Get Running vs Start Running For Beginners
Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.
Get Running
This app guides users from a sedentary lifestyle to running a 5k in nine weeks with structured workouts. It offers human-like coaching, community support, and progress tracking to help users achieve their fitness goals.
- Couch to 5k running plan
- Human voice coaching
- Community forum support
- Workout planning and scheduling
- Run Clock for visibility
- Music/podcast integration
- Progress logging
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Want to get fit and feel fantastic? Want to add some fresh air to your exercise? Then Get Running with the best Couch to 5k App! With three enjoyable workouts a week, in nine weeks you will be running continuously for half an hour, even if getting off the couch is a struggle today! Get Running breaks through the “beginning barrier” with its enormously popular Couch to 5k running plan. In week one’s workouts you'll alternate one minute of running with 90 seconds of walking. With each new week, Get Running’s human voice coach gradually builds up your pace, until you’re running for a whole half-hour! Get Running is the only Couch to 5K App that: • Coaches like a human – with hundreds of studio-recorded progress and encouragement prompts. • Supports and encourages you – talk with fellow running rookies on the Get Running forum. • Lets you share (NEW!) – share Get Running with up to three other runners: you all get your own log and settings! • Helps you plan – rest days help you recover, and Get Running knows the best day for your next run. • Displays your next move – the unique Run Clock, customised for each workout, gives complete visibility and understanding. In addition, Get Running: • Works with or without music. Or listen to podcasts and audio books. • Fits your schedule – just three workouts a week of 20 to 30 minutes. • Logs your achievements – with an illuminating visual record of your progress. Thousands of people have changed their lives with Get Running and you will too! Whether you’re running for your health, training for a 5K, or building to conquer a marathon — Get Running! Get Running's users say: • Just finished week 9 run 3 and all I can say is this app changed my life. Great job. • I LOVE your app. I have tried several but Yours is the BEST for me. I am 60 years young this year & a cancer survivor. I have set the goal to run 5 K races. I use your program as my trainer, it is SUPER. Thank You. – Vickie Wheeler by email • I tried the top selling "Couch to 5k" App before I purchased this one, and this one is much nicer to use. The voice reminders are very helpful. I like how it pauses your music instead of talking over it. I highly recommend it over the others. • Thank you so much for this little gem of an app. I had a look at others like it but this wins hands down. It is so brilliantly simple with a great interface. • Thank you! This app has changed my life. I was unfit and didn't do any regular exercise. I always blamed my asthma for being the reason I couldn't run for longer than a minute, but now I know it's because I was unfit! I have signed up for a 5k race too! – @amyriddett on Twitter • Really great app. I'm actually looking forward to running. I listen to podcasts and this app is terrific at pausing the show to make it's announcements. I don't miss anything that was said. Outstanding.
Start Running For Beginners
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.
- Personal running coach
- Couch to 5K training plan
- Distance, speed, and pace tracker
- GPS route tracking
- Calorie counter
- Voice feedback
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Taking up running? What could be easier! Don’t worry about distance, pace, or speed. Let's think about all this later. Listen to the instructions and run as you like. Don't focus on your running technique. The most important thing now is to get out and start running. Your goal is to increase the jogging time. Nothing else matters right now. Features: + Personal running coach + Couch to 5K (c25k) alternative training plan + Detailed statistics of each training + Distance, speed and pace tracker + GPS-route of every session + Built-in pedometer + Calorie counter + Custom workouts + Voice feedback + Sync with Apple Health The workout plan is split into 4 levels. Each level has a specific goal for jogging duration: • Level 1 goal is 20 minutes. • Level 2 goal is 30 minutes. • Level 3 goal is 40 minutes. • Level 4 goal is 60 minutes of running. Each level has a 4-weeks duration, and 3 workouts per week. Join us running! Terms of Use: https://www.apple.com/legal/internet-services/itunes/dev/stdeula/
Screenshots
Verdict
The clearest difference is price: Start Running For Beginners at Free against Get Running's $2.99. Get Running's advantage is in-app purchases (none vs 5) and rating (4.9 vs 4.7). On review sentiment, ratings volume, 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
Start Running For Beginners is free to download; Get Running costs $2.99 up front. Start Running For Beginners sells 5 in-app purchases, starting at $1.99 per month. Get Running asks for nothing beyond the download.
Get Running holds the better App Store score, 4.9 against 4.7. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 2.2K and 2.1K respectively. Written reviews complicate that: 96% of Get Running's written reviews are positive against 97% of Start Running For Beginners's, so the app with the better star average is not the one people write more warmly about.
Get Running ships an update every 2 months, Start Running For Beginners every 3 months. The most recent releases landed on October 19, 2026 and October 20, 2026 respectively.
| Parameter | Get Running | Start Running For Beginners |
|---|---|---|
| Price | $2.99 | Free — better |
| Rating | 4.9 (2.2K ratings) — better | 4.7 (2.1K ratings) |
| Positive reviews | 95.8% of reviews | 96.8% of reviews — better |
| Number of ratings | 2.2K — better | 2.1K |
| Update frequency | Every 2 months — better | Every 3 months |
| Ads | No | No |
| In-app purchases | No — better | Yes |
| Monetization | Free — better | Free with in-app purchases |
| Devices | iPhone, iPod | iPhone, Apple Watch |
| Requires iOS | 9.3 — better | 16.6 |
| Further details — not scored | ||
| Size | 24 MB | 12 MB |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | Benjohn Barnes | Axiom Mobile LLC |
Customer experience
Get Running
Start Running For Beginners
User reviews
Get Running
From 2.2K App Store ratingsWhat we love
- 👍 Easy to use
- 🚀 Effective program
- 💪 Helped get me running
- 🙌 Motivational and encouraging
- 🎉 Transformed me into a runner
Room to improve
- 🐛 App crashes or won't open
- 🔍 Lacks Apple Watch compatibility
- 🔢 No history or progress tracking
Start Running For Beginners
From 2.1K App Store ratingsWhat we love
- 👍 Easy to use
- 🚀 Gradual progression
- 💪 Helps build endurance
- 🎧 Allows listening to music
- 📈 Tracks progress
Room to improve
- 🔊 Audio prompts can be difficult to hear
- 🔒 Requires payment to unlock full features
- 🧭 No treadmill mode
- 🔄 Inability to repeat previous workouts
Bugs and requests
Get Running
Reported bugs
2 issues- App crashes on launch
- Freezes when switching music apps
Requested features
3 requests- Add 10K or half marathon training program
- Integrate with fitness tracking apps/devices
- Add GPS tracking and mapping
Start Running For Beginners
Reported bugs
2 issues- Sync issues when changing devices
- App crashes or freezes occasionally
Requested features
4 requests- Add more customization options
- Provide more detailed workout statistics
- Integrate with fitness trackers
- Offer more advanced training plans
In-app purchases
Get Running
No in-app purchases
Start Running For Beginners
- Full Version$1.991 Month
- Full Version$9.996 Months
- Full Version$1.99
- Full version$4.99
- Full version$19.99
Questions
Is Get Running free?
Is Start Running For Beginners free?
Which has better reviews, Get Running or Start Running For Beginners?
Do Get Running or Start Running For Beginners have ads?
Which is updated more often, Get Running or Start Running For Beginners?
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