Comparison

Treadmill Buddy vs Virtual Active Roam

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

Head to head
About

Treadmill Buddy

Enhance indoor runs and walks with virtual scenery and structured training plans. Connect compatible devices or use manual modes to track progress and achieve fitness goals. Enjoy immersive workouts with customizable avatars and adaptive layouts.

Highlights
  • Scenic video and 3D route exploration
  • Structured training plans with pace targets
  • Bluetooth treadmill and heart-rate monitor connection
  • Phone sensor and manual tracking modes
  • Workout progress tracking (duration, distance, pace)
  • Customizable avatar
  • Adaptive landscape layout
Features
Read full description

Give your next treadmill workout a change of scenery. Treadmill Buddy brings scenic routes, virtual runners and structured training to your indoor run or walk. EXPLORE AS YOU RUN Choose scenic video routes or 3D environments and see your avatar move through the course. KNOW WHAT TO RUN NEXT Build a training plan around your goals and follow workout guidance and pace targets. CHOOSE YOUR DATA SOURCE Connect a compatible Bluetooth treadmill or heart-rate device. Phone sensor and manual modes offer other ways to start. Manual mode uses simulated speed and distance. Device support depends on its protocol and model. SEE YOUR PROGRESS Review workout duration, distance and pace trends. Choose an avatar to make the experience your own. MORE ROOM FOR YOUR WORKOUT Landscape training fills the screen, with controls positioned around safe areas. Layouts adapt to iPhone Duo and iPad screen changes. Some content and features require membership. Subscription options and prices are shown before purchase. Payment is charged to your Apple Account. Subscriptions renew automatically unless canceled at least 24 hours before the current period ends. Manage or cancel subscriptions in Apple Account settings. Privacy Policy: https://www.treadmillbuddy.com/privacy Terms of Use: https://www.treadmillbuddy.com/terms

About

Virtual Active Roam

Experience immersive cardio workouts with breathtaking global scenery and guided coaching. Explore iconic locations from your home equipment, enjoying cinematic visuals and smooth motion. Choose between guided tours or simply enjoy the view to enhance your fitness journey.

Highlights
  • Immersive global scenery
  • Guided coaching tours
  • Treadmill, bike, elliptical compatible
  • Cinema quality visuals
  • Monthly and yearly subscriptions
  • 7-day free trial
Features
Read full description

Transport your mind as you transform your body. Virtual Active Roam elevates your cardio workout with epic scenery and inspiring coaching. Visit stunning sights around the world, from the bustling streets of Paris to the rugged peaks of New Zealand's Souther Alps, all from your treadmill, bike, or elliptical. Enjoy smooth motion and cinema quality photography that will make you feel like you're there. Take a challenging guided tour with one of our coaches, or just zone out and enjoy the scenery. To access all features and content you can subscribe to Virtual Active Roam on a monthly or yearly basis with an auto-renewing subscription right inside the app.* Pricing can vary by region and will be confirmed before purchase in the app. In app subscriptions will automatically renew at the end of their cycle. * All payments will be paid through your iTunes Account and may be managed under Account Settings after the initial payment. Subscription payments will automatically renew unless deactivated at least 24-hours before the end of the current cycle. Your account will be charged for renewal at least 24-hours prior to the end of the current cycle. Any unused portion of your free trial will be forfeited upon payment. Cancellations are incurred by disabling auto-renewal. Terms of Service: https://virtualactive.vhx.tv/tos Privacy Policy: https://virtualactive.vhx.tv/privacy

Screenshots

Treadmill Buddy4 screens
Virtual Active Roam4 screens

Verdict

The call

Treadmill Buddy and Virtual Active Roam both sit at 4.7 stars, but that hides the real split: 100% of Virtual Active Roam's written reviews are positive against 57% of Treadmill Buddy's. Treadmill Buddy's advantage is update cadence (fortnightly vs every 4 months) and ratings volume (52 vs 14). On price, rating, ads and in-app purchases 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. Treadmill Buddy sells 3 in-app purchases, starting at $4.99 per 7 days and Virtual Active Roam sells 2 in-app purchases, starting at $9.99 per month. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

ReceptionRating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings

On the App Store both sit at effectively the same score — 4.7 for Treadmill Buddy against 4.7 for Virtual Active Roam. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 52 and 14 respectively. Written reviews are what separate them: 57% of Treadmill Buddy's written reviews are positive against 100% of Virtual Active Roam's.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

Treadmill Buddy ships an update fortnightly, Virtual Active Roam every 4 months. Both last shipped on November 3, 2026.

Scorecard3 real differences · 7 level
Treadmill Buddy versus Virtual Active Roam: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterTreadmill BuddyVirtual Active Roam
PriceFreeFree
Rating4.7 (52 ratings)4.7 (14 ratings) — better
Positive reviews57.1% of reviews100.0% of reviews — better
Number of ratings52 — better14
Update frequencyFortnightly — betterEvery 4 months
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesYesYes
MonetizationFreemiumFree with in-app purchases
DevicesiPhone, iPad, iPodiPhone, iPad, Apple TV
Requires iOS15.0 — better16.6
Further details — not scored
Size311 MB107 MB
Age rating9+4+
Developer群 谢Virtual Active Inc.

Customer experience

Treadmill Buddy

All ratings52 ratings
Positive90.4%
Neutral5.8%
Negative3.8%
Written reviews7 reviews
Positive57.1%
Neutral14.3%
Negative28.6%

Virtual Active Roam

All ratings14 ratings
Positive92.9%
Neutral0.0%
Negative7.1%
Written reviews12 reviews
Positive100.0%
Neutral0.0%
Negative0.0%

In-app purchases

3 purchases

Treadmill Buddy

Subscriptions3
  • Weekly Subscription$4.997 Days
  • Monthly Subscription7 Days trial$9.991 Month
  • Yearly Subscription7 Days trial$98.991 Year
2 purchases

Virtual Active Roam

Subscriptions2
  • Virtual Active Roam Monthly7 Days trial$9.991 Month
  • Virtual Active Roam Yearly7 Days trial$99.991 Year

Questions

Is Treadmill Buddy free?
Treadmill Buddy is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Is Virtual Active Roam free?
Virtual Active Roam is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Which has better reviews, Treadmill Buddy or Virtual Active Roam?
Virtual Active Roam is rated higher. Treadmill Buddy averages 4.7 out of 5 from 52 ratings, while Virtual Active Roam averages 4.7 from 14 ratings.
Do Treadmill Buddy or Virtual Active Roam have ads?
Neither Treadmill Buddy nor Virtual Active Roam shows ads.
Which is updated more often, Treadmill Buddy or Virtual Active Roam?
Treadmill Buddy ships an update fortnightly, and Virtual Active Roam every 4 months. Most recently, Treadmill Buddy was updated on November 3, 2026 and Virtual Active Roam on November 3, 2026.

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