthen your heart and improve blood flow, which can reduce the risk of heart disease. • Increased endurance: Training at a moderate intensity can help to improve your endurance and stamina, which can be particularly helpful for endurance athletes such as long-distance runners or cyclists. _______________ Terms of Use: https://www.apple.com/legal/internet-services/itunes/dev/stdeula/
Screenshots
Verdict
The clearest difference is price: Zone 2 at Free against SimpleHR's $0.99. Zone 2 also leads on rating (4.6 vs 4.0) and review sentiment (74% vs 43%). SimpleHR's advantage is in-app purchases (none vs 2). On ads, device support and iOS requirement 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
Zone 2 is free to download; SimpleHR costs $0.99 up front. Zone 2 sells 2 in-app purchases, starting at $4.99 per month. SimpleHR asks for nothing beyond the download.
Zone 2 holds the better App Store score, 4.6 against 4.0. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Zone 2 has 241 ratings behind it against 13, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews point the same way: 43% of SimpleHR's written reviews are positive against 74% of Zone 2's.
SimpleHR ships an update every 4 months, Zone 2 weekly. The most recent releases landed on August 21, 2026 and September 22, 2026 respectively.
| Parameter | SimpleHR | Zone 2 |
|---|---|---|
| Price | $0.99 | Free — better |
| Rating | 4.0 (13 ratings) | 4.6 (241 ratings) — better |
| Positive reviews | 42.9% of reviews | 74.1% of reviews — better |
| Number of ratings | 13 | 241 — better |
| Update frequency | Every 4 months | Weekly — better |
| Ads | No | No |
| In-app purchases | No — better | Yes |
| Monetization | Paid | Free with in-app purchases — better |
| Devices | iPhone, Apple Watch | iPhone, Apple Watch |
| Requires iOS | 17.0 | 17.0 |
| Further details — not scored | ||
| Size | 1 MB | 15 MB |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | Aaron Sullivan | Shannon Bolick |
Customer experience
SimpleHR
Zone 2
Bugs and requests
SimpleHR
Not enough reviews yet to summarise bugs or requests.
Zone 2
Reported bugs
9 issues- App crashes on iPhone 11 Pro and iPhone 16 with latest iOS
- Watch disconnects constantly during workouts
- Tracking stops mid-workout without saving data
- Bluetooth connectivity issues with Polar and other HR monitors
- App freezes at various points during exercise
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- Landscape mode flicks back to portrait automatically
- App continues running in background after closing
- Mirroring to iPhone functionality broken in version 2.7
- Random disconnections from Apple Watch
Requested features
8 requests- Calorie burn tracking and display
- Landscape orientation support for treadmills and rowers
- More specific workout categories beyond provided options
- Music control integration (play, pause, skip)
- Step tracking during workouts
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- Expanded time period views for zone totals
- Voice notifications through headphones instead of watch speakers
- Option to disable Zone 2 goal for live-only tracking
In-app purchases
SimpleHR
No in-app purchases
Zone 2
- Unlock All - Monthly3 Days trial$4.991 Month
- Unlock All - Yearly7 Days trial$39.991 Year









