# INKBIRD vs RUN

The clearest difference is rating: RUN at 4.2 against INKBIRD's 3.7. INKBIRD's advantage is in-app purchases (none vs 2) and ratings volume (6.8K vs 968). On price, review sentiment, update cadence and ads there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. RUN sells 2 in-app purchases, starting at $3.99 per month. INKBIRD asks for nothing beyond the download.

RUN holds the better App Store score, 4.2 against 3.7. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: INKBIRD has 6.8K ratings behind it against 968, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews complicate that: 23% of INKBIRD's written reviews are positive against 21% of RUN's, so the app with the better star average is not the one people write more warmly about.

INKBIRD ships an update fortnightly, RUN every 3 weeks. The most recent releases landed on September 24, 2026 and September 23, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | INKBIRD | RUN |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [3.7 (6.8K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/inkbird/id1589369968/reviews) | **[4.2 (968 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/run-chicken/id6468944470/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | **6.8K** | 968 |
| Positive reviews | **23.0% of reviews** | 21.1% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | **No** | Yes |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | **Fortnightly** | Every 3 weeks |
| Monetization | Free | Free |
| Size | 396 MB | 116 MB |
| Requires iOS | **13.0** | 15.0 |
| Devices | **iPhone, iPad, iPod, Apple Watch** | iPhone, iPod |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Shenzhen Inkbird Technology Co. Ltd](https://appshunter.io/developer/1163595178) | [RUN-TIGER](https://appshunter.io/developer/1711002359) |

## What reviewers say

### INKBIRD

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/inkbird/id1589369968)

Transform your home into a smart environment with intuitive controls for appliances and automated adjustments of temperature and humidity. Remotely monitor food temperatures and set custom alarms for optimal cooking, creating a more connected and enjoyable life.

**Highlights:** Smart home appliance control, Automated temperature and humidity adjustment, Remote food temperature monitoring, Customizable temperature alarms, Family network setup

**Features:** Apple Watch app, Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases:** none

**What reviewers like**

- 🚀 Easy to set up and use
- 🔒 Reliable connection
- 👍 Useful features
- 🚀 Accurate temperature monitoring
- 👍 Great customer support

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Bugs and connectivity issues
- 👎 Unintuitive app interface
- 🔋 Battery life concerns
- 👎 Difficult to configure
- 🔒 Privacy concerns with mandatory account

**Reported bugs**

- Custom menu names reset after exiting app
- Widgets not working as expected
- Frequent app crashes and disconnections
- Sensor temperature readings inconsistent
- Unable to remove/delete connected devices

**Requested features**

- Add dark mode option
- Improve temperature graph functionality
- Allow custom alarm sounds
- Implement low temperature alerts
- Add support for more devices


### RUN

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/run-chicken/id6468944470)

Control and optimize your automated chicken coop door. Set custom timers or sync with sunrise for automatic opening and closing. Monitor door status for flock safety and convenience.

**Highlights:** Configure door opening/closing, Set custom timers, Sync with sunrise, Built-in GPS feature, Overview of door statuses, User-friendly interface

**Features:** macOS Compatibility

**In-app purchases (2)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Premium - Monthly | $3.99 | per month |
| Premium - Yearly | $39.99 | per year |

**What reviewers like**

- 👍 Easy installation and setup (for some)
- 👍 Reliable operation (for some)
- 👍 Keeps chickens safe at night
- 👍 Convenient automatic open/close
- 👍 Works with older models (with workaround)

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 App connectivity issues
- 🐛 Bluetooth connection problems
- 🐛 App updates breaking functionality
- 🐛 Incompatibility with older/non-Bluetooth models
- 🐛 Loss of manual control/buttons

**Reported bugs**

- Bluetooth not connecting
- App not detecting doors after update
- Door resets and stays open after update
- Non-Bluetooth doors incompatible with new app
- App locks up and doesn't respond

**Requested features**

- Bring back physical buttons
- Allow programming without internet
- Add remote open/close functionality
- Show door status (open/closed/stuck)
- Improve app stability


## Frequently asked questions

### Is INKBIRD free?

INKBIRD is free to download, with no in-app purchases.

### Is RUN free?

RUN is free to download, with in-app purchases available.

### Which has better reviews, INKBIRD or RUN?

RUN is rated higher. INKBIRD averages 3.7 out of 5 from 6.8K ratings, while RUN averages 4.2 from 968 ratings.

### Do INKBIRD or RUN have ads?

Neither INKBIRD nor RUN shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, INKBIRD or RUN?

INKBIRD ships an update fortnightly, and RUN every 3 weeks. Most recently, INKBIRD was updated on September 24, 2026 and RUN on September 23, 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.*